11/02/2025
HISTORY OF ALICIA, BOHOL NA WALA NAHIBAW-AN SA KADAGHANAN!
The town of Alicia, formerly known as the Municipality of Batuanan, is one among the oldest towns of Bohol. It was established few years after the Dagohoy Rebellion (1744-1829).
This town was established during the Spanish regime in June 1860 by virtue of a decree signed by the Spanish Governor-General Livariz. The seat of government was in Lungsoda-an, one of the sitios comprising the barrio of PUTLONGCAM. The name Putlongcam is coined from the name of 3 sitios, Puti, Lungsoda-an, and Cambaja.
There are two versions how the place came to be called Batuanan. One version state that the place had been used as
"Batuganan" meaning guarding place of the warriors of Dagohoy against invading pirates and Spaniards. From then on, the place was called Batuanan derived from the word "Batuganan." Then another version said that Batuan trees bearing tomato-shaped fruits were abundant in the locality. This prompted the Spanish Army who were then mopping up operation against Dagohoy's men to call the place Batuanan.
Since its birth as a municipality, Batuanan stood undisturbed by conflicts of any kind like boundary dispute with neighboring towns till 1870. The town's progress and population were at a standstill due to its location, The Población of the town was at the heart of rolling hills. A native captain named Pascual (Culay) Asas felt the need of moving the poblacion of the municipality of Batuanan to Bagasico Valley, just a stone's throw from Bagasico river.
In its status as a barrio, Batuanan produced 2 mayors, Dulcisimo Ayuban and Cipriano Aton. It successfully caused the election of Buenaventura Asas and Segundo Duetes as vice-mayors and many councillors, among them were Victor Doydora, Dionisio Muring, Anastacio Curit, Pedro Huiso and Gaudencio Gumop-as.
One of the councillors, Pedro Huiso led and renewed efforts to expose the cause of the barrio people of Batuanan in achieving an independent corporate identity. He made a comnitment with his bosom friend, Governor Jacinto Borja, assuring him that if President Quirino, then seeking for re-election, will create Batuanan into a municipality, the barrio will solidly vote for the liberal Party candidates in the national election in 1949. Thus, President Quirino during his stopover in Dumaguete City on September 16, 1949, issued Executive Order No. 265 creating Batuanan into an independent municipality to be known as Alicia, in honor of his wife Doña Alicia Syquia Quirino.
Alicia was inaugurated as an independent municipality on January 18, 1950, with its first appointed officials namely:
Mayor Pedro Huiso, Vice-Yayor Anastacio Curit, councilors Perpetua Talili, Gaudencio Gumop-as, Eladio Iyoy, Buenaventura Asas, Benito Licayan and Arsenio Ayuban.
" Alicia in Perspective" » Souvenir Program of Alicia Town Fiesta Celebration 1982.
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