1.1 Historical Background
A. Political Background
Brgy. Sto. Niño’s view from Balangasan Road (Photo: Jastin E. Oniot)
The unfolding of the history of Barangay Sto. Niño, Pagadian City is the unveiling of its hidden treasure as a keyboard in the making of the history of its people specially in their quest for designing a descent living and building harmonious and healthy relationships among each other. This had been an un-ending quest that brought Barangay Sto. Niño into the circles of progressive barangays in the city of Pagadian.
Barangay Sto. Niño, Pagadian City, was created through City Ordinance No. 41, Series of 1984, under SP Bill No. 17, dated August 13, 1984, separating it from Barangay Balangasan. On November 11, 1984, there seen the birthing of a new barangay named Barangay Sto. Niño in honor of the Patron Saint of the Diocese of Pagadian. By virtue of the said ordinance, this barangay was sliced from Barangay Balangasan and comprising Sixteen (16) puroks, namely, Sandayong, Mangga, Ferdinand, Quezon, Roxas, Aguinaldo, Mabini, Bonifacio, Magsaysay, Garcia, Pag-asa, Rizal, Capitol Creek, Doña Aurora, Aquino, and Osmeña.
Before the advent of year 1976, the place was a sprawling woody, stony, undeveloped and sparsely populated 21.35 hectares of land name Purok Bougainvilla of Barangay Balangasan. The whole area was formerly owned by the Consolacion Family, who used it as a collateral of loan applied at Philippine National Bank (PNB). As the years went by, for reasons only the Consolacion Family could ever know, the land was foreclosed by the PNB. Eventually, it was acquired by the City government.
Barangay Sto. Niño, Pagadian City, was created through City Ordinance No. 41, Series of 1984, under SP Bill No. 17, dated August 13, 1984, separating it from Barangay Balangasan. On November 11, 1984, there seen the birthing of a new barangay named Barangay Sto. Niño in honor of the Patron Saint of the Diocese of Pagadian. By virtue of the said ordinance, this barangay was sliced from Barangay Balangasan and comprising Sixteen (16) puroks, namely, Sandayong, Mangga, Ferdinand, Quezon, Roxas, Aguinaldo, Mabini, Bonifacio, Magsaysay, Garcia, Pag-asa, Rizal, Capitol Creek, Doña Aurora, Aquino, and Osmeña.
Before the advent of year 1976, the place was a sprawling woody, stony, undeveloped and sparsely populated 21.35 hectares of land name Purok Bougainvilla of Barangay Balangasan. The whole area was formerly owned by the Consolacion Family, who used it as a collateral of loan applied at Philippine National Bank (PNB). As the years went by, for reasons only the Consolacion Family could ever know, the land was foreclosed by the PNB. Eventually, it was acquired by the City government.
B. Cultural Background
In July, 1976, a great earthquake struck the whole island in Mindanao. The earthquake created a seismic wave or the so called "Tsunami" that destroyed hundred of lives and devastated the whole coastal area of Pagadian City.
It was in Purok Bougainvilla where then City Mayor Felimon S. Pajares relocated many of the affected families who were living along the coastlines whose houses and other important and precious belongings were totally destroyed by the tidal wave.
Immediately upon their relocation in the area, the tidal wave victims renamed the place, "Purok Imelda", after the former First Lady Imelda R. Marcos who was known to have come to supervise the relocation of the said victims.Mr. Alfredo Z. Atienza was elected Purok President of the newly named purok. He served as such from 1976 to Tsunami destruction at a Moslem fishing
village in Llana Bay
(Photo: G. Pararas-Carayannis @ www.drgeorgepc.com) 1981, and was later elected City Councilor of Pagadian City.During these years, the Tsunami victims tried and struggled so hard, weathering all kinds of difficulties, in order to survive through the miseries and poverty brought about by the disaster. Towards the end of year 1981, the people again changed the name of their now fast-developing and growing purok to Sto. Niño Village, in honor of their chosen Patron, Señor Sto. Niño. At this time, the elected new Purok President was the late Mr. Patrocenio Irong. (The man is well remembered as the "First Barangay Chairman" of Sto. Niño. Early in 1984, the residents of Sto. Niño began to feel and realize that their community could now qualify to become a distinct and separate barangay in terms of size and population.
It was in Purok Bougainvilla where then City Mayor Felimon S. Pajares relocated many of the affected families who were living along the coastlines whose houses and other important and precious belongings were totally destroyed by the tidal wave.
Immediately upon their relocation in the area, the tidal wave victims renamed the place, "Purok Imelda", after the former First Lady Imelda R. Marcos who was known to have come to supervise the relocation of the said victims.Mr. Alfredo Z. Atienza was elected Purok President of the newly named purok. He served as such from 1976 to Tsunami destruction at a Moslem fishing
village in Llana Bay
(Photo: G. Pararas-Carayannis @ www.drgeorgepc.com) 1981, and was later elected City Councilor of Pagadian City.During these years, the Tsunami victims tried and struggled so hard, weathering all kinds of difficulties, in order to survive through the miseries and poverty brought about by the disaster. Towards the end of year 1981, the people again changed the name of their now fast-developing and growing purok to Sto. Niño Village, in honor of their chosen Patron, Señor Sto. Niño. At this time, the elected new Purok President was the late Mr. Patrocenio Irong. (The man is well remembered as the "First Barangay Chairman" of Sto. Niño. Early in 1984, the residents of Sto. Niño began to feel and realize that their community could now qualify to become a distinct and separate barangay in terms of size and population.