History and Cultural Life of Miagao

INTRODUCTION

This transcript was a typewritten unpublished book conducted as a research project of the teachers of Miagao Elementary School and Miagao High School, under the leadership of Juan Palmos, Jr., in March, 1953.

The book was divided into two (2) parts and tells the History of Miag-ao from the Pre-Spanish Era, during the Spanish occupation, the American period, the Second World War, and after the Second World War. The book also tells of the culture, way of life, practices, riddles, beliefs and origins of the name of the town and its barangays as well as their respective foundation years. This record represents one of the primary references in the book, History of Miagao, by Elias N. Failagao published in 1979.

The First Part of the book talks about the establishment of the town, the historical events, way of life, culture, governmental affairs and heads of the government, friars and priests who were assigned to the town, as well as big events that happened.

The Second Part deals with the history and cultural life of the different barangays, their beliefs, riddles, sayings and historical events that occurred in those barangays as well as their respective foundations.

This research was in compliance to the directive of then President Elpidio R. Quirino (1948-1953) that all towns should write and submit their respective history and culture. In that, only Miag-ao and Cabatuan has complied to the said directive in Panay. Of the 1,200+ municipalities in the entire country, during President Quirino’s term only 3 known towns had copies existing in the National Archives so far that we know of. Perhaps, most were lost, damaged or never done because the Executive Order was made at the end of President Quirino’s term of office in 1953.

The scanned copy of the book presented here was taken from the original copy of the West Visayas Studies Center of the University of the Philippine Visayas in its Library in Iloilo City. This the first attempt at creating the historical mapping of all the towns of our country was pioneered by President Quirino.

Salvador Acsay, Jr. and Jonathan R. Matias

October 22, 2025