Brief Notes on the History of the Parish of Balete

The parish of Balete evolved out of a larger parish of Batan. It became a full pledge parish (and consequently became the 33rd pueblo of Capiz) approximately in 1826 under the Bishopric of the Diocese of Cebu. Earlier, it was part of the Encomienda of Batan with Don Miguel Rodriguez as its encomiendero. Under his care were some 4,200 persons from whom he collected 1,200 tributes. Earlier on, it was part of the mission areas of the Augustinians and was regarded as one of the 14 or 17 visitas of the curate of Batan when Fray Luis Jurado, OSA assumed the post from his predecessor. By that time it was variously referred to either as “the village near the river of Hilo” or “Jalo” in reference to the Jal-o River that runs through the heart of Balete.

Their highly cultured manner and their being neither wild nor refractory impressed the Augustinians who met with and converted the people into Christian faith. They regarded them to be “…the most noble in the Archipelago, a highly-cultured group with well built beautiful houses and many well organized villages…”

The manuscript Memoria de la Provincia de Capiziv related that epidemic was frequent in the community. In 1882 for instance, a cholera outbreak had caused the death of about 144 people. The frequency of occurrence of diseases in the early times could be one of the main factors why St. Rafael the Archangel was enthroned as patron saint of an ailing people. He was invoked to be the healer of their malaise and protector against that which oppresses them. Oral tradition, we have, tells us that whenever a prevalent disease afflicts the faithful, procession in honor of the saint would readily and devotedly be done.

Many years after the Augustinian missionaries had made known the Good News, majority of the Christian faithful in Balete, both the so called “unchurched” and the sophistic churchgoers, are failing in their knowledge of the very person they called Jesus Christ. Just the same, in the urban poblacion or in the remote Sitio of Benitinan, Oquendo, the name of Jesus has been venerated by most Baleten-ons from generation to generation. Nevertheless, we dare to say that few of them have understood him and fewer still have tried to put into practice what he wanted to see done. As in the words of Fr. Albert Nolan, OP, “Jesus has been more frequently honoured and worshipped for what he did not mean than for what he did mean. The supreme irony is that some of the things he opposed most strongly in the world of his time were resurrected, preached and spread more widely throughout the world—in his name.”

The Pastors of the Baleten-on Community

We do not have the complete list of parish priests/missionaries who were assigned in Balete. What we have are bits and pieces: Fray Luis Jurado, OSA was recorded doing missionary works among the “villagers near the river of Halo” circa 1714; Fr. Matias Piansay was replaced by Fr. Diego Albao (or Alba in some manuscripts) in 1856, Fr. Vicente Guanco was parish priest in 1882 (after this, most Baleten-on got hold of their records back from the Parish of the Immaculate Conception in Batan)… Rev. Fr. Paterno Valguna (November 11, 1939-November 14, 1948); Rev. Fr. Luis Concepcion (February 28, 1949-April 23, 1955); Rev. Fr. Jaime Sin (on Mission from May 16, 1955-June 2, 1955); Rev. Fr. Luis Concepcion (June 3, 1955-June 4, 1958); Rev. Fr. Jose Soriano (June 28, 1958-May 12, 1964); Rev. Fr. Felix Iledan (May 16, 1964-April 13, 1970); Rev. Fr. Jose Dollete (April 18, 1970-March 19, 1975); Rev. Fr. Jose Parohinog (March 22, 1975-June 30, 1982); Rev. Fr. Magloire Placer (February 6, 1982-October 24, 1982 (Asst./Actg.); Rev. Fr. Fermin del Rosario (October 24, 1982-January 5, 1985); Rev. Fr. Marlon Rasgo (January 12, 1985-April 20, 1985 [Actg.]); Rev.Fr. Ramon Gelito (April 27,1985 [In charge of the Parish]); Rev. Fr. Marlon Rasgo (April 29, 1985-June 22, 1985 [Actg.]); Rev. Fr. Ramon Bansuelo (July 6, 1985-December 14, 1985); Rev. Fr.

Eusebio Ileto (December 21, 1985-November 29, 1986); Rev. Fr. Tito Gelito (December 6, 1986-August 8, 1997);Rev. Msgr. Pedro C. Frac (August 9, 1997 to July 31, 2004); Rev. Fr. Alan G. Sta. Maria (August 1, 2004 to present).

Source: a. dela cruz @ scribd.com