The coming of the Spaniards late in the seventeenth century provided a big boost for the superiority in arms made a big difference for the settlement’s defense. Once settled, the Spaniard’s immediately took charge, and before long, the ‘’pueblo’’ had an organized local government with a resident “Capitan Municipal” and a ‘’Cura’’ to take care of the ‘’Mission’’.
Image for visualization purposes only – not an actual depiction of events. All rights remain with the original copyright owner.
Inevitably, the town grew around the nucleus of the parish church and the ‘’Tribunal’’ or municipal building (formerly located at the present site of the town plaza) as the most prominent structures. Significantly, both the ‘’Capitan’’ and the ‘’Cura’’ also exercised a very important influence in the socio-economic, political and religious life of the people. Old people still remember stories from their forebears about the well-regimented life of the Spanish colonial periods: studying the’’Cartilla’’ and learning the ‘’Doctrina Cristiana’’; paying the ‘’Cedula’’; compulsory attendance at Sunday Mass, observance of curfew; strict sanitary measures; and even forced labor for building the parish church.
Image for visualization purposes only – not an actual depiction of events. All rights remain with the original copyright owner.
The most evident relic of the Spanish colonial period is of course, the parish church. Built of stone and a kind of sugar cane residue, the massive structure is one of the widest churches in the province. Undoubtedly, it was built through forced labor and took so many years to finish. But it will always stands as a lasting tribute to the faith, love and sacrifice of those who took part in its construction for future generations to remember.
Important Events during the Spanish Era
The outstanding events that took place in Pandan during the Spanish regime may be divided into five different aspects, namely: social, political, religious, and educational and health and sanitation.
Social and Political Aspects
The system of governing the town was carried and through the so-called capitan or gobernadorcillo, which at present is called Municipal Mayor. He was assisted in the administration of the town by the Cuadelleros, Cabeza de Barangay, and Aguacil, who are now called policemen, councilor and barrio lieutenants respectively.
During these days, land taxes were unknown. Once a person had paid his personal tax which amounted to P 1.50, he was exempted from paying taxes of any kind.
Rape, robbery, and killing were the gravest crimes during those days, and the penalty of offenders was death by hanging. Penalties for minor offenses like failure to clean one’s surrounding consisted only of confining the guilty in the Tribunal, now called the municipal building. Those found guilty were made to stand in a “Pandog” all day long and given several beatings.
One thing unique about the Spanish administration was the equality with which penalties were administered, because no matter what key positions in town one was holding, once he was guilty of any crime, he was punished relentlessly.
Religious Aspects
One commendable trend of the time was the people’s strict adherence to their religious duties and practices. During Sundays at 7:00 o’clock in the evening, a curfew bell in the Tribunal would be sounded, after which nobody was expected to be seen lingering around the town, otherwise, if anybody was caught by the Cuadelieros (policemen), he was given a hundred lashes. During curfew hours, everybody was expected to be in the house singing such holy songs as the so-called “Tarahadi”.
Educational Aspects
There were very few teachers in the town, because teachers were still to be imported from the mainland. There was no such thing as principal, district supervisor, division superintendent because the administration of the school was solely the teacher’s responsibility. During examination time the governor who was the over-all head of the province would just come over and gave oral examination to the pupils.
Severe and inhuman corporal punishment was the order of the day and woe to those who were rather slow in learning their daily lessons.
Teaching consisted mostly of religion, a little of handwork and Spanish.
Health and Sanitation Aspect
One accomplishment achieved along this line was the rigid enforcement of cleanliness in the immediate vicinity of the home. When one is found delinquent of his duty, he is hog-tied and given a hundred lashes.
Whenever the governor of the province visited the town and discovered that some streets were not properly cared for, it was the Capitan who suffered the penalty of being fined.
The building of sanitary toilets was the one phase of those health activities which were totally overlooked, hence the prevalence of cholera epidemic. Somewhere between 1850-1860 a cholera epidemic swept over the town and took a heavy toll of lives of the natives. Some 10 to 15 persons died in a single day. That was the most tragic part of the town’s history so far.
Sanitary inspectors and doctors were then unknown. Home visitation were delegated to the Jefe de Policia (Chief of Police) through whose orders, those found negligent to their duties were given the due punishment.
