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HISTORY OF GATTARAN
The town of Gattaran was founded on May 20, 1623 during the Spanish Expedition in the Philippines through the leadership of Juan de Salcedo. GATTARAN was discovered as one of the tribal communities along the Cagayan River situated between the towns of Tuguegarao, in the south and Aparri, in the north, during the colonization in 1572. The town of Nassiping, now a Barangay Gattaran was first established on June 15, 1596 but two years later, on May 24, 1598, Dummun became another town, now also a barangay of Gattaran. Almost twenty-five (25) years later when Gattaran became the third town.
In 1878, by virtue of a Diocesan Order from the Bishop of Nueva Segovia, (Lal-lo-c) Nassiping, Dummun and Gattaran merged into only one town and choosing GATTARAN as the seat for Civil Government by recommendation of Fray Francisco Suejos, O.P. It was for ecclesiastical convenience that Gattaran was chosen for religious services, though, a church, occupying about more than a hectare, in Nassiping was already erected in the 15th Century(Today, the Nassiping Church was considered one of the historical places in Gattaran and still being attended by fanatic churchgoers even if its parts were severely damage and deteriorating).
The Gattaran Catholic Church, now known as St. Catherine Church located in the Centro, whose ruins from the last global war was repaired and reconstructed, also stands as a historical monument of the Spanish Rule. It was originally constructed through the efforts of Fray Nolasco de Medio and Fray Domingo Campo, both Dominicians and improved by Fray Santiago Capdevilla, O.P., who initiated the construction of a brick stairway, west of the church, leading to the bank of the Cagayan River. The stairway served as a landing for disembarking friars and others Spanish travelers. The last friar to serve in the church was Fray Braulio Prieto, O.P.
During the Spanish Regime, Don Francisco Guzman was appointed as the first Governadorcillo. He was succeeded by Don Juan Bayucan and Don Andres Guzman and then ended by colonization.
The American occupation brought a political change by their policy of training people for self-governance. The said government under the American Authority started in 1901 with the appointment of Don Agustin Tapiru as the first Municipal President. Don Antonio Pattauinan became Municipal President, whose term ended in 1906 and unwontedly marked by worst deluge that inundated the whole town, damaging great quantities of crops and wrecking valuable properties.
In 1906, even when the town has not totally recovered, Nassiping was annexed to Gattaran, this time; it was headed by the return of Don Juan Bayucan as Municipal president. It was during the term of Don Elias Estabillo, served for two terms, who encouraged the ILOCANOS to settle in the unoccupied land of the town. The next Municipal President was Don Luis Adviento, who continued to help Ilocanos in the quest for life. Don Ignacio Baculi succeeded to become the next Municipal President.
The two (2) terms of Don Juan Talamayan, under the Americans, maybe called the “PROGRAM OF PUBLIC EDUCATION”. He donated the site of the school, then known as Gattaran Central Community School, now occupied by the Gattaran West Central School and West District Office, but its buildings were burned during the Second World War. He continued his service by sustaining program in opening more school in the barrios.
In 1925, Don Andres Mangupag had the towns’ leadership. He was followed by Don Mateo Sian Castro as Municipal President in 1928 – 1931. They both prioritized the construction of barrio roads. The last to serve as a Municipal President was Mariano Talamayan, a nephew of Don Juan Talamayan. He had significant accomplishments like laying out streets and made possible for the survey of the Municipality in his consultations with Macario Sevalla, chief of Cadastral Party of Bureau of Lands. Sevalla was later succeeded by Domingo Alcaraz.
The term of Hon. Melecio Adviento came during the Commonwealth, where the Cadastral hearing of the Municipality under the sala Judge Ceferino Hilario was completed and he began constructing the Municipal Hall.
The next town Mayor was ATTY. HIPOLITO MANDAC with his aim to finish the construction of the Municipality Building which was fortunately inaugurated in September 1941. But four months later, at the dawn of December 11, 1941, Japanese forces occupied the town, destroying and confiscating all kinds of properties such as records, Cadastral Titles, valuable properties, furniture and equipment and among others. The resistance government of Governor Marcello Adduru was short lived when he was forced to surrender when the Japanese Armies relentlessly pursued to the agony of the Local people.
During the unforgettable Japanese Occupation, it was only Melecio Adviento who took over as Mayor. He was ordered as his first official duties, to call on his town mates to give up from hiding, the repercussion of not complying is meant the burning of houses or even faces consequential death. The Japanese emblem is prescribed to be worn by the people on 2 inches by 3 inches cloth at the side of their shoulder. Again, on a strict order, people were told to report at the Japanese garrison in order to listen on lectures by the Japanese officials, whose humanitarian mission is to redeem property in South Asia. Before hand, people are taught to pay tribute by facing the rising sun with bowed- head.
On the other hand, Mayor Adviento encouraged neighborhood associations composing of ten families and directing the leader of the group to report on him about some other personalities and their activities which are believed not in consonants with his policies. He further widened the organizations in forming districts by clustering those neighborhood associations. They had formed 24 districts which were headed by Felipe Lozada as League President and Guillermo Cortez as secretary.
When this tragic destiny was no longer withstand by Adviento, year 1944 was about to end when he left his post and fled, together followed by most, if not all, the people to the hills. In their hiding place at Zinnundungan Valley and foothills of Tagac, they met other people from Camalaniugan and Lal-lo who also evacuated to get away from the atrocities of the Japanese. There was hardship everywhere when the area was over crowded and epidemic broke out. An exiled military government was organized and proclaims Lieutenant Rogelio Dieste as the leader. Following such military decisions, the AFP Headquarters at Macatabang during the latter part of March 1945, an election was held. Military officials prohibited the participation of Japanese collaborators. Atty. Candido Verzosa and Paulo Delos Santos became Mayor and Vice Mayor, respectively. DON ANGEL P. MANDAC also served as Mayor during the Guerilla Military Government.
The Military Government was transferred to the “Centro” when the American Government occupied the town in the early part of 1945. When the whole province was fully liberated, ATTY. HIPOLITO MANDAC assumed his prewar position as mayor and was noted for his efforts to retrieve and reconstitute lost records, documents and properties of the municipal government.
Another set of municipal officials were appointed and installed after the election of the President Manuel A. Roxas. Hon. Delfino Liban, being appointed in 1947, his Vice Mayor was Fernando Villegas.
The first local election was also in 1947. Hon. Delfino Liban elected as Mayor for three (3) successive terms, 1948-1951; 1952-1955 and 1956-1959, Panteleon Samoy was vice mayor from 1952 to 1959. They left a remarkable achievement in terms of infrastructure development, notably in constructing roads in the poblacion and some in the eastern barrios and planned for irrigation facilities.
The municipality’s land area of 114,700 hectares was reduced when Lasam was made and separated in January 1951. Gattaran, now, only contains 70,750 hectares.
Hon. Honesto B. Adviento succeeded Hon. Liban to the mayoralty post in 1960-1963. The Vice mayor was Aniceto Almazan. He earned distinction in his administration by encouraging the people to be self-reliant. His emphatic ideas gained trust and confidence utilizing only available resources for common benefit.
The next leader was Hon. Fruto C. Elizaga whose term started in 1953 and ended in 1979. His sixteen (16) years of administration is noted for various development projects. The best he has done was the completion of the irrigation system attributing from the Dummun River that harnessed for productivity. He was also remembered in constructing roads and bridges, school buildings delivering social services.
In the later part of 1979, President Ferdinand E. Marcos appointed Dr. Veronica C. Agatep to succeed Hon. Elizaga. Hon. Agatep formally won the local elections in 1980 after working some of his initial plans for the municipality.
The 1986 EDSA REVOLUTION, which toppled the 20-year regime of Marcos, brought speculations of military government; however, President Corazon C. Aquino assumed the highest function but assigned Officer-in Charge (OIC) for local government units. In this manner, Dr. Harim T. Santos, himself a former Vice mayor, became the OIC with Gerardo “Gerry” P. Verzosa (an Atenean/MICAA basketball, as his Vice mayor, both served from July 1986 to march 1, 1987. Their short stint still, had managed them to construct eatery and meat stalls and concreting the front of the public market.
Dr. Eustaquio G. Pulmano was next appointed as OIC who served from March 1987 to December 1987. He also tried to help make the town progressive through numerous and significant projects. He was succeeded by Judge Jose Pascual who served the shortest period of two (2) months, from December 4, 1987 to March 1, 1988.
After the country regained its stability, local elections was held and fortunately won by Dr. Veronica C. Agatep, who officially assumed on March 2, 1988 with Jaime C. Ancheta as Vice Mayor. The two top local leaders worked together and improved the situation of the municipality.
The term of Agatep ended by the victory of HON. RAMON C. NOLASCO during the local elections in May 1992. ATTY. RAMON C. NOLASCO, whose ambition for the town is not known until convincing evidences proved his dedicated service, finished his first term as Municipal mayor with sterling performances. The accomplishments were achieved through various programs and projects apparently based on priority needs of the people. Some of his major initiatives include the concreting of the whole area of the Centro and Nabaccayan Public Markets, repair of severely deteriorating Barangay health centers, construction and improvement of school buildings, rehabilitation of Barangay and municipal roads and bridges, but above all, the purchasing of two (2) units of conditioned dump trucks to boost infrastructure development and uplift economic condition. Other services were promptly delivered such as the promotion of peace and order, intensive health care services, assistance to poor families and victims of disasters, establishment of livelihood projects, managing the environment and manpower development.
In June 30, 1995, Hon. Ramon C. Nolasco assumed to his second three-year term, proving his political nemesis that he was at the hilt of the people’s support. He was riding on the overwhelming trust and confidence of his constituents to continue his unfinished agenda for development. His sensibility towards bringing progress to far-flung areas, gave his enormous appreciation from the people because of his own version of the electrification program. He was able to bring light to the following Barangay, namely, Mabuno, San Carlos, T. Elizaga, Piña Este, Piña Weste, Capissayan Sur, Bangatan, Ganzano, Tubungan Este, Tubungan Weste, Taligan, Sidem, Cabayu, Nagatutuan and Cunig, beforehand were not reached by CAGELCO II.
Continuing his administration’s thrust by going beyond what people expect added more infrastructure equipment like; bulldozer, grader, pay-loader, dump truck and hydraulic excavator. He also ensures his administration had a productive work force, approved the creation of different positions in the LGU and adopting an effective organizational structure and staffing pattern. Unselfishly and memorable, salary standardization was fully implemented, thereby, leveling local employees with their national counterparts.
Mayor Nolasco believed that the town’s primary source of income is agriculture; he prioritized the construction of small water-impounding projects. Making his leadership with remarkable milestone, establishment of 10-bed municipal hospital was even inaugurated with the presence of the Country Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and pronounced as the model and regional center for reproductive health.
In the May 1998 Local elections, Atty. Ramon C. Nolasco renews his mandate to complete an impressive three (3) consecutive terms. He was regarded as the leader to have made possible the long and dusty Dummun-San Carlos National Road concreted and the construction of the Pamilihang Bayan ng Gattaran, replacing the old structure. The municipality was decorated with much recognition particularly the performance of the Municipal Health Office.
The first elections of 2nd Milllennium was held in May 2001. Engr. Danilo C. Nolasco, older brother of Atty. Ramon C. Nolasco, won convincingly. Hon. Danilo C. Nolasco started with high hopes that will result to sustain the growth and development of the municipality.
The Gattareños today, no longer back decades ago only to compare development for they can observe and feel the great changes in a much shorter period of time. The people of Gattaran are now living with the fruits of successive developmental programs and projects, which is the growth in agricultural production and progress in the industrial and commercial sector.
The mind of these sorts of achievement could only be attributed to the Honorable Chief Executive himself and the arms are loyal and cooperative constituents. Engr. Danilo C. Nolasco devised a simple and achievable master plan: the quick and efficient delivery of basic services; well designed yet economically constructed infrastructure projects; effective measures in maintaining peace and order; immediate response to social services; and rigid upgrading programs in agriculture and commerce.
To note these achievements: Improvement of farm to market roads through the construction of bridges and culverts and rehabilitation of roads; construction of the lengthy Dummun- San Carlos roads through the initiative of then Mayor Ramon C. Nolasco and this administration which is now being pleasantly used; construction of Small Water Impounding Projects are now effectively irrigating vast rice fields; easier and immediate access to spacious hospitals and Rural Health Units, are but among the many.
For the current year, this administration is focusing more on infrastructure projects. Among the priorities are the on-going construction of Capissayan Bridge, Piña Weste Bridge and more Box Culverts to farm to market roads, classrooms and multi-purpose drying pavements. Most important of all is the personal immersion of the Municipal Mayor in the activities and programs of the Barangay.
