Batang Dula

Batang Dula is the eldest son of Lakan Bunao Dula of the Sultanate of Tanah Amanillah and Tundok. He is the heir apparent to the sultanate, a prince, but the Sultanate was reduced to belligerent level when the Spanish authority secretly launched a massive liquidation order of the native aristocracy who are suspected to be secretly in alliance with the British Royalty, from the bloodline of the Lord of Manor of the Oxfordshire.It was in Lakan Dula's era when Britain and Spain are fighting for world power. Britain's way is to gain the trust of native royalties all over the world by diplomacy or intermarriages and then group these royalties into federation under its leadership. Spain's way is through conquest and subjugation. Lakan Dula's tall and fair appearance came from his great grand father who has British blood, a Lord of Manor from Oxfordshire. Lakan Dula is the early attempt of the British to gain the trust of the native Manila aristocracy. Batang Dula was never touched by the Spanish authority because he was betrothed to the daughter (some historians say, sister), of the founder of Manila, Martin de Goiti. The marriage of Senorita de Goiti and Batang Dula is Spains way of co opting the Sultanate. When it was apparent that the native aristocracy are being secretly liquidated, Batang Dula, with the help of his Spanish wife initiated the first ever diaspora of the native aristocracy by sending them to the protection of the native settlements along the river and sea routes like Pampanga, Pangasinan, Marikina, Samar, Cebu, Bohol, Butuan, Leyte, Bicol, etc. Some native aristocrat were forced to changed into Spanish surnames, some changed to hispanic native sounding names, some used British or muslim surnames, but those who are close relatives of the sultanate decided to used the surnames that makes them well known in the sultanate like Sumulong (the first one to attack), Agbayani ( the hero), Gatbonton (the caretaker), Capulong (member of the council), Manalo ( always a winner), Calungsod ( from the city), Macapagal (always busy), Magsaysay ( story teller), aglipay (always happy), Kapunan ( the one who always pay the bill), Pangilinan ( was given good amulets), Aguinaldo ( gift), Akonya later Acuna ( who always shoulder problems), etc.The children of Batang Dula where sent to stronghold native settlements. The eldest son, David Dula y de Goiti was sent in a a far away settlement with the Galleon Trade route (to be very safe) and was protected by the Sumuroy clan in Northern Samar. He was given a large island and coconut plantation which was later called by the natives as Candawid ( owned by David in Waray dialect). The second child Daba was entrusted to an uncle in nearby Pampanga. She was given a large farm land which the natives are a calling Candaba (owned by Daba). the youngest and prettier daughter, Dola, was entrusted to a cousin , also in nearby Pampanga, and was given a large farmland which the natives are calling Candola (owned by Dola). Dola was eventually married to a domineering guardia civil surnamed Reyes which made her bloodline appears later to be loyal to the Spanish authorities than to the sultanate.Eventually, the sultanate was reduced to obscurity but the secret struggles and desire of the natives hatched by prince Batang Dula and his Spanish wife, to be freed from the oppressive Spanish regime, was passed on from generation to generation which contributed to the eventual independence of the whole archiepelago into the Philippine republic. The same patriotic spirit of the descendants of Lakan Dula and his Sultanate based in Tondo is still manifested up to the present times, in fact, a lot Philippine presidents traced their bloodline on this particular ancient native aristocracy.

Genealogy of the Eldest Sons of the Lineage of Lakan Dula: Significance of the Era

Lakan Banaw Dula (1503) is the King of Tondo which kingdom extends to Ilocos Region in Luzon and Northern Samar in the Visayas. But he has allies among native chieftains in most part of the Visayas and Mindanao as their paramount ruler. Many names such as Samar, Samal, Ibabao, Tandaya were given to Samar Island prior to the coming of the Spaniards in 1596. An unknown community writer from Las Navas, Samar said in jest that the name "Samar" was derived from the local language samad, meaning "wound" or "cut", out of a joke. Recent scholars however connect the name Samar to the ancient city of Samaria, the capital of the northern Kingdom of Israel. The early Datu of Samar, Hadi Iberein of Lawan Town, in the northern part of the island may have a Samaritan blood. This explains the presence of spotty Hebrew sounding words in the present Lawan dialect and why the Sephardi Jews settled in Northern Samar on later years and in line with the recent findings of the Jewish scholars that the territory of Datu Iberein which reigns extends to Butuan, Quezon Province, Albay and Mactan, could be the center of the the biblical Ophir which is now known in the books as the present Philippines. Datu Iberein may have the influence in officially naming the island as Samar, in honor of his homeland Samaria. Samar island was also named by the Spaniards as the original Filipinas, which was extended eventually to pertain to the whole Philippine archipelago. The influence of Datu Iberein is based on the fact that his territorial base covers the prosperous and historical Catubig-Laoang- Palapag topography. Catubig was the Capital of the whole Samar Island, Palapag is the home of the ancient shipping industry which was later to become the shipping repair station of the Galleon Trade and is also known historically as the home of the Sumuroy Revolt; and Lawan (now Laoang) is the seat of the power of Datu Iberein which is a stronghold and gateway from the Pacific of the Kingdom of Tondo headed by a dynasty of Lakans, or "paramount rulers" of all native chieftains of the what is known now as the Philippine archipelago. Recent diggings in a place called Sawang of ancient jewelries, plates and martabana (ancient burial jar) points to the legendary prosperity and influence Datu Iberein. Quite incidentally, the Araw City and Sigbin legends of the Warays are also pointing in the direction of the prosperous topography of the Catubig-Laoang-Palapag naval grid. Is the Ophir and Araw City one and the same..

Batang Dula (1535). Eldest son of Lakan Dula. Batag Island of Lawan Town in Samar is named after him. In 1569 Martin de Goiti arrived in Manila. Batang Dula was betrothed to a lady from the Goiti family, which is one of Spanish ways of pacifying the native aristocracy.

David Dula y Goiti (1571). Due to intense Spanish persecution of the native aristocracy right at the heart of the Kingdom of Lakan Dula in Tondo and Intramuros, the eldest son of Batang Dula, David Goiti Dula was hidden in a far end of the kingdom within the Galleon Trade sea route. He changed the name of his children to Dulay, to hide their identity. The natives call the plantation in Batag Island, Samar where David Goiti Dula was hidden as Candawid (Kan David, meaning owned by David) even up to now. David eventually married Julya, granddaughter of Lawan datu Hadi Iberein.Historian William Henry Scott wrote that a “Samar datu by the name of Iberein was rowed out to a Spanish vessel anchored in his harbor in 1543 by oarsmen collared in gold; while wearing on his own person earrings and chains.” This is a testament of the power and prosperity of the native pre-Hispanic aristocracy in Samar and Tondo. The name Iberein seem to connote a Sephardic Jewish ancestry from the Iberian Peninsula which has influenced the name of the island into Samar (from Samaria). David’s sisters, Daba Goiti Dula changed the surname of their children to Capulong, and Dola Goiti Dula made their children carry the surname of Lacandola. They were hidden in some provinces in Luzon. Datu Hadi Iberein, following instructions from the Kingdom of Tondo, decided to live in peace with the Spaniards provided that they will not have military forces in the heart of the Lakanate of Lawan but will built them in either Catubig or Palapag. Years later, David Dula y Goiti received messages from the Lakanate of Tondo to secretly resist the Spanish occupation by instigating a revolt, and send trained warriors to Cavite in the guise of shipyard workers because Cavite was decided by the Kingdom of Tondo to be the main force to overthrow the Spanish kingdom in Manila. David Dula y Goiti met secretly with the father of Sumuroy and several native chieftains to plan the insurrection. The insurrection will start in Palapag (Ibabao) be led by 'Sumuroy, Juan Ponce and Pedro Caamug. The son of David Dula y Goiti by the name of David Dulay was also in the forefront as the logistics and finance officer of the military operation, using the link of his family to the Lakan of Tondo.

David Dulay (1602) is the eldest son of David Dula y Goiti. A younger brother of David retained the surname Dula on his children which explains that even today, Dulay and Dula surnames co – exists in Lawan but they consider themselves relatives. However, they tease each other as “sigbinan”. David was executed in Palapag Town, the ancient ship repair capital of the Galleon Trade, in 1652, together with his seven followers and a hunting dog named “sigbin”. He was married to a daughter of one native tribal chieftains in the Lakanate of Lawan. The Sumuroy Revolt started and spread within the territories influence by the Lakanate of Lawan. When Sumuroy was killed, David Dulay was forced to lead and expand the rebellion but he was eventually wounded, captured and executed together with his men. The Romualdez of Leyte is also part of the Sumuroy Revolt. In their official family history today, they thank David Dulay, for allowing their rebel ancestral patriarch to go home to attend to an ailing mother days before the rebels will be caught by the Guardia Civil after a fierce gun battle in Palapag, and were executed. The younger brother of David Dulay, a handsome caucasian looking guy name Francisco Dulay using a borrowed surname De la Cruz to avoid detection of the Guardia Civil, escaped back to Tondo after the execution of his eldest brother and met a beautiful lady from an ancient village in the north known in pre-colonial times as Alingay or Alinguey. The natives, several generations later, would call the place where this mysterious Dulay with his beautiful native wife settled, as Samara, knowing that the husband of the beautiful native is from Samar and Tondo. When Spanish colonizers arrived in the late 16th century, they found an enclave of ethnic Pangasinenses actively trading with their Ilocano and Ifugao neighbors and traders from China, Japan and Southeast Asia in the vicinity of Samara.

Datu Sava (1618) is the eldest son of David Dulay to a wife who is a daughter of one of a native tribe chieftains in the Lakanate of Lawan. Sava was later anointed as the Datu of a native settlement in 1638 at the age of 20. Because, Sava grew up in the household of the native chieftain and his father David Dulay was executed by the Spaniards when he was young, his upbringing is influenced more by the household of the native chieftain. His loyalty is more on the natives and not on his Lakan Dula or Dulay ancestry. He seldom use the surname Dula or Dulay of his executed father to avoid persecution of the Spaniards.

Duma (1650). Son of Datu Sava. Took care of the settlement in Lawan. Describing the place of the settlement, Fr. Alzina, as a missionary in Samar and Leyte from 1634 to 1674, in his visit to the place in 1640 says, “On the opposite side of Rawis, on the Lawan Island, which is a sandbar there is a solid ridge of rock. It is fashioned by nature itself and it is so steep that it looks like a façade of a wall… It was a natural fortification, due to its great height of massive rock; it was also secured as if by a moat which encircled its three sides. The fourth side was blocked by a palisade of strong logs. Then too, nature also formed on one side of this rock something like a small cove with its little beach.” Duma is only using the surname Dulay on special occasions.

Kahipus (1681).Son of Duma. The leadership system in Lakanate of Lawan weakened due to pressure of the Spanish government and Christianity. Kahipus expanded the settlement in another part of Lawan. He is slowly using the surname Dulay in several occasions.

Yumanaw (1712).Son of Kahipus, the last datu of Lawang. He started a settlement in another part of Lawang Town. By the end of the 16th century, any claim to Filipino royalty, nobility, or hidalguía had disappeared into a homogenized, hispanized and Christianized nobility - the Principalía.[60] This remnant of the pre-colonial royal and noble families continued to rule their traditional domain until the end of the Spanish Regime. However, there were cases when succession in leadership was also done through election of new leaders (Cabezas de Barangay), especially in provinces near the central colonial government in Manila where the ancient ruling families lost their prestige and role. He seldom use the surname Dulay but he let his children use them.

Sebaste Dulay (1740).Son of Yumanaw. With the decline of the influence of the native nobility, and the Spanish practice of having a surname has been in full effect, he adopted back their native Dulay surname into his name. He is the great grandfather of Petre Dulay. A younger brother of Sebaste decided to use the surname Dula to openly challenge the Spanish authorities who are still very critical on the bloodline of the native aristocracy. He settled down in peace in a far territory of the ancient settlement which is now known as Lawaan. The influence of the hereditary leaders of Lawan was legally ended with the creation of Laoang town in 1768.

Benyamin Dulay (1772). Son of Sebaste. Grandfather of Petre who remained in Lawan settlement progressing in the “arastre” business.

Esteban Gatdula (1799).Son of Benyamin. Father of Petre Dulay. As the eldest son, Gat Esteban, inherited the ancestral plantation of David Goiti Dula in sitio Candawid, Barrio Marubay, Lawang, Northern Samar while Esteban's younger brother by the name of Santiago GatDula went back to Tondo and settled in the family inheritance in Calle Sande , while the rest of the members of the Dulay principalia family remained in Lawan main settlement. Several generations later, his great grandson who remained in Lawan, Hilario Dula Dulay, would become the municipal president of Lawan in 1929, and caused the survey and acquisition of the titles to the present market site and the lot across the creek at Little Venice. Years later, Hilario's son, Mayor Eleuterio Dulay would become the longest serving undefeated mayor of the town.

Petre Dulay( 1843) is the eldest son of Esteban who eventually inherited the Candawid plantation from where the Dulay Mendoza Clan of Lawang and Marikina descended. The family of the eldest son of Petre, returned to their homeland Tondo and eventually decided to settle in Marikina Valley through the arrangements with the Cacho-Tuason family who owns the Hacienda Mariquina and with then Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal, another descendant of Lakan Dula of Tondo. The plantation of David Goiti Dula in Candawid was left to a youngest brother of the eldest Elpidio Dulay, Barangay Captain Macario Dulay. The eldest son of Elpidio, Ceferino Dulay headed the Dulay Mendoza Clan of Marikina Valley. Petre is the oldest brother of Agripina Dulay who married a Chinese merchant, from where Gov. Madeilene Dulay Cui Mendoza Ong descended. On 21 November 1849 the Spanish Governor General of the Philippine Islands, Narciso Clavería, decreed the systematic distribution of surnames and the implementation of the Spanish naming system for Filipinos and Filipinas, thereby producing the Catálogo Alfabético de Apellidos ("Alphabetical Catalogue of Surnames") listing Spanish, Filipino, and Hispanicised Chinese words, names, and numbers. The Dulay clan did not change their surname to Spanish – sounding surname as a defiance to the Spanish rule. Today, the lineage of Agripina Dulay, took over from their cousin Mayor Eleuterio Dulay in running the Lawan settlement, not as ancient datus like their forefathers, but as popularly elected mayors. As of this writing, the Agripina Dulay lineage (who got married with the Chinese Cui, Sephardi Jewish Mendoza and Chinese Ong from Binondo) is not only in control of the ancient Lawan settlement, but also the congressional district and the whole province of Northern Samar carrying the surname Ongchuan. The descendants of Lakan Dula of Tondo seem to be on its way of restoring the glorious past of the Philippine Islands.