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Brief History of the Municipality of Magsingal
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The town of Magsingal was founded in the year 1676 under orders of Captain Juan de Salcedo of the Spanish Army.
LEGEND
The Spanish colonizers under the leadership of Captain Juan de Salcedo encountered a place which was called Malungon, a place situated southwest and about one kilometre away from the present poblacion. This place is presently a place where rice, Virginia tobacco and garlic thrive with satisfaction in this municipality. This place was then under the rule of a woman ruler by the name of PalungoGalcia (Garcia). This woman ruler brought with them several bells to be distributed to municipalities to be founded by them, one of which was a big bell to be allotted to the town of Magsingal. Upon arriving at Malungon, they offered this big bell to ruler Palungo Garcia. But she flatly denied the offer to accept the big bell. And instead, she pointed to a place and simultaneously said, “MAYISINGAL”, or (Mayalissadiay), meaning: “Let it be transferred there”. This place pointed to by Palungo Garcia is the present site of the town’s belfry which was under the rule of her twin brothers PalungoAndoliguis (Andoriguis) and PalungoTholentino (Tolentino). Since then, the Spaniards wrote and pronounced the name of this town as MAGSINGAL, a contraction of the word MAYISINGAL or MAYALIS SADIAY.
ETHNIC GROUP AND RELIGION
The first people of this municipality were Itnegs. They believed in many Gods, like the sun, moon, stars and the earth. Up to this day, some people still commit mistake by saying “Apo Init” or “Apo Bulan”, evidently transmitted to us by our forefathers. It was believed that the first people of this municipality came from Malay Peninsula by bancas or barangay. All the occupants of each banca settled in a certain place and the wealthiest, wisest, strongest and most fearful and courageous among them was recognized as the leader or ruler of the settled place. The Itnegs called the ruler Cabeza de Barangay or “Apo Lakay”. He was an acknowledged leader, authorized to settle disputes in accordance with the customs and traditions of their ancestors and the people. There were only six (6) barangay before the onset of the colonizers namely: Bangay, Bangbangcag, Malungon, Cabanayan, Quinnuang and the place where the poblacion is now situated.
Source: https://aichannel.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/brief-history-of-the-mun... Date accesed: February 13, 2023.