BANTAYAN MILESTONES

June 11, 1580 – The present church of Bantayan was built under Rev. Fr. Doroteo Andrada Rosario, an Augustinian.

1600 – The biggest moro attack was staged when a fleet of vintas swooped down into the town killing and held captive more than 800 natives mostly from the village of Hilingigay, now, Barangay Suba.

1603 – The Augustinian relinquished the administration of the church to the secular clergy.

1778 – About the end of this year, the old Spanish road linking Santa Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos were constructed through force labor.

1860 – The first “casa real” now, Municipal Hall was constructed was constructed.

1864 – The first Spanish school was established under the direct supervision of the curate where religious instructions were instilled.

1888-1889 – a smallpox epidemic devastated the island claiming the lives of thousand of inhabitants. It was controlled in 1908.

1894 – The entire barrio of Ticad was razed down to ashes and only stumps of posts could be seen from the ground after the conflagration.

December 30, 1906 – The first Rizal Day was celebrated in Bantayan.

1906 – The first bicycle invaded Bantayan, owned by Leon Villacrusis it was imported from Manila. The first Bicycle that was imported from Japan was owned by Dr. Mabugat.

1910 – The first motorized boat, M/V Carmela was owned by Yap Tico. It served the Bantayan-Cebu route. It also brought merchandise to and from Bantayan until it was destroyed by typhoon in 1912.

1912 – A disastrous typhoon swept Bantayan causing death to about 400 hundred people.

1913 – Construction of the present Bantayan-Santa Fe road began.

1913 – The first velocipede ( a child’s tricycle ) was introduced in Bantayan by Ramon Villaceran, son to Capitan Fortunato Villaceran.

1915 – The main building of the Bantayan Central School was built.

1918 – Construction of the Bantayan-Madridejos road was started.

August 1923 – Mr. Jesus O. Rosello and Mr. Jacinto Velez energized the town through an electric plant they acquired from Mr. Gandiongco.

1923 – The first car invaded Bantayan, it was a second hand Dodge Brothers owned by Capitan Casimiro Batiancila of Santa Fe,

1924 – The whole road construction project linking Santa Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos ended.

1927 – The Bantayan Postal Office was opened with the old Municipal Building as the site of operation.

1935 – Beer was first distributed in Bantayan, although it was in Madridejos where the “Isa Pa Nga” commercial expression was introduced.

July 4, 1947 – The first Independence Day parade was held in Bantayan in which Flag-bearing elementary school pupils and other civic-spirited citizens of the island participated.

1963 – The first group of oil exploresrs came to Bantayan to dig the first oil well somewhere between Patao and Kabac.

April 8, 1968 A fire that started from San Pedro Bakery gutted down 17 houses claiming the life of one person.

April 27 – M.Y. Village became the first subdivision ever established in the entire island. This was initiated by Mr. Rodrigo Y. Ybañez.

November 4, 1968 – A disastrous storm washed away the historic watchtower in Baluarte, Suba.

April 9, 1971 – Bantayan’s first VIA CRUSIS was held in M.Y. Village. The hilltop represented as the calvary.

April 16, 1973 – The most disastrous conflagration broke out which destroyed almost the whole section of Suba, razed down the entire public market and rendered more than 700 families homeless.

February 22, 1978 – A great loss to the people of Bantayan, Hon. Isidro R. Escario, succumbed to a heart attack. His funeral procession and wake drew thousands of Bantayanon’s from all walks of life to pay their last homage to greatest man of his generation. In number the ceremony has never been equaled to this day as people were seen queuing in one kilometer away from the wake.

1979 – The present church underwent major renovations in preparation for the town’s celebration of its 4th Centennial.