Basey, Samar, Philippines

Basey Map

Basey is a municipality in the province of Samar, Philippines. According to the census of 2000, it has a population of 43,809 people in 9,013 households.
The town’s name is pronounced “bAsay”, not “basEY. This mispronunciation was propagated by American soldiers in the early days of the American colonial period. There is no “ey” sound in Waray. Basay is from the Waray word “mabaysay,” meaning beautiful. Basay is said to be the Leyte’s capital during the American period. It is the current record holder of the world’s longest mat (“banig”), which is presented in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Profile of Basey, Samar

Basey is located in the southwestern part of Samar. The nearest airport, located in Tacloban City, is about 28 kilometers along the Maharlika highway through the winding San Juanico bridge. The people of Basey are enganged mainly in agriculture, fishing, commerce, education and cottage industries, notably, mat-weaving. Tourism is becoming a viable source of revenue. Most of the residents belong to the Roman Catholic Church and the patron saint is Saint Michael the Archangel whose feast is celebrated every September 29th. The literacy rate is 90 percent. It is very common to meet someone who is tri-lingual; the predominant dialect is Waray, but most people are very conversant is both Pilipino and English. The area is about 53,300 hectares composed of coastal and inland plains, hills, mountains and rivers. Scattered around this verdant land are 51 barangays, each has its own mini-government directly connected to the municipal, provincial and national governments.
Some places of interest are the Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park, the Panhulugan, Saob and Rawis Caves, the 17th century Church, the Buscada/Mt. Carmel Chapel, Jinamoc Island, the Guintolian Tower, Balintawak Falls and the Golden River.
Basey is politically subdivided into 51 barangays as follow:

Amandayehan Canmanila May-it Palaypay (Pob.)
Anglit Catadman Mongabong Sulod (Pob.)
Bacubac Cogon New San Agustin Roxas
Balante Dolongan Nouvelas Occidental Salvacion
Baloog Guintigui-an Nouvelas Oriental San Antonio
Basiao Guirang Old San Agustin Sawa
Binongtu-an Iba Panugmonon Serum
Buenavista Inuntan Pelit Sugca
Bulao Loog Baybay (Pob.) Sugponon
Burgos Mabini Buscada (Pob.) Tinaogan
Cambayan Magallanes Lawa-an (Pob.) Tingib
Can-abay Manlilinab Loyo (Pob.) Villa Aurora
Cancaiyas Del Pilar Mercado (Pob.)

Government of Basey
Region: Eastern Visayas (Region VIII)
Province: Samar
District: 2nd district of Samar
Barangays: 51
Income class: 3rd class; partially urban
Founded: 1591
Head of Government: Mayor

Physical Characterisics
Area = 532.7 km²
Population = 43,809 (2000 Census)
Total Density = 82.2/km² (2000)

Coordinates 11° 16′ 58.8″ N, 125° 4′ 1.2″ E

The History of Basey and its People

Introduction

An invaluable piece of history flows with the great Kadak-an River. Its headstreams up the Sohoton Mountains down to the reefs and shoal where it abuts San Pedro Bay, bears witness to a timeless flow of events. While we can only tell what secrets the big river has revealed thus far, the wealth of information may explain why some folks call it Golden River, even more fittingly perhaps.
Time seems to have left behind the barangays that scatter along the banks, so with thepoblacion nestled at the mouth of the big River. But its proud people are always ready to tell its colorful history and to showcase the banig artisanship that is deeply rooted in its beautiful past. The name Basey for which the municipality came to be known comes from the waray word baysay, which means beauty.
A review of local archeological discoveries, internet-searched church records, ruins and relics of antiquities and more recent activities of its people piece together a priceless testimonial that reflects the true character of its people that defines what has truly been Basaynon.

How Basey Got its Name

The word Basey comes from the vernacular Baysay (means beauty). This is in deference to its most beautiful erstwhile inhabitant named Bungansakit. When the new town adopted the name, a competition in her honor caused Bungansakit’s original home village of Balud to be renamed Guibaysayi (means most beautiful).
It is easy to presuppose that the Americans named Basay Basey, with emphasis on the last syllable. The idiosyncrasy of the English language tends to have difficulty pronouncing ah, when followed with consonant y. The locals probably unwittingly popularized the word by imitating or ridiculing the American pronunciation. But to claim that the Americans originally adopted the word is not supported by facts.
Basaynons themselves contracted Baysay to Basay for convenience in ordinary talk. In turn the Spanish corrupted Basay to Basey to suit in their formal writings. Basey is always found in Spanish records relating to the town. This includes early Spanish maps of the Philippines, which puts Basey in its right location. In addition, the church bells, which date back as early as 1858 in the St. Michael’s church belfry are engraved withBasey in reference to the town. These bells predate the arrival of the Americans in 1898.

The Legend of Bungansakit

The legend of beautiful Bungansakit has been told for generations. The real story may be limited to the fact that Basey was named in her honor but the fanaticism made the story as compelling as it is enduring. It has inspired zarzuelas, Moro-moro or stage dance that simulate the fight between Christians and Muslims and poetry-reading contests in Spanish and vernacular. More recently, the legend is immortalized in a book entitled “A Mat Weaver’s Story: the Legend of Bungansakit” written by Wilmo C. Orejola and published by Watermark Press in the United States (2001).
Invariably the story begins with Kadiko and Guilanda, a childless couple in the village of Omit (presently, barrio Magallanes) who finds an unwanted white baby, or probably an albino. They name her Bungansakit, which translates into fruit of sorrow or sacrifices. They have prayed for a child for twenty years. Distinctly foreign features of the baby evoke strong feelings that she might be an offspring of a fairy and mortal parentage, thus comes the paranoia of deceit and destructive premonitions woven into the story. Her lodestar status brings attention to the village of Omit. People of power and influence try to subdue or capitalize on her. She falls in love with a suitor named Suguihon who marries her in a Christian wedlock. The story ends tragically when a jealous Moro suitor plunders the Christian villages of Omit and Balud and abducts her to Moroland.
There are no historical records to validate the story. But in the writings of Jesuit Fr. Francisco Alcina in 1668, he alluded to mass abduction of native Basaynons by Moro marauders in the present town of Basey in 1664 or thereabouts. Given the circumstances told in the story, the town did not exist yet. The story of Bungansakit’s birth and later abduction supposedly happened in the precursor villages of Omit and Balud. The story may have happened between 1565 and 1600. Bungansakit could have been born not earlier than 1565. Her abduction may have coincided with the early Moro raids in the Visayas by Buisan, Raja Mura and Siroman, which were frequent in the early 1600’s.

The Legacy of Mat Weaving

It is foolhardy to believe that Basaynons invented mat weaving. The sedge grassFimbristylis utilis Elmer, locally called tikug used as raw material grows abundantly in the marshlands. It is as ubiquitous in the region as coconut for copra and abaca for rope making. However, mat weaving is an example of discipline in the Basaynons. For generations they have practiced this handicraft from their Malayan ancestors. Like fishing and farming, it has become a source of livelihood for a typical family.
In recent years the art of the banig has made a spectacular transformation. The traditional plaited sinamay and colorfully embroidered sleeping mats found place in other household uses and to accent wall decors, dividers, lampshades, bags, slippers and other novelties.
More recent innovations extol the artistic merits of the banig in fabulous accoutrement by local fashion designers and craftsmen as displayed during the much-celebrated Miss Guibaysayi beauty pageant. This annual, pre-fiesta event is a competition of sorts but more among local artisans of elegant and ostentatiously embroidered ternos of banig. These bring out the best presentation among its beautiful contestants albeit for fashion shows only. This big development in the town’s mat weaving industry has caught national attention and importance. It has certainly become a source of pride for the Basaynon.
In 2000, the Basaynon laid its claim to have woven the longest banig in the world for the Guinness book. But, wouldn’t it be equally distinguished and ingenious if Basaynon entrepreneurs could claim to supply a world market?

The Present and the Future

By every measure, Basey had a glorious past. It was the political, educational, religious and cultural center in this part of Samar and Leyte during the Spanish times. It can historically claim mother town to the municipalities of Santa Rita and Marabut and the city of Tacloban. But while Tacloban progressed exponentially and became a city, Basey seemed to freeze in time.
The great Kadak-an River continues to reveal its secrets. In Rawis and Yuni caves, a honeycomb of caverns and underground rivers still needs to be explored. In time new discoveries will push validated history farther back to the beginning of time. More artifacts around the barangays of Magallanes (Omit) and Balud (Binungtoan) will be unearthed and studied and will further enrich the cultural heritage of the Basaynon.
In recent years infrastructure brought progress to the region. In 1973 the 2.16-km San Juanico Bridge linked the island of Samar to Leyte. In 2000 a bridge connected the barrios of Magallanes and Balud over the mighty Kadak-an River completing a loop of commerce via the Basey-Balangiga Road from around the southern tip of Samar. This entire infrastructure brought Basey at the crossroads of prosperity.
Now all it takes is the will of the Basaynon to take the road of progress. He may not lay back and gloat over its glorious past. For now whatever the Basaynon does he owes it all from the future. He must invigorate this sleepy town for his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Basey Most Proud Of

A panoramic view of the poblacionfrom the Guintolian hill.

Ruins of the balwarte or watchtower atop Guintolian hill used to forewarn the people of oncoming Moro or pirate vessels.

The fresco on the main altar ceiling depicts the triumph of St. Michael the Archangel, patron saint of Basey.

The Basey Town Hall calledmunicipio or tribunal served as American garrison of Maj. Waller during the Philippine American War.

The Battle of Cadacan took place at this site on November 17, 1901 between the Insurrectos led by Capitan Juan Colinares and American marines led by Captains Porter and Bearss (The Ordeal of Samar).

Entrance to the Panhulugan cave where Fr. Hutterer discovered artifacts dating back to the Stone Age.

The structure and belfry of St. Michael’s Church takes angular architecture in contrast to baroque designs of Spanish churches in the 18th century.

Sohoton Caves, or more appropriately, the Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park is situated at Rawis, Brgy. Guirang in Basey, Samar. Fascinating geological features abound in the 840-hectare park such as caves, limestone boulders, rockholes, weathered formation rocks and underground rivers.