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GOV.PH  |  Philippine Standard Time: 02 December 2023, 07:43 PM

History

Alegria used to be a barrio of Tubod under the Municipality of Samboan long Before 1857. The name Tubod was due to a famous spring which served both its inhabitants and travelers with its crystalline waters for drinking and other purposes under the shade of three big Talisay trees. The spring was located in what is now sitio Santa Rosa, Poblacion and it is ideally situated that it became the sitio of community celebrations.

In one of its native fete, when the inhabitants were feasting, drinking, singing and dancing in gay abandon, the first Spanish soldiers to visit the locality arrived. They were  welcomed to the celebration which they really joined in all its aspects, especially in eating, dinking and dancing, In a moment of extreme joy stimulated by the native tuba drink and the festive atmosphere, one of them shouted; “Que alegre, O Alegria!’ His companion in unison; “Alegria!Alegria!” The word is Spanish for happiness. And it stuck from then on for barrioTubod.

When in 1857, barrio Alegria was converted into a municipality, “Alegria” became the official name. The late Capitan Tolero was its first executive. Alegria counts with 16 parish priests from 1857 to 1951. Its first parish priest is Father Felix de la Concepcion. Succeeding Capitanes were  Aronsing, Barriones, Engke Villarubia, Patricio Glodove, bernabe Visitacion, Miguel Aller I, Patricio Letegio, Ananstacio Baylosis, Marcos Mejares, Miguel Aller I (re-appointed), Agustin Carriaga, Marcos Rodriques (re-appointed) and Agustin Carriage (re-appointed). These Alegria Capitanes administered the municipality of Alegria from 1857 to 1901 under the Spanish regime of the Philippines.

Alegria’s outstanding contribution to the revolutionary efforts of the Spanish-Filipino and Filipino-American wars from 1896 to 1901 was Colonel Atanasio Bello. He led the resistance in southwestern Cebu under the overall Cebu Command of General Maxilom and Leon Kilat. He played the leading role in the ambuscade against the Americans in the Battle of Bugas, Badian, Cebu and other minor skirmisher and guerilla actions against the superior fire power of American Forces until it was no longer practical to fight them. When the resistance ended, he was appointed by the American authorities as first Justice of the Peace for the municipalities of Alegria and Malabuyoc.

The first Municipal President of Alegria under the American was Nerio Ygoña who served from 1901 to 1906. Succeeding him after another were; Tranquilino Ruiz, Nerio Ygoña (re-elected), Modesto Rodriquez, Clemente Sandalo, Miguel Aller II, Aurelio Carriaga and  Policarpio Quintana, whose partial term ended in December 31, He having been originally elected as Vice President to President Aurelio Carriaga who died on 1930

The  most interesting spots in the Poblacion of Alegria are its old church and the three monuments for the late Senator Mariano J. Cuenco and Manuel Cuenco (former Cebu governor). The majority of the people in the municipality believe that these two well-known men of Cebu are entitled to their lasting memory because they, more than any other, had given the municipality more aids and public improvement.

At present, the town is a fifth class municipality. The coastal lands ate not fertile, its soil having been constantly used for hundreds of years. But the valleys of its hinterlands are still fertile and continue to grow and produce agricultural food supply both for the people of Alegria and the neighboring places. Its interiors ate potentially rich in mineral, like  coal, manganese and gypsum. Signs of copper, gold and oil deposits are found in some places.

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