Lomography

New Lucena, Philippines
written by ethermoon on February 4th, 2009 , 5 comments (1 vote)

Please activate JavaScript to see this gallery.

New Lucena is a 5th class municipality in the province of Iloilo, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 19,490 people in 3,744 households. New Lucena is a nice place to shoot. There are lot of great, tall grasses there and yes, lovely places that is like enchanting to most of us. Located in the deep-center heart of the Iloilo province, there are many ways to go there. It can be either the highway or by the other way around (Cabatuan route).

There are also hundreds of towering pylons there. A lot of friendly people can be a well-deserve to call this place “great”.

A short history follows:

New Lucena was formerly known as Jimanban, a very small barrio organized sometime in 1800, which was a part of the Municipality of Cabatuan. Jimanban was derived from the word “nagapanghimanban” which means clearing the place of banban grass in preparation for planting palay. In 1866, the boundary line separating the jurisdiction of Sta. Barbara and Cabatuan was defined and Jimanban was made part of Sta. Barbara. Intermarriage among the people increased the area’s population.

Lead by Bartolome Valenzuela, a prominent resident of the barrio (Jimanban) the residents organized themselves and petitioned the Governor General that they be granted independence by putting up a church, convent, and a casa real (municipal building). With the help of the Provincial Officials and Captain Municipal of the Municipalities of Sta. Barbara, Cabatuan, and Pototan, Lucena was separated from Sta. Barbara on October 9, 1877 in accordance with the Direccion General De Administration Civil. The first Municipal Officials were elected and the first Captain Municipal was Bartolome Valenzuela known as Tan Abo, the grandfather of the late Senator Tomas Confessor and Representative Patricio Confessor.

It was not recorded when the name of the place was change to “Lucena” but Lucena reportedly comes from the dialect Lu (Ulo) which means “head” and “cena” which is the short version for the flower azucena, (Azucena is a flower which was abundant during that time). Thus, Lucena means pure and peaceful leader or head.

Others believed that Jimanban was change to Lucena in honor of Pedro Gonzales Lucena, the 36th Alcalde Mayor of Iloilo in 1716-1717. This was in accordance to the directive that the place should be name after its Patron Saint or the highest authority of the province.

When the Americans came, Pueblo de Lucena was again incorporated to the Municipal of Sta. Barbara in 1902 for economic security and facilitation of government. In 1921, the prominent citizens of Lucena petitioned for its separation from Sta. Barbara.

However, confusion took place when some letter were missent between the town and Lucena, Quezon in Luzon. So, through legislation, with the help of Congressman Ramon Tabiana, Lucena was changed to New Lucena. In January 1, 1947, Lucena became a new town in the Province of Iloilo, thus it is now called New Lucena.