Our Story

HISTORY OF AGUIPO

There once was a man who lived in this place, named Datu Ipong. Little was known about his ancestry and where he came from, although he was thought to be married without children. Datu Ipong was an industrious and hard-working man. He settled on top of the hill overlooking vast land where he planted rice, corn, coconuts, root crops and vegetables. He also raised cattle, carabao and other livestock.

Datu Ipong lived in abundance. Being kind, hospitable and generous, he shared his harvest with his neighbors.

A man named Bedjohan Busbus from Sierra Bullones used to go fishing in Mabini, where he met a local, Gregoria Fostanes. She later became his wife. Bedjohan was baptized in Guindolman by Father Narciso where he was given a Christian name, Silverio.

The couple became good friends with Datu Ipong who gave them a piece of his land. This is where Silverio and Gregoria settled with their 6 children: Ana, Isabelita, Manuela, Amadeo, Fruto and Fabian. When Datu Ipong died, he left everything he had to Silverio. In honor of his best friend, Silverio buried Datu Ipong on the hill, behind the chapel where he lived, marking the grave with stones, arranged like scales.

Near Silverio’s house was a Molave Tree (tugas) where they tied their carabao to provide it shade. From time to time, he would find his carabao untied. He would tie it back up. Sometimes, he learned that it has gotten into fights with neighbors’ carabaos. He watched out for whomever might be playing tricks on him. He never saw anyone. His carabao got loose many more times when he was not watching.

In his anger, he cut the tree down and set the trunk on fire. Miraculously, the fire continued to glow for more than a year, even when it was raining. People in neighboring places would come by to get a starter fire off the ember of the trunk. Ember is the smoldering remains of a fire. Translated, it’s called “Aguipo.”

When people were asked where they were going, they would say ‘we’re going to get aguipo.’ And that’s how Aguipo got its name.

HISTORY OF SAN VICENTE FERRER OF AGUIPO 

In a dream it was told that a statue of San Vicente Ferrer will be carved out of the burned Molave Tree trunk. Ciriaco, Silverio’s friend, was a known local sculptor who was commissioned to carve the image of San Vicente. In exchange for his services he got a carabao.

The San Vicente Ferrer image was placed in the house of Amadeo, son of Silverio Busbus. People came to his house to pray. More people continued to come. Out of the money donated by the people for San Vicente Ferrer, Amadeo constructed a chapel made of nipa near his house. He transferred the image to the chapel.

In 1905, more people were coming to pay homage to San Vicente. The nipa chapel was reconstructed to a semi-permanent building under the leadership of Amado Busbus, son of Amadeo, grandson of Silverio.

According to the legend, the saint, San Vicente Ferrer, was miraculous. This San Vicente Ferrer of Aguipo has also been miraculous. Many stories of healing and miracles have been told by people who came. To this day, especially on Fridays, people from different places, even far away make a pilgrimage to visit and give thanks to San Vicente Ferrer of Aguipo. During the fiesta for San Vicente Ferrer, April 5, buses of people come. The fiesta becomes a celebration of the whole barrio and a family reunion. If you know someone whose roots is from Aguipo, they’ve probably have, if not every year, come home to celebrate the fiesta

FINE PRINT:  history being verified