BARANGAY  AGUILAR

A long time ago during the Spanish regime, Brgy. Aguilar was inhabited by the people from mainland of Panay especially from the towns of Tubungan, Leon, Guimbal and Igbaras Iloilo by the family of Escamillan, Aguilar, Tanaleon and Talaban. 

During 1850s the Patron Saint San Antonio Abad was brought hero from the town of Tubungan, the reason why the Patron Saint of Aguilar is the same as that of Tubungan. Barangay Aguilar got its name in honor of the first leader in person of Tiburcio Aguilar, the first Cabeza de Barangay in the late 1870s, according to the history of folks of the latter generation.

Barangay Aguilar is situated nearly at the center of the Island. It is considered as one of the oldest barangay in Guimaras. Formerly, it belonged to the town of Jordan and declared as part of the Municipality of San Lorenzo later in 1995. The dilapidated Gabaldon School of Aguilar Elementary School is the proof that Aguilar has been existing for many years.

BARANGAY  CABANO

Barangay Cabano got its name from Spaniards during the Spanish Era for where every household Spaniards would drop by lie “cavans” of rice, thus, they preferred to name the place “Cabano” from cavans. 

Barangay Cabano was formerly owned by the Locsin Family and later was sold to BENPRES Corp. with a special power of attorney hence Cabano was already covered by Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) before the negotiations took place and fortunately in the year 2002 Barangay Cabano was declared an Agrarian Reform Community (ARC), lots of farmers assistance were coming in, particularly in the rehabilitation of farm to market roads(FMR) for easy transport of farm produce and supplies by the farmers.

The Barangay was also fortunate enough having the seat of government of the municipality of San Lorenzo situated within it.  

BARANGAY  CABUNGAHAN

Two kilometers away from Barangay Suclaran lies Barangay Cabungahan. According to the oldest man of this Barangay , Mr. Regino Nono, since the Spanish times, old folks here fond chewing “minama” of which one of the ingredients is the betel nut (bunga). There was an abundant supply of this betel nut palms growing in this Barangay. Later on, a folk from neighboring barangay used to get supplies of these betel nuts for it was their habit and past time activity. When the Spanish soldiers were patrolling, they meet some of these folks and asked the name of this place and they answered “Cabungahan”.

In 1953, Barangay Cabungahan was the first Sitio of Barangay Suclaran, which was under the leadership of Teniente del Bario Gregorio Quezon Sr., Mr. Condrado Blegario was assigned as leader to the needs of the people of this community. Later on,  population grew and number of households increased. Hon. Ernesto Natividad and Hon. Felix Catalbas Sangguniang Bayan Members of the Municipality of Buenavista sponsored a resolution to separate Sitio Cabungahan from Barangay Suclaran as an independent barangay. This resolution was strongly supported by DILG officer, Mr. Antonio Tulio. Thus, Barangay  Cabungahan was born.

BARANGAY  CONSTANCIA

Sometime ago, Spanish Soldier accidentally passed by the house of a lady and asked, what is the name of the place. Thinking that the stranger was asking about her name, she replied “ Constancia”. Henceforth, the name was used by the people in the place up to the present.

According to the old resident, the first settlers who migrated to the Barangay were from the Tanaleon’s clan who came from interior town of Tubungan Iloilo. Others came from Guimbal, Igbaras, Tigbauan, and other neighboring towns followed believing to find greener pasture in the said place.

 Big families such as Tamayor, Talagon, Pillada, Gano, Cordero, Latu-ab, Cudo, Ganancial, Galve, and other belong to the famous clans of Constancia. However, it is believed that Tanaleon’s were first to administer the Barangay  Affairs.

The Barangay fiesta falls on the last Saturday in the month of February to honor the Patron Saint Senior San Juaquin, the family Patron of Tanaleons. Other celebrations being held in the barangay are thanksgiving and other small family affairs.

Before 1995, Barangay Constancia was under the jurisdiction of the Municipality of Jordan. Since 1995 up to the present, it is one of the twelve(12) barangays of the newly created municipality/ town of San Lorenzo by virtue of Republic Act 7897 which was approved during the term of President Fedil V. Ramos. 

BARANGAY  GABAN

It was harvest time, people were all busy while there was  couple carrying a “Kaban” or “Panigahan” who meet a stranger along the road. The stranger  asked them if what is the name of the place. They don’t understand what the stranger is talking about and they thought he was asking what they were carrying, so the couple  answered “Kaban”. Unfortunately, the stranger heard it “ Gaban”. After that, the couple were telling story to every folks they meet about the stranger saying Gaban and later on the place was called “Gaban”.

BARANGAY  IGCAWAYAN

Barangay Igcawayan first had it’s name during the Spanish regime. It was told that when some Spaniards passed by an old man who was planting a bamboo, they asked him the name of the place. They were using the Spanish language and the old man could not understand them. He just presume they were asking him what he was planting, so he answered “kawayan” . 

From that time on, on the Spaniards called the place kawayan. Later on, the name was change to IGCAWAYAN.

BARANGAY  M. CHAVEZ

Barangay M. Chavez was formerly known one of sitios of Barangay  Suclaran and named as Paos. It was created into a Barangay in 1953 and was named after Mr. Miguel Chavez  who owned one half of the total land area. It was consisted of 15 total households and 160 total population.

The first Barangay Captain was Federico Ambid in 1953 and Sitio Paglanutan was created on his last term of office on 1965. After him, Simion Blegario was the  Barangay Captain who took office from 1965 to 1966 and took another term in 1967 to 1986.

During his term, Sitio Miagos was created in 1986 and Sitio San Andres in 1981. The 4th Barangay Captain through an appointment in 1984 was Pepito Gadnanan. In 1986 Tomas Pillora took the post as acting Barangay Captain. The 6th Barangay Captain also an acting post was Rolando Gadnanan in 1987. The 7th was Berden Igpuara in 1988 up to 1994. Norman Gananan was elected as the 8th Barangay Captain. During his term, 4 sitios are created namely Madrid, Minoro, Proper and Kalye Onse . 

BARANGAY  SAN ENRIQUE

Originally, Barangay San Enrique and Barangay Gaban belonged to one Barangay which is San Enrique because of the large area of land and also of its large population. Domingo Vilches the head Barangay decided to have it divided into two Barangays the presently known Barangay Gaban and the original name of San Enrique was given to this Barangay up to the present.

After the division, Domingo Vilches processed the survey of the area which retained the original name. After the course of survey they were able to find a huge Lebas tree at the area fronting seashore at the land once owned by the Vilches family. Thus Lebas has been carried as another name of Barangay San Enrique to the present.

BARANGAY  SAPAL

According to unwritten history, the old folks of that time were fond of preparing food called “ Sa-pal” as their source of living. Sa-pal should be carefully prepared because once it is contaminated the preparation would not succeed. It was very hard to perfect the preparation of Sa-pal. Only few locals had perfected the skills of preparing it.

One day, a group of foreigner passed by while some folks preparing Sa-pal. The foreigners ask them what is the name of the place. Since they could not understand English, they thought that they were asking what they are doing. So they said they were making Sa-pal. From that time on, the place was name Sapal.

Sapal is  a remote Barangay in the Municipality of San Lorenzo and was one of the sitios of Barangay Igcawayan. It became an independent Barangay in 1960s through the leadership of Teniente del Barrio Gonzalo Tingson. About seven years before becoming a barangay, Sapal Primary School was opened and inaugurated in 1953 with Miss Socorro Vilches as its first teacher.

Only few names were noted to have run Sapal as Barangay Captain. The late Damian  Tamson Sr. was the first Barangay Captain from 1962 to 1974. Saturnino Tamson Sr. from 1974 to 1989, and Nelia Gantala the first woman Barangay Captain from 1989 to 1997. Sapal was considered a depressed Barangay of Jordan prior to creation of San Lorenzo on February 1995, when this Barangay was identified to be among the twelve component Barangay of the municipality. The second woman Barangay Captain from 1997 was Jocelyn Laloy.

BARANGAY  SEBARIO

In 1950, Barangay Sebario was just a mere sitio of Barangay Igcawayan. As years goes by, the population increased and the sitio has now become a Barangay known as Sebario through the resolution creating the sitio into an independent Barangay.

Since creation, Barangay Sebario was under the supervision of the Municipality of Jordan until 1995. In 1995, since there was a creation of two added municipalities to the Province of Guimaras, Barangay Sebario was been separated to the hometown municipality and was transferred to the newly created municipality which is now San Lorenzo. 

BARANGAY  SUCLARAN

The women during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines used to wear wide embroidered handkerchief made of pina fiber called SUCLA. It is folded in triangular form and hung on their shoulders. One day a Spaniard perhaps awed by the beauty of the handkerchief inquired what it was, the girls replied “ Suclaran”. From then on the Spaniards called the place “ Suclaran”.

Before the outbreak of World War II people used to have merry making which is prevalent to barrio folks especially elders. Most often they settled in just a mere drinking of tuba and pulutan and the same time accompanied the drinks with dancing and singing enjoyed themselves together with their families.

One of the elders took the first step in bringing something about celebrating the barrio fiesta. This in the person of Agustin Chavez. He initiated the first barrio fiesta in honor of Patron Saint, “ Nuesta Señora de la Immaculada Concepcion” It was then made known that he has an antique relic of the saint. Thorough the support and efforts of the families of Leoncio Quezon, Concordio Vilches and some other families , the barrio fiesta was celebrated.

The barrio fiesta is being celebrated every 8th of December and it was followed from generation to generation and is now scheduled every 2nd week of December that will fall on Saturday and Sunday.

BARANGAY  TAMBORONG

Long time ago, there only six families living in this Barangay. From the six families was a man named Bando who did not know how to speak English. He used to gather firewood. The place was like forest. There were big trees and no access roads, path walks or trails. Bando suffered from hunger and thirst because there was no potable water during those times. The Barangay was nameless.

One day, Bando went to the falls in the area to fetch water. He felt nervous when he saw a big man. The man was American. He asked Bando “ What is that?” The American was pointing to a bamboo tube where the water was flowing. Since he could not speak in English, he answered “Tamborong” . The American smiled and Bando was very happy. The American repeated the word Tamborong many times. Bando went home and told his friends about the American he saw in the forest.The American went on to his adventure and told every person he meet that he had gone to Tamborong it was then that Bando said the place shall be called Tamborong.