Sumilao, Philippines

History

Oral history from the town's old-time residents stated that before the Spanish colonization, the present site of the Poblacion was already inhabited. Four big buildings housing several families were already constructed. These families were directly controlled by a settlement datu or chief. They have grouped together to protect themselves from the fierce “mangangayaw” or headhunters from the hills.

When the Spaniards came, Datu Manlomero and Opecio, with their men, fought against the invading conquistadores. The natives were then defeated due to the inferiority of their weapons.

So they laid down their arms and accepted the new ruler. They were baptized to the Christian religion. In the 1860s, the Recollect missionaries were already making visits to Sumilao.

When the Jesuit priests took over the missionary work in Bukidnon in the 1870s, Sumilao was already one of the rancherias of the Visita of Tagoloan. Regular missionary trips to Sumilao and Linabo were intensified by Fathers Juan Terricarbas and Eusebio Barrado. By 1887, there were 200 Christian residents of the Rancheria de Sumilao.

In January 1890, Sumilao was created into the first active mission station in Bukidnon, thus making her the nucleus of the Roman Catholic faith in the province. Mission de Sumilao assumed jurisdiction over the rancherias of Tagoloan up to Bugcaon, formerly all under the parish of Tagoloan.

From the History section of Sumilao on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.