Barangay San Agapito, Isla Verde

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Thursday, 08 February 2024 - 2:10:00 PM

HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL DATA OF SAN AGAPITO ISLA VERDE

     No written records can furnish the actual date of the discovery of Isla Verde. But aged inhabitants believed that the Spaniards gave the name to this place. Verdant vegetations abound in this island, and this may have prompted the Spaniards to call this place Isla Verde or Green Island.

LEGEND OF SAN AGAPITO

     Long, long ago, Isla Verde was ruled, by two bitter rivals, Gat Agustin and Gat Agapito . The island used to be two big sitios only. Supremacy for honor and power was the main root of the disunity of the islanders. People from the sitio of Gat Agapito would not establish friendly relationship with the inhabitants from the other sitios.

     The height of this futile rivalry reached its peak when the only daughter of Gat Agapito named Mahinhin became a friend of Malakas, the handsome son of Gat Agustin.

     Mahinhin was a beautiful as “diwata" and her father was so proud of her. She has the loveliest face in the whole island and her kindness and humbleness won the admiration of all. Malakas is not only handsome but he was brave, honorable, and meek of heart.

     "Love conquers all” is a saying. We could describe the fate of this young couple. In spite of their parents quarrel, they feel in love with each other and there started the hostility in the island. Upon knowing the romantic relationship of her daughter to Malakas, Gat Agapito forbidded her to go out, He warned Mahinhin that if she continued loving Malakas he would exert all his power to separate the two. No tear of kind words or pleadings would pacify the anger of Gat Agustin. Upon knowing the love affairs of Malakas, he summoned him to cut his relation with his pretty sweetheart.

     Secretly, the two lovers met one night to plan a risky elopement. Each vow to mind no obstacles or even death. So with eternal love burning in their young hearts, the two escaped. Faith was so cruel. When they were near their destination, soldiers of Gat Agapito spotted them.

     Malakas and Mahinhin hand in hand jumped into the high raven. Upon seeing how brave the lovers met death, the two datus repented. Gone was the hatred that used to dwell on their thirst of power hearts.

     In memory of the two lovers, the two villages mourned for a week. Reconciliation followed later on. Friendship started among themselves and the sitio where Gat Agapito was called “San Agapito”.

     Isla Verde then became a dwelling place of united cooperative and sociable people. San Agapito is one of the biggest here in Isla Verde. It is cornposed of 6 sitios: Balogbog, Matalisay, Siirin 1, Siirin 2, Bayanan and Cacawan.