1.
0: HISTORY
Daet is an ancient settlement. Its history dates back from the time the Tabon cave
men, from either Kalanay Caves of Masbate or the Kagraray Cave in Albay, who
escaped from the cruel government of their Rajah. The myth about the Malayan
traders as the first people in the Bikol region has been debunked by the excavations
made in the Kalanay and Kagraray caves. Based on the excavations, archeologists
indicated that Malayan settlers came later.
In 1521 (?), Governor General Miguel Lopez de Legazpi sent Captain Juan de
Salcedo to locate the rich gold mines of Paracale. On his arrival, Salcedo found
thriving settlements built around the gold mines in Paracale and Mambulao (now the
municipality of Jose Panganiban) as well as in Daet and Indan. Salcedo found the
mines of Mambulao and Paracale "to be excellent, very rich and more than thirty or
forty estados in depth." In the thriving settlement of Daet, the Spaniards noted that
the houses were clustered together for safety and protection. Thus, the word Daet
was derived from the Bicol word dait-daitan which means close to each other.
The existence of the gold mines in the region encouraged the Spaniards to colonize
and Christianize the inhabitants. The Bikol region was later placed under the
jurisdiction of Camarines in 1573.
A popular legend among the people of Camarines Norte and Daeteos is the legend
of the first abaca plant. According to the legend, the Spanish king exiled a certain
Spanish nobleman, Marquis de Camarines. He was believed to have carried the first
abaca plant during his travel via the Acapulco - Manila galleon trade route. He was
also believed to be one of those selected to plant abaca in the Bicol region.
Nevertheless, the experiment was successful because the Bicol region became the
source of the abaca fiber exported and loaded in the galleons (Manila-Acapulco
galleon trade) which went on for almost 250 years.
Also, according to the legend, the Marquis de Camarines fell in love with a Filipina
beauty. Their union started a long line of blood relations which linked some families
in Daet until today. One of these is the Dela Estrada family who helped implement
the development plan of Daet. The Dela Estrada family reportedly shared in the
infrastructure development of Daet which included the Catholic Church, the old
Spanish bridges, the culverts, and the palatial mansions. Some of them still exist.
From 1565 to 1818, Daet was raided by Moros from time to time. The present
municipalities of Basud and Mercedes suffered most. People in these settlements
either died or became captives. Because of the raids, the Spaniards fortified Basud
and Mercedes. The fort ruins and Spanish cannons are now buried under mounds of
sand. It was believed that the bells used in announcing the coming of the Moros
were also buried under the fortifications.
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During the Philippine Revolution, the people of Daet also figured prominently. On
September 16, 1896, many Katipunan leaders and sympathizers were arrested and
imprisoned by the Spaniards in Daet. In the final days of the Spanish regime, the
Casino de los Espaoles was encircled. It became the last and most bloody clash
with the Spaniards in Daet. The Bikolanos eagerly waited for the arrival of General
Lukban who finally arrived in September 1898. Before his arrival, the Spaniards
from Daet fled to Mercedes and boarded the ship Serantes. At the time, the local
insurrectos were restless and itched for action. Ildefonso Moreno, unmindful of the
risk to his life, gave the signal to attack. He died when a certain Arana fired his pistol
in retaliation. During the battle, many of the Spaniards left for Mercedes. It was
reported that they bayoneted the Filipino soldier they brought along with them before
sailing for Iloilo.
Two year later, on September 12, 1898, General Vicente Lucban took Daet from the
Spaniards. Afterwards, he reorganized and established a revolutionary government
in the province. Later, General Lukban turned over the reins of the provisional
Philippine government to Don Valeriano Cuao, municipal captain. He also
assigned Capt. Antonio Sanz and a garrison force to defend Daet in case of Spanish
reprisal.
Don Antonio Sanz, sector commander and officer of the revolutionary forces,
inspired the erection of the first monuments built in the Philippines in memory of Dr.
Jose Rizal. This monument is found at the corner of Plaza Rizal Libertad of Daet.
Unfortunately, the people of Daet forgot their own Bikolano hero, Jose Maria
Panganiban, who died much earlier in Barcelona, Spain on August 19, 1880 (?).
Other Filipino revolutionaries who were honored were Tomas Zaldua (last of the
capitanes) and Jose Abao. They were tortured for their refusal to reveal the plot to
overthrow the Spanish government. A certain Don Aniceto was also burned alive in
the public plaza of Daet together with six martyrs on Easter Sunday in April 1898.
After two years, the American forces came and occupied the Bicol region on January
19, 1900. On March 4, 1900, the American forces, on board the Steamer Venus,
arrive without any resistance. Two companies, under the command of General
Bates, establish a garrison at the town proper. Antonio Sanz, the commander of the
revolutionary force, surrendered as previously arranged in Camarines Sur (Daet was
still under Ambos Camarines).
Under the American regime, Daet was developed under the new order. On April 27,
1901, a civil government under the Philippine Commission was established in
Ambos Camarines. Juan Pimentel Y. Campos was appointed as the first Municipal
President. Later, he became the first Provincial Governor of Ambos Camarines.
The Philippine Legislature passed an act in March 1919. The act authorized the
Governor General to divide the province into Norte and Sur. Camarines Norte was to
consists of the towns of Capalonga, Mambulao, Paracale, Indan, Labo, San Vicente,
Talisay, Daet and Basud, and islands along the Pacific coast.
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Originally, Camarines was one political unit only. In 1829, the province of Camarines
was divided in the first of a series of attempts to separate Camarines Norte from
Camarines Sur. Ambos Camarines was divided into two, Camarines Norte
Camarines Sur. The Camarines Norte province included the towns of Daet, Talisay,
Indan, Labo, Paracale, Mambulao, Capalonga, Ragay, Lupi and Sipocot. In 1846,
the towns of Sipocot, Lupi and Ragay were returned to Camarines Sur. Later, in
1854, the two provinces were again united to form the Province of Ambos
Camarines. In 1857, they were again separated, and in 1893, again reunited. They
remained united as Ambos Camarines until March 1919 when the American
Governor approved an act dividing it into Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur.
Until the end of the Spanish regime, barangay Calasgasan and the surrounding area
was an independent municipality. It was later merged with Daet after the American
liberation. The oldest hacienda, covering almost 400 hectares planted to abaca, is
found in barangay Calasgasan where it is believed the municipal site once stood.
However, this has yet to be proven by researchers. While Daet regained the old
Calasgasan during the Spanish period, it however, lost the big barrios. These were
Basud in 1911 and Mercedes in 1918. They were later created as new
municipalities.
During the World War II on December 12, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Forces
landed in Legaspi, Albay. Six days later in December 18, Camarines Norte Governor
Wenceslao Q. Vinzons organized guerilla units to fight the Japanese. On July 8,
1942 Vinzons was captured and was later executed by the Japanese. When the
American Liberation Force came, General Douglas Macarthur on February 5, 1945,
ordered the Sixth Army to occupy the Bicol Peninsula. With the assistance of the
Filipino guerrillas, the region was liberated from the Japanese.
More the fifty years after the Second World War and in the threshold of the 21 st
century, Daet has grown into a municipality of more than 80,000 people as of 2002
from a small Spanish town of 7,970 souls in 1751. It continues and still is the center
and capital of Camarines Norte province.
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