Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, Philippines

The signing of Executive Order No. 249 on July 26, 1949 by the late President, His Excellency Elpidio Quirino, marked a very significant day for this municipality. It was by virtue of this Presidential Act that Ipil, which was originally only a sitio of Barrio Bacalan of the former district of Kabasalan, was officially created and made a full-fledge local government unit.

When it was created, Ipil was composed of Barrios Bacalan, Titay, Liguisan, Tungawan, Bancaan, and sitios of Tupilak and Dawet; and also Lumbia, Magdaup, Makilas, Pangi, Poblacion, Taway and Tiayon. Other barrios and sitios were created in 1950s to 1960s, such as: Tigbawang, Tando, Looc, Tigbucay, Upper Tungawan, Tigpalay, Cayamcam, Looc Sioral, Taglibong, Tigbongabong, Langon, Gapas-gapas, Mangalibod, Buhangin, Lalawan, Bangko, Palomok, and Malagandis.

The Honorable Gregorio Dar was the first Mayor of Ipil who got his position by appointment and Honorable Eleno Roble was the Vice Mayor. There were only four councilors, namely: Honorable Salip Toto Hasim, Honorable Habib Ibrahim Alsree, Honorable Antonio Limba and Honorable Inocente Tayo. The first Municipal Secretary was Ildefonso Caburian. Adriano Merjuar was its first elected Mayor in year 1951. The residential house of Mr. and Mrs. Jesus Hitco Siao, located at Bangkerohan, served as the temporary town hall. Then it was transferred to the house of Mr. and Mrs. Jaime Crisologo, which is strategically located near the intersection of the national highways, which is at the center of the town proper.

On May 24, 1960, by virtue of Executive Order No. 395 the two barangays of Ipil, namely: Tungawan and Titay were separated to become two separate municipalities. The barrios and sitios of Tungawan, Tigbawang, Tando, Looc, Tigbucay, Upper Tungawan, Tigpalay, Cayamcam, Looc Sioral, Taglibong, Tigbongabong, Bancaan, Langon, Linguisan, Gapas-gapas, Dawet, Mangalibod, Buhangin and the barrios and sitios of Lalawan, Bangko, Palomok, and Malagandis were enumerated to be part of the new municipalities respectively.

Their first Mayors were:

1. Honorable Teodorico Ruflo for Titay and
2. Honorable Jose F. Villafuerte for Tungawan.

On the later part of 1960s,

• The barangays of Guituan, Ipil Heights, Veterans Village, Sanito, Suclema, and Timalang were created through Municipal Council Resolution No. 97;
• Barangay Labi, through Municipal Council Resolution No. 106;
• Barangay Lower Taway and Tomitom through Provincial Board Resolution No. 178;
• Barangay Don Andres through Municipal Council Resolution No. 116; *Barangay Tenan through Municipal Council Resolution No. 134;
• Barangays Bangkerohan and Upper Pangi through Municipal Council Resolution No. 163;
• Barangay Lower Ipil Heights through Municipal Council Resolution No. 175;
• and Barangay Buluan through Municipal Council Resolution No. 198.

When the highways finally opened to traffic in 1961, Ipil experienced a very rapid growth of development. It was during this time that the elected Mayor Generoso Sucgang, Sr. constructed and finished the 2-storey concrete Municipal Building. In January 1972, Andres P. Olegario took his oath of office as the Municipal Mayor of Ipil.

On March 16, 1982 by virtue of Batas Pambansa Bilang 183, Surabay and its neighboring barangays, such as: Calula, Casacon, Gango, Katipunan, Kulambugan, Mabini, Magsaysay, New Antique, New Sagay, Siawang, Silingan, Tilasan, and Tupilac were separated from the municipality of Ipil, becoming a new Municipality called R.T.Lim.

Honorable Romeo Billote was appointed as its first Municipal mayor. Because of the People Power of 1986, Mayor Andres P. Olegario and all elective officials in Ipil were replaced by the OICs, so that on June 30, 1986, Dr. Henry de Villa was appointed as the OIC Mayor and ABC President Cleopatra P. Largo was appointed OIC Vice Mayor. OIC COUNCILORS also replaced all the councilors.

In 1988, Atty. Jose Fontanoza won the election to become the Municipal Mayor of Ipil. On June 30, 1992, Francisco Q. Pontanar, newly elected Mayor and Atty. Rey Andre C. Olegario, newly elected Vice mayor, together with the newly elected members of the Sangguniang Bayan took their oath of office in the most solemn and official manner before the Honorable Judge Sergio S. Apostol of the Regional Court at the IPIL GYM.

this article is courtesy of the DILG

The signing of Executive Order No. 249 on July 26, 1949 by the late President, His Excellency Elpidio Quirino, marked a very significant day for this municipality. It was by virtue of this Presidential Act that Ipil, which was originally only a sitio of Barrio Bacalan of the former district of Kabasalan, was officially created and made a full-fledge local government unit.

When it was created, Ipil was composed of Barrios Bacalan, Titay, Liguisan, Tungawan, Bancaan, and sitios of Tupilak and Dawet; and also Lumbia, Magdaup, Makilas, Pangi, Poblacion, Taway and Tiayon. Other barrios and sitios were created in 1950s to 1960s, such as: Tigbawang, Tando, Looc, Tigbucay, Upper Tungawan, Tigpalay, Cayamcam, Looc Sioral, Taglibong, Tigbongabong, Langon, Gapas-gapas, Mangalibod, Buhangin, Lalawan, Bangko, Palomok, and Malagandis.

The Honorable Gregorio Dar was the first Mayor of Ipil who got his position by appointment and Honorable Eleno Roble was the Vice Mayor. There were only four councilors, namely: Honorable Salip Toto Hasim, Honorable Habib Ibrahim Alsree, Honorable Antonio Limba and Honorable Inocente Tayo. The first Municipal Secretary was Ildefonso Caburian. Adriano Merjuar was its first elected Mayor in year 1951. The residential house of Mr. and Mrs. Jesus Hitco Siao, located at Bangkerohan, served as the temporary town hall. Then it was transferred to the house of Mr. and Mrs. Jaime Crisologo, which is strategically located near the intersection of the national highways, which is at the center of the town proper.

On May 24, 1960, by virtue of Executive Order No. 395 the two barangays of Ipil, namely: Tungawan and Titay were separated to become two separate municipalities. The barrios and sitios of Tungawan, Tigbawang, Tando, Looc, Tigbucay, Upper Tungawan, Tigpalay, Cayamcam, Looc Sioral, Taglibong, Tigbongabong, Bancaan, Langon, Linguisan, Gapas-gapas, Dawet, Mangalibod, Buhangin and the barrios and sitios of Lalawan, Bangko, Palomok, and Malagandis were enumerated to be part of the new municipalities respectively.

Their first Mayors were:

1. Honorable Teodorico Ruflo for Titay and
2. Honorable Jose F. Villafuerte for Tungawan.

On the later part of 1960s,

• The barangays of Guituan, Ipil Heights, Veterans Village, Sanito, Suclema, and Timalang were created through Municipal Council Resolution No. 97;
• Barangay Labi, through Municipal Council Resolution No. 106;
• Barangay Lower Taway and Tomitom through Provincial Board Resolution No. 178;
• Barangay Don Andres through Municipal Council Resolution No. 116; *Barangay Tenan through Municipal Council Resolution No. 134;
• Barangays Bangkerohan and Upper Pangi through Municipal Council Resolution No. 163;
• Barangay Lower Ipil Heights through Municipal Council Resolution No. 175;
• and Barangay Buluan through Municipal Council Resolution No. 198.

When the highways finally opened to traffic in 1961, Ipil experienced a very rapid growth of development. It was during this time that the elected Mayor Generoso Sucgang, Sr. constructed and finished the 2-storey concrete Municipal Building. In January 1972, Andres P. Olegario took his oath of office as the Municipal Mayor of Ipil.

On March 16, 1982 by virtue of Batas Pambansa Bilang 183, Surabay and its neighboring barangays, such as: Calula, Casacon, Gango, Katipunan, Kulambugan, Mabini, Magsaysay, New Antique, New Sagay, Siawang, Silingan, Tilasan, and Tupilac were separated from the municipality of Ipil, becoming a new Municipality called R.T.Lim.

Honorable Romeo Billote was appointed as its first Municipal mayor. Because of the People Power of 1986, Mayor Andres P. Olegario and all elective officials in Ipil were replaced by the OICs, so that on June 30, 1986, Dr. Henry de Villa was appointed as the OIC Mayor and ABC President Cleopatra P. Largo was appointed OIC Vice Mayor. OIC COUNCILORS also replaced all the councilors.

In 1988, Atty. Jose Fontanoza won the election to become the Municipal Mayor of Ipil. On June 30, 1992, Francisco Q. Pontanar, newly elected Mayor and Atty. Rey Andre C. Olegario, newly elected Vice mayor, together with the newly elected members of the Sangguniang Bayan took their oath of office in the most solemn and official manner before the Honorable Judge Sergio S. Apostol of the Regional Court at the IPIL GYM.

this article is courtesy of the DILG