I was a cultural worker doing my research in 2001 when I encountered June 30, 1857 as the day our town Talolong (now popularly known as Lopez) in Quezon was founded. Further research confirmed that for the longest time, we have been celebrating it on April 30, 1856, even in the 1950s! So where did we get it and when did we begin celebrating it on the wrong day? Was it because of the war in the 1940s that our local history got lost in translation? Or has it been wrong from the beginning because we just believed what we were told, and later what we read in our local history book which bears the April 30 and other data that need to be validated?
I have not really gotten answers to these, and I just found out the reason for celebrating April 30, though not 1856. From the Historical Data of Lopez, Quezon from the National Library of the Philippines that during the time of Uldarico Villamor (1910-1912), the celebration for the Feast of the Municipal Government started, on the 30th of every month of April.
While I am still searching for answers to a lot of questions, I have no doubt about the June 30, 1857 finding. It is there at the Expediente or Spanish records at the Philippine National Archives, signed in Manila by then Governor General Fernando Norzagaray.
The real foundation date is also there at the book “Estado Geografico, Topografico, Estadistico, Historico-Religioso de la Santa y Apostolica Provincia de San Gregorio Magno” by Father Felix de Huerta published in 1865. It goes, as translated in English: “From a barrio of the town of Gumaca, called Talolong, was formed this town with the name it bears, according to decree of the Supreme Government expedited in June 30, 1857.
It was likewise mentioned in the book Viajes por Filipinas: De Manila a Tayabas by Juan Alvarez Guerra that “Lopez was created with the visita of Talolong in the year 1857 when Don Candido Lopez y Diaz was the governor of the province.” With this we could contextualize that “Lopez” as the new name of the town came from the provincial governor Don Candido Lopez and not from Don Mateo Lopez, Mayor in the year 1860. It was sometime in 1857 that Talolong town was changed to Lopez, so it is but logical that older proof be credited. In this case, Candido and not Mateo.
Almost no one believed me at first. Those who did were perplexed that it took us that long to find out. From 2001 to 2023, what has happened? I believe we are on the road to correcting the date and the celebration, after more than two decades of doubt. Yes, people doubted the fact even if it is searchable and researchable.
However, date is just one of the errors. There’s more, and we should do the validation as soon as possible as well for us to believe what is true and correct. At least, with the materials and sources available during our lifetime.