Polangui

The foremost and seemingly more accepted version is, "that of a giant robust tree which existed majestically in the early municipal settlement".As more settlers came to dwell and engage in trade endeavors with the indigenous inhabitants, the more was the settlement known in distant areas by the name "Oyangue" (referring to the tree landmark) which was more widely accepted than "Binanuaan".In 1584, Fray Baltazar de la Magdalena, left Ambos Camarines and stumbled upon this place west of Mount Masaraga.Being inland and strategically situated, the town was spared from the frequent raids of sea pirates as well as from the occasional destruction caused by the eruption of Mayon Volcano.By 1654, the original settlement became considerably bigger when Fray Alonzo de San Juan, was assigned in Polangui as "Encargado".The town proper was established in Lanigay where a church made of wood was erected adjacent to about 280 wooden dwellings and more than 1,000 nipa huts.Under the leadership of Fray Marza, roads and bridges were also initiated and schools were introduced simultaneously with the Christian Doctrine and Spanish culture.Jose Arnao, parish priest and Encargado from 1832 until 1852, directed the construction of roads and bridges that would connect Polangui to neighboring towns, including upland Buhi in Camarines Sur.A year later, the Spanish rule in Bicol ended with the mutiny of Guardia Civil in Naga led by Elias Angeles.Polangui has a general climate characterized by dry season with a very pronounced maximum rainfall from November to December.Residents buy their daily basic provision in a few sari-sari stores but most of the time they prefer to but in a town proper during market day.What was left of the Mother Barangay renamed Lanigay from it former name Layugay by then Teniente Del Barrio, who facilitated said action with the members of Consejo Municipal.Early in 1654, Father Alonzo de San Juan followed by Magdalena and founded the barrios of Lanigay, Ponso, Balinad with 230 wooden houses and one thousand nipa.San Juan erected in Lanigay the town's first Polangui Church edifice which was made of wood and light materials.Father Alonzo de San Juan, an encargado, founded three barrios, namely; Lanigay, Ponso and Balinad.There were two rave wooden houses and a few number of nipa huts which were built far from each other, father Alonzo de San Juan called the place sitio.As years passed by the word of fear or “ MATAKOT” in Bicol dialect was instilled in the minds of the people when referring to this place.Early residents of the Barrio/Sitio correlated its name to two big places of stone striking each other at night time and because of friction it even produced a spark of light.At the time of its separation, there were only 18 families who pioneered the inhabitants and they were the following; Sabaybay, Olicia, Sarion, Casiao, Carullo, Ravago, Seletaria, Salem, Dacara, Nepomuceno, Oliquino, Lacsina, Cao, Recaña, Carillo, Bertumen, Penetrante and Resureccion.Its separation/creation was made possible through the efforts of Vito Cao, the appointed Teniente and at the same time donated the lot where the chapel was erected.Heads of the barrio: (past to present and from Teniente to Captain Vito Cao, Timoteo Dacara, Gregorio Carullo, Francisco Resureccion, Enrique Sapiera, Rufino Olicia, Melicio Sanorjo, Vicente Olicia, Teodorico Casiao, Benito Quiquino, Felipe Ravago, Justiniano Nepomuceno, Rodrigo Vargas, Jose Lustan, Felicisimo Casiao and Arnulfo B. Penetrante from December 1, 2007(to date).They are; Lauriano Ronda, Martin Sabio, Silvestre Salalima, Vito Salinel, Humberto Gonsales, Luz Vasquez, Juan Briones, Rizalina Bobis, Aludia Rempillo, Alberto S. Sapaula, Jimmy Camba, and Mr. Benjamin Rances, Milagros Sanorjo to date.Among those who served as Teniente del Barrio were Placio Refelino, Leon Salinel, Emilio Refran Sr., and Pedro Sagrit.Then followed by Barangay Captain Adriana Santayana, Rizalina Sapo, Armando Sariba, Jose A. Zamora and Josefina D.Other Christian denominations present in the municipality include Protestants, Baptist, United Pentecostal Church, and Iglesia ni Cristo.The municipality has also attracted investments from national retail chains such as the recently opened Xentro Mall Polangui and SM Hypermarket.Other local establishments include Tri-Star Commercial, V5 General Merchandise, Angena Trading, and the recently opened Polangui 168 Enterprises.A new medical establishment recently opened its doors- the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Diagnostic and Dialysis Center at Barangay Centro Oriental, in front of the Polangui South Central Elementary School.In dealing with solid waste management, the Municipality of Polangui has adopted the usual means of dumping garbage in an open-pit dumpsite.Water supply is managed by the Polangui Waterworks Services Administration (POWASA), inaugurated by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, located at Barangay Balinad.