History Leaders of Sapian

Leocadio Olivera Pajarillo

Presidente Municipal, 1904-1906

Leocadio Pajarillo was elected a delegate to the first Philippine National Assembly in 1907 after the American Occupation. He was fluent in Spanish Language and had a vibrant winning personality. He was not only popular in his hometown Sapian but also in the whole of Capiz Province and as far as Aklan, which was then a part of Capiz. He was considered a political giant of his generation. The first telegraphic and telephone line system between Sapian and Capiz was set up in his administration.

Don Francisco Orleans

Presidente Municipal, 1906-1908

Francisco Orleans was a disciplinarian. His term of office was characterised by forcing people to plant lots of coconut trees. Through his foresight, generations of Sapianons enjoyed a thriving coconut industry. He frequently visited the barrios and dreamed of the development of Sapian. He erected the Rizal Monument through donations from Sapianons residing in Manila.

Apolinario Alayra

Presidente Municipal, 1915-1919

Apolinario Alayra utilized the abundance of “Bakhaw or Bakawan” or mangrove in the coastal plains by starting the firewood industry between Sapian and Capiz.

Nemesio Oloroso

Presidente Municipal, 1927-1931

Nemesio Oloroso was known as “The Singing Presidente” as he was a gifted baritone. He was also a violin player, a comedian and a pleasing entertainer who had no problem combining business with pleasure.

Angel Arboleda

Alcalde Municipal, 1935-1939

Angel Arboleda was a retired Chief-of-Police when he became “Alcalde” and had a lady “Vice-Alcalde”, Maria Orillos. They worked together for the social and economic development of Sapian. Barrio visits and inspection of the living condition of barrio people and helping them are his official concern. He was particularly popular in the barrios and their celebrations.

Diosdado Honrado

Alcalde Municipal, 1939 to the advent of World War II

Diosdado Honrado held the longest term of office during the pre- war period as he was elected twice in separate terms. He reinforced the firewood industry that Apolinario Alayra started. Provincial Road was completed up to Sapian during his term of office. Years later, his leadership posed as a great challenge as he led the town during the bitter years of Japanese occupation.

Simplicio Ochon

World War II Appointed Town Administrator

Simplicio Ochon was a non-elected town administrator during World War II. He was appointed as the Philippine Civilian Administration Unit (PCAU) by former Governor Tomas Confessor. He organized the local government offices and helped normalize the town in time of panic and turmoil.

Narciso Oducado

First Municipal Mayor After WWII , 1947-1954

Narciso Oducado was the first elected Mayor after World War II. He tackled the big task of strengthening the morale of his people, tried to stabilize the community, and attempted to improve their economic life. He built a Community Social Hall which was a venue of several enjoyable social functions and was later used to house the municipal offices. Portions of the municipal roads were asphalted and several school buildings were reconstructed.

Julio Orillos

Municipal Mayor, 1954-1959

Julio Orillos was a retired Public School Supervisor when he entered politics. He was the architect of the municipal town plaza. Narra trees were planted on his inauguration day to venerate the names of the past town executives of Sapian. The plaza boundaries were traced and defined, depressed watery areas were filled, roads around the plaza were constructed, concrete side walk partially built and some portions of the ground were carved following the natural uneven contour of the landscape.

He was a tireless campaigner in securing allocation of funds for town projects. He was able to secure funds to build a dream Town Hall for Sapian. His term of office expired before he could start the building but the blueprint of the Town Hall that he first conceived was actually constructed by his successor. The impressive white municipal building with big frontal columns grace the heart of the town plaza. It has a strong resemblance to the White House in Washington D.C.

He made possible the remotest Barangay Lonoy accessible to the National Highway. He constructed the Bilao-Lonoy Road in 1955 from funds allocated from the pork barrel allotment of Senator Gil Puyat, and election promise made to the people of Sapian.

He was very popular all over Capiz that he was elected President of the Capiz Mayor’s League during his term of office.

Atty. Zoe Obligacion Herrera, Sr.

Municipal Mayor, 1960-1967

Atty. Zoe Obl. Herrera, Sr. was the first lawyer leader of Sapian. He was very athletic and enjoyed playing volleyball. He built numerous structures to improve and beautify Sapian. He erected the waiting shed and improved the lay out of the plaza. He constructed the lofty, highly decorative oval grandstand in the centre of the plaza which was used as a centre stage in several special occasions in town. He also built the basketball court.

From funds obtained by Julio Orillos, he constructed the imposing Town Hall which is now used as Municipal Hall. Recognising the need for water supply, he also constructed a huge water tank next to the Hall. A wooden footbridge was also built to conveniently join the plaza to the National Road. He inscribed his full name Zoe Obligacion Herrera in every construction he built.

Manuel Oloroso

Municipal Mayor, 1968-1971

Manuel Oloroso was the son of the “Singing Presidente” and the grandson of the renowned Leocadio Pajarillo. He too is a good singer but more than that he has a taste for arts in nude. He built the Multi- Purpose Building next to the basketball court and a small building annex the Municipal Hall. He then built a stylish rock garden on the front east side of the Municipal Hall and added a concrete ramp on it overlooking the basketball court and the Multi-Purpose Building below. He then vivaciously positioned little figures of sculptured frogs and mushrooms in the garden but the centrepiece of it all is the sculptured lady in nude with water squirting out of her supposedly private parts like a water fountain. The image was the talk of the town and the water was subsequently turned off as it created a lot of fuss among the townfolk.

Atty. Ishmael Belo Orillos

Municipal Mayor, 1972-1986

Atty. Ishmael B. Orillos was the Mayor of Sapian under The New Society when radical changes in the formation of government including the municipal officials were imposed (Martial Law-September 21, 1972). The local government was named as Sangguniang Bayan making him the first Chairman of the Sangguniang Bayan of Sapian when he won the election in 1975.

He was the second lawyer Mayor of Sapian. He believed that progress can only be achieved when people are united. He handled the municipality smoothly and succeeded in controlling disunity and alienation between opposing sectors of politics. He was re-elected unopposed in 1980 when the first local election was held after the declaration of Martial Law. Like Julio Orillos, he was also elected President of the Capiz Mayor’s League during his term of office.

Among his legacy was the setting up of Purok Organizations. The town was divided into zones or purok and these “puroks” were encouraged to compete among each other in terms of road decors, cleanliness and beautification. People cleaned their front yards, erected and painted posts, planted decorative plants and created uniform roadside decorations in the hope that their purok would win. It had become a customary practice over the years gaining the town a reputation of being the cleanest in the province.

He will be best remembered in his efforts in improving the agricultural and fisheries production in the barrios. Farmers were given financial support and increased knowledge in rice and coconut production. A special college for fisheries and marine studies were set-up in Lonoy encouraging young locals to study and benefit from their environment. Commercial motor boats were commended to enhance transport between isolated barrios separated by seawater. Fishermen were able to buy big fishing boats on loan. Cultured mussels, green shells and other sea foods were abundant. Shrimp, prawns and fish farming (“bangus”) were encouraged. He helped Sapian to become one of the best fish farming capital in the region.

Rodel Ofalla Obordo

Municipal Mayor, 1988-1998

Rodel Obordo was the first duly elected Mayor of Sapian after the EDSA Revolution. Before he entered Sapian politics, he was the General Manager of the Capiz Kalipunan ng mga Integrated Service Associations (KAISA), a provincial federation of farmers organized by the Farm Systems Development Corporation.

With his development management background, Mayor Obordo ensured that the municipal leadership provided prompt service any time, anywhere and treated the lowliest citizen of the town with dignity and respect. Thus, the maxim during his term was “Sapian — A Place where GUGMA is SERVICE”.

The municipality experienced a boom in infrastructure development during Mayor Obordo’s administration. His accomplishments included the renovation of the old Municipal Hall and the construction of its extension building; reconstruction of the burned down and dilapidated public market into the Sapian Gugma Livelihood and Trading Center (SGLTC); the establishment of the spacious CTV Gugma Hall; landscaping of the Municipal Plaza; concreting of the Poblacion municipal roads and various roads in the other barangays; construction/renovation of barangay halls; construction of farm to market roads making far-flung sitios accessible; construction of small potable water systems in the barangays. Through prudent financial management, he was able to effectively deliver basic services and generated substantial income for Sapian’s development.

An advocate of environment protection and conservation, he became popular in the province with his success in stopping illegal fishing activities through the SAVE Sapian Bay Program. As part of the program, mangrove trees were replanted and fishpond development endangering water resources was limited. Oplan Limpyo Suba, the clearing/cleaning the water ways of illegal structures, debris, and trash, was implemented. Through his encouragement, the community planted mahogany, other wood as well as fruit trees. He revitalized and mobilized the Purok Organizations for the Clean and Green Program that made Sapian the Cleanest and Greenest Municipality (Category B) in Capiz (1995-1998), in Region 6 (1996-1998) and eventually, in the country (1998).

Aside from the Fiesta in July, Sapianons looked forward to December for the traditions started by Mayor Obordo: Christmas gift-giving for the indigents; Sportsfest, a sports and cultural competition among the town’s public servants; and the Purok Foundation Day. The fellowship and camaraderie seen in these events reflect the optimism, dynamism and lively spirit characteristic of Mayor Obordo’s administration.

Remedios Olivera Oñas

Municipal Mayor, 1998-2007

Remedios Oñas is a retired public administrator, a businesswoman, a philanthropist and a bona fide leader. She is leading Sapian splendidly into the 21st century. She donated Don Felimon A. Olivera building, a two- storey, 10- room building at Sapian Central School. She built the annex building of the Municipal Hall which is now housing the Office of the Mayor, Office of the Municipal Civil Registrar, Office of the Municipal Engineer, Office of the Municipal Accountant and Human Resources Development Office. She re-concreted and widened the pathway along the Rizal Monument and constructed sidewalks and drainage system in Poblacion. She built welcome additions to the plaza playground which is now suitably known as the Children’s Park. She also renovated the Sapian Multi-Purpose Building, and erected a roof to Sapian Livelihood Trading Center.

She resumed the “Clean And Green Program” and “Limpyo Suba” that Mayor Obordo started. Sapian won the highest award in Clean and Green Program Category B under her administration, being “The Cleanest And Greenest Town of the Philippines” for two consecutive years!

The benevolent Mayor built the badly needed water tanks in Poblacion and other barangays through the help of Congressman Fridenel Castro. She purchased support equipments like dump trucks, grader and loader from the 20% development fund of the municipality.

Through her family connections, Mr. & Mrs. Arturo O. Orosco donated a welcome arc at Barangay Majanlud. On the edifice was written “SAPIAN HOME SWEET HOME” and in the other side of the same arc, upon leaving Sapian, it reads “YOU ARE LEAVING SAPIAN, TOWN OF LOVE” (on the left), “PEACE AND PROGRESS” (on the right). Another 2-storey school building is under construction in Sapian personally financed by the charitable Mayor and her family. Upon completion, the building will be donated to PSPC Sapian Campus.

The big hearted matriarch of Sapian also launched “Bigay Puso ni Nanay Onas”. Before Christmas and during Valentine’s Day at the town plaza, she traditionally distributes parcels containing “bugas and de latas” to the underprivileged people of Sapian since holding office in 1998. During the school openings in July, she gives away a school bag to each grade 1 students of Sapian containing school paraphernalias, toothbrush, toothpaste, slippers and other necessities.