The History of Compostela

Compostela was declared as a town two times in its history: in 1863 and 1919. But 440 years before its first official formation as a municipality, it already existed as two encomiendas. There were two encomiendas approved through a real cedula or a royal order issued from Valladolid, Spain, granted for what it is now the territory of modern day Compostela
These are the encomienda of Najalin granted on February 21, 1653 to Don Fernando de Silva and the encomienda of Canamucan granted to Jose Garces, issued first on January 15, 1623
A second real cedula or royal order was issued for the encomienda of canamucan in 1670. A third royal order issued for canamucan was on october 3, 1960 to diego de lemus
Encomienda is a royal grant given to loyal soldiers of the spanish crown and was seen as the most brutal system of the territories of spanish colonies. Anyone who could pacify a territory on behalf of spain was granted encomienda rights, with the encomiendero governing the place. The first to award these was Miguel Lopez De Legazpi and members of his crew. The grant could be passed on to a son and then to a grandson but it had to be returned to the crown after that. Anyone under an encomienda was required to pay tax in the form of products, gold, farm produce, animals and others, such as a fixed amount every year for a family. Those who could not give were often brutalized by the encomiendero.Every encomiendero was required to establish a church or chapel for worship, thereforea visita, where a Spanish Augustinian missionary could visit from time to time to hear confeassions, do masses and hold baptisms.
Starting in 1674 Augustinian Recollects were assigned to Compostelaand Danao and all of the north which were not under the diocese of Cebu. There visitas established by the Encomienderos were under the Recollects, whose mission house for Cebu north was based in Danao. The Recollect mission house was in Danao for the Cebu north, thus the visitasin Najalin and Canamucan were under the parish in Danao until the people clamored for separation as a parish, which was realized many centuries later.

HISTORICAL TIMELINE
1623 Spain confirms authority of Jose Garces over encomienda of Canamucan
1653 Spain issues authority over Najalin encomienda to Don Fernando de Silva. Through these the encomienderos established chapels as visitas of the main parish in Danao
1863 The Erecciones de Pueblos, or Erection of the towns mention Compostela as a “Nuevo pueblo” or new town alongsidew Cordoba and others.
1865 Compostelas church was granted status as a parish
1903 The Americans governing the Philippines passed a legistion reorganizing Cebus municipalities marking the end of Compostelas status as municipality and making it a barrio of liloan. Protestantism started started to spread in Compostela through the establishment of a house church/congregation in barangay Panangban.

1919 Through the initiative of local leader Hilario Kanen and congressman Sergio Osmeña, sr. Who sponsored the bill, Compostela regained its status as a municipality independent of liloan.
JANUARY 8 -issuance of order and JANUARY 1 – effectivity
1936 The American colonial government builds the compostela Water Work System
1941 World war ii reaches Philippine soil; Compostela plays an active role in the guerrilla warfare.
1942 Mayor Gervasio Wagas presided over the municipal Council and passed vital ordinances such as taxation, the lifeblood of the municipality 1945 Mayor Gervasio Wagas presided over the Municipal Council and passed vital ordinances such as taxation, the lifeblood of the municipality
1947 Mayor Pedro Canen orders the reconstruction of the war-torn town records
1957 The mining of coal in Dapdap, Lupa, and Tag-ubi revives Compostela and prompts government to open roads
1961 Compostela honors its first mayor, Hilario Kanen, with a monument.

1970 Mayor Gervasio Wagas and Vice Mayor Ranulfo Wagas authorized the subdivision and sale of former Philippine Railway Lots to the occupants
1975 Virginia farms is given permit to construct a piggery
2003 The Norkis Group of Companies acquire 50 hectares in Cogon for its manufacturing plant and opens the Q Park to tourists

2007 The Bureau of Local Government Finance granted the 2006-request for Mayor Antonio Dangoy to upgrade the classification of Compostela into third class
2010 The DILG regional director assumes office as caretaker of Compostela after the COMELEC suspends the proclamation of all winning candidates in the May elections
2013 Joel Pareja Quiño and Josephine Abing are elected Mayor and Vice Mayor respectively.
2019 Froilan Quiño and Josephine Abing are elected Mayor and Vice Mayor.
2019 Compostela celebrates 100th Year Of Independence from the town of Liloan

Social

Cultural

Caballo Festival
refers to a Spanish for horse and the highlight of this festival is a street dancing competition in honors their patron saint, Señor Santiago de Apostol. In history reteils of a war between Christains and Muslims where the townfolks saw and was saved by a miraculous apparition of a man riding a horse and later became known as the town’s patron saint. This festival falls on 25th day of July and located in Compostela Cebu.

QUESEO: PRODUCT AND FESTIVAL
QUESEO is soft, unaged white cheese made from carabao milk, flavored with salt.
Several families in many barangays of Compostela rely on the making of this dairy product for livelihood. They sell these white cheese, wrapped in banana leaves, in liloan and other neighboring areas.
The Queseo is Compostelas pride, featured in the One Town One Product of the government initiated by the Department of trade of industry.
Crucial assistance given to the makers in producing and marketing the product is the Compostela Market Vendors Cooperative (COMAVEMCO), an organization of market vendors formed in 1998 managed by Engr. Ebonito R. Alivio.
Aside from the usual loan and other services of a cooperative, the COMAVEMCO has given vital suppport. The queseo product is showcased in the annual Queseo Festival of Compostela held as one of the hihglights of the annual fiesta

Religion