FIRSTS IN CATBALOGAN

by Prudencio C. Miel
In the history of every town, there are pioneers: indomitable,
persevering men who gamble with luck in order to make money. In so doing,
they unknowingly blazed the trail for the later generations to follow. These
pioneers, many of whom are already dead, deserve emulation and praise.
I have endeavored to compile a list of these pioneers. This work is the
result of numerous exhaustive inquiries from reliable and knowledgeable
people who have lived long enough in the community and are natives of the
place. Nothing was spared in making this compilation as authentic as
possible.
This list originally appeared in a souvenir program in connection with
the celebration of the Feast of Saint Bartholomew on August 24, 1970. I have
expanded the list in order to be able to include not only firsts relating to
persons and personalities but also firsts relating to noteworthy events or
happenings in Catbalogan that merit mention.
First Hermano of the feast of St. Bartholomew Pablo B.
Cinco (1908)
First Hermana of the Katbalauganon Association in Manila Marta P. Cuna (1917)
First parish priest Victoriano Pardo
First native (secular) parish priest Maximiano T. Cruz
First Jesuit missionary Fr. Francisco de Otazo
First representative to the Philippine Assembly Luciano Sinko
First governor (appointed) of Samar Julio Llorente
First governor (elected) of Samar Maximo J. Cinco
First governor after the division of Samar Jose A. Roo
First municipal president Pablo Jazmines
First municipal mayor Demetrio Tapia
First municipal mayor under whom Catbalogan saw its greatest
progress Raul C. Muoz

 First waterworks system Constructed in 1921 under the

administration of Municipal President Eduardo J. Cinco
First high school Samar High School
First vocational school Samar Trade School
First private elementary school Bishop Pablo Singzon Institute
1928 by Fr. Federico Morrero, parish priest of Catbalogan
named after Msgr. Pablo B. Singzon de Anuncacion, the first
Bishop of the Diocese of Calbayog.
First private elementary school principal- Alberto Almazan
First private school teacher Leocadio (Maestro Cadio) Cinco
First demonstration of high school students March, 1970
First shorthand and typewriting school Francsico Ilagan and
Melecio Arteche
First medical practitioner Jose Sabarre
First lady physician Dolores Tanseco (Angangco)
First private X-ray clinic Faustino D. Cinco
First optical clinic Vicente A. Dira
Frist drug store Antonio Muoz
First lady lawyer Rosario de los Reyes (Veloso)
First fine arts graduate (major in sculpture) Miguel Alcazar
First graduate in architecture Alejandro L. Villarin
First radio repair shop Antonio Villarin
First silent movies Cornelio Tuazon
First talkies Apolio Theater of Apolonia Zartiga
First television broadcast shown by Memerto Piczon, a local
electronics enthusiast, at the VFH station in April, 1972. The TV
set used for this first television show belonged to Alejandro
Borbon of Filipinas Life Insurance
First printing press Vicente Dira
First bilingual newspaper Talutang edited by Vicente A. Dira
(vernacular) and Bonifacio Taega (English)
First private radio station Station DYRV
First bakery Chawa Yu
First modern electrically run bakery United Bakery of Gama
Uy and Porfiria A. Uy

First candy factory A Japanese named Kaki

First cotton candy vender Adriano Albano
First caramel factory Tina Uy
First restaurant and refreshment parlor Candido Fornillos, Sr.
First fishing boat Leocadio Tanseco, Sr.
First beauty parlor Anacita Lucaas
Frist grocery store Vicente Uy Ina
First ice plant Inocencio Tan Sima
First icedrop factory Inocencio Tan Sima
First ambulant ice cream vender Adriano Albano
First dry cleaning establishment Isabela Lola (Villarin)
First hotel Great Western Hotel of Blas and Coleta Bartolome
First sawmill Benjamin Bleibel
First slipper factory Vicente Arevalo
First hollow block manufacturer Antonio Bulos
First hardware store Ramon Laohoo
First bus transportation Estabaya
First launch transportation Benjamin Bleibel
First lady commuter on a bicycle Lucila Cinco
First motorized jeep-type vehicle Mendiola Liner of Eugenio
Mendiola
First demonstration of tricycle drivers (KNN) March 11, 1971
First bowling alley Patricio Guerrero
First Jukebox joint North Pole of Maning Balagat
First visiting circus (Spanish times) Reyes Circus
First visiting circus (American occupation) Antonietta Circus
First billiards and pool room Emerio Cui
First magic demon stration shop Vicente Longara
First Carnival December 1914
First Carnival Queen Serafina Jazmines (Cinco)
First Miss Samar High School Paz Salazar (Aguillon)
First radio spare-parts store Arsenio Albao
First barber shop Sonny Boy Bohol
First band Don Andres Reyes Musicos

 First orchestra Naciente Orchestra

First photographic studio Siluya