History of Barangay San Francisco
The barangay now officially named San Francisco was once known as Bawa. The latter name came about apparently as a result of European unfamiliarity with Bikol vocables. It is said that one day, a group of Spanish voluntaries arrived in the locality in search of escaped indio detainees. More likely than not, the escapees were reluctant corvee laborers, tribute payers and other Camarines lowlanders who refused to accept the Spanish yoke and, in the absence of organized resistance groups at that time, instead ran away from the Spanish colonial masters. Most went up Mt. Isarog, there to lead the life of remontados. But in the case of the Canaman escapees. They might have preffered to stay in the lowlands; apparently, they also escaped by boat. Certainly, the area that was to become San Francisco offered an ideal place to hide in: it was thickly forested, and but a few inhabitants living in scattered houses in the locality’s exteriors, along the banks of the creek. To facilitate their search, the voluntaries went among the few houses along the waterways to ask the residents if they had seen the escapees. One man working in his yard was said to have replied that he had seen them going to “pawa-pawa” – a word in the vernacular meaning the smallsized, individuals slash-burn clearings made for temporary tillage. Local accounts do not say whether or not the voluntarios ever caught their prey, but they do state that the much agitated Spaniards thought what they had heard was Bawa and accordingly named the place so.
Around 1916, florentino Bermudo led the first 20th century settlers of the place. (Other original landowners were Felipe Sacayan, the de Castros, the Florenteses, the Baenases, and Eulogia Rojas). Bermudo exchanged a piece of his property with that of Sacayan, and then donated this property as barrio site, on condition that the donees, those who followed his invitation to transfer from Fundado, should not dispose their lot ever to another party through sale.
By 1921, clusters of houses gave evidence of an organized human settlement. One of the residents had an image of San Francisco, and the people agreed to have the same for the patron saint of their barrio. Consequently, they renamed Bawa for their advocate, San Francisco.
During the war, San Francisco’s teniente del barrio, Leocadio Bermudo, who was Civilian Scout of the Tangcong Vaca Guerilla Unit (TVGU), was tortured by the Japanese after he disobeyed the latter’s order to burn the barrio as well as Fundado, then a sitio of San Francisco. And just before the Liberation, Juan Q. Miranda, the TVGU head, established his command post (CP) in the same barrio.
Physical Characteristics
Barangay San Francisco is bounded on the South by barangay Fundado, West by barangay Liaga, and South East by barangay San Nicolas. It has an aggregate area of 378.3536 has. or 8.70% of the total land area of the municipality. It is made up of six puroks .
Educational, Health and Service Facilities
Immediate need for health services in the barangay is undertaken by 3 Barangay Health Workers and supplemented by twice a month visitation by the Municipal Midwife. The residents can also access the services of the Municipal Health Office located in the town proper situated 1 km from the barangay. Serious cases can be brought directly to Naga City.
Barangay San Francisco has one elementary school. However, public elementary school can be accessed in the neighboring barangays of Liñaga, San Jose West, Fundado and San Nicolas. The nearest High School is located in Barangay Sta. Cruz, Canaman which is about 6.1 kilometers from the barangay.
Tertiary Education facilities can be found in Barangay Baras (about 8 kms. from the barangay) and at Naga City .
A Day Care Worker (funded by the barangay with municipal counterpart) undertakes day care services to the children aged 3-5 years old.
Mode of Public Transportation
The entire 6 puroks of the barangay is serviced by tricycles that ply the route of Poblacion-Liñaga and by boat. Given the road condition and the proximity of the barangay to the town proper (poblacion) public transportation for barangay San Francisco is not that accessible especially during night time.
Credit Institutions
The barangay is served by several credit institutions (private and government) including those offered by private individuals. TSPI and CARD Bank, are the more prominent private lending institutions in the barangay. The Municipal Government also offers micro-lending services to identified sectors, including the micro entrepreneurs and farmers. Private individuals (5-6 or bumbay type) and compradors also offer credit services to individuals in the barangay.
Water & Electric Supply
Most of the people in the barangay do not use the water from the pipeline for drinking, most of them get their drinking water from water lorry that ply the area for a fee (at P6 per 16 liter container). Others who can afford buy from water purifying stations that deliver water to their doorsteps at P35 per 16-liter container. This situation is amplified by the CBMS results which revealed that 95.6% or 218 of the total 228 households in the barangay have no access to safe water.
As to electricity, all the six puroks of the barangay has electrical facilities through CASURECO II. However, there are still several households with no electrical connections due to economic reasons.
Waste Management
The barangay has no Materials Recovery Facility and no established waste management system. Most of the residents dispose their wastes thru burning or in open pits. It can be mentioned that the barangay is reached by roving “Bote-Bakal-Plastic” buyers.
Peace and Order
The barangay is generally peaceful. Peace and order in the barangay is handled by the Barangay Tanods with regular detail duties and foot patrol every night. CBMS 2009 data shows that 7 households said that they were victimized by crime against property.
Barangay Officials
Barangay Sta. Teresita has the following Barangay Officials, to wit:
Barangay Officials 2007-2010:
Punong Barangay: Gerardo N. Ramos
Barangay Kagawads:
1. Eddie M. Velarde
2. Felisa B. Rodriguez
3. Rodrigo L. San Agustin
4. Hubert Macario B. Baynas
5. Sande A. Albao, Sr.
6. Tito M. Bermudo, Sr.
7. Ruben S. Nunez
8. Emman B. Britanico – SK Chairman
Barangay Secretary: Lourdes N. Domagsang
Barangay Treasurer: Arlene SC. Nunez
Barangay Officials 2010-2013:
Barangay Kagawads:
1. Martin Barrosa, Jr.
2. Felisa Rodriguez
3. Rodrigo L. San Agustin
4. Melba Borja
5. Sandy A. Albao, sr.
6. Manuel Bermudo
7. Sotero Bermudo
8. Eman R. Caubang – SK Chairman