by Mr. Crispin G. Gavan & Mrs. Ester G. Elacion

Lawaan is a young municipality but an old community. Being a community its age could be traced back to the Spanish period. In fact Lawa-an was already a progressing community when the Spanish government constructed a stone fort in an island fronting the community of Lawaan.

People from old municipalities of Balangiga, Salcedo, and Guiuan who used to commute by water to Basey, catbalogan, and other progressive towns in Leyte used to stop by the place to rest, take shelter and to refresh their supplies. they also found the place good for cultivation.

When the news spread that the place was good for agriculture and the Lawa-an Bay was abundant with sea foods, people began to arrive and settle in. They started occupying the mouth of what is now the Lawa-an River. Near the river were three bif lauaan trees so the people called the place “Lawaan”.
FIRST LEADERS:

At the close of the Spanish era or early American rule, Lawa-an became a barrio under the municipality of Balangiga. At this juncture, the people were awakening to the tnets of democracy by taking interest in the makings of the government. Barrio officials were first appointed then elected to take part in the government administration.

The first Teniente del Barrio was CARLOS GADICHO, grandson of Juan Gabrillo and Etifania Halbay, the community founders. Having inhereted the whole land comprising the present town proper of Lawa-an, Carlos, upon assuming the position, voluntarily distributed the area among his constituents for free.

Carlos Gadicho, in his old age, was succeded by PABLO GABORNES, the next recognized leader of the people. He was later succeded by PAULO GACHO, a lieutenant of the Samareno-American War.

Paulo Gacho was succeded by EVANGELISTA GABORNES whose wife was Marcelina Gavan. He was subsequently followed by one HILARIO TRAJANO, another revolutionary renegade from Bicol. After Trajano, LEONCIO GABORNES, younger brother of Evangelista came next. He was succeded by his brother REGINO GABORNES, who was finally relieved by ALEJANDRO GABORNES. They were all sons of Pablo Gabornes.

After the Gabornes period of leadership came VICENTE GACILLOS, otherwise known as “the carpenter” who used to make some public improvements by working alone. Then he was succeded by his own brother, SILVESTRE GACILLOS, who died in office. His position was then taken over by MATEO INCISO, an outstanding merchant in the locality and later on to be elected mayor after Lawa-an was created a municipality. As teniente del barrio he was succeded by GUILLERMO ABUDA, a belated settler from Guiuan and a former police officer.

At the height of World War II the teniente del barrio was NICOLAS INCISO which lasted up to Liberation time, when he was elected

Municipal Councilor of Balangiga representing Lawa-an. His term lasted for nine years and was succeded by FRANCISCO BALLON from San Juaquin, Palo, Leyte who married a descendant of the Gabornes family in Lawaan. He was then succeded by ANACLETO BONIOL whose mother was of the Gadicho clan. After Boniol’s term expired, MANUEL GAYDA was elected next.

Then CRISPIN GAVAN, after years of military service and teaching positions in the public schools, upon suggestions by prominent individuals in the barrio, finally agreed to run for the position of Teniente del Barrio which position was won and acquired by relatively unanimous vote. Mr. Crispin Gavan bacame the last teniente del barrio because Lawa-an was separated as new municipality from Balangiga.

While Crispin Gavan was the teniente, the late Rosendo Gadicho, a native of Lawa-an, was the Mayor of Balangiga underwhich Lawa-an was a barrio. The people jointly agiatted and clamored for political change. Evidently, the people thought and believed that they were sufficiently qualified to become a town. Accordingly, ex-mayor Gadicho and Teniente del Barrio Gavan took this matter to the attention of Hon. Felipe Abrigo, Congressman of the 3rd District of Samar, who subsequently filed and sponsored a bill to this effect. The bill, making Lawa-an a separate municipality was approved by Congress in May 7, 1959.

The first mayorship was offered to ex-teniente del barrio Mateo B. Inciso. But incidentally, he politely declined and refused the offer so the office was given to ROSENDO GADICHO, being the most logical person and whose term of office as Mayor of Balangiga has terminated. Interestingly, Rosendo Gadicho was the grandson of Carlos Gadicho, the first teniente del barrio of Lawaan.

On August 13, 1959 the municipality of Lawa-an was duly inaugurated inducting Silvano Balasbas as municipal Vice-Mayor together with six muncipal councilors.

In the election of 1963, all six appointed municipal councilors run for reelection. However, although Mayor Gadicho was declared winner he hold office for only three years for he was unseated through an election protest by MR. SEMENIANO TRAJANO. Mayor Trajano took his oath of office in the last year of the four year term but unfortunately lost to MR. MATEO INCISO in is reelection bid.

Under the leadership of Mayor Inciso the municipality started to move for progress. although the progress was slow it was in the right direction.

Due to old age the Mayor did not seek re-election and the party chose an elementary school teacher, MR. FELIMON GANAS, as the party’s standard bearer. Mr. Ganas won handidly over his opponent.

The administration of Mayor Ganas could be best remembered in his ability to require the Bureau of Lands to conduct a Cadastral Survey in the whole jusrisdiction declared by the Bureau of Forest Development as alienable and disposable lands. The land-owners were able to receive their certificate of landownership for free.

In January 1972, a new mayor in the person of IGNACIO BADILLA was installed into office. he was barely nine months in the office when Martial Law was proclaimed throughout the land.

Because of this restructuring and redirection of our government, projects were given to the municipality. The most memorable of which was the establishment of Lawa-an School of Craftmanship and Home Industries.

In April 1979, Mayor Badilla’s term was terminated and Pres. Ferdinand Marcos appointed incumbent Vice Mayor PIO C. DIASANTA as Mayor. And in January 1980 he proved his worth by winning resoundingly against his political opponents, one of them was ex-mayor Badilla.

Under Mayor Diasanta’s administration, many felt-need projects were seen. The Municipal Building was renovated, the Municipal Auditorium was constructed,a nd more streets were cemented, causeways, etc. He worked hard to fulfill his promises. Unfortunately he met his untimely death. He was with Governor Federico Mengote and company inspecting the access road leading to the Mini-Hydro Project in Amanjuray Falls when he was apprehended and killed by subversive elements on August 13, 1985- the same month and day the municipality of Lawa-an was inaugurated.

The Vice Mayor, MR. AMBROSIO B. PALANA was sworn in to office as Mayor on August 15, 1885. But his term was shortened. Few months after the EDSA Revolution in February 1986, the President appointed MR. EULOGIO LOYOLA, a native of Salcedo who married one of the daughters of Manuel Gayda, an ex-teniente del barrio of Lawa-an.

OIC Mayor Loyola initiated many highly-funded projects but unfortunately was not able to finish for he lost in the local elections of 1987.

A new mayor was elected and installed to office in February 1887. He was ATTY. PIO E. INCISO, a young, astute and dashing law parcticioner in Metro Manila. He was so energetic and active to reconcile the peole of Lawa-an to be one and strong community.

After a year of his term, the HEMAN tragedy at sea on May 5, 1988. The whole town grieved for the loss of many Lawa-anon lives. Mayor Inciso actively manged the rescue operations and consoled the breaved families and the survivors.

He continued his term and proved his worth by constructing projects. These were the sea and river walls which prevent the river and sea water from flooding the town during storms. A public market was also constructed near the bridge of the Lawa-an River. Concrete access roads in the poblacion and barrios were also made.

Mayor Inciso was not able to finish his term because he met his untimely death on the early morning of September 28, 1991 in an ambush staged by NPA rebels at Ngigui, Balangiga E. Samar. He was riding a police car with some elementary school teachers and other civilians on the way to the celebration of the Balangiga Encounter. Three teachers died with him, one civilian and the police driver while others were wounded.

Lawaan grieved once more for the loss this very promising mayor.

Because of his death, Vice Mayor ELVIRA GACHO BAYLON was sworn into office as mayor.

On May 11, 1992, an election has held where Romeo Raga and Elvira Baylon ran for mayorship. Elvira Baylon was declared winner but a protest was filed by Mr. Raga. After a lot of court hearings, ROMEO F. RAGA won in the protest and was sworn in to office as mayor. Ms. Baylon, though, was able to get a restraining order enabling her to insist not to vacate her position until the term expires.

The same candidates ran for mayorship on May 8, 1995. ELVIRA GACHO BAYLON won over Mr. Raga. She continued her term for another three years and initiated the construction of the ABC Building, the renovation of the coastway and the unfinished facade of the Munciipla Building.

Mayor Baylon’s term ended when she lost in the May 11, 1998 election to MANUEL G. INCISO. The new mayor was installed to office on June 28, 1998 and had his inauguration on July 1 of the same year.

Mayor MANUEL INCISO was re-elected last May 14, 2000 with Mr. Romeo F. Raga as the Vice-Mayor. Six out of the eight SB member candidates of Mayor Inciso won while two came from the other party.

At present these two are working hard for the improvement of Lawa-an. The Lawaanons, on their part, are hopefully looking forward for the fulfillment of their election promises.