"HISTORY"

 

 

 

     Barangay Villamonte was once a vast sprawling sugarcane fields formerly known as HDA. Mandalagan and later became part of the large Montelibano holdings. Through sheer vision of the Grand Old Man, Don. Alfredo Montelibano, Sr., a low cost Subdivision was opened with the sole purpose of giving opportunity of the less fortunate low-income group to acquire a lot and build a home of their own. Majority of the early residents were laborers and employees, thus it was then adequately and popularly known  as Barrio Obrero.

 

In 1961, Mr. Alfredo Montelibano Jr. then administrator of the Capital Subdivision, Inc., spearheaded a contest among residents to change the name Barrio Obrero to a new one. From so many entries submitted the name "Villamonte" was chosen by the judges and the lucky entry was that of Mrs. Teresita Infante Gensoli, a teacher of the St. Joseph's High School which earned her a prize of P500.00. As comprised and defined in accordance with City Ordinance No. 114, Series of 1962, officially became a Barrio on May 1, 1962 one of the latest to be latest to be created by the City Council.

 

          Barangay Villamonte is unique in itself having a Barangay in the middle of it that is Barangay Montevista, more popularly know as PHHC. or Homesite. Besides this, it is also a Barangay of Cemeteries, with both the City Cemetery, the oldest spot in the Barangay which is as old as the sugar industry built by Fray Fernando Cuenca in 1848 and the Catholic Cemetery plus a score of others privately owned ones, one of which is the Luzuriaga Family Cemetery located right in the middle of Lopez-Jaena Street.

 

         Barangay Resolution No. 031 SI2002 passed and approved on April 2, 2002. Declared that starting May 1, 2002 on the 40 Charter Anniversary of Villamonte and henceforth and festivity shall be called the DINAGYAWAN FESTIVAL. Further provided in the Resolution that a DINAGYAWAN FESTIVAL FOUNDATION SHALL BE ORGANIZED, REGISTERED AND INSTITUTIONALIZED TO MANAGE THE FESTIVAL BEGINNNING NEXTYEAR.

 

 Where did the name DINAGYAWAN come from?

 

The dinagyawan originates from the beautiful Filipino custom and tradition of helping one another, of working together asa a group in the Spirit of Bayanihan as what the workrs, the "obreros," the masa did from time in memorial.

 

   Barangay Villamonte was originally called "Barrio Obrero" by its founding fathers, the enterpresing, future-looking and visionary Don "Peding" Montelibano, Sr. The Obreros made this Barangay and from them spring the spirit of "Binuligay" or Bayanihan" and "Dinagyawan" in the vernacular.

 

 

                         Thus  this festival is called DINAGYAWAN.