page_title: Javier, Leyte
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Javier, Leyte / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Local High Value Commercial Crops
context_page_description: Javier, officially the Municipality of Javier, is a 4th class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 25,379 people.
context_section_description: The municipality of Javier, Leyte was formerly barrio Bugho of the municipality of Abuyog, Leyte. Bugho is a contraction of the dialect term "Binogho" (from local dialect root word "buho"), meaning a small clearing within a forest area. Settlers at about the turn of the century cultivated this small patch of land. Among the earliest known settlers was Macario Cultura, a native of Burauen, Leyte who is believed to have led his friends and relatives to farm the fertile soil of the area, then a virgin forest. Later, as the settlement grew, it became a sitio of barrio Pinocawan, and established barrio since the Spanish occupation.
  Sometime in 1914, Daniel Falcon Javier of Consolacion, Sogod, Southern Leyte and a former teacher and principal of Cebu Normal School of Cebu City in the early 1900s came to explore the surrounding area of the new settlement. At that time he just came from Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte where he started extensive farming activities since 1908 after his resignation as principal at the Cebu Normal School.
  A malaria plague in Cabadbaran, however, inflicted a heavy death toll among his people so that he had to explore other suitable areas until he came upon Bugho. Impressed by the fertility of the soil, he started staking out his claims in Bugho and moved out from Cabadbaran completely. Subsequently, Daniel married Dolores Mercado Veloso, also of Consolacion, Sogod, Southern Leyte, and settled in Bugho naming his settlement as Camalig. He initiated projects in the community where he was readily accepted as the teacher, Daniel Javier's concern was to educate the people. He opened a school in 1918 on land donated by Pedro Abordo with Leona Valles as the first teacher. Daniel Javier was a dedicated man without vices and he led the people in community activities to improve their working habits, eradicate superstition that hampered progress and introduced the use of vaccines and medicines. He also prevailed upon the people to accept the modern and progressive ways of agriculture.
  The community rapidly progressed as people from Cebu particularly from Argao and Bohol came in droves at the invitation and assistance of Mr. D.F. Javier who helped them legally acquire land-holdings. The people from Argao led by Pedro Gacera of Barrio Talaytay of that town settled at the west side of what is now Barrio Binulho.
  A bigger school had to be built because of the size of the community and so Mano Daniel (as the people fondly called Daniel F. Javier) invited Mr. Waters, an American Superintendent to help them build one. Mr. Waters readily agreed and together with Evaresto Retucsan donated a new site for the school with the people contributing a counterpart of 1,000.00 Pesos with the release of 7,000.00 pesos from the government. The people through the "Bayanihan" system furnished most lumber requirements.
  Corn, abaca & coconut were the main products of the community. Mano Daniel introduced irrigation utilizing the abundant water resources. It became a progressive community and was the center of trade among the neighboring barrios. In the 1939's it was among the contenders for township with barrios Palale and MacArthur. Since Mano Daniel's leadership was recognized by the provincial and district politicians, he used this influence to bring community improvements.
  Bugho was not only among the centers of resistance activities but also as evacuation centers during the Second World War. Food and other resources continued to be readily available and the local people supported the guerrilla movement. After the war, guerrilla remnants turned into organized banditry as Bugho still the center of these activities. However, the people continued to work in their farms and production was boosted with the evacuees helping them.
  Coconut, rice, abaca and ginger became the main products. Although organized banditry still existed and peace and order was not fully restored yet, the people were not deterred in their desire to become an independent municipality. During the mid-1950s, with the help of Attorney Higino A. Acala, Sr the "Bugho for 
caption: Local high value commercial crops
exif: {}