Padre Bermejo, Defender of the South

The emerald coast of Granada in Boljoon seen from the watchtower. At the far right is the Ili Rock - white cliff, where two other baluartes overlook the coast.

In the 1800s, the South of Cebu, from Carcar City in the East to Pinamungajan in the West was the most defended frontier of the island. Since his arrival in Boljoon in 1802, Padre Julian Bermejo orchestrated the construction of bulwarks or watch towers, known in Cebuano as Baluarte. To each baluarte or watchtower he assigned a family/household or clan.

As it was in the turbulent and violent year of 1813, a baluarte towers over the Bohol Sea where in the foreground is the mystic island of Siquijor. In that year parishioners won over the pirates in the Battle of Sumilon Island. Padre Bermejo led them in victory

The men, who were mostly fishermen, served as the look-out at the baluarte for the sea-pirates - raiders as they sailed across the Bohol Sea. When seen by the look-out, a Bujong is sounded, like an alarm to signal the community and the church bell is rang. Within minutes, women and children quickly take refugee at a stone church,usually the center of the settlement or they ran to the hills. The men, armed with bladed weapons, now on a flotilla of bancas paddled up to face off with the pirates at sea. Such was the strategy enforced and employed by Padre Bermejo to the people of his parishes in the South of Cebu. At the center of this cadre of parishioners is the baluarte.

The Baluarte in Obong, Dalaguete is at the edge of a cliff directly above the coast along a cove, surrounded by thick mangrove. It is now almost in seclusion but still looking out wide open toward the see akin to its ultimately purpose: to watch over the Bohol Sea.

The Baluartes of the South are in = (number of baluartes)

Tuyon and Ocana in Carcar City = 2

Langtad, Poblacion, Lawis-Poblacion, Bogo and Talaga in Argao = 5

Obong and Poblacion in Dalaguete = 2

Guiwanon and Daang Lungsod in Alcoy = 2

Ilihan-Poblacion (2), church complex, Lusapon-Poblacion and Granada in Boljoon = 5

Gawi, Nueva Caceres (2), Bonbon, Poblacion, Estaka-Daang Lungsod (5), Sumilom Island and hilltop Daang Lungsod in Oslob = 12

Lilo-an and Poblacion in Santander = 2

Poblacion in Samboan = 1

Poblacion in Ginatilan = 1

Poblacion and Daanglungsod in Malabuyos = 2

Poblacion in Alegira = 1

Poblacion in Pinamungjan = 1

Total number of baluartes in Southern Cebu = 36

Total number of fortresses in Southern Cebu = 6

They in Argao, Boljoon, Oslob, Ginatilan, Samboan and Malabuyos

History researcher Randy Borces of Cebu Technological University Argao Campus is studying how, such as this baluarte in Daang Lungsod, Oslob could possibly be restored and preserved in memory of Padre Julian Bermejo, builder of the baluartes and defender of the South of Cebu.

Report a baluarte in your area if not listed here.