Saturday, May 03, 2008 Bio of Bado Dangwa in the works By Nikka Corsino UP Intern
A BIOGRAPHY of the late Bado Dangwa, the first elected governor of the old Mt. Province, is set for publication by the end of this year.
Two professors of the Benguet State University, Felipe Comila, and Dr. Marcos Buliyat have started working on the book in 2006, but its completion took some time, as the authors say they want to put in as much information as possible before it is circulated.
"We have always thought of writing the biography of leaders in the Cordillera. It's actually a long-overdue book," Comila said.
He said the book will be circulated internationally.
"I think it will be an international one, because the name Dangwa has already gone worldwide. Having that in mind, we have to be more definite in the documents we will have to use," Comila said.
Born in Kapangan in May 5, 1905, Bado Dangwa was the first elected governor of the then Mt. Province, to which Benguet was merely a sub-province.
Dangwa as a businessman
Bado Dangwa is the pioneer of today's Dangwa Transportation. He started the transport business in 1928 with five dilapidated Chevrolet cars with the encouragement of a former school principal and P10 for gasoline expenses from a former teacher.
When World War II broke in December 1941, Dangwa turned over to the United States Army 197 of his vehicles, which were used to transport military personnel and supplies from Camp John Hay to Bataan.
Until his death in 1976, he was the president and general manager of the Dangwa Transportation Company, which serviced the Mt. Province and parts of Cagayan Valley.
He also organized the Dangwa Enterprises, which engaged in farming, dairying, poultry raising, among others.
As a military man
War veterans recently recounted their experiences with the late Dangwa, through the initiative of his nephew, now Benguet Representative Samuel Dangwa.
Among them are Camilo Atas, Belino Alumno, Icad Bayan, and former Mankayan Mayor Alberto Bugtong. Apolonio Alfredo, although not a war veteran, was also invited to recount his experiences as a young boy when the Japanese were in the Cordilleras.
Atas, who was part of the 12th Infantry organized by then Major Dangwa, also praises the late military man. "He is like no other. He eats what everyone is having," said Atas in Ilocano. Atas added as a politician, Dangwa "had no negative issues with the people." The 12th Infantry was later integrated to the now famous 66th Infantry Usafip NL.
Bado Dangwa's knowledge of generators and automotive electricity played a vital role in during the war. He set up communication system, which intercepted movements of the allied forces towards the liberation of the Japanese-occupied countries.
This made his hometown Kapangan the communications center of North Luzon and became the headquarters of the United States Armed Forces headed by General Russel Volkman.
The 66th Infantry to which Dangwa belonged, led the rescue of the family of then President Sergio Osmena Sr., who were then imprisoned at Teacher's Camp.
According to guerilla records, General Tomoyoki Yamashita planned to hostage Osmena's wife to be able to escape the country to Japan, via the north. Dangwa's intelligence group, which was then comprised of Kapangan women, devastated the Yamashita strategy.
Post-War and Dangwa as a politician
In 1953, then President Elpidio Quirino appointed Bado Dangwa as governor of the then Mt. Provinces, which comprised Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga-Apayao and Bontoc as the sub-provinces.
After Quirino's defeat to Ramon Magsaysay in 1954, Dangwa was reappointed to rule Mt. Province.
Dangwa geared his programs for the establishment of more schools, health clinics, hospitals, roads, and bridges construction.
He also initiated the settling of boundary disputes between Mt. Province and its adjoining areas like Isabela, Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur and Abra.
His exemplary leadership and principle earned him several endorsement and backing and he became the first elected and unopposed governor of Mt. Province from 1956-1959 and from 1960-1963.
Bado Dangwa died on March 18, 1976 from a lingering illness.
Congressman Dangwa plans to provide the different libraries, especially those in Benguet, with copies of the finished biography of his late uncle so students and the younger generation will have knowledge on the former politician, who is now declared a local hero.
He added the Board of Directors of the family-owned Dangwa Transco, of which he is president, plans to establish a museum either at the Dangwa Station in KM 6, La Trinidad or in Kapangan.
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