Chapter Three
The Caballeros Impact on the Community | What it meant to be a progeny of the Caballeros in Cotabato
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The Caballeros Impact on the Community
It can be said that the Caballeros pioneered large-scale plantation type agriculture in the region. Though much of their property have been sold off and are now owned by others, the imprints of their pioneering work can still be seen in the thousands of coconut trees in the island of Bongo and along the coastal area bordering the present Cotabato City and the municipality of Datu Odin Sinsuat. In fact, it can be said that the Caballeros pioneered the opening of these areas to regular commerce and communication with the rest of the region and neighboring regions. Their success would later motivate others to similar pioneering efforts in the remaining vast undeveloped parts of the region.
Because economic data and statistics were not adequately and regularly gathered and kept during their times, it is difficult to quantify the economic impact of the Caballeros' work. But it can be presumed that the increased productivity of the land they had acquired and farmed had a significant impact. The produce of their farms were marketed to such then far-away places as Zamboanga, Cebu, and even Manila. Part of their operations involved operating trucks, launches, and boats - presumably for the transport of goods to and from their farms and property. Such transport facilities necessarily would have had a major impact on business and commerce in the region besides the all-important impact of making travel to and from said places easier and faster.
Their landholdings within Cotabato town proper would have a major role in the expansion and development of the place. Up to this time, the Pedro Colina Hill land donated by the Sousa clan continues to be used by government institutions and offices. The extensive landholding of the clan would be converted later into institutional and residential sites for the rapidly expanding population of Cotabato.
Even today, there are families in Cotabato City that use the Chavacano language (a mixture of Spanish and Bisaya languages) within the household. Though Chavacano might have been introduced into the place by migrants from Zamboanga, one can safely presume that the presence of the Caballeros and their progenies provided impetus to making Chavacano one of the most commonly used tongues in the city up to the early sixties.
Sevilla, Spain is even now noted for its deep-rooted Catholicism, popular among international tourists today for its Gothic Cathedral and Lenten fiesta and procession. The Caballeros would bring over their strong old-world faith (with its traditions, practices, and celebrations) and pass them to their progenies.
In the years before the massive entry into the region of Christian settlers from diverse parts of the archipelago, the Caballeros and their families naturally constituted the most prominent members of the local church and thus played important and active roles in various church activities. They passed on this tradition to their progenies. The latter would become prominent and active members of various lay organizations.
Because economic data and statistics were not adequately and regularly gathered and kept during their times, it is difficult to quantify the economic impact of the Caballeros' work. But it can be presumed that the increased productivity of the land they had acquired and farmed had a significant impact. The produce of their farms were marketed to such then far-away places as Zamboanga, Cebu, and even Manila. Part of their operations involved operating trucks, launches, and boats - presumably for the transport of goods to and from their farms and property. Such transport facilities necessarily would have had a major impact on business and commerce in the region besides the all-important impact of making travel to and from said places easier and faster.
Their landholdings within Cotabato town proper would have a major role in the expansion and development of the place. Up to this time, the Pedro Colina Hill land donated by the Sousa clan continues to be used by government institutions and offices. The extensive landholding of the clan would be converted later into institutional and residential sites for the rapidly expanding population of Cotabato.
Even today, there are families in Cotabato City that use the Chavacano language (a mixture of Spanish and Bisaya languages) within the household. Though Chavacano might have been introduced into the place by migrants from Zamboanga, one can safely presume that the presence of the Caballeros and their progenies provided impetus to making Chavacano one of the most commonly used tongues in the city up to the early sixties.
Sevilla, Spain is even now noted for its deep-rooted Catholicism, popular among international tourists today for its Gothic Cathedral and Lenten fiesta and procession. The Caballeros would bring over their strong old-world faith (with its traditions, practices, and celebrations) and pass them to their progenies.
In the years before the massive entry into the region of Christian settlers from diverse parts of the archipelago, the Caballeros and their families naturally constituted the most prominent members of the local church and thus played important and active roles in various church activities. They passed on this tradition to their progenies. The latter would become prominent and active members of various lay organizations.
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The Caballeros Impact on the Community | What it meant to be a progeny of the Caballeros in Cotabato