Liliw is a Birdsong

Liliw was a settlement literally hewn out of a jungle. Gat Tayaw’s father Gat Tapaya Manggap, the elder chieftain of the Liliw dominion and his tribe carved the settlement out of a thick forest at the foot of Mount Banahaw. When the woodland was virtually cut-down and Gat Tapaya Manggap decided that they have cleared enough, they tsearched for a name they would call the new village. The tribe elders vigorously struggled for a decision until the chieftain thought of planting a pole at the center of the clearing and waited for four days for a bird to alight on it. After three days, a crow perched on the pole. Superstitious villagers thought that a crow was an omen of bad luck, so they cleared some more of the forest further south and replanted the pole. In an instant, a beautiful bird roosted at the top of the pole and sang “Liliw, liliw, liliw. Since then, subjects of the dominion of Gat Tapaya Manggap, and later by his son Gat Tayaw called the community Liliw until it became a familiar cognomen in the region.

Ten days after Captain Juan de Salcedo came to Bay, they marched inland through the thick jungle towards Liliw. Spanish-Mexican sailors and Visayan attendants escorted Salcedo. Masolong ushered the way. It takes a whole day to walk to Liliw. They must have left Bay early– at the break of dawn.

Soon, as the sun was about to set behind Mount Banahaw, Masolong, Padres Alfonso Alvarado, and Diego Espinar with Captain Juan Salcedo and his men arrived in Liliw. Padre Diego Espinar recorded the date– August 29, 1571.

Captain Juan de Salcedo and his men were happy for the warm reception. Gat Tayaw was happy his son was home. The Augustine missionaries were happy for their newfound prospects for conversion. Soon they began their conversion works. They converted and baptized Gat Tayaw’s loyal subjects Bansalan, Humanda, and Mandig renaming them Andres, Pascual and Diego respectively. Gat Tayaw’s conversion if ever there was, as Gat Pangil's was not recorded.

Spain established a colonial government soon after. Liliw became a town together with Nagcarlan, Majayjay, Lumban, Pila, and Panguil in 1578.