Santa Rosa Was Bucol

It is a hill. It is an elevation. It is a natural lump of fertile land near the lake. This was the very reason why early villagers called this village “Bucol.”

Early settlers passed on to succeeding generations a story about an old, generous man called Juan Calintang. This benevolent gentleman owns Bucol. Farmers from all over came to cultivate the land, others definitely settled there. Juan Calintang tolerated, asking for nothing. In fact, records show that the present day town plaza and the present site of the public market was a gift from Juan Calintang.

Early accounts say that the first missionaries that arrived in Bucol were the Dominicans. The Dominicans came to the Philippines in 1578. Perhaps during the same year, or just a few years after, did they build a church made of bamboo and thatch to house the parish. They chose Santo Domingo to be their patron saint in honor of St. Dominic, the founder of the Dominican order.

The first church built in Bucol was probably erected in Barangay Santo Domingo and not at the site of the present day parish. Here one could still see the traces of an old Spanish fort. Residents call this Cuartel de Santo Domingo, as the Spanish colonizers called it during the Spanish era. Many believe that the Spaniards built this in 1792, others countered that it dates back as early as 1600. Some who investigated the ruins say that judging from the low single wall, large window openings and minimal guard towers, it might be a low security installation designed to protect the village from bandits coming from the neighbor province Cavite, through the town of Silang. However, it could also be the gateway to the village of Bucol. The Barangay where it stood got its name, and perhaps if the Dominicans have their way, the present day citizens would be calling Santa Rosa, Santo Domingo.

Santa Rosa came to being through a petition made by its residents to Governor General Felix Berenger de Marquina. The Spanish chief executive granted the request on august 30, 1792 before he was convicted of having immoral relations with several beautiful Spanish women in Manila and acquiring illicit wealth. Local parishioners chose the Miraculous Lady of Lima Peru, Sta. Rosa de Lima to be their patron saint from the suggestion of its parish priest, who was once assigned in Lima, Peru, and at the same time used the saint’s name to distinguish the town. In 1796, the church of Santa Rosa de Lima, made of adobe, bricks and stone stood where it is today. Father Francisco Favier became its Cura Parocco.

Officially, Santa Rosa became a town in 1848. The first Gobernadorcillo elected to head the town was Capitan Diego Alcala.