History of Siquijor
Postwar Society
Population Shifts
Siquijor’s population boomed after World War II. By the end of the 20th century, it had risen by over 40%, a much faster rate of increase than in either the Spanish or American periods. Larena, in particular, grew massively. Below are the population counts of each municipality by decade.
Religion diversified somewhat during the postwar period, continuing trends from the American period, but Siquijor remained overwhelmingly Catholic–nearly 97% of Siquijodnons adhered to the faith in 1990. Missionaries from the Iglesia ni Cristo and the Aglipayan Church continued their proselytization efforts on the island and won several hundred converts between them. Two members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) were recorded as living in the town of Siquijor in 1990.
Interestingly, a major Hiligaynon community was recorded in Larena in the 1970 census, comprising over a quarter of the total population.
This time period also saw the second wave of mass emigration from Siquijor, consistent with it and the Philippines’ increasing connectivity with the global economy and the loosening of immigration quotas in the United States with the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. Virtually all Siquijodnons currently in the United States who did not emigrate as sakadas nor are their descendants immigrated during this time (or, in the case of the younger generations, are descended from those who did).
They did not solely emigrate there, though. Many went to Singapore, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Still more found their homes elsewhere abroad. Some also followed in the footsteps of earlier Siquijodnons and moved to Plaridel, Misamis Occidental, and Iligan City, Lanao del Norte (both in northern Mindanao; for more information, see American-Era Society).
Education
Literacy rates markedly rose in the postwar period. In 1970, nearly 75% of all Siquijodnons were literate, with similar rates echoed across every municipality.
Educational attainment still left much to be desired, however. By 1990, nearly 58% of Siquijodnons had not progressed beyond elementary. Only 22% had made it to high school, and 6.6% had not gone to school at all.
Nonetheless, one of the most visible educational developments in Siquijor was the rise of Siquijor State College. The Larena Subprovincial High School (for background information, see Toward Provincehood) became Larena National Vocational School under RA No. 2423, passed on 21 June 1959. It received ₱200,000 for operations and maintenance for the following fiscal year. In 1967, RA No. 5003 allowed the school to offer both vocational and general secondary courses.
Larena National Vocational School.
In 1983, Parliamentary Bill No. 1303, written by MP Dominador M. Pernes, authorized it to offer collegiate courses and changed its name to Larena National Vocational College (LNVC). Two years later, the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports issued Order No. 39, allowing LNVC to offer a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Education. The first administrator, Dr. Tirso L. Tan, Sr., was also appointed.
In 1995, Congressmen Fua and Miguel Romero (2nd district, Negros Oriental) spearheaded the passage of RA No. 7949, signed into law on 3 March. With that, LNVC became Siquijor State College and was able to offer more bachelor’s programs, from Civil Engineering to Education and Nautical Sciences.
Aldecoa-Rodriguez, Caridad. (1989). Negros Oriental From American Rule to the Present: A History (Volume II) - Part III: The Republic Period. Provincial Government of Negros Oriental.
Armbulo III, Primo V. et al. (1972). Eradication of Rabies in the Philippines. HSMHA Health Reports, 1(87), 87-92. www.jstor.org/stable/4594432?read-now=1#page_scan_tab_contents.
Bureau of the Census and Statistics. (1954). Volume III, Summary and General Report on the 1948 Census of Population and Agriculture: Part I - Population.
Bureau of the Census and Statistics (1962). Census of the Philippines: 1960 Population and Housing, Negros Oriental.
National Census and Statistics Office. (1974). Negros Oriental: 1970 Census of Population and Housing. www.psa.gov.ph/system/files/main-publication/1970%2520CPH%2520Negros%2520Oriental.pdf.
National Census and Statistics Office. (1982). 1980 Census of Population by Municipality and Barangay: Siquijor. www.psa.gov.ph/system/files/main-publication/1980%2520Census%2520of%2520Pop.%2520by%2520City%252C%2520Mun.%2520%2526%2520Brgy.-%2520SIQUIJOR.pdf.
National Statistics Office. (1992). 1990 Census of Population and Housing - Report No. 3-75G: Socio-Economic and Demographic Characteristics, Siquijor. www.psa.gov.ph/system/files/main-publication/1990%2520CPH%2520Rpt.%2520no.3-Siquijor.pdf.
National Statistics Office. (1992). 2007 Census of Population - Report No. 2-85G, Volume I: Demographic and Housing Characteristics, Siquijor. www.psa.gov.ph/system/files/main-publication/Siquijor.pdf.
Reid, Robert H. (1994, 13 November). Witches of Siquijor May Work Magic for Tourism, Officials Hope - Philippines: For Centuries, the island has been identified with magic and faith healing. People come hundreds of miles for ‘treatment.’ Los Angeles Times. www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-11-13-mn-62030-story.html.
Siquijor State College. A Brief History of Siquijor State College (SSC). siquijorstate.edu.ph/history/.
Healthcare
Healthcare remained a challenge in the postwar period. As of 1947, not a single physician–public or private–was present in Siquijor, forcing people to travel to Negros Oriental for treatment. Given the time needed to make the crossing, this was very problematic for emergency cases. Worse, no physician wanted to serve as the subprovince’s chief doctor because of how low the salary was. In response, Siquijor doubled its contribution to the provincial health fund and ordered municipalities to raise their own contributions to raise that salary.
Many Siquijodnons then began to consider the feasibility of establishing a subprovincial hospital. On 19 April 1950, the Provincial Board approved this hospital’s location in the town of Siquijor, and the construction contract was awarded to Vidal Geonson. In December of that same year, the hospital opened, saving many from having to travel to Dumaguete for treatment (although for the most serious cases, Siquijodnons still leave the island today).
Culture
As was common throughout the Philippines and the rest of the Global South, Siquijor adapted many of the trappings of Western–and particularly American–culture as it modernized. Bands played American music, beauty pageants–another American import–were held regularly, and basketball tournaments were organized between towns and barangays.
Jazz Masters, Larena's first jazz band, c. 1960s.