About the LGU Municipal Profile Historical Development
The historical development of the San Mateo dates back even before its founding in 1946 when it became a municipality from mother town Santiago.
In 1942, during the Japanese time, a shadow government of the Japanese Imperial Army existed better known as Yoshisawa, in honor of Colonel Yoshisawa, the highest ranking officer of the Japanese Imperial Army, who came to San Mateo. Mayor Doroteo Barbero was appointed in 1942 but in 1943 he was tortured to death by the Japanese soldiers who suspected him as a "guerilla." His former secretary Estanislao Bueno succeeded him. Mayor Bueno had difficulties in running the affairs of the puppet administration. He was dictated by the Japanese and closely watched by the guerrillas to the extent of being branded as pro-Jap. The stigma of puppetry in his name finally cleared when the American Forces stationed in Tuguegarao, Cagayan, vindicated him. He served from 1943 to 1945.
Don Mateo Cadeliña, a Second World War veteran, first stepped in San Mateo(first name Marasat) sometime in 1908 upon invitation of his older sister named Policarpia "Polin" Cadeliña, who learned about a vast plain of promising agricultural land along the Magat River, He returned to Bacarra, his hometown, and in 1912, with his family together with the first pioneering Ilocano settlers took a "Biray" boat from the port of Curimao, Ilocos Norte, sailed around Northern Luzon through rough seas defying storms and turbulent waves, landed at Aparri, Cagayan. They took a "barangay" or raft and after a month-long trip landed at Turayong, Cauayan, Isabela. The escape from sheer economic want was not made overnight. The Ilocano settlers cleared the fields by the sheer might of manual labor in pursuit of their aspirations. The tobacco industry proved profitable in the sandy loam fertile soil. Later, corn was grown and still much later, upland rice planting was introduced with the "ammay" rice variety brought by the Cagayanos. Like the great American settlers in the new world they fought hard their way leaving no stones unturned in a war against poverty. Misfortunes nor deaths did not subdue their enthusiasm to establish a community of abundance and happiness.
The pioneering settlers, mostly Bacarreños, who came from the Ilocos Region then the "Ibangirs" from the Central Plain of Luzon, enjoyed the way were. They were sociable, hospitable, disciplined, brave, courageous, patient, industrious, persevering and had the spirit of "Bayanihan." They were religious and had the anxiety for education and the foremost virtues of thrift and industry.
Governor Gabriel R. Visaya found his way to San Mateo in 1922 upon invitation of Don Mateo Cadeliña and Padre Fidel Reginaldo. He initiated a series of catechism classes and at the same time did tobacco buy-and-sell business with Vidal Guerrero, Don Jose Ramones and Don Francisco Ramones. Don Gabriel Visaya, before he became Governor of Isabela, was appointed as Municipal Secretary of Carig (first name of Santiago City) to Mayor Raymundo Ibay in 1929. Concerned with the plight of his people, he fought to separate Marasat from the Municipality of Cauayan (now a city) to become a Municipality of Santiago (now a city). It was through his able leadership together with Don San Mateo Cadeliña that hastened the creation of the Municipality of San Mateo on March 17, 1946 by virtue of the Executive Order No.97 of the late President Sergio Osmeña with Don Mateo Cadeliña, as the first Mayor.
A man of astounding ability and persuasive power, Don Gabriel R. Visaya was uninterruptedly elected as Board Member from 1951 to 1963, enabling him to complete the survey and construction of San Mateo - Alicia Road which he proposed way back 1946. He had a continuous brilliant public service for 36 years.
In the national elections on April 23, 1946, President Manuel A. Roxas won and appointed Cornelio Alipio to replace Mayor Cadeliña who belonged to the Nacionalista Party. He served the unexpired term of Mayor Cadeliña from 1946 to 1951 for he won in the forth coming elections. Mayor Alipio transferred the sites of the municipal plaza, public market, school and cemetery from Old Centro to its present location. He started the construction of the public market.
Mayor Cadeliña came back to power when he unseated Mayor Alipio in the following local elections of 1951. He built a new municipal hall of Matnog type.
In the local elections of 1955, Mayor Marcelo J. Santiago from the "Tanap" region emerged as the political leader. Mayor Santiago put up two market buildings, the health unit and the reading centers during his administration. He was responsible for the establishment of the Bureau of Fisheries. He named the streets and made general improvements.
Mayor Hermogenes L. Ramil, a teacher and a brilliant orator succeeded Mayor Santiago in 1960. He improved the municipal streets and opened feeder roads. He could have been a remarkable leader would it not for his untimely death after two years of dedicated service. He was assassinated. His Vice Mayor, Braulio P. Lucas, served the unexpired term of two years from 1962 to 1963. He initiated the beautification of the municipal grounds and fenced it with hollow blocks including the town plaza. A veteran politician having served as councilor and vice-mayor, Mayor Lucas worked hard to move San Mateo to prosperity.
An interesting political figure of strong influence assumed the political leadership of San Mateo in 1946 when he won in the local elections of 1963. Mayor Severo G. Lachica, a teacher by profession first hit the political circle when he was elected as number one councilor under the Ramil Administration. From there, he won unprecedented victories and maintained his mayoralty position for 22 years until 1986 when he was forced to step down under the Revolutionary Government of President Corazon C. Aquino as an aftermath of the EDSA Revolution when the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos was deposed from power.
Most notable achievement of Mayor Lachica was the construction of the present modern edifice of the Municipal Hall and the renovation of the old building in 1983.
Other important achievements include the districting of the different barrios in the poblacion known as District I, District II, District III and District IV, and which later on were made barangays such as Barangays I, Barangays II, Barangays III and Barangays IV.
Other important projects were the construction of the Imelda Triangular Park (now Freedom Park), the Children's Park, the Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Auditorium and the reconstruction of the burned down buildings of the public market in 1971. He also constructed concrete municipal streets, roads, bridges, school buildings and RHU Center. He assisted in the putting up of the Bureau of Telecommunications tower, buildings and facilities.
In 1986, after the People power or EDSA Revolution, this resulted to the unprecedented fall of President Ferdinand E. Marcos, sweeping reforms were made from the national to the barangay bureaucracy. By virtue of the Philippine Constitution, a general revamp in the bureaucracy was made. The change of leadership in the office of the Mayor was formally done on May 22, 1986, and subsequently the new set of the Sangguniang Bayan Members including the Vice Mayor assumed office. They were called Officer-In-Charge (OIC). Dr. Venancio O. Villarta, the incumbent vice-mayor was appointed the first OIC in the Municipality of San Mateo.
Mayor Venancio O. Villarta, a medical doctor by profession with a simple but strong personality, has for his credit a 15-years continuous brilliant political career. He first threw his hat to the political arena with a landslide victory as vice mayor in the 1980 local elections. In 1986, he became OIC Mayor for more than one (1) year. The elections of 1988 gave him a resounding success, which catapulted in the succeeding political contests. Mayor Villarta's remarkable accomplishments include the landscaping of the municipal compound, improvement of the Freedom Park, improvement of the Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Auditorium, and construction of different buildings such as the R.I.C., Liga ng mga Barangay, Senior Citizen, the Burolan (now being used as stock room) and the postal building. He also constructed the Modern Abattoir and the San Mateo Commercial Center in place of public market which was totally razed by fire on April 28, 1994.
On May 11, 1998 election, the Vice Mayor Feliciano V. Palomares then won as municipal mayor. The Agrikulturang Maka-Masa Festival, which was one of the major programs of President Joseph Estrada, was held in the municipality on April 26-30, 1999. It was a big success that made San Mateo known not only in the Region but also in the entire nation. Under his administration, some of the developments of San Mateo include the LGU-Urban Water Supply and Sanitation and the concrete bridge linking Bagong Sikat and the mainland of San Mateo.
The national and local elections on May 14, 2001, saw a turn around trend in favor of Mr. Roberto C. Agcaoili, a leader with vision and commitment was elected as the new municipal mayor with a landslide victory. The wide margin of votes showed the maturing posture of the electorate. Remarkable achievements of the Agcaoili Administration includes the following: Re-classification of the municipality from 3rd class to 2nd class and finally became 1st class; consistent Best Real Property Tax Collector for consecutive years; Celebration of the First Duck Festival & First Munggo Field Day & Festival, which falls in the month of December & May respectively, completion of the public market buildings, construction of the San Mateo Food Court inside the public market, improvement of the Children's Park and Freedom Park, establishment of the 24-Hour Action Task Force Center which contributed to a safe, orderly and peaceful community;, establishment of the Sinamar Norte Integrated High School and SMVIHS Annex now San Mateo General & Comprehensive High School, conduct of the Summer Class Program – first in the province & in the region and the production of the RCA (Reading Comprehension Assessment) Books to address the educational thrusts of the municipality,; students are likewise assisted through the LGU Scholarship Grants and provision of summer job through the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES); establishment of BREQS (Batch Request Entry & Query System) – the first in Region 2 where San Mateoñans will no longer travel to avail the security papers on birth, marriage and death; putting-up of LGU Publication first named UGNAYAN Today which later changed to "The Agro-Ecological Hub." The Rural Health Unit was certified SENTRONG SIGLA Phase II Level I Facility and Public-Private Mix Dots Unit. San Mateo was included in the Guinness Book of World Records through the Simultaneous Breastfeeding Program. The numerous infrastructure projects include grading, concrete paving and rehabilitation of municipal streets and barangay roads, repair and beautification of municipal buildings, rehabilitation and construction of drainage systems, repair and construction of school buildings, classrooms and day care centers, and construction of different government multi-purpose buildings and drying pavement (MPDP) through Counter-Parting Scheme (Brgy., D.A., Prov'l & Congressman Fund and LGU). This administration has fully implemented the salient features and provisions of the R.A. 9003 or otherwise known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 which paved the way to recognize two (2) barangays as Champions in the Nationwide Search for Model Barangays on Ecological Solid Waste Management Programs and awarded as the 2009 National Champion, Philippine Garbology Marathon Zero Basura Olympics. Moreover, the Gawad Galing Pook Foundation awarded the "Munggo: the Black Gold of San Mateo" as one of the Ten (10) Most Outstanding Programs of local governance in the entire Philippines. Apart from those awards, LGU San Mateo had also received the Most Child-Friendly Municipality and Excellence Award in Disaster Management not only in the province and in the region but also entire the country. All of these accomplishments of the Agcaoili's Administration made San Mateo the Agro-Ecological Destination in Cagayan Valley under Presidential Proclamation No. 1685, S-2008.
On May 10, 2010 National and Local elections, the victory in mayoralty race showed the unending support of the San Mateonians to Agcaoili's administration, after the 3 consecutive terms of the multi-awarded mayor Hon. Roberto C. Agcaoili, now his wife Dr. Crispina R. Agcaoili, a medical doctor in profession, a simple and a leader who advocates participatory governance. Her plans includes the construction of the Health Care Facility Development Community Hospital; provision of potable water and sanitary toilet; Core Shelter Program; Municipal Plaza development; construction of Pasalubong Center; Sustainability of the Child-Friendly Movement & the Ecological Solid Waste Management; and to be San Mateo, the Agro-Ecological City.
"Marasat" as the first name of the Municipality of San Mateo was first under the political jurisdiction of the Municipality of Cauayan in 1912 and then under the municipality of Santiago (Carig) before its founding in 1946. San Mateo (Marasat) was among the municipalities stretching along the mighty Magat River from the Municipalities of Ramon, Cabatuan and Luna (Antatet).
Marasat which was later on became Old Centro I and Old Centro 2, was then the seat of the municipal government under the Yoshisawa regime of the Japanese Imperial Army during the Second World War. It was later transferred after the liberation in 1946 to its present site by the late Mayor Cornelio Alipio.
Among the early barangays were Curag Sur (now Estrella, Bella Luz, Villa Magat, Dagupan and San Manuel), Morong (now Sinamar Norte and Sinamar Sur), Caggong (now Rang-ay, Cabatuan), Balongiking (now San Ignacio), Cadanglaan (now San Roque,) Buenavista (now San Antonio) and Oscariz (now barangay of Ramon). "Masarat" was later divided into two; such was divided later into Daramuangan Norte and Daramuangan Sur.
