The men and women of Pinamungajan, Cebu
The town of Pinamungajan used to be part of Barili, Cebu. Its original name was Kabungahan, derived from the name of the betel palm trees. In 1850 when the Spaniards established the chapel of the village they renamed it into Pinamungajan.
The first settlers of the town came from Naga and Carcar in Cebu and those of the towns of Oriental Negros which face Pinamungajan.
The first recorded Capitan of Pinamungajan, Cebu was Roque Ugbinada, Capitan del Pueblo from 1890 to 1892. Ugbinada was succeeded by Crispiano Pasagne, followed by Carlos Nemenzo.
When the Americans arrived, the following were elected/appointed as presidents: Carlos Nemenzo, Fulgencio Vega, Valenten Cerna, Hermogenes Binghay, Onofre Ygay, Guillermo Nemenzo, Rafael Fuentes, Pedro Ygay, Lazaro Sanchez, Lazaro Sanchez, and Generao Nemenzo.
When the title of the chief executives of the town was changed to mayor, the following had the title: Genuro P. Nemenzo, Celerino Delgado, Mamerto Nibres, Carlos Piczon, Jesus P. Nemenzo, Nicanor D. San Juan and Samson B. Cerna.
Others who served as mayor were Olegario Y. Ruiz, Melquidas Pono, Jesus F. Nemenzo, and Emilio Lomuntad Jr.
In 1964, the following were elected as the town officials: Samson B. Cerna, mayor, Clemento Yanong, vice mayor, Jose F. Nemenzo, secretary, Teodulo G. Opima, Judge, Emiliano U. Lasco, treasurer, Jose S. Lesiguez, chief of police, Dr. Eufemia Sarmiento, health officer.
As town councilors: Carlos B. Piczon, Lourdes S. Gorres, Cirilo P. Dolsido, Pablo Jadormeo, Maria Palapar, Constancio Gentapa, Ricardo Fuentes, and Baltazar Moreno.
Samson B. Cerna was ambushed on January 21, 1970. His wife, Lourdes survived the assassination. The vice mayor, Juan J. Kyamko, succeeded Cerna. A son of Mayor Samson Cerna, Manolo P. Cerna, a lawyer, also became mayor of Pinamungajan.
Mayor Emilio M. Lumontad Jr. was the son of famous lawyer, Emilio Lumontad Sr. and Vicenta Medel. The mother of Emilio Jr. died when he was still 14 years old, his father remarried, this time to a lady lawyer, Consulada Milan. It was lawyer Consulada Milan Lumontad that was legal counsel of Mayor Lumontad Jr. that defended the validity of the appointment of town chief of police, Jose Lesigues.
In 1986, the town had a new political family that is the Yapha's. Dr. Antonio P. Yapha (later to be elected as congressman of the 3rd Congressional District and now vice mayor of Toledo City) and his wife Estrella became mayors of Pinamungajan. Their children, Dr. Geraldine and Jeffrey also became mayors of the town.
The present town mayor, Glenn F. Baricuatro, is the son of Jose Nemenzo Baricuatro and Rosario Paras Fuentes. The grandfather of Mayor Glenn, Francisco Pono Nemenzo was mayor of the town during the Japanese occupation. His great grandfathers, Carlos Pono Nemenzo and Rafael Labang Fuentes, also served as mayors of the town.
Aside from the Lumontads, the other famous lawyer sons of Pinamungajan were Alfredo C. Caballero (became a lawyer on May 15, 1979), Felix P. Alqueza (April 11, 1953), Jesus N. Pono (April 11, 1963), Romulo S. Binghay (March 19, 1964), and Jose Pono Soberano Jr. who was admitted to the Bar on January 18, 1954.
Atty. Jose Pono Soberano Jr. was appointed Judge of the Court of First Instance of Cebu, well known for his integrity and uprightness in and out of the court. Jose Jr. married Dolores Rodriguez. The Soberano couple had a son and namesake, Jose R. Soberano III. He became a business and civic leader.
He is the chairman and chief executive officer of the Cebu Landmasters, Colon Merchants Association, Colon Business Association Inc. and past president of the Rotary Club of Cebu and the Chamber of Real Estate Builders Association or CREBA. Jose Soberano III or Joe Soberano, a graduate of the Ateneo de Manila, married Ma. Rosario (fondly called as Marose) Yap Borromeo, daughter of lawyer Francisco "Paquito" A. Borromeo (who once served as Social Security System Administrator, admitted to the Bar on January 18, 1954) and Ester Yap, one of Cebu's foremost real estate broker, she died on September 4, 2015.
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