Yes, I am a certified history buff. It's kind of a habit for me to look back to the past through reading history books, visiting places with historical significance, and discovering things and structures tied to the local history of a certain place. This is why, every time I visit a place, the very first thing I am looking for is its government hall, town plaza and churches because these are the places where all the powers and authority in a certain city or town reside, and where significant events pertaining to the town could have happened.
Samal Island is a curious case for me. Even before I became a blogger, I already know that once upon a time, there were three towns comprising the whole Island Garden City of Samal. When it was made into a city, those three municipalities were merged and became one once again. What made me curious is the fact that while some local politicians wants to divide their cities and municipalities (and even provinces) to create more cities or municipalities, Samal Island experienced just the opposite.
Because of me being inclined to historical stuff, the first thing I want to do upon arriving at Samal is to see and discover any traces of the three once municipalities of Babak, Penaplata and Kaputian. As accommodating as he can be, Wilmar, a friend and a local of the city, agreed to bring me to the halls and churches of the island. I was very fortunate because it turned out that all of former towns' structures are still existing and being utilized.
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| Kaputian Town Hall. Island Garden City of Samal. |
