From the Kingdom of Tondo (Kaharian ng Tondo), the Dulay lineage emerged in an ancient settlement in Laoang, Samar

      David Dula y Goiti, un nieto de Lakan Dula con una madre española escapó la persecución de los descendientes de Lakan Dula colocando en Isla de Batag, Samar norteño y colocó en el Candawid ahora llamado colocado (Kan David). Debido al odio a los españoles, él cayó el Goiti en su apellido y adoptó un nuevo David conocido Dulay. El civil de Guardia lo cogió basado en Palapag y fue ejecutado eventual junto con siete seguidores. Fueron encargados de la planificación atacar la separación española.     

     Samar norteño es donde la rebelión de Sumuroy de 1649-1650 llevado por el Juan Ponce Sumuroy del héroe de Waray primero comenzó. Uno de los conspiradores confiados en del co de Sumuroy, David Dula y Goiti, sostuvo la búsqueda filipina para la patria en un mayor vigor. Lo sin embargo hirieron en una batalla, fueron capturado y ejecutado más adelante en Palapag, Samar norteño de los españoles junto con sus siete tenientes dominantes. Los acusaron de masterminding varios ataques contra separaciones españolas. El lugar de donde David vino fue nombrado más adelante como Candawid (Kan David) en Isla De Batag, Laoang, Samar norteño. Algunos de los descendientes de David cambiaron sus apellidos a Dulay para evitar procesamientos españoles. Algunos mantuvieron su apellido Dula, que hasta actualmente es la fuente de fricciones internas de menor importancia entre algunos descendientes de David Dula y Goiti en Laoang, Samar norteño que acusaba cada lado como " sigbinan", un folklore waray nativo que originó en Isla de Batag, que implica el " una familia que guarda secretamente llevar-como creatures", que se están alimentando con todas las clases de carne, a veces, incluyendo la carne de Guardia española muerta civil. Vario Samarenos norteño famoso está remontando su ascendencia entre los siete conspiradores del co ejecutados con David Dula y Goiti en Palapag, Samar norteño. Durante la guerra Filipino-Americana, el cerco de Catubig fue luchado en la ciudad Catubig.

Birth	Genealogy of the Eldest Sons	Significance of the  Era
1503	Lakan Banaw Dula	Lakan Banaw Dula is the King of Tondo which kingdom extends to Ilocos Region in Luzon and Northern Samar in the Visayas. But he has allies among native chieftains in most part of the Visayas and Mindanao as their paramount ruler.  Many names such as Samar, Samal, Ibabao, Tandaya were given to Samar Island prior to the coming of the Spaniards in 1596. An unknown community writer  from Las Navas, Samar said in jest that the name "Samar" was derived from the local language samad, meaning "wound" or "cut", out of a joke. Recent scholars however connect the name Samar to the ancient city of Samaria, the capital of the northern Kingdom of Israel. The early Datu of Samar, Hadi Iberein of Lawang Town, in the northern part of the island may have a Samaritan blood. This explains the presence of spotty Hebrew sounding words in the present Lawan dialect and why the Sephardi Jews settled in Northern Samar on later years and in line with the recent findings of the Jewish scholars that the territory of Datu Iberein which reigns extends to Butuan and Mactan, could be the center of the the biblical Ophir which is now known in the books as the present Philippines. Datu Iberein may have the influence in officially naming the island as Samar, in honor of his homeland Samaria. Samar island was also named by the Spaniards as the original Filipinas, which was extended eventually to pertain to the whole Philippine archipelago. The influence of Datu Iberein is based on the fact that his territorial base covers the prosperous and historical Catubig-Laoang- Palapag  topography. Catubig was the Capital of the whole Samar Island, Palapag is the home of the ancient shipping industry which was later to become the shipping repair station of the Galleon Trade and is also known historically as the home of the Sumuroy Revolt; and Laoang is the seat of the power of Datu Iberein which is a stronghold and gateway from the Pacific of the Kingdom of Tondo headed by a dynasty of Lakans, or "paramount rulers" of all native chieftains of the what is known now as the Philippine archipelago. Recent diggings in a place called Sawang of ancient jewelries, plates and martabana (ancient burial jar) points to the legendary prosperity and influence Datu Iberein. Quite incidentally, the Araw City and Sigbin legends of the Warays are also pointing in the direction of the prosperous topography of the Catubig-Lawang-Palapag naval grid. Is the Ophir and Araw City one and the same?
1535	Batang Dula	Eldest son of Lakan Dula. Batag Island of Lawan Town in Samar is named after him. In 1569 Martin de Goiti arrived in Manila. Batang Dula was betrothed to a lady from the Goiti family, which is one of Spanish ways of pacifying the native aristocracy.
1571	David Dula y Goiti	Due to intense Spanish persecution of the native aristocracy right at the heart of the Kingdom of Lakan Dula in Tondo and Intramuros, the eldest son of Batang Dula, David Goiti Dula was hidden in a far end of the kingdom within the Galleon Trade sea route. He changed the name of his children to Dulay, to hide their identity. The natives call the plantation in Batag Island, Samar where David Goiti Dula was hidden as Candawid (Kan David, meaning owned by David) even up to now. David eventually  married Julya, granddaughter of Lawan Datu Hadi Iberein.Historian William Henry Scott wrote that a “Samar datu by the name of Iberein was rowed out to a Spanish vessel anchored in his harbor in 1543 by oarsmen collared in gold; while wearing on his own person earrings and chains.”  This is a testament of the power and prosperity of the native pre-Hispanic aristocracy in Samar and Tondo. The name Iberein seem to connote a Sephardic Jewish ancestry from the Iberian Peninsula which has influence the name of the island, Samar. David’s sisters, Daba Goiti Dula changed the surname of their children to Capulong, and Dola Goiti Dula made their children carry the surname of Lacandola.  They were hidden in some provinces in Luzon. Datu Hadi Iberein, following the Kingdom of Tondo, decided to live in peace with the Spaniards provided that they will not have military forces in the heart of the Lakanate of Lawan but will built them in either Catubig or Palapag. Years later, David Dula received messages from the Lakanate of Tondo to secretly resist the Spanish occupation by instigating a revolt and send trained warriors to a Cavite in the guise of shipyard workers because Cavite was decided by the Kingdom of Tondo to be the main force to overthrow the Spanish kingdom in Manila. The natives eventually declared independence in Cavite but they were cheated in the Treaty of Paris. The natives led by Emilio Aguinaldo wrote a formal letter of appeal claiming independence based on the reign of Lakan Bunao Dula of the Kingdom of Tondo - a proof that the Philippine rebellion against the Spaniards is inspired and supported by the Kingdom of Tondo.
1602	David Dulay	David Dulay is the eldest son of David Dula y Goiti. A younger brother of David retained the surname Dula on his children which explains that even today, Dulay and Dula surnames co – exists in Lawang but they consider themselves relatives. However, they tease each other as “sigbinan”. David was executed in Palapag Town, the ancient ship repair capital of the Galleon Trade, in 1652, together with his seven followers and a hunting dog named “sigbin”. He was married to a daughter of one native tribal chieftains in the Lakanate of  Lawan. Teh Sumuroy Revolt started and spread within the territories influence by the Lakanate of Lawan. When Sumuroy was killed, David Dulay was forced to lead and expand the rebellion but he was eventually wounded, captured and executed together with his men.   The Romualdez of Leyte is also part of the Sumuroy Revolt. In their official family history today, they thank David Dulay, for allowing their rebel ancestral patriarch to go home to attend to an ailing mother days before the rebels will be caught by the Guardia Civil after a fierce gun battle in Palapag, and were executed. The younger brother of David Dulay, a handsome caucasian looking guy name Francisco Dulay using a borrowed surname De la Cruz to avoid detection of the Guardia Civil, escaped back to Tondo after the execution of his eldest brother and met a beautiful lady from an ancient village in the north known in pre-colonial times as Alingay or Alinguey. The natives, several generations later, would call the place where this mysterious Dulay with his beautiful native wife settled, as Samara, knowing that the husband of the beautiful native is from Samar and Tondo. When Spanish colonizers arrived in the late 16th century, they found an enclave of ethnic Pangasinenses actively trading with their Ilocano and Ifugao neighbors and traders from China, Japan and Southeast Asia in the vicinity of Samara.
1618	Sava	Sava is the eldest son of David Dulay to a wife who is a daughter of one of a native tribe chieftains in the Lakanate of Lawan.  Sava was later anointed as the Datu of a native settlement in 1638 at the age of 20. Because, Sava grew up in the household of the native chieftain and his father David Dulay was executed by the Spaniards when he was young, his upbringing is influenced more by the household of the native chieftain. His loyalty is more on the natives and not on his Lakan Dula or Dulay ancestry. He seldom use the surname Dula or Dulay of his executed father to avoid persecution of the Spaniards.
1650	Duma	Son of Datu Sava. Took care of the settlement in Lawan. Describing the place of the settlement, Fr. Alzina, as a missionary in Samar and Leyte from 1634 to 1674, in his visit to the place in 1640 says, “On the opposite side of Rawis, on the Lawan Island, which is a sandbar there is a solid ridge of rock. It is fashioned by nature itself and it is so steep that it looks like a façade of a wall… It was a natural fortification, due to its great height of massive rock; it was also secured as if by a moat which encircled its three sides. The fourth side was blocked by a palisade of strong logs. Then too, nature also formed on one side of this rock something like a small cove with its little beach.”  Duma is only using the surname Dulay on special occasions.
1681	Kahipus	Son of Duma. The leadership system in Lakanate of Lawan weakened due to pressure of the Spanish government and Christianity. Kahipus expanded the settlement in another part of Lawan. He is slowly using the surname Dulay in several occasions.
1712	Yumanaw	Son of Kahipus, the last datu of Lawang. He started a settlement in another part of Lawang Town. By the end of the 16th century, any claim to Filipino royalty, nobility, or hidalguía had disappeared into a homogenized, hispanized and Christianized nobility - the Principalía.[60] This remnant of the pre-colonial royal and noble families continued to rule their traditional domain until the end of the Spanish Regime. However, there were cases when succession in leadership was also done through election of new leaders (Cabezas de Barangay), especially in provinces near the central colonial government in Manila where the ancient ruling families lost their prestige and role. He seldom use the surname Dulay but he let his children use them.
1740	Sebaste Dulay	Son of Yumanaw. With the decline of the influence of the native nobility, and the Spanish practice of having a surname has been in full effect, he adopted back their native Dulay surname into his name. He is the great grandfather of Petre Dulay. A younger brother of Sebaste decided to use the surname Dula to prevent detection from Spanish authorities who are still very critical on the bloodline of the native aristocracy, he settled down in peace in a far territory of the ancient settlement which is now known as Lawaan. The influence of the hereditary leaders of Lawan was legally ended with the creation of Laoang town in 1768.
1772	Benyamin Dulay	Grandfather of Petre who remained in Lawan settlement progressing in the “arastre” business.
1799	Esteban Dulay	Father of Petre Dulay. As the eldest son, he inherited the ancestral plantation of David Goiti Dula in sitio Candawid, Barrio Marubay, Lawang, Northern Samar, while the rest of the members of the Dulay principalia family remained in Lawan main settlement. Several generations later, his great grandson who remained in Lawan, Hilario Dula Dulay, would become the municipal president of Lawan in 1929, and caused the survey and acquisition of the titles to the present market site and the lot across the creek at Little Venice. Years later, Hilario's son,   Mayor Eleuterio Dulay would become the longest serving undefeated mayor of the town.
1843	Petre Dulay	Petre is the eldest son who eventually inherited the Candawid plantation from where the Dulay Mendoza Clan of Lawang and Marikina descended. The family of the eldest son of Petre, returned to their homeland Tondo and eventually decided to settle in Marikina Valley through the arrangements with the Cacho-Tuason family who owns the Hacienda Mariquina and with then Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal, another descendant of Lakan Dula of Tondo. The plantation of David Goiti Dula in Candawid was left to a youngest brother of the eldest Elpidio Dulay, Barangay Captain Macario Dulay. The eldest son of Elpidio, Ceferino Dulay headed the Dulay Mendoza Clan of Marikina Valley. Petre is the oldest brother of Rufina Dulay who married a Chinese merchant, from where Gov. Madeilene Dulay Cui Mendoza Ong descended. On 21 November 1849 the Spanish Governor General of the Philippine Islands, Narciso Clavería, decreed the systematic distribution of surnames and the implementation of the Spanish naming system for Filipinos and Filipinas, thereby producing the Catálogo Alfabético de Apellidos ("Alphabetical Catalogue of Surnames") listing Spanish, Filipino, and Hispanicised Chinese words, names, and numbers. The Dulay clan did not change their surname to Spanish – sounding surname as a defiance to the Spanish rule. Today, the lineage of Rufina Dulay, took over from their cousin Mayor Eleuterio Dulay in running the Lawan settlement, not as ancient datus like their forefathers, but as popularly elected mayors. As of this writing, the Rufina Dulay lineage (who got married with the Chinese Cui, Sephardi Jewish Mendoza and Ong from Binondo) is not only in control of the ancient Lawan settlement, but also the congressional district and the whole province of Northern Samar. The descendants of Lakan Dula of Tondo seem to be on its way of restoring the glorious past of the Philippine Islands.

References:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_Origin_of_the_Dulay_Clan#ixzz1OHgEDaVp

http://www.enciclopediaespana.com/Rajah_Lakandula.html

William Henry Scott. https://archive.org/stream/BarangaySixteenthCenturyPhilippineCultureAndSociety/Barangay+-+Sixteenth+Century+Philippine+Culture+and+Society_djvu.txt. Retrieved April 4, 2018.  

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LAOANG TWILIGHT: THE LOST GARDEN OF GLORY

By: Noel Acedera Mongas

(Author's Tribute to Laoang Fiesta 2013: First Edition

    "The cradles of the Filipino civilization. The place of light, charm, beauty and harmony with its proud, insightful people stemming from enlightened culture originated before the chronicles of the Garden of Eden."  --Sirac Laoang

    I have looked back on my life and recorded everything about my place, hence, I would like to share the wonder, glory and majesty of my beloved town—Laoang. Just imagine what it looks like before our time. The glorious name Laoang, the nature, lands, brackish and sea waters, legends, mythology's, epic of heroism and the first people in their quest through the epochs of time. This is my personal journey through my candid readings and research. I will not twist its history but I will carve up an expedition to its grandeur.

   We must leave two things to our descendants when we die. One is tradition and culture and, the other is our golden history. A person without tradition and culture will fail—it is a soul that guides us to wonder in this world, our survival and the practices of our civilization. Through our history, people acquire knowledge and wisdom for living. To open up new future, we need, on the other hand, to pass on to our descendants the tradition, culture and history that has been handed down to us over thousands of years. Colorful as it is, we must continue to educate our successors especially the love for their native land, heroism, harmony and Glory.

   Before our time, our ancestors worked for peace, harmony and love of our native land. People these days are raised by the picture of a hopeless society that they could not stop and suspend the perils of the forthcoming "human calamity". The present practices of "denial" to our good ancient culture, and tradition of love and harmony would lead us to our destruction, thus, developing sensitivities for our past communities and 'silvery-water history' can truly revive the resonance of a true character and proud Nortehanon-Laoanganon--the tribe of pintados-Lawagnon. Our ancestors, shed their blood and tears to make us free and happy, they didn't even fight each other rather shared their everything for 'common good', for their families, neighbors, and love of their native land.

   In my expedition, in prehispanic centuries, my town was garlanded with so many names; 'Garden of Eden', 'Dawn of the Traders', 'Haven of Sailors', 'Land of Princess and Harmony', 'Gems of the East', 'Shining Islet of the Pacific', 'Port of Gold', 'Twilight of the Fishermen', 'City of Angels' and 'Land of Mystics and Miracles'. Spending time to recall its beauty will gives me pleasure and a smile. Ah, the splendor of my hometown! At bedtime, I would close my eyes, saying… I wish I have been there to see and observe the real story far from the current books of history where interests people were eluded inclined to their respected dimensions but not its true accounts. I could not sleep with the sounds of leaves rustling in the wind, the sound of the blowing wind through the reeds that keeps my imagination alive.

   I have immersed myself in understanding the questions and finding their answers. Where did i came from? My ancestors? As I went through, my town was once known as the 'great port' of the Far East—"Pantalan-Sinirakan". The whole island was called "Sirac-an" popularly known as "Lawagan" which means "crystal torch" or something that can be associated with a fishing boat that uses light as a bait to catch fish. Sirac-an was named and called by the people living in hinterlands while Lawagan named by the people living in the plains and sea shores. Native people were known as "Lawagnon", "Lawodnon", "Sirakan", "Batacnon", "Anoron", and "Rawisnon" but most of the natives were called Lawagnon. They spoke four major dialects; Kawi, Waray, Lao and Baybayin. Batag Island used Kawi due to David Dula's influence; Waray was the native dialect of most Lawagnon and Sirakan while Lao and Baybayin were used for trading and business with the other people.

   According to legend, without the crystal torch you could not find the island. Native people are 'naturists', they believed in the power of nature and spirits, they can heal wounds, they can summon good spirits to protect their land and hide them with a glow of a 'crystal torch' that evaded them from the attack of different pirates, calamities and evil spirits.

   So majestic is Laoang before, native people in the different areas of the Lawagan land pray to good spirits. One day, their faith was challenged by a "great tidal wave", as tall as a 50-story building but it was easily subsided when a good spirits rubble the wave with his mighty shield and sword. Native people, young and old, saw this picture with their eyes and believed the power of their prayer. It was not Saint Michael the Archangel, not until the Spaniards and Jesuits established its mission in the area. Our ancestors believed that they be can be saved by their faith and prayer to the good spirits. This is also the light when people celebrate its feast to the good spirits that save their lives that eventually evolved to the Fiesta Celebration of St Michael the Archangel on the 29th day of September but before it was celebrated on the 8th day of August following the 'animists calendar'--It is the Feast of thanksgiving where people solemnly pray for their lives and fortune.

   The land was once inhabited by the "Great Chieftains"," Princesses" and "Warriors of Virtues" whose majesty, beauty and charm were known to the world. Neighboring tribes would always visit the land; for friendship and trade, to marry their lovely women, to train as "spirit warriors" against invaders and pirates enlightened by good spirits.

   The land was divided into three territories and constituencies but harmony existed in every person living in the land, they were united by one blood and honor to their sole ancestor—pintados-Lawagnon—a great family of Lawagan land who stand 15 feet tall who defended Lawagnon people many times against invaders and pirates. According to "surmatanons" (epic of Lawagnon) Pintados-Lawagnon family threw big stones to invaders that echoed Lawagnon and earned the description of "the unconquered land". Since then, people will come for trade not for war and invasions. This was our hallmark that we should remember day by day. Our hospitality has reached to the whole islands of the country then to Spain then to mexico and other parts of the world.

    Moreover, the first territory was under Dato Karawton and his consort Princess Bangipa , he ruled and managed the "region of Anadanod" now the "poblacion of the town" extending Baybay to Mualbual then to Calomotan. These areas were also known as the "golden port of the pacific". The "port of Baybay" was used by different wealthy foreign citizens and Spanish royal blood who were honorable by the kingdom of Spain. They stayed in the area for a month to rest and treasured the island. The "port of Calomotan" was used by Spanish friars, officers and soldiers while the "port of Mualbual" was used to shuttle slaves going to other areas under Spain colony to perform "polo y servicio".

   In other reign, the second territory was under Dato Sankayon who has lovely Princesses named Rawis and Talisay who were abducted by moro pirates in the fiercest battles in the shore of Rawis (now Titong beach). Dato Sankayon was a bitter brother of the Palapag ruler. He ruled the "Region of Rayang" extending from Rawis to Vigo to Oleras up to Pambujan (now Pambujan municipality). Dato Sankayon named the two barangays after his daughter's name. The port of Rawis was used as the Spanish elite trading capital of the pacific and "the great indies" route together with the galleon trade from Mexico then Rawis before going to Manila and Cavite.

   The last kingdom, the third territory was under Dato Batac with his consort Princess Rayandayan, the land is presently named the Batag Island. He rules the "Region of Lawod" where most of his people were fishermen. People from different places in Asia, Europe and Oceania went to the place for "fish business" that's the reason why the "port of Kahagyan" now Brgy Cahayagan was made for fish market. Most people called themselves Lawodnon and Batacnon. Batacnon believed with the "Lady of the sea" (Senora de Salvacion) a good spirit who performs miracles for sick people from fishing, voyage and expeditions. The Lawodnon people were once lead by "David Dula" grandson of Lakan Dula, the great king of Tondo, Manila. When Lakan Dula's forces were defeated by the Spaniards, he sent a mission to keep his bloodline thus, his grandson David Dula was hidden at Kandawid, now Brgy Candawid in the Island of Batag, in the decree of Spanish high officials that all of Lakan Dula's heir and bloodline would be killed if found out by the Spanish soldiers. David rose to power and led "Lawagnon" side by side with a Palapag hero Juan Ponce Sumuroy against the Spanish conquistadors.

    The old Lawagan regions were God's creation and His gift to presently Laoanganons. I intend to introduce the details of the history and the accounts of great men who contributed much in building Laoang. In these venues people would rather ask for a copy of its book rather than reading here. This is just a short story that is inclined to the forgotten jewel of the east but not as a complete elements of history but just to remind other about our past glories and true character.

    To my constituents, we must work together to awaken our fellow Laoanganon of the preciousness of our true character, history, tradition, culture and, the urgent need to regain them the rich minds of our generation which can offer lessons from our true identity from the time of the "crystal torch" up today. We cannot allow our rich past to saddle in vain and to be damaged any further.

    Laoang or Lawagan is one of humanity's treasure troves, where majesty and wonderful people and its colorful history live. The flora and fauna seem to exist as they might have on the first morning of Creation.The riverbanks used to have pineapples, banana and mango trees. Rice grows so well that it is possible to have three harvests in a year, even without irrigated fields. That's how rich the soil was. Crops such as corn and US beans could be grown just by spreading the seeds over the valley. Very little human labor is need. Farmer who lived there did not experience to be hungry; they went into the fields and dug up sweet potato and "agikway". Potatoes could be harvested without annual planting which can feed even the barrio folks. Laoang provides plenty of economic benefits just in its agricultural lands and marine wealth. The area has vast tracts of virgin hardwood forest. But now? why?

   Laoang provides a perfect environment for a Garden of Eden by its people's glory. It is not just birds and fish that are plentiful in the area but our true identity of love, harmony and glory. Lawagnon people must lead the way in the effort to save our precious nature, culture, tradition and history.

  Simple words such as beautiful, wonderful and fantastic can begin to describe its value.

  We were once great people who lived in the "Garden of Eden".

  Sirac Laoang!!!