HISTORY

Catalonia was the old name of Suay. It is derived from 'talon' meaning wild flowers, trees, green plants flourished like virgin forest since there were fewer people before. People travelled along rivers and seas to barter their camotes, vegetables and other farm crops for sea products like fish and sea shells in Daanbanwa, the original location of Catalonia. Later many people coming from different places walked on pathways, like ants or 'subay' to reach the well-known 'place of barter'. During barters, people had some 'suay-suay' or petty quarrels. These petty quarrels develped to a name Suay or Away as we called it today, thus this beautiful name of Catalonia was changed to a quarrelsome Suay.

Suay is a barangay of Himamaylan City, located 7 kms. south from the poblacion and approximately 80 kms south from Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occ.
Its neighboring barangays are Tooy in the north. Buenavista in the east and Binicuil in the south. It is a coastal plains planted to rice, sugarcanes, fruit trees and other crops. It has rich water resources for fishing, Suay and Binicuil rivers and seas of the Guimaras Strait, Barangay Suay has 19 puroks which are inhabited by fast growing Suaynons.

-by:erna alilain calvo

SU-AYNON

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT

Suay is famous for the great political leaders and Suaynon heroes who fought during the Japanese invasion. This legacy of bravery and patriotism becomes the pride of young Suaynons, that they value their political rights very much. They enjoy their freedom and political rights by participating actively in the activities, like casting their votes wisely during barangay election to elect their officials. In return the newly elected barangay officials rendered their services fairly, doing their best in directing Suay towards progress and development.

SU-AYNON

SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

SUAYNON are religious and spiritually developed by Christian sects like the Aglipayans, Catholics, Protestants, Seventh Adventist, Church of Christ. They integrate into their lives the moral and spiritual values taught by the religous groups, developing a peaceful and law-abiding community.
SUAYNONS are happy and fun-loving people. They celebrate religious fiestas in March and August. They show their hospitality by having festive and expensive preparations, for their visitors from other places. They hold cultural programs , games and other activities in order to discover and develop talents of the Suaynons. In December, the barangay council heads the HILI-UGYON, a celebration participated by all the Suaynons in the 19 puroks. HILI-UGYON is an activity showing the unity, cooperation, competition, talents, and other desirable values of the SUAYNON, much more the time for reliving Suay history.

SU-AYNON

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Small and big families consist the Suaynon society. The homes reflect the steady growth and family-oriented neighborhood. The typical 'bahay-kubo' are changed to better and permanent homes in 19 puroks 2 of which are relocation sites due to rapid population growth.

Suaynons have been intellectually developed by Suay Elementary School since 1947, presently named as CELMS, and 2 secondary schools, Vicente Figueroa Memorial High School and San Ramon Catholic High School. There are 2 primary schools at Naga and Catinguib and Day Care Centers for the kids in some puroks. Health services are also provided for the Suaynons by medical personnel in the Health Centers which were attended before by palteras, manoghilots and quacks.

Suaynons are socially organized. There are sectoral organizations of the seniors, farmers, fishermen, professionals, athletes and other young Suaynons. These organizations help in reaching their goals because of their unity and cooperation. Suaynons love to socialize with one another. The Suay plaza serves as the venue for celebrations, sports activities, meetings, and other forms of relaxation and recreation. The plaza symbolizes fun, freedom and love of the Suaynons.

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Mapait is a coastal purok, from the dialect "pait" meaning hardships. People found it difficult to live in this place where the source of fresh water is far, they fetched water from a well away from their homes and washed their clothes in Suay River which is far from Mapait. Before roads were not developed and transporting and travel was hard and difficult for the residents. Today residents are happy because of concrete barangay roads that facilitate their travel and transporting of goods.

Purok MMY is a big relocation site for the Suaynons. Purok MMY is named after the late Cong. Mariano M. Yulo who worked with Brgy Kapitan Rachel Benliro to give a good place for Suaynons where they could build their homes. This is one of the legitimate projects which is very beneficial to Suaynons.

Purok Naga is the southernmost boundary of Suay. It got its name from a certain tree that people saw in the place before. The homes are scattered and a highway road crosses this purok. The progress of Naga Primary School is very slow because there is an elementary school.

Purok RD is the new name of Purok Tondo denoting a crowded place like Tondo in Manila. R for Rachel and D for Dan, the couple who established the RD Bakery in Purok Tondo. The people's love for their brgy kapitan, Rachel Benliro made the change, Tondo is called now Purok RD.
Purok Riverside is the purok along River Suay. The residents chose this name to identify themselves as living near the suba Suay.

Other puroks chose flowers as to name their puroks like, Santan, Orchids, Aurora. Bougainvillea,Sampaguita, Dahlia. They planted their favorite flowers in their puroks.

SU-AYNON

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The Ilongo-speaking natives are proud to be called "Suaynons." They possess positive character traits and values that helped to improve their way of living and the development of Suay. The farmers and fishermen are industrious, hardworking, and persevering; the carpenters are skillful and ingenuous; the laborers and workers are dependable; retailers, vendors are enterprising; women are creative, artistic, and talented engaging in home industries like food processing and dressmaking. Generally, Suaynons are goal and work oriented. They believed that " education is valuable " thus they work hard to send their children to schools. Today Suay is producing professionals working in the country and abroad. The young Suaynons are self-reliant, brave, patriotic, cooperative and competitive, and are appreciated for being responsible work force in other countries.

Fishing and farming are the two main industries of the Suaynons. Suaynon fishermen develop modern technology in deep sea fishing to supply the demands of the market, thus changing the use of bubo, panggal, sarap, hook and line, sailboats and paddles with motorboats and nets like the trawls.

Suay farmers are developing modern techniques to increase rice and corn producton to supply the demands of fast growing population. They use tractors, threshers, irrigation, fertilizers and pesticides and three time croppings, changing the old method of seasonal farming and using carabao for tilling the fields. The Suay market is the place for business and enterprising people. Some used their skills, talents and abilities to support their economic needs.

DID YOU KNOW?

Bita is a southern purok bounded by the Binicuil river, developed as the 'dulungkaan' of the fishermen during early times, covered by shady coconut grove, the place was named after a big 'bita tree' which thrived in the place before.

Bungyod is a purok in the eastern part of the barangay. The place has bungyod, hills or elevated features, thus it is called Purok Bungyod, with fertile soil suited for planting 'buyo' which was in demand before by women for'mama' or betel chewing.

Cagay is a purok along the Suay highway. Cagay derived from "agay" meaning flowing. A benevolent woman who gave portions of her land , as gifts to farmers who served her. The farmers considered these gifts as a flowing grace that they called the place Cagay. This purok is new relocation site for the Suaynons.

Daanbanwa means old town. This purok is the location of Catalonia which was the old name of Suay. When Suay was transferred to the new site, this place full of natural beauty and history was neglected and forgotten , with no progress and development. Today the Hiliugyon candidates having their pictorial in the thick green mangrove , reminds Suaynons of the part of this purok in Suay history.