Writer Josefa Baena Villanueva -Perez 1981
Photo by : Brian Villanueva
When the fertile flatlands and rich fishing grounds were reported to the Spanish colonizers after they arrived in the Philippines, an expedition headed by a Spanish engineer was sent to the area to get its name and pinpoint its exact location, as well as prepare a map of the island. They happened to enter the mouth of the river in the area and saw some people gathering the abundant freshwater eel locally called “bais” that were caught in their fish traps.
Upon seeing the fishermen, the Spaniard asked in his native tongue, “Como se llama este lugar?” (What is the name of this place?). Failing to understand the engineer of the course, and thinking that he was asking for the name of the fish caught, the fisherman answered curtly, “Bais”. The Spaniard, therefore, recorded the name “Bais” as the name of the place.
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