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1 Advanced Studies in Values Education

2 Advanced Studies in Values Education

History of the Origin of the Name of Diffun and Its Moral Implications

I. History of Diffun

Diffun was created as a legal and corporate entity on July 2, 1950 during the

incumbency of then Congressman Leon C. Cabarroguis and Governor Manolo

Maddela of Nueva Vizcaya.

Since the year 1962 and until the outbreak of World War II Sitio Buntotan, a

site that is now called Diffun was thought to be a Sitio of Barrio San Isidro which

meant that it belonged to the Isabela Province. However, during a survey of

Santiago, Isabela which was begun in 1924 and lasted until 1932, the provincial

Governor of Nueva Vizcaya discovered that Diffun was part of Nueva Vizcaya.

In 1948, then Cong. Cabbaroguis authored a bill in Congress (Bill No. 1593)

authorizing the President of the Philippines to define the boundaries of Nueva

Vizcaya, with bearings and distances as maybe prepared by the Bureau of Lands

and secured from the most authoritative and latest maps of the Bureau of Coast

and Geodetic Survey. The Bill was signed into law and became RA No. 236. The

survey done pursuant to RA 236 declared that Diffun was indeed part of Nueva

Vizcaya, a finding whose validity was contested by the Provincial Board of Isabela.

To settle the boundary dispute between the two provinces, Malacanang created

a fact-finding committee under Administrative Order No. 69, series of 1948; and

whose findings declared that Diffun legally belonged to the province of Nueva

Vizcaya. Thus, AO No. 121 was issued proclaiming the uplifting of the provisions of

RA No. 236.

Later on, President Elpidio Quirino signed Executive Order No. 157, as amended

by Executive Order No. 161, implementing the provisions of RA 236. This was
3 Advanced Studies in Values Education

followed by the issuance of EO 466, series of 1950 creating the municipality of

Diffun.

II. A Tale on the Name Origin

During the early days a Spanish mestizo named Don Liberato Bayaua acquired

the plains and hills of Diffun as his hacienda by virtue of a Titulo Informacion de

Posesoria (Possessory Information Title, equivalent to a land declaration). The title

was a grant as was liberally issued to Spaniards by the colonizing monarchy. A

cattle ranch was established at then Sitio Buntotan. In the course of time a guardia

civil in the ranch suffered from cerebral malaria and died after a few days. The

quack doctor in the ranch termed the cause of death of the guard as Siphon; but

two Ilocano workers mispronounced it as Di-pon, and from that time on the place

was known in its present name Diffun.

III. Moral Implications

a. Settlers must consider language barriers especially when there are cultural differences

involved;

b. The environment must also be clean and free from any unwanted pests;

c. Settlers must also consider hygiene so as to avoid sickness and morbidity;

d. Settlers must also seek professional help and not from quack doctors only;

If the environment is clean and the settlers strictly implements health-related laws, then the

people of Diffun would always be healthy and therefore avoiding the epidemic of “Siphon.”

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