Location Map of Barangay balatucan

About

Balatucan is a barangay in the municipality of Looc, in the province of Romblon. Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was 1,077. This represented 4.94% of the total population of Looc.

Summary data
Type	barangay
Island group	Luzon
Region	MIMAROPA Region
Province	Romblon
Municipality	Looc
Postal code	5507
Population (2020)	1,077
Philippine major island(s)	Tablas
Coordinates	12.2893, 121.9721 (12° 17′ North, 121° 58′ East)
Estimated elevation above sea level	15.0 meters (49.2 feet)

History

Formerly Balatucan was a sitio of Barangay Buenavista, Looc, Romblon. Not so sure for its date of establishment as a separate sitio but according to the information of our forefathers it was in the year 1928 when Balatucan was separated from Buenavista.

A very long time before the year 1928 the people of Balatucan had been longing for school so that their young children would not go to Buenavista to study. It was in the term of dynamic and energetic Mamerto Verdin when the school was first planned. Through his untiring sacrifices ang painstaking effort he gained the cooperation of his people and did realized his dreams to establish a school. The year 1928-1929 the marked the opening of classs in Balatucan Barrio School.

Some memorable names of Teniente de Barangay / Barangay Captain was Faustino Gregorio, Delfin T. Osorio, Genaro Verdin, Jose Mantac Sr., Nicomedes Pelayo among a few.

Celestino Mantac Sr., then the Barangay Captain donated a lot for the construction of Basketball court and public stage,

Mrs. Pancracia M. Verdin served as Barangay Captain before Martial Law and resigned after Edsa Revolution in 1996. She was the longest server as public servant.

Mr. Jonas G. Osorio server as Barangay Captain as appoitive officials after 1986 Edsa Revolution, Corazon C. Aquino the president of the Philippines.

Mr. Justo C. Marcelo Sr. served twice his term as barangay Captain.

Mrs. Emilia M. Sespeñe served as Barangay Captain in 2002 up to 2007.

On his second term, the current Barangay Captain Hon. Jose M. Verdin served once before Barangay Captain Emelia M. Sespeñe in 1994 – 2002 and won again during the 2007 Barangay Election and the 2010 Barangay Election. During his first term, construction of the Barangay Hall started.

Origin Name

Balatucan its present official name is one of the sitios composing the municipality of Looc. From time emmemorial to the present, this sitio is popularity named Balatucan. When, how and why this sitio is called Balatucan is a matter of conjecture. No one knows, just what is the real source of this name.

During the Spanish of regime, when Tiran was the ruling chief, there were wandering hunters who happened to come to this place. While these hunters were loitering over this place, the first woman they saw had a ‘’ batuc ’’ meaning spots over the skin. From this word was derived the name of Balatucan. To make it clear this is how Balatucan was named. The noun ‘’ batuc ‘’ meaning spots was change to an adjective by adding the suffix ‘’an’’ making it ‘’batucan’’. The first syllable of ‘’batucan’’ was cancelled. ‘’Balat’’ means skin; wherein the spots were seen.The last letter of ‘’balat’’ was cancelled leaving ‘’Bala’’ and was prefixed to ‘’tucan’’ forming the word ‘’Balatucan’’ which means spotted skin or skin with spots. So that at present this sitio officially named Balatucan. The named of sitios included within the territorial jurisdiction of Balatucan are Alagakit and Atam. Balatucan is subdivided but each division does not bear any name of a sitio, but according to its location as; Ilawod, Tabok and Ilaya.

Date of Establishment

Original Families

Tenientes from earliest time to date:
From the time Balatucan became an independent sitio to the present, it is being administered by a teniente del barrio, a man of a good reputation and who is highly honored by the people. The following are the names of Teniente del Barrio from earliest time to date:

Casimiro Osorio

Mamerto Verdin

Maximiano Sodoy

Domingo Sodoy

Policarpio Mariano

Feliciano Guilangue

Bernardino Mantac

Delfin Osorio

Faustino Gregorio

Severo Gregorio

Justo Marcelo

Genaro Verdin

Nicomedes Pelayo

Jose Mantac Sr.

Celestino Mantac Sr.

Pancracia M. Verdin

Jonas G. Osorio

Justo C. Marcelo Sr.

Emilia M. Sespeñe

Jose M. Verdin

Isagani V. Fabellar

Arlene M. Bansag

Some of these men had been Teniente for two (2) times.

Story of old barrios or sitios within the jurisdiction that are now depopulated or extinct

A very long time before the year 1928 the people of Balatucan had been longing for school so that their young children would not go to Buenavista to study. It was in the term of dynamic and energetic Mamerto Verdin when the school was first planned. Through his untiring sacrifices ang painstaking effort he gained the cooperation of his people and did realized his dreams to establish a school. The year 1928-1929 the marked the opening of classs in Balatucan Barrio School.