User:Ermenegildosevillano

Punta is the ancestral home of the Formilleza's of Looc. Modesto Formilleza was actually the first congressman from Romblon, Republic of the Philippines. He is listed in the plaque commemorating the first congressmen from the Philippine Assembly under the large flag in Luneta, near the Jose Rizal monument. He only stayed for 1 term after World War II. Most of the land in Punta were actually owned by his wife, Amparo Fontamillas and most of the inhabitants were related to Amparo through her parents, grandparents, and great grandparents. Her great-great grandfather was Alfredo Mirante, stranded in Romblon, when his ship was wrecked during the British invasion of the Philippines during the Napoleonic wars. His daughter married into the Gaa family. Asiang Gaa married Benito Gabat. Their daughter was Maria Gabat. She married Exequiel Fontamillas, the first mayor of Odiongan, during the American colonization of the Philippines. Their daughter was Amparo. Amparo was lucky enough to be have been the sole female surviving daughter of Maria, who just happened to be the the only child of Benito and Asiang Gabat. Asiang was the only surviving daughter of the Gaa's, and Alfredo Mirante's fortune just happened to be handed down from 1 generation to the next, with each generation adding more into it, but with only 1 heir. This was unlike other encomiendas of that time that were parcelled out to each child and divided out every generation. By having just 1 heir in every generation the lands were handed down through the generations intact. The inhabitants remain mostly Gaas, Gabats, Fontamillas, Formillezas, or the people who married into this family. During Amparo's lifetime, the people of this area, voted in block to protect their own interests, making Amparo, one of the king makers in this small island. I am the first born of Amparo's first child. I still own title to a substantial amount of beachfront and highway property. I still pay taxes on it. I hope one day, my relatives currently living in this land will own the land they've actually lived on for generations. Today, I consider myself the conservator of this land. I will keep paying taxes on it. I will keep title to it. But I will not ask anything back from my poor relatives who live there. I will protect them by keeping title to my heritage.