HISTORY | A Parian Mestizo in Bohol

The Clarin ancestral house in Loay, Bohol

BY J. D. VELEZ | Blogger

Oligario Clarin

Aniceto Velez Clarin whose house in the municipality of Loay has been preserved and turned into a museum was a Cebuano Mestizo Sangley. This was confirmed by Clarin's elder brother's grandson, Fernando Velez Delgado, son of Soledad Velez Delgado who was the daughter of Ramon Velez y Flores, elder brother of Aniceto Velez Clarin.

Clarin was the son of Ramon Velez y Santos and grandson of Blas Velez delos Santos who in 1840 owned a cockpit in Loboc, Bohol. He took on the Clarin surname for some reason relevant to the social dynamics of 19th century Bohol. He married a Chinese mestiza who took on the surname Butalid. He became the first governor of Bohol. His son Jose Aniceto Butalid Clarin (Tio Pepe) became Senator of the country's 11th Senatorial District comprised of Bohol, Surigao and Misamis. His grandson, Oligario also became Senator after World War 2.

More ties bind us as our history would reveal. Our petty differences and regionalism dissolve in the face of the fact that our lives as inhabitants of Southern Philippine islands are intertwined.

Below are photos inside the Clarin ancestral house which remind us of Casa Gorordo in Cebu's Parian district.