Gayang is the third barangay of
Sabangan
that lays on the foot of mount kalawitan and beside the chico river.
The other barangays are Napua and Poblacion Sabangan. It is surrounded
by lush rice fields and vegetable farms. The name Gayang is derived from
the local "
kankana-ey" dialect "gayang" to throw or pitch. In Ilocano
term, "gayang" is spear.
The main product of this agriculture rich barangay are rice, sweet
potatoes, potatoes, cabbages, carrots, green paper, peanut and etc. Rice
from this barangay are purely organic and are good in making rice wine
or "tapey". Rice paddies in this village are older than the village it
self.
Story has it
that Gayang was a hunting and fishing ground for people from
Pingad.
Then when they learn that the soil in this area was good for planting
because it is fertile and with abundant water supply, the villagers
started to build rice paddies. There were no houses but only small rice
granaries are built to store harvest, but soon villagers recognizes the
possibility of staying and living where their farms are, then the
community starts. There are three smaller villages of this barangay
namely "Ladeg, Datacan, and Gayang".
This barangay which is adjacent to barangay
Camatagan and
barangy Bun-ayan is where almost all of the rice farm of villagers from
the said barangays are found. Due to its proximity with the chico
river, organic rice or the native rice planted in the rice paddies are
lush and green. Old cultures and tradition in this village have the same
fate with other communities in the cordilleras which slowly
disappearing. Pagan practices are slowly vanishing and being replaced by
Christianity.
Old
nipa huts are replaced with modern houses. "Inatep" the local term for
nipa hut are the old abode for villagers. This house is mostly made of
hard wood pine tree "Batang", stick "Pa-o", nipa "ko-gon", bambo
"kawayan" and ratan "uwey" gathered from the forest of "mount
kalawitan".
Politically, barangay Gayang is the favored place of all local
politician to campaign because villagers usually have a community caucus
to choice the political candidate they will support or vote. Once a
politician gain the trust and confidence of the villagers, sure enough
that large vote will go to him.
In health and sanitation, The Barangay received an infrastructure
project for the construction of water tank and laying of pipeline from
safe clean water source towards the community from the Department of
Public Works and Highways. The recipient of this project were the
barangay of
Camatagn and Gayang. Subsequently, upon completion of the
water works Gayang was acclaimed as the barangay with 100% sanitary
compliance in 1996 due to the construction of waters sealed sanitary
toilets in every households. With the help of the Department of Health,
the barangay was the recipient of the program. The Gayang Women
Association Inc.(GAWAIN) under the leadership of Mrs. Bannawe is the main organization that worked hard to
facilitate the approval of the project. In cooperation with the barangy
officials under the leadership of Barangay Captain Passol and the adviser of the
organization was Mrs. Carmen Lardizabal, the barangay persevered and
finished the project. Barangay community health station was constructed
likewise.
Farm
to market roads were constructed to facilitate the transportation of
farm product. An storage facility for farm products was constructed in
sitio Ladeg. Safe path ways were constructed with steel railings to make
the path ways from the farms and rice paddies safe.
A Roman Catholic church was constructed in the barangay in
cooperation and support, donations from all the parishioners, NGO's, GO's
and other people elsewhere. Catholics of all walks of lives contributed in
every way to finish the church.
The barangay has an elementary school to cater for
children's education. Before, when there were no school in the barangay,
children has to walk up the mountain "mout tiguing" to go to school at
Pingad Elementary school in
Camatagan barangay.
At first when the school started there were only to teachers who are
teaching, one teacher for grades 1 and 2, and the other for grades 3 and
4. Children who are grades 5 and 6 has to walk to go to school. Now
there are 3 teachers who teaches in the school.
