Asturias, Cebu
This is how Father Felipe Redondo in his report in 1886 describes the parish: It was erected as a parish by Diocesan decree of May 9, 1885 through Royal approval of January 30, 1885. It is under the patronage of San Roque, it was an annex of the town of Balamban. The church was made of hardwood posts and tabiquepampango on a stone base, 31 fathoms long, 8½ fathoms wide and 3½ fathoms high until the ridge; there is a house 4 fathoms long which is attached to the church; the lower part serves as the sacristy. Cemetery: 53 fathoms long and 37½ fathoms wide. It had the barrios of Buenavista, Arpili, Cantuod, Murcia, Alcala, Granada and Sarria. Balamban is situated on the shore south of Tuburan, and adjoins Toledo on the south, a distance of three leagues; on the east in the opposite coast there is Talamban (or) Mabolo, some 8 hours of difficult road, and on the west the island of Negros; moreover Asturias, which separated recently from Balamban.
In the book, "124 years of Asturias" local chronicler Pedro Torion Manuel wrote how the first settlement was built: The place the pioneers chose as the site of their settlement was the area now occupied by the Poblacion right on the place where the present church and municipal hall with its adjoining plazas are located. Gregorio Delfin built his house on a spot close to where a road was later constructed, then called Calle Real or royal road(now the provincial road). The place where the house of Mr. and Mrs. Jose Completo now stands is the very place chosen by Gregorio Delfin as the place for his dwelling(the late Mrs. Veneranda T. Completo was a direct descendant of pioneer Gregorio Deflin). The two other pioneers built their houses in the nearby sitio of Buwagan Daan. The Casa Tribunal, corresponding to our present municipal hall, later constructed by the settlers, was built across the road from the chapel (now the parish church). The ruins of the Casa Tribunal can still be seen standing at the back of the residence of Lope Torion.
The following served as municipal presidents of the town: Jose Alonso, Sabas Estrella, Celestino Estrella, Primo Trazo and PrisciloTrazo. As mayors: Ranulfo Toong, Joaquin Maambong, Vicente C. Rallos, Fabian Aguanta (a school is now named after him), Flor V. Rallos, Dominador T. Manuel, DominadorToong, Manuel T. Manuel, Fermina Bardenas dela Victoria, Welito To-ong, Letecia A. Orozco. The town's first parish priest is Rev. Father Jose Lofranco who was assigned to the parish from 1885 to 1903. He was replaced by Fr. Angel Tabotabo (October to December 1903). Lofranco came back in 1904 and was parish priest until 1912.
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