Macrohon

The Municipal Government of Macrohon was organized in 1901 headed by Mr. Felomino Demeterio as the first appointed president. The town was composed only of the following barrios: "Nipaon" now Ichon, "Hingatigan" now Amparo, "Maypague" now Aguinaldo, "Catong" now Flordeliz and "Panasawa" now San Roque.

In 1903 a formal grade school was opened which was the most important activity during the period. In the year 1906, Macrohon was reduced to a barrio of Maasin excluding Barrio San Roque, which was part of Malitbog. The new governor-general in accordance with the general reorganization plan instituted this in order to economize government expenditures by fusing small towns and provinces. When Mr. Bautista Kuizon became a member of the Maasin Municipal Council representing Macrohon, he noticed that the administration neglected Macrohon because of its distance from the poblacion. Salvador Demeterio brought a petition signed by only around twenty people who know how to read and write to the governor general. They changed the name of the town to Smith with the hope of getting favorable action from Governor Smith. But it was stipulated in the executive order approving the petition to retain the old name Macrohon.

The executive order was implemented in 1907. Capitan Gerardo Kuizon was appointed municipal president.

The next head of the municipality was the first elected municipal president, Mr. Bautista Kuizon. His knowledge on the democratic processes during the student days in Manila made him the most competent person to lay down the foundation of a real democratic government in the municipality. He implemented the separation of power between the church and state reminiscent of the Spanish Regime. He strictly practiced equally under the law and demonstrated it by not averting a fine meted on his own mother who happened to break a provision of an ordinance. He also succeeded to provide religious toleration in the town by extending protection to the propagator of new faiths such as the Protestants and the Aglipayan. By this, he got the ire of the parish priest and the church leaders, but he was able to regain their friendship and cooperation. Mr. Kuizon stayed in the office a little more than a year. He moved out to Mindanao and left the municipality to his vice, Mr. Ponciano Tallo.

During the elections in 1912, Mr. Filomeno Demeterio was elected Municipal President of Macrohon. Under his leadership the town was reconstructed after it was hit by the most devastating typhoon in the town's history. He served two terms from 1913 to 1919. The period covering the First World War was a period of progress in Macrohon. The price of abaca was high and almost all vacant lots caused by the typhoon of 1912 were planted with abaca. A native son veteran Federico Gaviola, who served under the United States Army in France, represented the town at the war front. Mr. Trinidad Demeterio was elected to succeed his elder brother. He served for three consecutive terms from 1919 to 1927.

The former Chief of Police, Mr. Felixberto Kuizon, was elected municipal president in 1929 and served the term from 1928 to 1930. Atty. Prisco Bitos occupied the office of the municipal president for two terms from 1931 to 1936. In his incumbency another cooperative marketing association was organized and sponsored by municipal government. It was only short-lived, but during its existence the association affected better price of abaca and copra. During the commonwealth government Mr. Tereso Kangleon became the first Municipal Mayor, starting 1936. He was serving his second term when the war broke out. When he fled in 1942, Mr. Tito Gloria Sr., his vice took over and was the one who met the Japanese occupation army to accept the Japanese sovereignty.

In 1943, Mr. Tito Gloria, Sr. affiliated himself with the free Leyte government sponsored by the guerillas. The people chose Mr. Vicente Evarretta as caretaker of the town under the Japanese sponsored Independence.

When the Second World War ended the elected mayor resumed his unfinished term. Mr. Tereso Kangleon was reelected for another term. He did not serve his term but rather gave the office to his vice mayor, Mr. Rafael Joven. He reconstructed the town, its public buildings, plazas and bridges. Again he was reelected in the next election from 1952 to 1955.

Mr. Conrado Compendio was elected and served as municipal mayor for two terms from 1956 to 1963 where the municipal hall was constructed and completed. In 1957, three new barrios were created:

• Ilihan - composed of the sitios of Ilihan Proper, Camalig, Sindangan, Gawisan, Guinabonan, Lunang, Mabanga and Danao
• Villa Jacinta - composed of the sitios of Upper Villa Jacinta Proper, Peng-on, Mahayahay, Canodto, Laray, Luan, Santa Rosa and Camangahan
• Lower Villa Jacinta - composed of the sitios of Lower Villa Jacinta Proper, Suba, Central, Babayon, Muldes, Boayahan and Pancil.[5]

Mayor Leonor O. Galdo, M.D. was installed into office by the election of 1963. He was reelected for a second term in 1967 until 1971. He was reelected again for two successive terms from 1988 to 1995. Dr. Caridad S. Evarretta was elected as mayor from 1995 to 1998. Mayor Fe Gaviola-Edillo was elected as mayor for three terms from 1998 to 2007.

Her vice mayor, Manuel Boldo, was elected as mayor from 2007 to 2010.

Fe Gaviola-Edillo won again as mayor in 2010.

Until then, the mayor is Alan Jose Kuizon Aroy which term will end in 2022. After the election last May 9, 2022, he was then re-elected and is now the current mayor in Macrohon.

Macrohon is politically subdivided into 30 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Majority of the population is Roman Catholic, while others belong to UCCP, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), Seventh-Day Adventists, Iglesia ni Cristo, and Aglipayan Church, Hosanna Assembly of God, Assembly of God, among others.

Macrohon, under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Maasin, is divided into three parishes, all under the Holy Child Vicariate of Malitbog, namely:

• Mary Mediatrix of All Grace Parish, Barangay Ichon
• St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Barangay San Vicente Poblacion
• San Roque Parish, Barangay San Roque

Macrohon Park, at Barangay San Vicente (Poblacion)

The Manhaon Festival is the municipality's cultural and historical festival, which used to be celebrated during the Town Fiesta, September 29, but now celebrated during the Founding Anniversary of the Municipality, October 31.

The name comes from the word "mang-haon" meaning "to remove cooked food", from the word "haon" meaning "to pick up pots after cooking something".

Moro raiders, usually arriving at dusk, surprise the coastal dwellers which force them to hide in tall bushes. The Moros would then get their food, thus the name "Manhaon". The term thus believed where the name of the town was derived.

The 2006 Manhaon Festival Contest was celebrated on Sept. 29, 2006, at the spacious Municipal Plaza. Tribu ng Maasin garnered first place, Concepcion National High School (from the town of Malitbog) second and Macrohon Institute (MACI), Inc. third.

During the 150th Founding Anniversary of Macrohon, October 31, 2010, the Manhaon Festival Contest took place, again, at the Municipal Plaza. This time around, the five high schools located within the Municipality of Macrohon each sent a contingent to the competition, and the results were:

• Second Runner-Up — Villa Jacinta National Vocational High School
• First Runner-Up — Ichon National High School (also won Best in Street Dancing)
• Champion — Macrohon Institute (MACI), Inc.