Signature of Felix Cabahug
The little we know about Felix Cabahug comes from the 18th century Spanish records, particularly the "Protocolos". The name of Felix Cabajug first appears in the Protocolos in 1868. In September of that year, Mariano Villarosa, a resident of the town of Carcar, granted Don Felix Cabajug a general Power-of-Attorney to represent in legal matters52. Later that same month, Felix pruchased a house and land from Doña Paula Suyco in Parian, Cebu City, for 1,300 pesos53. These entries indicate that Felix was an important member of the Chinese mestizo community of Cebu City.
Felix Cabajug's status is further supported by Dr. Michael Cullinane4, who reported in a personal communication that Felix was a Cabeza de Barangay (Head of District) in the Gremio de Mestizos Sangley in 1869. That same year, Felix was a witness to the "Testamento" (will) of Don Luis Gonzaga Regis54, a very prominent member of the Chinese mestizo community of Cebu City. Finally, in 1872, Felix is listed as a land owner in Mandaue55.
From the above, it is clear that Felix Cabahug was well educated, successful and an important member of the Chinese mestizo community. Beyond this, we can only speculate. In particular, we know virtually nothing about his family, if he had one, or his relationship to the Cabahug family of Mandaue. Felix owned land in Mandaue, suggesting a possible connection. Further, the distribution of the Cabahug family in about 1900 shown in Table III, indicate an absence of family members in Cebu City. If Felix had descendants, they must have moved elsewhere. In that regard, Dr. Bonifacio Cabahug, has suggested his descendants moved to Negros, based on information he has collected.
The connection of Felix Cabahug to the Mandaue family is an open question. Felix was likely born in the early 1800s, making him a contemporary of the many Cabahug family members identified through entries in the Protocolos. This generation of the family was undoubtedly born in Mandaue, well after their ancestors moved out of the Parian. Since the Cabahug name was adopted by this closely related and closely knit Chinese mestizo family, it is nearly certain that Felix was part of the Cabahug family. It is tempting to speculate that Felix was born in Mandaue and that, after an advanced education, moved to Cebu City. There he may have acted as a go-between for the Mandaue family members in the business of agricultural production and businessmen in Cebu City involved in inter-island and international traders is agricultural goods.
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