Spanish colonial era In 1595, the
Franciscan missionaries under the leadership of Fr. Juan de Placencia and Fr. Diego de Oropesa, founded a “visita” for Morong on the present site of Bosoboso, south of Painaan with Apostol Santiago Mayor y Matamoros as its patron saint. It was known as “Visita de Santiago” or Santiago until such time that it became Baras. Baras was then inhabited by 400
Aetas and other
mountain people. In 1636, the town was transferred to a place called Ibayo, 1.5 leagues southeast of the first site due to the hostility of the Aetas and the mountaineers who burned part of the town and church in 1635.
The Most Holy Redeemer, commonly known as San Salvador in Spanish became their Patron. However, the town and church of Baras was burned by Chinese rebels in 1639, who were retreating from Manila to the
Sierra Madre mountains. The ecclesiastical administration of Baras returned by the Jesuits to the Franciscans in 1679. In 1682, the town was transferred to its present site where they would not be menaced by marauding tribes of the mountaineers. Baras was under the jurisdiction of the province of
Laguna from 1606 to 1853. Its administration was transferred to the newly created Distrito Politico-Militar de los Montes de San Mateo. This district was renamed to
Distrito de Morong in 1857 whose capital was in Antipolo but was later transferred to
Morong. The 1818 Spanish census recorded the area having 466 native families and 3 Spanish-Filipino families. In July 1895, the representatives of the Katipunan came to inform the people of Morong, Tanay, Antipolo, Baras and Pililla about the cause of the secret society. The Katipunan of Baras established the Real or Military Camp at sitio of Gogo or Pamitinan. On November 21, 1896, the Katipunan attempted to capture the town of Morong but were driven by the Guardia Civil. By 1898, Baras had joined the Revolutionary Government of
Emilio Aguinaldo. After the defeat of the Spaniards in Morong, the Aguinaldo Headquarters ordered the establishment of the municipal township. A special election was held. However, the Revolutionary Government of Aguinaldo did not last because of the outbreak of the Filipino-American War. On March 29, 1900, Military Order No. 40, by Governor General
Wesley Merritt came in effect. This order was for the election of an Alcalde Municipal, Vice Alcalde, and the Municipal Council. This was implemented in October of the same year.
American colonial era Act No. 942 was passed by the
Philippine Commission in 1901, providing the establishment of the province of Rizal to be comprised in part of towns from the former Distrito de Morong. Baras effectively became part of the new province. However, on October 12, 1903, it was annexed to the town of Morong. On January 16, 1906, Baras was annexed to
Tanay by virtue of Act No. 1442. But as Baras was not represented as a barrio of Tanay, and previously under Morong, there was a movement for the separation of Baras as an independent town. Under the leadership of Leopoldo Digma, the clamor was realized through Executive Order No. 57, dated November 24, 1920, establishing the Municipality of Baras.
Japanese occupation During the Second World War, the Imperial Japanese armed forces occupied Baras in 1942. The local guerrillas of the General Marking Unit besieged Baras and attacked the Japanese from 1942 to 1945. The Philippine Commonwealth Army and the Philippine Constabulary liberated Baras in 1945. The General Marking Units defeated the Japanese forces at the end of World War II. The Military General Headquarters and Camp Bases of the 53rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was established and active from January 3, 1942, to June 30, 1946, and built Camp Caparas in Baras. The military engagements of the Anti-Japanese Operations in Manila and Southern Luzon aided the local guerrilla resistance fighters and U.S. military forces against the Japanese Imperial forces. Baras was razed to the ground on March 10, 1945. This signified the liberation of the town but also left many homeless. The rehabilitation of the town began. War damage claims were filed to the amount of to be used for the construction of new houses. Then mayor, Mariano Golla, focused on the improvement of roads and the construction of a public dispensary. Under his term, Baras was elevated to a fourth-class municipality due to an increase in income. Under the succeeding administrations, improvements of road networks were implemented; seven liberty wells were constructed; the number of schoolhouses were increased; river controls in Barangay San Juan and San Jose were constructed; rehabilitation of the existing government building continued; and a reforestation program was launched. ==Geography==