THE HISTORY OF THE JUNI CLAN
 by Filomeno A. Juni, Historian-Juni Clan
 (1927 - 2007)

In the early 1860’s, three first cousins, two of them surnamed JUNI left Bo. Botoc, Loay,  Bohol to seek  their  fortunes, agreeing that they  will  return and let their families know  the results of their adventure when they are already settled in the places where FATE will take  them. One of the three  was  FRANCISCO 'Baraoy' JUNI.  He settled  in sitio Baong-baong (now  Magting),  Mambajao, Camuigin.  A place between  the  flowing brooks of  Luangan and  Megi, for   water was  his  prime consideration in choosing his land.

FRANCISCO became a ‘kaingero’, ‘gabasero’,‘hag-otero’, and fisherman. Then he bought and  developed choice lands in  what  was then the forested and  sparsely populated sitios which are  now  barangays Anito and Magting. When settlers came, he gave them favourable tenancy  conditions so that his choice lands will be fully developed. When this came to pass, he thought  of marriage.

Grandmother GRACIANA 'Gaci' BONGAO was  said to  have been  drifted  away by the westerly  winds 'habagat' while fishing with her father from San Ricardo, Panaon Island in Leyte. They  reached land and  were found by FRANCISCO at the shore of the  place now owned by an  American  Mr. Tom Palmere. They stayed with him. As a young girl at 16,Gaci became Francisco’s wife at  the age of 32.

After his marriage, Francisco went back to Bo. Botoc, Loay, Bohol (his birthplace), to  fulfill the agreement with his cousins. It  was there that he learned  where his two other  cousins had settled. The one NOT surnamed 'JUNI' had  settled in then undivided Negros and the  other surnamed JUNI, was employed in the Spanish Navy stationed in Portugal. So, it is not  surprising that we have relatives in  both  Negros and Portugal. When he went back to Magting,  FRANCISCO brought with him his three unmarried sisters known only by their nicknames Ogay,  Agday, and Ampy.

Out of that winter-summer  marriage were born six children, 4-girls and 2-boys.  The 4-girls  were Estefania, Bebiana, Susana, and Basilisa. The 2-boys were Fermin and Eusebio.  ESTEFANIA  married RUFINO CARILLO whose children were Victor,  Primitivo, Margarita, Eulogia, and   Consorcia.  BEBIANA married JOSE MAYONE whose children were Leonila, Valerio, and Toribia.  SUSANA married DONATO LUMBA whose children were Regalada, Francisca, and Rosario. BASILISA  married  MACARIO BACOL whose children were  Eustacio,  Mercedes, and Lucio. FERMIN married   MARIA DOLDOL  whose children were Francisco, Felicitas,  Casildo, and  Lucita. EUSEBIO married  JULIA AVES  whose children were  Deogracias, Bienvenida, Rosales, Leon, Gerarda, Clemencia,  Augusto, Filomeno and Julieta.

Out of the six children and 28 grandchildren grew the JUNI clan whose 4th reunion is the   subject and purpose of this souvenir  program. We are the descendants of that illustrious  Boholano who rose from ‘kaingero’ to ‘Cabesa de Barangay’ of Magting and Anito. Ours is the  duty to carry on his priceless heritage of  making the JUNI surname an excellent name, a name  to be PROUD of.

We have produced all kinds of professionals: physicians, dentists, pharmacists, nurses,  lawyers, physical therapists, engineers, teachers, seaman, foresters and other professions all  dedicated to the progress of the Philippines.

Whatever we may become, wherever the westerly winds may carry us, we must always remember  what that noted black author William Haley as his “ROOTS”. We are only the branches and leaves  but OURS is the solemn  PRIDE and that WE are the  pro-genies of a sturdy, valiant, courageous  and steadfast “ROOTS” personified by FRANCISCO (Baraoy) JUNI and his cousins in Negros and  Portugal.

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Transcripts from the JUNI Clan 4th Grand Reunion, April 28-29, 2000. Ferrabrel Social Hall,  Lacas, Mambajao, Camugin.

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ADDENDUM:

1) JUNI comes from a place in north central France called JOIGNY. Juan de Juni(1506-1577) was  the first known recorded JUNI and was a famous Spanish Sculptor during his time. Juan de Juni  (Juan of Joigny) was born in Joigny, in France but moved to Spain in the 1530s. Follow the  link below:

   http://www.spanish-art.org/spanish-sculpture-juni.html

2) 'JUNI' meaning 'SOUND' is an indigenous Filipino name as listed under the Katálogo ng mga     Apelyidong Pilipino that remained in use even after the Clavería edict, On November 21, 1849    Governor General Narciso Clavería ordered a systematic distribution of family names for the    natives to use: 
    
    http://www.bibingka.com/names/

3) In appreciation for the information supplied by LEO JUNI (Ret/ PA) - Dingras, Pangasinan,  Engr. CARMELITO JUNI SR., Loay, Bohol and RACHEL JUNI-ABANIL, Camiguin. All of them contributed  in the construction of the family tree of the three(3) main Juni Groups in the Philippines -  Camiguin, Bohol & Pangasinan.