BARANGAY OFFICIALS
Punong Barangay: James A. Rafael
Barangay Council:
- Michelle G. Puyao
- Lubin c. Banto
- Erick S. Shongdawen
- Nestor P. Sumakey
- Nixon D. Eckman
- Melina A. Milaya
- Oliver W. Elis
SK Chairman: Novinxon C. Eckman
Barangay Treasurer: Maribel E. Antonio
Barangay Secretary: Mandy C. Enrique
Banengbeng was registered as a barangay on May 17, 1927 following the proclamation of Sablan as a Municipality of Benguet, and Benguet as a province, being separated from the former Mountain Provinces.
Some that remembered old folks before who have generations today were: Marcos, Mateo, Ebbes, Sugel, and Gracio of Central Banengbeng; Olon and Aquin of Sitio Bito. Compala and Yaco of Sitio Botot; Bugnay, Sacdao, Belad and Acvas of sitio Amsalsal (all one name). Most of them were originally immigrants from the Municipalities of Atok and Kabayan.
The first Elementary School was opened at Central Banengbeng in 1918. However, due to lack of enrollees and inhabitants, the school was transferred and merged to the barangay Balluay Elementary School in 1922.
There were only about forty five (45) households found in Banengbeng in the 1940s. Houses were made out of cogon, “runo” grasses, bamboos, and barks of trees.
The sources of livelihood of the early inhabitants were hunting and kainging system of farming. Their common crops were: camote, tugui, cassava, ube, gabi, and little rice in paddies.
In 1941 and 1945 – 1946, Ebbes Pulig (no blood relationship to the Ebbes clan) of Banengbeng was elected District Mayor of Sablan ( formerly Disdis, La Union) thru the “color code” system of election. He was married to one of the heirs of Ebbes.
In 1946 and 11956, the house of Mr. Bangilod Marcos was used as learning school to both adults and elementary calss. Evening class for the adults while morning class for the elementary grades.
In 1957 the Banengbeng Pre-school (now Ebbes Elementary School) was established under Teniente del Bario, Pialet Monang and Consehal Rafael Ebbes who caused the donation of the land where the building stands through his younger brother Sumalia Ebbes who possesses the tax declaration for ownership of the land.
Late 1960s some residents of Banengbeng migrated to Nueva Viscaya. They were attracted to the fertile soils and vast open land in the area suiting the “kaingin” system of farming.
In the late 1950s up to 1970s broom making and basket weaving were the money-earning industries of most of the residents in Banengbeng.
In 1965, Michael Angel was elected as the Municipal Mayor of Sablan and showed much concern to the residents of Banengbeng. It was then the Mayorship of Hon. Angel that made the residents of Banengbeng realized a farm to market road. Along with Mayor Mike Angel, there were also two prominent residents of Banengbeng who in one way or another had contributed to the development of the community namely, Mr. Juan Vidaňa and Mr. Romulo C. Ebbes.
Mr. Juan Vidaňa was so respected in the community and had been a Municipal Councilor – Representative of Banengbeng for almost a decade. Likewise, Mr. Romulo Ebbes was the Barrio Captain and had also been the Barrio Secretary for some time.
The leadership of Mayor Michael Angel supported by the hard works and sacrifices of the leaders of Banengbeng signaled the socio-economic growth and development of Banengbeng.
In 1969, the road from Amsalsal to Central Banengbeng was opened. This now had encouraged residents to engage in vegetable productions. Since then, basket weaving gradually slowed down. Store keeping increased with much volume of stocks. Utility vehicles started to operate in the community.
In the 1980s, an additional school building was constructed to accommodate the increasing number of school children. A barangay health center was constructed in Peday, Banengbeng on a lot donated by Mrs. Oneb Sugel Ebbes (Sumalia).
In 1989, HEDCOR Inc. entered into a memorandum of agreement with the barangay represented by the Municipality of Sablan to construct a dam and a mini hydro plant in sitios Sakbitan and Kivas which are situated in barangay Banengbeng. The HEDCOR Inc. completed the construction of its Mini-dam and hydro plant and was in full operation in 1993.
The HEDCOR Inc. since it started its operation had been serving as partner of the barangay leadership in the socio-economic development of the barangay. Aside from the one percent (1%) barangay share, HEDCOR Inc. management had been donating and granting requests or barangay resolutions for priority projects.
In the early years, the place used to be the passage way of people coming from the municipalities of Atok and Kabayan in going to Naguilian, La Union for economic trades. The people travel for three (3) days and used to stop and rest at the place. During the Spanish time, people call the place Alitang, meaning between two (2) rivers. People in the place frequent perform caňao (rituals) which they play gongs and solibao.
The pounding sound created by the dancing feet is called banegbeg in a vernacular term while the solibao sounds bengbeng. To describe both sounds is called kaenbanbanengbeng. Since the passers often hear the sound when they passed by, they eventually called the place Banengbeng.
Barangay Banengbeng is located on the eastern part of the Municipality of Sablan. It is bounded by barangays Wangal and Bineng of municipality of La Trinidad, and barangay Balluay, Bagong, Kamog and Banangan of Municipality of Sablan. The total land area is One Thousand Thirty-One (1,031) hectares. It is 12 kilometers away from the Provincial Capitol of Benguet, Eighteen (18) kms. away from Baguio City, 12 kilometers away from the National Highway, and 41 kilometers away from the Municipal Hall in Poblacion, Sablan.
It comprises of seven (7) major sitios such as Botot, Central, Bito, Amsalsal, Japos, Oring, and Bayuga. Ninety-six point three percent (96.3%) of the total population belongs to the Ibaloi tribe; others are Kankanaey, Ilocano, Kalinga, bontoc, and Ifugao. There are Two Hundred One (201) households in the barangay and One Thousand Eighty-one (1,081) individual populations.