Balilihan was an old settlement, a barrio under the municipality of Baclayon. It was separated from Baclayon on September 29, 1828. Balilihan became a haven of the refugees from other places who lived a life of privation in the mountains as many innocent civilians were either tortured or put into death by the Japanese on mere suspicions of guerilla activities during World War II.
An old tale tells that the town of Balilihan was derived from a grass called balili which grew in abundance in the locality. “Balilihan” means a place where plenty of “balili” grows.
