The Miraculous Birth of Divine Master Ruben Ecleo, Sr. The Beginning of a Spiritual Legacy
In the heart of Puyange, a sacred land now known as San Jose in the Province of Dinagat Islands, a remarkable story began to unfold—one that would forever shape the spiritual history of its people. Surrounded by the vast waters of the Pacific and blessed with a rich heritage of faith, tradition, and mystery, Puyange became the birthplace of a legacy that would inspire generations.
The story of Divine Master Ruben Ecleo, Sr. began with a family deeply connected to the land. The first settlers of Puyange, Crispulo Ecleo and Pascuala Estubio, devoted their lives to cultivating and developing the place they believed was entrusted to them by God. Their descendants continued this mission, and the land was later passed to their son, Jose Ecleo, and his wife, Justiniana Edera of Cab-ilan Island.
Jose and Justiniana were blessed with six children: Ispiritu, Nicolas, Orsencia, Uldarica, Moises, and the youngest, Ruben.
The Birth of Ubing
The coming of Ruben Ecleo, Sr. was remembered by his family as an extraordinary event filled with signs and spiritual meaning. During Justiniana’s pregnancy, she experienced intense suffering and unusual struggles that deeply troubled her and her husband, Jose. Despite being known as a skilled mediko in Dinagat Islands and a person believed to possess a connection with the spiritual world, Jose could not explain or ease the challenges surrounding the birth of his youngest child.
On November 29, 1934, at exactly 11:00 in the morning, a mysterious event occurred when the unborn child’s cry was heard from within his mother’s womb—an occurrence that the family regarded as a powerful sign of the child’s extraordinary destiny.
On December 9, 1934, at 7:00 in the morning, Ruben Ecleo was born on Cab-ilan Island. Following his birth, Justiniana lost consciousness and later experienced a state of confusion that led her to wander away. For seven days and seven nights, Jose searched tirelessly for his missing wife. His journey ended when he found Justiniana in Puyange, standing atop a rock in the middle of their farmland.
The unusual circumstances surrounding Ruben’s conception and birth left Jose searching for answers beyond human understanding. In his moment of uncertainty, he received what the family considered a prophetic message from General Lolo Adriano dela Concepcion at the seashore of Cab-ilan Island—a vision of his son’s future role and the spiritual kingdom that would rise in Puyange.
From these humble beginnings, the life of Ruben Ecleo, Sr. would become a story marked by faith, devotion, teachings, and a mission that would leave a lasting imprint on the spiritual landscape of his followers.
Ruben E. Ecleo Sr. was once called "The South’s Mysterious Superstar" by the WHO Magazine in (September 26 Issue) 1981, for being a charismatic leader, the undefeated mayor of Dinagat and the architect of Barangay San Jose in the municipality of Dinagat for making it as the “Most Outstanding Barangay of the Philippines” in 1980; a recognition given by the elite Rotary Club of Makati. San Jose was then home of his association, the PBMA. He was chosen as the “Most Outstanding Mayor of the Philippines” in 1985. The south mentioned here is Mindanao, being one of the three big groups of islands in the Philippine Archipelago. Mindanao is being tagged as the land of promised by some local writers and historians. This land is blessed with abundance of natural reasources, fertile soil, mineral reserves and the best climate in the world yet a dangerous place for many. It evokes contrasting images of bounty and want, of war and peace, of rapid development amid the increasing impoverishment of its people.