.

The place is a panorama of verdant hills, 
rugged mountains and green fields. It is said 
to have been so named because of the grass "balili" 
which grew in abundance in the locality. 
Balilihan means a place where plenty of "balili" grows.

Before the beginning of the 19th century,
Balilihan was a barrio of the town of Baclayon 
and an old settlement where the families of 
Orig, Racho, Maniwang, Lacea and Pongase 
were the first inhabitants.

After Dagohoy's rebellion in Bohol (1744 to 1829) 
the Spanish government thought it best 
to settle the insurgents (returnees) in the villages, 
in this way several new towns were formed, 
the most important being Alicia, Balilihan and Catigbian.

Balilihan Watchtower

The unusual location of the tower in Balilihan, 
an interior town, may suggest that 
apart from monitoring the Abatan River 
it also served to maintain vigilance 
over pockets of malcontents in the area 
(Balilihan had the second largest number 
of settlers from Dagohoy's camps in 1829).