Catanduanes: A Historical Recap
A Little Bit About Catanduanes
Catanduanes is
a small island province located off the coast of the Bicol region. It is
located on the southeast part of Luzon, facing the Pacific Ocean thus usually
being the first place to be hit by typhoons. This fact has hailed Catanduanes
its title “Land of the Howling Winds.”
Catanduanes has
an approximate land area of 1,492.16 square kilometers comprising of 11
municipalities namely Bagamanoc, Baras, Bato, Caramoran, Gigmoto, Pandan,
Panganiban, San Andres, San Miguel, Viga, and Virac which sums a total population
of 260,964 people, according to the 2015 census.
The History
The etymology
of Catanduanes has always been a debate between the Catandunganons as the
island province has several legends, three to be exact, that explain the origin
of its name. The first, and most popular theory, states that the name
Catanduanes comes from “tandu” a native click beetle which is of abundance throughout
the island. Because of its predominance, the term “Katanduan”, which means a
place where tandu is prevalent, was made. Because of the Spanish inquisition,
the term “Katanduan” was Hispanized to “Catanduanes” wherein the “k” was changed
into a “c” and had an added “-es” to become a pluralist.
The second
theory was that the origin of the name Catanduanes was formed from the samdong
tree that was also of prevalence in the island province to which the people would
refer to as “Kasamdongan” which mean a place of samdong. It was said the “Kasamdongan”
was also Hispanized as the Spanish inquisitors had difficulty pronouncing the
term, especially the -ng at the end, thus the name Catanduanes.
In Malay, the
word “Katanduangan” means “a place of refuge in time of danger.” Throughout
history, Catanduanes has been known as the island where mariners take refuge in
during stormy weather, thus creating the basis of the third theory.
The history of
Catanduanes coincides with the story of the Philippine evangelization. Along with
the ex libris Canonicus, many church records and pieces of documents that hold
information, facts, tales, and legends, were lost or destroyed during one if
the many forays of the Moro pirates whom, historically, have pillaged the Bicol
region.
Pre-Spanish Period
The population
of Catanduanes was said to have come from Borneo, Malaysia, and China who first
reached the island in the early 13th century. These people were believed
to be mostly traders and seafairers who work within the area and are in search
for new lands for settlement. The migration of these settlers and their trade continued
and grew in stability as the trade involved the neighboring islands.
Christianization/ Evangelization
The first name
given to the island on Catanduanes by the Spaniards was in early 1573 when Juan
de Salcedo and his group of Spanish conquisitadors came by the island while chasing
pirates. When they set foot on the island they saw a couple of tribes in thatched
huts and thus coming up with the name “Isla de Cobos”, giving the island its
first adopted name.
The first Christian
cross that was erected on the island however was over the grave of Fray Diego
de Herrera, a survivor of the galleon Espiritu Santo which was wrecked off the
coast of Batalay, Bato when en route to Manila from Acapulco. Along with Herrera,
a few Augustinian missionaries and crew members also survived the wreck and sat
foot on the island on April 23, 1576. This group came with the first attempt to
force Christianity on the islanders which brought major conflict that led to
their death. Twenty years later came the actual evangelization of the island
when the solders of Spain came to the coasts of Catanduanes with Franciscan missionaries.
History
of the Luyang Cave
In the 18th century, the now Christian village of Binanwahan (now known as Barangay Lictin) were pillaged by the “Moros” which resulted to the disappearance of important historical documents and the tragic story of the Luyang Cave. It was said that the residents of Barangay Palawig were instructed to signal the residents of Barangay Lictin by building a smoke when the “Moros” come so by the time the “Moros” got to their village, there was no one there because everyone had hidden in the Luyang Cave and had covered the entrance with dried tree branches and leaves. Eventually their location was discovered by the invaders so they proceeded to set fire to the branches in the hopes of discouraging the invaders from entering but the wind direction blew the smoke into the cave which suffocated the villagers which led to their demise.
History of
Bato Church
After the
Spaniards introduced Catholicism, they proceeded to establish parishes and
churches, one of which was the St. John the Baptist Church most commonly referred
to as “Bato Church” that was built in the town of Bato, Catanduanes. The church
was built on 1830 and was finished after 5 decades at the site of Augustinian
Friar Diego de Herrera’s death who was one of the survivors of the galleon Espiritu
Santo wreckage on April 1576. Built with mortar and coral limestones intended to
endure typhoons and withstand the test of time, the St. John the Baptist Church
of Bato came to be the oldest church standing in the province of Catanduanes.
Catandunganon’s Newfound Sense of Filipinism
In the wake of
the unrest, demands for Filipino involvement in the affairs of the Spanish begun.
The collective nationalism among the natives sparked the beginning of the
Philippine Revolution and with this, Catandunganon soldiers were sent to join
the cause as well.
American Regime
This newfound
sense of Filipinism was quick to be diminished when at the turn of the 19th
century the Philippines was once again concurred, this time by the Americans. Because
of their superior weapons and technology, they received passive resistance from
the natives. In the replacement of a military into a civil government, Catanduanes
(along with Camarines) became a sub-province of Ambos with Don Felipe Usero as
its first Leutenant Governor. The American occupation ended in 1934 and was
amply followed by the Philippine Commonwealth.
Japanese Invasion
On one December morning of 1941,
the Japanese invaded the island of Catanduanes. They were given almost no
resistance by the Catandunganons due to their lack of defenses and resources. The
terror and oppression during the Japanese occupation was suffered relatively
less by the Catandunganons compared to those of the mainland. The occupation lasted
three years.
Post War
Because of
House Bill No. 301 and Commonwealth Act No. 687 which was authorized by
Representative Francisco Perfecto. Remigio Socito, the last Leutenant Govenrnor
of Catanduanes which was then appointed as the first Provincial Governor, Catanduanes
became and independent province of the Republic of the Philippines, effective
on October 26, 1945.
After the
People Power Revolution in February 1986, new leadership was appointed. In 1988
Governor Leandro I. Verceles won the election and has since then ran his term
until 1992 when he lost to Governor Rosalie A. Estacio.
Cajuday, Rey Jude
Idanan, and Karlo Adrianne Rodriguez Aguilar. “History of Catanduanes.” The
Province of Catanduanes, catanduanes.gov.ph/catanduanes-history/.
GoCatanduanes. “Bato
Church.” Gocatanduanes.com,
gocatanduanes.com/happyplaces/bato-church/#:~:text=In%20the%20latter%20part%20of.
Accessed 7 Jan. 2021.
Lucky Hotel and
Resort. “Bato Church – Lucky Hotel and Resort.” Lucky Hotel and Resort,
2018,
www.luckyhotelandresort.com/bato-church/#:~:text=The%20oldest%20church%20in%20Catanduanes.
Team, WebDev. “The
Historical LUYANG CAVE.” Municipality of San Andres (Calolbon),
Catanduanes, 15 June 2014, sanandres.catanduanes.gov.ph/luyangcave/.
Accessed 7 Jan. 2021.
WeWander.ph.
“Binurong Point 2019 Travel Guide.” We Wander PH, 18 May 2019,
www.wewander.ph/binurong-point-2019-travel-guide/. Accessed 7 Jan. 2021.
Comments
Post a Comment