San Andres, Catanduanes

San Andres is a 4th class municipality in the province of Catanduanes, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 31,463 people in 6,059 households.

The Town

San Andres is a coastal town on the island province of Catanduanes in the eastern Philippines. it is a town rich in history nd culture and rich in the Catholic tradition.The town was known historically as Calolbong, a name derived from the Bicol expression, "naca-lobong", which means submerged. Native guides showed the early Spanish explorers the houses of the original community along the banks of a river. These houses, when viewed from the sea, appeared to be partially under water. The Spaniards, unfamiliar with the Bicol dialect, must have thought the natives were referring to the town's name, for they called it Calolbong on their maps of the area. As time went by, the letter "G" was dropped, and the town became known as Calolbon.

Republic Act No. 3948

In 1964, a bill was presented to the Philippine Congress to rename the town San Andres in honor of its patron, St. Andrew the Apostle. This bill was approved as Republic Act No. 3948 on June 18th that same year. Many Calolbonganons loved the old name, a name used since time immemorial and unique to the entire archipelago. they were upset that there had never been a referendum vote. "The change of Calolbon to San Andres without consulting the townspeople," said one outspoken native, "Is a rape of democracy." But for those who were deeply religious and very much devoted to St. Andrew, the change from Calolbon to San Andres was no different from changing a pagan name to a Christian one.

A Brief HIstory

Calolbon's chapter in history opens with Spanish conquest and Catholic missionary activity. In the year 1519, Ferdinand Magellan began a great voyage of discovery in the service of king Charles V of Spain. He reached the Philippine Archipelago in the spring of 1521 and, on behalf of Spain, he took possession of the islands, naming them isles of St. Lazaruz. That same year Magellan lost his life on Mactan Island when he became involved in a dispute between the natives. However, the Spaniards were determined to possess and develop the islands, and they sent many expeditions from Mexico to establish their rule. Eventually, the whole archipelago was named Filipinas in honor of King Philip the 2nd of Spain (1527-1598).

In 1565, the Spanish governor of Mexico sent Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, together with soldiers and missionary friars to the Philippine Island. Intensive activities began, and the church gained more influence in the administration of the colony. Friars were sent to all parts of the country-cities, provinces and towns-preaching the Holy Gospel and spreading the Christian faith. Friars were also sent to the town of Calolbon (now San Andres) and some of them were designated parish priests of the town.

The influence of the Roman Catholic Church during the early years of the Spanish Era had a profound effect upon the people of the Philippines, most of whom were converted to Catholicism. The Church brought the Filipinos together in the communities which later developed into towns and villages and set up schools to instruct the young. Because the primary goal of the Spanish conquistadores was to spread th Christian faith and to hispanize the natives, in the course of time, the Calolbonganons and the Philippine people as a whole adopted Spanish names, learned to cook Spanish way, and were influenced by Spanish architecture.

On April 24, 1898, the Spanish-American War broke out. The war lasted less than five months, ending on August 12, 1898, with an armistice and victory for the Americans. On December 10, 1898, in the Treaty of Paris, the Us and the Spanish governments agreed that the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam would become American protectorates.

It was the avowed aim of President McKinley's administration, in establishing American control of the islands, to protect and educated the people and to assist them in attaining a level of independence where they could govern themselves. Within the context of their own culture, they were to develop complete democratic self-sufficiency.

In 1934, the Roosevelt administration created the Commonwealth of the Philippines with its own government and a Filipino President took over in 1935. During the World War II, the structure of the Commonwealth was modified and the president of the Philippines (Manueal L. Quezon) was exiled to Washington. On 1945, entering to the Philippine Commonwealth troops at San Andres, Catanduanes by helped to the Filipino guerrillas against the Japanese troops in World War 2. On July 4, 1946, the Commonwealth Government was terminated and a Philippine republic based on the ethical and constitutional principles of the United States was established.

Calolbon Town Heads

William Shakespeare once wrote, "Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them." The history of San Andres is full of the greatness of its leaders. They are the leaders who were once called the "Cabezas de Barangay", "alcaldes", "Municipal Presidents" and "Mayors" of this little town. They were the leaders of Calolbon who gave their tomorrows so that San Andres could have her today. The following were the leaders of the town during its crucial moments in history.

Spanish Era

The town's first captain on record was Juan Gazang. He served as the head of this town for eight years between 1798 and 1806. with the exception of three other capitans- Cristobal (1806), Felix Santelices (1835-1842) and Teodoro Santelices (1843-1847) -the rest served two terms. The last captain was Alipio Vargas (1899-1900).

American Era

The American Era started with a controversial municipal president, Deogracias Belmonte (1901-1903). He was brandes as pro-American by the insurrectos headed by Comamdante Florencio Eras. Belmonte was almost beheaded on December 8, 1899 in the cemetery of Pandan, Catandauens. However, the father of the late Senator Jose O. Vera saved him from execution. The term Municipal President" for town heads was last used by Roberto Iñigo (1931-1935).

Commonwealth Era

During this era, the town head of Calolbon was Emiliano Surban (1935-1937). He was the first to assume the title of "Municipal Mayor".

World War II

Felizardo Santelices (1944-1946) was appointed mayor of Calolbon by the late President Jose P. Laurel. During the Japanese Invasion, Mayor Santelices experienced what could well be called the most brutal eventuality ever noted for a public servant of the province. It all began in the afternoon of October 5, 1944, when a Japanese tora-tora plane took a forced landing on the rice field near the poblacion (the town). Santelices conducted an inquiry, and although his first urge was to kill the pilot, he sent him instead to the Japanese headquarters in Virac, the capital of Catanduanes, to avoid potential disaster. He knew that Philippine troops and local guerrillas would have killed the pilot themselves, and the Japanese reprisal for that act would have been a merciless burning of the poblacion and a massacre of innocent civilians.

The Japanese thanked Santelices for returning the pilot, but the guerrillas be helped of the Philippine Commonwealth troops, accusing him of being pro-Japanese, had the mayor arrested and brought to trial. He was convicted and sentenced to die and be buried with another Japanese pilot who made a forced landing in the province of Camarines Sur. The condemned Japanese aviator was decapitated first, and Santelices was then placed on the execution block. Seconds before the sword was lowered, the wife of the slayer cried out that the mayor was innocent and Santelices was freed.

Post War Era

After the Philippines regained its independence in 1946 and Catanduanes became an independent province, the first elected municipal mayor of Calolbon was Jose B. Surban (1947-1948). He was followed by Jose de la Providencia (1948-1951) Francisco Imperial (1952-1955) and Aristeo Arcilla (1956-1963). During the term of Augusto T. Antonio (1964-1979). Calolbon was wired for electricity, and the town's infrastructure was greatly improved. Augusto T. Antonio was succeeded by Antonio Romano, MD (1980-1986) and then by Pedro Surban (1986-1987) as "Officer in Charge" of the town. Surban was succeeded by Lydia T. Romano (1987-present), the first woman ever elected as mayor of Calolbon.

The Parishes of San Andres

The people of San Andres have always been very religious. In 1989, according to the Catholic Directory of the Philippines published by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the town of San Andres had a total population of 18,369, the majority of which were Roman Catholic. Others belonged to diverse religious denominations which include Jehovah's Witness, the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ), the Mormon Church and born-again or fundamentalist sects.

The entire town of Calolbon was originally under the jurisdiction of a single Catholic parish, the parish of St. Andrew the Apostle. In the early 1950's, however, a new parish was established in the large barrio (or neighborhood) of Manambrag. Saint Isidore Parish now includes all of the farming community of San Andres plus some barrios from outlying areas outside the Municipality.

The parish of St. Andrew the Apostle has a number of pious associations many of which are dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. These associations provide the parishioners with a powerful means of sanctification and an oppirtunity to take part in apostolic activities. Mambers of these organizations consecrate themselves to God in a very special way-by means of prayer, Mass and daily Holy Communion. They strive to promote their devotion to the Blessed Mother by every means, especially by example.

The Clergy of San Andres

A important to the development of the town of San Andres as the secular leaders were Calolbon's religious.

Rev. Rf. Cornelio de Jesus (1798-1892) was the first parish priest on record. He ministered to the own's spiritual needs for 29 years. Fr. de Jesus was responsible for founding the parish church, which was partially constructed of limestone, and he chose St. Andrew the Apostle as patron saint of the parish because most people in Calolbon were fishermen by profession.

The priests who saw the end of the Spanish Rule and the advent of the American Era was Rev. Fr. Pio Imperial (1893-1902). During the next two decades, two dynamic clerics guided and strengthened theCatholic faithful of this town. They were Rev. Fr. Roberto Floranza (1910-1920) and Rev. Fr. Dominiciano Camu (1920-1930). Fr. Floranza concretely improved the church building, as it was badly damaged by a typhoon a month before he assumed his office as cura of the town. Floranza was a talented musician who organized a lithurgical choir that was often invited to perform at social gatherings such as biladas and dotocas and at other public events.

Miraculous, growing "Stone of Paloway"

Virac Bishop Manolo A. De Los Santos of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) confirmed on June 13, 2008, the existence of a ‘miraculous’ "growing" century old stone (now 3 inches in height) in Paloway, San Andres, Catanduanes, Bicol Region which has the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary and is said to heal illnesses: “What is unexplainable is not that the stone grew in size over the years, but the fact that the image of the Virgin was never distorted as it grew." Called “Batong Paloway (Stone of Paloway)," it is at the altar of the Our Lady of Sorrows chapel, a “de facto shrine" in Barangay Paloway and the image is called “Our Lady of Sorrows." [ [http://www.gmanews.tv/story/101031/Miraculous-stone-with-image-of-Mary-grows-in-Bicol gmanews.tv, 'Miraculous' stone with image of Mary 'grows' in Bicol] ]

Barangays

San Andres is politically subdivided into 38 barangays.

* Agojo * Alibuag * Asgad (Juan M. Alberto) * Bagong Sirang * Barihay * Batong Paloway * Belmonte (Pob.) * Bislig * Bon-ot * Cabungahan * Cabcab * Carangag * Catagbacan

* Codon * Comagaycay * Datag * Divino Rostro (Pob.) * Esperanza (Pob.) * Hilawan * Lictin * Lubas * Manambrag * Mayngaway * Palawig * Puting Baybay * Rizal

* Salvacion (Pob.) * San Isidro * San Jose * San Roque (Pob.) * San Vicente * Santa Cruz (Pob.) * Sapang Palay (Pob.) * Tibang * Timbaan * Tominawog * Wagdas (Pob.) * Yocti

External links

* [http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/default.asp Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
* [http://www.t-macs.com/kiso/local/ 2000 Philippine Census Information]

References