Calatrava, Romblon Etymology

Jack Maico
May 5
2 min read

Calatrava, once a barrio in the town of San Agustin (then called Badajoz) in Tablas Island. During the pre-Spanish period, the place was called "Andagao", named after a medicinal plant growing in abundance everywhere in the locality, especially in places along the shore.

Around 1810, the first settlers in Andagao migrated from Banton and Romblon islands, as well as from central parts of Tablas Island, in search of lands more suitable for agriculture. The Simaranhons, Sibalenhons, and Bantoanons were the first settlers of the municipality and were joined later by migrants from Odiongan of who, like them, spoke Asi. Today, this group of people makes up the great portion of its residents, while the northern barangays of Linao, Pangulo, and Talisay have significant Romblomanon residents. Onhan settlers, originally from central Tablas, decided to settle in the southern barangay of Balogo.

Around 1838, Andagao was organized into a fundacion (settlement) attached to the visita (village) of Odiongan under the pueblo of Banton by the Spanish colonial authorities. The following year, a Spanish friar named Padre Jose Aznar from the parish of Banton visited the place and planned the construction of its first Roman Catholic church made of wood and limestone. Eleuterio Asuncion, the barrio's cabeza de barangay, spearheaded its construction. After the church was completed, Andagao immediately progressed and developed. In 1850, people started using family names beginning with the letter "F," as decreed by Spanish Governor-General Narciso Claveria and issued on 21 November 1848.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calatrava,_Romblon

Special credits: https://itsnetmakyut.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/boyetdizon/posts/st-michael-the-archangel-parish-calatrava-romblon-december-9-2023/717023810540918/

Church in town: 𝐒𝐭. 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡

St. Michael the Archangel Church is a Roman Catholic church located in the town of Calatrava in Tablas Island, Romblon, Philippines.

In the past, Calatrava was called Andagao, a name that came from a plant that was used to prepare as an herbal medicine and was once found growing in the wild. It was once part of Badajoz (present-day San Agustin). In subsequent periods, particularly in the early 19th century, it was settled by people who hailed from nearby territories and islands, including those who came from Banton, Romblon, Sibale (Concepcion), Odiongan, and Simara (Corcuera).

A church was erected by Fr. Jose Aznar in coordination with the parish community led by Eleuterio Asuncion in 1839. In the previous year, the community was organized as part of Odiongan, which in turn belonged to the township of Banton.

In 1853, it became a town when the District of Romblon was established. Its status was reverted when Romblong became a province on January 11, 1868, and it was annexed to Guintiguian (formerly Badajoz, currently San Agustin).

Andagao was renamed to Caltrava after a Spanish site of the same name on June 14, 1881.

The church was established in 1961.

Source: https://www.theoldchurches.com/.../st-michael-the.../

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐚 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲

On 4 June 1943, during the Second World War, the special municipality of Calatrava was created upon the sponsorship of the guerrilla movement regime under the Revolutionary Republic of the Philippines. Its first and only mayor then was Benito Famini, Sr.

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐚: