The original name of San Andres was Calolbon, used to be Calolbong, which was vaguely referred to a Bicol expression - "naca lobong", as the houses of the original community along the bank of Carangag River looked almost submerged when viewed from the sea. The early Spanish explorers misunderstood the native guide who said that the submerged houses meant the name of the town. Unfamiliar with the dialect, they placed "Calolbong" on the map. Usage in the course of time dropped the "g".
The Luyang Cave below the Calolbon-Virac highway witnessed the bloodless massacre of the natives who fled from the Moro pirates during the 17th century. The natives sought refuge inside the cave but the marauders were able to trace them. The Moros uprooted sili plants abounding in a nearby place and set them a fire at the cave's entrance and suffocated the hapless natives. In memory of the massacre, a requiem mass is said at the cave's entrance on April 26 each year.
Old sources said that when the town's Catholic Church was constructed about the end of the 18th century, there was a much bigger unfinished church at the eastern side of the present church. Part of its foundation can still be seen along the squatter's shanties in the town's section called "campo".
At the east end of the town proper, the patios of the former Catholic Cemetery had been used for many years as a sturdy fence for a lush plantation. The cemetery was abandoned when the use of the present site in the west started during early years of the American rules.
Tradition says that the superstitious inhabitants clamored to have the cemetery transferred to the west of the poblacion because they believed that a cemetery at a place where the sun rises bars progress and portends more death among the young people that the old ones.
The first parish priest on record was Rev. Fr. Cornelio de jesus who ministered the town's spiritual needs for 29 years (April 1798 to November 1827). The priest who saw the end of the Spanish domination and the beginning of the American regime was Rev. Fr. Pio Imperial (June 1893 to May 1920). Two priests who guided Catholicism in this town for two decades were Rev. Fr. Roberto Floranza (May 1910 to July 1920) and Rev. Fr. Domiciano Camu (August 1920 to June 1930). The Japanese Occupation found Rev. Fr. Andres Tablizo and Rev. Fr. Jose R. Alberto taking spiritual care of the people.
The town's first "capitan" on record during the Spanish time was Juan Gazang, whose term covered eight years (1978 to 1806). With the exception of Capitanes Cristobal (1806), Felix Santelices (1843 to 1847), the rest served a two year term each. The last capitan was Alipio Vargas (1899 to 1900). The American Occupation started with Diogracias Belmonte as the first "municipal president" (1901 to 1904).
The term "municipal president" for town executive was last used by Roberto Iñigo (1931 - 1935). He was succeeded by Emiliano Surban, the first to be called "municipal mayor". Felizardo Santelices was appointed mayor during the Japanese Atrocities (1942 - 1945).
After the Philippines regained its independence in 1946 and Catanduanes became an independent province, the first municipal mayor of Calolbon was Jose Surban, followed by Jose de la Providencia, Francisco Imperial, Aristeo S. Arcilla, Augusto T. Antonio, Dr. Antonio M. Romano, and Mrs. Lydia Romano.*
Under the Revolutionary Government in 1986, President Corazon C. Aquino designated Pedro B. Surban as the Acting Mayor of the town.
In 1952, during the term of Mayor Francisco Imperial, the municipal council passed a resolution changing the name of Calolbon to San Andres. Congressman Francisco A. Perfecto sponsored a bill which was a passed into law, otherwise known as Republic Act No. 3948.
The Luyang Cave below the Calolbon-Virac highway witnessed the bloodless massacre of the natives who fled from the Moro pirates during the 17th century. The natives sought refuge inside the cave but the marauders were able to trace them. The Moros uprooted sili plants abounding in a nearby place and set them a fire at the cave's entrance and suffocated the hapless natives. In memory of the massacre, a requiem mass is said at the cave's entrance on April 26 each year.
Old sources said that when the town's Catholic Church was constructed about the end of the 18th century, there was a much bigger unfinished church at the eastern side of the present church. Part of its foundation can still be seen along the squatter's shanties in the town's section called "campo".
At the east end of the town proper, the patios of the former Catholic Cemetery had been used for many years as a sturdy fence for a lush plantation. The cemetery was abandoned when the use of the present site in the west started during early years of the American rules.
Tradition says that the superstitious inhabitants clamored to have the cemetery transferred to the west of the poblacion because they believed that a cemetery at a place where the sun rises bars progress and portends more death among the young people that the old ones.
The first parish priest on record was Rev. Fr. Cornelio de jesus who ministered the town's spiritual needs for 29 years (April 1798 to November 1827). The priest who saw the end of the Spanish domination and the beginning of the American regime was Rev. Fr. Pio Imperial (June 1893 to May 1920). Two priests who guided Catholicism in this town for two decades were Rev. Fr. Roberto Floranza (May 1910 to July 1920) and Rev. Fr. Domiciano Camu (August 1920 to June 1930). The Japanese Occupation found Rev. Fr. Andres Tablizo and Rev. Fr. Jose R. Alberto taking spiritual care of the people.
The town's first "capitan" on record during the Spanish time was Juan Gazang, whose term covered eight years (1978 to 1806). With the exception of Capitanes Cristobal (1806), Felix Santelices (1843 to 1847), the rest served a two year term each. The last capitan was Alipio Vargas (1899 to 1900). The American Occupation started with Diogracias Belmonte as the first "municipal president" (1901 to 1904).
The term "municipal president" for town executive was last used by Roberto Iñigo (1931 - 1935). He was succeeded by Emiliano Surban, the first to be called "municipal mayor". Felizardo Santelices was appointed mayor during the Japanese Atrocities (1942 - 1945).
After the Philippines regained its independence in 1946 and Catanduanes became an independent province, the first municipal mayor of Calolbon was Jose Surban, followed by Jose de la Providencia, Francisco Imperial, Aristeo S. Arcilla, Augusto T. Antonio, Dr. Antonio M. Romano, and Mrs. Lydia Romano.*
Under the Revolutionary Government in 1986, President Corazon C. Aquino designated Pedro B. Surban as the Acting Mayor of the town.
In 1952, during the term of Mayor Francisco Imperial, the municipal council passed a resolution changing the name of Calolbon to San Andres. Congressman Francisco A. Perfecto sponsored a bill which was a passed into law, otherwise known as Republic Act No. 3948.
