ABW Sept 2023-1

The municipality consists primarily of Cabarruyan Island
(also known as Anda Island), as well as minor surrounding
islets. Because of Anda’s proximity near the Hundred Islands,
a popular tourist destination for its caves and beaches, it is
the so-called “Mother of the Hundred Islands.”
On the north-west portion of Lingayen Gulf lies a group
of islands which comprise the territory of Anda. Before the
middle of the nineteenth century, the islands which comprise
the municipality were uninhabited. Only occasionally did
seafarers and fishermen use the coast as havens.
Andres de la Cruz Cacho, fondly called in Bolinao as Andales
Kulayo, discovered a vast tract of land suitable for grazing
and fertile lowlands, and an abundant spring for agriculture.
It was he who brought families from the town of Bolinao
aboard a big boat and dispersed them on the island of
Cabarruyan in 1842. The spread of population was rapid.
By August, Mal-Ong, Awag, Santa Rita, and San Nicolas were
established. Within a period of only four months, May to
August, 1842, the whole island of Cabarruyan was populated.
A steady stream of settlers followed the first pioneers and
soon within a few years, the population was large enough to
form a municipality.
In January, 1849 a conference of leaders was called by Don
Pablo Cacho Valerio through his son Don Domingo with the
end in view to established a new town. The leaders drafted
a petition for the creation of a new town and sent copies on
March 15, 1849 to Don Jose Sanchez y Guerrero, the then
Alcalde at Iba, Zambales and to the Archbishop of Manila.
On May 26, 1849, the Alcalde brought the reply granting
the petition. Accompanied by the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Juan
On May 10, 1842, the pioneers landed on what is now
the barrio of Dolaoan, put up a settlement, and chose San
Miguel Arcangel as their Patron Saint. On May 25, 1842
they established Carot and Cabungan with Sta. Lucia as the
common Saint of the two settlements.
In the first of June of same year, Tondol was founded. Sablig
was settled in the middle of June. By the third week of June,
Macaleeng was occupied.
No family was willing, to stay in Toritori at the time and so
the place was bypassed. The settlers proceeded to Awile and
Aruab (now Roxas) and by early July, they have established
settlements in the area.
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