Catmon, Cebu

Legend

The origin of the town of Catmon remains a myth, whose actual existence is not verifiable and has never been fully authenticated which inevitably leaves many questions open-ended. Inspite of the yeoman efforts exerted, no full detail and satisfactory records and documents were established as to the origin of the name of this unassuming suburbia. However, closer to the disclosure of its origin was a story related by our pre-Christian ancestors which summarizes how the town of Catmon gots its name. <P>Long ago, Catmon was once a dreamy settlement of heathen natives. It was nothing more than a cluster of native cogon huts that queued like mushrooms in the glade beneath the tall trees that stood like green palisade along the hillsides and the long strech of sandy beaches. The only bustling sound that echoed in the hills was the strange and weird commingling of the native drums and cymbals everytime the "Datu" calls his subjects to a forum. <P>During the early part of the Spanish Colonization, a group of Spaniards and Missionaries were commissioned by the Politico Militar from the Pueblo of "Zebu" (City of Cebu) to explore up to the northern part of the province to establish settlement purposely to cast Christianity. They were then heading for their upward journey in the northern tip of the province when they came upon a band of river-dwelling natives who were sitting on a gnarled roots under the shade of sturdy trees that grew up on each other shoulders at the bank of the river watching their carabaos gaily chewing cud while enjoying a cool noon bath. <P>The Conquistador alighted from their horses and fanned themselves with their handkerchiefs. The leader looked up at the spreading branches of the big tree and exclaimed "Mi buen Dios, este arbol bello nos ha protegido de este calor ardiente del sol de mediodia. Me mata este calor de verano!" (Good God, this beautiful tree has sheltered us from the scorching heat of the moon sun. This summer heat is killing me!). The leader, in his eagerness to instill their purposes turned to the stunned natives and asked in a heavy castillian accent "Como se llama este lugar, Indios?" (What's the name of this palce, Indios?) <P>The Indios or natives were stupedfied. They did not understand what the foreigner said. But contemplating on the white Men's Gestures and motions, the natives conjectured that the foreigner was asking for the name of the spready Catmon tree under whose shade they sheltered on. So they said: "CATMON". Since then, the place was called Catmon derived from the name of said tree which can be seen growing in the poblacion and in the hinterlands.  <P> <B>For further information, details and photos of Catmon, Cebu, visit THE CATMONANON HOMEPAGE (www.thecatmonanon.cjb.net).

External links

• The Catmonanon Homepage
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 2000 Philippine Census Information

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