History of Alcantara

Alcantara is the 13^th municipality in the province of Romblon.  The seat of government is located at barangay Poblacion, where the municipal hall, public market, RHU clinic, business establishments and other institutions are located.

The municipality is traversed by the national highway from its western boundary to its northern border along its length near the coast, Communications link with its highland barangays are provided by barangay roads.

The barangay was named after Ciriaco Alcantara, a Cabeza de Barangay who succeeded in convincing the Spanish authorities to create a number of barangays out of the loosely-knit settlements along the southeastern coast of Tablas Island.  When the place became a municipality, his name was given to the town and the barangay was called Poblacion.

History for Alcantara began in 1807 when a group of intrepid settlers from Panay Island led by Gaspar Guevarra founded a settlement at a place originally referred to as “Bista de Lawan” and “Pueblo de Guintigui-an”, now called “Daan Banwa”(old town), about one(1) kilometer northeast of the present town center.  The settlers were forced to abandon the place and relocate to the present town site due to the rugged terrain and continous depredation wrought by Moro pirates.  The settlement prospered at the new site which led to the settling and development of that particular coast of Tablas Island.

After World War II, Alcantara was the biggest and most progressive barrio of Looc, and this has not gone unnoticed by the high officials of the province.  Due to the industry of the people and representations by the then Congressman Jose Moreno and then Governor Manuel L. Solidum, President Garcia signed on March 21,1961 Executive Order No. 427 creating the municipality of Alcantara, composed of eight barangays.  In CY 1990, four (4) more barangays