History of Cantilan
Cantilan is a settlement established by the Spaniards at the "Daang Lungsod" (Old town) in the early 1700s and was included in the Spanish administration of Tandag as early as 1709 until its separation in 1791 when Christianity and government headed by priest were introduced by the Spaniards in the locality. prior to the Spaniards, Bancayan and Bagani Sandigan people whose origin can be traced from the Malay immigrants inhabited Cantilan.
The morning of October 15, 1856 was fateful to the protomorphic town, which was the Daang Lungsod, of Cantilan. On this day, a disastrous winds with a series of tidal waves rolled over and swept the town destroying almost all except one (1) of its houses killing around thirty (30) people. This ended Daang Lungsod. (Remnants of "Daang Lungsod" can still be seen on the bank of Cantilan River.)
On the following day, 16 October 1856, FR. MODESTO MARZO Y CASABANA, a Recollect priest, established the modern Cantilan.
Cantilan was named after a young lady named "Tilang" who lived on the other bank of the river. She used to sell fish int he area. People frequently went there to buy fish from her. When asked where they were going, they replied "Adto kan Tilan". Eventually, the area was known as "Kantilang" which the Spaniards called Cantilan.
Cantilan is the mother municipality of Carrascal, Madrid, Carmen and Lanuza.This is presently knows as CarCanMadCarLan area.
Cantilan remain primarily an agricultural and fishing municipality, but its residents are well known for their high standard of education and for the larger number of professional who hail from Cantilan.
In more recent time logging and timber industry has had an impact in Cantilan, with a veneer manufacturing plant operating in Cantilan. Cantilan also has a potential for mining, although no large-scale operation has yet been undertaken. Cantilan remains an interesting and beautiful place blessed with natural resources and rich history.
Cantilan presently is identified as a growth center of the CarCanMadCarLanCorTan area (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza, Cortes, and Tandag).
