Brief History

The existence and creation of the Municipality of Carmen is a tangible proof of concerted effort patience consistency and harmony accorded by the different heroic personalities of the past way back in 1900. The ancestors namely; Inocencio Suan, Isidro Cubero, Quirino Matildo and Dionisio Derigay painstakingly played the success presently enjoyed.

During the19th century and even now Boholanos are fond of adventure bringing with then pottery products and tobaccos for trade, loaded on their bancas and aisle bravely through the blue ocean to reach the island of Mindanao. Accidentally, the groups of Boholanos with well-fashioned destiny sailed along the cost of Surigao and happened to pass and stopped over Sitio Cabakhawan, a Barrio of Lanuza, Municipality of Cantilan. While on the offshore, sign of certainties and New Hope were on their faces upon on obvious vision of the potentials and resources found around the places.

Momentarily, the leader of the Boholanos convinced and decided the group to stay for settlement. With dual and enthusiasm to perceive the tranquil and abundant way of life, their utmost efforts were exerted in clearing strip of land for them to plant various crops.
In succeeding years, the immigrant from Bohol, Leyte and Cebu came and grow rapidly. The settlers became economically sound that instantly made Sitio Cabakhawan progressive in terms of civic consciousness, cooperative and population growth.
Eventually, the intellectuals of the settlers moved a petition for permission to constitute an independent barangay. Then right away the surveyed the proposed barangay site designating lots for Public buildings Building, Plaza and Church. Each one of them contributed happily for early completion of the pertinent papers and submitted to the Cabeza De Barangay of Cantilan. Gregorio Uriarte, Sr. for his strong recommendation to the Provincial Governor of Surigao, late Gaudencio Garcia.

Cognizant for the cultural development of Sitio Cabakhawan, Reverend Father Paulino Garcia of the Municipality of Cantilan visited the settlement and simultaneously assigned a catechist named Maestra Andang de Cubero who taught the people how to read and write. The fruitful struggle of the settlers eventually hastened the government to open a primary grade, and Germinio Arreza was the first teacher.

In the aftermath, late Governor Gaudencio Garcia of the undivided Surigao province recognized the petition of the people of Sitio Cabakhawan to function the freedom as an independent barangay in the year 1900.

The Governor was anxious to just have a living memento of his incumbency and struggle, so he officially changed the name of Sitio Cabakhawan to Barangay Carmen named after his beloved sweetheart.

^{Source: Carmen, Surigao del Sur}