Brief History of Claver
1888-1955

WHY THE PLACE CALLED “TAYAGA”

There was a time that the Boholano traders could not continue their trip to their destination due to unpleasant  weather. Their ship could not withstand with the big waves  of the sea, so they found shelter in a bank of river. They happened to meet the Negritos, who were catching fish and shrimps by means of their bare hands. The Boholano traders, who were having advance civilization, shown them another way of catching fish by means  of hook and lines. The Boholanos attached four to five hooks in  line with bait on each hook. By throwing the line to the water the fishes swallows  the baits and they were caught by the hooks.

The negritos were amzed to see the procedure of catching fish. They asked the Boholano about the implements of catching fish. The Boholanos responded that the implements they used in catching fishes were “TAGA”. We a great joy the Negritos  shouted “TAYAGA, TAYAGA”. It was during that time, that the Negritos coined a word “TAYAGA”. That was the beginning that the particular place were the Negritos wherein was called.”TAYAGA”.

RELIGIOUS OBJECTIVE

Attracted by the occasional presence of the Negritos in tayaga, in 1888, Father Esteban Ypes, the parish priest of gigaquit, met the Negritos in that particular place. Gifetd with the presence of the Holy Spirit, he tried to convert them  to Christianity. The priest gave them food and clothing and made a settlement in Tayaga. But countrary to this expectations, the Negritos returned to the mountain and did never show up again.

To make of this settlement, the priest invited immigrants from Bohol and Leyte to settle that place. The immigrants headed by Baldomero Ladaga together with his wife Maxima Ranario. They were the persons given the responsibility to run the services of the church.

To strengthen the growing community, the priest also called the natives of the adjoining : Tayaga, Tayahong, Ladgaron, Pangi  and Daywan. Those people, who  were place namely farmers from Gigaquit were convinced  to make their permamnent residence in Tayaga. They were requested to work together cooperatively with the immigrants for the settlements improvement. It did not take long time, that tayaga was credited the Municipal Mayor of Gigaquit  as a full pledge barrio. Tayaga became a new barrio of Municipality of Gigaquit.

CLAVER BECAME A MUNICIPALITY

In 1900, during the beginning of the American Regime, the administration created many barrios into municipalities, and one of them was Claver. It became a municipality of the province of Surigao.  existence of being a municipality lasted only for five years, due to the epidemic that occurred in 1903, resulted in the deaths of several people in the town. Other families transferred to island municipality of Surigao Island it escape from the unforeseen calamity. Beside it happened also the unexpected pest resulted in the deaths of many carabaos and animals.

The sad malady decreased the income of the people and it was hard for them to pay their obligations to the government. The municipal government was not able anymore to sustain  their expenditure, hence the retentions of the municipality to a barrio under the Municipality of Gigaquit.
However Claver produced native executive namely. Hon. Doroteo Perlas and Hon. Pedro A. Paqueo, respectively. The Municipal Secretary was Mr. Florentino Avelino and the judges who were appointed in the succession were Judge Canuto Lantoria, a native of Claver and Judge Matias Galeon and Judge Maximo Samontina both Boholano immigrants respectively.

CLAVER A BARRIO FROM 1905-1955

For fifty long years Claver was administered by Barrio Lietenants only. Some of them who run the barrio efficiently who were worthy to be remembered, were Ho.n Marcos Mira, Hon. Benito Paqueo, Hon. Francisco Gortea and Hon. Feliciano Larase.

In 1902, Hon. Pedro A. Paqueo of Claver in 1903 to 1905 was elected Mayor of Gigaquit. He tried his best t to work for the return of barrio Claver to a municipality. But the Colorum uprising in 1924 hindered his dreams and Claver remained a barrio.

However, during the intervening period before Claver returned to her former status as a municipality, there were several persons in Claver who were elected municipal positions in the municipality of Giigaquit. As Vice Mayors, there were three active persons who were elected. Hon. Francisco Verdun, Hon. Agapito Ocon, Hon. Gregorio Dedumo. For municipal councilors, they were, Hon. Faustino Saranza, Hon. Eugenio Galgo, Hon. Pedro Mira, Hon. Jose Ladaga, Hon. Jorge Aceron, Hon. MArcelino Navallo, Hon. Tranquilino Latorre, and Hon. Floro Basul, respectively.

Time has come that economy in Claver has rose up. The people were able to produce much rice and the coconut plantations of the people gave fruits in abundance. This made them money will do Taxes were paid frontally to the treasury of Gigaquit.

There were three reasons why Claver could not return hasten as a municipality. First, there were only very few people who possessed enough talent to run a municipal government. Second, Gigaquit wished Claver be under her verdantly as a barrio, because the Claver people were best tax payers. Third, municipal manipulations were under roundly sustained, so that political people of Gigaquit could always hold the reign of power not with standing the able minded people of Claver.

The situation has change. Several young blooded citizens of Claver came into being. The acquired already enough knowledge in politics. Gigaquit could no longer hold Claver as member of her political family. She recognized and acknowledge already the capacity of the young leaders of Claver to run their own government.

The Divine Providence has given the golden time and situation fro Claver’s emancipation. It was during that time that the Municipal Mayor and the three Municipal Councilors were from GIgaquit and the Municipal Vice Mayor and three Municipal Councilors from Claver. The administration was headed by Mayor Jun Gijal. The municipal officials of Gigaquit during that administration were very sympathetic to Claver’s longing. So the municipal councils prepared a resolution requesting His excellency President Ramon Magsaysay, President of the Republic of the Philippines, to give Claver honorable status as a municipality in the province of Surigao del Norte.

On September 13, 1955 President Ramon Magsaysay signed the Executive Order No. 126 declaring Claver a municipality with Nuevo Campo Inferior, Panatao, Cabugo, Urbiztondo, Taganito, Daywan and Magallanes as barrios under the municipality of Claver. The inauguration of the new municipality would have been on January 1, 1956, but because of love for Independence of Claver, the municipal officials of Gigaquit together with the people of Claver, the inauguration was made earlier by Provincial Governor Hon. Fernando Silvosa. The inauguration took place on December 5, 1955. The following appointed officials were: Hon. Felicisimo E. Paqueo Municipal Mayor, Hon. Regulo D. Ravelo Municipal Vice Mayor, Hon. Enrique Manlimos, Hon. Trepodes G. Samontina and Nestor Verano Municipal Councilors.

^{Source: Province of Surigao del Norte}