Spanish colonial era
According to Spanish explorer Miguel de Loarca's Relacion de las Islas Filipinas, Carabao Island was originally called “Hambil”. The Spanish arrived at Hambil Island in 1570, led by conquistador and explorer Martin de Goiti on orders from Miguel López de Legazpi. With an expedition composed of 27 ships, 280 Spaniards and several hundred Visayan followers, Goiti and his team conquered the chief settlement of Agcogon and explored the island. He noted that there were around 50 natives living in the settlement, who made a living from mining copper in the island.
On 2 November 1571, the islands of Romblon, including Hambil Island were organized into an encomienda and administered from the alcaldia or province of Panay by Don Alvaro de Angulo, who was appointed steward of the encomienda. In 1582, when Miguel de Loarca visited Hambil Island, he renamed the island to Isla de Carabao or Carabao Island because the island's shape resembles a water buffalo's back when seen from the horizon. In 1677, the first Spanish missionary, Fray Pedro Cubero Sebastian, arrived at Carabao Island to convert the natives to Roman Catholicism.
In 1716, Capiz was created as a separate province out of the old alcaldia of Arevalo, formerly called Panay. The new province included the islands of Romblon and the valley of Aklan in north-western Panay. Carabao Island was placed under the jurisdiction of the visita of Nabas, Capiz (now part of Aklan). When Looc in Tablas Island was established as a separate pueblo or town from Banton, Romblon in 1844, the administration of Carabao Island and its two existing barrios (villages) of Agcogon and Lanas, was transferred to the new pueblo.
On 19 March 1853, the Spaniards created the Politico-Militar Commandancia del Distrito de Romblon, a new district of Capiz. It was composed of four pueblos or towns, namely Romblon, Banton, Cajidiocan and Looc, and was placed under the command of petty governor Don Ramon Vieytes. Thus, Carabao Island, which was under the jurisdiction of Looc pueblo, became part of the newly created District of Romblon.
In 1855, Romblon petty governor Don Joaquin de Prat ordered the creation of 17 new pueblos or town in Romblon, including pueblo de Cabalian (now part of Santa Fe). The order transferred the administration of Carabao Island and its two villages from Looc to Cabalian. However, pueblo de Cabalian was abolished in 1861, and following the abolition, residents of Carabao Island chose to be annexed back to Nabas, Capiz. On 11 January 1868, the District of Romblon was elevated into a province. A reorganization of the province's towns was conducted upon orders from governor Don Joaquin Corillo, which included restoration of Cabalian in 1892 into a pueblo, now renamed Santa Fe. In 1897, the residents of Carabao Island voted to rejoin Looc instead of the new pueblo of Santa Fe.
