Carmen, Cebu, the birthplace of famous Cebuanos, was founded as a town on June 16, 1851 by Facundo Buot. It was originally named as Bugho, but eventually renamed by a Spaniard chronicler. The change of name was due to miscommunication, as a woman who was baptized thought she was asked the name of the necklace she was wearing. The question was what is the name of the place she then answered Birthen sa Carmen, it was then that the chronicler wrote Carmen as the name of the place.
When the Americans came in 1899 and conducted popular election in the towns and provinces, Fabio Buot became the first elected municipal president of Carmen, Cebu.
Fabio Buot was succeeded in 1906 by Protasio Suico, then again by Fabio Buot in 1908. Juan Veloso was elected in 1912. In 1916, Hernando Atillo was elected as the town chief executive. Juan de Rallos followed in 1919, then by Pascual Buot in 1922, succeeded by Apolonio Osmeña in 1925. Guillermo Bael became mayor in 1934, then succeeded by the town's longest serving mayor, Elpidio de Dios.
Elpidio de Dios was mayor of Carmen from 1941 up to the late 1960's. In 1964 these were the officials of Carmen, Cebu:
Elpidio de Dios, Mayor, Pedro E. Cortes, Vice Mayor, Isabelo Niez, Municipal Secretary, Pastor Villamor (was admitted to the Bar on January 3, 1928, he was appointed by President Manuel Roxas on June 13, 1947 as Justice of the Peace of Carmen), Julio Ibale, Treasurer, Benito C. Nito, Chief of Police, Dr. Hildegarda Aramil, Health Officer.
As members of the town council: Begino de Dios, Victoriano Sanico, Raymundo Peralta, Florentino Capuno, Simplicio de Dios, Ramon Sanico, Wenceslao Basaka and Eugenio Indolos.
Carmen is also the birthplace of Jose Maria Cuenco, the eldest child of the Patriarch of the Cuenco clan, Mariano Albao Cuenco and his wife, Remedios Diosomito, the country's first woman printing chief executive. The printing press was named Imprenta Rosario. Jose who grew up to become the first archbishop of Jaro, Iloilo was born on May 19, 1885.
Bishop Jose Ma. Cuenco is the brother of Mariano Jesus who later became governor of Cebu and Senate president, their younger brother, Miguel, who studied International Diplomacy in the United States was elected congressman of what was called then as the fifth Congressional District of Cebu. The Cuenco brothers all became lawyers.
Bishop Cuenco founded and edited "El Boletin Catolico," the Cebu Catholic Newspaper. He died in Jaro, Iloilo on October 8, 1972.
Mayor Virginio Erong Villamor nicknamed "Benyong" served Carmen for 16 years (He died on December 2008). Villamor was succeeded by Sonia Quinto Pua. The son of Mayor Virginio, Martin Gerard Teves Villamor followed his footsteps in leading the town of Carmen, Cebu.
Aside from the Cuenco clan that produced lawyers who originally came from Carmen, Cebu, there are many sons of the town who became lawyers: Alfredo D. Abayon (March 2, 1956), Filemon Fernandez (became a lawyer on February 22, 1962), Lawrence L. Fernandez (admitted to the Bar on May 13, 1980), Socrates I. Villamor (admitted to the Bar on February 2, 1951), Tomas A. Indolos (January 25, 1952), Jose B. Banzon (March 25, 1957), Andito G. Escoton (May 30, 1987) and Rafael D. Talens Jr. a member of Batch 83 of Camen Central Elementary School became a lawyer on May 8, 1997, he is an advocate of defending the water system of Carmen, Cebu.
The following serves/served as councilors of Carmen: Imelda Maningo Seno, James Gimena Camara, Regel Cantalejo Bacula, Antonio Casas Awing, Maximiano Tacugan Into Jr., Manuel Mari Amal Durano, Baltazar Batulan Capuno, Carlo Villamor, Hermes Morales, Jover Pisao, and Amer Reston.
The present vice mayor of Carmen, Cebu is Al Silvestre Damiles, belongs to the famous Buot clan, the mother of Vice Mayor Al is a Buot.