Alabat, which had come to be in this particular place, was inhabited by the early family of Caparros because of its excellent fishing grounds, fertility of the soil, wide plain, nearness to a river, and safe landing shore. Other immigrants from Gumaca came pouring in upon hearing the suitability of this place from human habitation. They named the place "CAMAGONG". Perhaps this name was taken from trees which bore edible fruits called Camagong or Mabulo which grow abundantly in Camagong Mountain, the highest mountain in Alabat Island.

It was said that Rev. Father Jesus, in charge of the parish of Gumaca possessed a tescope. Almost everytime of the day he looked through his telescope to see whether Moro Vintas were coming. He reached out a focus on the sandy shore of Ilangin, the present sitio of the barrio of Gordon. It came to his mind that an Ermita should be built in that place. So he summoned the leaders of the settlers to congregate and encouraged them to settle at Ilangin in order to make a vesita and build on Ermita.

The growth was so abrupt that a village sprang. Father Jesus called this village "GORDO" (meaning fat) and afterwards he named it Gordon in memory of his town in Spain.

Then came Don Pedro Pica and his brother Don Nicolas, who wanted to establish a home in Gorden. Upon reaching the place they found out that anchorage was difficult on account of the shallow coral reefs and absence of navigable river. Inquiries were made among the villagers and Don Pedro learned the suitability of Lupac, the present site of Alabat. He ordered Francisco Mercado, Modesto Arcaya, Casimero Caparros, Luciano Caparros, Cayetano Caparros, Pedro Caparros, Juan Caparros, Venancio Mascariña, Valentin Lisardo, Camilo Febrer, Antonio Montañez, Mariano Silva, Eusebio Baranta, Cayetano Olivares, Jose Canata and many others to clean a site in Lupac for a new village.

When Rev. Father Jesus heard about this act of Don Pedro Pica, he was neatly infuriated. He accused these two men and by the order of Capitang Totoy of Gumaca, they were taken to prison until Don Pedro Pica secured freedom from the gobernadorcillos of Tayabas. The Gobernadorcillo also pardoned his brother Don Nicolas Pica the following year. The interest of these two brothers in Lupac did not fade away so they returned to the place and established a lumber industry. The Gobernadorcillo learned of their success in their industry and their able leadership to settlers of the place so Don Pedro, the elder, gained influence from the Gobernadorcillo and was appointed sub-Captain of Lupac under Capitan Totoy of Gumaca. Through the order of Father Jesus, Don Pedro Pica changed the name Lupac to BARCELONA in memory of the beautiful coastal town in Spain.

When the American Expeditionary forces occupied Tayabas Province and appointed Carpenter as Military Governor, the name BARCELONA was changed to ALABAT.