Infanta, Quezon

Infanta Binangonan de Lampon
Municipality
Municipality of Infanta
Infanta Municipal Hall
Flag Seal
Nickname:  Gateway to the Pacific
Anthem: Mabuhay ka, Infanta (English: Long live, Infanta)
Map of Quezon with Infanta highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Infanta Location within the Philippines Show map of Luzon Infanta Infanta (Philippines) Show map of Philippines
Coordinates: 14°44′33″N121°38′58″E / 14.7425°N 121.6494°E / 14.7425; 121.6494
Country	Philippines
Region	Calabarzon
Province	Quezon
District	1st district
Founded	April 25, 1696
Named for	Princess or Heir Apparent of the Spanish Monarchy
Barangays	36 (see Barangays)
Government   [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
•  Mayor	Filipina Grace R. America
•  Vice Mayor	Lord Arnel L. Ruanto
•  Representative	Wilfrido Mark M. Enverga
•  Municipal Council	Members Cherry C. Macasaet Joseller M. Portales Sherwin E. Avellano Marlon C. Potes Mario Louie N. Cuento Mannie A. America Kirk V. Gurango Marlo R. Cuento
•  Electorate	46,012 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	342.76 km2 (132.34 sq mi)
Highest elevation	1,523 m (4,997 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census) [3]
• Total	76,186
• Density	220/km2 (580/sq mi)
•  Households	19,125
Demonym	Infantahin
Economy
•  Income class	1st municipal income class
•  Poverty incidence	27.34 % (2021) [4]
•  Revenue	₱ 375.9 million (2022)
•  Assets	₱ 924.9 million (2022)
•  Expenditure	₱ 196.2 million (2022)
•  Liabilities	₱ 83.26 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Quezon 2 Electric Cooperative (QUEZELCO 2)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	4336
PSGC	045620000
IDD  :  area code	+63 (0)42
Native languages	Umiray Dumaget Tagalog
Website	www.infanta.gov.ph

Infanta, officially the Municipality of Infanta (Tagalog : Bayan ng Infanta, Ilocano: Ili ti Infanta), is a municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 76,186 people. ^[3]

Infanta is the largest lambanog manufacturer in the province of Quezon. The town is also known for its bayugo (giant mountain snail) dishes. ^[5] The town is currently undergoing preparations for establishing a bayugo breeding center that would supply bayugo to townsfolk. The move is intended to stop the decline of bayugo in the wild. Also it is the center of economic activity in the northern part of Quezon. The Infanta town fiesta is celebrated every April 25. Infanta is also known as the "Gateway to the Pacific".

Etymology

The name "Infanta" may have come from:

• Spanish term Jesus Infante (Child Jesus), given by Captain Juan Salvador in 1835.
• Infanta, a title given to the Princess or Heir Apparent of the Spanish Monarchy back in the 13th century. It specifically referred to Isabella Clara Eugenia of Austria, the eldest daughter of King Philip II of Spain, the namesake of the Philippines. ^[6]

Before the Spanish colonization, this place was known as Binangonan by its first peoples, the Dumagats. Binangonan is a Dumagat word pertaining to a sacred place where a bangon ("sacred name") was given by the Sobkal (Bobo a Laki) to an infant.

History

District of Infanta

Map of the historical District of Infanta in 1856-1902 when its territories were annexed to Tayabas (Quezon).

Map of the district of Infanta in 1899.

(Translated from: Fray Felix de Huerta's “Estado, Topográfico, Estadistíco, Histórico—Religioso, de la Santa y Apostólica Provincia de San Gregorio Magno, de Religiosos Menores Descalzos de la Regular y Mas Estrecha Observancia De Nuestro Padre San Francisco, en las Islas Filipinas”. Binondo: 1865, by Dominador N. Marcaida Jr. (Accessed September 21, 2015 @http://bdh-rd.bne.es).

By decree of the Superior Government granted in the year of 1856, this district was created, with the territory that belonged to the province of the Laguna before; from 14° 30' up to the 15° 10' north latitude, including the island of Polillo and other small islands surrounding this. It is bordered on the North by the district of the Principe, on the East by the sea, on the South by the province of Tayabas, and on the West by that of the lake. It is flat land for the most part, has abundant pasture for cattle and horses, great hunting, fishing, wax and multitude of root crops, with an abundance of wood which are good for construction and cabinetry. The capital is located in Binangonan, where the politico-military Governor is located. Its natives were converted by our religious, who founded and managed the following towns:

Binangonan de Lampon

In the year 1578, the venerable and zealous Fray Esteban Ortíz planted the consoling sign of the Cross in this town, who toured the east coast of the island in an expanse of more than sixty leagues, while the shortage of missionaries at that time did not allow the continued assistance of a minister until the year of 1609, with the holy martyr Fray Blas Palomino undertaking anew its conversion, formalized this town and was its first minister.

After the years of 1658, the administration of this town was ceded from this apostolic province of St. Gregory to the Augustinian Recollects and they abdicated also in the year 1703, returning it to our charge and numbered then of not more than ninety tributes.

It is located in the 14° 49' Í0" latitude in a flat land, on the eastern coast of the island and on the right of the river named Agos, which has its origin from the grand cordillera mountains on the Northern part of Luzon island and which river, running from West to East, empties into the sea in front the island of Polillo. It is bordered on the North by the town of Baler, distant about twenty and seven leguas: on the East by the island and town of Polillo, an eight-hour time of navigation on fair weather; on the South by the town of Mauban, belonging to the province of Tayabas and as about fifteen leguas, and West-Southwest by the town of Siniloan at eight leguas, which crosses the mountains above.

It enjoys a temperate and healthy climate in a well-ventilated area.The most common diseases are hot fevers and tuberculosis. It is supplied with waters from the river and several springs, all of good quality. It does not have more roads than the very difficult path through the mount, which leads to the town of Siniloan. To connect with the town of Mauban, it must be done by water, and the navigations are very dangerous, or almost impossible from the months of October up to March, and to connect with the town of Baler, in addition to the aforementioned difficulty in navigation, cannot be taken by land throughout the coast for fear of the many infidels that inhabit the area. The mail is received from the capital of the province when there is opportunity.

The Church, dedicated to Saint Mark the Evangelist, was of bamboo cane and nipa until the year 1732, by which time it was burnt down and the existing one was built, which is made of stone, but roofed with nipa, and the same as the parish house, which serves as a tribunal. There is a school of primary education, endowed by the funds of the community; about six hundred wooden houses and many others from bamboo, distributed in its twenty-eight barrios, some of them quite far from the Church. It is currently served by Fray Lucas Martínez, Preacher of 29 years of age.

State Of The Parish

Spanish era writers said of the town:

This village has no limits. In their lengthy and lush forests are all kinds of woods for construction and cabinetry, of the best quality: many and good pastures for cattle and horses; variety of palms, canes and reeds, with plenty of fruit and rootcrops: abundant hunting buffalo, boar, deer and fowl, with much wax and honey. There is also a quarry of granite stone, discovered the year of 1849 by Fray Antonio del Moral. A little distant from the town exists a safe harbor for ships of high board, but its entry is dangerous to the inexperienced, and from October to March is risky to navigate the coast because of the strong northerly winds that blow. The land reduced to cultivation produces abundant crops of rice, maize, sugarcane, cocoa, coffee and sweet potato. The abaca was planted for the first time in the year 1851 by Fray Antonio del Moral, and gave so happy results that today that its increasing cultivation is continued with large activity and benefit. Its natives are engaged in agriculture, the harvest of the abaca, the nipa wine, whose palm abounds in its land; the breeding of cattle, in the hunting and fishing, whose products, with the excess of other agricultural products, is exported in medium-sized boats to the town of Mauban, in the province of Tayabas and to the towns of Paracale and Mambulao, returning gold dust after being brought to the Capital.

Below are the Religious Franciscans ministered in Binangonan de Lampon (or Binangonan del Ampon) after Fray Ortíz and Fray Palomino:

Franciscan Friars (1617 to 1880s), Binangonan de Lampon

Franciscan Friar	Position	Year
Bernardino de la Concepción	Confessor	1617
Juan de Mansilla	Confessor	1619
Lorenzo Valdés	Confessor	1632
Vicente Pilas or San José	Preacher	1639
Dionisio de la Concepción	Confessor	1652
Pedro de Alburquerque	Preacher	1653 / 1659
Baltasar of San Diego	Confessor	1659
Juan Antonio dela Purificación	del Moral	1727-1731
Nicolás Valverde or de Jesús	Confessor	1741 / 1765
Vicente Mars	Preacher	1758
Manuel de Sacedón	Preacher	1758
José de Jesús or de San Esteban	Chorister	1759
Julián de Madrid	Preacher	1760
Manuel de San Ramón	Confessor	1768
Atanasio Argovejo de Jesús María	Preacher	1774
José Engracio de Alarilla	Preacher	1785
Juan Moveno	Preacher	1811
Tomás Pobeda	Preacher	1823
Baltasar Barceló de San Antonio	Preacher	1825
Antonio Huertas Felipe	del Moral	1848-1853
Lucas Martínez	Preacher	1864
Cirilo Sanz	Preacher	1867-1869
Francisco Arriaga	Preacher	1883

Source: Eusebio Gómez Platero's “Catálogo Biográfico de los Religiosos Franciscanos de la Provincia de San Gregorio Magno de Filipinas desde 1577 en que Llegaron las Primeros hasta las de nuestras Dias” Manila Press of Royal College of Sto. Tomás, under the charge of Don Geryasio Memije, 1880 (http://bdh-rd.bne.es) translated by Dominador N. Marcaida Jr.

Legend

According to the legend, the people who established the first settlement in the land that became Infanta were led by an elder named Nunong Karugtong. These settlers crossed the Sierra Madre Mountains from somewhere in what is now Rizal Province in search of better living conditions. After examining multiple sites, they eventually settled on a site near the Bantilan River, where the discovery of a huge Yam root convinced them that the site was ideal for settlement. This eventually became the site of the settlement which European colonizers would call Binangonan de Lampon which in turn would eventually become the Municipality of Infanta.

Spanish Colonial Era

In 1578, more than half a century after Ferdinand Magellan and his men landed in Cebu and thirteen years after Miguel López de Legazpi founded the first Spanish settlement also in Cebu, a Spanish priest named Esteban Ortíz arrived in Binangonan de Lampon and planted a wooden cross symbolizing the introduction of Spanish colonial rule at the place. In 1696, Don Diego Mangilaya, a native chieftain developed the settlement into a community and built a wooden chapel at the spot where Nunong Karugtong ^[7] fell asleep. Since its establishment, the area has been attacked by Moro pirates, and visited by typhoons and cholera epidemics as recent as 2004. In 1803, Captain Pedro de León affiliated Binangonan de Lampon to the province of Nueva Ecija and in 1850, Kapitan Rafael Orozco withdrew Infanta from the province of Nueva Ecija and joined it with the province of Laguna to the west. In 1835, Binangonan de Lampon was renamed "Infanta" by Captain Juan Salvador in honor of the saint Jesus Infante (Child Jesus). All the inhabitants of Infanta were given Spanish surnames pursuant to a Royal Decree of November 11, 1848.

Philippine Revolution

On July 20, 1898, a group of Infanta Katipuneros headed by Colonel Pablo Astilla attacked the Spanish forces holed up at the limestone convent and after several days of siege and fighting, the Spanish soldiers surrendered.

American Colonial Era

By virtue of the December 10, 1898 Paris Treaty of Peace, American soldiers occupied the town of Infanta and appointed Kapitan Carlos Ruidera Azcárraga as the first "town presidente." He was followed by Rufino Ortíz in 1903 who withdrew Infanta from the province of Laguna and joined it to the province of Tayabas. ^{[8] [9]} He also ordered the planting of coconut trees in the barrios (now barangays) of Infanta. During the administration of town "presidente" Gregorio Rutaquio (1911–1916), he constructed the "Gabaldón type" of school house. In 1917-1919, Agustin Pumarada served as the town president, he belonged to the Pumarada Political Clan of Polillo. From 1923 to 1928, Don Florencio Potes became town "presidente". He constructed the concrete municipal building and the first telegraph office of the town. From 1935 to 1939, Mr. Fabián Sollesa served as town "presidente". During his incumbency, the Infanta-Famy Road traversing the Sierra Madre from Infanta to Laguna and Rizal provinces was constructed. Also, piped water from a spring reservoir in barrio (barangay) Gumian was installed.

World War II

In December 1941 the Japanese Imperial forces occupied the town of Infanta. On May 25, 1945, the liberation by combined Filipino and American soldiers entered in the town was supported by the guerrilla fighters fought the Japanese Imperial forces until the end of World War II.

Contemporary history

On July 21, 1949, General Nakar was created from the municipality. ^[10] In 1950, the municipality was made the seat of the Roman Catholic Territorial Prelature of Infanta.

Infanta was partitioned once again as the municipal district of Real became a municipality on June 22, 1963. ^[11]

Geography

Infanta has a land area of 130.1 square kilometers (50.2 sq mi), representing 1.5% of the area of Quezon. It is located 138 kilometres (86 mi) north-east of Manila and 134 kilometres (83 mi) north of Lucena. It is accessible to Metro Manila through the Marcos Highway.

Barangays

Infanta is politically subdivided into 36 barangays: 7 urban and 29 rural. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Urban barangays

• Comon
• Dinahican
• Poblacion 1
• Poblacion 38
• Poblacion 39
• Poblacion Bantilan

Rural barangays

• Abiawin
• Agos Agos
• Alitas
• Amolongin
• Anibong
• Antikin
• Bacong
• Balobo
• Banugao
• Batican
• Binonoan
• Binulasan
• Boboin
• Catambungan
• Cawaynin
• Gumian
• Ilog
• Langgas
• Libjo
• Lual
• Magsaysay
• Maypulot
• Miswa
• Pilaway
• Pinaglapatan
• Pulo
• Silangan
• Tongohin
• Tudturan

Climate

Climate data for Infanta (1991–2020, extremes 1949–2023)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	34.6 (94.3)	34.1 (93.4)	34.5 (94.1)	37.2 (99.0)	37.8 (100.0)	37.8 (100.0)	38.1 (100.6)	37.7 (99.9)	37.0 (98.6)	36.5 (97.7)	34.5 (94.1)	32.8 (91.0)	38.1 (100.6)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	28.0 (82.4)	28.6 (83.5)	30.0 (86.0)	31.8 (89.2)	33.2 (91.8)	33.5 (92.3)	32.7 (90.9)	32.8 (91.0)	32.5 (90.5)	31.1 (88.0)	29.9 (85.8)	28.4 (83.1)	31.0 (87.8)
Daily mean °C (°F)	25.2 (77.4)	25.4 (77.7)	26.5 (79.7)	27.9 (82.2)	29.0 (84.2)	29.2 (84.6)	28.7 (83.7)	28.8 (83.8)	28.5 (83.3)	27.5 (81.5)	26.9 (80.4)	25.7 (78.3)	27.5 (81.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	22.4 (72.3)	22.3 (72.1)	23.0 (73.4)	24.1 (75.4)	24.8 (76.6)	24.9 (76.8)	24.6 (76.3)	24.9 (76.8)	24.5 (76.1)	24.0 (75.2)	23.8 (74.8)	23.1 (73.6)	23.9 (75.0)
Record low °C (°F)	17.4 (63.3)	17.4 (63.3)	16.4 (61.5)	18.1 (64.6)	20.5 (68.9)	20.5 (68.9)	20.5 (68.9)	20.8 (69.4)	20.0 (68.0)	20.0 (68.0)	17.4 (63.3)	18.0 (64.4)	16.4 (61.5)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	348.9 (13.74)	289.0 (11.38)	220.7 (8.69)	175.0 (6.89)	203.7 (8.02)	233.4 (9.19)	265.6 (10.46)	193.0 (7.60)	251.1 (9.89)	498.6 (19.63)	561.8 (22.12)	746.3 (29.38)	3,987.1 (156.97)
Average rainy days (≥ 1 mm)	22	15	14	11	13	15	16	13	15	21	23	25	203
Average relative humidity (%)	89	88	87	84	83	82	83	82	84	87	89	90	86
Source: PAGASA [12] [13]

Demographics

Welcome arch

Population census of Infanta

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1903 10,283 —     1918 15,860 +2.93% 1939 20,331 +1.19% 1948 19,006 −0.75% 1960 21,868 +1.18% 1970 21,653 −0.10% 1975 25,271 +3.15% 1980 27,814 +1.94%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1990 35,564 +2.49% 1995 39,772 +2.12% 2000 50,992 +5.47% 2007 60,346 +2.35% 2010 64,818 +2.64% 2015 69,079 +1.22% 2020 76,186 +1.94%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [14] [15] [16] [17]

Economy

Poverty incidence of Infanta

5 10 15 20 25 30 2006 26.40 2009 15.04 2012 13.68 2015 11.92 2018 7.57 2021 27.34 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25]

Education

Mount Carmel School of Infanta

Infanta is the center of educative learning, with four colleges that attract many students to study from nearby towns of Real, General Nakar, Polillo, Panukulan, Burdeos, Patnanungan and Jomalig. Here are the colleges in Infanta:

• Northern Quezon College, Inc.
• Southern Luzon State University-Infanta Campus
• Rizal Marine Technological College
• ACTS Computer College

Secondary schools:

• Infanta National High School (largest Public High School in Infanta)
• Mount Carmel School of Infanta (largest and only Catholic School in Infanta)
• Binulasan Integrated School
• Tongohin National High School
• Langgas National High School
• Little Friends of Jesus Corner Stone Academy of Infanta

Media

FM Stations

• 92.7 Spirit FM (Catholic Media Network)
• 94.3 Brigada News FM (Brigada Mass Media Corporation)
• 95.9 DABIG C Radio (Prime Broadcasting Network)
• 105.3 Radyo Natin (Manila Broadcasting Company/Radyo Natin Network)

Cable and Satellite

• Infanta Cable TV Network
• Cignal TV

Town's Hymn

The Hymn of the Town of Infanta is entitled "Mabuhay Ka Infanta" written by the alumni of Mount Carmel School of Infanta.

Notable

• Guillermo Nakar

References

1.   Municipality of Infanta | (DILG)
2. "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN   0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
3. Census of Population (2020). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved July 8, 2021.
4. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
5. "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho: Tara, food trip!". YouTube . Archived from the original on December 5, 2021.
6. "Mythical Origin". Municipality of Infanta. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
7. "Mythical Origin | www.infanta.gov.ph". www.infanta.gov.ph. Archived from the original on May 7, 2016. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
8. "Act No. 417 – An Act Annexing the Districts of Infanta and Principe and the Island of Polillo to the Province of Tayabas". Supreme Court E-Library. Philippine Commission. June 12, 1902. Archived from the original on February 18, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
9. History and Culture of Quezon
10. Executive Order No. 246, s. 1949 (July 21, 1949), Organizing certain portions of the municipalities of Baler and Infanta, Quezon Province, into independent municipalities, under the names of Maria Aurora and General Nakar, respectively
11. Executive Order No. 410, s. 1960 (June 22, 1963), Creating the municipal district of Real in the Province of Quezon.
12. "Infanta, Quezon Climatological Normal Values" (PDF). Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 15, 2018. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
13. "Infanta, Quezon Climatological Extremes" (PDF). Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 15, 2018. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
14. Census of Population (2015). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved June 20, 2016.
15. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office . Retrieved June 29, 2016.
16. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
17. "Province of Quezon". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
18. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
19. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. November 29, 2005.
20. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. March 23, 2009.
21. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. August 3, 2012.
22. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. May 31, 2016.
23. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. July 10, 2019.
24. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. December 15, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
25. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.

External links

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine