Infanta, officially the Municipality of Infanta (, Ilocano: Ili ti Infanta), is a municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people.
It is known as the largest lambanog manufacturer in the province of Quezon. The town is also known for its giant mountain snail locally known as bayugo dishes. The municipality is nicknamed as "the Gateway to the Pacific".
Etymology The name Infanta comes from the title Infanta of Spain, which is a title given to the daughters of the Spanish monarch or the heir apparent. The town was named after the eldest daughter of Philip II of Spain (the namesake of the Philippines), the Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia, later Sovereign and Governess of the Spanish Netherlands.
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 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 Franciscan mission to the Augustinian Recollects until they ceded it back to the Franciscans in the year 1703.
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.
State Of The Parish Spanish era writers said of the town:
Below are the Religious Franciscans ministered in Binangonan de Lampon after Fray Ortíz and Fray Palomino: 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
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.
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.
District of Infanta
The municipality of Infanta was part of the Distrito de La Infanta, which was established by a decree of the Superior Government issued on March 18, 1858.
See: Distrito de La Infanta
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. 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. 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.
Japanese Occupation 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.
Creation of two municipalities and religious territory On July 21, 1949, the municipality of General Nakar was created from the territory of Infanta.
The following year, in 1950, Infanta gained religious significance when it was designated as the seat of the Roman Catholic Territorial Prelature of Infanta.
Later, Infanta underwent another territorial change when barangay Real was separated and established as an independent municipality on June 22, 1963.
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.
Geography The Municipality of Infanta has a land area of , representing 1.5% of the area of Quezon.
Infanta is situated from the provincial capital Lucena, and from the country's capital city of Manila. It is accessible to Metro Manila through the Marcos Highway.
Barangays Infanta is politically subdivided into 36 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios. There are six barangays which are considered urban (highlighted in bold).
Abiawin Agos Agos Alitas Amolongin Anibong Antikin Bacong Balobo Banugao Batican Binonoan Binulasan Boboin Catambungan Cawaynin Comon Dinahican Gumian Ilog Ingas Langgas Libjo Lual Magsaysay Maypulot Miswa Pilaway Pinaglapatan Poblacion 1 Poblacion 38 Poblacion 39 Poblacion Bantilan Pulo Silangan Tongohin Tudturan
Climate
Demographics
Economy
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.
Education
The Infanta Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public elementary and high schools.
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.
Primary and elementary schools
Abiawin Elementary School Agos-Agos Elementary School Alitas Elementary School Banugao Elementary School Binonoan Elementary School Cacawayan Elementary School Dinahican Elementary School Disciples Christian School Gumian Elementary School Infanta Central School Kiborosa Elementary School Learnpoint Kiddie School LFJ Cornerstone Academy Libjo Elementary School Lual Elementary School Magsaysay Elementary School Miyunod Elementary School Mount Carmel School New Little Baguio ES Picab Elementary School Star of Hope Christian School Stepstone Christian Academy The Jesus Christ Worldwide Montessori Tongohin Elementary School Tudturan Elementary School
Secondary schools
Binulasan Integrated School Infanta National High School Langgas National High School Little Friends of Jesus Corner Stone Academy Mount Carmel School of Infanta Tongohin National High School
Higher educational institutions
ACTS Computer College Northern Quezon College Rizal Marine Technological College Southern Luzon State University
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 Pablo Astilla
References
External links
[ Philippine Standard Geographic Code] Philippine Census Information Local Governance Performance Management System