Infanta, Quezon

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**Municipality of Infanta**

Location
Map of Quezon showing the location of Infanta.
Government
Region	CALABARZON (Region IV-A)
Province	Quezon
District	1st district of Quezon
Barangays	36
Income Class:	2nd class; partially urban
Founded	1578
Mayor	Filipina Grace R. America
Official Website	www.infanta.gov.ph/
Physical characteristics
Area	130.1 km²
Population Total (2000) Density	50,992 391.9/km²
Coordinates	13° 45' N, 121° 37' E

Infanta is a second class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 50,992 people in 10,220 households. It has a land area of 130.1 km², representing 1.5% of the area of Quezon. It is located 144 kilometers northeast of Manila, and 136 kilometers southeast of Lucena City

Infanta is one of the oldest towns in Quezon. It is situated in the northern tip of Quezon mainland lying along the coast of the Pacific Ocean, facing the island municipalities of Polillo, Panukulan and Burdeos. It is a solid plain at the foothill of the Sierra Madre Mountains with a total land area of 342.76 km² and with a population of 39,125 scattered among its 36 barangays.

[edit] History

In 1578, more than half a century after Ferdinand Magellan and his men landed in Cebu, a Spanish priest named Esteban Ortiz arrived in Binangonan del Ampon 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 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, Kapitan Pedro de León affiliated Binagonan del Ampon 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 del Ampon 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 11 November 1848.

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. By virtue of the 10 December 1898 Paris Treaty of Peace, American soldiers occupied the town of Infanta and appointed Kapitan Carlos Ruidera Azcarraga as the first "town presidente." He was followed by Rufino Ortiz in 1903 who withdrew Infanta from the province of Laguna and joined it with 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 "Gabaldon type" of school house. From 1923-1928, 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. Fabian Solleza 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.