Catanauan, Quezon

Catanauan
—  Municipality  —

Seal
Map of Quezon showing the location of Catanauan.
Catanauan
Location in the Philippines
Coordinates:
Country  Philippines
Region CALABARZON (Region IV-A)
Province Quezon
District 3rd district of Quezon
Founded 1700
Barangays 46
Government
 • Mayor Ramon A. Orfanel (Lakas-Kampi-CMD)
Area
 • Total 175 km2 (67.6 sq mi)
Population (2007)
 • Total 65,705
 • Density 375.5/km2 (972.4/sq mi)
Time zone PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code 4311
Income class 2nd class; partially urban
Website www.catanauan.gov.ph/

The Municipality of Catanauan (Filipino: Bayan ng Catanauan) is a 1st class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 65,705.[1]

Contents

Topography

The landscape of Catanauan, Quezon is described as hilly, rolling and mountainous with isolated flat lands. The existing rivers and creeks serve as potential for effective drainage, more especially the Catanauan River. Catanuan has slopes ranging from 0-13% to 15% and above. The most elevated portion is at barangay San. Jose which has slope of 60% and above. Susceptibility to erosion is directly proportional to the slope percentage and degree of susceptibility.

Government

Municipal Officials

Barangays

Catanauan is politically subdivided into 46 barangays.

Town fiesta

December 8 - immaculate conception church town fiesta

Boling-Boling festival

“Boling-Boling” is an old age practice particular to Catanauanins, which is celebrated annually starting on the Sunday and ends on Tuesday preceding Ash Wednesday and signals the start of the Lenten Season. Participants roam around the town garbed in any costume they may fancy. Most of them wear colourful clown-like clothes while others imitate anybody whom they despise and make fun of them. It is the Pinoy version of carnival. No one can tell exactly when and how this practice started, not even the oldest resident of this town located at the heart of Bondoc Peninsula. Senior women wearing brightly coloured dresses and hats with flowers sing and dance from one house to another to solicit cash donations, half of which is given to the local Parish Church for its expenses during the Lenten Season activities and the other half for their own group’s civic projects. Boling-Boling comes from the Visayan word Boling, which means dirt. This reminds us that we are sinners and that we need to repent, do some spiritual cleansing and get ourselves ready for the Lenten Season. In earlier times, Catanauanins had a grandiose merry-making during the Boling-Boling as, starting the following day, which is Ash Wednesday, they will keep silent suspending all merry-makings until the Black Saturday in reverence to the Lenten Season. Some men skimpily clad in their undergarments put on mud or grease with charcoal all over their bodies and roam around the town trying to scare young women and children for fun.

Historical background

The existence of Catanauan as a pueblo (town) was first recorded in the map of Father Pedro Murillo dated on 1734. The petitio dated 1685 of Bishop Andres Gonzales of Nueva Caceres, Naga City requesting the king of Spain to have Masbater and the Pueblo of Catanauan assigned to Recollect Order was reflective of the early creation of Catanauan. The recognized foundation year of the Municipality was 1713 called as NABATASAN.

In the late 18th and 19th century, there were frequent Moro raids. These occurrences prompted the people to construct two small stone forts or watch towers (MAGKATANAWAN) mounted with artillery. Santa Maria watch tower was located at Lot 21 psc-2 near the present wharf is located. Castillo watch tower stood at the intersection of present Rizal and Boncan Street. Hence, the name CATANAUAN was so derived.

Notes

  1. ^ "2007 Census of Population". Philippine National Statistics Office. http://www.census.gov.ph/data/census2007/index.html. Retrieved 2008-10-04. 

External links