Polillo, Quezon
Encyclopedia
Polillo is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

. It is located on Polillo Island
Polillo Island
Polillo is an island in the Northeastern region of the Philippine archipelago. It is separated from the island of Luzon by the Polillo Strait.The island itself is subdivided across three municipalities. The municipality of Polillo takes up the Southern part of the island...

 in the Philippine Sea
Philippine Sea
The Philippine Sea is a marginal sea east and north of the Philippines occupying an estimated surface area of 2 million mi² on the western part of the North Pacific Ocean...

 and separated by Polillo Strait from the main island of Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...

. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 27,912 people.

Geography

Polillo is located about 18 miles off the Eastern Coast of Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...

 bounded by municipality of Panukulan in the north, and the municipality of Burdeos in the east. Lamon Bay
Lamon Bay
Lamon Bay is a large bay in the southern part of Luzon island, Philippines, at .-Lamon Bay:It is a body of water connecting the southern part of Quezon province to the Pacific Ocean, and bounds the coastal towns of Atimonan, Gumaca, Plaridel, Lopez, Calauag, and the islands of Alabat. It is a rich...

 bounds it at the south, east and west. It is 15 miles west of the municipality of Infanta
Infanta, Quezon
Infanta is a First class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 60,346. 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 north of...

 and 17 miles northern west of the municipality of Real
Real, Quezon
Reál is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 33,073 people. This coastal town, located on the eastern shores of Luzon facing the Philippine Sea is noted for its rural beach resorts....

, Quezon
Quezon
-History:Originally, what now forms Quezon was divided among the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, and Nueva Ecija. The area was first explored by Juan de Salcedo in 1571-1572, during his expedition from Laguna to Camarines provinces....

. It can be reached by motorboats more or less three hours via Real
Real, Quezon
Reál is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 33,073 people. This coastal town, located on the eastern shores of Luzon facing the Philippine Sea is noted for its rural beach resorts....

-Polillo in the Ungos Port and a little bit shorter via, Infanta-Polillo through Dinahican Fish Port.

Barangays

Polillo is politically subdivided into 20 barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...

s.


  • Anawan
  • Atulayan
  • Balesin
  • Bañadero
  • Binibitinan
  • Bislian
  • Bucao
  • Canicanian
  • Kalubakis
  • Languyin

  • Libjo
  • Pamatdan
  • Pilion
  • Pinaglubayan
  • Poblacion
  • Sabang
  • Salipsip
  • Sibulan
  • Taluong
  • Tamulaya-Anibong


History

Trade relations between the natives of the Polillo Islands and Chinese merchants existed long before the Spanish conquerors came to the archipelago. Trade was a conglomeration of Malay-Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

-Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

-Tagalog
Tagalog people
The Tagalog people are an ethnic group in the Philippines. The name Tagalog comes from either the native term tagá-ilog, meaning 'people living along the river', or another native term, tagá-alog, meaning 'people living along the ford', a ford being a shallow part of a river or stream where people,...

.

Padre Morga wrote that Polillo originated from the Chinese word "Pulilu", which means beautiful island with plenty of food. When Juan de Salcedo, a Spanish conqueror came to Polillo in 1567, he saw a central government fully organized through the Balangay
Balangay
The Balangay or Balanghai is the first wooden watercraft ever excavated in Southeast Asia. Also known as the Butuan boat, this artifact is evidence of early Filipino craftsmanship and their seamanship skills during pre-colonial times...

, with a datu who had a direct supervision and control over all the natives. The inhabitants lived in nipa huts.

In 1571 the Spaniards took hold of the islands of Pu Li Lu. Through the leadership of Padre Domingo, a Spanish friar, a chapel was built, where the old Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

 church was later constructed. After one and a half years, the people, through forced labor built a concrete wall to protect the "pueblo" of Pu Li Lu from moro pirate invaders. Watchtowers called "castillos" were erected in the four corners of the pueblo.

The church was constructed in 1577 . Boulders, gravel and sand were mixed with lime produced out of seashells and coral stones. Padre Domingo instigated the planting of sugar cane in San Isidro, San Antonio and San Francisco. Production of molasses was put into full swing.

Spanish conquistadores were assigned to the "pueblo" of Pu Li Lu to promote church construction. The church tower was constructed with priority, so that in 1587, in the early summer of May, two huge bronze bells rang atop. Due to language problems, Padre Domingo changed Pu Li Lu to Polillo.

In 1942, the occupied by the Japanese Imperial forces landed in Polillo.

In 1945, the liberation by the Philippine Commonwealth troops of the 5th and 52nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army landed in Polillo we fought the battles against the Japanese forces in the Battle of Polillo Island during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.

In recent years, government-funded infrastructures were built and private investments in hotel, resorts, services and utilities increased.

The Azarias and Moperas are only some of most famous political clans of the town. Some of the more prominent residents are the Bernisca Family who owns many tracts of farmlands. Emil Sorro is the so-called "Zorro of Languyin".

The most well-known is the town's favorite son, the late Honorable Rafael "Raffy" Puchero Nantes - a former three-termer 1st District Congressman of Quezon (1998–2001, 2001–2004, 2004–2007) and Governor of Quezon Province (2007–2010). Governor Raffy P. Nantes, fondly called as "Kuya Raffy", died in a helicopter accident that crashed into two houses at Hael Subdivision 1, Barangay Iyam, Lucena City on Monday, May 17, 2010, about 3:15 p.m. He had just attended a regular weekly flag raising ceremony at Quezon Convention Center in Kapitolyo, Lucena City
Lucena City
Metro Lucena has an estimated population of 700,000 which is mostly concentrated in the flat south-central portion of Quezon, which includes the cities of Lucena and Tayabas, Sariaya, Candelaria, Lucban & Pagbilao . The people are often characterized as friendly and hardworking...

, Quezon
Quezon
-History:Originally, what now forms Quezon was divided among the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, and Nueva Ecija. The area was first explored by Juan de Salcedo in 1571-1572, during his expedition from Laguna to Camarines provinces....

, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

.

Fiesta Celebration

The town of Polillo is celebrating its founding anniversary every March 18 more than 400 years ago. The celebration last for at least three days. Starting from March 17, there are different celebrations held in the town proper including the "Gabi ng Parangal" - Coronation Night of the Town's Beauty, Binibining Polillo and all the ladies representing different barangays.

March 18 is the most awaited day of the celebration where a big parade can be seen by all the natives and guest. The "Parada" includes all the schools, NGOs, LGUs, all the barangay participants and more. The most awaited groups in the parade are the "Banda" - School Bands - from different schools and school levels. Celebration will continue until night fall with the "Sayawan" at the town plaza.

March 19 is the Feast of St. Joseph. the Patron Saint of the town. The celebration starts from a procession together with all the patron saints of all the sitios and barangays and all devotees of Saint Joseph. Many believes that this celebration of the Feast of Saint Joseph plays big part from the towns safety against nature disaster specially typoons. Devotees of St. Joseph now turns the old "St. Joseph Parish" into "Prelature Shrine of St. Joseph" as ordered by the Bishop of Infanta, Bp. Rolando J. Tria Tirona, OCD. DD. year 2010 under the leadership of Fr. Noe Ramos, former Parish Priest of the Town.

External links

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