Mulanay

Mulanay
Municipality

Map of Quezon showing the location of Mulanay
Mulanay

Location within the Philippines

Coordinates: 13°30′N 122°25′E / 13.500°N 122.417°E / 13.500; 122.417Coordinates: 13°30′N 122°25′E / 13.500°N 122.417°E / 13.500; 122.417
Country Philippines
Region CALABARZON (Region IV-A)
Province Quezon
District 3rd district of Quezon
Barangays 28
Government[1]
  Mayor Joselito A. Ojeda
Area[2]
  Total 420.00 km2 (162.16 sq mi)
Population (2010)[3]
  Total 50,826
  Density 120/km2 (310/sq mi)
Time zone PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code 4312
Dialing code 42
Income class 1st class; partially urban

Mulanay is a first class suburban municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 50,826 people.[3]

This place is situated on the Bondoc Peninsula; its geographical coordinates are 13° 31′ 20″ North, 122° 24′ 15″ East, and its original name was Malunay. Mulanay is about 100 kilometres (62 mi) south-east from Lucena City.

The town proper, with her plain landscape, is a coastal town facing the Tayabas Bay.

Barangays

Mulanay is politically subdivided into 28 barangays.[2]

  • Ajos
  • Amuguis
  • Anonang
  • Bagong Silang
  • Bagupaye
  • Barangay Poblacion 1
  • Barangay Poblacion 2
  • Barangay Poblacion 3
  • Barangay Poblacion 4
  • Bolo
  • Buenavista
  • Burgos
  • Butanyog
  • Canuyep
  • F. Nanadiego
  • Ibabang Cambuga
  • Ibabang Yuni
  • Ilayang Cambuga (Mabini)
  • Ilayang Yuni
  • Latangan
  • Magsaysay
  • Matataja
  • Pakiing
  • Patabog
  • Sagongon
  • San Isidro
  • San Pedro
  • Santa Rosa

History

A 10th-century burial site was discovered in the Kamhantik forest which signified an early settlement around the mountain.[4][5]

Some legends would relate Mulanay to have derived its name from the Tagalog word Malunay, which means "Plenty of Lunay". Lunay is the vernacular term for Pili wax, which was abundant in the area.

In 1600, Franciscan missionaries evangelized the area for the Roman Catholic Church. However, its civil foundation as a municipality effected only in 1745 thru the approval of the King of Spain as contained in his royal decree. This town at that time, encompasses the municipal territories of San Narciso, San Francisco, Catanauan and which if measured will be as big as the province of Bataan. The original town of Mulanay was composed of only six barangays.

The first town head of Mulanay during the Spanish regime was Alcalde Mayor Bustaquio Manlangit, while the first town mayor during the American occupation was Mayor Atanacio Ojeda. At present, Mulanay is composed of a total 28 barangays, four of which comprised the town proper.

Demographics

Population census of Mulanay
YearPop.±% p.a.
1990 38,606    
1995 43,617+2.31%
2000 45,903+1.10%
2007 48,538+0.77%
2010 50,826+1.69%
Source: National Statistics Office[3]

Local government

Town Hall and Rizal Monument

Elected officials 2013–2016:[1]

Attractions

Amuguis Falls
Amuguis Falls are located in Barangay Amuguis, Mulanay. With its own distinct and unique characteristics, waterfalls are undeveloped tourist destination. They are surrounded by forest trees and big rock formation where local folks usually go for picnics and gathering.
Malaking Bato
The century-old legendary boulder along the coast of Barangay Sta. Rosa which had been famous as a unique picnic spot among the residents and visitors alike.
Buenavista Protected Landscape
A protected area situated in Barangay Buenavista that preserves a major watershed forest.
Kamhantik Archeological Site
A thousand-year-old limestone-curved burial site of ancient people declared as a certified historical site by the National Museum of the Philippines. It is located within the Buenavista Protected Landscape.

Catanauan archaeology

Catanauan, Quezon is a coastal third-class municipality of the western Bondoc Peninsula, with the municipality of Mulanay on its south and southeast. It has coordinates of 13° 35′ 30″ N, 122° 19′ 30″ E, and its town has a total land area of 266 kilometers. Catanauan has a population of 57,736 people in 11,283 households (2000 Philippine Census). The town proper faces Mompog pass and Marinduque Island, and borders the municipality of General Luna in the north-west, the municipality of Buenavista in the north-east.

The archaeological potential of Catanauan was brought to light in 2006 when Mr. Deo Cuerdo, citizen and cultural advocate of the municipality, reported to the University of the Philippines Archaeological Studies Program (UP-ASP) and the National Museum, cases of accidentally uncovered archaeological materials due to development projects, earthmoving activities, and even illegal diggings. The reported archaeological materials were mostly of jar burials. As the site is very archaeologically rich, UP-ASP and the Australia National University have been conducting research and excavations in Catanauan through the Catanauan Archaeological and Heritage Project.[6] UP-ASP conducted a preliminary archaeological survey in 2008, and discovered three sites. Since then, there have been four excavation seasons in 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2012.

Sites

In the Catanauan excavations, there were three main sites; Napa site locality 1, Campo site, and Comiso site. Each contain their own distinct artifacts and discoveries.

Napa Site Locality 1

Napa Site (Code IV-2008-Q5) was the primary excavation site, containing multiple trenches along with 3 main assmeblages; SM1, SM2, and SM3, or “Stone Markers”. This is where most jar burials and tools were found.

Kampo Santo Site

This location, initially a 20th-century cemetery, was excavated with the hopes of discovering similar human remains, but unidentified markers were discovered, which purpose has not yet been determined.

Comiso Property Sites

This survey site was one of the earliest to be excavated and surveyed. Located in Brgy. Matandang Sabang Kanluran, this site was heavily stirred up and roiled by quarrying sand. It was later discovered that this was once also another burial site. It’s similarities though to other burial sites remain unclear.

Artifacts

Various artifacts have been excavated from Catanauan sites. These artifacts consists of burial jars, earthenware sherds, skeletal remains, and shell middens. In 2006, a sand quarry accidentally uncovered at least five jar burials containing human skeletal remains in Kanlagkit, Brgy. Matandang Sabang Kanluran. At least three sandpits were left partially open, with the backfill containing earthenware sherds and skeletal fragments (mostly long bone). During the 2008 excavation a shell midden was exposed. The area where local inhabitants dug up burial jars with human remains was abundant in limestone slab fragments, earthenware sherds, and human skeletal fragments. Below the discovered shell midden were a few shells and pottery. Even below that, two small, well fired reddish earthenware pot sherds were found. Some glass beads were also found. A child (neonate) burial was found inside a small earthenware pot 40 cm in diameter, with yellow glass beads buried along with it. Another burial (a female, from studying the pelvic bone) was discovered, and this had sherds from a small pot and a cylindrical artifact.[7]

Jar burials

The Napa site in Barangay Tuhian, Catanauan is a very significant place for archaeological research. Most of the jar burials found in Catanauan were recovered from this site. In the 2008 excavation, a lot of jar burials with their human remains were found in Locality 1, Napa site, specifically in trenches 4 and 6. The jars found were mostly earthenware. Different types of coral slabs and rocks served as jar covers. The jars were used for primary and secondary burials. Paz, et al. (2008)[8] inferred that people may have “went back to uncover the jars, take out the human remains in the jars, and when events dictated, a new body was placed in the old jar”. Some excavated jars were also used for child burials. Aside from human bones, different-colored glass beads, gastropods and fragments of metal were found inside the jars. Boat-shaped burial markers were also found in the site.

In 2010, more jar burials have been recovered as additional trenches were opened. One very distinct jar was the jar found in Trench 13 because of its unique features. It was the only jar from the site which had earthenware as its cover (Paz, et al., 2010).[9] It was oval-shaped and neonate remains were found inside it. Paz, et al. (2010) stated that as of 2010, there are 28 definite jar burials for the Napa site, and they are at least a thousand years old.

Comiso Property site is another jar burial site in Catanauan. It is less than 10 km away from the Napa site. Burial jar sherds and fragments of human remains were found on the surface of the site (Paz, et al., 2010). The jar burials were found under shell middens. However, unlike the jars in Napa site, there were no Chinese glass beads found in the Comiso site. This may mean that the Comiso site is older than the Napa site (Paz, et al., 2011).[10]

Heritage work

To facilitate several forms of public archeology and heritage work in the duration of the field season in the Napa site, crew members were oriented to always explain the significance of the archaeological project, at a community level and at larger scale of Philippine culture, to the community members and walk-in groups observing the excavation. The team also held day trips for student coming from different schools like Tayuman National High School, Busdak National High School and ASTI College, mostly coming from near cities and/or provinces. In addition, they updated the tarpaulin signages at the Locality 1 site, Napa site, that explains the study of archaeology and highlights of the findings so far.

The team also actively participated in the fiesta celebrations of Tuhian. As part of the celebration, the team is given a chance to explain to the public community what the project is all about. At the end of the season, the team mounted and left three panel exhibit of the results from the first season of excavation (2008). The exhibit explained what archaeology is, the findings and result of the project, and its significance to Philippine history and heritage. They made the exhibit movable so they can move it due to events and gatherings in the barangay.

References

External links

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