Catanauan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[1]

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please

help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced
material may be challenged and removed. (October 2012) (Learn how and when
to remove this template message)

Catanauan, Quezon
Municipality

Catanauan Town Hall

Seal

Nickname(s): Heart of the Bondoc Peninsula

Map of Quezon showing the location of Catanauan

Catanauan, Quezon
Location within the Philippines

Coordinates:

133530N 1221930ECoordinates:
133530N 1221930E

Country

Philippines

Region

CALABARZON (Region IV-A)

Province

Quezon

District

3rd district of Quezon

Founded

1700

Barangays

46

Government[2]
Mayor

Ramon A. Orfanel (LakasCMD)

Area[1]
Total

253.07 km2 (97.71 sq mi)

Population (2015)[3]
Total

71,073

Density

280/km2 (730/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Catanauanin

Time zone

PST (UTC+8)

ZIP code

4311

Dialing code

42

Income class

1st class; partially urban

The Municipality of Catanauan (Filipino: Bayan ng Catanauan) is a first class municipality in

the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 71,073
people.[3]
Contents
[hide]

1Geography
o 1.1Barangays
2History
3Demographics
4Local government
5Town fiesta
o 5.1Boling-Boling festival
6Catanauan Excavations
o 6.1Sites
6.1.1Napa Site Locality 1
6.1.2Napa Site Locality 4
6.1.3Kampo Santo Site
6.1.4Comiso Property Sites
o 6.2Jar Burials
o 6.3Artifacts
o 6.4Heritage Work
7References
8External links

Geography[edit]

The landscape of Catanauan 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.

Barangays[edit]
Catanauan is politically subdivided into 46 barangays.[1]

Ajos
Anusan
Barangay 1 (Pob.)
Barangay 2 (Pob.)
Barangay 3 (Pob.)
Barangay 4 (Pob.)
Barangay 5 (Pob.)
Barangay 6 (Pob.)
Barangay 7 (Pob.)
Barangay 8 (Pob.)
Barangay 9 (Pob.)
Barangay 10(Pob.)
Bolo
Bulagsong
Camandiison
Canculajao
Catumbo
Cawayanin Ibaba
Cawayanin Ilaya
Cutcutan
Dahican
Doongan Ibaba
Doongan Ilaya
Gatasan
Macpac
Madulao
Matandang Sabang Kanluran
Matandang Sabang Silangan
Milagrosa
Navitas
Pacabit
San Antonio Magcupa
San Antonio Pala
San Isidro
San Jose (Anyao)
San Pablo (Suha)
San Roque (Uoyon)
San Vicente Kanluran
San Vicente Silangan

Santa Maria (Dao)

Tagabas Ibaba
Tagabas Ilaya
Tagbacan Ibaba
Tagbacan Ilaya
Tagbacan Silangan
Tuhian

History[edit]
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, now
known as Naga City in the Bicol Region, 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.

Demographics[edit]
Population census of Catanauan
Year

Pop.

% p.a.

1990

48,019

1995

52,420

+1.66%

2000

57,736

+2.09%

2007

65,705

+1.80%

2010

65,832

+0.07%

2015

71,073

+1.47%

Source: Philippine Statistics Office[3]

Local government[edit]

Mayor: Nene Orfanel

Vice Mayor: Juaning Casal
Councilors:
Hon. Antonio Paterno "Tony" Avila, Municipal Councilo

Hon. John "Sir John" De Imus, Municipal Councilor

Hon. Rodolfo "Rudy" A. Orfanel, Municipal Councilor
Hon. Ederlinda "Edher" SR. Ramos, Municipal Councilor
Hon. Rolando "Boy" Custodio, Municipal Councilor
Hon. Michael Palermo, Municipal Councilor
Hon. Eufrocina "Baby" Dela Cruz, PPLB President, Municipal Councilor

Town fiesta[edit]
December 8 - immaculate conception church town fiesta

Boling-Boling festival[edit]

Immaculate Conception Parish Church

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 groups civic projects. BolingBoling 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 merrymakings 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.

Catanauan Excavations[edit]
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.[4] UP-ASP
conducted a preliminary archaeological survey in 2008, and discovered three sites. Since then, there
have been a total of 8 excavation seasons in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and most
recently in January 2016.

Sites[edit]
In the Catanauan excavations, there were 4 main sites; Napa site locality 1, Napa site locality 4,
Campo site, and Comiso site. Each contain their own distinct artifacts and discoveries.
Napa Site Locality 1[edit]
Napa Site (Code IV-2008-Q5) was the primary excavation site, containing multiple trenches along
with 3 main assemblages; SM1, SM2, and SM3, or Stone Markers. This is where most jar burials
and tools were found.
Napa Site Locality 4[edit]
Locality 4 is a second location close to locality 1 with four active trenches containing multiple jar
burials in very tight clusters, along with coral markers and lids scattered throughout.
Kampo Santo Site[edit]
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[edit]
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. Its similarities though to other burial sites
remain unclear.

Jar Burials[edit]
Catanauan, Quezon has been known for the numerous jar burials that have been recovered there.
Even before the recent excavations in the site, locals have already reported that some jar burials in
the site were uncovered through development projects, and that they were able to dig up a series of
jar burials with human remains. As the site is very archaeologically rich, the Archaeological Studies
Program of the University of the Philippines, Diliman and the Australia National University have been
conducting research and excavations in Catanauan through the Catanauan Archaeological and
Heritage Project since 2008.
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) [5] inferred that people 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).[6] 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).[7]

Artifacts[edit]
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 5 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.

Heritage Work[edit]
To facilitate several forms of public archaeology 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 signage 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.