Agdangan, Quezon

Agdangan is a 5th class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 11,164.cite web | url = http://www.census.gov.ph/data/census2007/index.html | title = 2007 Census of Population | publisher = Philippine National Statistics Office| accessdate = 2008-10-04] .

History

During the early 19th Century Spanish Colonial era, the Municipality of Atimonan, Tayabas (now Quezon Province)had been suffering from frequent attacks of Pirates and outlaws. A man from this place named Mariano Aguilar thought of moving to a better place to live and dwell with his family. He asked a good friend and distant relative, Juan Salvador to go with him and find a nearby place to settle for good. Along with their immediate families, they walked through the forest southwest bound until they found a river. While traversing the riverside, they found a scenic body of water which was best described as ladder-like as the waters run over ladder-like steps. They initially named the place Hagdan-hagdan (ladder-like structure). As they moved further west, they found a huge plane where they later established the town proper. They built houses for their families and divided the land area between their family members, relatives and friends. Before the end of the 19th century, this area was officially called Agdangan (from the word Hagdan-hagdan), a barrio of the nearby town Unisan, Tayabas.

As time went by, the two families realized that there was a pressing need to build a church, school building, marketplace, the government building and other facilities basic to the community. The Salvador family donated the site for the school buildings and the public cemetery while Aguilar family donated the lots for the Roman Catholic Church, the marketplace and the municipal building. The population grew bigger as a result of influx of people from nearby municipalities and provinces adjacent to Tayabas. The Philippine National Railways established a permanent train station which also contributed to the migration of people to this place. The family members of Mariano Aguilar and Juan Salvador, along with their friends and extended relatives again took proactive efforts to gain independence from Unisan and their actions led to foundation of the municipality of Agdangan, Province of Tayabas. The culmination of this endeavor happened on April 1, 1939 when President Manuel Quezon signed into a Law the creation of the Municipality of Agdangan, Tayabas. As of today, April 1 has been commemorated in honor of the town's foundation day and is commonly known as Agdangan Day.

President Quezon appointed Roque Aguilar as Mayor until the first election was held. The following year, Catalino Aguilar and Crispin Salvador were elected as Mayor and Vice Mayor respectively.

Government

Local Government Officials

*Mayor: Hon. Rhadam P. Aguilar
*Vice Mayor: Hon. Juancho S. Parafina
*Councilors:
**Arnold Par
**Alfonso Villaruel
**Gina Bartholomi
**Elmerto Lacuesta
**Gilberto Conchada
**Orlando Salvador
**Mario Salvatierra
**Macario Bacay

**Municipal Secretary - Maximo Salvatierra.

Barangays

Agdangan is politically subdivided into 12 barangays.

* Binagbag
* Dayap
* Ibabang Kinagunan
* Ilayang Kinagunan
* Kanlurang Calutan
* Kanlurang Maligaya
* Salvacion
* Silangang Calutan
* Silangang Maligaya
* Sildora
* Poblacion I
* Poblacion II

Notes

External links

* [http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/default.asp Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
* [http://www.t-macs.com/kiso/local/ 2000 Philippine Census Information]
* [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/agdanganin_kami/ agdanganin_kami@yahoogroups]