Mabitac, Laguna

Infobox Philippine municipality
infoboxtitle = Municipality of Mabitac


sealfile = Ph seal laguna mabitac.png locatormapfile = Ph_locator_laguna_mabitac.png caption = Map of Laguna showing the location of Mabitac.
region = CALABARZON (Region IV-A)
province = Laguna
districts = 4th district of Laguna
barangays = 15
class = 5th class; urban
founded = 1611
mayor = Gerardo C. Fader
pop2000 = 15,097
popden2000 = 240
areakm2 = 62.96
coordinates =
website = [http://elgu2.ncc.gov.ph/mabitac elgu2.ncc.gov.ph/mabitac]

Mabitac is a 5th class municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. It was the site of a battle in the Philippine-American War, when on September 17, 1900, Filipinos under General Juan Cailles defeated an American force commanded by Colonel Benjamin F. Cheatham. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 15,097 people in 2,990 households.

Mabitac was an excellent hunting ground for wild game three centuries ago. Native hunters used numerous cave-ins or trap-ins called "bitag" in the local dialect. Hence, the place was referred to as "Mabitag" meaning, a place with plenty traps.

Mabitac is situated on the eastern side of the province of Laguna, 54.68 miles from Manila using Rizal Province on a winding road, and 76.43 miles using the South Luzon Express, Calamba and Santa Cruz, Laguna. It has a total land area 3.912 sq. miles.

Barangays

Mabitac is politically subdivided into 15 barangays.

* Amuyong
* Lambac (Pob.)
* Lucong
* Matalatala
* Nanguma
* Numero
* Paagahan
* Bayanihan (Pob.)
* Libis ng Nayon (Pob.)
* Maligaya (Pob.)
* Masikap (Pob.)
* Pag-Asa (Pob.)
* Sinagtala (Pob.)
* San Antonio
* San Miguel

History

The first Spaniards who came to this place were the friars who established the first Spanish settlement in the area and began to Christianize the local population. The Spaniards, having difficulty in pronouncing the "G" consonant, called this place "Mabitac" whenever they mentioned this place. Eventually, the name found its way in the official records and maps of Laguna made by Spanish cartographers and mariners who chartered the coastal areas of Laguna de Bay.

This town was formerly a barrio of Siniloan, an immediate neighboring town. It became an independent municipality only in the year 1611, not by legislation, but by mutual agreement by and between the Spanish friars of both towns who were then the influential ruling class.

Japanese Occupation at Mabitac

In 1942, the occupied by the Japanese soldiers entered in Mabitac.

Liberation of Mabitac

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Mabitac (1945)
partof=World War II
date=1945
place=Mabitac
result=Filipino Victory
combatant1=PHI
combatant2=JPNIn 1945, we founded by the liberation in Mabitac entered to the Philippine Commonwealth troopstogether with the local guerrillas by fought the battles against the Japanese Imperial forces defeated by the victorious of the Filipino soldiers and local guerrillas beginning the Second Battle of Mabitac in World War II.

ee also

*Battle of Mabitac

External links

* [http://www.laguna.gov.ph/Articles/05_14_Mabitac.htm "Municipality of Mabitac", Province of Laguna Website]
* [http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/default.asp Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
* [http://www.t-macs.com/kiso/local/ 2000 Philippine Census Information]