Mabitac, officially the Municipality of Mabitac (Tagalog: Bayan ng Mabitac), is a 5th class municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 21,275 people.[3]

Mabitac
Municipality of Mabitac
Hilltop view of Mabitac
Hilltop view of Mabitac
Flag of Mabitac
Map of Laguna with Mabitac highlighted
Map of Laguna with Mabitac highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Map
Mabitac is located in Philippines
Mabitac
Mabitac
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 14°26′N 121°25′E / 14.43°N 121.42°E / 14.43; 121.42
CountryPhilippines
RegionCalabarzon
ProvinceLaguna
District 4th district
FoundedJanuary 6, 1616
Barangays15 (see Barangays)
Government
[1]
 • TypeSangguniang Bayan
 • MayorAlberto S. Reyes
 • Vice MayorRonald I. Sana
 • RepresentativeMaria Jamina Katherine B. Agarao
 • Municipal Council
Members
 • Electorate16,183 voters (2022)
Area
 • Total80.76 km2 (31.18 sq mi)
Elevation
128 m (420 ft)
Highest elevation
726 m (2,382 ft)
Lowest elevation
−1 m (−3 ft)
Population
 (2020 census)[3]
 • Total21,275
 • Density260/km2 (680/sq mi)
 • Households
5,022
Economy
 • Income class5th municipal income class
 • Poverty incidence
2.99
% (2018)[4]
 • Revenue₱ 105.9 million (2020)
 • Assets₱ 140.9 million (2020)
 • Expenditure₱ 93.76 million (2020)
 • Liabilities₱ 41.27 million (2020)
Service provider
 • ElectricityFirst Laguna Electric Cooperative (FLECO)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
4020
PSGC
IDD:area code+63 (0)49
Native languagesTagalog
Websitewww.mabitac.gov.ph

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 many traps".

Mabitac is 30 kilometres (19 mi) from Santa Cruz and 76 kilometres (47 mi) from Manila.

History edit

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.

Mabitac 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.

World War II and Japanese occupation edit

 
Destroyed buildings in Mabitac (1945)

The Japanese occupation of the Philippines occurred between 1942 and 1945, when Imperial Japan occupied the Commonwealth of the Philippines during World War II. The invasion of the Philippines started on 8 December 1941, ten hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

In 1942, Japanese soldiers entered and occupied Mabitac. In 1945, the Philippine Commonwealth Army troops of the 4th, 42nd and 43rd Infantry Division and 4th Constabulary Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary together with the recognized guerrillas defeated the Japanese Imperial forces during the Second Battle of Mabitac.

Geography edit

Barangays edit

Mabitac is politically subdivided into 15 barangays:[5] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Climate edit

Climate data for Mabitac, Laguna
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 26
(79)
27
(81)
29
(84)
31
(88)
31
(88)
30
(86)
29
(84)
29
(84)
29
(84)
29
(84)
28
(82)
26
(79)
29
(84)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 22
(72)
22
(72)
22
(72)
23
(73)
24
(75)
25
(77)
24
(75)
24
(75)
24
(75)
24
(75)
24
(75)
23
(73)
23
(74)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 58
(2.3)
41
(1.6)
32
(1.3)
29
(1.1)
91
(3.6)
143
(5.6)
181
(7.1)
162
(6.4)
172
(6.8)
164
(6.5)
113
(4.4)
121
(4.8)
1,307
(51.5)
Average rainy days 13.4 9.3 9.1 9.8 19.1 22.9 26.6 24.9 25.0 21.4 16.5 16.5 214.5
Source: Meteoblue[6]

Demographics edit

Population census of Mabitac
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 1,052—    
1918 760−2.14%
1939 1,973+4.65%
1948 2,700+3.55%
1960 4,316+3.99%
1970 6,377+3.98%
1975 7,415+3.07%
1980 8,543+2.87%
1990 11,444+2.97%
1995 13,309+2.87%
2000 15,097+2.74%
2007 17,608+2.14%
2010 18,618+2.05%
2015 20,530+1.88%
2020 21,275+0.70%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[7][8][9][10]

In the 2020 census, the population of Mabitac was 21,275 people,[3] with a density of 260 inhabitants per square kilometre or 670 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy edit


Gallery edit

Notable personalities edit

  • Juan Cailles (born Juan Cailles y Kauppama; November 10, 1871 – June 28, 1951) was a Filipino of French-Indian descent. A member of the revolutionary movement Katipunan, he was a commanding officer of the Philippine Revolutionary Army who served during the Philippine Revolution and Philippine–American War. He later served as a provincial Governor of Laguna and a member of the Philippine Legislature.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Municipality of Mabitac | (DILG)
  2. ^ "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Census of Population (2020). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  4. ^ "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Province: Laguna". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  6. ^ "Mabitac: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  7. ^ Census of Population (2015). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  8. ^ Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  9. ^ Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ "Province of Laguna". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  11. ^ "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  12. ^ "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
  13. ^ "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
  14. ^ "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
  15. ^ "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
  16. ^ "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
  17. ^ "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.

External links edit