Distrito de La Infanta was a politico-military district established during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines. Created in 1858, it was situated at the eastern coast of Luzon. It covers a portion of what was known as contracosta—the pueblo of Binangonan de Lampon and the islands of Polillo.
The capital of the district was located in Binangonan de Lampon, where the Political-Military Commander resided and exercised authority over the entire district.
All areas formerly part of the Distrito de La Infanta are now part of the Province of Quezon.
The district included both mainland and island territories:
• Mainland town (Binangonan de Lampon), which are today collectively referred to as Metro Reina—comprising the municipalities of Real, Infanta, and General Nakar.
On May 23, 1855, the alcalde mayor of Nueva Ecija wrote to the Gobernador General of the Philippines, proposing the division of the towns of contracosta to their respective provinces. He cited the considerable distances of these towns from their provincial capitals, which made it difficult for government authorities to effectively administer and promote development in the area.[1]
Tribunal Stamp of Infanta
Subsequently, on March 18, 1858, the Superior Government, under the direction of Governor-General Fernando de Norzagaray, issued a decree creating two military commandancies in the eastern Luzon. The first commandancy, El Príncipe, was carved out of territory that formerly belonged to Nueva Ecija. The second, La Infanta, was organized within the jurisdiction of La Laguna.[1]
Further administrative clarification came on July 2, 1858, with an agreement proposing to grant judicial powers to the commanders of both El Príncipe and La Infanta. This agreement was officially sanctioned by a higher decree on July 23, 1858.[2]
Interestingly, Felix Huerta's book Estado, refers to the creation of the district as having taken place in 1856.[3]
According to the Estado geográfico, topográfico, estadístico, histórico,[3] the District of Infanta occupies an estimated area of 1,900 square kilometers, encompassing within its jurisdiction the Polillo Archipelago, consisting of twenty-six islands. Though separated from the mainland district by a distance of approximately twenty-four miles, these islands are administratively attached to it.
The district is bounded as follows: to the north, by Nueva Ecija; to the east, by the Pacific Ocean; to the south, by the province of Laguna; and to the west, by both Laguna and Bulacan.
The population, at the time of reporting, does not exceed 9,000 inhabitants. Of these, approximately 8,700 are Tagalogs, while the remainder are Dumagat Negritos, indigenous peoples who inhabit the mountainous interior regions, particularly in the environs of Binangonan de Lampon. The Banatangan mountain range, running from west to south, forms a formidable natural barrier between Infanta and its neighboring provinces. The range is characterized by steep precipices, torrential ravines, and a complete lack of developed infrastructure. As of the date of the report, there exists no road worthy of the name. The only passage is a treacherous and rugged trail traversing deep ravines and fast-flowing rivers—some over twenty fathoms deep—making communication with the town of Siniloan (Laguna) extremely difficult and perilous.
Economically, the primary agricultural product of the district is palay (rice), while its principal industry is the distillation of nipa wine. On Polillo Island, there is limited timber exploitation, along with a more significant trade in balate (sea cucumber) and beeswax, both of which are found in relative abundance.
The capital of the district is Binangonan de Lampon, located approximately three kilometers inland from the coast. Here lies Puerto Real, a port of historical significance that, during the 16th century, was highly esteemed by Spanish galleons as one of the finest harbors for trans-Pacific communication with New Spain. Binangonan de Lampon and the town of Polillo, located on the island of the same name, are the only notable settlements within this modest yet strategically situated province.
According to an article published in El Estado on July 12, 1859[4]—, as well as reports from various newspapers of the time, the district capital, the town of Binangonan de Lampon, had undergone a complete transformation. What was once a disordered and forest-like settlement had been thoroughly renovated and systematically arranged to resemble a proper colonial town.
The streets, formerly irregular and overgrown, were neatly aligned, following a deliberate urban plan. Each plot of land was enclosed with elegant hedges made of mangrove wood, all constructed in uniformity according to an established model.
Significant improvements in local infrastructure were also noted. Sturdy wooden bridges had been erected to replace the former makeshift crossings made merely of coconut or palm trunks, greatly enhancing both accessibility and safety.
In the vicinity of Puerto Real de Lampon, extensive works were also carried out. These included land clearing, the systematic spacing of terrain, and the extraction of stone from nearby quarries as part of the Spanish colonial government's commitment to developing the eastern frontier of Luzon.
The Philippine Revolution, which erupted in August 1896, quickly spread beyond the central provinces of Luzon. By September 1896, signs of unrest had already reached the Distrito de La Infanta. During that month, Rafael Luna, the District Politico-Militar Comandante, issued a public announcement indicating concern over the presence of revolutionary activity in the area.[17]
"I consider it appropriate, in accordance with the rights granted to me by the Law for the surveillance of public order in this district while the current circumstances we are going through last, to grant broad powers and authorize the Reverend Parish Priest to represent me as a delegate of my authority of Polillo, Fr. Román Prieto, granting him the powers to dictate what they deem appropriate regarding the public order and tranquility of the neighborhood, and to act according to the rigor of the Law to those who fail in their duties and to the current institutions, being also authorized If there is a need to search the home of a neighbor, do so; and obey all your orders as my representative at said point, as if there were also any suspicious neighbor, you will have him arrested and taken to it conveniently; He may also, of course, in my name, suspend from his employment the Gobernadorcillo, Justice of the Peace, Senior Lieutenant and Heads of Barangay who he sees did not faithfully carry out the position he is required to perform, sending him at the same time imprisoned under my authority.
He will not give a written account of any matters he orders in the political-military sphere that I represent to inform my superiors. And for the record, I issue this power of attorney so that (no) neighbor of my civil authority and of the principality of that town may claim any ignorance, of not obeying my representative Reverend Parish Priest, in which case the rigor of the Law will be applied, that I am willing to do it.
Given in Binangonan de Lampón, on the twelfth of September, eighteen hundred and ninety-six.
RAFAEL LUNA. - There is a stamp to say Comandacia P. M. of La Infanta."
On July 4, 1898, in the town of Polillo, Filipino revolutionaries apprehended Father Félix Pinto, a Spanish priest, along with his coadjutor, Father Anastasio Gutiérrez. Later that month, on July 20, Pinto and Gutiérrez were taken to the district capital of Binangonan de Lampon. There, they were detained alongside other Spanish captives, notably Father Félix Ángel, and Father Eduardo de la Torre.[18] Additionally, members of the Spanish regiment stationed in the district were also held in custody.
Based on narrative of parish priest of Binangonan de Lampon at that time, Fr. Felix Angel, a teacher from Anoling reveals to him about the outbreak of the revolution, also revealing the names of those implicated in it. After the surrender, the entire town served a farewell dinner to the members of the detachment. They remained at Binangonan de Lampon until August 9 before heading to Malolos.[19]
The 20th of July, 1898, signified the end of Spanish colonial rule in the Distrito de La Infanta. In recognition of this momentous occasion, the main street of Binangonan de Lampon capital (now part of Infanta, Quezon) was named "20 de Julio"—a name that remains in use to this day, serving as a lasting tribute to the dates historical significance. For over four decades, the date was commemorated annually by the local community, with celebrations continuing until 1941.[20]
Though the names of many revolutionaries from the district have been unaccounted, a few individuals who have been identified in P.I.R. documents include:[21][22]
Following the end of the Philippine-American War and the establishment of American sovereignty, the new colonial administration undertook a reorganization of provincial and district boundaries.
One such change came with the passage of Act No. 417 by the United States Philippine Commission on June 11, 1902. This act formally dissolved the Politico-Military Districts of Infanta, as well as the administrative separation of the Islands of Polillo. These areas, once semi-autonomous under the Spanish colonial system—and whose status was retained during the Revolutionary Government and the First Philippine Republic—were annexed and reverted under the jurisdiction of the Province of Tayabas (now known as Quezon Province), effective June 12, 1902.[23]
Subsequently, on July 16, 1902, the civil commission approved a law changing the name of the town of Binangonan de Lampon, located in the Province of Tayabas, to Infanta.[24]
A fundraising campaign was organized among the residents of Distrito de La Infanta, in support of the Spanish war effort against the Moroccan Empire.[5]
January 10, 1870:
List of amounts donated to the Commission appointed to promote open subscription for the purpose of erecting a monument to perpetuate the memory of the illustrious patrician Don Simon de Anda y Salazar.[25]
Gaceta de Manila, January 13, 1870
1877:
There is still no royal house but the court, convent and church of stone, board and nipa have already been built.[26]
January 23-31, 1880:
Alfred Marche visited Binangonan de Lampon.
Antoine-Alfred Marche (1844–1898)
"The town of Binangonan de Lampon is the central point of the Contra-Costa, which has 10,000 inhabitants, 2,500 of whom pay taxes.
The main crops are rice and coconut oil, followed by cocoa and coffee. The latter grow on the edges near the huts."[27]
"Thanks to Commander Seco, I was able to conduct some anthropological studies; some Negritos summoned by him decided to let themselves be studied, and I took measurements of ten of them, men and women.
Small and stocky, these Negritos are generally brachycephalic; their lips, not pendulous, are rarely thick; their nose is flat along its entire length; their eyes are yellow-brown, and their ears, of average size, deviate only slightly from the head. Purebred subjects have little hair, and their frizzy hair is arranged in tufts.
Their only weapons are the bow and arrow. The arrow is made from the rib of a palm leaf and the arrow from a rattan. The point varies in shape and size; it is coated with a layer of very violent poison. A palm leaf rolled up on itself serves as a quiver.
As ornaments, they wear buffalo leather rings on their arms, through which they pass fragrant flowers."[27]
— Alfred Marche, Rapport General sur une Mission a la Presqu'ile Malacca et aux Iles Philippines
"...On the night of July 14, the first tremor, which was much, much more intense than in the capital, to the point that the inhabitants of Binangonan claimed to be the biggest they had felt since the year 63. That same night, until nine in the morning of the 15th, the shaking was repeated nine times. On the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th, the repetitions were so frequent that, according to several people assured us, not an hour passed without some commotion being felt, with the particularity that most of them were preceded by subterranean noise. Shortly after noon on the 18th, the great tremor occurred, which ended the one that caused all the damage to the buildings and accidents in the terrain of which we will speak later. After this, the earth ceased to move perceptibly until the 20th, when four more tremors were felt during the afternoon and night, and it was not possible for us to ascertain the precise hours, even though it is logical to suppose that they were the same as in Manila. The intensity of the tremors of the 20th was, according to those people, incomparably less than that of the 18th.
In the following days small unimportant shocks were felt with some frequency, which were weaker and weaker until they were completely extinguished.
On the island of Polillo, as the Governor of the district assured us, the only tremor on the 18th was felt, which caused slight damage to the church."[28]
— Jose Centeno y Garcia, Memoria sobre los temblores de tierra ocurridos en julio de 1880 en la isla de Luzon
December 22, 1880: Jose Centeno y Garcia arrived at Infanta District capital- Binangonan de Lampon.
"...at the time of our arrival at the Infanta (December 22) it is absolutely impossible to make the crossing (to Polillo) without imminent danger of shipwrecking.
Ruins of Binangonan de Lampon Church
The effects produced in the buildings by the earthquake of 18 in Binangonan were the following: the church, the tower and the convent, the only masonry constructions in the town, which according to what we were assured were not in good condition, they fell to the ground. The church had concrete walls and a nipa roof. The tower was entirely made of concrete, and the convent was made of concrete with a tile roof. The fall was total, especially that of the tower, whose foundations were 'removed' to the point of raising the ground that surrounded them.[28]
— Jose Centeno y Garcia, Memoria sobre los temblores de tierra ocurridos en julio de 1880 en la isla de Luzon
August 13, 1884:
It is known from a telegram received yesterday that the infantry captain who held that P.M. Command, D. José Nuñez y Nuñez, has died in Binangonan de Lampon (Infanta).[9]
August 23, 1884: La Oceania Española
By the Hon. Mr. Captain General, the infantry captain D. Juan Sierra has been appointed military-political commander of the Infanta district.[10]
June 18, 1891: La Oceanía Española
File promoted by several Barangay heads of the town of Binangonan de Lampon, head of the lnfanta district, requesting that a new town be created on the site of San Rafael or Puerto Real.[29]
1895:
File on the creation of a 2nd class assistant position for the girls' school in the town of Polillo, in the Infanta District[30]
July 11, 1896: El Comercio (Manila)
By the General Government, at the proposal of the General Inspection of Public Works, the following agreements have been signed:
Approving the budget presented by P. M. Comandante of La Infanta for the repair of schools at Binañgonan de Lampon for the amount of $281-87[31]
^
Astilla, Pablo (June 30, 1900). "Philippine Insurgent Records (PIR), AGO 331376, SD294.9" (Document) (in Spanish). National Library of the Philippines: NLP.
^
Astilla, Pablo (July 12, 1900). "Philippine Insurgent Records (PIR), AGO 460801, SD941.1" (Document) (in Spanish). National Library of the Philippines: NLP.
