About:

The Municipality of Patnanungan is an island municipality located in the eastern portion of Quezon
Province. A hoe-shaped town, it forms part of the Infanta-Pollilo area in the 1st congressional district of
Quezon. It is a coastal area facing the Pacific Ocean, with various island and islet borders like Burdeos,
Quezon; Jomalig Island; Pollilo Strait; Lamon Bay, and Palasan Island.

Historical Background:

The island municipality of Patnanungan originated from the words “PATA” and “NUNGAN”. “Pata:
stands for hog and deer’s feet and “tanungan” (query). It is said that Patnanungan is once a wilderness
abundant in wild hog (baboy damo), deer (usa) and other wild animals. Early inhabitants hunted them
through the use of bow and arrows, dried the pork and venison and sold or bartered it to traders or
tourist travelling in “ Batil and Parao”. The hog and deer’s feet are the most popular and highly sought
by these visitors. Once a visitors sets foot on the island, his/her first remarks is “May Pata ba diyan?”.
The island became known “Tanungan ng Pata” or Pata-nungan and later shortened it to Patnanungan.

The Municipality of Patnanungan was formerly a barrio of Pollilo. Nobody live there then except wildlife
hunters or seafarers. During the second world war, people from Bicol, Pollilo, Perez and Infanta
discovered this place. A group of guerilla compose of natives of Bicol and camarines headed by
commander Turko lived there. The place frequently attacked by Japanese forees, but their quest were
always in vain even when the guerillas were only using bows and arrows with poison. Because many
Japanese were killed in the area the place was known to be called “Tibalao”. Years passed, Tibalao was
changed to “Patnanungan”. This name came from the word “patnaan”, due to the fact that the place
wsa very far from urban area, thus, whoever come to this place were. “para noong napapatna”. That’s
where the word “Patnanungan” was coined.

After second world war, the barrio of Burdeos in Pollilo became an independent town in time with the
change of the Province of Quezon instead of Tayabas. The barrio of Patnanungan was made apart of the
town of Burdeos. Patnanungan, although, an island which is distant from civilization soon developed,
increased population as well as its income. Because of this, Mayor Corona Ayuste of Burdeos requested
the separation of Patnanungan to Burdeos or to be independent of Patnanungan. But, as an amendment
to the said law, Patnanungan Nortewas made the seat of government. On January 27, 1963, the seat of
government was transferred to Patnanungan Sur.

Patnanungan is a former sitio of Kani-kanian, a seashore barrio of pollilo. It was transferred to burdeos
as a barrio when Burdeos became a separate town from Pollilo in the late 1940’s. On June 18, 1961,
under RA3373, authored by the Congressman Manuel S. Enverga, Patnanungan became one of the
municipalities in Quezon Province.

Geographic Location:

Patnanungan is within the typhoon belt making it one of the most vulnerable areas in the country.
Records in recent years show that the town has been struck by a number of storms leaving huge number
of casualties and vast amount of damage to properties. While the local government of Patnanungan
cannot change its geologic and geographic location, it can minimize the impact of disaster that will likely
occur in the area.

Major Income Sources: Agriculture, Fishing

Tourist Destinations: Lerias Beach, Minasawa Island, Minamata Island

Special Events/Festivals: Patnanungan Fiesta Celebration