Alabat, officially the Municipality of Alabat (), is a 5th class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 15,936 people.
The name Alabat came from the local Tagalog word Alabat, meaning "balustrade".
The town is home to a few speakers of the critically endangered Inagta Alabat language, one of the most endangered languages in the world as listed by UNESCO.
Etymology
Long before the colonial Spanish, Japanese, or Americans set foot on Alabat Island, the mountains were already inhabited by the “Baluga” (aborigines). Nomadic by nature, they would clean patches of land, plant rice and vegetables and hunt. After harvest, they would migrate to another part of the forest and repeat the cycle. The elder of the community was their leader and adviser. During drought, they made temporary houses near the shore and used fishing as their primary means of livelihood.
Local folklore says that a Spanish priest from the mainland saw the Island from across Lamon Bay. He was curious as to what lay in that island and its inhabitants. The Spanish priest crossed the bay on the boat and founded a church at what is today barangay Gordon. The church today is underwater but the cross can still be seen.
The name Alabat which has been used as it is now, came from the word Alâbât (local Tagalog word for balustrade or balcony). The early inhabitants of this place made balustrades across their doors to prevent small children from walking out of the house or falling from the stairwells.
Local history says that a platoon of American soldiers came to Lupac after the Philippine independence to conduct a survey. They entered a native's hut and asked the person what the name of the place was. The owner of the house at that time was holding the balustrade that he was making. Unable to understand the English language, he thought they were asking what he was doing so the native replied alâbât! The leader took his diary and wrote the word A L A B A T without any accent.
Another local folklore says that the name 'Alabat' was from Muslim origins where Alabat comes from Allah-bat, and if the word is mixed up actually means bat-ala or bathala which is the local word for god.
But according to the RA 956, Alabat was founded on Oct. 23, 1903. Meanwhile, the legal basis of creation is May 15, 1900
The separation of Silangan (now Quezon) as an independent municipality was declared in 1914. This municipality was named in honor of President Manuel L Quezon. In 1929, the inhabitants of Sangirin (now Perez) clamored also for separation from Alabat. By the end of the same year, Sangirin was granted freedom and became an independent municipality named in honor of then Felimon Perez, who was the Governor of the Province.
Today, Alabat island is composed of 3 towns, Perez in the northern tip, Alabat town proper at the center and Quezon in the south. The town of Alabat saw new development in the early 21st century: a modern port was built to replace the old one, more paved roads are being constructed, telephone service, cellphone sites, wireless internet and local government projects to improve the lives of Alabateños.
Alabat, Quezon has been featured several times in various television programs in the country such as Tapatan Ni Tunyin, Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, Motorcycle Diaries and more, because of its natural beauty. In an article published in Inquirer, written by Lester Villegas Alabat, Quezon was dubbed as the "Hidden Paradise of Quezon Province".
Geography
Located centrally on the eponymous Alabat Island, It is between the Pacific Ocean and Lamon Bay, with good fishing grounds, fertile soil, wide plains and near to a river and safe landing shore.
Barangays
Alabat is politically subdivided into 19 barangays, 5 of which are urban and 14 rural. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Angeles
Bacong
Balungay
Buenavista
Caglate
Camagong
Gordon
Pambilan Norte
Pambilan Sur
Barangay 1 (Poblacion) Barangay 2 (Poblacion) Barangay 3 (Poblacion) Barangay 4 (Poblacion) Barangay 5 (Poblacion) Villa Esperanza Villa Jesus Este Villa Jesus Weste Villa Norte Villa Victoria