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Marinduque - History
The island of Marinduque is known to have been first peopled by the Malays and the Mangyans. They were believed to be governed by the Bonbon settlement in Batangas, which was founded by the Bornean datus, Dumagsil and Balkasusa.
Legendary stories narrate that the original name of the island was “Malandik,” describing the gently slopping terrain of the island’s highest peak, Mt. Malandik. When the Spaniards came, they found it difficult to pronounce the word, so they called the island Marinduc. Through constant usage, Marinduc became Marinduque.
In 1571, Marinduque was appointed an encomienda under Dr. Pedro de Mesa. At about the same time, Christianity was introduced by Fr. Diego de Herrera. In 1590, the island was subsumed under the government of Mindoro. Nine years later, it became a province under the Philippine Republic. However, in 1902, all of Mindoro was annexed to Marinduque, and Marinduque to the province of Quezon. It was in 1920 when the province gained full provincial stature under Repuclic Act. No. 2280.
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