General Luna, officially the Municipality of General Luna, is a 4th class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 24,804 people. General Luna is 110 km from Lucena and 240 km from Manila. It is named after Antonio Luna, the Commanding General of the Philippine Revolutionary Army.

History

General Luna is originally a sitio of Macalelon, known as Hingoso. Hingoso's name is derived from local folklore, where it is said that early coastal inhabitants would say “Hinging Suso”, a Tagalog phrase, before gathering edible shells called "suso" to prevent misfortune, and another tale attributes the name to a misunderstanding between a local carrier of "suso" and Spaniards, who later named the place as Hingoso. The mountainous region of Hingoso was once home to Aeta families, some of whom later settled in the lowlands as the first settlers. Before Spanish colonization, Visayan families from Simara Island, Romblon, were the first migrants, followed by kaingeros, loggers, and settlers from the Visayas, Bicol, and Marinduque, attracted by Hingoso’s vast forests. In 1929, seven residents of Hingoso met with Tayabas Governor Leon Guinto to ask for the secession of Hingoso from Macalelon. Finally, on November 1, 1929, Governor-General Dwight F. Davis issued Executive Order No. 207, creating the municipality of General Luna. The town initially composed of two barangays—Basyao and Kalanggan—out of the eleven sitios of Hingoso.

Geography

The town is located in the southwestern portion of the Quezon province, along the coast of Tayabas Bay. It is one of the twelve municipalities covered by the Bondoc Peninsula.

Barangays

General Luna is politically subdivided into 27 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Climate

Demographics

Economy

The economy of General Luna is heavily agricultural. There are two major economic activities in the municipality, which are farming and fishing.

Culture

The Buhay na Kubol is celebrated in the town every year during Holy Week. Residents act out the Stations of the Cross, with locals acting as Jesus Christ and other Biblical figures as a way of showing devotion. The sets are constructed by local artists. Self-flagellation using whips is also practiced as an act of penitence and to share in Christ's pain

Churches