Lopez, Quezon


Lopez,, officially the Municipality of Lopez, is a municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the, it has a population of people.

History

There was a flourishing coastal settlement somewhere in the southern part of the municipality of Gumaca called Talolong. The settlement's name was derived from the name of the river that traverses the place.
The original location of the settlement was in the marshy mouth of a sedate river, which was founded by the descendants of Datu Dumangsil and Datu Balinsusa of the Kalilayan kingdom. Due to the frequent plundering and terrorism of the pirates, the colony was transferred to the present town's location.
The settlement of Lakan Bugtali who founded the community of Gumaca was gone. Even a trace of its remains cannot be identified neither the vintages of the encomienda of Kalilayan nor a fraction of its 16th century glories. When it became a sitio through a papal bull, the village started to manage by her own.

Spanish Era

In 1756, some people from the town of Mayoboc sought refuge in the sitio as they fled the Moro raid that burned the town to the ground. After sometime, some of them become discontented with the affairs of governing the sitio, went back to the original site of Mayoboc and again formed a settlement on an uphill portion, more suitable to guard against the Moro pirates. It later came to be known as Pitogo.
After 45 years of numerous petitions, Governor General Fernando Norzagaray in Manila approved to separate Talolong from Gumaca on June 30, 1857, during the Governorship of Alcalde Mayor Don Candido Lopez y Diaz. The town was named after him, Lopez. Don Antonio Olivarez was the first gobernadorcillo.

American era

On April 9, 1900, the townsfolks fled to the forest when the Americans arrived in Lopez. On December 14, 1900, other prominent townsfolks were captured by the Americans and kept in the convent. On December 17, 1900, they were brought to Atimonan. Those who were kept in captivity were freed on December 24, 1900.
During this era, reformation of the local government and public works were done such as waterworks and irrigation, railways, and road pavements. Public market and municipal hall were built. Real property tax and cedula have been introduced too.

Japanese occupation era

On December 24, 1941, the Japanese arrived in Lopez. The guerrillas called Vera's Party led by Gen. Gaudencio V. Vera kept the Japanese at bay. They hunted Japanese soldiers and collaborators.
On March 12, 1945, the town was liberated by the combined forces of Vera's Party and American forces. The town was reduced to nothing, but one house - which is the house of Ramon Mopera.

Post-war and independence era

After the war, Gen. Vera appointed Juan Tabien to lead the municipal government. The townspeople immediately began to rebuild their homes in the hope of restoring their lives during pre-war days.

Marcos' Dictatorship

The 80s was marked by political crises. The 1984 parliamentary election was noted for its violence, being described as the bloodiest in the community's history, resulting in numerous civilian and military casualties. The rise of the New People's Army during this period reflects the growing discontent and resistance among the populace during the Marcos dictatorship.
Mayor Nerio O. Ramos was assassinated and the wounding of Vice-Mayor Edgardo Gutierrez on July 22, 1985, by the NPA highlighted the escalating political violence.
The events leading to the 1986 People Power Revolution were characterized by widespread public unrest and calls for democratic reforms. The revolution ultimately led to the ousting of President Marcos and the establishment of a revolutionary government.

Post-People Power Era

Following the People Power Revolution, Corazon C. Aquino appointed Edgardo Ornedo as Officer-in-Charge of Lopez, marking a shift in local governance.
The inauguration of the Lopez-Catanauan Road by President Aquino symbolized the new government's commitment to local development.
In 1988, Dr. Joel E. Arago won the mayoral election, marking a significant political shift with a margin of over 10,000 votes. His administration prioritized infrastructure projects, including school buildings and community services, reflecting a focus on education and local welfare. He was re-elected in 1992 which made him the first mayor in Lopez to serve three consecutive terms, indicating strong public support.
Isaias B. Ubana II succeeded Dr. Arago and became the youngest municipal mayor at age 31 in 1998, implementing significant changes during his tenure. His administration focused on infrastructure, including the construction of new school buildings and health centers, enhancing local education and healthcare services.
He was re-elected multiple times, becoming the longest-serving mayor in Lopez, with a total of 15 years in office. His tenure saw the establishment of state universities, positioning Lopez as an educational center in Quezon Province.
On September 27, 2002, the NPA have attacked the police station which resulted to the deaths of 3 police officers and one police officer wounded. This attack underscored the prevalence of the rebel group in the municipality.
In 2016, Rachel A. Ubana became the first woman mayor of Lopez, continuing the legacy of her husband, Isaias B. Ubana II. Her administration aims to support community development and welfare through various projects and initiatives. The local government has focused on enhancing educational opportunities and infrastructure, building on previous administrations' efforts. The municipality's economy has shown growth, with significant annual revenue reported for 2023, indicating a positive trend in local governance.
In 2023, more than 1000 NPA members have surrendered to the authorities since Lopez was declared insurgent-free.
On June 30, 2025, Isaias B. Ubana II was re-elected as mayor after serving as a provincial board member during his wife's tenure.

Geography

Lopez is one of the largest municipalities in the province and has a total land area of 395.1 square kilometers representing 4.53% of the total land area of the province of Quezon. It is located in the southern part of the province, from Manila, east from Lucena, and 3 nautical kilometers to Alabat Island.
The terrain generally ranges from above sea level with rugged mountain areas. Coastal areas deviate from plain to hilly terrains. Rivers, streams and springs abound throughout the municipality, but the most prominent is the Talolong River.
It is bordered by the municipalities of Catanauan and General Luna on the south, Macalelon on the south-west, Calauag on the north-east, Gumaca on the west, Buenavista and Guinayangan on the east.

Barangays

Lopez is politically subdivided into 95 barangays, as indicated below. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Currently, there are 8 barangays which are classified as urban

Climate

Demographics

Settlement areas in the municipality are highly scattered; population concentration is noticeable only within the poblacion, that is, the urban barangays of Burgos, Danlagan, Gomez, Magsaysay, Rizal, San Lorenzo Ruiz and Talolong as well as the rural barangays of Mal-ay, Sugod, Pansol, Calantipayan, Manguisian, Del Pilar, Bebito, Canda Ibaba and Canda Ilaya which are traversed by the national highway. The rest of rural barangays are reached by other road networks which are accessible during dry and wet season. According to the 2007 census, it had a population of 86,660, a quarter of which are in the urban areas and the rest are in the rural areas. Males outnumbered the females at a ratio of 105.34 to 100. The population grew to 95,167 in the 2015 census.
Aldrin Ludovice Salipande reports that Inagta Lopenze is spoken in Villa Espina and nearby barangays in Lopez.

Religion

There are four parishes located in different parts of the municipality under the supervision of the Diocese of Gumaca.
Other places of worship:
Lopez had a labor force of 56.99% in 2000 or 44,849. About 9,474 of the employed labor force were engaged in primary industries such as farming and fishing. Its economy is basically engaged in agriculture, crops, poultry and livestock production. Around represent 45% of the total land area planted to coconut trees, 2,300 has. are established to rice production, 628 has. to corn harvest. Growing around are natural materials for handicraft such as wild vines, buri, anahaw, tikiw, bamboo, cogon and talahib. Several cottage industries exist in the locality such as bamboo furniture, bolo, baskets, rattan, anahaw and buri fan making, buntal and tikiw. It also has rich fishing grounds in the Lopez Bay area and a number of inland fishponds. Fish, shrimps, prawns, crabs and other sea products are abundant.
Rice is also a major staple crop, the municipality is also a major banana producer in the region. Other crops grown in the municipality are citrus, root crops, vegetables and industrial crops. Majority of the farmers are also raising livestock and poultry.