Marinduque

---

History

Legend has it that the island of Marinduque was formed as a consequence of a tragic love affair between two people: Mariin and Gatduke. Mariin’s father, a local chieftain, did not approve of this affair and ordered the beheading of Gatduke. Before this could be done, the couple sailed out to sea and drowned themselves, forming the island now called Marinduque.

During the Spanish and early American occupations, Marinduque was part of Balayan Province (now Batangas) in the 16th century, in the 17th century, and had a brief period as an independent province in 1901, when the Americans arrived.

During then Philippine-American War, Marinduque was the first island to have American concentration camps. Marinduque is the site of the Battle of Pulang Lupa, where 250 Filipino soldiers under Colonel Maximo Abad, defeated a smaller force of 54 American Infantrymen. Col. Abad surrendered in 1901.

Battle of Marinduque
Part of World War II
Date 1945 Location Marinduque Result Allied Victory
Belligerents
Philippines United States	Japan Imperial Japanese Army
Casualties and losses
18,700 killed 27,600 wounded	37,000 killed 43,000 wounded 8,000 captured

In 1902, the US-Philippine Commission annexed the islands of Mindoro (now two separate provinces) and Lubang (now part of Occidental Mindoro) to the province.

Four months later, the province became part of the province of Tayabas (now Quezon).

On February 21, 1920, Act 2280 was passed by the Philippine Congress, reestablishing Marinduque as a separate province.

In 1942, the Japanese Imperial forces landed in Marinduque.

In 1945, combined American and Philippine Commonwealth troops attacked from the Japanese Troops liberated to the Battle of Marinduque in the Second World War.