Panukulan
Panukulan derived its present name from the Tagalog word "Panulukan" which the early settlers (Dumagats) used to call the place at the corner of the Panangatan Point on the main island of Polillo.
In the early twenties, Panukulan was a barrio of the municipality of Polillo. Due to the heavy influx of settlers from the neighboring town of Infanta, the barrio of Panukulan, together with the barrios of Libo, Lipata and Calasumanga was converted into a municipal district on June 21, 1959 .The late Hon. Manuel S. Enverga, then the incumbent congressman of the First District of Quezon, sponsored and worked hard to have these barrios attain the status of a separate political subdivision.
History recorded that the early settlers of Panukulan were the Dumagats. They settled in this locality for a long time, living along the seacoast of the new poblacion. They planted root crops and hunted wild life for food, which were abundant in the area during those times. As years passed by, migrants from the neighboring towns of Infanta and Mauban, and recently from Bicol and the Visayan provinces settled in Panukulan.
The early settlers of Panukulan recalled that during the American regime, no foreigners ever visited the place. In the early twenties, however, Japanese settled in the vicinity of Hook Bay, now Barangay Bato, and operated a logging company. The people still remember that time when large ocean vessels docked on Hook Bay to load logs for export.
Before the outbreak of World War II, barrio schools were opened in Panukulan, Libo and Calasumanga. While the Japanese occupation saw changes in the economic and cultural life, the people did not suffer much during the war. In fact, people from the neighboring town of Infanta evacuated in the area, where they were aided by the guerrilla forces.
Past Municipal Mayors
Crispin A. Tena Aug. 28, 1959 - Dec. 31, 1971 (4 terms)
Landelino H. Pestañas Jan. 1, 1972 - Jan. 30, 1980 (2 terms)
Crispin A. Tena May 1, 1986 - Feb. 1, 1987
Landelino H. Pestañas Feb. 2, 1987 - Jun. 30, 1992
Eufemio P. Pujeda Jul. 1, 1992 - Jul. 30, 1995
Ronnie T. Mitra Jul. 1, 1995 &endash;2001