pangasinan The name Pangasinan means "land of salt" or "place of salt-making"; it is derived from Pang/Bang

by: Kristine Sanchez
"Pangasinan" comes from the word asin meaning salt, and translates into "a place where salt
is made."  It refers to a province at the northern end of the Central Luzon plain.  Its shores
form a lap for Lingayen Gulf and its borders extend west-southwest to Zambales, south to
Tarlac, southeast to Nueva Ecija, and northeast to Nueva Viscaya, Benguet, and La Union.
"Pangasinan" also refers to the language, which is spoken along the central part in such
towns as Alaminos, Mabini, Sual, Labrador, Lingayen, Bugallon, Aguilar, Managtarem,
Urbiztondo, Binmaley, Dagupan, Calasiao, santa Barbara, Basista, Bayambang, Malasiqui,
San Fabian, Mangaldan, San Jacinto, Pozorrubio, and Mapandan.  Ilocano is the predominant
language in the western towns of Anda, Bani, Agno, Burgos, Dasol, and Infanta.  of Alaminos City in the Lingayen Gulf and is composed of some 123 islands, most of which are quite
(meaning place) and asin, (meaning salt in the Pangasinan language and many other related languages).
Banjarmasin in Indonesia and Toamasina in Madagascar both derive from the world (m)asin. The
province is a major producer of salt in the Philippines.
An ancient kingdom called Luyag na Kaboloan existed in Pangasinan before the Spanish conquest that
began on the 15th century. Princess Urduja, a legendary woman warrior, is believed to have ruled in
Pangasinan around the 14th century. The maritime trade network that once flourished in ancient
Southeast Asia connected Pangasinan with other peoples of Southeast Asia, India, China, and the
Pacific.
Pangasinan is famous for the Hundred Islands National Park. This is a marine park located off the coast
small and uninhabited.

"Pangasinense" or the "Oangasinan" refers to the people of Pangasinan.  In the Census of

1980, theirnumber stood at 1,636,057.  The same census reveals that there are 158,666 During the summer, several feasts and festivals are celebrated in Pangasinan, including the Fiestay
households which speak Pangasinan, 60,085 of which, or roughly 40%, are urban. Dayat or Bagat ed Dayat (Sea Feast), the Bangus (Milkfish), and the Mangga tan Kawayan (Mango
and Bamboo) festivals.

History
There are no conclusive data about the origins of the Pangasinense.  One theory hints Java
as a possible point of origin as the techniques of salt making in the northern coast of Java
closely resemble those of the Pangasinense.  These techniques were to make Pangasinan
the source of the finest salt in the Philippines (Cortes 1974: 24-25).
Other smilarities with Java are seen in the tools and methods of cultivation, such as the use of
the bamboo harrow and the peculiarly shaped scythe for reaping rice.  The manner of
venerating the dead finds parallels in Java.  The burial sites in Calatagan were evidently
refurbished regularly.  In Java, a yearly festival is celebrated by the living to honor the dead;
the day is passed in devotion on the burial grounds, which are strewn with flowers (Cortes
1974: 38).
Pangasinan is noted as the birthplace of President Fidel V. Ramos and Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. The
mother of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was from Binalonan, Pangasinan. The father of the late
actor and former presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. was from San Carlos City, Pangasinan. The
maternal great-grandfather of Jose Rizal, a Philippine national hero, was a Pangasinan lawyer named
Manuel Facundo de Quintos who was the gobernadorcillo of Lingayen in the 1850s. Jacqueline
Aquino Siapno, a professor from Dagupan City, is the interim first lady of East Timorand Lt. Gen. Jose
Mejia Calimlim, the Vice Chief of Staff of the Philippine Armed Forces, is from Mapandan,
Pangasinan..
The 1,200 megawatt Sual Coal-Fired Power Plant and the 345 megawatt San Roque Multi-Purpose
Dam are located in Pangasinan. Pangasinan has extensive areas devoted to salt making and aquaculture
along the coasts of Lingayen Gulf and South China Sea. Pangasinan is a major producer of rice,
mangoes, and bamboo crafts.

There is no doubt that Pangasinan had contact with ancient travellers, most especially the
Chinese, and it remains for some ancient manuscript to surface to describe the
relationsPangasinan had with the peoples inabiting the shores lapped by the South China
Sea.  In Agoo, now La Union but formerly Pangasinan, evidence of extensive commercial
intercourse with the Chinese and the Japanese abound.
Pangasinan occupies a strategic geo-political position in the central plain of Luzon, known as the rice
granary of the Philippines. Pangasinan has been described as a gateway to northern Luzon and as the
heartland of the Philippines.
Contents

Pangasinan is one of the biggest provinces in the Philippines and accounts for more than half
the populatio of the Ilocos region.  It is also one of the oldest and , during spanish times, ws [hide]
called "Caboloan" which derives from bolo, a type of bamboo, and literally means "a place
where bolo gorws."
 1 History
o 1.1 Ancient history
Back to top
o 1.2 Southeast Asian maritime trade network
o 1.3 Princess Urduja and Luyag na Caboloan
Religious Beliefs and Practices o 1.4 Religion before Catholicism
o 1.5 Spanish colonization
 1.5.1 Provincia de Pangasinan
The ancient pangasinense had an animistic religion which hadAma-Gaoley as the chief deity.   1.5.2 Rebellion against the Spanish rule
Lesser spirits or anito were responsible for a host of phenomena relating to the weather, plant  1.5.2.1 Malong liberation
growth, and good health, as well as protection of rivers, trees, and other sites.  Illness was  1.5.2.2 Palaris liberation
deemed as punishment for offending the anito.  This spirits were held in respect and o 1.6 Philippine revolution against Spain
deference. o 1.7 American colonization
o 1.8 World War II and the Japanese rule
o 1.9 Philippine Republic
There was extensive use of charms for varied purposes, from warding off evil sprits to
bringing good luck.  Rituals were presided over by managanito, priestesses who invoke  1.9.1 National
oracles and idols, interpreted dreams and omens, and divine propritious times for endeavors.   1.9.1.1 1946-1986
 1.9.1.2 1986-present
 1.9.1.3 Governors of Pangasinan
Despite initial difficulties in evangelizing the pangasinense, the dominicans eventually  2 Geography
secured a tool hold for catolicism in the province. Today, pangasinan is a bastion of o 2.1 Political
catholocism in the country. Revolts against spanish authorities invariably spared the priests  2.1.1 Cities
and other religious, proof of the religiousity of the pangasinense. Other sects such as the  2.1.2 Municipalities
Philippine Indedependent church, the Iglesia ni Kristo, and the various protestant o 2.2 Physical
denominations have their adherence among residence of Ilokano descent, but rarely among  3 Economy
those of Pangasinense descent. o 3.1 Energy
o 3.2 Marine
o 3.3 Agriculture
An important Marian image is the Virgin Dolorosa of Mangatarem, which is housed in a
private home. The virgin is believed to have protected the townspeople from the vicissitudes o 3.4 Financial
of war. The sash of the Virgin is also borrowed from time to time by pregnant women who o 3.5 Labor
wear it on their last week of pregnancy to ensure safe delivery. o 3.6 Investment
 4 Demographics
o 4.1 Population
Back to top o 4.2 Health and education
 5 Culture
o 5.1 Language
Visual Arts and Crafts
o 5.2 Religion
o 5.3 Media and internet
Pangasinan abounds in handicrafts and is famous for bamboo and rattan artifacts. There are o 5.4 Sports and entertainment
also handicrafts made of marsh grasses. A familiar sight down Central Luzon after harvest  6 Places of interest
time are the bullock caravans originating from Pangasinan laden with bamboo, rattan, and o 6.1 Tourist attractions
grass crafts, including chairs, tables, hampers, baskets, lamps, mats, and household bric-a- o 6.2 Others
brac. Binalatongan (now San Carlos City) and Calasiao are known for bamboocraft that have  7 2010 local elections
been exported abroad.  8 See also
 9 References
 10 External links
Village artist have also made six murals in the Manaoag Cathedral depicting the legend of the
Virgin of Manaoag, from her fist appearance to a farmer to a varius miraculous events that
followed the visitation, such as the time when the Manaoag Church burned down and the
image remained unscathed.
[edit] History
Pangasinan had its share of prominent visual artist, the most accomplished of whom is the
late Victorio C. Edades, who instrumental in pioneering modernism in Philippine art. In 1976
[edit] Ancient history
Edades became a National Artist for having changed the direction of Philippine painting
(Cortes 1990b: 165-166).

Pangasinan is a province of the Republic of the Philippines. The provincial capital is Lingayen.
Pangasinan is located on the west central area of the island of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf, with the
total land area being 5,368.82 square kilometers (3336.030 sq mi). According to the latest census, it has
a population of 2,645,395 people in 477,819 households. The total population is projected to rise to
3,039,500 in 2010.[1] According to the 2007 Philippine general elections, Pangasinan has a voting
population of 1,360,807, which is the second highest in the Philippines.
The Pangasinan people, like most of the people in the Malay Archipelago, are descended from the
Austronesian-speakers who settled in Southeast Asia since prehistoric times. Genetic studies locate the
origin of the Austronesian languages in Sundaland, which was populated as early as 50,000 years ago
by early humans who migrated from Africa through India.[2][3] The Pangasinan language is one of many
languages that belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian languages branch of the Austronesian languages
family.

[edit] Southeast Asian maritime trade network

The Pangasinan language is the primary language in Pangasinan. The estimated population of the
indigenous speakers of this language is about 1.5 million.
The ancient Malayo-Polynesian-speakers were expert navigators who had sailing ships capable of
crossing the distant seas. The ancient Malagasy sailed from the Malay archipelago to Madagascar, an
island across the Indian Ocean, and probably reached Africa. The ancient Polynesians navigated the
distant Pacific islands as far away as Hawaii and Easter Island, and probably also reached America. At
least several hundred years before the arrival of Europeans, the Makasar and the Bugis from Sulawesi,
in what is now Indonesia, as well as the Bajau of the Malay archipelago, sailed with their prau and
established settlements in north Australia, which they called Marege.
A vast maritime trade network connecting the distant Malayo-Polynesian settlements from the Pacific
to the Indian Ocean existed in ancient times. The Pangasinan people were part of this maritime trade
network that connected the ancient Malayo-Polynesian civilization.
Pangasinan was founded by Malayo-Polynesian settlers in ancient times who established settlements
along the Agno River and the Lingayen Gulf. Archaeological evidence and early Chinese and Indian
records show that the inhabitants of Pangasinan traded with India, China and Japan in as early as the
8th century A.D.
[edit] Princess Urduja and Luyag na Caboloan
The Srivijaya and Majapahit empires arose in Indonesia and their influence extended to much of the
Malay Archipelago. Pangasinan probably maintained ties with the other peoples of the Malay
Archipelago through the vast maritime trade network that once flourished in ancient Southeast Asia.
An ancient kingdom called Luyag na Kaboloan once existed in Pangasinan. Luyag na Kaboloan was
located in the Agno River valley and the Pangasinan Plain with Binalatongan as its capital. Princess
Urduja, a legendary woman warrior, is believed to have ruled in Pangasinan around the 14th century.
The legend of Urduja is shared by the Ibaloi people in the northern province of Benguet. Most likely,
the Pangasinan people and the Ibaloi people were once united or had a common origin. Pangasinan
enjoyed full independence before the Spanish conquest.
[edit] Religion before Catholicism
The ancient Pangasinan people, like other Austronesian peoples, believed in mana, and practiced
Shamanist or animist beliefs and rituals before the Spanish conquest. The people of Pangasinan
maintained this set of beliefs and rituals through priests, priestesses, and healers who represented a
pantheon of anitos ("deities"). Their temples or altars were dedicated to an anito called Ama Kaoley
(Supreme Father) who communicated through mediums called manag-anito. These mediums wore
special costumes when serving an anito and they made offerings of oils, ointments, essences, and
perfumes in exquisite vessels; after the offerings were made, the anito is supposed to reply in a secret
room to their questions.
[edit] Spanish colonization
On April 27, 1565, the Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi arrived in the Philippine islands
with about 500 soldiers to establish a Spanish settlement and begin the conquest of the archipelago. On
May 24, 1570, the Spanish forces defeated Rajah Sulayman and other rulers of Manila and later
declared Manila as the new capital of the Spanish East Indies. After securing Manila, the Spanish
forces continued to conquer the rest of the island of Luzon, including Pangasinan.
[edit] Provincia de Pangasinan
In 1571, the Spanish conquest of Pangasinan began with an expedition by the Spanish conquistador
Martín de Goiti, who came from the Spanish settlement in Manila through Pampanga. About a year
later, another Spanish conquistador, Juan de Salcedo, sailed to Lingayen Gulf and landed at the mouth
of the Agno River. Limahong, a Chinese pirate, fled to Pangasinan after his fleet was driven away from
Manila in 1574. Limahong failed to establish a colony in Pangasinan, as an army lead by Juan de
Salcedo chased him out of Pangasinan after a seven-month siege.
By 1580, Pangasinan was made into an "Alacadia Mayor" by the Spanish Governor of the Philippines.
Roman Catholic Augustinian, Franciscan, and Dominican missionaries arrived with the conquistadors
and most of the inhabitants of Pangasinan converted to Roman Catholicism. In 1611, Pangasinan
became a Spanish colonial province, comprising the territories of Zambales and some areas of La
Union and Tarlac. Lingayen was made the capital of the province (and still is to this day). Continued
resistance to Spanish rule was forced to go underground or flee to the mountains.
[edit] Rebellion against the Spanish rule
[edit] Malong liberation
Andres Malong, a native chief of the town of Binalatongan (now named San Carlos City), liberated the
province from Spanish rule in December 1660. The people of Pangasinan proclaimed Andres Malong
Ari na Pangasinan ("King of Pangasinan"). Pangasinan armies attempted to liberate the neighboring
provinces of Pampanga and Ilocos, but were repelled by a Spanish-led coalition of loyalist tribal
warriors and mercenaries. In February 1661, the newly independent Kingdom of Pangasinan fell to the
Spanish.
[edit] Palaris liberation
On November 3, 1762, the people of Pangasinan proclaimed independence from Spain after a rebellion
led by Juan de la Cruz Palaris overthrew Spanish rule in Pangasinan. The Pangasinan revolt was
sparked by news of the fall of Manila to the British on October 6, 1762. However, after the Treaty of
Paris on March 1, 1763 that closed the Seven Years' War between Britain, France and Spain, the
Spanish colonial forces made a counter-attack. On January 16, 1765, Juan de la Cruz Palaris was
captured and Pangasinan independence was again lost.
[edit] Philippine revolution against Spain
Main article: Philippine Revolution Against Spain
The Katipunan, a nationalist secret society, was founded on July 7, 1892 with the aim of uniting the
peoples of the Philippines and fighting for independence and religious freedom. The Philippine
Revolution began on August 26, 1896 and was led by Andres Bonifacio, the leader of the Katipunan.
On November 18, 1897, a Katipunan council was formed in western Pangasinan with Roman
Manalang as Presidente Generalisimo and Mauro Ortiz as General. General Emilio Aguinaldo
proclaimed Philippine independence on June 12, 1898. Dagupan City, the major commercial center of
Pangasinan, was surrounded by Katipunan forces by July 18, 1898. The Battle of Dagupan lasted from
July 18 to July 23 of that year with the surrender of 1,500 soldiers of the Spanish forces under
Commander Federico J. Ceballos and Governor Joaquin de Orengochea.
The Battle of Dagupan, fought fiercely by local Katipuneros under the overall command of General
Francisco Makabulos, chief of the Central and Directive Committee of Central and Northern Luzon,
and the last remnants of the once mighty Spanish Army under General Francisco Ceballos, led to the
liberation of Pangasinan from the Spaniards. The five-day battle was joined by three local heroes: Don
Daniel Maramba from Santa Barbara, Don Vicente Prado from San Jacinto and Don Juan Quezada
from Dagupan. Their armies massed in Dagupan to lay siege on the Spanish forces, making a last stand
at the brick-walled Catholic Church.
Maramba led the liberation of the town of Santa Barbara on March 7, 1898 following a signal for
simultaneous attack from Makabulos. Hearing that Sta. Barbara fell into rebel hands, the Spanish forces
in Dagupan attempted to retake the town, but were repulsed by Maramba's forces. Thus, after the
setback, the Spaniards decided to concentrate their forces in Lingayen to protect the provincial capital.
This enabled Maramba to expand his operations to Malasiqui, Urdaneta and Mapandan, taking them
one after the other. He took one more town, Mangaldan, before proceeding to Dagupan to lay siege on
the last Spanish garrison. Also on March 7, 1898, the rebels under the command of Prado and Quesada
attacked convents in a number of towns in Zambales province, located west of Lingayen, which now
constitute the western parts of Pangasinan.
Attacked and brought under Filipino control were Alaminos, Agno, Anda, Alos, Bani, Balincaguin,
Bolinao, Dasol, Eguia and Potot. The revolt then spread to Labrador, Sual, Salasa and many other
towns in the west. The towns of Sual, Labrador, Lingayen, Salasa and Bayambang were occupied first
by the forces of Prado and Quesada before they proceeded to attack Dagupan.
At an assembly convened to organize a central governing body for Central and Northern Luzon on
April 17, 1898, General Makabulos appointed Prado as politico-military governor of Pangasinan, with
Quesada as his second in command. His appointment came a few days before the return of General
Emilio Aguinaldo in May 1898 from his exile in Hongkong following the signing of the Pact of Biac-
na-Bato in December 1897. Aguinaldo's return gave fresh impetus to the renewal of the flame of the
revolution. Thus, on June 3, 1898, General Makabulos entered Tarlac and from that day on, the fires of
revolution spread.
So successful were the Filipinos in their many pitched battles against the Spaniards that on June 30,
1898, Spanish authorities decided to evacuate all their forces to Dagupan where a last stand against the
rebels was to be made. Also ordered to go to Dagupan were all civilian and military personnel,
including members of the volunteer locales of towns not yet in rebel hands. Those who heeded this
order were the volunteer forces of Mangaldan, San Jacinto, Pozorrubio, Manaoag, and Villasis. Among
those brought to Dagupan was the image of the Most Holy Rosary of the Virgin of Manaoag, which at
that time was already the patron saint of Pangasinan.
When the forces of Maramba from the east and Prado from the west converged in Dagupan on July 18,
1898, the siege began. The arrival of General Makabulos strengthened the rebel forces until the
Spaniards, holed up inside the Catholic Church, waved the flag of surrender five days later. Armed
poorly, the Filipinos were no match at the very start with Spanish soldiers holed inside the Church.
They just became mere sitting ducks to Spanish soldiers shooting with their rifles from a distance. But
the tempo of battle changed when the attackers, under Don Vicente Prado, devised a crude means of
protection to shield them from Spanish fire while advancing. This happened when they rolled trunks of
bananas, bundled up in sawali, that enabled them to inch their way to the Church.
[edit] American colonization
Pangasinan and other parts of the Spanish East Indies were ceded to the Americans after the Treaty of
Paris that closed the Spanish-American War. During the Philippine-American War, General Jose
Torres Bugallon from the town of Salasa fought together with General Antonio Luna to defend the First
Philippine Republic against American colonization of Northern Luzon. Bugallon was killed in battle on
February 5, 1899. The First Philippine Republic was abolished on 1901. In 1907, the Philippine
Assembly was established and for the first time, five residents of Pangasinan were elected as its district
representatives. In 1921, Mauro Navarro, representing Pangasinan in the Philippine Assembly,
sponsored a law to rename the town of Salasa to Bugallon in order to honor General Bugallon.
[edit] World War II and the Japanese rule
Main article: Invasion of Lingayen Gulf
Battle of Pangasinan
Part of World War II
Date 1945
Location Pangasinan
Result Allied Victory
Belligerents
Philippine Commonwealth
United States Japan
Australia
Lingayen Gulf was one of the strategic places during the Second World War. Japanese forces under
Gen. Masaharu Homma landed on the shores of Pangasinan in December 1941, a few days after the
attack on Pearl Harbor, and started the Japanese occupation of the country. In 1945, during the Battle
of Pangasinan from the combined Filipino and U.S. Troops, American troops landed on the beaches of
Pangasinan and joined Pangasinese guerrillas together with the Philippine Commonwealth troops to
free Luzon from the Japanese.
[edit] Philippine Republic
[edit] National
[edit] 1946-1986
After the declaration of Independence in Manila on July 4, 1946, Eugenio Perez, a Liberal Party
congressman representing the fourth district of Pangasinan, was elected Speaker of the lower
Legislative House. He led the House until 1953, when the Nacionalista Party became the dominant
party.
Pangasinan, which was historically part of the Central Luzon region, was made part of the Ilocos
Region (or Region I) in the gerrymandering of the Philippines by Ferdinand Marcos, despite the fact
that Pangasinan has a distinct primary language, which is Pangasinan. The classification of Pangasinan
as part of the Ilocos Region has generated confusion among some Filipinos, due to the mistaking that
all or most of the residents of Pangasinan are Ilocanos. Many Pangasinans object to the national
government's classification of Pangasinan in the Ilocos Region since Pangasinan has a distinct primary
language, its economy is bigger than all the Ilocos provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and La Union,
and its population is more than 50 percent of the population of Region 1. Some Pangasinans have
proposed using the term Northwestern Luzon Region, which is a term based on a geographic concept.
[edit] 1986-present
In February 1986, Vice Chief of Staff General Fidel V. Ramos, head of the Philippine Integrated Bayambang 1st Class 3rd 103,145 144
National Police and a native of Lingayen, Pangasinan, became one of the instrumental figures of the
EDSA people power revolution that led to the overthrow of President Ferdinand Marcos.
Binalonan 1st Class 5th 52,722 48
After the downfall of Marcos, all local government unit executives in the Philippines were ordered by
President Corazon Aquino to vacate their posts. Some local executives were ordered to return to their Binmaley 1st Class 2nd 76,214 119
seats as in the case of Mayor Ludovico Espinosa of Dasol, where he claims he joined the UNIDO, Mrs.
Aquino's party during the height of the EDSA Revolution. Fidel Ramos was appointed as AFP Chief of
Staff and later as Defense Secretary replacing Juan Ponce Enrile. Oscar Orbos, a congressman from Bolinao 1st Class 1st 69,568 197
Bani, Pangasinan, was appointed by Aquino as head of the Department of Transportation and
Communications and later as Executive Secretary.
Bugallon 2nd Class 2nd 62,237 190

On May 11, 1992, Fidel V. Ramos ran for the position of President. He was elected and became the
first Pangasinan President of the Philippines. Through his leadership, the Philippines recovered from a Burgos 4th Class 1st 20,187 131
severe economy after the oil and power crisis of 1991. His influence also sparked the economic growth
of Pangasinan when it hosted the 1995 Palarong Pambansa (Philippine National Games).
Calasiao 1st Class 3rd 85,419 48

Jose de Venecia, who represented the same district as Eugenio Perez, was the second Pangasinan to be
Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1992. He was reelected for the same position in 1995. De Dasol 3rd Class 1st 27,027 167
Venecia was selected by the Ramos' administration party Lakas NUCD to be its presidential candidate
in 1998. De Venecia ran but lost to Vice President Joseph Estrada. Oscar Orbos, who served as
Pangasinan governor from 1995, ran for Vice President, but lost to Senator Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Infanta 3rd Class 1st 23,731 254
whose mother, former First Lady Evangelina Macaraeg-Macapagal, hails from Binalonan, Pangasinan.

Labrador 4th Class 2nd 20,508 91

Arroyo later ascended to the presidency after the second EDSA Revolution when President Joseph
Estrada was overthrown.
Laoac 4th Class 5th 28,266 41

On May 2004, actor-turned-politician Fernando Poe, Jr., whose family is from San Carlos City,
Pangasinan, ran for President against incumbent Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the Philippine Lingayen 1st Class 2nd 95,773 63
general election in 2004. The Pangasinan vote was almost evenly split by the two presidential
candidates who both have Pangasinan roots. Arroyo was elected President, but her victory was tainted
by charges of electoral fraud and vote-buying. Mabini 3rd Class 1st 23,338 291

The state of crisis of the national government in Manila, corruption in Malacanang, widespread Malasiqui 1st Class 3rd 122,820 131
poverty, and the slow pace of economic development is forcing many Pangasinans to seek
opportunities in Metro Manila, work in other countries or emigrate to wealthier countries, like the
United States. Manaoag 1st Class 4th 62,684 56

Mangaldan 1st Class 4th 90,391 48

[edit] Governors of Pangasinan

Mangatarem 1st Class 2nd 65,366 318

Among those who served as governors include Tito Primicias, Vicente Millora and Daniel Maramba.

Mapandan 3rd Class 3rd 32,905 30

 Aguedo Agbayani (1972–1986)
 Demetrio Demetria (1986–1988)
 Rafael Colet (1988–1992) Natividad 4th Class 6th 21,560 134
 Aguedo Agbayani (1992–1995)
 Oscar Orbos (1995–1998)
 Victor Agbayani (1998–2007) Pozorrubio 1st Class 5th 63,689 135
 Amado Espino Jr. (2007–Present)
Rosales 1st Class 6th 57,702 66
[edit] Geography
San Fabian 1st Class 4th 74,005 81
[edit] Political
San Jacinto 3rd Class 4th 35,591 44

The province of Pangasinan is subdivided into 44 municipalities, 4 cities, 1,364 barangay (which
means "villages"), and 6 congressional districts. San Manuel 1st Class 6th 46,769 129

The capital of Pangasinan is Lingayen. San Nicolas 1st Class 6th 33,419 210

[edit] Cities San Quintin 3rd Class 6th 30,556 116

City Income Class District Population (2007) Area (km²)
Santa Barbara 1st Class 3rd 73,025 61
Alaminos City 4th class, component[4] 1st 79,788 164
Santa Maria 4th Class 6th 30,721 70
Dagupan City 1st class, independent component 4th 149,554 37
Santo Tomas 5th Class 5th 13,706 13
San Carlos City 3rd class, component 3rd 161,884 169
Sison 3rd Class 5th 42,791 82
Urdaneta City 2nd class, component 5th 120,785 100
Sual 1st Class 1st 29,925 130

[edit] Municipalities Tayug 3rd Class 6th 37,954 51

Municipality Income Class District Population (2007) Area (km²)
Umingan 1st Class 6th 62,497 258
Agno 3rd Class 1st 26,023 170
Urbiztondo 3rd Class 2nd 43,430 82
Aguilar 3rd Class 2nd 36,564 195
Villasis 1st Class 5th 56,668 76
Alcala 3rd Class 5th 38,934 46

Anda 3rd Class 1st 34,398 75 [edit] Physical

Asingan 2nd Class 6th 54,092 67 Pangasinan is located on the west central area of the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Pangasinan
borders La Union and Benguet to the north, Nueva Vizcaya and Nueva Ecija to the east, and Zambales
and Tarlac to the south. To the west of Pangasinan is the South China Sea. The province also encloses
Balungao 4th Class 6th 25,214 73 the Lingayen Gulf.

Bani 2nd Class 1st 45,652 180 The land area of Pangasinan is 5,368.82 square kilometers (3336.030 sq mi). The province is 170
kilometers (105.633 mi) north of Manila, 50 kilometers (31.0685 mi.) south of Baguio City, 115
kilometers (71.4576 mi.) north of Subic International Airport and Seaport, and 80 kilometers
Basista 4th Class 2nd 28,104 24 (49.7096 mi.) north of Clark International Airport.

Bautista 4th Class 5th 28,094 46 [edit] Economy

Commercial Salt Industry in Dasol Pangasinan has 51 hospitals and clinics and 68 rural health units (as of July 2002). Although some
residents go to Manila and the United States for extensive medical tests and treatment, most
Pangasinenses go to the medical centers in the cities of Dagupan, San Carlos City, and Urdaneta.
Pangasinan has export earnings of around $5.5 million.

[edit] Culture
[edit] Energy

The culture of Pangasinan is a blend of the indigenous Malayo-Polynesian and western Hispanic and
American cultures, with some Indian and Chinese influences. Today, Pangasinan is very much
The 1200 megawatt Sual Coal-Fired Power Plant, 345 megawatt San Roque Multi-Purpose Dam, and
westernized. The main centers of Pangasinense culture are Lingayen, San Carlos City, Dagupan, and
the Northern Cement Corporation are all located in Pangasinan.
Manaoag.

[edit] Marine
[edit] Language
Main articles: Pangasinan language, Ilocano language, and Bolinao language
Pangasinan is a major fish supplier in Luzon, and a major producer of salt in the Philippines. It has
extensive fishponds, mostly for raising bangus, or "milkfish", along the coasts of the Lingayen Gulf
and the South China Sea. Pangasinan's aquaculture includes oyster and sea urchin farms. The Pangasinan language is an agglutinative language. It belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian languages
branch of the Austronesian languages family and is the primary language of the province of Pangasinan
and the dominant language in central and coastal Pangasinan. The Pangasinan language is similar to the
[edit] Agriculture other Malayo-Polynesian languages of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Madagascar. It is
closely related to the Ibaloi language spoken in the neighboring province of Benguet and Baguio City,
located north of Pangasinan. The Pangasinan language is classified under the Pangasinic group of
languages. The Pangasinic languages are:
The major crops in Pangasinan are rice, mangoes, corn, and sugar cane. Pangasinan has a land area of
536,819 hectares, and 44 percent of the total land area of Pangasinan is devoted to agricultural
production.
 Pangasinan
 Ibaloi
[edit] Financial  Karao
 I-wak
 Kalanguya
Pangasinan has 593 banking and financing institutions.  Keley-I
 Kallahan
 Kayapa
[edit] Labor  Tinoc

Pangasinan has a labor force of about 1.52 million, and 87 percent of the labor force are gainfully Other languages are spoken in some areas of the neighboring provinces of Benguet, Nueva Ecija,
employed. Nueva Vizcaya, and Ifugao.

[edit] Investment The educated Pangasinans are mostly proficient in English, as well as Tagalog. Pangasinan is the
second-language of many Ilocanos in Pangasinan. Minority languages in Pangasinan are Ilocano and
Bolinao, which is spoken in northwestern Pangasinan.
The Department of Trade and Industry in the Philippines has identified the following potential
investment areas in Pangasinan:
[edit] Religion

 Maguey production and handicraft center

 Santiago Island Marine Park The religion of the people of Pangasinan is predominantly Christian, although few are strict believers
 Oyster processing facility and continue to practice their indigenous beliefs and rituals, like most of the people of the Philippines.
 Bagoong technology and processing center Spanish and American missionaries introduced Christianity to Pangasinan. Prior to the Spanish
conquest in 1571, the predominant religion of the people of Pangasinan was similar to the indigenous
 Tannery and leather production center
religion of the highland Igorot or the inhabitants of the Cordillera Administrative Region on the island
 Oyster and aquaculture farming
of Luzon, who mostly retained their indigenous culture and religion. Pangasinan was also influenced
 Seaweed farming by Hinduism and Buddhism before the introduction of Christianity.
 Bamboo production
 Handicraft and furniture making
 Manufacture of construction bricks The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, Pangasinan, is Most Reverend Socrates B.
 Tourism development Villegas.

[edit] Demographics Pangasinan is known as a land of miracles. The main pilgrimage centers of Pangasinan are the Shrine
of Our Lady of Manaoag, which is reputed to be the pilgrimage capital of northern Luzon; the Shrine of
Our Lord Jesus Christ the Divine Treasure (Senor Divino Tesoro), which is known to be a patron of
[edit] Population healing, in Calasiao; and the Saint Dominic de Guzman Parish Church in San Carlos City.
See also: Pangasinan people, Ilocano people, and Sambal people

[edit] Places of interest

The Pangasinan people (Totoon Pangasinan) are called Pangasinense, or simply taga-Pangasinan,
which means "from Pangasinan". The population of Pangasinan is 2,434,086.[5] Pangasinan is the third
most populated province in the Philippines. The estimated population of the indigenous speakers of the [edit] Tourist attractions
Pangasinan language in the province of Pangasinan is 1.5 million and is projected to double in about 30
years. According to the 2000 census, 47 percent of the population are Pangasinan and 44 percent are
Ilocanos. Sambal settlers from Zambales also predominate in the westernmost municipalities of
Sunny white beach at Rock Garden Resort, Bolinao, Pangasinan
Bolinao and Anda. The Pangasinan people are closely related to the Austronesian-speaking peoples of
the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The Pangasinans are also related to the Polynesians of the
Pacific islands, the Formosan indigenous peoples of Taiwan, the Cham of central Vietnam and
Cambodia, and the Malagasy of Madagascar.

The "Treasurers of Bolinao", Pangasinan

Some prominent people of Pangasinan heritage (though not necessarily ethnic identification) include:

 Nuestra Señora de Manaoag

 President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, whose mother was from Binalonan, Pangasinan.
 President Fidel V. Ramos, who was born in Lingayen, Pangasinan.
 Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., who was born in Dagupan City, Pangasinan. The Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag is famous throughout the country for its supposed
 The late actor and presidential candidate Fernando Poe, Jr., whose father was from San miraculous powers. Catholic devotees frequent the shrine, especially on the feast days
Carlos City, Pangasinan. on the first of October and the 18th day after Easter Sunday.
 Director General Arturo Lomibao, the former head of the Philippine National Police, is
from Mangaldan, Pangasinan.
 Lt. Gen. Jose Mejia Calimlim, the Vice Chief of Staff of the Philippine Armed Forces, is  San Carlos City Plaza
from Mapandan, Pangasinan.  San Juan River in San Carlos City
 Gabriel Singson, the former governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, is from  MaPANDAN FESTIVAL
Lingayen, Pangasinan.  Bonuan Blue Beach in Dagupan
 F. Sionil José and Carlos Bulosan are internationally known writers from Pangasinan.  White Beach in San Fabian
 Victorio C. Edades, a Filipino modernist and a recognized National Artist, was from  Cape Bolinao Beach in Bolinao
Pangasinan.  Tambobong White Beach in Dasol
 Jacqueline Aquino Siapno, a professor from Dagupan City, is the interim first lady of  Tondol Beach in Anda
East Timor.  Antong Falls in Sison
 Dr. Francisco Viray, former dean of the University of the Philippines Engineering Dept  Cacupangan Cave in Mabini
and former Secretary of Energy of the Philippines during the President Ramos  Mount Balungao in Balungao
Administration, is from Lingayen, Pangasinan.  Manleluag Spring National Park in Mangatarem
 Geronima Tomelden-Pecson, the first female senator of the Philippines, was a native of  Sanctuario de Senor Divino Tesoro in Calasiao
Lingayen.  Salasa Church in Bugallon
 Julius Bongato, the first Filipino gay to be the Ms. Gay Universe 2009 held in Tokyo,  Lingayen Gulf War Museum in Lingayen
Japan. He hails from Mapandan, Pangasinan.
 Bolinao Museum in Bolinao
 Gen.Hermogenes Cendaña Esperon, Jr.,a native of Asingan, former Chief of Staff of the
 Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in Lingayen
Armed Forces of the Philippines during Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo Administration.
 Hundred Islands Marine Sanctuary in Alaminos
 Oceanographic Marine Laboratory in Alaminos
[edit] Health and education  Red Arrow Marker of the WWII 32nd US Infantry Division in San Nicolas
 Rock Garden Resort
 Hundred Islands National Park of Alaminos
There are thousands of public schools and hundreds of private schools across the province for primary  Umbrella Rocks of Agno
and secondary education. Many Pangasineneses go to Metro Manila and the United States for tertiary  Urduja House in Lingayen
and higher education. The state and private colleges and universities in Pangasinan include the  Beach Walk in Lingayen
following:  Viewdeck in Suasalito, Sual, Pangasinan
  St. John Cathedral Garden Dagupan City The distribution of the economic activity in the region may be seen from the collection of tax revenue
 Caves in Bolinao of the national government. The bulk of the collections come from Pangasinan, which posted 61% of
 Home for the Aged in Anda the total.[1]
 Boat ride in Pantal River, Dagupan City
 Provincial Capitol, Lingayen, Pangasinan
The service and light manufacturing industries are concentrated in the cities. Dagupan City is mostly
driven by its local entrepreneurs, which have started to expand its network up to the national level. San
Fernando City in La Union also has an active shipping port and Laoag City in Ilocos Norte has an
[edit] Others
international airport.

 SM City Rosales, Rosales, Pangasinan
The Ilocos Region or Region I (Ilokano: Rehion ti Ilokos, Pangasinan: Rihiyon na Sagor na Baybay
na Luzon) of the Philippines is located in the northwestern region portion of Luzon. It is bounded by
the Cordillera Administrative Region and Cagayan Valley to the east, Central Luzon to the south and
by the South China Sea to the west.
The province of Pangasinan composes 58% of the region's population, 42% of its area and 61% of its
economy.[1]
The tourism industry, driven by local airlines and land transportation firms in the area like Farinas
Transit Company and Partas, focuses on the coastal beaches and on eco-tourism. There are fine sands
stretching along Bauang, La Union and the rest of the region. Opportunities to engage in other water
sports and activities abound. Eco-tourism takes advantage of the marine and forest resources in the
region and displays the natural beauty of the Region 1.[citation needed]
The region is also rich in crafts, with renowned blanket-weaving and pottery. [citation needed] The Ilocanos'
burnay pottery is well known for its dark colored clay.[citation needed]

The region is composed of four provinces, namely: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan.
Its regional center is San Fernando City, La Union. The Ilocano speaking people compose 66% of the
region, the Pangasinan speaking people compose 27%, and the Tagalogs compose 3%.[2]

Physical

Region I occupies the narrow plain between the Cordillera Central mountain range and the South China
Sea. It also occupies the northern portion of the Central Luzon plain, to the north-east of the Zambales
Mountains.

Lingayen Gulf is the most notable body of water in the region and it contains a number of islands,
including the Hundred Islands National Park. To the north of the region is Luzon Strait.

The Agno river runs through Pangasinan and empties into the Lingayen Gulf. The river flow into a
broad delta in the vicinity of Lingayen and Dagupan City.

[edit] Demographics

The Ilocos provinces of the Ilocos Region is the historical homeland of the Ilocanos including Former
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. The Ilocanos compose 66% of the region, the Pangasinan
people compose 27%, and the Tagalogs compose 3%.[2]

Pangasinan is the historical homeland of the Pangasinenses including Former Philippine President
Fidel Ramos. The population of Pangasinan comprises approximately 60% of the total population of
the region. The Pangasinenses presently constitute around 50% of the population of the province. [2] The
Ilocanos were not originally inhabitants of Pangasinan. They started migrating to Pangasinan in the
19th century.[3] Pangasinan was formerly a province of Region III (Central Luzon), but President
Marcos signed Presidential Decree No. 1, 1972, incorporating it into Region I. Minority groups include
the Tinggian and Isneg communities that inhabit the foothills of the Cordillera mountains.

The population is predominantly Roman Catholic with strong adherents of Protestantism such as the
Aglipayan denomination further north of the country. There are also adherents to other Christian
denominations, such as Iglesia ni Cristo, Mormons, and the like. There is also an undercurrent of
traditional animistic beliefs especially in rural areas. The small mercantile Chinese and Indian
communities are primarily Buddhists, Taoists, and Hindus.[citation needed]

[edit] History

Region 1 was first inhabited by the aboriginal Negritos before they were pushed by successive waves
of Malay immigrants that penetrated the narrow coast. Tingguians in the interior, Ilocanos in the north,
and Pangasinense in the south settled the region.

From the data on the population distribution of Region 1, it is clear that not all the inhabitants are
Ilocanos. Around one-third are non-Ilocanos and yet there is a popular misconception that all the
inhabitants are Ilocanos.[4] The use of the term Ilocos Region promotes the wrong notion that all the
residents of Region 1 are Ilocanos. Before the administration of Ferdinand Marcos, Pangasinan was not
a part of the region.[5]

The Spanish arrived in the 16th century and established Christian missions and governmental
institutions to control the native population and convert them to the Roman Catholic church. Present-
day Vigan City in Ilocos Sur province became the bishopric seat of Nueva Segovia. Ilocanos in the
northern parts were less easily swayed, however, and remained an area filled with deep resentments
against Spain. These resentments bubbled to the surface at various points in the Ilocos provinces'
history as insurrections, most notably that of Andres Malong and Palaris of Pangasinan, Diego Silang
and his wife Gabriela Silang in 1764, and the Basi Revolt in the 19th century. However, it was the
Pangasinenses in the south who were the last to be stand against the Spaniards. [6]

In 1901, the region came under American colonial rule, and in 1941, under Japanese occupation.

During 1945, the combined American and the Philippine Commonwealth troops including with the
Ilocano and Pangasinese guerillas liberated the Ilocos Region from Japanese forces during the Second
World War.

Several modern presidents of the Republic of the Philippines hailed from the Region: Elpidio Quirino,
Ferdinand Marcos, and Fidel V. Ramos.

Before the formation of the Cordillera Administrative Region, Region 1 also included the provinces of
Abra, Mountain Province, and Benguet. Before Region 1 was modified by Ferdinand Marcos,
Pangasinan was not part of the region.

[edit] EconomyAlthough the economy in the southern portion of the region, esp. Pangasinan, is
anchored on agro-industrial and service industry, the economy in the northern portion of the
region is anchored in the agricultural sector. The economy in Pangasinan is driven by agro-
industrial businesses , such as milkfish (bangus) cultivation and processing, livestock raising, fish
paste processing (bagoong), and others. At the same time the importance of trading, financial
services, and educational services in the economy cannot be denied. Income in the Ilocos
provinces or northern portion mostly come from cultivating rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, and
fruits; raising livestock such as pigs, chicken, goats, and carabaos (water buffalos).