Pangasinan
For other uses, see Pangasinan (disambiguation).Pangasinan, officially
Province of Pangasinan (Pangasinan:
Luyag na Pangasinan), is one of the
provinces 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. The total land area of Pangasinan is 5,368.82 square kilometers. The total population of Pangasinan is 2,434,086. (National Statistics Office, 2000 Census). The
Pangasinan language is the primary language in Pangasinan. The estimated population of the indigenous speakers of the
Pangasinan language in the province of Pangasinan is 1.5 million.
The name
Pangasinan means "land of salt" or "place of salt-making"; it is derived from
asin, the word for "salt" in the
Pangasinan language.
An ancient kingdom called
Luyag na Kaboloan once existed in Pangasinan. Princess
Urduja, a legendary woman warrior, is believed to have ruled in Pangasinan around the
14th century. Pangasinan was probably connected to the
maritime trade network that once flourished in ancient
Southeast Asia.
Pangasinan is famous for the
Hundred Islands National Park. This is a marine park located off the coast of
Alaminos City in the Lingayen Gulf and is composed of some 123 islands, most of which are quite small and uninhabited.
During the summer, several feasts and festivals are celebrated in Pangasinan, including the
Pistay Dayat or Sea Feast, the
Bangus Festival, and the Mango and Bamboo festivals.
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. Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., the Chief of Staff of the Philippine Armed Forces, is from Asingan, Pangasinan.
F. Sionil José, and
Carlos Bulosan are internationally known writers from Pangasinan.
Victorio C. Edades, a Filipino modernist and a recognized National Artist, was from Pangasinan.
The 1200 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.
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.
Prehistory
Modern humans or
Homo sapiens migrated to the
Malay archipelago by at least 50,000 years ago. The two widely accepted scientific theories of the origins of
modern humans or
Homo sapiens are the
single-origin hypothesis and the
multiregional hypothesis. The
single-origin hypothesis proposes that modern humans evolved in
Africa and later migrated to other regions of the world, displacing other
hominid populations. The
multiregional hypothesis proposes that modern humans evolved from
hominid populations in separate regions of the world.
The most widely accepted view in
paleoanthropology and
genetics is that
modern humans originated in the African
savanna between 100 to 200 thousand years ago and later migrated to Asia, Europe, island Southeast Asia, and Australia by at least 40,000 years ago.
Human societies of
hunter-gatherers and
nomads, which probably included beach-combers and sea gypsies, migrated to other regions of the world. Evidence from
paleoanthropology suggests that
Homo sapiens or modern humans existed in
Palawan at least 50,000 years ago. These inhabitants are called the
Tabon Man, after the name of the Tabon cave in Palawan where human fossil remains were found.
Genetics studies of human
DNA markers confirm the presence of modern humans in
Southeast Asia and
Australia at least 55,000 years ago.
Austronesian-speakers settled in island Southeast Asia, South China, Taiwan, and the Pacific islands, perhaps more than 5,000 years ago.
Proto-Austronesians may have been the first Americans and reached the Americas by a coastal route from Southeast Asia, perhaps as early as 15,000 years ago. The fossil remains of the
Kennewick Man, which was found near the coast of the
State of Washington in the
United States, has features that was more South Asian and Polynesian and was dated to be more than 9,000 years old.
A widely accepted view of the origin or homeland of the
Austronesian-speakers is that they emerged in
Taiwan or southern
China. Another view suggests that the
Austronesian-speakers emerged in
Sundaland, a pre-historic landmass in
Southeast Asia that was once connected to the continent of
Asia, or around the same area of island
Southeast Asia where they are now mostly found.
Sundaland must have been a
biogeographic tropical
paradise; some have speculated that the
Garden of Eden and the mythical
lost land of
Mu were located in
Sundaland. However, Sundaland was flooded and is now largely under the sea as a result of the rise in
sea-level that was probably caused by
global warming after the most recent
ice age.
The prehistoric
Austronesian societies adapted to the flooding of
Sundaland and the rise in sea-level; they mastered the seas with their ocean-going sailing ships, and they built houses on stilts that could withstand frequent typhoons and flooding. They also built agricultural terraces in the mountains, like the
Banaue Rice Terraces. The Austronesians also had to cope with cataclysmic
earthquakes,
tsunamis, and
volcanic eruptions because they lived in a
seismic zone, called the
Pacific Ring of Fire.
The
Austronesian-speakers were part of the prehistoric
human migrations that are widely believed to have originated in
Africa. 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. The Pangasinan language is one of many languages that belongs to the
Malayo-Polynesian languages branch of the
Austronesian languages family.
Southeast Asian Maritime Trade Network
Distant Voyages of the PrauThe 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. The ancient Polynesians navigated the distant Pacific islands as far away as
Hawaii and Easter
Island. At least several hundred years before the arrival of Europeans,
Macassans, from
Makassar in
Sulawesi,
Indonesia, sailing with their
prau, established settlements in the north coast of
Australia, which they called
Marege. In many Malayo-Polynesian languages, the words for canoe or ship and settlements or villages are often used interchangeably, like
prau,
perahu or
parao and
barangay, meaning "ship" or "village."
Maritime TradeThe Malay
prau,
perahu or
parao probably even reached the land of the
Pharaohs in
Egypt. Malay ships may have been among the ships coming from the overseas lands of
Dilmun,
Magan and Melluha mentioned in
Sumerian and
Akkadian literature. It is possible that the original
Sumerian names for the
Tigris and
Euphrates rivers are of
Malayo-Polynesian origin. In
Pangasinan, the word
siglat, which means "swift," "fast" or "rapid," appears similar to the
Sumerian name
Idigna and
Akkadian name
Idiglat for the Tigris. In
Pangasinan, the word
burakan, which means "wave," "wavy," or "surf," appears similar to the
Sumerian name
Buranun and
Akkadian name
Pu-rat-tu for the Euphrates. A vast maritime trade network connecting the distant
Malayo-Polynesian settlements from the
Pacific to the
Indian Ocean probably existed in ancient times.
Archaelogical evidence and early
Chinese and
Indian records show that the inhabitants of the Pangasinan with
China and
Japan as early as the 8th to 10th century A.D.
Chinese merchants traded with the people of the Pangasinan as early as the
8th century to
10th century A.D. Chieftains of Pangasinan in those century had even visited China.
Maritime EmpiresAgrarian and
maritime societies arose in the Malay archipelago in ancient times. Several Malay kingdoms and empires, which were influenced by or converted to
Hinduism and
Buddhism, flourished and competed for
hegemony in the
Malay archipelago from the
second century C.E. to the
fifteenth century C.E., like the
Langkasuka kingdom of the
Malay Peninsula in Malaysia, the
Srivijaya empire in the island of
Sumatra in
Indonesia, and the
Majapahit empire in the island of
Java in
Indonesia. The
Srivijaya and
Majapahit empires were maritime empires and influenced much of the
Malay archipelago. It appears that the wars and chaos after the collapse of the
Srivijaya and
Majapahit empires contributed to the disruption and decline of the extensive maritime trade network that connected much of the
Malay archipelago and other countries.
Princess Urduja and Luyag na CaboloanThe extent of the influence of the
Srivijaya and
Majapahit empires in Pangasinan is not clearly known. An ancient kingdom called
Luyag na Kaboloan once existed in Pangasinan. 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 was connected to a maritime trade network that once flourished in ancient
Southeast Asia. It appears that Pangasinan enjoyed full
independence before the
Spanish conquest.
Spread of IslamAround the
14th century C.E., several powerful Malay kingdoms were converted to
Islam. Malay kingdoms ruled by
Muslim sultans, like the
Sultanate of Malacca and the
Sultanate of Johor, succeeded the
Srivijaya and
Majapahit empires and began to spread the
Islamic faith throughout the Malay archipelago. The
Sultanate of Maguindanao in Cotabato in the island of Mindanao was founded around the
twelfth century C.E. The
Sultanate of Sulu in the islands of Sulu was founded around the
fourteenth century C.E. Muslim settlements were already established in
Manila when the
Spanish conquistadors arrived.
Spanish Conquest and Spread of Christianity
Ferdinand MagellanThe
Portuguese navigator
Ferdinand Magellan sailed by the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, with a fleet of ships under the
Spanish flag, and reached the Philippine islands in 1521. In 1511, before the arrival of Magellan in the Philippines, the
Portuguese invaded the
Sultanate of Malacca in Malaysia. Magellan had been in the nearby
Spice Islands before and probably was already aware of the location of the Philippines. He was also accompanied by a Malay native from the nearby
Moluccas during the voyage. Magellan was killed in the
Battle of Mactan in 1521, but his voyage proved to others that the earth can be circumnavigated. One of the Spanish ships returned to Spain by the Indian and Atlantic oceans with news of a new route to the
Spice Islands, the
Orient, and the islands that came to be called the Philippines.
On
April 27,
1565, the Spanish
conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi arrived in
Cebu with about 500 soldiers to establish a Spanish settlement and begin the conquest of the Philippine islands. On May 24, 1570, the Spanish forces defeated
Rajah Sulayman, the Muslim ruler of Tondo, and the other rulers of Manila. On June 24, 1571, the Spanish declared
Manila the new capital of their new colony in the Philippines. After securing Manila, the Spanish forces continued to conquer the rest of the island of Luzon, including Pangasinan.
Provincia de PangasinanIn 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.
By 1580, Pangasinan was subjugated and made into an Alacadia Mayor by the Spanish Governor of the Philippines.
Roman Catholic Augustinian, Franciscan, and Dominican missionaries arrived with the conquistadors and converted most of the inhabitants of Pangasinan 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.
Kingdom of PangasinanOn December 1660, a rebellion led by
Andres Malong, a native chief of the town of Binalatongan, now named San Carlos city, liberated the province from Spanish rule. Andres Malong was proclaimed 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. On February 1661, the newly independent Kingdom of Pangasinan fell to the Spanish.
Palaris RevoltOn 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 ended the
Seven Years' War between Britain, France and Spain, the Spanish colonial forces counter-attacked. On January 16, 1765, Juan de la Cruz Palaris was captured and Pangasinan independence was again lost.
Philippine RevolutionThe people of Pangasinan widely supported
Andres Bonifacio and the
Katipunan's fight for independence as a common struggle. General Francisco Macabulos commanded the Katipunan forces in Pangasinan. Don Daniel Maramba of Santa Barbara was one of the revolutionary leaders from Pangasinan.
Republic of the PhilippinesSpanish-American WarPhilippine-American WarLingayen 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, American troops landed on the beaches of Pangasinan and joined Filipino guerrillas to free
Luzon from the Japanese.
The imposition of
martial law and the authoritarian rule of President
Ferdinand Marcos resulted in countlesss human rights violations in Pangasinan.
Pangasinan fell victim to the
gerrymandering of the Philippines by President
Ferdinand Marcos when he made Pangasinan part of the northern Ilocos Region or Region I, although Pangasinan already enjoyed the status of a region because of its size, population and distinct primary language, which is Pangasinan. It seems that classifying Pangasinan as part of the Ilocos Region has generated confusion among a substantial number of Filipinos, who may have mistakenly understood that all or most of the residents of Pangasinan are Ilocanos. According to the 2000 census 47% of the population are Pangasinan and 44% are Ilocanos. Some people in Pangasinan find the term Ilocos Region a misnomer. In order to prevent confusion, some prefer the term
Northwestern Region, which is a term based on a geographic concept.
Assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr.General
Fidel V. Ramos, who was born in Lingayen, Pangasinan, was one of the leaders of a military mutiny and a
people power revolt that led to the overthrow of President
Ferdinand Marcos.
President Corazon AquinoCorazon Aquino, the widow of
Benigno Aquino, Jr., was elected President of the Philippines.
President Fidel V. RamosGeneral
Fidel V. Ramos was elected President of the Philippines.
President Joseph EstradaPresident Gloria Macapagal-ArroyoVice-President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, whose mother is from Binalonan, Pangasinan, was declared President of the Philippines after President
Joseph Estrada was overthrown in another people power revolt.
Congressman
Jose de Venecia, Jr., who is from Dagupan City, Pangasinan, was re-elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Actor turned politician
Fernando Poe, Jr., whose family is from San Carlos, Pangasinan, ran for President against President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The Pangasinan vote was split.
President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was elected President for another term. However, she was forced to declare a state of emergency to counter alleged destabilization plots. She immediately lifted the
state of emergency, but her presidency is beset by demands for her resignation.
To facilitate economic development, there are proposals to build an international seaport at Sual Bay and develop the Sual Economic Zone, to build a commercial airport in Lingayen, and to develop a high tech zone in central Pangasinan, like the Silicon Valley of California.
Out of concern for the welfare and progress of Pangasinan, some Pangasinans are demanding full
sovereignty or greater
autonomy for Pangasinan; some are seeking political recognition for Pangasinan as an
autonomous region, to be called Pangasinan Autonomous Region.
The state of crisis of the national government in
Manila and the slow pace of development of the Philippine economy is forcing many Pangasinans to emigrate to Metro Manila or to wealthier countries, like the United States. But, true Pangasinans do not forget their
baley, sweet mangoes,
inlubi rice cakes, fresh
bangus and, of course, the salted
bagoong.
Law and Government
The Governor of Pangasinan is Victor Aguedo E. Agbayani.
The Vice Governor is Oscar B. Lambino.
Democracy and Human Rights
Political
The province of Pangasinan is subdivided into 44
municipalities, 4
cities, 1,364
barangay, which means "village," and 6 congressional districts.
Cities
*
Alaminos City*
Urdaneta City*
Dagupan City*
San Carlos City |
Commercial Salt Industry in Dasol. |
Municipalities
Physical
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 and the province encloses the
Lingayen Gulf.
The land area of Pangasinan is 3,368.82 square kilometers. Pangasinan is 170 kilometers north of
Manila, 50 kilometers south of
Baguio City, 115 kilometers north of Subic International Airport and Seaport, and 80 kilometers north of Clark International Airport.
The 1200 megawatt Sual Coal-Fired Power Plant, 345 megawatt San Roque Multi-Purpose Dam, Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, the Northern Cement Corporation, and La Tondena Distillery are located in Pangasinan. Pangasinan has extensive fishponds, mostly for raising
bangus or "milkfish," along the coasts of Lingayen Gulf and South China Sea. Pangasinan is a major producer of rice, mangoes and bamboo crafts.
The Department of Trade and Industry in the Philippines has identified the following potential investment areas in Pangasinan:
* Maguey production and handicraft center
* Santiago Island Marine Park
* Oyster processing facility
* Bagoong technology and processing center
* Tannery and leather production center
* Oyster and aquaculture farming
* Seawee farming
* Bamboo production
* Handicraft and furniture making
* Manufacture of construction bricks
* Tourism development
Pangasinan has export earnings of around $5.5 million.
Science and Technology
Transportation
Pangasinan is 170 kilometers north of
Manila, 50 kilometers south of
Baguio City, 115 kilometers north of Subic International Airport and Seaport, and 80 kilometers north of Clark International Airport.
Population
The population of Pangasinan is 2,434,086 (National Statistics Office, 2000 Census). Pangasinan is the most populated province in the Philippines. The estimated population of the indigenous speakers of the
Pangasinan language in the province of Pangasinan is 1.5 million. The rest of the population are mostly indigenous speakers of
Ilocano,
Bolinao, and
Tagalog.
The population of Pangasinan is projected to double in about 30 years.
Education
*The University of Pangasinan. Founded in 1925.
*Pangasinan State University
*Pangasinan College of Science and Technology
*
Kingfisher School of Business and FinanceHealth
Pangasinan has 51 hospitals and clinics and 68 rural health units, as of July 2002.
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 westernized.
People
The
Pangasinan people are called Pangasinan,
Pangasinense or simply
taga Pangasinan, which means "from Pangasinan." The population of Pangasinan is 2,434,086 (National Statistics Office, 2000 Census). Pangasinan is the most populated province in the Philippines. The estimated population of the indigenous speakers of the Pangasinan language in the province of Pangasinan is 1.5 million. The rest of the population are mostly indigenous speakers of
Ilocano,
Bolinao, and
Tagalog.
The
ethnicity of the people of Pangasinan is predominantly
Malay or
Malayan, like most of the people of the
Malay Archipelago. The people of Pangasinan are also related to the
Polynesians of the
Pacific islands, the Formosan
indigenous peoples of
Taiwan, the
Cham of central
Vietnam and
Cambodia, the
Malagasy of
Madagascar; and probably distantly related to the
Ainu of Japan.
Some prominent people of Pangasinan heritage include President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo whose mother was from Binalonan, Pangasinan; President
Fidel Valdez Ramos, who was born in Lingayen, Pangasinan; Speaker
Jose de Venecia, Jr., who was born in Dagupan City, Pangasinan; and the late actor and presidential candidate
Fernando Poe, Jr., whose father was from San Carlos City, Pangasinan.
Language
The Pangasinan language belongs to the
Malayo-Polynesian languages branch of the
Austronesian languages family. It is the primary language of the province of Pangasinan and the dominant language in central Pangasinan. The Pangasinan language is similar to the 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:
*
Pangasinan*
Ibaloi* Karao
* I-wak
* Kalanguya
* Keley-I
* Kallahan
* Kayapa
* Kallahan
* Tinoc
The other languages or dialects are spoken in some areas of the neighboring provinces of
Benguet,
Nueva Ecija,
Nueva Vizcaya, and
Ifugao.
The Pangasinan language is an
agglutinative language.
Linguistics studies show some word correspondences between Pangasinan and the ancient
Sumerian language, the first known written language.
Sumerian, which was spoken in the ancient land of
Sumer in southern
Mesopotamia, is an agglutinative language like Pangasinan.
Religion
The religion of the people of Pangasinan is predominantly
Christian, although few are strict believers and continue to practice their indigenous beliefs and rituals, like most of the people of the Philippines.
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 religion of the highland
Igorot or the inhabitants of the Cordillera Administrative Region on the island of Luzon who mostly retained their indigenous culture and religion. Pangasinan was also influenced by
Hinduism, and
Buddhism before the introduction of Christianity.
The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, Pangasinan is Most Reverend
Oscar V. Cruz.
Sports and Entertainment
Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center
Hundred Islands
The
Hundred Islands National Park, off the coast of Brgy. Lucap in
Alaminos City is composed of some 123 islands in the
Lingayen Gulf. Most of the islands are quite small and appear to be rocky outcrops with lush vegetation on top.
Nuestra Senora de Manaoag
The Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag is famous throughout the country for its supposedly miraculous powers.
Catholic devotees frequent the shrine especially on the feast days on the first of October and the 18th day after
Easter Sunday.
Other Popular Tourist Attractions
* Bonuan Blue Beach in Dagupan
* White Beach in San Fabian
* Cape Bolinao Beach in Bolinao
* Tambobong White Beach in Dasol
* Tondol Beach in Anda
* Antong Falls in Sison
* Cacupangan Cave in Mabini
* Mount Balungao in Balungao
* Manleluag Spring National Park in Mangatarem
* Sanctuario de Senor Divino Tesoro in Calasiao
* Salasa Church in Bugallon
* Urduja House in Lingayen
* Lingayen Gulf War Museum in Lingayen
* Bolinao Museum in Bolinao
* Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in Lingayen
* Oceanographic Marine Laboratory in Alaminos
* Pangasinan
*
Pangasinan language*
Philippines*
Salt evaporation pond*
Bagoong*
Milkfish,
Bangus*
Oscar V. Cruz*
Fidel V. Ramos*
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo*
Fernando Poe, Jr.*
Jose de Venecia, Jr.*
Official Website of the Provincial Government of Pangasinan*
Pangasinan: Preservation and Revitalization of the Pangasinan Language and Literature*
Sunday Punch*
Sun Star Pangasinan*
Pangasinan Star Online*
Bansa.org*
Borobudur Ship Expedition*
Pangasinan Test Wikipedia
