Aguilar, Pangasinan
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Aguilar, officially the Municipality of Aguilar (; ; ), is a
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...
in the
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
of
Pangasinan Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan (, ; ; ), is a coastal Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its capital is Lingayen, Pangasinan, Lingayen while San Carlos, Pangasi ...
,
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 45,100 people.


Etymology

The municipality was named after Spanish governor-general Rafael María de Aguilar, who ordered the establishment of an independent civil political unit in the area on 16 July 1805.


History

The Municipality of Aguilar had its early beginnings as a cattle ranch founded by the Spaniards. The place was known then as Sitio Balubad, which was then still part of the town of Binalatongan (now San Carlos). On the western part were the Zambales Mountains with its thick forests and verdant foliage. It was a hunter's paradise with deer and wild boar occasionally being spotted in the area. The grass in the plains were succulent fare for fattening cattle and the water from the brooks and streams clear and sparkling. On the eastern part was the Agno River. At that time, there roads were yet to be built. There were footpaths which were eventually expanded into roads to improve mobility and access, but the river arteries constituted the main mode of transportation in the interior towns. Through these river systems, boats sailed from the Ilocos provinces in the north southwards to Dagupan, Calasiao, Lingayen and sometimes even as far as San Isidro de Labrador, Salasa, Aguilar and Camiling. Worth noting was the fossiliferous riverbank in Camiling which was useful in making lime, while mineral waters consisting of ferruginous and alkaline waters were and are still found in Aguilar and Mangatarem. As a thriving place for cattle and bountiful rice harvests, it was natural for Aguilar to attract people from other towns to stay and settle in the place. The early settlers prospered and lived in peace and contentment. When the Spaniards in Lingayen heard of this flourishing village, they sent Spanish explorers through the town of Salasa to visit the place. Some Spanish soldiers and priest were left to organize a pueblo. In time, the clamor to convert the settlement into a town became popular. A petition was therefore, filed with the principales or municipal officials of Binalatongan to convert the village into a town. The petition was finally favorably endorsed. The decree establishing Aguilar as an independent civil political unit was issued on 16 July 1805 by Governor General Rafael Maria de Aguilar, after whom the town was named. The decree in Lingayen on 1 August 1805. However, it was not until 19 January 1806 that the Provincial Governor of Pangasinan was able to make the trip to the sitio of Balubad, the site of the Poblacion, to carry out the provisions of the decree. The Governor inspected the area, chose the most appropriate site on which to erect the town center and listed the people who wishes to settle in the new town, together with their places of origin. The greatest number came from Lingayen, made up of 210 couples and 60 individuals from the "gremio de naturals" (native community) and 10 couples and 11 individuals from the "gremio de mestizos" (mestizo community). From the town of Salasa, there were 56 couples and 21 bachelors all of the rank of "Caylianes" (commoners), while from the town of San Carlos, there were 32 couples and 19 individuals, all "Caylianes". There were also Ilocano migrants consisting of 6 couples and 24 bachelors. Finally, there were some Negritos, consisting of both baptized Christians and Ynfieles (Non-Christians). All in all, the total number of inhabitants composed 401 tributes, for bachelors and unmarried women paid only half a tribute each. These excluded the unbaptized negritos. The town was formally inaugurated on 9 May 1806 when the first officials were elected and given their appointments by the Alcalde Mayor. The officials were headed by Don Francisco Zamuco as Gobernadorcillo and Don Juan Manguino as "Teniente Primero" (first lieutenant). The Alcalde Mayor then proceeded to mark the jurisdictional limits of the new town. With the town of Salasa, the boundary was the river Balubad (now Sobol) from the mountain where the river originated to the river Agno, running a direct line from west to east. With the town of San Carlos, the boundary was the Agno River in the east and the Bunlalacao River in the south. The necessary boundary markers were placed and operations were witnessed by the town officials of Salasa and San Carlos. Mangatarem as a town did not yet exist, having been founded only in 1837. Local folklores likewise maintained that Aguilar was identified with an eagle or agila that used to fly around the place at nighttime and would perch on a fence or alar when tired of flying, hence, agila and alar put together formed Aguilar.


Leadership by the Principales

Although the population of Aguilar was drawn from different places, the leadership of the town was furnished by the elite families, the principales who had moved from Lingayen to Aguilar in 1805. Aguilar also had a large number of Ilocano migrants among the population. Their tributes in fact contributed to the political viability of the new town. But in all these new towns, the initiative for and leadership in building the new town came from the Pangasinan native-born elite.


Polos or Forced Labor in Local Infrastructures

The Gobernadorcillo usually took charge of public works and improvements in the town. This included the building and repair of public structures, including churches and convents, as well as construction and repair of roads and bridges under the parish curate's supervision. For this purpose, the services of Caylianes were utilized. They were required to render 40 days of labor or Polos a year. The Gobernadorcillo also had to procure building materials from the town if possible; if not he had to send a request for approval to the Superior Government in Manila through Alcalde Mayor. He must also keep clean and sanitary the casa tribunal and the public jail.


Geography

Aguilar is situated from the provincial capital
Lingayen Lingayen, officially the Municipality of Lingayen (; ; ; ), is a municipality of the Philippines, municipality and capital of the Philippine Province, province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 10 ...
, and from the country's capital city of
Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
.


Barangays

Aguilar is politically subdivided into 16
barangay The barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as ''barrio'', is the smallest Administrative divisions of the Philippines, administrative division in the Philippines. Named after the Precolonial barangay, precolonial po ...
s. Each barangay consists of
purok A ''purok'' () is an informal division within a barangay in the Philippines. While not officially considered a local government unit (LGU), a ''purok'' often serves as a unit for delivering services and administration within a barangay. ''Pur ...
s and some have
sitios A ''sitio'' (Spanish language, Spanish for "site") in the Philippines is a territorial enclave that forms part of a barangay. Typically rural, a ''sitios location is usually far from the center of the barangay itself and could be its own bar ...
. * Bayaoas * Baybay * Bocacliw * Bocboc East * Bocboc West * Buer * Calsib * Niñoy * Poblacion * Pogomboa * Pogonsili * San Jose * Tampac * Laoag * Manlocboc * Panacol


Climate


Demographics


Economy

Because of the majority of vast farmlands in Aguilar, The major crops planted in the municipality are Rice, Corn, Vegetables, Mangoes, Luffas and other crops. Aguilar is also engages in Poultry and Livestock Raising including Cows, Pigs, Carabaos, Goats, Chickens and Domestic Ducks. Tourism is also a booming industry in the municipality due to the sudden growth of tourists visiting; due to this, various resorts has been established in various locations.


Government


Local government

Aguilar, belonging to the second congressional district of the province of
Pangasinan Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan (, ; ; ), is a coastal Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its capital is Lingayen, Pangasinan, Lingayen while San Carlos, Pangasi ...
, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.


Elected officials

Members of the Municipal Council (2019–2022): * Congressman: Jumel Anthony I. Espino * Mayor: * Vice-Mayor: Jesus M. Zamuco Jr. * Councilors: ** Evelyn G. Villanueva ** Kristal B. Soriano ** Jessie S. Posadas ** Renato L. Cervantes ** Defin R. Dumlao ** Magdalena O. Sison ** Angelo Y. Limos ** Crispin B. Repato Jr.


Tourism

There are many tourist spots in Aguilar, some of which are: * St. Joseph The Patriarch Church – built during 1810 by the help of friars to build the first church in Aguilar. It was named after the Patron Saint of the town and celebrated every March 18 the town's fiesta. * Mt. Nambersian – Hikers can climb to the summit of Mount Nambersian in Barangay Niñoy, Aguilar. * Mapita Falls - one of the best gems of the town of Aguilar


Education

The Aguilar Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public elementary and high schools.


Primary and elementary schools

*Aguilar Catholic School *Aguilar Central School *Aguilar Holy Infant Educational Center *Aguilar Learning Center *Anonang Elementary School *Baybay Elementary School *Bocacliw Elementary School *Bocboc East Elementary School *Bocboc West Elementary School *Buer-Bayaoas Elementary School *Caslib Elementary School *Casagatan Elementary School *Dona Catalina Elementary School *Manlocboc Elementary School *Ninoy Elementary School *Pogonsili Elementary School *Panacol Elementary School *Sipitan Elementary School *Tampac Elementary School *The Maranatha Baptist Academy *Zaratan Educational Institute


Secondary schools

*Aguilar integrated School *Bocboc East National High School *Don G. Dumlao National High School *Enrico T. Prado National High School *Tampac Integrated School *Mapita Integrated School


References


External links


Municipal Profile at the National Competitiveness Council of the Philippines

Aguilar at the Pangasinan Government Website

Local Governance Performance Management System
*
Philippine Standard Geographic Code The Philippine Standard Geographic Code (PSGC) is a systematic classification and coding for geographic areas in the Philippines. It classifies areas based on the country's four levels of administrative divisions: regions, provinces, municipalities ...

Philippine Census Information
{{Authority control Municipalities of Pangasinan Populated places on the Agno River 1805 establishments in the Spanish Empire