Apalit, Pampanga

Apalit, officially the Municipality of Apalit ( pam, Balen ning Apalit; tl, Bayan ng Apalit), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 117,160 people.

The town is famous for its Apung Iru Fluvial Procession, which is listed as one of the most significant water-based intangible cultural heritage of the Philippines. The festival happens every June 28–30.

Geography

Apalit is from Manila, from the provincial capital, San Fernando, and from Angeles.

Apalit is surrounded by Macabebe, Masantol, Minalin and San Simon in Pampanga, and Calumpit, Pulilan, and Baliuag in Bulacan.

Barangays

Apalit is politically subdivided into 12 barangays:
* Balucuc (Nuestra Señora de la Divina Pastora)
* Calantipe (Santo Niño)
* Cansinala (Nuestra Señora del Rosario)
* Capalangan (Holy Cross)
* Colgante (Holy Family)
* Paligui (Chair of St. Peter / Apung Iru)
* Sampaloc (San Roque)
* San Juan (San Juan Nepomuceno) (Poblacion)
* San Vicente (San Vicente Ferrer) (Business District)
* Sucad (Santa Lucia)
* Sulipan (Christ the Eternal High Priest)
* Tabuyuc (Santo Rosario)

Climate

Demographics

In the 2020 census, the population of Apalit, was 117,160 people, with a density of .

Religion

Most inhabitants of Apalit are Christian, with a majority professing Catholicism, due to Spanish colonialism and imperialism from the 15th to 19th centuries. Other prominent Christian groups include Members Church of God International (MCGI, more popularly known for its program, Ang Dating Daan).

Catholicism

Apalit was first established as one of the visitas (mission chapel) under the administration of Convento de Calumpit.
In 1597, the Augustinian chapter accepted Apalit as House of Order under the advocacy of San Pedro Apostol where Fray Pedro de Vergara OSA as its first parish priest In conjunction with the annual town fiesta, the ''Libad'' was established by the ''Capitan del Pueblo'', ''Don'' Pedro Armayan-Espíritu y Macam, on June 28, 1844.Libad fluvial procession also reaching Calumpit even today to signify the old relationship of Apalit to its mother town Calumpit where San Juan Bautista is the patron of the Town.

The first church and '' convento'' was constructed under the tenure of Fray Juan Cabello as parish priest from 1641 to 1645. Fray Simón de Alarcia built another church made of concrete and tile in 1854–1860, but it was destroyed by a strong earthquake in 1863. The present neo-classical church was built under Fray Antonio Redondo, who was assigned to Apalit from 1873 to 1886.

Father Gallende wrote in ''La Iglesia de Apalit'':

It was officially inaugurated with solemn ceremonies held successively during the town fiesta from 28 to 30 June of the same year. The chronicler remarks that when there was no more sand or bricks, Fr. Redondo would ask the ''fiscal'' (sacristan) to go around town pealing the bells. Preceded by the town bands, he would lead the way towards the riverside with an ''azafate'' (a basket or hamper) on his head. Unquestioning, the whole town would follow him, and in less than two hours, the masons would have enough sand for two months. "The whole town of Apalit helped either with monetary donations, personal service, or with their good wishes." The church measures 59 meters long and 14 meters wide. The painting was done by a native of Apalit, an industrious pupil of Alberoni. The church possesses the qualities of good construction: "solidity, capacity, light and artistic beauty."

The towers were completed under the guidance of Rev Toríbio Fanjul in 1896. In 1989, a major church renovation was initiated by Monsignor Rústico G. Cuevas.

=Feast of Saint Peter

=
The ''Libad'', a fluvial procession in honour of the town's patron saint Peter the Apostle (known locally ''Apung Iru''), is annually from 28 to 30 June. The event, where a centuries-old ivory image of the apostle is paraded along the Pampanga River, is one of the more famous religious processions in Pampanga.

=History of the image

=
The life-sized, seated image of "Apung Iru" is an heirloom of the Armayan-Espíritu y Macam clan of '' Sitio Alauli'', San Vicente, Apalit. The image, with its ivory face and hands, dates from the last quarter of the 1700s. Family tradition has it that '' Don'' Pedro Armayan-Espíritu y Macam (d. 1904)–or his parents ''Don'' Calixto Armayan-Espíritu and ''Doña'' María Macam, acquired the image from an aunt, ''Doña'' Máxima Santos–in exchange for a considerable parcel of agricultural land in Apalit. During the Spanish colonial era, Spanish friars shrewdly assigned the ownership of the town's patron saint to wealthy families, so that the former could be spared the expenses of its upkeep and annual ''fiesta''. The first ''Libad'' was held in 1844.

Custody of the image of ''Apung Iru'' has passed to the direct descendants of ''Don'' Pedro Armayan-Espíritu y Macam, who married three times: first to ''Doña'' Dorotea Arnedo; then Máxima Santa Rita; and finally Ysabel Dungo y Nocom. ''Don'' Pedro originally bequeathed the image to his favourite, his youngest daughter ''Doña'' Ysidora "Orang" Espíritu y Dungo (later Mrs Jesús Justo González), but she did not want the responsibility of being the image's ''camarera'' (custodian). She passed it on to her elder, spinster sister ''Doña'' Aurea "Ondeng" Espíritu y Dungo. After ''Doña'' Aurea's early death, ''Don'' Pedro's eldest daughter ''Doña'' María "Maruja" Espíritu y Dungo (later Mrs Macario Arnedo) became the image's ''camarera''. In 1928, ''Doña'' María translated the image of ''Apung Iru'' from the Armayan-Espíritu ancestral home in ''Sitio'' Alauli in Barangay San Vicente to her house in ''Barrio'' Capalangan, where it has remained since.

''Doña'' María died in 1934, and her second daughter ''Doña'' Ysabel "Tabing" Arnedo y Espíritu (later Mrs Fernando Dueñas Reyes) became the image's "camarera" until her own death in 1970. ''Doña'' María's third daughter, ''Doña'' Rosario Lucia "Charing" Arnedo y Espíritu (later Mrs Augusto Diosdado Sioco González ) became ''camarera'' until her death in May 1977. The youngest daughter, ''Doña'' Elisa Juana "Ising" Arnedo y Espíritu (later Mrs Fortunato Kabiling Sazon) became the next ''camarera'' until her death in May 1987. ''Doña'' Elisa's eldest daughter, Dr. Erlinda Crispina "Linda" Arnedo Sazon (later Mrs Enrique Espíritu Badenhop) succeeded her mother as ''camarera'' from until her own death in February 2008. Augusto Marcelino "Toto" Reyes González III, ''Doña'' Rosario's grandson from her eldest son, Augusto Beda, is the current ''camarero'' of ''Apung Iru'', following a stipulation that ''Doña'' Rosario and ''Doña'' Ysidora made to the family in 1970.

In 1975, ''Doña'' Ysidora, ''Doña'' Rosario, and the latter's son Brother Andrew Benjamin González, F.S.C., established Saint Peter's Mission, Inc. with the stipulation that ''Apung Iru'' and his feast be maintained by the generations to come.

Members Church of God International

The 60-hectare Ang Dating Daan (ADD) compound in barangay Sampaloc is the headquarters of Members Church of God International in the Philippines. It houses the ADD Convention Center where major church gatherings are held and the chapel, a multipurpose venue for the community prayer, indoctrination sessions, prayer meetings and worship services. Other structures inside the compound include the baptistry, administration office, museum, transient home, orphanages, mini-hospital, dormitories for church officers and volunteers, houses for church ministers and workers and school buildings of La Verdad Christian College.

Government

Like other towns in the Philippines, Apalit is governed by a mayor and vice mayor who are elected to three-year terms. The mayor is the executive head and leads the town's departments in executing the ordinances and improving public services. The vice mayor heads a legislative council (Sangguniang Bayan) consisting of councilors from the Barangays or Barrios.

Elected officials

Municipal council (2019-2022):
* Mayor: Oscar Tetangco Jr.
* Vice Mayor: Pedro C. Nucom
* Councilors:
**Elias Mendoza III
**Kenneth Nunag
**Kriz Mangsal
**Jed Dalusung
**Tuks Simon
**Andrew Manlapaz
**Mavic Mendoza
**Pol Nabong

List of chief executives

Infrastructure

Transportation

Major roads and bridges:
* MacArthur Highway - The major road going to Apalit.
* Apalit-Macabebe-Masantol Road - going to the towns of Macabebe and Masantol
* Dr. Joaquin Gonzalez Avenue -going to municipal hall, barangay sucad, and St. Peter's Parish
* Sulipan-Capalangan-Tabuyuc-Cansinala Road
* Tabuyuc-Balucuc Farm to Market Road
* Arnedo Dike Road
* Sampaloc Road
* Paligui Road

Public transportation

Public transportation within the municipality, like in most of the urban areas in the Philippines, is facilitated mostly using inexpensive Tricycles, jeepneys, and buses. Motored boats (or Bancas) are used to transport goods and bring people to the lowest land in case of flood in other barangays, Tricycles are used for short-distance travel. Various jeepney routes also ply the roads between Apalit and neighboring towns in Pampanga (municipalities of Macabebe, Masantol, San Simon, Minalin and City of San Fernando), in Bulacan (Calumpit, Malolos City and Balagtas). While the "FX" and "L300" van taxis, from their terminals, and Provincial Buses ( Victory Liner and First North Luzon Transit), which passes through the MacArthur Highway, takes passengers to key places in Bulacan (Calumpit, Malolos City to Guiguinto Tabang Toll Plaza) the "Metro" (Monumento in Caloocan; Cubao in Quezon City; Divisoria in Manila; and Pasay) and to northern provinces (Lubao, Floridablanca, Guagua, City of San Fernando in Pampanga; and as far as Olongapo City in Zambales).

Hospitals

* ADD Infirmary
* Apalit Doctors Hospital
* ASCCOM-DLSUMC Friendship Hospital
* E.D. Lim Maternity and General Hospital
*La Verdad Diagnostic Center
*Pampanga Premier Medical Center

Telecommunication

Landline telephone systems are being provided by the Digitel, Datelcom and PLDT. Mobile telephony services are provided by Smart Communications, Globe Telecom & Dito Telecommunity. Internet services are provided through DSL and Cable broadband coverage is provided by PLDT, Digitel and Globe Broadband; and Wireless broadband is provided by (Smart Bro) Smart Communications. Cable Television are provided by DATELSAT.

Education

For elementary and high school education, Apalit has numerous schools.

Private Schools

* Apalit Christian Ecumenical School
* Dominican School of Apalit
* La Verdad Christian College
* Gonzales Memorial College
* Holy Child Academy
* Saint Vincent's Academy
* Saint James School Inc.
* Maranatha Christian Academy of Apalit

Public schools

* San Vicente Central School
* Sampaga Elementary School
* Jose Escaler Memorial School
* Sucad Elementary School
* Sucad National High School
* Cansinala Elementary School
* Cansinala National High School
* Sampaga High School
* Colgante Elementary School
* Sampaloc Elementary School
* Paligui Elementary School
* Balucuc Elementary School
* Balucuc High School
* Calantipe High School (Formerly Balucuc High School Annex)
* Galang Elementary Memorial School
* Banag Elementary School
* Macario Arnedo Elementary School
* Tabuyuc Elementary School
* Apalit National High School
* Bro. Andrew Gonzalez Technical High School (Formerly Apalit Technical Vocational High School)
* Fausto Sioco Memorial School
* Sulipan Elementary School
• Apalit High School (Formerly Apalit National High School)

Colleges

* Asian Caregiving and Technology Education Centers (ACTEC)
* AMA Computer Learning Center College
* Eastwoods International Institute of Science and Technology
* Asian College of Science and Technology

Notable personalities

* Bro. Eli Soriano - served as the overall servant of the Members Church of God International notable for hosting his program '' Ang Dating Daan''.
* Bishop Federico O. Escaler, S.J. - served as bishop ordinary of prelature of Kidapawan.

References

External links

Apalit Profile at PhilAtlas.com
*Philippine Standard Geographic Codebr>Philippine Census InformationLocal Governance Performance Management System

{{Authority control

Municipalities of Pampanga
Populated places on the Pampanga River