Bautista, Pangasinan

Geography

Bautista is located east of Pangasinan part of the Pangasinan's Fifth Congressional District with a land area of 8,213 hectares and 32 kilometers off Dagupan. Bautista is bounded by Alcala, Pangasinan, north; Bayambang, south, Agno River and Moncada, Tarlac, east.

Barangays

Bautista is politically subdivided into 19 barangays:

Barangay Poblacion West is the site where the lyrics of the Philippine National Anthem were written, and it is known as the "Home of the Philippine National Anthem". In 1899, Jose Palma wrote his poem "Filipinas" which became the Anthem's lyrics.

History

Boletin Ecclesiastico de Filipinas published that the Dominicans founded Pangasinan towns of Binalatongan (City of San Carlos, 1588), Calasiao, 1588, Mangaldan, 1600, Manaoag, 1608, Lingayen, 1614, Dagupan, 1614 and Telbang (now Bautista, 1614). A historian, Rosario Cortez, however, wrote that Bautista existed since 1686, but was removed to the Parish of Bayambang.

The "Rebirth of Bautista" as municipality was only in 1900. Don Ramon Reynado became the first town executive along with other notable founder: Guillermo Agcaoile, Francisco Gonzales, Felipe Ramos, Dionisio Galvan, Teodoro Carungay, Claudio and Antonio Galsim, Marciano Guzman, Nicolas Galsim, Marcelino Villanueva and Eleno Cayabyab.

Bautista was dubbed "mercancia" or "Melting Pot" (where cargoes due to Camiling, Tarlac were traded via the Agno River or by train). The municipality was truly a melting pot, indicative of which is the diversity of people's dialects and languages. The residents of the town were Pangasinenses, Ilocanos, Tagalogs, Pampangos, Chinese and Spanish. The people of Nibaliw, Baluyot and Cabuaan are mostly Pangasinenses. The people of Nandacan, Villanueva, Poponto, Primicias, Artacho and Pogo are predominantly Ilocanos. Within the Poblacion, one would be able to meet a number of people with different persuasions, ideals and expression in varied dialects and language.

Bautista natives's livelihood are farming, broom making (fiber, tanobong and midribs), dressmaking, sawali making, buro making, building construction, auto mechanics, basketry, bag making, blacksmithing, pottery, ceramics and hollow blocks making and rattan crafts. The residents also have clay, cattle, poultry, bamboo, rattan, anahaw, abiang, fishes, sugar, basi, vinegar and coconut, including watermelon and onion, its principal product.

1907 to 1920 was its golden years until San Quintin-Paniqui rail road line was opened, thus Bautista lost to Rosales, Tayug and San Quintin. The big floods of 1934 and 1972 almost annihilated the flood-prone town.

Local government

The official seal of Bautista has "BAYAN NG BAUTISTA" amid the green color (agricultural area, the gear, farming developments, the carabao).

Hon. Amado "Pogi" Ignacio Espino III it its Municipal Mayor, while Hon. Joseph "Jojo" G. Espino is Municipal Vice Mayor/ SB Presiding Officer.

Sangguniang Bayan Members are: Hon. Jesus "Jun Jun" A. Villanueva Jr., Hon. Ramon A. Carbonell Jr., Hon. Carlos V. Pagsolingan, Hon. Mario V. Ferrer, Hon. Johnny R. Escano, Hon. Dominador C. Ramos, Hon. Manuel A. Carbonell Jr., Hon. Simplicio C. Petinez Jr., Hon. Amadeo T. Espino, Liga ng mga Barangay President, Provincial Board Member, Hon. Albino M. Mejia Sr. – OIC Liga ng mga Barangay and Hon. Joshua Czar P. Espino – SK Federation President.

Alcala March to Righteousness

The Alcala December 5, 2012 "March to Righteousness" was launched to have joined the Ombudsman of the Philippines observance of 9 December International Anti-Corruption Day United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), General Assembly of the United Nations (UN). Recently, Alcala held its Incident Command System Training, the Bautista LGU-Pangasinan, the Malacanang & Google hold MapUp Session, the 23rd National Statistics Month (NSM) and Philippine Civil Service Anniversary 2012.

Education

Bautista Schools include Baluyot, BNHS, Bautista Central School, CNHS and St. John Institute and A. Diaz, Sr. Elementary School, inter alia.

Tourism

Bautista celebrates Philippine Eagle Week from June 4, 2012 to June 10, 2012 (Presidential Proclamation No. 79).

In the "Parada Na Dayew", a festivals of Pangasinan towns in the 432nd anniversary of April 11, 2012, Bautista Float Entry "Lupang Hinirang" claimed the 1st runner-up trophy with a cash of P 75, 000 and trophy.

1723 Parish Church of St. John the Baptist

Bautista derived its name from Saint John the Baptist ("Voice of the Wilderness and the Precursor of the Lord"), hence its town fiesta on 23 and 24 June, the nativity of St. John, the Baptist.

The Parish Church of St. John the Baptist (F-1723), Poblacion East, Bautista, 2424 Pangasinan has a population of 19,547 Catholics with Parish Priests, Rev. Rafael Mesa and Rev. Rolando A. Fernandez. It is a part of the Vicariate IV: Queen of Peace, under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan. Its Vicar Forane is Rev. Fr. Alberto T. Arenos.