Magalang, Pampanga

History

Magalang was mentioned as visita of nearby town of Arayat in December 29, 1598. In April 30, 1605, it was separated by the Augustinians from Arayat and attained township status due to bajo de la campana system. Augustinians appointed Fr. Gonzalo de Salazar, OSA as the first pastor. Magalang was initially called Magalo derived from Kapampangan word "Galo" which is means, wavy and moving; describing the dangerous water flows of Parua River. The town proper was located in Macapsa, however due to the natural calamities and revolts led by Andres Malong and his subordinate Melchor de Vera against the Spanish in 1660, it was nearly abandoned. It was moved to San Bartolome in 1734 until it was swept by the flood due to the overflow of Parua River in 1863. Transferred to the present site in barrio San Pedro Talimunduc on December 13, 1863 led by the parish priest, Fr. Ignacio Manzanares, OSA and some of the members of principalia including Pablo M. Luciano, gobernadorcillo of Magalang at that time. In 1885, the agricultural experiment station, La Granja Modelo de Luzon was transferred from San Isidro, Nueva Ecija to the foothills in Mt. Arayat; in which become the present Pampanga State Agricultural University. The revolutionary government took over the local government on June 12, 1898 led by General Francisco Macabulos and Colonel Lorenzo D. Camaya; and during that time, Magalang was one of the revolutionary centers in Pampanga due to its proximity to Camansi, a revolutionaries' headquarters located in Mt. Arayat. The forces of Major General Servillano Aquino defended Magalang against Americans until it was successfully captured on November 5, 1899 led by Major General Arthur MacArthur and Colonel Jacob H. Smith. On January 1, 1942, Japanese forces defeated the Filipino-American forces composed of Igorot troops led by Major Helmert Duisterhof and Capt. Russell W. Volckmann; paving away for the capture of Magalang. It was liberated by the 148th Infantry of 37th Division, US Army with the help of Hukbalahap on January 25, 1945. It was one of the hotbeds of Huk insurgency until the rebellion crushed in 1954. On December 30, 1963, Mayor Benedicto T. Dayrit was assassinated by the alleged men of Commander Sumulong during the night ball in town plaza. In 1968, Mayor Daniel T. Lacson was sworn as mayor of Magalang until his term was ended in 1986. During the tenure of Mayor Pastor Z. Guiao, Magalang was awarded as one of the cleanliest municipality in the Philippines. Mayor Maria Lourdes P. Lacson was sworn as mayor of Magalang in June 30, 2016; the first woman mayor of Magalang.

Barangays

Magalang is politically subdivided into 27 barangays, listed here with its population as of May 1, 2010, with total of 103,597 and 55,061 registered voters.

Brgy. San Francisco

The present official name of the barrio is San Francisco. It was formerly called "Batiauan" because it was the only barrio of this town which had a watchtower during the Spanish regime. It is one of the largest barrios of Magalang.

Brgy. San Nicolas

From the beginning it has always been named San Nicolas. The barrio has no sitios. In 1868 it was separated from the barrio of San Pedro which at that time comprised the whole town. It was separated from the barrio of San Pedro through the efforts of the late Don Nicolas Tapnio, one of the first residents of the place. He gave the name to the barrio in honor of his patron saint, St. Nicolas.

Brgy. San Pedro

It has always been called San Pedro ever since; no popular name was attached to it; and it has no sitios. However, it is believed it then comprised what are known as barrios San Nicolas and Sta. Cruz.

Brgy. Sta. Cruz

Formerly this barrio was named "Alasas", Sta. Cruz due to many "alasas" leaves that covered both sides of a small stream running across the barrio. The barrio was established in the year 1880. The original founders of the barrio were Don Pablo Luciano, Jacinto Catap, Alberto Maniago, Domingo David and Estanislao Dayrit.

Brgy. San Agustin

The present day of the barrio is San Agustin. It is popularly known as Dapa, meaning to lay down flat on the ground. This was the order of the lieutenant of the revolutionary forces to his soldiers.

Brgy. San Pablo

The barrio has three sitios, namely Talimunduc a Maragul, Talimunduc a Malati and Cubul. Talimunduc a malati was called such because there were only very few houses in the place. The popular name of the barrio is Talimunduc a maragul meaning a highland. When these three sitios were separated, from their mother barrio San Agustin it was named San Pablo in honor of Capitan Pablo Luciano.

Religion

Roman Catholic 85%; In Magalang were church locales of Members Church of God International or Ang Dating Daan can be found which yields thousands of members. Other major religious groups are Iglesia ni Cristo, Evangelical Christians and others are also established in the municipality. Aside from Catholic churches, the town has a new United Methodist Church. In the year 1908, Protestantism was introduced and Vicente Naguit was the first convert.

San Bartolome Parish Church

St. Bartholomew Parish Church (Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando, Vicariate of St. John the Beloved) was established by the Augustinians in 1605, it was the scene of the encounter between the followers of Andres Malong led by Melchor de Vera and the Spanish troops in 1660. Moved to San Bartolome in 1734, the church was swept by Parua river in the flood of 1863. It was re-established in Barrio San Pedro on December 13, 1863. The 3-aisle church is made of stone and wood. It is 55m. long, 21m. wide and 7m. high. Interplay of arches, as seen on the main entrance, doors and niches, pediments and fenestrations, including those of the bellowers and adjacent convent suggest a touch of baroque. Fiesta: August 24.

Economy

Fishpond owners in Pampanga source their fingerlings (tilapia) from producers in this town, it’s well known for its confectionaries (sweets) particularly the incomparable pastilla de leche, a popular item for gift-giving and a table dessert on fiestas and social gatherings. The Magalang sweets are distinct in their unique taste because of the quality of the milk from water buffalo (carabao) that feed on green grass growing on the fresh well-irrigated pastureland of the agricultural section of the town. And large amount of land is Corn or Rice Grain.

Local government

Like other towns in the Philippines, Magalang 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 Sangguniang Bayan's ordinances and improving public services. The vice mayor heads a legislative council consisting of councilors, as members.

Lyndon Cunanan was elected mayor in May 2007. However, his win was disputed by businessman Romulo Pecson because of election fraud. Pecson won a Supreme Court order in 2009, that forced Cunanan to vacate his post. Pecson then sat as municipal mayor and was re-elected in 2010. Former Mayor Lyndon Cunanan and his former Vice Mayor Norman Lacson have filed their certificates of candidacy for mayor and vice mayor, respectively, to contest in the next municipal elections in 2013.

Roads

During the visit of the governor in the remote barangay of Turu in Magalang, she announced the concrete pavement of the one kilometer farm to market road in the said village amounting to P6-million.

Health Care

On Tuesday, January 10, 2012, Governor Lilia Pineda led Monday the inauguration of the P35-million Andres Luciano District Hospital (ALDH) in Barangay San Pablo.

Tertiary Schools

Secondary Schools

Elementary Schools

Private Schools