San Miguel, Bulacan

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San Miguel, Bulacan
Official seal of San Miguel, Bulacan
Location
Map of Bulacan showing the location of San Miguel
Map of Bulacan showing the location of San Miguel
Government
Region Central Luzon (Region III)
Province Bulacan
District 3rd district of Bulacan
Barangays 49
Income Class: 1st
Founded 1763
Mayor Roderick Tiongson
Physical characteristics
Area 263.5513 km²
Population

     Total (2007)


123,824

San Miguel is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 123,824 people in 24,111 households.

San Miguel De Mayumo Arch
San Miguel De Mayumo Arch

Contents

[edit] History

The Municipality of San Miguel De Mayumo was established in 1763 with Miguel Pineda as the first Capitan Municipal. Miguel Pineda was a native of Angat who decided to settle permanently in the Barrio of San Bartolome now named Barangay Tartaro. He found the place ideal for hunting and was later chosen as the leader of other settlers. He formed an alliance with Mariano Puno, the recognized leader of the adjacent prosperous village called Sto. Rosario now named Barangay Mandile. The two leaders decided to form a town named Miguel De Mayumo after the name of Miguel Pineda and mayumo, a Kapampangan word for sweets for the goodwill and generosity of Mariano Puno. The town was supposed to be part of Pampanga. San Miguel’s culture drifted from Kapampangan influence. San Miguel used to be the biggest town in Bulacan but when San Ildefonso was made in a town during the 1900 & during Ferdinand Marcos presidency he made Dona Remedios Trinidad a town (named after his wife's mother), San Miguel was left as the 2nd.

San Miguel de Arkanghel Church built in the 18th century
San Miguel de Arkanghel Church built in the 18th century

There is a story attached to the timely discovery of a stone image of an archangel when the town was in abundance and the inhabitants wish to change the name of the town. A council was formed for this purpose and in the midst of a meeting; a man rushes forward to report a discovery of a stone image of an angel in one of the Madlum Caves. The council deemed it befitting to name the town after the angel. The discovered stone image was of “San Miguel De Arkanghel”. The people believed it to be a Divine Almighty sign of good graces. The council decided in reverence and homage to the angel to add the word “San” and retain the original name of the town Miguel De Mayumo to San Miguel De Mayumo. The official name of the town at present is Municipality of San Miguel.

[edit] Pact of Biak Na Bato

During the revolution in 1897, newly appointed Governor-General Fernando Primo de Rivera decided to crush Emilio Aguinaldo and his troops in Cavite, but Aguinaldo fled to Batangas and joined forces with Gen. Miguel Malvar. The Spaniards continue their pursuit but the troops outwitted them by going to the province of Rizal (formerly Morong) & finally to Biak na Bato in San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan. Aguinaldo made the mountain caves into his headquarters while Primo de Rivera quoted, "Biak na Bato will fall into my hands...but I cannot promise to dissolve the Revolution." Aguinaldo established the first constitutional government in the Philippines.

The house were Emilio Aguinaldo slept before he departed to Biak na Bato
The house were Emilio Aguinaldo slept before he departed to Biak na Bato

Pedro A. Paterno is a Filipino who study in Spain, presented himself to the Governor-General & told them he would like to help them by negotiating a peace treaty with the revolutionaries, & Rivera agreed. Paterno left Manila on August 4 but was halted by Gen. Paciano Rizal, who was against the treaty & said he would rather be thrown into a pit lined with bolos & sharp lances, But in the end he agreed & had Paterno escorted to Biak na Bato. Paterno arrive on August 9 but did not reach his goal so he had to come back three more times during the negotiations. Aguinaldo commanded reforms & truce up to September 1900. he also told Paterno to consult with the other revolutionay leaders. Paterno kept on going back & forth to Manila & Biak na Bato until the two sides made a negotiation. After two weeks Primo de Rivera signed the Pact of Biak na bato in Malacanang without Aguinaldo, for Aguinaldo felt he might get arrested so he choose Paterno to be his representative to sign the treaty. The treat was signed in December 141 to 15,1897.

On August 26, 2007, residents at the foot of the Biak-na-Bato mountains petitioned President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to declare the mountains protected areas to stop marble quarrying and mining there. Biak-na-Bato (21.17 km² in the villages of Kalawakan and Talbak in Doña Remedios Trinidad town and the villages of Biak-na-Bato and Sibul) was one of the camps of the revolutionary Katipunan forces in the 19th century, was declared a national park by Manuel Quezon on Nov. 16, 1937 through Proclamation No. 223.[1]

[edit] Barangays

San Miguel is politically subdivided into 49 barangays.

Villaseñor Residence located in Brgy. San Vicente
Villaseñor Residence located in Brgy. San Vicente
  • Bagong Pag-asa
  • Bagong Silang
  • Balaong
  • Balite
  • Bantog
  • Bardias
  • Baritan
  • Batasan Bata
  • Batasan Matanda
  • Biak-na-Bato
  • Biclat
  • Buga
  • Buliran
  • Bulualto
  • Calumpang
  • Cambio
  • Camias
  • Ilog-Bulo
  • King Kabayo
  • Labne
  • Lambakin
  • Magmarale
  • Malibay
  • Maligaya
  • Mandile
  • Masalipit
  • Pacalag
  • Paliwasan
  • Partida
  • Pinambaran
  • Poblacion
  • Pulong Bayabas
  • Pulong Duhat
  • Sacdalan
  • Salacot
  • Salangan
  • San Agustin
  • San Jose
  • San Juan
  • San Vicente
  • Santa Ines
  • Santa Lucia
  • Santa Rita Bata
  • Santa Rita Matanda
  • Sapang
  • Sibul
  • Tartaro
  • Tibagan
  • Tigpalas

[edit] Tourist Attractions

Sibul Springs
Sibul Springs
  • Sibul Springs

- Sibul Spring is famous for the springs coming directly from the mountains, which attracted a lot of people including the past presidents like Manuel Quezon & famous artists during the pre-war & post-war era.

  • Madlum Caves and River
  • Heritage Houses

[edit] Philippine National Artists born in this town

[edit] Prominent people who played an Important role in History

  • Felipe Buencamino (1848-1929)

- Born in this town on September 22, 1848. Leader of the revolutionaries, & became kalihim ng suliraning panlabas of the first Republic of the Philippines. one of the founders of Iglesia de Independencia. Died on February 6, 1929.

Felipe Buencamino's monument
Felipe Buencamino's monument
  • Trinidad Tecson (1848-1928)

- one of the revolutionaries who is famous for being the "Mother of Biak na Bato" born in this town on November 18, 1848. During the Philippine Revolution, she joined the rebellion & took care of the sick & wounded in the mountains. Died on January 28, 1928

  • Maximo Viola (1857-1933)

- Born in this town & was a friend & taveling companion in Europe of Jose Rizal, he advanced the money needed for the printing of the novel Noli Me Tangere

[edit] Education

The town has numerous public schools offering elementary and high school education. Some of the elementary public schools are:


  • San Miguel Central Elementary School, located in Brgy. Poblacion.
Children's Haven Logo
Children's Haven Logo

Some of public high schools are:

  • John J. Russel Memorial High School, located at Sibul, San Miguel, Bulacan
  • Partida High School, located at Partida, San Miguel, Bulacan
  • San Miguel National High School, located in Brgy. San Juan.
  • Vedasto Santiago High School, San Miguel High School Annex, located in Brgy. Salacot.


Central Elementary School
Central Elementary School

Some of the private schools offering elementary and pre-elementary education are:

  • Children's Haven School of San Miguel Bulacan, located in Brgy. San Jose.
  • D. C. Nicolas School, located in Brgy. Tigpalas
  • Park Ridge School of Montessori, located in Brgy. Camias.
  • Saint Paul University at San Miguel, located in Brgy. Salangan
  • School of Mount St. Mary, located in Brgy. Sta. Rita (New)

[edit] Products of San Miguel

  • Pastillas - Pastillas de leche, made from fresh carabao milk, is the main product of the municipality of San Miguel de Mayumo. Mayumo is the local term for sweets.
  • Dormat - Strips of cloth usually thrown away by fashion houses and seamstresses are the basic materials for this home industry, which is a major source of livelihood for residents of barangay Sibul
  • Stone Craft/Souvenir Making - As a home industry in barangay Biak-na-Bato, this is a good source of income for its residents. They make use of indigenous materials such as limestone, stones gathered from Balaong River, which traverses the Biak-na-Bato National Park, and seashells, in the preparation of souevenir items.
  • Fruit/Vegetable Carving and Food Preservation - Beautiful carving of flowers, leaves, nipa huts and baskets are carved/etched on rinds of fruits and vegetables. Fruits in season such as santol, lime, pomelo and guyabano are used.
  • Chicharon - Pork rind/skin cooked, seasoned and made into crackling or CHICHARON, is a major livelihood in the municipality
  • Kesong Puti - Kesong Puti or homemade cottage cheese is made from pure carabao milk. It can be eaten with bread, or as some locals do, with rice
  • Macapuno Candy - Young coconut or macapuno are candied and made into sweets. These sweets, along with pastillas de leche, ube, and yema are the sweets manufactured and specialties of the municipality.

[edit] Products

San Miguel is also famous because of the old houses built in different times, with different style & color stractures even though some of the houses were bomb during the Japanese many still exist today, but sadly others are being torn down to be sold or to make way for new buildings. The town is also called the "Vigan of Bulacan". Also Historical landmarks and old stones houses in the town proper are existing testimonies to the abundance and prosperity of the past and the admirable skills in craftsmanship of Bulakeños.

[edit] How to get here

From Manila:

The town is around 75 km. north of Manila, the business center of the country. If one uses public transportation to get to the town, one could take the buses that ply the Cagayan Valley Road route. Some of these buses are Baliwag Transit, ES Transport, and Five Star Transport. The buses reach the town in around 2 hours.

If one would use private transportation, one could take the North Luzon Expressway at Balintawak Exit. Take the exit at Sta. Rita (approximately 30 minutes). Just follow the Cagayan Valley Road passing through the towns of Plaridel,Pulilan, Baliuag, San Rafael and San Ildefonso.

From San Fernando City, Pampanga:

Take the North Luzon Expressway going south. You may exit at Pulilan Exit. Turn left driving towards Pulilan town proper. Upon reaching the Pulilan town proper (where 5 roads converge), follow the Cagayan Valley Road route going north.

One can also take the Gapan-Olongapo Road going east. Upon reaching the intersection of the Gapan-Olongapo Road and Cagayan Valley Road (after approximately 1.5 hours), turn right to go south along Cagayan Valley Road. You will reach the town after approximately 30 minutes.

From Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija:

Just take any of the buses that go south that follow the Cagayan Valley Road. San Miguel is approximately 1 hour from Cabanatuan.

[edit] External links

[edit] References