| Plaridel | |
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| — Municipality — | |
| Map of Bulacan showing the location of Plaridel. | |
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Plaridel
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Central Luzon (Region III) |
| Province | Bulacan |
| District | 2nd District |
| Founded | 1602 |
| Barangays | 19 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Anastacia R. Vistan |
| Area | |
| • Total | 32.44 km2 (12.5 sq mi) |
| Population (2007) | |
| • Total | 99,817 |
| • Density | 3,077/km2 (7,969.3/sq mi) |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+8) |
| ZIP code | 3004 |
| Income class | 1st class; urban |
| Population Census of Plaridel | |||
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| Census | Pop. | Rate | |
| 1995 | 66,355 |
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| 2000 | 80,481 | 4.23% | |
| 2007 | 99,817 | 3.01% | |
Plaridel is a 1st class urban municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. In 2007, its population was 99,817 inhabitants across 16,596 households.
With the expansion of Metro Manila, the city is now included in Manila's built-up area which reaches as far north as San Ildefonso, Bulacan.
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Plaridel was previously known as Quingua. This is where the Battle of Quingua during the Philippine-American War was fought by Gregorio del Pilar and during which Col. John Stotsenberg was killed on April 23, 1899. A marker now stands at the site of the battle in Barangay Agnaya.
Plaridel's history can be traced through records back to 1595, in the early years of the Spanish colonization, when the place was a vast undeveloped plain covered with thick forest and cogon grass, with the rivers Angat and Tabang running through it. The Angat River flowed directly to Calumpit meeting the Pampanga River. The Tabang river, a mere branch with adjoining intersections dividing the middle of the present Poblacion, flowed to Manila Bay passing the Guiguinto and Bulacan towns. The water of this river was called "Tabang" or fresh water.
Very few people lived here, and most were closely related. Each group had a leader called "tandis". Different groups spoke different dialects; Pampango, Pangasinan, Ilocano and Tagalog. From Calumpit, Spanish priests and missionaries of the Augustinian Order, led by the Rev. Fr. Bernardino de Leon, frequently visited the place, preaching the Catholic faith, using the "balsa" or bamboo raft as their means of transportation. The missionaries decided to clear the land and establish settlements, from which they could work to bring unity to the people. They needed ideas to bring this about so each "Tandis" drew up a plan to pursue. For seven years, the groups of people labored, so much so that when the priest returned they found the area completely cleared. They inquired among the natives for who should be credited and the Pampangos exclaimed, "Quing wawa". So every now and then, to every question of the friars, the people would reply "Quing wa". Thereafter, the place was called Quingua.
Jose J. Mariano, then the "Alcalde" or town mayor, took the initiative of renaming the town. Congressman Pedro Magsalin, a friend of the Alcalde, sponsored a bill changing the name of the town from Quingwa to Plaridel. The bill was passed by the Philippine Congress and was approved by President Manuel L. Quezon. On December 29, 1936, the town was renamed 'Plaridel' in honor of the great hero of Bulacan, Marcelo H. del Pilar. The celebrations were attended by the political luminaries, Speaker Gil Montilla, Congressman Pedro Magsalin, Honorable Nicolas Buendia, Honorable Eulogio Rodriguez, Honorable Elpidio Quirino and Governor José Padilla, Sr.
The Imperial Japanese armed forces occupied Plaridel in 1942 during in World War II. The Japanese military garrisons were stationed there from 1942 to 1945. Bulaceño guerrillas fought side by side in Plaridel attacking Japanese troops from 1942 to 1945 before the liberation. Local Filipino forces under the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Bulaceno guerrillas liberated Plaridel in 1945.
| Battle of Plaridel | |||||||
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| Part of World War II | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Philippine Commonwealth * Philippine Commonwealth Army * Recognized Guerrilla Unit: Bulacan Military Area (BMA) |
Empire of Japan * Imperial Japanese Army |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 28,700 Filipino troops 6,000 Bulaceño guerrillas |
15,000 Japanese troops | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1,700 killed 2,600 wounded |
40,000 killed 70,000 wounded 6,000 captured |
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The Battle of Plaridel was fought in 1945 between troops of the Philippine Commonwealth Army units and the local Bulaceño resistance fighters and those the Japanese Imperial forces in the town municipality of Plaridel.
Plaridel is divided into 19 barangays. In 1954, sitio Mayamot in Barrio Banga was changed to Bagong Silang[1] while a sitio in the eastern part of barrio Tabang, called Bagong Silang, was created.[2]
Plaridel is the location of GMA Network's Fantaserye Darna(2009) Zaido(2007) Iglot (2011-Present)and afternoon drama series, Nita Negrita. And the Judy Ann Santos-Sarah Geronimo Movie: Hating Kapatid in July 2010. And recently, ABS-CBN's drama anthology Maalaala mo kaya: Toga starring Albie Casiño and Erich Gonzales.
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