Masantol, Pampanga

Masantol
Municipality
Map of Pampanga showing the location of Masantol
Masantol Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 14°54′N 120°43′E / 14.900°N 120.717°E / 14.900; 120.717Coordinates: 14°54′N 120°43′E / 14.900°N 120.717°E / 14.900; 120.717
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Luzon (Region III)
Province	Pampanga
District	4th District
Founded	1907
Barangays	26
Government[1]
• Mayor	Danilo Sonza Guintu
• Vice Mayor	Alvin Ignacio
Area[2]
• Total	48.25 km2 (18.63 sq mi)
Population (2010)[3]
• Total	52,407
• Density	1,100/km2 (2,800/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	2017
Dialing code	45
Income class	2nd class
Website	masantolpampanga.gov.ph

Masantol is a second class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 52,407 people.^[3] The town is named after the santol trees that used to grow abundantly in the area.^[4]

Etymology

The town got its name from the fruit tree, either because there was a proliferation of santol trees in the area, or because the town was where santol fruits were heavily bartered (Kapampangans being fond of 'sinigang' dish).

A legend of how the town got its name goes like this: 'A Spanish missionary came to the town for the first time. Upon reaching a roadside corner store, he parked his horse-driven vehicle and inquired from the store keeper the name of the place. A middle-aged woman vendor, believing that the Spanish priest was asking for the name of the fruits she was selling, readily responded in broken Spanish language, Padre, todos dulce Masantol. The priest took from his pocket a pencil and a small diary and wrote down the word mas santol, referring to the name of the place he has visited. At the time, the locality abounded with santol trees, and santol fruits were in season when the priest visited the place.'

History

Tarik Sulayman was an indigenous leader from the Masantol area who refused to ally with the Spaniards and therefore mounted an attack against the Spanish forces of Miguel López de Legazpi during the Battle of Bankusay Channel on June 3, 1571. The Macabebe forces were defeated, and Tarik Sulayman himself was killed. Consequently, this victory enabled the Spaniards to establish themselves throughout the city and its neighboring towns.

Originally named San Miguel de Masantol and a part of the town of Macabebe, three of the town's leading patriarchs - Manuel Fajardo, Gregorio Bautista, and Juan Lacap - filed a motion on June 26, 1877, to separate the barrios of Bebe, Bulacus, Caingin and Nigui from Macabebe thereby creating a new Spanish pueblo called San Miguel. This new pueblo was approved by Spanish Governor General Domingo Moriones y Murillo and was inaugurated on May 1, 1878. On November 30, 1893, the Catholic Parish of San Miguel was formally acknowledged through a Royal Decree.^[5] For a while it came to be known San Miguel Masantol, until popular usage reverted it to the original name.

On July 26, 1904, Masantol once more became part of Macabebe. However, in 1907, Masantol was again reinstated as a separate independent municipality and this lasted up to the present.^[5]

Tragedy

On January 7, 2008, one person drowned, another missing and 40 others were injured due to electric shocks, when a live cable hit the floating pagoda boat in the fluvial festival at Barangay alauli, Masantol, in honor of Virgen La Purisima Concepcion.^[6]

Barangays

Masantol is politically subdivided into 26 barangays and 2 independent/dependent barrios.

Barrios:

• Bebe Arabia
• Sagrada 2 (sagrada dos)

Demographics

Education

Masantol is home to several primary and secondary schools, among them are:

• Bagang Elem. School
• San Miguel Academy Semi-Catholic School
• Holy Child of Mary Academy Semi-Catholic School
• Masantol Elementary School (Masantol Central Elementary School)
• Masantol High School
• Masantol High School Annex in Sagrada (Tarik Suliman High School)
• St. Michael The Archangel Archdiocesan Parochial School Exclusive Catholic School(Masantol Parochial School)
• Pampanga Institute - 1st high school institution in town of Masantol
• Masantol High School Annex -(Malauli High School)
• Caingin Elem. School
• Palimpe Elem. School
• Bebe Anac Elem. School
• Bebe Matua Elem School
• Puti Elem. School
• Sagrada Elem. School
• Sua Elem. School
• San Isidro Elem. School
• Balibago Elem. School
• sta.lucia elem school

Festivals

• Viva San Miguel Arkangel - May 8, All Masantolenos
• Viva Sto. Nino - every last Sunday of January. - Brgy. Sto. Nino
• Viva Santa Monica - every 3rd Sunday of April. - Brgy. Santa Monica Caingin
• Fluvial parade,Batalla and Talangka Festival of San Roque - every 3rd Sunday or 4th Sunday of April if Lunar year. - Brgy. Bebe Anac, Bebe Matua, and Bario Bebe Arabia
• Batalla Festival of San Miguel - every May 8 of the year. - Masantol Town Proper
• Feast of Apung Kulas - every May 12 of the year. - Brgy. San Nicolas
• Feast of The HOLY ROSARY - every 2nd Saturday of October in BULACUS MASANTOL
• Fiesta de Santa Lucia - every December 13 of the year. - Brgy. Santa Lucia Wakas, Matua, Anac
• Viva San Agustin - every August 28 of the year. Brgy. San Agustin Caingin
• The Labas Larawan (Celebration of the Saints) in each barrio/barangay celebrating their patron saint for one week in January.
• A week long "Barrio Feista" for each barrio scattered throughout the year.

Images

• 

  Town hall

• 

  Covered court and 1878 Masantol Monument

• 

  St. Michael the Archangel Parish Church

• 

  Public Market

• 

  Holy Child of Mary College

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Masantol, Pampanga.

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System

		Macabebe	Calumpit, Bulacan
	Macabebe		Hagonoy, Bulacan
	Masantol
		Macabebe

v t e Province of Pampanga Municipalities Apalit Arayat Bacolor Candaba Floridablanca Guagua Lubao Macabebe Magalang Masantol Mexico Minalin Porac San Luis San Simon Santa Ana Santa Rita Santo Tomas Sasmuan Component city Mabalacat San Fernando Highly urbanized city Angeles (Administratively independent from the province, but grouped under Pampanga by the National Statistics Office)