Masantol on arvau

Wikipedia / Masantol

Masantol, officially the Municipality of Masantol (; ), is a municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people.

Etymology

The municipality is named after the santol trees that used to grow abundantly in the area. Another theory suggests that the town was where santol fruits were heavily bartered (Kapampangans being fond of 'sinigang' dish).

Still another 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 storekeeper 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

Battle of Bangkusay Channel

Tarik Sulayman also known as Bambalito or Bankau, or for some historians, the 'unnamed ruler of Macabebe', was the indigenous leader of Macabebe 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 Bangkusay Channel on June 3, 1571. The joint forces of Macabebe, Calumpit, Hagonoy and Maynila under Rajah Sulayman III were defeated by the joint forces of the Spanish Armada and Tagalog mercenaries, with Tarik Sulayman himself killed in battle. Consequently, this victory enabled the Spaniards to establish themselves throughout Luzon.

San Miguel de Masantol

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. For a while it came to be known San Miguel Masantol, until popular usage reverted it to the original name.

Independent municipality

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.

Contemporary

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

Geography

Masantol is almost surrounded by the municipality of Macabebe (For it was once a former part of the town). It is known to be the southernmost town in the province of Pampanga. It is bounded to the north by the municipality of Macabebe; to the east by the municipalities of Calumpit and Hagonoy in Bulacan; to the west by Macabebe; and to the south by some parts of Macabebe and Manila Bay.

Masantol is from San Fernando and from Manila.

Climate

Barangays

Masantol is politically subdivided into 26 barangays, as shown below. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Alauli
Bagang
Balibago
Bebe Anac
Bebe Matua
Bulacus
San Agustin (Caingin)
Santa Monica (Caingin)
Cambasi
Malauli
Nigui
Palimpe
Puti
Sagrada (Tibagin)
San Isidro Anac
San Isidro Matua (Poblacion)
San Nicolas (Poblacion)
San Pedro
Santa Cruz
Santa Lucia Matua
Santa Lucia Paguiaba
Santa Lucia Wakas
Santa Lucia Anac (Poblacion)
Sapang Kawayan
Sua
Santo Niño

Sitios

Bebe Arabia
Sagrada 2

Demographics

In the 2024 census, the population of Masantol was 57,207 people, with a density of .

Religion

The majority of the population are members of the Roman Catholic Church where each village or barangay has its own fiesta. The main Roman Catholic parish church of the town is the San Miguel Parish Church in Barangay San Nicolas which was established in the late 20th century. 80% of the population identified with the Roman Catholic Church and it is followed by the Iglesia Ni Cristo, Islam, and other beliefs.

Economy

Festivals

Batalla San Miguel Arkangel (Apung Igue) - May 8, All Masantolenos
Battalla Santo Niño - every last Sunday of January. - Barangay Santo Nino
Batalla Santa Monica - May 4. - Barangay Santa Monica Caingin
Batalla San Roque de Montpelier (Apung Duque) - August 15,16,17 Sitio Bebe Arabia, Barangay Bebe Anac
Batalla San Roque (Apung Duque) - 3rd or 4th Sunday of April - Sitio Bebe Arabia, Barangay Bebe Anac, Barangay Bebe Matua
Batalla San Roque de Montpelier (Apung Duque) - August 15,16,17 Barangay Bebe Matua
Fiesta de San Nicolas (Apung Culas) - May 12 and September 10 - Barangay San Nicolas
Feast of The HOLY ROSARY - every 2nd Saturday of October in BULACUS MASANTOL
Batalla de Santa Lucia (Apung Lucia) - December 13 of the year. - Barangay Santa Lucia Wakas, Matua, Anac
Batalla de San Agustin (Apung Gustin)- August 28 Barangay San Agustin Caingin
Limbun at Libad or Labas Larawan (Celebration of the Saints) in each barrio/barangay celebrating their patron saint for ones a week in January.
Nuestra Señora Dela Paz Y Buenviaje Festival- Baranggay Sapang Kawayan

Education

There are two schools district offices which govern all educational institutions within the municipality. They oversee the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools. These are the Masantol North Schools District Office, and Masantol South Schools District Office.

Primary and elementary schools

Alauli Elementary School
Bagang Elementary School
Bagang Elementary School
Balibago Elementary School
Balibago Elementary School
Bebe Anac Elementary School
Bebe Matua Elementary School
Caingin Elementary School
Masantol Elementary School
Nigui Elementary School
Palimpe Elementary School
Puti Elementary School
Sagrada Elementary School
San Isidro (Talba) Elementary School
San Nicolas Elementary School
San Pedro Elementary School
Santa Cruz (Annex) Elementary School
Santa Cruz Main Elementary School
Santa Lucia Elementary school
St. Michael The Archangel Archdiocesan Parochial School Exclusive Catholic School
Sua Elementary School

Secondary schools

Holy Child of Mary Academy
Malauli High School
Masantol High School
Tarik Suliman High School
Tomas Garcia Guintu Senior High School
Pampanga Institute
San Miguel Academy