ST. ISIDORE THE FARMER PARISH

Labrador

2402 Pangasinan

F - 1767

Tel. (075) 549-5055
Titular: St. Isidore the Farmer, May 15
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The Parish of Labrador was erected in 1755 and the priest was Fr. Antonius Ruiz, O.P. The church and convent of wood and river stone was built by Fr. Domingo deSan Juaquin in 1771 and complete in 1786. The town hall was built at the same time of the same materials. The population of the town at the time, 1,004. During the early days of Spanish Conquistadores, the municipalities of Sual and Labrador were but a single Spanish Pueblo, the seat of the government having been at what is now barangay Uyong. In the year 1756 a political rivalry between the east and west of the town caused an agitation achieved in 1809 but separation into 2 parishes did not occur until 1837. In 1865 major repairs were done to the Church of Labrador. Its dimensions (interior) are: Length 57.40 meters, Breadth 16.15 meters.
The new cemetery on the west of the town was built by Fr. Rufino Irazabal just before the revolution and the chapel in the cemetery had to left without a roof because of the interruption.
Fr. Manuel Escrich built a barrio chapel dedicated to San Pedro but it was destroyed by members of another order who taught that the territory belonged to Zambales; however a civil authority in manila settled the matter in favor of the Dominicans. A school begun by Fr. Villanova about 1850 and enlarged in 1894 by Fr. Irazabal. In 1842 Fr. Cassanova constructed a bridge of stone and bricks over the brook of Uyong. This was destroyed by flood leaving only the pillars which were used as the foundation of a later bridge. Fr. Soarez built a bridge in Bongalon.
In April 1949 the parish was placed under the administration of the Columban Fathers and has been staffed by them until the present time. After the World War II when the Columban Fathers took over the administration of the parish in April 1949, the Church was in very bad condition, due to war damage.
On October 30, 1950, the dissidents (HUKS) raided the municipality and looted and burned the Municipality Building along with several other private houses and massacred many civilians including a Columban priest Fr. Thomas Flynn. This caused the total evacuation of the place leaving Labrador a ghost town during the night time.
In June, 1954, the first year class was admitted, and since thten the attendance has grown each year, requiring additional rooms and gradually forcing him to leave the rectory entirely to the school and to build another rectory nearby for himself and his assistant. In 1960 the administration of the school was placed in the hands of the Missionary Sisters of St. Columban. Many new buildings have been constructed by the Sisters.
Labrador, is a 6th class municipality with an approximate area of 165 sq. kms., about two thirds of which is mountainous, partly covered by forest. The narrow plain is located along the Agno River and Lingayen Gulf with fertile soil suited for agriculture. By the Agno river banks are nipa swamps which are now being converted to fishponds. The population is more or less 16,706 hard working, peaceful, hospitable, religious and law-abiding people. This municipality is composed of 10 barangays, namely: Poblacion, Dulig, Bolo, Bongalon, Magsaysay, San Gonzalo, San Jose, Laois, Uyong and Tobuan, all situated along the National and Provincial Roads.
The Labradenos, as they call the people of Labrador, are proud to be one among the few people of Pangasinan who speak pure Pangasinan dialect.
Rice farming is the primary means of livelihood of the people. Fishing and lumber are the two secondary industries, especially bangus and prawn cultivation. Some people are engaged in salt-making, sawali making and salted fish manufacturing. Fishponds are increasing in this municipality and there is an abundant supply to bangus and prawn, which are being exported to the neighboring towns and to Dagupan City and Baguio. Peanuts and coconuts are also cultivated.
As the northwestern part of Labrador is Located along the mouth of the Agno River and Lingayen Gulf, fishing is becoming one of its most profitable industries. Along the Uyong-Tobuan beach you can find about 150 small motor boats locally called “carcar” for catching “alamang”. Aside from these, there are more or less one hundred various kinds of fishing boats used by the operators of fishing apparatus locally known as “parigdig” and “batikwas”. These in additional to the bangus and prawn industries make Labrador a very active fish-producing center.

ST. ANDREW APOSTLE PARISH

Bugallom

2416 Pangasinan

F-1920 Tel. (075) 544-4049
Titular: St. Andrew the Apostle, November 30

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The seat of the St. Andrew the Apostle Parish was originally situated at Salasa –the old town site, which was founded by the Dominicans in the 18th century. When the town site was transferred, the seat of the parish was also transferred as a consequence brought about by natural calamities that battered the area. We read in the history of Salasa that, ”In 1914, a big flood visited Salasa, destroying crops, properties, building, etc. and brought untold miseries among the people. The mighty Agno River was continually eroding its banks, threatening to destroy the presedencia and several residential houses including perhaps the church and the convent. Authorities were worried and lost no time in transferring the poblacion to Barangay Anagao…..”(which would later be called Bugallon in honor of a brave soldier turned into hero: Torres Bugallon; Salasa would become one of the barangays but still remaining the parish with our Lady of Lourdes as its patron Saint). St. Andrew the Apostle remained the patron Saint when the parish was formally established in its present site on July 1920 with Fr. Eustaquio Ocampo as its first parish priest. Fr. Montano Domingo took over the parish on November 29,1921. Almost seven years after, on June 1928, Fr Emeterio Domagas replaced him.
On May 23,1929, Pangasinan was created as a new Diocese with Msgr. Cesar Maria Guerrero as its First Bishop. Aware of the situation of his jurisdictoin,where parishes were abandoned for many years, the bishop invited religious and missionary priests to reconstruct or revive the deserted parishes or build up new ones. St Andrew the Apostle Parish was included among the “flocks without good shepherds”. In 1930, the Franciscan Capuchins accepted the invitations and sent Fr. Cesario of Legario and Fr. Fernando of Erasum to Bugallon and Salasa respectively on September 17, 1930 – a day significant to the Capuchins for ut was the day of the Stigmata of St. Francis. They found both parishes physically and spiritually ruined as can read in the history of Capuchins in the Philippines: “ between the town of Salasa and Bugallon existed a centuries-old rivalry; so when Fr.Cesareo was named parish preist of Bugallon in 1930, he had to please the people of both town. He personally liked the big church of Salasa – on of the biggest in the archipelago – a hundred meters long, but which was completely destroyed and despoiled by the people of Bugallon. When he started its reconstruction, the envious people of Bugallon protested, so he had to give way to them by building a beautiful tower for the Church in Bugallon and then a convent. It was a Solomonic work in so short a time and with very few resources.” (A DREAM….A VISION….A REALITY 100 years of Capuchin presence in the Philippines).
Rev. Fr. Benjamin of Ilarduya took over on October 16, 1933 up to June 27, 1941. It was during Fr. Benjamin’s incumbency when the church brick-structure and the old façade were built. When World War II broke out, Fr. Hipolito of Azcoita parish priest of Labrador, was transferred to Bugallon to be its new parish priest. He and another Capuchin were out of the town

ST. JOSEPH THE PATRIACH PARISH

AGUILAR

2415 Pangasinan
Tel. (075) 549-2091F-1810

Titular: St. Joseph the Patriarch, March 19

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History By: Atty. Leonardo B. Jimenez, Jr.
THE TERRAIN AND ITS BOUNDARIES:
The town of Aguilar, Pangasinan had its early beginnings as a cattle ranch founded by the Spaniards. The place was known as sitio Balubad, then still part of the town of Binalatongan (now San Carlos) . On the western part were the Zambales mountains with thick forests and verdant foliage. It was a hunter’s paradise with deer roaming here and there with an occasional wild boar making an appearance. The grass in the plain were succulent fare for cattle and the water from the brooks and streams clear and sparkling.
On the eastern part was the Agno river. At that time, there were no road systems to speak of, only foottpaths. The river arteries constituted the main mode of transportation in the interior towns. Through these river systems, boats sailed from the Ilocos Provinces e.g. Vigan to Dagupan , Calasiao, Lingayen and even as far as San Isidro de Labrador, Salasa, Aguilar and Camiling. Worth noting was the fossiliferous river bank in Camiling useful in making lime, while mineral waters consisting of ferruginous and alkaline waters were and are still found in Aguilar and Mangatarem.
As a thriving place for cattle ranches and bountiful rice plantations, it was natural for Aguilar to attract people from other towns to stay and settle in the place. In time the clamor arose to convert the settlement into a town.
The initiative for the founding of Aguilar came from some principles who originally came from Lingayen, headed by Don Celestino Zamuco and Don Francisco Zamuco. They requested permission to form a poblacion on the terrain between the Balubad river in the vicinity of Salasa and the river Olon Damulag in San Carlos.
AGUILAR-HOW IT WAS FOUNDED:
The following is the widely-held view of residents and old-timers of Aguilar on how Aguilar became a duly certified town:
“The early settlers prospered and lived in peace and contentment. When the Spaniards in Lingayen heard of this flourishing village, they sent Spanish explorers through the town of Salasa to visit the place. Some Spanish soldiers and a priest were left to organize a pueblo with Apo Francisco Zamuco as Cabeza de Barangay. A petition was filed with the principales (municipal officials) of Binalatongan to make a village a town. The petition was at first received with a cool reception because a large portion of the village was covered with evergreen grass which afforded a rich pasture land for Binalatongan.
The story is told that one time, a grand wedding feast was being held in Salinap, in a barrio of Binalatongan near the Agno river. The principales of Binalatongan attended the party. When Don Francisco heard of this, he lost no time in sending Dona Maria Magmaong with her maids of honor and escorts to influence the principales of Binalatongan to sign the petition for township.
Dona Maria Magmaong was a beatiful as her name. In beauty she was the star of the village. She was tall as she was graceful. She had clear and bright eyes and long and luxuriant hair. Her hair was so long that it reached the heels of her well-shaped legs. Her complexion was fair-“Kayumangging Kaligatan” as the Tagalogs would say. She was so beautiful that she could captive anyone with her exquisite beauty. Possessed with strong personality and the charm of the beauty, Dona Maria, with her maids of honor and escorts, was sent to influence the principales to approve the petition.
When Dona Maria and her entourage arrived at the party, the principales and the people received her warm welcome. Everyone was attracted by her charm and beauty. When Dona Maria spoke before the principales they were all stunned and magnetized that they could not say “no “ to her petition.
The petition was finally signed on the promimse that Dona Maria go with the principales to Binalatongan and attend a party in her honor. After the petition was endorsed with their signatures, she was apprehensive with some danger that might beset her in the invitation of the principales who were already heavily inebriated. Not to be waylaid by the principales, she and her party slipped unnoticed from the feast and fled to Aguilar in great haste in the dead of the night.
Don Francisco and his ‘Caylianes’ prepared a sumptuos reception in honor of Dona Maria upon her triumphant return. Her successful mission was received with great rejoicing by the people.”

OUR LADY OF LOURDES PARISH

 SALASA BUGALLON

Titular: Our Lady of Lourdes, Feb. 11

F-1720

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Our lady of our Lourdes Parish, located in Salasa, is an obscure parish. Very little is known about it. This has been proven by the fact that during the Cursillo Movement in 1965, our delegates were treated merely as delegates of an unknown parish. The truth of the matter is that Salasa today is very much alive and kicking. The celebration of the Christ the King 1987 which was hosted by the parish is a proof that slowly, it is gaining recognition.

Salasa is old name of our town n Bugallon. How the town got its name is quite interesting and amusing. During the Spanish era, when the whole country was being colonized, a Spaniard while tarrying asked him about the name of his town in Spanish. It was just a mere coincidence that the carpenter was placing the floor joist of his house when he was being interrogated. He replied, SALASA (meaning floor joist in the dialect.) The Spaniard wrote the word Salasa in his diary. When asked where he had come from by his peers, the Spaniard answered SALASA which then spread like wildfire among the Spaniards and the inhabitants. Since then, the town was called SALASA.

Salasa as a town was founded between the years 1714-1747 by Fr. Antonio Perez. During the Spanish regime, he church and state were under the control of the priest. In 1720, the town was accepted as a vicariate by the Dominican Orders but this was suspended due to hostilities prevailing in those days. In 1733, the town was restored as a vicariate. The first site of the poblacion was in Barangay Polong in the yard of Don Francisco Valencerina where a concrete stable for the horse of thepriest was constructed. It was transferred later to Baranggay Salasa on january 24, 1734 by Fr. Fernando Garcia who draw a town plan in accordance with the national pattern. The plaza was the center, Presedencia, north of the plaza, the church and convent, south of the plaza, all surrounded by parallel streets.

Came the American Rule and series of events took place. In 1914, a big flood visited Salasa, destroying crops, properties, building, etc. and wrought untold miseries of the people. The mighty Agno River was continually eroding its banks, threatening to destroy the presedencia and several residential houses including perhaps the Church and convent. Authorities were worried and lost no time in transferring the poblacion to Barangay Annagao but in so doing, legend have it that all those carpenters that dismantled the church in Salasa died one after the other. Adding confusion to the authorities and the people those days was the fact that the image of San Andres inside the church while being transferred to Anagao could not be moved at all even by the combined forces of a group of weight lifters.

By miracle or by design the transfer of the church was called off. Whatever remains the Church had, like little roofing and brick walls then restored to its original position. The Church had to be maintained which is why two churches existed in one town, one in Salasa and the other in Anagao.

In the year 1935, Doña Milagros Klar, wife of the late manager of Pantranco, donated the image of Our lady of Lourdes to the Church in Salasa. This was done out of gratitude because she was cured of her illness attributed to her devotion to the Virgen Lourdes. That was the time when devotees of the Lady came from the length and breadth of Pangasinan in that famous fluvial procession along the Agno River. Since then the Klar family visited Salasa on February 11th yearly. They began feeding so many people and eventually February 11 became the feast day of Our lady of Lourdes and the fiesta of Salasa, which is being continued up to this day.

Our present town is Bugallon which is named after Gen. Jose Torres Bugallon, an illustrious son who was born in Salasa. Such act changing Salasa an old town to a new one, Bugallon had required a congressional approval sponsored by the late Cong. Mauro Navarro, first district of Pangasinan. Meanwhile, Salasa became a barangay but remains as Our Lady of Lourdes Parish with eleven (11) barangays of the north. The other parish of Bugallon, St. Andrew the Apostle comprises the southern barangays with fourteen (14) barangay. It’s incredible, small town with two parishes. That’s BUGALLON.

ST. RAYMOND OF PEÑAFORT PARISH

MANGATAREM PANGASINAN

Titular: St. Raymond of Peñafort, January 7

Tel. (075) 546-2378, 546-3061
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HISTORY OF THE PARISH OF ST. RAYMOND OF PEÑAFORT

The Rev. Father Ramon Suarez, O.P, describes the origin of the town saying: “Mangatarem is one of the children of San Carlos”. The “pioneers, after many disputes and wars with the Negritos succeeded in settling on the other side of the Agno River, along the bank of the brook Niog (now Carayan Boris) which passes at the back of the church, they set up corrals for their cattle, to depend themselves and for any emergency in case of surprise attacks, they united and formed a barrio.
In 1872, the Rev. Fr. Mariano Pellicer, O.P., the parish priest of San Carlos, concerned over the welfare of his parishioners this side of the river, founded the Barrio of Mangatarem as a Visita dedicated to St. Raymond of Peñafort. This Visita has seven districts with 350 tributes. The following year, it increased to ten districts and continued increasing so much so that in 1835, it was made a Town with 20 districts. Its new status was officially accepted in the chapter of 1837 with Rev. Fr. Joaquin Perez as the first Vicar. Before him were other priest who took care of the people’s spiritual welfare. The population of the new town showed a marked increase: 1844 – 6,862, 1882 – 9,276, 1886 -10,665. At present, the population is around 70,000 souls.
The first church was built by Fr. Perez which was later burned. In 1851, the Rev. Fr. Manuel A. del Manzano laid the foundation of another church, which turned out to be on of the marvels of the land. The foundation is six yards deep and six yards thick. The walls are the ashlars (hewn, squared) stones. The exterior is of Doric style while the interior is Ionic. Inside it measures 82.40 meters long and 16 meters wide, the transept (cross part) is 51.70 meters long and 15.40 meters wide. The sidewalls measure 2.5 yards wide, the façade and the back walls are 3.5 yards wide. It is one nave church. The ashlars stone of this imposing edifice were hewn from the stone quarries of Malabobo, along the mountain ranges, 8 kilometers from this town. By 1880, the façade was completed; the two towers reached only six meters high and remain so up to this day. The construction, began by Fr. Manzano was terminated by Fr. Vicente Istiqui in 1875 – 1884.
Around the magnificient plaza, the Rev. Fr. Manzano also erected the station of the cross. These columns were Corinthian style and topped with large Cross. These are made out of grindstone six yards high, cut from one piece stones from the pedestal. The first rectory was built by Fr. Perez in 1847. It was made out of bricks and measures 45 yards long and 20 yards wide. This was also burned in 1862 together with the first church. The present rectory was built by Fr. Iztiqui on same foundation of the former. A school, burned during the great revolution of 1898, was also monument to Fr. Manzano’s building prowess.
From all these we could deduce how much love and affection the people had for Fr. Manzano, who died in Sual on July 29, 1861, just a few months after leaving Mangatarem. The people of this town brought home the body of their beloved pastor. He finally “rested in their arms” who in his life was too great in demand by other parishes, to live permanently in their midst. So to his mortal remains, the people of his town accorded him a hero’s welcome. The funeral was attended by no less than 3000 people. During the novena for his soul, the church was full as if it were like the Holy Week.