PANGASINAN
 
  HISTORY  
 
Pangasinan was among the earliest political and administrative units in the Philippines. It was officially conquered and colonized by D. Martin de Goiti in 1571. On April 5, 1572, Pangasinan was made an encomienda by the Spanish royal crown to receive instruction on the Catholic Faith, which means that Pangasinan was organized under one leadership and has identity before the Spanish royal court. Eight years later, in 1580, Pangasinan was organized into a political unit under an alkalde mayor who at that time has authority as head of the province or provincial government with judicial function indicating that Pangasinan has become a province. To commemorate the day when Pangasinan became an encomienda and the year it became a province, Pangasinan celebrates April 5, 1580 as the official founding day of the Province of Pangasinan. At that time, its territorial jurisdiction included the Province of Zambales and parts of La Union and Tarlac. By the middle of the 19th century however, the northern towns of Agoo to Bacnotan were separated from the province and became parts of La Union. The provincial territory was further diminished in 1875 with the annexation of Paniqui and other towns south of it to Tarlac.
 
Pangasinan, derived its name from the word "panag asinan", which means "where salt is made", owing to the rich and fine salt beds which were the prior source of livelihood of the province's coastal towns.
 
GEOGRAPHY
 
Pangasinan territory covers a land area of 536,818 hectares which constitutes almost one-half (41.8%) of the total land area of the region and 1.8% of the total Philippine area. It is bounded in the north by Lingayen Gulf, La Union and Benguet, in the north-east, by Nueva Vizcaya, in the east, by Nueva Ecija and Tarlac in the south and Zambales and China Sea in the west.
 
GETTING HERE
 
TRAVEL TIME:
From Manila: 4 - 5 hours
From Clark, Pampanga: 3 hours
From Baguio City: 2 1/2 hours
From Subic, Olongapo: 3 1/2 - 4 hours
 
ENTRY POINTS:
From Manila: via Rosales, via Bayambang or via Mangatarem
From Zambales: via Infanta
From Nueva Ecija: via Umingan or via Rosales
From Baguio City: via Sison or via San Fabian
 
NATIONAL TRANSPORT CARRIERS:
Victory Liner, Five Star, Fermina Express, Dagupan Bus, De Leon Express and Santrans, Fariñas, Genesis, Partas, Viron
 
 
LAND AREA AND NUMBER OF BARANGAY
DISTRIBUTION BY DISTRICT BY MUNICIPALITY
 
 
MUNICIPALITY Land Area Number of MUNICIPALITY Land Area Number of
(sq.km) Barangays (sq.km.) Barangays
           
DISTRICT I 1,856.99 211 DISTRICT II 911.62 231
           
Agno 181.07 17 Aguilar 141.13 16
Alaminos City 161.57 39 Basista 15.60 13
Anda 83.80 18 Binmaley 50.28 33
Bani 209.11 27 Bugallon 166.52 24
Bolinao 266.05 30 Labrador 112.33 10
Burgos 140.25 14 Lingayen 47.32 32
Dasol 188.16 18 Mangatarem 323.79 82
Infanta 194.54 13 Urbiztondo 54.65 21
Mabini 230.63 16      
Sual 201.81 19      
           
DISTRICT III 618.50 304 DISTRICT IV 265.16 140
           
Bayambang 183.05 77 Dagupan City 43.64 31
Calasiao 42.42 24 Manaoag 67.69 26
Malasiqui 123.78 73 Mangaldan 40.98 30
Mapandan 19.44 15 San Fabian 81.29 34
San Carlos City 78.67 86 San Jacinto 31.56 19
Sta. Barbara 171.14 29      
           
DISTRICT V 556.57 212 DISTRICT VI 1,159.34 266
           
Alcala 33.38 21 Asingan 66.60 21
Bautista 59.19 18 Balungao 75.25 20
Binalonan 40.20 24 Natividad 76.80 18
Laoac 40.50 22 Rosales 72.80 37
Pozorrubio 89.65 34 San Manuel 132.48 14
Sto. Tomas 8.30 10 San Nicolas 208.16 33
Sison 88.55 28 San Quintin 114.68 21
Urdaneta City 121.00 34 Sta. Maria 55.04 23
Villasis 75.80 21 Tayug 60.00 21
           
          SOurce:DENR, NSO