Alcala : "dangla"

The town of Alcala is claimed to be originally one of the big sitios of Bayambang, a town immediately on its west after Bautista.

It was then referred to as "Dangla" a vernacular term referring to a medicinal shrub which was then growing luxuriantly thereat.

The early settlers and their leaders through their own initiative petitioned the proper government authorities on April 1, 1873 or thereabout for the secession of sitios Dangla (now San Vicente), Cupi, Namalutan, Bacud, Ba-ong, Maasin, Bitulao, and Bugyao from Bayambang to constitute the nucleus of a new "pueblo". The names of these sitios except Dangla are still in use.

On September 20, 1875 a Royal decree was issued approving the founding of the new municipality of Alcala. It can be concluded without dispute, therefore, that the town of Alcala was founded on this latter date. It can be assumed that the then Spanish Governor of the province of Pangasinan was a native born of Alcala, Spain which fact may have played a great role and a major factor in considering the name of the new town as Alcala. #