Mapandan : "pandan" palm

The municipality, before it came into existence as a town, was formerly a barrio of Mangaldan. It was first conceived into a municipality in the year 1909 under the initiative of Rev. Father Benigno Jimenez, a Parish Priest of Mangaldan.

At first the town was located in the hilly regions of the south where there used to be many "pandan" a native palm whose leaves will add aroma to the cooked rice if cooked with it. Because of the existence in great quantity of this pal in this region, the town was named Mapandan (meaning plenty of pandan). The leaves of the pandan are stripped and woven into mats.

This town site later was found unsatisfactory so it was transferred to its present location, the town though its real name is Mapandan is commonly called Balon Bahley (meaning new town) and because of this and its isolation in the Province. Still many people in Pangasinan are net yet very familiar with its geographical location. #