Plaridel, Bulacan

Plaridel
—  Municipality  —
Map of Bulacan showing the location of Plaridel.
Plaridel Location in the Philippines
Coordinates: 14°53′13″N 120°51′25″E
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Luzon (Region III)
Province	Bulacan
District	2nd District
Founded	1602
Barangays	19
Government
• Mayor	Anastacia R. Vistan
Area
• Total	32.44 km2 (12.53 sq mi)
Population (2007)
• Total	99,817
• Density	3,100/km2 (8,000/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	3004
Income class	1st class; urban

Population Census of Plaridel
Census	Pop.		Rate
1995	66,355		—
2000	80,481		4.23%
2007	99,817		3.01%

Plaridel is a first class urban municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. In 2007, its population was 99,817 inhabitants across 16,596 households.

With the expansion of Metro Manila, the city is now part of Manila's built-up area which reaches as far north as San Ildefonso, Bulacan.

History

Like many towns in Bulacan, Plaridel have its niche in Philippine History being the site of the Battle of Quingua during the Philippine-American War in part of the defense of First Philippine Republic against the Northern Campaign of American Army.It was fought by Gregorio del Pilar and during which Col. John Stotsenberg was killed on April 23, 1899. A marker now stands at the site of the battle in Barangay Agnaya.

Plaridel's history can be traced through records back to 1595, in the early years of the Spanish colonization,when the Augustinian friars from Malolos moved north and discovered a vast forest in 1595 which later known as Quingua. As per as the history of the Parish of St.James Apostles recorded,Quingua was established by the Augustinians order from Malolos and named it "Encomienda Binto" (Brgy.Bintog got it name here) They built a mission chapel placed it under the jurisdiction of the Parish of the Immaculate Concepcion.

The mission chapel was elevated into an independent parish named Parroquia de Santiago Apostol and the whole Quingua was separated in district of Malolos as a new pueblo or town in 1602.

The Plaridel Church built in 1595 named after the Santiago de Compostela in Spain

Plaridel was surrounded with the rivers Angat and Tabang running through it. The Angat River flowed directly to Calumpit meeting the Pampanga River. The Tabang river, a mere branch with adjoining intersections dividing the middle of the present Poblacion, flowed to Manila Bay passing the Guiguinto and Bulacan towns. The water of this river was called "Tabang" or fresh water.

Very few people lived here, and most were closely related. Each group had a leader called "tandis". Different groups spoke different dialects; Pampango, Pangasinan, Ilocano and Tagalog. From Calumpit, Spanish priests and missionaries of the Augustinian Order, led by the Rev. Fr. Bernardino de Leon, frequently visited the place, preaching the Catholic faith, using the "balsa" or bamboo raft as their means of transportation. The missionaries decided to clear the land and establish settlements, from which they could work to bring unity to the people. They needed ideas to bring this about so each "Tandis" drew up a plan to pursue. For seven years, the groups of people labored, so much so that when the priest returned they found the area completely cleared. They inquired among the natives for who should be credited and the Pampangos exclaimed, "Quing wawa". So every now and then, to every question of the friars, the people would reply "Quing wa". Thereafter, the place was called Quingua.

Jose J. Mariano, then the "Alcalde" or town mayor, took the initiative of renaming the town. Congressman Pedro Magsalin, a friend of the Alcalde, sponsored a bill changing the name of the town from Quingwa to Plaridel. The bill was passed by the Philippine Congress and was approved by President Manuel L. Quezon. On December 29, 1936, the town was renamed 'Plaridel' in honor of the great hero of Bulacan, Marcelo H. del Pilar. The celebrations were attended by the political luminaries, Speaker Gil Montilla, Congressman Pedro Magsalin, Honorable Nicolas Buendia, Honorable Eulogio Rodriguez, Honorable Elpidio Quirino and Governor José Padilla, Sr.

The Imperial Japanese armed forces occupied Plaridel in 1942 during in World War II. The Japanese military garrisons were stationed there from 1942 to 1945. Bulaceño guerrillas fought side by side in Plaridel attacking Japanese troops from 1942 to 1945 before the liberation. Local Filipino forces under the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Bulaceno guerrillas liberated Plaridel in 1945.

Battle of Plaridel Part of World War II Date 1945 Location Plaridel, Bulacan Result Filipino Victory Belligerents Philippine Commonwealth * Philippine Commonwealth Army * Recognized Guerrilla Unit: Bulacan Military Area (BMA) Empire of Japan * Imperial Japanese Army Strength 28,700 Filipino troops 6,000 Bulaceño guerrillas 15,000 Japanese troops Casualties and losses 1,700 killed 2,600 wounded 40,000 killed 70,000 wounded 6,000 captured

The Battle of Plaridel was fought in 1945 between troops of the Philippine Commonwealth Army units and the local Bulaceño resistance fighters and those the Japanese Imperial forces in the town municipality of Plaridel.

Barangays

Plaridel is divided into 19 barangays. In 1954, sitio Mayamot in Barrio Banga was changed to Bagong Silang while a sitio in the eastern part of barrio Tabang, called Bagong Silang, was created.

Agnaya Bagong Silang Banga I Banga II Bintog Bulihan Culianin Dampol Lagundi Lalangan

Lumang Bayan Parulan Poblacion Rueda San Jose Santa Ines Santo Niño Sipat Tabang

Cultural References

Plaridel is the location of GMA Network's Fantaserye Darna (2009), Zaido (2007), Iglot (2011) and afternoon drama series, Nita Negrita(2011), Broken Vow(2012-Present). And the Judy Ann Santos-Sarah Geronimo Movie Hating Kapatid in July 2010. And recently, ABS-CBN's drama anthology Maalaala mo kaya: Toga, starring Albie Casiño and Erich Gonzales.

Images

• 

  Municipal Hall (Pamahalaang Bayan ng Plaridel, Poblacion)

• 

  Mayor Jose J. Mariano (1934-1950) Park (Poblacion)

• 

  Control tower of Plaridel Airport, parked planes and aviation schools

• 

  Overview (from the Choir) of Church

• 

  Public Market (Poblacion)

• 

  La Consolacion University General Hospital (formerly University of Regina Carmeli)

External links

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 2000 Philippine Census Information
• 2007 Philippine Census Information