Pangil

Etymology

According to a paper entitled "Alamat ng Pangil, Laguna" written by Santiago T. Adre, there are three commonly believed and popular theories from which the name "Pangil" was derived:

1. One theory reveals that the town derived its name from the peculiar shape of the land area of the town looked like especially when viewed from a high place. The town's shape resembles a wild boar's fang.
2. The second theory shows that the town's name was derived from the name of the pioneer settlers in this area who were known as "Panguilagan". The town was eventually given the name "Panguil" (this is the spelling which appears in moost Spanish Era documents) because most of the Spaniards had a hard time pronouncing the original term "Panguilagan".
3. The last theory discloses that the town's first pre-Hispanic leader, a certain "Gat Paguil". When the Spaniards had reached the area, it was this leader whom they recognized and talked with.

It was when the Americans came and took control of the Philippines in 1898, that the former name "Panguil" became what its present name "Pangil".

History

Pangil is one of the oldest settlements in Laguna, rich in Hispanic, American and Japanese history. Discovered artifacts of the 12th century Ming and Sung Dynasty were attributed to Chinese immigrants and traders who settled in this place then. According to oral literature, the first leader of the area, which now encompasses four separate towns, was Gat Pangil, who united four ancient settlements to establish a Tagalog kingdom in the area. During the Hispanic period, Pangil became a staging ground of the Spanish missionaries in Christian Evangelization drive in 1578 in the present-day provinces of Rizal, Laguna and Quezon (then known as Tayabas), until it gained recognition as a town through the Franciscan friars in the year 1579.

King Charles III in Pangil

One of the revered myths in the town of Pangil is the belief that in the year 1724, Prince Carlos, the son of King Philip V of Spain, was banished from his country and was sent to the Philippines. The young prince stayed in the town for three years and resided with the Franciscans in the adjoining convent of the Paroquia del Nuestra Señora de la Natividad Church considered then as the biggest in Laguna. The prince was a known hunter and he enjoyed his stay in the Sierra Madre mountain range that was known as a good hunting ground for wild animals and fowls. He was also very fond of the creek that branched out from the Pangil River and now called as the Bambang Hari or King's Canal.

By the year 1728, the King lifted the ban on the Prince and ordered the latter to return to their kingdom. With his ascension to the throne of Spain as King Charles III, he ordered his emissaries to send the statue of Nuestra Seńora de la O (Our Lady of Expectation) and the statue of Santo Nińo de la O (Holy Child of Expectation) as a sign of gratitude and appreciation to the Pangilenians for the hospitality and kindness that was accorded to him. Although this story is a source of pride among the Pangilenos, there is nothing in the historical records of the archives of the Franciscan Province in the Philippines or the Archdiocese of Manila, or the Ministerio del Ultramar in Madrid that could corroborate this folk history.

Post-Spanish era

In 1903, Pangil, alongside Famy, was absorbed into the town of Siniloan by virtue of Act No. 939. It was later separated from Siniloan to become a present-day municipality.

Geography

This town is separated by the Laguna de Bay from each other. Pangil is 23 km from Santa Cruz, 110 km from Manila, and 71 km from Lucena.

Barangays

Pangil is politically subdivided into 8 barangays, as indicated in the matrix below. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Climate

| access-date = May 11, 2020 }}

Demographics

In the 2024 census, the population of Pangil was 25,318 people, with a density of {{sigfig|25,318/45.03|2}} PD/km2.

Economy

Government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

List of local chief executives

;Under the American Civil Government:

• 1900-1905 Antonio A. Fabricante
• 1906-1907 Pedro Dalena
• 1908-1909 Agustin Martinez
• 1910-1912 Roman Maulawin
• 1913-1919 Engracio Balita
• 1920-1922 Victor Acapulco
• 1923-1925 Antonio Aclan
• 1926-1928 Abraham de Guia
• 1929-1934 Santiago T. Adre

;During the Commonwealth Period:

• 1935-1937 Canuto Galvez
• 1938-1940 Esteban C. Icarangal

;During World War II:

• 1941-1945 Zoilo Martinez Pajarillo

;During the post- war period:

• 1946-1947 Santiago T. Adre
• 1948-1955 Alfredo M. Fabricante
• 1956-1959 Pastor de Ramos
• 1960-1963 Geminiano C. Gualberto

;During the Marcos dictatorship:

• 1964-1967 Cristobal T. Demery
• 1968-1971 Geminiano C. Gualberto
• 1972-1979 Pedro D. Aritao

;During the Contemporary Period:

• 1980-1992 Dominador V. Manzana
• 1992-1995 Valentin B. Santa Ana
• 1995-2004 Sergio C. Manzana
• 2004-2013 Juanita C. Manzana
• 2013-2016 Jovit Reyes
• 2016-2019 Oscar Rafanan
• 2019-2020 Jovit Reyes
• 2020–present Gerald A. Aritao

Education

The Pangil-Pakil Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.

Primary and elementary schools

• Dambo Elementary School
• Galalan Elementary School
• J. Fernandez Y Zoril (Asufre) Elementary School
• Pangil Elementary School
• Saray Elementary School
• Shama Institute of Little Lamb Academy
• Sulib Elementary School
• Victor O. De Gui, Jr. Memorial Elementary School (Balian Bo. School)

Secondary schools

• Kabulusan Integrated National High School
• Liceo de Pakil
• Pakil Senior High School (Stand Alone Senior High School No. 2)

Higher educational institution

• St. Peter of Alcantara College

Notable people

• Leo M. Drona – Catholic Bishop. Second Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose (Nueva Ecija) and Third Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo, Laguna.
• Kidlat Tahimik - the Father of Indie Films and recognized as National Artist of the Philippines for Film.
• Tessy Alfonso - also known as Sampaguita, the Queen of Filipino rock music.
• Victor O. de Guia Jr. - one of the 24 members of the Philippine Boy Scout who died due to airplane crash going to the 11th World Scout Jamboree at Greece.--

Gallery

File:PangilRiverjf9755 07.JPG|Public market File:Pangil,LagunaTownHalljf7551 03.JPG|Church and plaza File:Pangil,Lagunajf7658 15.JPG|Rice field at Pangil

References

References

1. {{DILG detail
2. Pajarillo, Fr. Cesar (2001). "Rural Devotions in Laguna." Four Hundred Years of Christianity in Pangil. Emmitsburg, MD. MSMS Publications as quoted in Balasi, T. (2003). "Pangil Devotions" (Parish Souvenir Program). Pangil, Laguna.
3. (October 12, 1903). "An Act reducing the thirty municipalities of the Province of La Laguna to nineteen".
4. (January 15, 2021). "Masterlist of Schools".