Sampaloc, Manila

Etymology

"Sampaloc" or "Sampalok" is the native Tagalog word for the tamarind fruit; the place was likely named after tamarind trees that may have been prevalent in the area.

History

The founding of Sampaloc as a town coincided with its establishment as a parish independent of Santa Ana de Sapa in 1613. At the time, it included what is now Pandacan which was separated from it in 1712. Sampaloc would comprise ten barangays ― Bacood, Balic-Balic, Bilarang Hipon, Calubcub, Manggahan, Nagtahan, San Isidro, San Roque, Santa Mesa, and Santol.

Outbreak of the Philippine-American War

Main article: Philippine–American War#Outbreak of war

Following the Philippine Revolution against Spain and the Treaty of Paris of 1898 which seceded the Philippines to the United States, the subsequent arrival of American colonial troops shortly drew animosity between both American troops and Filipino troops.

On the evening of February 4, 1899, Private William W. Grayson fired the first shot of the Philippine-American War at the corner of Sociego Street and Tomas Arguelles Street. A study done by Ronnie Miravite Casalmir places the event at this corner, not at Sociego-Silencio where they erroneously have the marker.

American colonial era

In 1901, with the chartering of the city of Manila under the American-led Taft Commission, where most of Sampaloc, with the exception of barangay Bilarang Hipon, would be absorbed by the city of Manila when its borders were extended outside the walled city now known as Intramuros. The latter barangay would be incorporated into San Francisco del Monte town and later on Quezon City, being divided later into several villages itself under what is now its 4th district.

In 1911, Santa Mesa became a separate religious district (parish) out of Sampaloc when the first and oldest parish in the Philippines in honor of its Titular Patron, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was established. However, it remained politically part of Sampaloc.

Contemporary period

In 1996, Ramon Bagatsing Jr., the then-representative of Manila's 4th district, launched a program called the "Sampaloc Experiment", which sought to implement the then-new subject of computer education within the district's public schools as a trial program for the rest of the country.

In the afternoon of April 28, 2025, chairman Leninsky Bacud of the Ang Bumbero ng Pilipinas partylist (ABP, ) was assassinated by two motorcycle-riding gunmen while he was standing just outside the covered gym of Barangay 435, of which Bacud was a former barangay captain. Even after Bacud was shot, witnesses recounted that the backrider stepped off the motorcycle and continued firing multiple shots at Bacud on the ground even as he was pleading for his life. Bacud had been running as the partylist's second nominee in the 2025 elections at the time of the shooting.

Barangays

Education

Education in Sampaloc is handled by the Division of City Schools – Manila. Sampaloc is also home to some universities and colleges part of the University Belt such as Far Eastern University, Informatics, Mary Chiles College, National University, Perpetual Help College of Manila, Philippine College of Health Sciences, Philippine School of Business Administration, University of the East, University of Manila, and University of Santo Tomas.

Sampaloc elementary-public education's Dr. Alejandro Mayoralgo Albert Elementary School along Dapitan Street, Barangay 521, Sampaloc, named after the first Filipino Undersecretary of Public Instruction (b. September 1, 1896) opened on April 8, 2024. The 10-story DDAES has 234 air-conditioned classrooms, a 334 seating capacity gymnasium, 72 comfort rooms, 28 offices, 10 elevators, library, roofdeck, outdoor basketball courts, football field and 364-seat capacity auditorium on the eighth floor.

Transportation

Sampaloc is the hub of major national bus transportation carriers. Among the bus companies in Sampaloc with their terminal are: Fariñas Transit Company, GV Florida Transport, Victory Liner, Partas, Maria De Leon, RCJ Trans, RCJ Lines, Five Star Bus Company, Northern Luzon Bus Line and Dalin liner and other southern Luzon buses.

Sampaloc is served by two Philippine National Railways stations: Laon Laan and España station. It is also served by the Legarda station of the LRT Line 2 to the south.

Main thoroughfares in Sampaloc are S.H. Loyola (formerly Lepanto), Vicente Cruz, M. De La Fuente, P. Florentino, Blumentritt, Aurora Boulevard, Dapitan, Laon Laan, Dimasalang, Maria Clara, Maceda, Padre Campa, Padre Noval, Tomas Earnshaw (Bustillos), Legarda, Gastambide, Recto Avenue, Lerma, Nicanor Reyes (Morayta), Lacson Avenue and España Boulevard. The elevated NLEX Connector also cuts through Sampaloc with two exits in the district at España and Magsaysay.

Notable people

• Arnel Pineda
• Juan Abad
• Mon Confiado
• Pilita Corrales
• Tirso Cruz III
• Lexi Gonzales
• Mon Gualvez
• Angeline Quinto
• Mikee Quintos
• Tuesday Vargas
• Sam Verzosa
• Mitoy Yonting
• Jamie Rivera
• Joet Garcia

References

References

1. [https://www.census.gov.ph/data/census2007/index.html Final Results - 2007 Census of Population] {{webarchive. link. (July 16, 2012)
2. (1903). "A Dictionary of the Plant Names of the Philippine Islands". Bureau of Public Print.
3. "May 30, 1712: Araw ng Pandacan".
4. (2010). "On Asian Streets and Public Space, Volume 1". NUS Press.
5. "The Birth of an Army".
6. (November 17, 2023). "The First Shot of the Philippine-American war happened at the corner of Sociego St. and Tomas Arguelles St.".
7. (July 31, 1901). "An act to incorporate the City of Manila".
8. (June 18, 1949). "An act to revise the charter of the City of Manila, and for other purposes". [[Official Gazette (Philippines).
9. Beltran, Raul S.. (September 30, 1996). "Public school computerization experiment gets solons' support". Kamahalan Publishing Corp..
10. Mangosing, Frances. (April 30, 2025). "Task force formed to probe killing of partylist nominee". INQUIRER.net.
11. (October 15, 2024). "Dr. Alejandro Albert Elementary School continues to inspire Sampaloc students".