63. MAGALANG: MATRIZ DEL PUEBLO OF UPPER PAMPANGA

Map of Magalang with Neighboring Towns c. 1883

When the Augustinians erected the new town of Magalang in April 30, 1605, it comprises the nearly what is composed now the northern towns of Pampanga and southern towns of Tarlac. This geographical feature is known as Upper Pampanga. This area is composed of flat and mountainous terrains and it was snaked by mighty rivers particularly Parua River. Interestingly, due to its huge territory, several towns were established and separated or spiritually aggregated to Magalang. Culled from old documents and journals, here are some towns that are formerly part of Magalang:

MABALACAT- according to La Visita Diocesana de Fr. Jose Segui a los pueblos de Pampanga y Nueva Ecija published in 1831, Mabalacat was mentioned as pueblo anejo de Magalang. It was initially established by the Augustinians in 1680, and later, it was ceded to the Augustinian Recollects in 1712 probably due to lack of development of the mission. Mabalacat was one of the mission centers of the Recollects; and their missions reached to the towns of Bamban, Capas and to the former towns of O'Donnell and Moriones, now part of Tarlac province. In 2012, the town of Mabalacat was converted into a component city of Pampanga. 

CONCEPCION- this town located on southeastern part of Tarlac province, traced back its establishment to 1860. Prior to its creation, a huge flood engulfed the whole town of Magalang due to torrential rains which resulted to the overflowing of Parua River in 1858. Two years later, a Royal Decree was issued ordering the creation of the new town of Concepcion. The new town is composed of barrios of Magalang located in the northern banks of Parua River. The formal creation of the town was only realized in 1863, when the colonial government ordered the transfer of Magalang to the present site known as sitio Talimunduc, part of San Pedro de Malelag or Malele. While the newly created town of Concepcion was transferred to a sitio part of large barrio of Matondo. After the creation and transfer of Concepcion, it was spiritually dependent to Magalang; as evidenced on canonical records of Magalang mentioned as Parroquia de Magalang y la Concepcion. In 1866, Archdiocese of Manila created the parish of Concepcion and appointed Fr. Juan Limonco as first secular parish priest of the town. 

The town of Tarlac (now city) was also mentioned as one of the visitas of Magalang in some time. The parish priest of Magalang, Fray Pedro de Flores, OSA was mentioned as prior both of Magalang and Tarlac in 1686. Another is Fray Martin Fuentes, OSA was also mentioned as prior of the two towns in 1692.

According to the book, The Province of Pampanga and its Towns wrote by Mariano A. Henson, it was mentioned that Magalang had 35 barrios listed in 1853. Several of them are now part of the town of Magalang  like Tinabang, San Ildefonso, and Paligi; while the former barrios of Cabayung Sarul and Malabug are now merely large sitios part of barrio San Ildefonso. Bical was listed as one of the barrios of Magalang according to the 1853 list. It is possible that Bical was ceded to Mabalacat after the transfer of Magalang to the present site around 1860s. In 1888, the people of barrio Buensuceso of  neighboring town of Arayat petitioned the Governor General to separate the barrio from Arayat, and aggregate to nearby town of Magalang. However, the petition was dismissed and instead, the parish priest of Arayat assigned its coadjutor to Buensuceso to administer the spiritual and sacramental needs of the barrio. 

What if, the separation of the towns and barrios from Magalang didn't took place; or some of the nearby barrios allowed to join the town, what is the total land area and population of the town at present?

Photo Credits: 

Mapa de Luzon, Biblioteca Nacional de España; www.bne.es; Retrieved: April 28, 2020. 

Sources:

Bartolo, Louie Aldrin L. and Dizon, Lino L., The Magalang Book: The Historical Life and Culture of a Kapampangan Town (1605-2015), Manila (2016), National Commission for Culture and the Arts

Dizon Lino L., 2008, Alaya, Kapampangan Research Journal; Juan D. Nepomuceno Center of Kapampangan Studies, Holy Angel University, Angeles City

Henson, Mariano A. The Province of Pampanga and its Towns, Angeles City, 1964.

Rodriguez, Isacio and Alvarez, Fernandez; La Visita Diocesana de Fr. Jose Segui a los pueblos de Pampanga y Nueva Ecija, Archivo Agustiano, 2008.