Masantol, officially the Municipality of Masantol (Kapampangan: Balen ning Masantol; Tagalog: Bayan ng Masantol), is a 2nd class municipality in the provinceofPampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 57,990 people.[3]
The municipality is named after the santol trees that used to grow abundantly in the area.[5]
The reason is either because there was a proliferation of santol trees in the area, or because the town was where santol fruits were heavily bartered (Kapampangans being fond of 'sinigang' dish).
A legend of how the town got its name goes like this: 'A Spanish missionary came to the town for the first time. Upon reaching a roadside corner store, he parked his horse-driven vehicle and inquired from the store keeper the name of the place. A middle-aged woman vendor, believing that the Spanish priest was asking for the name of the fruits she was selling, readily responded in broken Spanish language, Padre, todos dulce Masantol. The priest took from his pocket a pencil and a small diary and wrote down the word mas santol, referring to the name of the place he has visited. At the time, the locality abounded with santol trees, and santol fruits were in season when the priest visited the place.
Originally named San Miguel de Masantol and a part of the town of Macabebe, three of the town's leading patriarchs - Manuel Fajardo, Gregorio Bautista, and Juan Lacap - filed a motion on June 26, 1877, to separate the barrios of Bebe, Bulacus, Caingin and Nigui from Macabebe thereby creating a new Spanish pueblo called San Miguel. This new pueblo was approved by Spanish Governor General Domingo Moriones y Murillo and was inaugurated on May 1, 1878. On November 30, 1893, the Catholic Parish of San Miguel was formally acknowledged through a Royal Decree.[6] For a while it came to be known San Miguel Masantol, until popular usage reverted it to the original name.
On July 26, 1904, Masantol once more became part of Macabebe. However, in 1907, Masantol was again reinstated as a separate independent municipality and this lasted up to the present.[6]
The Battle of Bangkusay Channel The Ruler of Macabebe
Tarik Sulayman Bambalino / Bankau or for some Historians the Unnamed ruler of Macabebe was the indigenous leader of Macabebe from the "Masantol area", who refused to ally with the Spaniards and therefore mounted an attack against the Spanish forces of Miguel López de Legazpi during the Battle of Bangkusay Channel on June 3, 1571. The Joint Force of Macabebe, Calumpit, Hagonoy and Maynila "Old Rajahnate of Maynila under Rajah Sulayman III / Rajah Mura/Muda of Manila" were defeated, by the Joint Force of Spanish Armada and Tagalog mercenaries and Tarik Sulayman himself was killed in the Battle, and Consequently, this victory enabled the Spaniards to establish themselves throughout the city "Territory of Kingdom of Tondo" and its neighboring Kingdoms and towns.
On January 7, 2008, one person drowned, another missing and 40 others were injured due to electric shocks, when a live cable hit the floating pagoda boat in the fluvial festival of Virgen La Purisima Concepcion at Barangay Alauli.[7]
Masantol is almost surrounded by the municipality of Macabebe (For it was once a former part of the town). It is known to be the southernmost town in the province of Pampanga. It is bounded to the north by the municipality of Macabebe; to the east by the municipalities of Calumpit and HagonoyinBulacan; to the west by Macabebe; and to the south by some parts of Macabebe and Manila Bay.
In the 2020 census, the population of Masantol, Pampanga, was 57,990 people,[3] with a density of 1,200 inhabitants per square kilometre or 3,100 inhabitants per square mile.
The majority of the population are members of the Catholic church and each village or barangay has its own fiesta. The main Roman Catholic parish church of the town is the San Miguel Parish Church in Barangay San Nicolas, established in the late 20th century.
80% One Holy Apostolic Catholic Church (Christian) (Roman rite)
15% Evangelical, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Jesus Is Lord Church, Protestant etc. (Christian Denomination)
