San Miguel, Bulacan
Template:Infobox Philippine municipality
San Miguel is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 123,824 people in 24,111 households.
History
The Municipality of San Miguel De Mayumo was established in 1763 with Miguel Pineda as the first Capitan Municipal. Miguel Pineda was a native of Angat who decided to settle permanently in the Barrio of San Bartolome now named Barangay Tartaro. He found the place ideal for hunting and was later chosen as the leader of other settlers. He formed an alliance with Mariano Puno, the recognized leader of the adjacent prosperous village called Sto. Rosario now named Barangay Mandile. The two leaders decided to form a town named Miguel De Mayumo after the name of Miguel Pineda and mayumo, a Kapampangan word for sweets for the goodwill and generosity of Mariano Puno. The town was supposed to be part of Pampanga. San Miguel’s culture drifted from Kapampangan influence. San Miguel used to be the biggest town in Bulacan but when San Ildefonso was made in a town during the 1900 & during Ferdinand Marcos presidency he made Dona Remedios Trinidad a town (named after his wife's mother), San Miguel was left as the 2nd.
There is a story attached to the timely discovery of a stone image of an archangel when the town was in abundance and the inhabitants wish to change the name of the town. A council was formed for this purpose and in the midst of a meeting; a man rushes forward to report a discovery of a stone image of an angel in one of the Madlum Caves. The council deemed it befitting to name the town after the angel. The discovered stone image was of “San Miguel De Arkanghel”. The people believed it to be a Divine Almighty sign of good graces. The council decided in reverence and homage to the angel to add the word “San” and retain the original name of the town Miguel De Mayumo to San Miguel De Mayumo. The official name of the town at present is Municipality of San Miguel.
Pact of Biak Na Bato
During the revolution in 1897, newly appointed Governor-General Fernando Primo de Rivera decided to crush Emilio Aguinaldo and his troops in Cavite, but Aguinaldo fled to Batangas and joined forces with Gen. Miguel Malvar. The Spaniards continue their pursuit but the troops outwitted them by going to the province of Rizal (formerly Morong) & finally to Biak na Bato in San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan. Aguinaldo made the mountain caves into his headquarters while Primo de Rivera quoted, "Biak na Bato will fall into my hands...but I cannot promise to dissolve the Revolution." Aguinaldo established the first constitutional government in the Philippines.
Pedro A. Paterno is a Filipino who study in Spain, presented himself to the Governor-General & told them he would like to help them by negotiating a peace treaty with the revolutionaries, & Rivera agreed. Paterno left Manila on August 4 but was halted by Gen. Paciano Rizal, who was against the treaty & said he would rather be thrown into a pit lined with bolos & sharp lances, But in the end he agreed & had Paterno escorted to Biak na Bato. Paterno arrive on August 9 but did not reach his goal so he had to come back three more times during the negotiations. Aguinaldo commanded reforms & truce up to September 1900. he also told Paterno to consult with the other revolutionay leaders. Paterno kept on going back & forth to Manila & Biak na Bato until the two sides made a negotiation. After two weeks Primo de Rivera signed the Pact of Biak na bato in Malacanang without Aguinaldo, for Aguinaldo felt he might get arrested so he choose Paterno to be his representative to sign the treaty. The treat was signed in December 141 to 15,1897.
On August 26, 2007, residents at the foot of the Biak-na-Bato mountains petitioned President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to declare the mountains protected areas to stop marble quarrying and mining there. Biak-na-Bato (21.17 km² in the villages of Kalawakan and Talbak in Doña Remedios Trinidad town and the villages of Biak-na-Bato and Sibul) was one of the camps of the revolutionary Katipunan forces in the 19th century, was declared a national park by Manuel Quezon on Nov. 16, 1937 through Proclamation No. 223.[1]
Barangays
San Miguel is politically subdivided into 49 barangays.
|
|
|
Tourist Attractions
- Sibul Spring is famous for the springs coming directly from the mountains, which attracted a lot of people including the past presidents like Manuel Quezon & famous artists during the pre-war & post-war era.
Philippine National Artists born in this town
EducationThe town has numerous public schools offering elementary and high school education. Some of the elementary public schools are:
Some of public high schools are:
 Some of the private schools offering elementary and pre-elementary education are:
Products of San Miguel
ProductsSan Miguel is also famous because of the old houses built in different times, with different style & color stractures even though some of the houses were bomb during the Japanese many still exist today, but sadly others are being torn down to be sold or to make way for new buildings. The town is also called the "Vigan of Bulacan". Also Historical landmarks and old stones houses in the town proper are existing testimonies to the abundance and prosperity of the past and the admirable skills in craftsmanship of Bulakeños.
How to get hereFrom Manila: The town is around 750 km. north of Manila, the business center of the country. If one uses public transportation to get to the town, one could take the buses that ply the Cagayan Valley Road route. Some of these buses are Baliwag Transit, ES Transport, and Five Star Transport. The buses reach the town in around 2 hours. If one would use private transportation, one could take the North Luzon Expressway at Balintawak Exit. Take the exit at Sta. Rita (approximately 30 minutes). Just follow the Cagayan Valley Road passing through the towns of Plaridel,Pulilan, Baliuag, San Rafael and San Ildefonso. From San Fernando City, Pampanga: Take the North Luzon Expressway going south. You may exit at Pulilan Exit. Turn left driving towards Pulilan town proper. Upon reaching the Pulilan town proper (where 5 roads converge), follow the Cagayan Valley Road route going north. One can also take the Gapan-Olongapo Road going east. Upon reaching the intersection of the Gapan-Olongapo Road and Cagayan Valley Road (after approximately 1.5 hours), turn right to go south along Cagayan Valley Road. You will reach the town after approximately 30 minutes. From Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija: Just take any of the buses that go south that follow the Cagayan Valley Road. San Miguel is approximately 1 hour from Cabanatuan. External links
References
| ||||||||||||
