Sasmuan, Pampanga

Sasmuan is a municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 23,359 people in 4,343 households.

History

"Sasmuan" was derived from the Malayo-Polynesian word "pitagmuan" or "meeting place of the datus".

Sasmuan already had a well developed system of government well before the era of Spanish colonization. It evolved to be one of the oldest and major settlements in Pampanga by the 16th century. The [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXF3suVnLO8 Santa Lucia Church] was one of the first Roman Catholic churches built in the Philippines by the Spaniards with the political and financial support of the Principalia.

Barangays

Sasmuan is politically subdivided into 12 barangays and 3-Sitios.

* Batang 1st
* Batang 2nd
* Mabuanbuan
* Malusac
* Santa Lucia (Pob.)
* San Antonio
* San Nicolas 1st
* San Nicolas 2nd & Sitio Remedios
* San Pedro
* Santa Monica & Sitio San Francisco
* Santo Tomas & Sitio Sta Cruz (Home of the "ANAC CAMING TAGA SITIO" (ACTS))
* Sebitanan

Geography

Sasmuan has a unique geography in that it is surrounded by fish ponds. Aquaculture has been the main industry that drives the local economy.

Customs and Traditions

Don Monico Mercado Day

* Celebrated every 4th of May to honor the first Congressman of Pampanga and the people of Sasmuan.

Holy Week

* pasyon
* manibatbat
* family saints

Fiesta San Juan

* Celebrated every 24th day of June in honor of St. John the Baptist. Customarily, every visitor to the town will be splashed with water. There is a big river parade that takes place the whole day.

All Saints Day/All Soul's Day

* Celebrated in the 1st and 2nd of November, townspeople march to the cemetery to honor their loved ones who have passed away. It is a day of remembrance and prayers. Everyone brings volumes of candles to be lit the whole day and night. Children traditionally outdo each other making sculptures out of collected melted candle wax.

Kuraldal Festival

* Celebrated every 6th of January, in honor of the town's patron saint, Santa Lucia. Santa Lucia is believed to help not only the blind but women who wish to have the [http://youtube.com/watch?v=qiLkv5972XI fertility] to bear children.

Unique Delicacies

* Polvoron
* Tamales
* Palatpat
* Tabang Talangka
* Pituklip
* Eko

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-8CJ40yHeM Sasmuan, Pampanga (video)]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXF3suVnLO8 Sasmuan, Pampanga II (video)]
* [http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/default.asp Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
* [http://www.t-macs.com/kiso/local/ 2000 Philippine Census Information]