Plaridel, Bulacan

Infobox Philippine municipality
infoboxtitle = Municipality of Plaridel, Bulacan


sealfile =
locatormapfile = Ph_locator_bulacan_plaridel.png|right caption = Map of Bulacan showing the location of Plaridel.
region = Central Luzon (Region III)
province = Bulacan
founded =
website =
districts = Second Congressional District of Bulacan
barangays = 19
class = 1st class; urban
mayor = Anastacia R. Vistan
areakm2 = 41.00
pop2007 = 99,817
popden2000 =
coordinates =

Plaridel is a 1st class urban municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 99,817 inhabitants ("80,481 people in 16,596 households in census 2000").

Built up area

With the continuous expansion of Metro Manila, the city is now included in Manila built up area which reaches San Ildefonso in its Northernmost part.

History

The town of Plaridel was previously known as Quingua. This is where the Battle of Quingua was fought with Gregorio del Pilar and killed Col. John Stotsenberg during the Philippine-American War on April 23. A marker now stands at the site of the battle, in Barangay Agnaya.

The historical past of the town of Plaridel can be traced from some records way back in 1595, in the early years of the Spanish colonization, when the place was a vast undeveloped plain covered with thick forest and cogon grass, with the rivers Angat and Tabang running through it. The Angat River flowed directly in a snakelike wave to Calumpit meeting the Pampanga River, while the Tabang river which was a mere branch with adjoining intersections dividing the middle of the present Poblacion, flowed to Manila Bay passing Guiguinto and Bulacan towns. The water of this river was called "Tabang" or fresh water.

Very few people lived here, and closely related with each other. Each group had a leader called "tandis". Different groups spoke different dialects, Pampango, Pangasinan, Ilocano and Tagalog. From Calumpit, Spanish priest and missionaries of the Augustinian Order led by the Rev. Fr. Bernardino de Leon frequently visited the place, preaching the Catholic faith … using the "balsa" or bamboo raft as their means of transportation. These missionaries thought of clearing the land and established settlements and convened the people to unity. The thought of a plan to give favored the ideas so that everyone set to work. Each "Tandis" drew a plan to pursue. For seven years, the groups of people labored so much that when the priest returned, they found the place to have been cleared. They inquired from the natives who should be credited, and the Pampangos exclaimed, "Quing wawa Ding tagalog po" or the Tagalogs got it. So every now and then, to every question of the friars, the people would reply. "Buti Quing Wawa Tagalog, Quing wa". The riest believed that the Tagalogs should be credited and should receive the gold medal and from thereafter the place was called Quingua.

Like any other community, Quingua grew and prospered. The life of the people flourished and intelligent sons were born. One of them, Jose J. Mariano, who was then the "Alcalde" or town mayor, had the initiative of renaming the town. Congressman Pedro Magsalin, a friend of the alcalde sponsored a bill changing the name of the town from Quingwa to Plaridel. The bill was passed by the Philippine Congress and was approved by President Manuel L. Quezon. On December 29, 1936, amidst elaborate celebrations, the town was renamed PLARIDEL in honor of the great hero of Bulacan, Marcelo H. del Pilar; in the presence of political luminaries that included Speaker Gil Montilla, Congressman Pedro Magsalin, Honorable Nicolas Buendia, Honorable Eulogio Rodriguez, Honorable Elpidio Quirino and Governor Jose Padilla, Sr.

In 1942, the Japanese troops entered in Plaridel, Bulacan.

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Plaridel
partof=World War II
date=1945
place=Plaridel
result=Decisive Filipino Victory
combatant1=PHI
combatant2=JPNIn 1945, in liberation of Plaridel, Bulacan entering the Philippine Commonwealth troops and local guerrillas attacked by the Japanese Imperial forces defeated by victorious of the Filipino Commonwealth troops and local guerrillas in the Battle of Plaridel during the Second World War.

Barangays

Plaridel is politically subdivided into 19 barangays.

* Agnaya * Bagong Silang * Banga I * Banga II * Bintog * Bulihan * Culianin * Dampol * Lagundi * Lalangan

* Lumang Bayan * Parulan * Poblacion * Rueda * San Jose * Santa Ines * Santo Niño * Sipat * Tabang

External links

* [http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/default.asp Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
* [http://www.t-macs.com/kiso/local/ 2000 Philippine Census Information]