Calasiao

Calasiao, officially the Municipality of Calasiao (Pangasinan: Baley na Calasiao; Ilocano: Ili ti Calasiao; Tagalog: Bayan ng Calasiao), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 95,154 people. [3]

Calasiao
Municipality
Municipality of Calasiao
Municipal Hall
Seal
Map of Pangasinan with Calasiao highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Calasiao
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 16°01′N 120°22′E
Country Philippines
RegionIlocos Region (Region I)
ProvincePangasinan
District3rd district
FoundedJune 29, 1592
Barangays24 (see Barangays)
Government
 [1]
 • TypeSangguniang Bayan
 • MayorJoseph Arman C. Bauzon
 • Vice MayorMahadeva Das B. Mesina
 • RepresentativeRose Marie J. Arenas
 • Electorate61,691 voters (2019)
Area
 [2]
 • Total48.36 km2 (18.67 sq mi)
Elevation
8.0 m (26.2 ft)
Population
 (2015 census) [3]
 • Total95,154
 • Density2,000/km2 (5,100/sq mi)
 • Households
21,504
Economy
 • Income class1st municipal income class
 • Poverty incidence8.7% (2015)[4]
 • Revenue₱205,701,985.18 (2016)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
2418
PSGC
015517000
IDD : area code +63 (0)75
Climate typetropical monsoon climate
Native languagesPangasinan
Ilocano
Sambal
Tagalog
Websitewww.calasiao.gov.ph

The name Calasiao was derived from the native word Kalasian, which means "a place where lightning frequently occurs", from the root word lasi, meaning "lightning". Upon the arrival of the Spaniards, they called the place "Lugar de Rayos", a literal Spanish translation of the word Kalasian.

It was named as such because it is said that Calasiao back in the day was always frequented by this natural phenomenon. Today, Calasiao is known as a First Class Municipality and is located at the very heart of Pangasinan. It governs 24 barangays and 31 sitios in a total land area of 4,836 hectares.[5] Calasiao's flagship product is the native rice cake known as Puto Calasiao.

Barangays

Calasiao is politically subdivided into 24 barangays.[6]

  • Ambonao
  • Ambuetel
  • Banaoang
  • Bued
  • Buenlag
  • Cabilocaan
  • Dinalaoan
  • Doyong
  • Gabon
  • Lasip
  • Longos
  • Lumbang
  • Macabito
  • Malabago
  • Mancup
  • Nagsaing
  • Nalsian
  • Poblacion East
  • Poblacion West
  • Quesban
  • San Miguel
  • San Vicente
  • Songkoy
  • Talibaew

History

The indigenous people of Calasiao are descended from the Austronesian-speaking people who settled in the Malay archipelago at least 5,000 years ago. Calasiao was settled by a Pangasinan speaking people whose language belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian languages family.

In 1571, the Spanish conquest of Pangasinan began. The Spanish conquistadors were accompanied by Roman Catholic missionaries who introduced Roman Catholicism to the indigenous peoples of Pangasinan.

In the 16th century, Dominican friars, who were settling at Gabon, were driven out because of the continuing unrest in the town. The formation of the new Calasiao however was not immediately welcomed by its native inhabitants. Hence in 1660, when the call for the Malong Rebellion came, the citizens picked up their weapons and joined in the fight against the Spanish rule. The citizens were also one of the first people to answer the call for rebellion of Juan de la Cruz Palaris of Binalatongan (now San Carlos City), which succeeded in driving the Spanish rulers and friars out of the boundaries. The town of Calasiao became part of the Pangasinan encomendia of Labaya, designated as belonging to the King of Spain, Juan Ximenez del opaline, and a son of Alonso Hernandez de Sandoval for whom tributes were collected.

Today, Calasiao is rapidly expanding town. It may soon become a city or join with Dagupan City and San Carlos City to be a metropolis. Yet many people from Calasiao have emigrated to other parts of the Philippines, the United States and other countries to seek better opportunities.

Local government

The town hall is located in front of the Roman Catholic convent of San Pedro y San Pablo de Calasiao, the same building as the shrine of Senor Divino Tesoro. The current mayor is Joseph Arman Capito Bauzon, who took over the mayoralty post from Mark Roy Macanlalay, following his victory in the May 2016 elections.

Like other towns in the Philippines, Calasiao is governed by a mayor and vice mayor who are elected to three-year terms. The mayor is the executive head and leads the town's departments in executing the ordinances and improving public services. The vice mayor heads a legislative council (Sangguniang Bayan) consisting of councilors from the Barangays of Barrios.

Elected officials

The town is led by Mayor Joseph Arman Bauzon, Vice Ferdinand Galang, and 10 other councilors.

Demographics
Population census of Calasiao
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 16,539—    
1918 16,960+0.17%
1939 19,325+0.62%
1948 23,269+2.09%
1960 29,330+1.95%
1970 38,576+2.77%
1975 43,640+2.50%
1980 48,101+1.96%
1990 62,966+2.73%
1995 69,528+1.87%
2000 77,039+2.22%
2007 85,419+1.43%
2010 91,109+2.37%
2015 95,154+0.83%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [3] [7] [8][9]

The people speak Pangasinan, the dominant language in central Pangasinan. Ilocano, Tagalog, and English are also widely spoken.

Climate
Climate data for Calasiao, Pangasinan
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 31
(88)		 31
(88)		 33
(91)		 34
(93)		 34
(93)		 33
(91)		 32
(90)		 31
(88)		 31
(88)		 32
(90)		 31
(88)		 31
(88)		 32
(90)
Average low °C (°F) 21
(70)		 21
(70)		 23
(73)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 23
(73)		 22
(72)		 24
(74)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 4.3
(0.17)		 19.1
(0.75)		 27.3
(1.07)		 45.2
(1.78)		 153.3
(6.04)		 271.3
(10.68)		 411.1
(16.19)		 532
(20.9)		 364.4
(14.35)		 182.5
(7.19)		 56.3
(2.22)		 24.4
(0.96)		 2,091.2
(82.3)
Average rainy days 3 2 3 5 14 17 22 23 21 13 7 4 134
Source: World Weather Online (Use with caution: this is modeled/calculated data, not measured locally.)[10]

Tourism, culture, heritage, landmarks and attractions
St. Peter and Paul Church (Poblacion)

Calasiao is a short ride to the Bonuan Blue Beach and the Hundred Islands in the Lingayen Gulf. Calasiao is about 2 hour ride to Baguio City and a four-hour ride to Manila.

Calasiao is known for its puto, a soft rice cake; suman, a sweet coconut and sticky rice cake wrapped in banana leaves; and bagoong, or fermented fish paste. Calasiao puto is described as the town's "white gold." Calasiao puto is a bite-size, soft rice cake made from semi-glutinous rice that is fermented in earthen jars. It is produced mainly in Barangay Dinalaoan.

Many pilgrims from neighbouring cities/towns and provinces visit Calasiao to pray at the Senor Divino Tesoro shrine. The statue of a crucified Jesus Christ is believed to grow in size and grant miracles.

Puto festival
Special Puto (Calasiao stores).

Calasiao celebrates a puto industry festival. The Calasiao puto is a rice cake that is well known all over the Philippines for its melt-in-the-mouth feeling. It is locally sold along the streets going to Sr. Divino Tesoro.

It is known for its "white gold": "cup-shaped, bite-sized, soft rice cakes; the semi-glutinous rice is fermented in old earthen jars" (in villages of Dinalaoan, Lumbang, Ambuetel, and part of Nalsian).[11]

Calasiao puto is made of long grain rice soaked in water, ground and fermented for three days of more, with just enough sugar to taste, and steamed. It can be topped with cheese or drizzled with chocolate syrup for variation. It is perfect to be paired with dinuguan.[12] The town has the traditional white puto and many flavors like pandan (green), ube (violet), banana (yellow), strawberry (light red/pink) and cheese (gold).

The original white puto and kutsinta (another rice cake variety) is sold at P80 per kilogram (70 to 75 pieces), while the flavored ones are sold at P80 per kg. The price is higher by P15 to P20 in other areas to cover transportation costs.

Bella's Puto consumes three to six sacks of rice a day to make puto, depending on the season. Peak production period is from October to January. A sack of rice can produce 8,000 pieces or 107 kg of puto. Bella's Puto is sold at four SM shopping mall branches, in Santa Mesa (Manila), Baliwag (Bulacan), Clark (Pampanga) and Rosales (Pangasinan). It is also sold in a store in Caloocan City and at the Pasalubong Center in Rosales town.[13]

Bocayo (sweetened coconut) and dinuguan are also the best products of Nalsian Bacayao and Nalsian Centro. Calasiao celebrates its town fiesta every May 2 and 3: the feast day of Señor Divino Tesoro. Every 28 and 29 June is the fiesta of San Pedro and San Pablo, which were the dates of the Calasiao fiesta.

Economy
Public Market.

Calasiao is centrally located in Pangasinan, between Dagupan City and San Carlos City, with a major road connecting Calasiao to both cities. The town is also connected to Santa Barbara, from where the MacArthur Highway connects to Baguio City and Metro Manila.

Calasiao has rich farmlands planted mainly with palay or rice, coconuts and mangoes. Calasiao also has a lot of fishponds along its rivers and wetlands where fish like bangus (milkfish), pantat (catfish), and tilapia are raised. A Coca-Cola Bottlers plant is located in Calasiao.

Fast-food chains Jollibee, Chowking, and Gery's Grill all have a branch in the town, while car companies Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi have dealerships in the town. The Regency Hotel in Calasiao has become the biggest competitor of the Star Plaza Hotel in Dagupan City. Dagupeńa, a famous restaurant from Dagupan City, has moved to Calasiao.

In June 2010, Robinsons Malls announced the construction of its 30th mall in this town. Robinsons Place Pangasinan is a two-level mall built on a 5.8 hectares (14 acres) lot with a gross floor area of 31,900 square metres (343,000 sq ft) and a gross leasable area of 23,000 square metres (250,000 sq ft).

References
  1.  Municipality of Calasiao | (DILG)
  2. "Province: Pangasinan". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  3. Census of Population (2015). "Region I (Ilocos Region)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. PSA. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  4. "PSA releases the 2015 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Quezon City, Philippines. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-09-28. Retrieved 2012-11-08.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Province: PANGASINAN". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  7. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region I (Ilocos Region)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. NSO. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  8. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region I (Ilocos Region)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. NSO.
  9. "Province of Pangasinan". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  10. "Calasiao, Pangasinan: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". World Weather Online. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  11. "Inquirer.net, Free puto as Pangasinan town celebrates rice cake festival". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
  13. "Archived copy". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2011-12-28. Retrieved 2012-11-08.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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