Mangaldan, Province of Pangasinan, Ilocos Region, Philippines

🇵🇭 Mangaldan, officially the Municipality of Mangaldan (Baley na Mangaldan; Ili ti Mangaldan; Bayan ng Mangaldan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines.

History Mangaldan owns the distinction as the third town in Pangasinan to be founded by the Dominican missionaries. As early as 1591, Mangaldan already existed as a Spanish encomienda. Its foundation as a town is attributed to Juan Martinez de Santo Domingo, a former missionary of Pangasinan who died in Japan on 19 March 1618.

Mangaldan started as a "visita" of Calasiao and it remained as such until the Dominicans created it as an independent vicariate under the patronage of St. Thomas Aquinas on 2 June 1600.

It is said that of all the people of Pangasinan, the Mangaldanian were the most difficult to convert. The greatest enemy of the missionaries in the town was a certain man named Casipit who tried to force them out of the town and even attempted to kill some of them. Yet, when he was converted by the first apostle, Fr. Pedro Soto, he became the principal propagator of the Faith. He contributed a great sum of money for the construction of the first church.

In the second half of the 19th century, Mangaldan was the richest town in the province. This was due to the famous irrigation system which the missionaries built within the confines of the town causing its fertile fields to yield bountiful harvest of palay. Most outstanding in this gigantic task was Fr. Jose Torres who gave his life to bring it to completion in 1892.

The third church to be built in Mangaldan was completed in 1812 by Fr. Lorenzo Martin. It collapsed during the great earthquake of 16 March 1892, together with the big chapel in the cemetery. The construction of the convent dates back in 1747. The construction of the sixth and present church of Mangaldan was begun in 1942 by Fr. Juan Sison, and was completed 20 years later by Fr. Leon Bitanga.

During World War II, Mangaldan had an airstrip that was used by the American military.

Geography Mangaldan is located in the central part of Pangasinan. The Municipality is bordered by San Fabian on the north, Dagupan on the west, San Jacinto on the east and on the south, the municipalities of Mapandan and Santa Barbara.

It is 219 km (136 mi) from the national capital Manila and 23 km (14 mi) from the provincial capital Lingayen.

Geography: Barangays Mangaldan is politically subdivided into 30 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios. • Alitaya • Amansabina • Anolid • Banaoang • Bantayan • Bari • Bateng • Buenlag • David • Embarcadero • Gueguesangen • Guesang • Guiguilonen • Guilig • Inlambo • Lanas • Landas • Maasin • Macayug • Malabago • Navaluan • Nibaliw • Osiem • Palua • Poblacion • Pogo • Salaan • Salay • Talogtog • Tebag.

Rivers There are four rivers in Mangaldan: the Old Mangaldan River, the Manguiragday River, the Angalacan River and the Paldakit River.

Economy Mangaldan celebrates its annual Pindang Festival along with its town fiesta during first week of March. The popular carabeef tapa (Filipino-style dried meat), locally known as Pindang is the One Town One Product (OTOP) of this municipality. The municipality is also the home of the original makers of the famous delicacy – the Romana Peanut Brittle.

The town bagged the grand slam award when its inland body of water, the Angalacan River, was adjudged as the cleanest river in the entire province for the third time which was awarded in 2012.

One of the major sources of revenues here are the thriving market place and the laboratories of renowned pharmaceutical companies that buttressed the coffer of this town. The municipal government operates its slaughterhouse with a rated "double A" by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) that guarantees the butchered meat as safe and clean.

In 2015, the annual budget of Mangaldan involves a total appropriation of Php 208, 527, 497.39, which would be the biggest for a first class town in Pangasinan.

Education Private Primary and Secondary schools • Cherished Moments School • Aura Vista Montessori and High School • Clarice Angels School • Golden Angels Educational Institution • Mangaldan Achievers Academy • Mangaldan Technical Institute • Metro-Dagupan Colleges • Santo Tomas Catholic School • The Right Formation School • United Methodist Church Cinderella School; Public Primary schools • Mangaldan Central School • Alitaya Elementary School • Anolid Elementary School • Buenlag Elementary School • David Elementary School • Don Gregorio I. Magno Elementary School • Dona Felisa Navarro Elementary School • Embarcadero Elementary School • Gueguesangen Integrated School • Guesang Elementary School • Lanas Elementary School • Maasin Elementary School • Macayug Elementary School • Nibaliw Elementary School • Osiem Elementary School • Salaan Elementary School • Salay Elementary School • Talogtog Elementary School • Tebag Elementary School; Public Secondary schools • David National High School • Gueguesangen Integrated School • Mangaldan Integrated School • Mangaldan National High School.