Bayambang, Home
of Innovation
by Resty S. Odon
Introduction
A keen
study of Bayambang’s history shows that it is a town with a multifaceted
‘persona.’ Among its most popular monickers are: “the onion capital of north
Luzon,” “the corn belt of Pangasinan,” “the producer of the best fish buro,”
“the home of the binasuan dance,” “the Guinness Record holder of the longest
barbecue” (8 km), and “the Guinness Record holder of the tallest bamboo
sculpture (supported)” (50-plus meters).
Once upon a
time, it was regarded as “the fifth capital of the (short-lived) First
Philippine Republic.” It also served as the seat of the provincial government
during the Japanese invasion. But even before that, as Malunguey, it was once a
part of Binalatongan, which is said to be the ancient capital of the province
of Pangasinan.
Evidently,
Bayambang’s character as a town is quite a complex one that it is hard to pin
it down or summarize in just one neat word or sentence. But having considered
all of those aspects of our town, one theme in its narrative noticeably keeps
on repeating, and that is Bayambang is a town of patriots and revolutionaries
as well as the home of leaders in their various fields – individuals all with a
pioneering spirit.
In other
words, the spirit of innovation or being innovative runs in the blood of
Bayambangueños.
Where
Patriots Visited, Walked, Sought Refuge
Reexamining
the town’s past through this prism yields a picture of a community often visited
by patriots, if not sought by their kind as a place of refuge.
1660:
Andres Malong first brought his fight here, particularly in the barrio of
Manambong. Then known
as Malunguey, Bayambang figures in accounts of the Andres Malong revolt of the
1660s. Malunguey was where Malong of Binalatongan (now San Carlos City) first
campaigned, particularly in the barrio of Manambong, but the local resistance
was immediately quelled by the Spanish authorities.
1763: Juan
dela Cruz Palaris won his biggest victory here. In 1763, according to
historical accounts, "the biggest victory in the revolt against Spain in
Pangasinan took place in the Battle of Bayambang led by Juan dela Cruz Palaris.
In retaliation, the Spaniards razed the whole village. The burning of the
entire village is considered the darkest hour of Bayambang."
1880s:
Rizal visited here on his way to his muse, Leonor Rivera, who resided in
Camiling. Local lore
(though unvalidated) often told about Rizal visiting the house of Don Gavino de
Guzman in Poblacion to take some rest. He reportedly went to the parish church
and even played botayong (cara y cruz) with locals out front.
June 1898:
Luna's Department of War was transferred to Bayambang. Luna transferred the revolutionary
Philippine government’s Department of War to Bayambang around June of 1898.
This tells us that Bayambang was a strategic location in terms of logistics,
because we were then (as we are now) the gateway to northern Luzon while at the
same time the bridge to the vast plains of central Luzon.
August
1899: Jose Palma wrote the lyrics of the national anthem. "In a barrio in Bayambang,
Jose Palma, a staff member of the revolutionary government’s newspaper ‘La
Independencia,’ writes a poem that becomes the lyrics for the melody of the “La
Marcha Nacional Filipina” composed by Julian Felipe. This poem was eventually translated
to Filipino and given the title "Lupang Hinirang," which is now the
Philippine national anthem. (The said barrio is now part of Bautista
town.)"
November
12, 1899: Gen. Aguinaldo declared Bayambang as the country's fifth capital. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo's bronze
sculpture by National Artist Napoleon Abueva stands in front of the Bayambang
Municipal Hall. It is a sole marker that reminds us that Bayambang became the
fifth capital of the First Philippine Republic after Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo encamped
here on November 12, 1899, bringing with him the entire fledgling Philippine
government. Among Aguinaldo's legacy are: the Philippine Constitution, a
national army, a government organizational structure (with executive,
legislative, and judiciary branches), a unifying flag, and a national anthem.
The
Aguinaldo monument is one of the few ones in the country outside the general's
home province of Cavite (owing to controversies surrounding Aguinaldo). In
Bayambang, the fledgling national government disintegrated as it fled the
pursuing elements of the American Army and declared an all-out war against the
foreign invaders using non-conventional (guerrilla) means. This is the reason
why Bayambang town today commemorates November 12 as "SingKapital"
Day so as not to forget that day in history when our heroes bravely took a
stand for self-determination and spilled copious blood for it, and that is why
we enjoy our freedom today.
November
12, 1899: Estacion na Tren was once the publishing house of "La
Independencia." According to historian Jaime B.
Veneracion, when Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo's revolutionary government fled to
Bayambang on November 12, 1899, “the Bayambang railroad station served as the
publishing house of the newspaper ‘La Independencia,’ whose editor was Antonio
Luna and among whose staff included Rosa Sevilla, Cecilio Apostol and Jose
Palma.” Thus the train station was not just the first-ever transportation
system that offered fast, straight travel to Manila, it was also a witness to
Filipinos' fight for independence.
According
to another historian, Ricardo Jose, “Babasaey Ombaley,” a Pangasinan-Ilocano newspaper
of the same revolutionary nature, had a circulation around this time up to 1900.
November
12, 1899: Emilio Aguinaldo's daughter, Flora Victoria, was buried in Bayambang
church. Gen.
Aguinaldo's newborn daughter was buried in Bayambang church on Nov. 12, 1899. From
the diary of Dr. Santiago Barcelona comes this account: "While Gen. Emilio
Aguinaldo and company were on their way to Bayambang, his daughter died of
undisclosed cause, and when they reached the town, she was buried at the local
church."
The
daughter was named Flora Victoria, and as one observer astutely noted, her
death would signify the imminent "flowering of victory" of the
Philippine Revolution, although it was temporarily cut short by the American
invasion, which as we all know lasted until July 4, 1946.
(Dr.
Barcelona was one of two doctors – the other being Dr. Simeon Villa – who
joined Aguinaldo in his flight to Palanan, Isabela, in November 1899.)
Even 'Goyo'
went here. Gen.
Gregorio del Pilar – fondly referred to as 'Goyo' – purposely went to Bayambang
to fulfill a mission: to find Gen. Antonio Luna and his men. This is the
reason why the Malolos-based Salinlahi heritage tour group routinely makes a
stop in Bayambang every December as part of retracing the path that Goyo took
leading to his martyrdom at Tirad Pass in Concepcion (renamed Gregorio del
Pilar), Ilocos Sur.
1943:
Bayambang was Col. Edwin Ramsey's ECLGA headquarters. Former enemies became allies
during World War II. Noted American military official Col. Edwin Ramsey set
foot in Bayambang to organize Filipino guerrillas against a common nemesis: the
Japanese Imperial Army. In the country's bitter struggle against Japanese
imperialism, Bayambang became Lt. Ramsey's East Central Luzon Guerrilla Area
(ECLGA) headquarters for sometime. ECLGA encompassed Manila, Nueva Ecija,
Pampanga, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Zambales, and La Union. Ramsey's aide de camp was
our very own Major Claro J. Camacho of Barangay Nalsian.
According
to local lore, Col. Ramsey evaded capture by the Japanese by hiding inside a
taltagan (giant wooden mortar) in the barrio of Inirangan.
October
1955: Pres. Magsaysay caused a commotion in Mangabul. The charismatic and
popular Pres. Ramon Magsaysay once caused a stampede in the Mangabul Lake area
of Bayambang. The following is an account of Dr. Augusto V. de Viana
as posted on the National Historical Commission of the Philippines website
on September 6, 2012 in an article titled, "Stories About Magsaysay":
...
"Upon
winning the gubernatorial race in Pangasinan, I was to take my oath of office
before the President, but instead of me going to Malacañang, he came to
Pangasinan to induct me. ... He brought with him his entire Cabinet, to meet
out-of-town for the first time, at Mangabul in Bayambang town where people
stampeded to get near him, tearing down the makeshift canopies of coconut
leaves on bamboo posts that served as the venue. ... Thousands turned out to
mob the President in a pandemonium of sorts - no hakot as others would have
done to ensure a big crowd of reluctant participants as in the case of the
much-heralded EDSA celebrations. ... At Mangabul, Magsaysay was approached
freely by the rural folk to seek assistance, redress grievances and a whole
gamut of requests which he granted then and there, including hospitalization
for the sick, veterans' backpay claims and what have you. ... He wrote
instructions to government officials on scratch paper and upon the back of the
man next to him or on the hood of a parked vehicle. No formalities were
observed as long as he acted on a request with dispatch. ... At the same time,
Magsaysay put an end to a land dispute involving the tenant farmers of a big
landowner by affirming the farmers' claim in the periphery of Mangabul springs.
... In short Magsaysay had no need for elaborate preparations, protocol,
motorcades, bodyguards and fanfare to announce or decorate his presidency
because he was at home with the people."
Magsaysay
is said to have donated a water pump for the barrio people.
This
incident is the reason why a statue of Magsaysay stands inside the Municipal
Plaza.
References:
1. Rosario
Cortez, Pangasinan, 1572-1800, p. 150
2. unpublished
coffee-table book by Dr. Clarita DG. Jimenez et al.;
http://www.watawat.net/the_palaris_revolt.htm
3. History professor, Dr. Joel
T. Cayabyab, quoting Ambeth Ocampo; Dr. Clarita DG. Jimenez et al., oral
account
4.
http://www.quezon.ph/2015/12/11/luna-timeline/
5. History page of the official
website of the Province of Pangasinan:
https://www.pangasinan.gov.ph/the-province/history/
6. History page of the official
website of the Province of Pangasinan:
https://www.pangasinan.gov.ph/the-province/history/
7. References: Jaime B.
Veneracion, "A Guide to Gregorio del Pilar, Ilocos Sur, and the Heroes’
Trek" (SAMPAKA Inc., 2003); Ricardo Jose, “The Philippine revolutionary
press, 1896-1900,” filipinokastila.tripod.com/revpres.html
8. https://philippinediaryproject.com/tag/flora-victoria-aguinaldo-y-del-rosario/
9.
https://filipiknow.net/facts-about-general-gregorio-del-pilar/
10. http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/col-edwin-ramseys-war
11. http://nhcp.gov.ph/stories-about-magsaysay/
Upholding
Traditions while Making Room for the Groundbreaking
Our town is
409 years old by now, and with its more than four centuries of existence, it is
certainly no slouch in contributing to our nation’s culture and arts and
heritage.
We are a
people who love music and dance. We have so many folk songs in the Pangasinan
language and some of them are compiled in theses and books produced here. It is
not surprising that we are known for folk music groups that play the rondalla
as well as the Pangkat Kawayan, which plays bamboo instruments, like the
angklung and sibakong.
Our
townsfolk are fond of performing folk dances, which include the siwi-siwi,
pastora, sayaw ed tapew na bangko, sayaw na sumisigay, and others, and they
invented at least one folk dance here, the binasuan dance. Binasuan is similar
to pandanggo sa ilaw, but the difference is that, the glasses used contain
water or wine, and the movements are different, requiring a higher level of
skill and dexterity.
Reputedly, Bayambang
is the place where the Pangasinan-Spanish dictionary was first compiled by a
Spanish Dominican missionary priest, Fr. Lorenzo Fernández Cosgaya.
In culinary
arts, we are also known for our fish buro and binuburan. Other local
delicacies considered to be the town's specialties include gipang produced in
Brgy. Amanperez, deremen (black rice
cake for All Souls’ Day) produced in nearby barangays, and rice crackers
produced in Brgy. Sancagulis.
The
PSU-DOST 1 Food Innovation Center of the Pangasinan State University-Bayambang
Campus has assisted in the conceptualization of many products in Bayambang:
Chelsea’s peanut butter, Nanay Doray’s odorless buro, to name a few. In 2017,
1Food Corp., assisted by LGU Bayambang, entered into a Memorandum of Agreement
with the FIC for assistance in producing a line of vacuum-fried vegetable
(okra, onion, squash) snack chips and tomato salsa under the brand O-Krantz.
1Food Corp.
has also conceptualized the Bayambang’s Best line of top-quality longanisa.
Bayambang
is also a known as a town of ‘faith healers’ using indigenous modalities such
as panaggulgol, panag-ilot, panagsuob, panag-gaton, panag-tawas, panag-larak,
etc., including herbal medicine. Well, in parallel, as far as innovation goes… Set
to open soon is the Julius K. Quiambao Medical and Wellness Center in Brgy.
Ligue offering modern as well as alternative holistic medicine and psychiatric
services.
Center of
Learning and Excellence in Education
Bayambang is
an old center of learning in northern Luzon. That is because we have here one
of the oldest schools in Pangasinan, the Bayambang Central School, which was
built in 1914, and the Pangasinan State University-Bayambang Campus, now a 100-year-old
institution.
We are
particularly proud of PSU because it is a pioneer in so many things: In 1955,
"the first Child Study Center in the country was put up at the then
Pangasinan Normal School." "The Center made initial studies on the
Filipino child in order for the Philippines to have its own data about its
children." In 1956, it experimented with the country's first
pre-elementary school or kindergarten, to "provide a working laboratory for
the Child Study Center." In the same year, it also established the
first Opportunity Class for exceptional children. In 1962, it became the
venue of the first National Institute in Physical Education and Recreation in
the Philippines. PSU also pioneered in child nutrition studies in the
Philippines, being the seat of the Applied Nutrition Project.
It was in
PSU-Bayambang where landmark works in Pangasinan literature and culture have
been produced: Marina Sabangan’s and Dr. Perla Nelmida’s compilation of Pangasinan folk
songs, tales, and sayings (“A Study of the Legends, Customs, Superstitions, Proverbs,
Folksongs, Folk Dances and Ballads of Pangasinan-speaking Towns in Pangasinan,”
PNS, 1968; Pangasinan
Folk Literature, 1982, defended in UP Diliman, but while on study leave at PSU
as professor); Prof. Elsa Quinto et al.’s compilation of notated folk songs (“Cancancion
na Pangasinan,” KWF, 2002 ); Prof. Rufino Menor’s Pangkat Kawayan (established early
1980s); and Prof. Januario Cuchapin’s Matalunggaring Dance Troupe (established 1986)
and his research on and compilation of notated local folk dances (“Bali-Balin
Pangasinan,” NCCA grant of 2006).
Inside
PSU-Bayambang's sprawling campus can be found the aforementioned PSU-Department
of Science and Technology (DOST) Region I's Food Innovation Center. It was
formally launched in 2018 to serve the needs of Region I in the area of
cutting-edge food processing technology.
At the 3rd
floor of Royal Mall, a newly established institution is the Bayambang
Polytechnic College, which was put up to offer – with free tuition – much-needed
technical-vocational courses, especially agro-enterprise, for those who can't
be accommodated in other universities. Its first President is Dr. Rafael
Limueco Saygo, concurrently the local government’s tourism chief and
anti-poverty team leader.
Today,
Bayambang is home to 58 elementary schools (49 public, 9 private), 12 high
schools (9 public, 3 private), and 3 colleges (2 public, 1 private).
Outside
formal educational institutions, we have the Kasama Kita sa Barangay Foundation
Inc., a nonprofit put up by Dr. Cezar T. Quiambao which offers sustainable
livelihood and skills training modules in cooperation with TESDA and DOST. Its
accomplishments in this field have received national recognition through the
DepEd's National Literacy Awards and the DSWDs GAPAS Awards.
The
Bayambang Municipal Library, opened in 1950, is known to scholars and academic
researchers because it has a collection of rare books, including the Pangasinan
translations of “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo.” Notably, our library
is a subscriber to a global online library and also a Tech4Ed Center, an
internet-enabled facility for those seeking a host of online government
services.
Matalunggaring
Sons and Daughters: Pioneers, Trailblazers, Role Models
Time and
again, Bayambangueños become achievers by being models and innovators in their respective
fields. Many of them have been recognized by the local government, with the
highest award being the Matalunggaring Award. “Matalunggaring,” in the
Pangasinan language, roughly means “outstanding.”
A random
example would be Rusty Lopez, the famous fashion designer who pioneered the
retail fashion industry in the Philippines and is best known for selling a
popular line of leather shoes, the Rusty Lopez shoes.
Indie film
director Christopher Gozum directed the first full-length film about Pangasinan
in the Pangasinense language, “Anacbanua.” Another young international
award-winning indie filmmaker is Allan Michael Ibañez.
Bayambang
is the home of the father of the Philippine cycling, Atty. Geruncio ‘Gerry’
Lacuesta, the organizer of the famed Tour of Luzon cycling races nationwide.
Other
native-born and longtime residents have distinguished themselves in various other
fields, whether in science, military science, culture and arts, etc.: Rufino
Romano (discoverer of active ingredient for Viagra), Carmen Velasquez (national
scientist), Sr. Mary John Mananzan (founder of Gabriela), Ronaldo Tomas
(music/acid jazz), Prof. Rufino Menor (Pangkat Kawayan), Generoso Sendaydiego (graphic
arts), Dr. Prospero de Vera (former CHEd chair), Dr. Danilo Concepcion (former
University of the Philippines President), Dr. Jose DV. Camacho Jr. (UP Los
Baños Chancellor), Carlos Salazar (matinee idol and actor), Jing Abalos (action
star), and Vic Pacia (TV personality and actor).
Last but
not the least, Bayambang has produced Dr. Cezar T. Quiambao, who is dubbed as “a
man of many firsts” for a reason. He is a successful businessman,
philanthropist, and former mayor, who made his name by helping pioneer PPP
projects or public-private partnership projects to fast-track development
projects in the country. In 2008, he was instrumental in the success of the
automated elections of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. His
computerization project for the Land Transportation Office got rid of notorious
fixers and the well-known extent of corruption in that government agency. He
computerized the land titles at Land Registration Authority for easy access of
information. His Metro Manila Skyway project is a groundbreaking project
because it pioneered the Build, Own and Transfer (BOT) scheme between the
government and the private sector.
Fast-Tracking
Agro Modernization
Bayambang
is an agricultural town, so it is not surprising that it is called "the
corn belt of Pangasinan" and "the onion capital of Northern
Luzon." We also produce rice and a variety of vegetables.
Because we
have a number of rivers, tributary creeks, lakes, and ponds here, we are also
known for freshwater catch, the fish buro or fermented fish delicacy. We
produce buro by curing freshwater fishes, which we call malangsi, in salt using
large clay pots. We use tilapia, gourami, siringan (small gourami), or dalag in
making buro. In Bayambang, we use just salt instead of adding a fermenting
agent (bubod, bubor), and cure the fish for one week.
Among the
innovations introduced lately in this town is Mayor Quiambao’s farm mechanization
program, which aims to modernize agriculture using modern farm machinery.
As part of
this program, the Quiambao family recently put up the Agricultural Infrastructure
and Leasing Corp. (AILC), which is the largest post-harvest facility in
northern Luzon.
Ever the
creative visionary, Dr. Quiambao is involved in the production of novel food
items with 1Food Corporation to convert our farmers’ raw produce into higher-value
products. He also masterminded the E-Agro app, which is a computer application
that brings together in one online platform all the different aspects of the
farming business (knowledge, technical support, loan option, etc.), thus
offering a holistic or well-rounded approach to farming.
RiceBIS-Bayambang
Agricultural Cooperative has come up with a line of pigmented rice products
(red rice, brown rice, black rice, assorted) that have attracted a
health-conscious clientele.
[Sidebar]
Bayambang: What's in a Name?
(A quick look into the town name's etymology)
by Resty S. Odon
Where exactly did the name Bayambang come from? The
answer depends on who or which reference is consulted.
Old residents and reference materials routinely claim
that the name of the Bayambang town in the province of Pangasinan came from the
colibangbang o culibangbang tree which used to thrive in the area.
Research has shown that this name refers to a certain
species of Bauhinia, B. acuminata or B. malabarica, or what is called
alibangbang parang in Tagalog. What causes some confusion is that there are
other species of Bauhinia that are referred to as alibangbang in Tagalog and
other languages and are also called culibangbang in Pangasinan: for instance,
B. purpurea and B. variegata. (Note that Bauhinia species have been reportedly
renamed Piliostigma.)
For the sake of clarity and precision, B. acuminata or B.
malabarica is the one being referred to as culibangbang by Bayambangueños, as
it is the one being traditionally used as panselar or pangsigang (souring
agent), specifically its flowers and shoots, which taste sour. What
distinguishes it from the other culibangbang species is its simple white little
flower, red stalks, and a leaf shape that is rounder and less butterfly-shaped
than that of B. purpurea. In contrast, the latter has a pink, orchid-like
flower and reportedly inedible shoots, and is of foreign origin and believed to
have been planted in the '70s or earlier for ornamental purposes then later
spread throughout the town.
The problem with the term "culibangbang,"
however, is that it doesn't quite exactly account for the word
"bayambang," as local observers point out. Culibangbang is indeed
anomalous because it is an Ilocano word meaning butterfly, and butterfly in
Pangasinan is kumpapey. The Ilocano people were not in Pangasinan until they
came migrating en masse during the Spanish regime. Moreover, the word bayambang
in fact existed as an old term per se, referring either to three different
plants and to something else.
First of all, bayambang, it turns out, used to be the
Tagalog name for an entirely another plant, Amaranthus spinosus (Linn.) or uray
or kulitis, and then another, Celosia or Deeringia polysperma, an ornamental
amaranth species. Notably, "bayangbang" is also a Tagalog term for
the sword fern or Nephrolepis hirsutula.
Secondly, in Pangasinan, the word bayambang is a native
word that refers to a place that is madanom (Pangasinan word for matubig or
waterlogged), which exactly describes some flood-prone barangays of the town
today lying along Agno River. In fact, one barangay is named Paragos
("literally, a place where water flows," but actually means
"irrigation"), while another is Managos ("flowing"). This
probably explains why a barangay in Infanta, a town in western Pangasinan, is
named Bayambang as well.
Another claim is that there are awarans (ancient narratives)
that mention "balangabang" as the precursor to the name Bayambang,
balangabang being the true indigenous term for the native species of
culibangbang or alibangbang. This hunch, of course, is not far-fetched at all,
as it is more commonsensical and thus far more plausible.
The official website of the Pangasinan provincial
government has a slightly different version, though: "The name of the
town, according to the legend, came from the name of a plant called
'balangbang.'" To locals, however, "balangbang" is the native
term for "hip," although it could also be a variant of balangabang.
What complicates this origin story further is another
theory that Bayambang might have come from bayangbayang, an old native term for
scarecrow.
In the absence of solid documentary evidence, it is hard
to establish with definitive certainty where the town's name came from, but
balangabang, balangbang, and bayangbayang are a lot more plausible than
culibangbang, but the mere existence of the term bayambang itself should be of
foremost consideration, given that it is the same exact word as the name of the
town.
