San Manuel, officially the Municipality of San Manuel (; ; ), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 54,271 people.
Etymology
The town's name originated from early settlers' founder, Don Manuel Sequig amid the town's existence in 1614, when Poblacion was in Pau (now Curibetbet) with a population of 2,023.
History
In 1688 the Convento was erected and in 1720, both the church and convent were in place at Pau but were burned down due to a bad omen superstition, hence Asingan fused San Manuel was but natives moved Guiset, a name of San Manuel (great bamboo thickets). In 1860, San Manuel was decreed a town for the second time.
San Manuel became a town, 44 years before Asingan was, but was absorbed by the latter from 1903 to 1907. (Source:Mr. Crispo Baclit, "Ti Ababa Nga Pakasaritaan Ti Ili a San Manuel, Pangasinan")
Incident
On September 12, 2012, gun-for-hire suspect Marcelino Cardinas Jr. (alias Jun Fabro, Barangay Botobot Norte, Balaoan, La Union) was arrested on the Case Unclosed twin murders of San Manuel's Vice Mayor Bonifacio Apilado (in Urdaneta City on June 20, 2007,)and Christopher Alfonso (an engineer, on Aug. 21, 2011). Regional Trial Court Judge Joven Costales of Branch 45, Urdaneta City issued the warrant of arrest for Renato Tarinay Jr. and Cardinas, Jr. Cardinas was arrested in the house of Leonardo Sol, Sol Group leader of a Private Armed Group (PAG) in Barangay Flores, San Manuel town
In Barangay Gueset Norte, San Manuel, Pangasinan, Romero Gorospe, 40 Narra Tricycle Driver-Operators Association President and bodyguard of San Manuel mayoral bet and retired Vice Admiral Virgilio Q. Marcelo was ambushed, while Ruth Palip and Rosalinda Calip also died while crossing the street on April 19, 2010.
Geography
San Manuel, in Eastern Pangasinan has nearby neighbors: Cordillera Mountain, Tuba, Benguet, Pozorrubio, San Nicolas, Asingan, Tayug and Binalonan, all of Pangasinan, with a total land area of 183.39 sq.m.
Barangays
San Manuel is politically subdivided into 14 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
San Antonio-Arzadon
Cabacaraan
Cabaritan
Flores
Guiset Norte (Poblacion) Guiset Sur (Poblacion) Lapalo Nagsaag Narra San Bonifacio San Juan San Roque San Vicente Sto. Domingo
Climate
Demographics
Language
San Manuel natives speak mostly Ilocano. English and Filipino are spoken as well.
Religion
Every barangay has a Catholic Chapel, which are maintained by the Lay Ministers Of St. Bartholomew Parish Church- Located in the town proper of San Manuel.
St. Bartholomew Parish Church
The 1687 St. Bartholomew Parish Church (Rizal, San Manuel, 2438 Central Pangasinan) is under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, Roman Catholic Diocese of Urdaneta.
Its Feast Day is August 24, with Parish Priest, Father Diomedes S. Laguerta, Guest Priest, Father Rafael T. Cruz and Vicar Forane, Father Elpidio F. Silva Jr.
San Manuel first existed in barrio Pao (now Bato) in 1614, while the first church was built in Pao in 1688, which was burned in 1720, due to superstition. Hence, the natives heard Mass at Sinapug, name of Asingan.
Accepted in 1860, San Manuel became a House of the Dominican Order in 1878, per Royal Decree of July 6, 1878, an independent parish from Asingan. The first “ermita” of the town was erected with the help of the faithful by Kura Paroko, Fr. Bonifacio Provanza built the first "ermita" or Bisita in 1882, with a cruciform. Fr. Jose Ma. Puente continued the construction and on October 1, 1894, a great whirlwind destroyed the ermita which was rebuilt by Fr, Fuente adding the convent. The 1898 revolutionaries destroyed the Church. Fr. Probanza built a small convent and the old church was about 100 meter long and 20 meters wide.
Economy
Tourism
San Manuel has the following attractions and interesting points: