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Don Guillermo Manabat, a rich landlord, is believed to be the founder of Bacolor in 1574.

[5] Historical
records show that Bacolor has been in existence as a proposed settlement as early as 1571, the
same year Manila was founded by the Spanish. When the Spaniards arrived in Bacolor they
found Bakúlud; its original name meant "level ground" because the site was formerly part of
the Luzon coastline until eruptions from Mount Pinatubo raised it above the ocean floor.
The first settlers of Bacolor were believed to be Malays that came from Atjeh in Sumatra led
by Panday Pira. It is believed to have been founded by Monmon, first cousin and sister-in-law of
Malangsic, a son of Prince Balagtas. However, historians recorded the official foundation of Bacolor
in 1574 through a landlord named Guillermo Manabat, whose palatial house and resting place is
now the site of the San Guillermo Church, hence the church's name. The name Bakúlud was
changed to Bacólor with the advent of the Spanish.
Bacolor was the first capital of Pampanga and remained so for over two centuries (1698 to 1904)
before the provincial seat was transferred to San Fernando in July 1904. In 1757, the provincial
building, Casa Real, was constructed at the place where the Bacolor Elementary School is now
located.
During the British Occupation of the Philippines, when Manila fell to the British, it became capital of
the exiled government of Governor General Simón de Anda y Salazar from October 6, 1762 to May
30, 1764. The provincial offices were temporarily moved to Factoría (now San Isidro, Nueva Ecija). It
remained the former capital town of Pampanga until the provincial seat of government was
transferred to neighboring San Fernando in 1904. Through a decree of the King of Spain on
November 9, 1765, Bacolor became Villa de Bacólor, one of the only three villas in the Philippines
and was granted a special coat of arms. Simón de Anda organized an army of natives for the
defense of Bacolor and with the aim of recapturing Manila.
The coming of the American colonizers broke up the military form of government and instead
political and economic reforms were introduced. A civil form of government was organized and was
inaugurated on February 13, 1901 by Com. William H. Taft which took place in the old Escuela de
Artes y Oficios de Bacólor, later known as the Pampanga School of Arts and Trade and now the Don
Honorio Ventura Technological State University, the first state university in Pampanga.
The first provincial Civil Governor was Don Ceferino Joven and the first Municipal President of
Bacolor was Don Estanislao Santos. Pampanga was acknowledged as the first province to have
organized civil government in the Philippines by General Grant, the then President of the United
States of America.
When the Second World War broke out, Japanese fighter and bomber planes invaded the municipal
town in Bacolor on December 1941 until the town was occupied by the Imperial Japanese forces in
1942. Pampangan guerrillas and Hukbalahap Communist groups joined in an insurgency centered
around the municipality of Bacolor, supported by local soldiers and military officers of the Philippine
Commonwealth Army. Their attacks against the Japanese occupation continued until 1945, when
Filipino and American forces liberated the municipality of Bacolor.[further explanation needed]
In 1956, the sitio of Mesalipit was converted into a barrio.[6]
On the morning of October 1, 1995, over 20 feet (6.1 m) of lahar from the slopes of Mount
Pinatubo and surrounding mountains buried the entire barangay of Cabalantian among many others,
killing hundreds of people. 18 out of the 21 barangays of Bacolor were buried. The lahar flows from
the mountains raised the town to its current level of an approximate 37 meters above sea level.
Subsidence caused the constant reclaiming of parts of Pampanga by the sea.

Population census of Bacolor

Year Pop. ±% p.a. Year Pop. ±% p.a.


1903 13,493 — 1980 50,942 +2.04%
1918 15,302 +0.84% 1990 67,259 +2.82%
1939 19,129 +1.07% 1995 13,097 −26.40%
1948 22,920 +2.03% 2000 16,147 +4.59%
1960 29,634 +2.16% 2007 25,238 +6.35%
1970 40,212 +3.10% 2010 31,508 +8.41%
1975 46,044 +2.75% 2015 39,460 +4.38%

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[4][7][8][9]


In the 2015 census, the population of Bacolor, Pampanga, was 39,460 people,[4] with a density of
550 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,400 inhabitants per square mile.

Local government
Like other towns in the Philippines, Bacolor 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 or barrios.

Town hall[edit]
The municipal building is the former site of the Venturas house, one of Bacolor's most prominent
families. On July 8, 1953, the new town hall was completed during the tenure of Mayor Manuel de
Jesus. Its construction was a project of Senator Pablo Angeles y David, a native of Bacolor.[10]

The main landmark of the town is the San Guillermo Parish Church known as the 'sunken church',
one of the structures that was half-buried by the lava flow from the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in
1991. The church has since been renovated and is currently operational and may be accessed
through what were once the second floor windows, now converted into doorways. The sunken
church and town of Bacolor were used to shoot the 2009 television series May Bukas Pa. The
Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Cabetican is also famous for its annual pilgrimage and barrio
fiestas.
Other notable landmarks in Bacolor include Memorial Kilometer Posts of the Bataan Death
March along the MacArthur Highway; the oldest trade school in Far East, the Don Honorio Ventura
Technological State University; the Simón de Anda y Salazar monument at the town hall; monument
to the Kapampangan writer and revolutionary leader Juan Crisostomo Soto (1867-1918); and
Monument to Felix Galura Y Napao.[11]
Bacolor's festivals are the Feast of San Guillermo and Nuestra Senora del Santissimo Rosario (La
Naval) which are celebrated every 10th day of February and 3rd Sunday of November, respectively.

The Sunken Shrine


Original Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes (the Sunken Shrine is to the right, not in photo).

Buried by the devastating lahar flows of Mount Pinatubo eruption in June 1991, the Archdiocesan
Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes of Cabetican (abbreviated as "Maluca") remains at the center of
Marian Concordia Pilgrimages and Healing in Pampanga. Originally built as an annexe to the older,
smaller shrine, it is under the care of Fr. Ronnie Cao, Healing Priest and Rector of the Archdiocesan
Shrine.

Bacolor, officially the Municipality of Bacolor, (Kapampangan: Balen ning Bakúlud), is a 3rd
class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a
population of 39,460 people.[4]
History of Bacolor
Historical records show that Bacolor has been in existence as a prosperous settlements as early as
1571. When the Spaniards under the leadership of Ferdinand Blumentrit arrived that found
“Baculud”. Its original name meaning high level ground.

The first settlers of Bacolor were believed to be Malayans that came from Atjeth Sumatra led by
Panday Pira. It is believed to have been founded by Monmon, first cousin and sister-in-law of
Malangsic, a son of Prince Balagtas.

However, historians recorded the official foundation of Bacolor to have occurred in 1574 through a
landlord named Guillermo Manabat, whose palatial house and resting place is now the site of the San
Guillermo Church, hence the church’s name.

The name Baculud was changed to Bacolor when the Spaniards came to the place. It was recorded to
have been the first capital of Pampanga for two centuries (1698-1904) before San Fernando was
declared the capital town of the province in July 1904. In 1757, the provincial building, Casa Real,
was constructed at the place where the Bacolor Elementary School is located.

In the year 1762 after the fall of Manila to the English invaders, Governor General Simon de Anda
retreated and made Bacolor the seat of the Spanish Government. It was the seat of government from
October 6, 1762 to May 30, 1764 and practically served as the Capital of the Philippines. Thru, a
decree of the King of Spain on November 9, 1765, Bacolor became “Villa de Bacolor”, one of the
only three villas in the Philippines and was granted a Special Coat of Arms. Simon de Anda
organized an army of natives with which he finally recaptured Manila from the British invaders.

The coming of the American colonizers broke up in the military form of government and instead
political and economic reforms were introduced. A civil form of government was organized and was
inaugurated on February 13, 1901 by Com. William H. Taft which took place in the old “Escuela de
Artes y Officios de Bacolor”, (formerly named Pampanga School of Arts and Trade) now known as
the Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University. The first Provincial Civil Governor was
Don Ceferino Joven and the first Municipal President of Bacolor was Don Estanislao Santos.

Pampanga was acknowledged as the first province to have organized civil government in the
Philippines by General Grant, the then President of the United States of America.

Bacolor’s festivity is celebrated every 10th day of February and the La Naval Fiesta is being held
every 3rd Sunday of November.

Bacolor took the center stage of the national history in the last decade of the 20th century when the
Mt. Pinatubo eruption devastated 95% of the whole town, burying 18 out of its 21 progressive
barangays.

The Virgen La Naval de Bacolor of +Marcelina Joven, Heiress of Don Juan Joven

The oldest de vestir La Naval de Bacolor image was commissioned by Don Juan Joven and
Geronima Suarez. The said couple also commissioned the image of San Pio V. The Virgen was
inherited by Doña Sabina Joven y Suarez. Doña Sabina, being a maiden, handed the image to his
nephew, Don Ceferino Joven who became the first provincial civil Governor of Pampanga. Feliza
Joven y Ramirez was supposed to be the Camerera of the Virgen after Don Ceferino but a branch of
the family opposed. Other members of the family thought that it is not proper for the Patrona to be
placed inside a house with a roof made of nipa. Because of this, the image devolved to her aunt,
Josefa Santos y Joven who became Mrs. Panlilio. Josefa Santos-Panlilio commissioned another
image to replace the old image commissioned by Don Juan during the turn of the century. The
image commissioned by Josefa is the one venerated in the church at present. Jose Panlilio inherited
the image from his mother, Josefa.

Jose married Luz Panlilio y Sarmiento. Their marriage heralded a new era for “La Naval de Bacolor”.
Jose, during his time, commissioned another image which became the processional image. The
image that he commissioned is presently displayed in the Museo de La Salle in Dasmariñas, Cavite.
After Jose passed away in 1961, Luz initiated tremendous improvements on the image, the
vestments, and the big silverplated "carroza." She was the one who pinned her jewelry (brooches,
necklaces, earrings, and rings) on the image of the "Santo Rosario" and created the nationwide and
legendary "bejeweled" reputation of the Bacolor patroness.

When the Panlilios opted to get the image that Jose commissioned, the rights to the Virgen de La
Naval were returned to the Joven family as the original stewards of the Virgin (until Josefa Panlilio
took charge of the Virgin instead of Feliza Joven).

Before the Panlilios took charge of the Virgin, the image in the church was used in procession. The
owner would then bring the image home for vesting and other fiesta preparations. The Panlilios
deemed it proper to commission another image for the procession so that the Virgin in the church
can perpetually stay in the altar even during the fiesta.

After the ravage of lahar in the early nineties, the antique pre-war image commissioned by Marcelina
Joven became the official La Naval de Bacolor processional image.

The processional and church images are presently under the care of Don Juan’s descendant,
Thomas Joven.

In Bacolor-HISTORICAL LANDMARKS

1. 100th Kilometer Bataan Death March Marker


2. Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University
3. Felix Galura Y. Napao Monument
4. Juan Crisostomo Soto Monument
5. Museo de Bacolor or Recuerdos Sagrados de Bacolor (Sacred
Memorabilla of Bacolor)
6. San Guillermo Parish Church (the Sunken Church)
7. Simon de Anda y Salazar Monument
8. The Sunken Shrine (Cabetican)

Natural parks

Lahar Canyon (Porac & Bacolor)

EVENTS:

Bacolor – Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario de La Naval de Bacolor


(3rd Sunday of November)

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