Santo Tomas, Pampanga
| Santo Tomas | ||
|---|---|---|
| Municipality | ||
|
Santo Tomas Municipal Town Hall | ||
| ||
 Map of Pampanga showing the location of Santo Tomas | ||
.svg.png)  Santo Tomas Location within the Philippines | ||
| Coordinates: 14°58′N 120°43′E / 14.967°N 120.717°ECoordinates: 14°58′N 120°43′E / 14.967°N 120.717°E | ||
| Country | Philippines | |
| Region | Central Luzon (Region III) | |
| Province | Pampanga | |
| District | 4th District | |
| Originally founded | 1792 | |
| Founded | 1952 | |
| Barangays | 7 | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Joselito F. Naguit ([1]) | |
| Area[2] | ||
| • Total | 21.30 km2 (8.22 sq mi) | |
| Population (2010)[3] | ||
| • Total | 38,062 | |
| • Density | 1,800/km2 (4,600/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+8) | |
| ZIP code | 2020 | |
| Dialing code | 45 | |
| Income class | 4th class | |
| Website |
stotomaspampanga | |
Santo Tomas is a fourth class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 38,062 people.[3] As the youngest and smallest Pampanga town, Santo Tomas has a total land area of 1,467 hectares. It is a mainly agricultural and fishing community; industry includes casket manufacture, ceramics, and carpentry.[4]
Etymology and history
The town's name is derived from Baliwag ("tardy" in Spanish) a reference to local habit of arriving late for Mass. Baliwag, whose original name was Santo Tomas, had its Patron, St. Thomas the Apostle. He is also called Doubting Thomas or Didymus (meaning "twin," as does "Thomas" in Aramaic) and was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. The Patronal Feast is celebrated yearly on the 21st of December from the town's original founding date of 1792.
On September 15, 1792, Santo Tomas was severed from its parent Minalin, Pampanga. On May 4, 1899, the town was under the U.S. Force's administration. On January 2, 1905, it was ceded to San Fernando, Pampanga until 1905. On October 12, 1951, Executive Order No. 476 (issued by Elpidio Quirino) created Santo Tomas and its five barrios of San Matias, San Vicente, San Bartolome, Sto. Rosario and Poblacion with the seat of government at barrio San Vicente.
On January 11, 1952, the municipality of Sto. Tomas was re-inaugurated. The first municipal hall was temporarily at the house of late Mayor Patricio Gomez, the first municipal mayor.
In 1955, RA 1250, the San Matias seat was transferred to Poblacion. Presidential Decree No. 1441 was issued by President Ferdinand E. Marcos on June 11, 1978, transferring the seat of municipal government from Poblacion to Barangay San Vicente.
The town became the site of the bloody encounter between Filipino and American forces during Philippine Revolution known as the Battle of Santo Tomas.
Geography
The municipality of Santo Tomas, the smallest and youngest town in Pampanga, is at the heart of the province. The capital city of San Fernando bounds it on the north-west the municipality of San Simon on the north-east, the municipality of minalin on the south-east and Bacolor on the west.
Municipal government and politics
Pursuant to the local government[5][6] the political seat of the municipality is at the Municipal Town Hall. The gobernadorcillo is the chief executive who holds office in the Presidencia. During the American rule (1898–1946), the elected mayor and local officials, including the appointed ones, hold office at the Municipal Town Hall. The legislative and executive departments perform their functions in the Sangguniang Bayan (Session Hall) and Municipal Trial Court, respectively, and are in the Town Hall.
Santo Tomas' incumbent mayor is Joselito F. Naguit and the municipal vice mayor is Gloria P. Ronquillo.[7]
On July 23, 2012, incumbent mayor Joselito Naguit[8] filed his counter-affidavit to the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon on graft charges against him by former municipal administrator Rodelio Garcia. The mayor said over the weekend that "the P9.5 million in cash advances he allegedly made for the months of May to November 2011 were all returned, accounted for to the last centavo and deposited in the municipal fund of Sto. Tomas."[9]
On March 2012, Mayor Naguit opened the LGU’s approved project under the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) on February 29, 2011: "P 700, 000 Improvement and Concreting of Balangcas Road."[10]
Barangays
Santo Tomas is politically subdivided into seven barangays:[2]
- Moras De La Paz
- Poblacion
- San Bartolome
- San Matias
- San Vicente
- Santo Rosario (Pau)
- Sapa (Santo Niño)
Demographics
| Population census of Santo Tomas | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1990 | 33,309 | — |
| 1995 | 29,628 | −2.17% |
| 2000 | 32,695 | +2.13% |
| 2007 | 37,866 | +2.05% |
| 2010 | 38,062 | +0.19% |
| Source: National Statistics Office[3][11] | ||
Economy
In the records of Department of Trade and Industry (Philippines), the town holds the title “casket capital of Central Luzon.” It is home to 300 family-owned casket businesses that each produce about 80 caskets monthly or a total production of 24,000 a month.[12][13] Casket capital of the Philippines, Oct. 22, 2012
Tourism
Santo Tomas' main attractions and events are:
- The yearly Easter Sunday Flower Scattering Festival or Sabuaga Festival (from sabuag and sampaga which means scatter flowers) originated from Easter Sunday “Salubong” (April 8, 2012) where estabats scatter flowers.[14]
- First Evacuation Center and Multi-Purpose Hall at Poblacion, Sto. Tomas, July 5, 2010.
- The Northville 12 ECCD Center and Health Center, July 15, 2010.
- Municipal Hall Annex, Donato B. Pangilinan, Sr. building, also the New Public Market and Police Station, inaugurated on the 60th snniversary of Santo Tomas founding, October 12, 2011.[15]
Religion
St. Thomas the Apostle Parish Church
The 1929 St. Thomas the Apostle Parish Church (Poblacion Santo Tomas, Pampanga) belongs to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando.[16][17][18][19][20][21][22] The feast is July 3 and its previous parish priest was Rev. Dino Albert N. Pineda of the Vicariate of Christ the King, under Vicar Forane, Rev. Reynaldo D. dela Cruz.[23] It has a population of 9,202, with Catholics, 8,833. The current parish priest is Fr. Renato Sabile.
On February 14, 2004, the Parish Pastoral Center and Convent were blessed and inaugurated by Bishop Paciano Aniceto. On October 16, 2004, the columbarium, mortuary and museum were blessed.
San Matias Parish Church
The 1962 San Matias Parish Church[24] belongs to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando.[16][17][18][19][20][23][25] Its incumbent parish priest is Rev. Marius P. Roque, of the Vicariate of Christ, under Vicar Forane, Rev. Reynaldo D. dela Cruz.[26] It has a population of 16,672 with Catholics, 16,005. The former parish priest was Rev. Marlon Cunanan and parochial vicar was Rev. Nestor Figueroa.
References
- ↑ "Municipalities". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- 1 2 "Province: Pampanga". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- 1 2 3 "Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay: as of May 1, 2010" (PDF). 2010 Census of Population and Housing. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ↑ http://www.stotomaspampanga.com/content.php?content_id=34[]
- ↑ "About the Philippines". www.gov.ph. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ↑ "The Local Government Code of the Philippines". Chan Robles Virtual Law Library.
- ↑ http://www.stotomaspampanga.com/content.php?content_id=37[]
- ↑ http://www.stotomaspampanga.com/content.php?content_id=111[]
- ↑ Sto. Tomas mayor on cash advances: Everything accounted for | Sun.Star
- ↑ "Two in a Row: Live TV Guestings for the Promotion of Manila Bay Clean Up, Rehabilitation and Preservation Project". dilgr3.com. Department of the Interior and Local Government - Kagawaran ng Interyor at Pamahalaang Lokal - Central Luzon Office.
- ↑ "Province of Pampanga". Municipality Population Data. LWUA Research Division. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
- ↑ "The casket capital of Central Luzon - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos". inquirer.net.
- ↑ "Coffin festival, anyone?". www.abs-cbnnews.com. ABS-CBN. October 30, 2008.
- ↑ The Minimalist Sense: 1st Sabuaga Festival at Sto.Tomas, Pampanga
- ↑ http://www.stotomaspampanga.com/content.php?content_id=165
- 1 2 "Home". cbcponline.net.
- 1 2 "Parishes". cbcponline.net.
- 1 2 David M. Cheney. "San Fernando (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". catholic-hierarchy.org.
- 1 2 "History of Pampanga Towns". andropampanga.com.
- 1 2 "Archdiocese of San Fernando, Pampanga". claretianpublications.com.
- ↑ Archidoecesis Sancti Ferdinandi; Created Diocese: December 11, 1948. Elevated to Archdiocese: March 17, 1975. Erected: June 25, 1975. Comprises the Civil Province of Pampanga, City of San Fernando and Angeles City. Suffragans: the Diocese of Balanga, Iba and Tarlac. Titular: St. Ferdinand, King, Secondary Patron: Our Lady of the Assumption. Archbishop Paciano B. Aniceto, DD. Coordinates: 14°59'19"N 120°42'30"E; Titular: St. Thomas the Apostle).
- ↑ "St.Thomas The Apostle Catholic Church (Poblacion Sto. Tomas, Pampanga) Poblacion Santo Tomas". wikimapia.org.
- 1 2 "List of Parishes of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando". nfo.ph.
- ↑ San Matias, Santo Tomas, 2020 Pampanga; Titular: St. Matthias, Apostle, February 24 & May 14
- ↑ Archidoecesis Sancti Ferdinandi; Created Diocese: December 11, 1948. Elevated to Archdiocese: March 17, 1975. Erected: June 25, 1975. Comprises the Civil Province of Pampanga, City of San Fernando and Angeles City. Suffragans: the Diocese of Balanga, Iba and Tarlac. Titular: St. Ferdinand, King, Secondary Patron: Our Lady of the Assumption. Archbishop Paciano B. Aniceto, DD).
- ↑ "San Matias Parish Church". Foursquare.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Santo Tomas, Pampanga. |
 |
San Fernando | | ||
| Bacolor |  |
San Simon | ||
| ||||
 | ||||
| Minalin |
| ||||||||||||||||||
