Pangil, officially the Municipality of Pangil (Tagalog: Bayan ng Pangil), is a municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 25,318 people.

Etymology

According to the paper “Alamat ng Pangil, Laguna” by Santiago T. Adre, there are three commonly cited theories regarding the origin of the name “Pangil.”

One theory suggests that the name was derived from the town’s geographic shape, which, when viewed from an elevated position, resembles the fang (pangil) of a wild boar. Another theory attributes the name to the early settlers known as the Panguilagan. Over time, the name was shortened to “Panguil,” a form commonly found in Spanish-era documents, as Spaniards had difficulty pronouncing the original term. A third theory links the name to a pre-Hispanic leader, Gat Paguil, whom the Spaniards encountered upon their arrival in the area.

During the American period, following the United States’ takeover of the Philippines in 1898, the name “Panguil” was standardized to its present form, “Pangil.”

History

Pangil is one of the oldest settlements in Laguna, rich in Hispanic, American and Japanese history. Discovered artifacts of the 12th century Ming and Sung Dynasty were attributed to Chinese immigrants and traders who settled in this place then. According to oral literature, the first leader of the area, which now encompasses four separate towns, was Gat Pangil, who united four ancient settlements to establish a Tagalog kingdom in the area. During the Hispanic period, Pangil became a staging ground of the Spanish missionaries in Christian Evangelization drive in 1578 in the present-day provinces of Rizal, Laguna and Quezon (then known as Tayabas), until it gained recognition as a town through the Franciscan friars in the year 1579.

King Charles III in Pangil

The Nuestra Señora de la Natividad Parish Church with the statue of King Charles III

One of the revered myths in the town of Pangil is the belief that in the year 1724, Prince Carlos, the son of King Philip V of Spain, was banished from his country and was sent to the Philippines. The young prince stayed in the town for three years and resided with the Franciscans in the adjoining convent of the Paroquia del Nuestra Señora de la Natividad Church considered then as the biggest in Laguna. The prince was a known hunter and he enjoyed his stay in the Sierra Madre mountain range that was known as a good hunting ground for wild animals and fowls. He was also very fond of the creek that branched out from the Pangil River and now called as the Bambang Hari or King's Canal.

By the year 1728, the King lifted the ban on the Prince and ordered the latter to return to their kingdom. With his ascension to the throne of Spain as King Charles III, he ordered his emissaries to send the statue of Nuestra Seńora de la O (Our Lady of Expectation) and the statue of Santo Nińo de la O (Holy Child of Expectation) as a sign of gratitude and appreciation to the Pangilenians for the hospitality and kindness that was accorded to him. Although this story is a source of pride among the Pangilenos, there is nothing in the historical records of the archives of the Franciscan Province in the Philippines or the Archdiocese of Manila, or the Ministerio del Ultramar in Madrid that could corroborate this folk history.

Post-Spanish era

In 1903, Pangil, alongside Famy, was absorbed into the town of Siniloan by virtue of Act No. 939. It was later separated from Siniloan to become a present-day municipality.

Geography

This town is separated by the Laguna de Bay from each other. Pangil is 23 kilometers (14 mi) from Santa Cruz, 110 kilometers (68 mi) from Manila, and 71 kilometers (44 mi) from Lucena.

Barangays

Pangil is politically subdivided into 8 barangays, as indicated in the matrix below. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Barangay map of Pangil from East and West Bank
PSGCBarangayPopulation±% p.a.
20242010
0403421001Balian25.4%6,4355,7950.75%
0403421002Dambo9.2%2,3381,8981.50%
0403421003Galalan4.6%1,1618492.27%
0403421004Isla (Poblacion)11.4%2,8752,923−0.12%
0403421005Mabato-Azufre6.2%1,5621,3980.80%
0403421006Natividad (Poblacion)10.1%2,5672,771−0.55%
0403421007San Jose (Poblacion)5.2%1,3141,486−0.88%
0403421008Sulib (Poblacion)26.8%6,7746,0810.78%
Total25,31823,2000.63%

Climate

Climate data for Pangil, Laguna
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)26 (79)27 (81)29 (84)31 (88)31 (88)30 (86)29 (84)29 (84)29 (84)29 (84)28 (82)26 (79)29 (84)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)22 (72)22 (72)22 (72)23 (73)24 (75)25 (77)24 (75)24 (75)24 (75)24 (75)24 (75)23 (73)23 (74)
Average precipitation mm (inches)58 (2.3)41 (1.6)32 (1.3)29 (1.1)91 (3.6)143 (5.6)181 (7.1)162 (6.4)172 (6.8)164 (6.5)113 (4.4)121 (4.8)1,307 (51.5)
Average rainy days13.49.39.19.819.122.926.624.925.021.416.516.5214.5
Source: Meteoblue

Demographics

Population census of Pangil
YearPop.±% p.a.
19032,200
19184,424+4.77%
19393,889−0.61%
19484,156+0.74%
19605,364+2.15%
19708,118+4.23%
19759,263+2.68%
198010,519+2.57%
199015,212+3.76%
199517,664+2.84%
200020,698+3.46%
200723,421+1.72%
201023,201−0.34%
201524,274+0.86%
202025,026+0.64%
202425,318+0.28%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

In the 2024 census, the population of Pangil was 25,318 people, with a density of 560 inhabitants per square kilometer or 1,500 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Pangil

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Government

Pangil Town Hall

List of local chief executives

Under the American Civil Government

  • 1900-1905 Antonio A. Fabricante
  • 1906-1907 Pedro Dalena
  • 1908-1909 Agustin Martinez
  • 1910-1912 Roman Maulawin
  • 1913-1919 Engracio Balita
  • 1920-1922 Victor Acapulco
  • 1923-1925 Antonio Aclan
  • 1926-1928 Abraham de Guia
  • 1929-1934 Santiago T. Adre

During the Commonwealth Period

  • 1935-1937 Canuto Galvez
  • 1938-1940 Esteban C. Icarangal

During World War II

  • 1941-1945 Zoilo Martinez Pajarillo

During the post- war period

  • 1946-1947 Santiago T. Adre
  • 1948-1955 Alfredo M. Fabricante
  • 1956-1959 Pastor de Ramos
  • 1960-1963 Geminiano C. Gualberto

During the Marcos dictatorship

  • 1964-1967 Cristobal T. Demery
  • 1968-1971 Geminiano C. Gualberto
  • 1972-1979 Pedro D. Aritao

During the Contemporary Period

  • 1980-1992 Dominador V. Manzana
  • 1992-1995 Valentin B. Santa Ana
  • 1995-2004 Sergio C. Manzana
  • 2004-2013 Juanita C. Manzana
  • 2013-2016 Jovit Reyes
  • 2016-2019 Oscar Rafanan
  • 2019-2020 Jovit Reyes
  • 2020–present Gerald A. Aritao

Education

The Pangil-Pakil Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.

Primary and elementary schools

  • Dambo Elementary School
  • Galalan Elementary School
  • J. Fernandez Y Zoril (Asufre) Elementary School
  • Pangil Elementary School
  • Saray Elementary School
  • Shama Institute of Little Lamb Academy
  • Sulib Elementary School
  • Victor O. De Gui, Jr. Memorial Elementary School (Balian Bo. School)

Secondary schools

  • Kabulusan Integrated National High School
  • Liceo de Pakil
  • Pakil Senior High School (Stand Alone Senior High School No. 2)

Higher educational institution

  • St. Peter of Alcantara College

Notable people

Gallery

  • Public market
  • Church and plaza
  • Rice field at Pangil

See also

External links