Santo Tomas, Pampanga

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Santo Tomas
Municipality
Municipality of Santo Tomas
Municipal Hall
Municipal Hall
Official seal of Santo Tomas
Seal
Nickname(s): 
Casket capital of the Philippines
Map of Pampanga with Santo Tomas highlighted
Map of Pampanga with Santo Tomas highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Santo Tomas is located in Philippines
Santo Tomas
Santo Tomas
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 14°58′N 120°43′E / 14.97°N 120.72°E / 14.97; 120.72Coordinates: 14°58′N 120°43′E / 14.97°N 120.72°E / 14.97; 120.72
CountryPhilippines
RegionCentral Luzon
ProvincePampanga
District 4th district
Founded1792
CharteredOctober 12, 1951
Named forSt. Thomas the Apostle
Barangays7 (see Barangays)
Government
 [1]
 • TypeSangguniang Bayan
 • MayorGloria P. Ronquillo
 • Vice MayorMatias C. Pineda
 • RepresentativeJuan Pablo P. Bondoc
 • Councilors
List
 • Electorate28,278 voters (2019)
Area
[2]
 • Total21.30 km2 (8.22 sq mi)
Elevation
7.0 m (23.0 ft)
Highest elevation
42 m (138 ft)
Lowest elevation
−3 m (−10 ft)
Population
 (2020 census) [3]
 • Total42,846
 • Density2,000/km2 (5,200/sq mi)
 • Households
8,675
Economy
 • Income class4th municipal income class
 • Poverty incidence5.32% (2015)[4]
 • Revenue₱146,380,236.51 (2020)
 • Assets₱126,891,393.21 (2020)
 • Expenditure₱134,055,235.30 (2020)
 • Liabilities₱38,580,925.02 (2020)
Service provider
 • ElectricityPampanga 3 Electric Cooperative (PELCO 3)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
2020
PSGC
035421000
IDD : area code +63 (0)45
Native languagesKapampangan
Tagalog
Websitewww.stotomaspampanga.com

Santo Tomas, officially the Municipality of Santo Tomas (Kapampangan: Balen ning Santo Tomas; Tagalog: Bayan ng Santo Tomas), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 42,846 people. [3]

As the youngest and smallest Pampanga town, Santo Tomas has a total land area of 1,467 hectares (3,625 acres). It is a mainly agricultural and fishing community; industry includes casket manufacture, ceramics, and carpentry.[5]

Etymology[]

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.

History[]

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, Santo Rosario and Santo Tomas with the seat of government at barrio San Vicente.

On January 11, 1952, the municipality of Santo 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 Santo Tomas. Presidential Decree No. 1441 was issued by President Ferdinand E. Marcos on June 11, 1978, transferring the seat of municipal government from Barangay SantoTomas 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 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.

Barangays[]

Santo Tomas is politically subdivided into seven barangays:

  • Moras De La Paz
  • Poblacion
  • San Bartolome
  • San Matias
  • San Vicente
  • Santo Rosario (Pau)
  • Sapa (Santo Niño)

Climate[]

Climate data for Santo Tomas, Pampanga
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 28
(82) 		29
(84) 		31
(88) 		33
(91) 		32
(90) 		31
(88) 		30
(86) 		29
(84) 		29
(84) 		30
(86) 		30
(86) 		28
(82) 		30
(86)
Average low °C (°F) 20
(68) 		20
(68) 		21
(70) 		23
(73) 		24
(75) 		24
(75) 		24
(75) 		24
(75) 		24
(75) 		23
(73) 		22
(72) 		21
(70) 		23
(72)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 6
(0.2) 		4
(0.2) 		6
(0.2) 		17
(0.7) 		82
(3.2) 		122
(4.8) 		151
(5.9) 		123
(4.8) 		124
(4.9) 		99
(3.9) 		37
(1.5) 		21
(0.8) 		792
(31.1)
Average rainy days 3.3 2.5 3.6 6.6 17.7 22.2 25.2 23.7 23.2 17.9 9.2 5.2 160.3
Source: Meteoblue [6]

Demographics[]

Population census of Santo Tomas
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 4,271—    
1960 12,097+1.84%
1970 18,907+4.56%
1975 21,320+2.44%
1980 24,951+3.19%
1990 33,309+2.93%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1995 29,628−2.17%
2000 32,695+2.13%
2007 37,866+2.05%
2010 38,062+0.19%
2015 40,475+1.18%
2020 42,846+1.13%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [7] [8] [9][10]

In the 2020 census, the population of Santo Tomas, Pampanga, was 42,846 people, [3] with a density of 2,000 inhabitants per square kilometre or 5,200 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy[]

Casket manufacturing

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.[17][18] 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.[19]
  • First Evacuation Center and Multi-Purpose Hall at Barangay Santo 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 anniversary of Santo Tomas founding, October 12, 2011.[20]

Local government[]

Pursuant to the local government[21][22] 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 Johnny A. Sambo and the municipal vice mayor is Gloria P. Ronquillo.[23]

On July 23, 2012, incumbent mayor Joselito Naguit[24] 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 Santo Tomas."[25]

In 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."[26]

Churches[]

St. Thomas The Apostle Church
San Matias Parish Church

St. Thomas the Apostle Parish Church[]

The 1767 St. Thomas the Apostle Parish Church (Santo Tomas, Pampanga) belongs to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando. The Parish celebrated its 250th Founding Anniversary in 2017.[27][28][29][30][31][32][33] The feast is every Easter Sunday and July 3 and its current Parish Priest was Rev. Fr. Marcelino M. Miranda of the Vicariate of Christ the King[34] It has a population of 20,202, with Catholics, 19,833.

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[35] belongs to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando.[27][28][29][30][31][34][36] Its incumbent parish priest is Rev. Marius P. Roque, of the Vicariate of Christ, under Vicar Forane, Rev. Reynaldo D. dela Cruz.[37] 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[]

  1. ^  Municipality of Santo Tomas | (DILG)
  2. ^ "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Census of Population (2020). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. PSA. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  4. ^ https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/City%20and%20Municipal-level%20Small%20Area%20Poverty%20Estimates_%202009%2C%202012%20and%202015_0.xlsx; publication date: 10 July 2019; publisher: Philippine Statistics Authority.
  5. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-02-16. Retrieved 2013-01-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ "Santo Tomas: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  7. ^ Census of Population (2015). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. PSA. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  8. ^ Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. NSO. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  9. ^ Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. NSO.
  10. ^ "Province of Pampanga". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  11. ^ "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  12. ^ https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/NSCB_LocalPovertyPhilippines_0.pdf; publication date: 29 November 2005; publisher: Philippine Statistics Authority.
  13. ^ https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/2003%20SAE%20of%20poverty%20%28Full%20Report%29_1.pdf; publication date: 23 March 2009; publisher: Philippine Statistics Authority.
  14. ^ https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/2006%20and%202009%20City%20and%20Municipal%20Level%20Poverty%20Estimates_0_1.pdf; publication date: 3 August 2012; publisher: Philippine Statistics Authority.
  15. ^ https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/2012%20Municipal%20and%20City%20Level%20Poverty%20Estima7tes%20Publication%20%281%29.pdf; publication date: 31 May 2016; publisher: Philippine Statistics Authority.
  16. ^ https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/City%20and%20Municipal-level%20Small%20Area%20Poverty%20Estimates_%202009%2C%202012%20and%202015_0.xlsx; publication date: 10 July 2019; publisher: Philippine Statistics Authority.
  17. ^ "The casket capital of Central Luzon". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2012-09-29.
  18. ^ "Coffin festival, anyone?". ABS-CBN News. ABS-CBN. October 30, 2008.
  19. ^ The Minimalist Sense: 1st Sabuaga Festival at Barangay SantoTomas, Santo Tomas, Pampanga
  20. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-02-16. Retrieved 2012-03-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  21. ^ "About the Philippines". www.gov.ph. Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  22. ^ "The Local Government Code of the Philippines". Chan Robles Virtual Law Library.
  23. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-02-16. Retrieved 2013-01-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  24. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-02-16. Retrieved 2013-01-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  25. ^ Santo Tomas mayor on cash advances: Everything accounted for | Sun.Star
  26. ^ "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.
  27. ^ a b "Home". cbcponline.net.
  28. ^ a b "Parishes". cbcponline.net.
  29. ^ a b David M. Cheney. "San Fernando (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". catholic-hierarchy.org.
  30. ^ a b "History of Pampanga Towns". andropampanga.com.
  31. ^ a b "Archdiocese of San Fernando, Pampanga". claretianpublications.com.
  32. ^ 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).
  33. ^ "St.Thomas The Apostle Catholic Church (Santo Tomas, Pampanga) Santo Tomas". wikimapia.org.
  34. ^ a b "List of Parishes of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando". nfo.ph.
  35. ^ San Matias, Santo Tomas, 2020 Pampanga; Titular: St. Matthias, Apostle, February 24 & May 14
  36. ^ 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).
  37. ^ "San Matias Parish Church". Foursquare.

Pampanga History

External links[]

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