潘迪 城镇

Pandi [pɐnˈde], officially the Municipality of Pandi (Tagalog: Bayan ng Pandi), is a municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 162,725 people.

Pandi is one of the youngest towns in Bulacan. During the Spanish Regime, Pandi was a part of the political jurisdiction of the town of Meycauayan including the towns of San Jose del Monte, Bocaue, Marilao, Valenzuela, Obando, Santa Maria, Balagtas, it also formed part of the vast Hacienda Santa Maria de Pandi, which included the towns of Santa Maria and Balagtas and parts of Angat and Bustos. Pandi was then a part of Balagtas (then Bigaa) until its formal separation and independence on April 17, 1946.

Etymology

Pandi was derived from pande, Kapampangan word of "blacksmith," cognate of Tagalog word "panday."

History

Early history

Pandi was originally part of Hacienda of Dominicans named Hacienda which belongs to the town of Santa Maria de Pandi (now Santa Maria, Bulacan). In 1874 it was turned over to the town of Bigaa as one of its barrios under the auspices of the Augustinian order, which established a chapel dedicated to the Immaculate Concepcion.

Spanish colonial era

The Republic of Kakarong de Sili

During the Philippine Revolution, Pandi played a vital and historical role in the fight for Philippine independence, Pandi is historically known for the Real de Kakarong de Sili Shrine - Inang Filipina Shrine, the site where the bloodiest revolution in Bulacan took place, where more than 3,000 Katipunero revolutionaries died. Likewise, it is on this site where the 'Republic of Real de Kakarong de Sili' of 1896, one of the first Philippine revolutionary republics was established.

The birth of the town of Pandi

The independence of Pandi as a new town of Bulacan was through the efforts of Mamerto Carpio Bernardo - (The Father of Pandi, Bulacan).

Geography

Pandi is located at the center of four adjoining towns of Bulacan: Santa Maria; Bustos; Angat; and Balagtas. The land area is composed mostly of rice fields devoted for planting crops and agriculture. Some barrios of the town are covered by irrigation system coming from Angat Dam on the Angat River.

There are many streams that branch out from this river that become estuaries. Some of these provide livelihood by fanning gold. The biggest river is Bunsuran River that empties itself to the Philippine Sea. Along the side of the rivers are banana plantations thriving naturally and many taro plants.

Pandi is rich in many natural brooks coming from the mainland itself. In some remote areas the lands are still covered by bamboo trees that naturally thrive and multiplies. Some lands privately owned have mango plantations. In some areas that are privately owned are rock deposits being used for housing materials.

Demographics

In the 2020 census, the population of Pandi, Bulacan, was 155,115 people, with a density of 5,000 inhabitants per square kilometre or 13,000 inhabitants per square mile.

Language and ethnicity

Majority of the population of 'Pandienos' are native to Pandi whose roots can be traced back from the neighboring towns of Balagtas, Bulacan, Bocaue, Bulacan and Santa Maria, Bulacan. Some families are intermarriage between immigrants from Ilocos Region and as far as Nueva Ecija during earlier periods. The most recent immigrants are from Luzon and Visayas islands, and Bicol. The population speaks Tagalog and it is the medium of instruction in schools, as well as Kapampangan and English.

Religion

The majority of the population are Christians. Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion in the municipality and has two parishes: Immaculate Conception Parish in Poblacion town proper and Santo Cristo Parish in baranggay 'Siling Bata'.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Pandi (%)

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Major Industries: Furniture Making, Garments and Embroidery, Metalcraft, Poultry and Hog Raising, Agriculture and Farming. Local Food Processing. Commercial Retail Dry Goods Business. Recreation Facilities for Tourism.

Major Products: Local processed Food and Rice. Furnitures. Embroidered clothes, bed linens and kitchen linens.

Minor Products: Orchid plants for retail. Mangoes for local consumption and other minor agricultural products sold in the local market as well as the markets of the next towns. Poultry products like table eggs and chicken meat. Duck raising and salted egg production. Little fishponds for raising Tilapia fish. This provides the town folks their livelihood.

Banks

The town of Pandi has two banks:

Rural Bank of Pandi Incorporated, which currently has two branches, one in Pandi and another in Santa Maria, Bulacan next town to Pandi in the north-east.

Government

Local government

Mayor: Enrico A. Roque (NUP)

Vice Mayor: Crispin DL. Castro (PFP)

Municipal Councilors:

Noel S. Esteban (NUP)

Reynaldo D. Roxas Jr. (NUP)

Jonathan A. Antonio (PFP)

Jaycel R. Santos (NUP)

Danilo M. Del Rosario (NUP)

Armando S. Concepcion (NUP)

Monette L. Jimenez (NUP)

Victorino D. Concepcion Jr. (NUP)

Ex-Officio Members:

Alejandro SJ. Angeles (ABC President)

Prince Cedric G. Cervantes (SK President)

Tourism

Real de Kakarong de Sili: The site of revolutionary battle during Spanish Regime. It is located in barangay of 'Kakarong' where a monumental shrine is erected called Inang Filipina Shrine - Mother Philippines Shrine.

Rizal Park: The mini park is in poblacion area that serves as recreation park where some town programs are held. The park has big monument of the Philippine National Hero - Dr. Jose P. Rizal Jose P. Rizal. It is a close replica of Rizal Monument in Luneta. The mini park was built during the term of Atty. Jose Espina Bernardo, the 3rd mayor of the town.

Pandi Mineral Spring Resort: The oldest amusement park located in the poblacion area, which as of 2012 is closed. It was named owing to the nature of soft water that comes from a water well that supplied the whole central area of the town - Mineral Spring, the water well primarily supplied the central poblacion area.

Society and culture

Sports and senior center

The town of Pandi in the central poblacion area along Manuel G. Santos Sr. Street has a sports complex ground - Pandi Sports Complex. The site is a semi playground for children and equipped with some facilities for sports. It has a Basketball Court. The sports complex houses a center for senior town folks where they do senior activities and meetings, election of yearly officials as well. And the various members that also assist in some outreach domestic programs in the town - Senior Citizen Center. Within the compound is a water well that supplies the poblacion area of water until the northmost area of the town managed by NAWASA: National Water and Sewerage Authority - Water supply and sanitation in the Philippines.

Pandi Sports Complex aka Leonardo Andres Sports Complex

Senior Citizen Center

Office of Senior Citizen, located at "Masagana" was the first Senior Citizen office built not in town proper.

Infrastructure

Transportation facilities

Pandi town proper is serviced by for hire tricycle - motorcycle with side car, that can go as far as Baliuag, Bulacan in a short cut route through barangay road, as well as the route going to Santa Maria, Bulacan and Bocaue, Bulacan. Some regular options are the official jeepney schedule of Santa Maria, Bulacan route to Angat, Bulacan which passes by Pandi since the town is centrally situated in between this two towns. There is a jeepney route from Pandi to Balagtas, Bulacan where there are several commercial buses that passes by Bocaue, Bulacan exiting in baranggay 'Taal' to the Super Highway - formerly named North Diversion, North Luzon Expressway facilitating a short travel to Manila and other Metro Manila areas. There are several commercial buses as well in central poblacion of Santa Maria, Bulacan passing through the Super Highway.

Education

The Pandi 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

The Mamerto C. Bernardo Memorial Central School is a public school in the town proper named after Mamerto Carpio Bernardo. The school has satellite branches in all barrios of the town providing elementary education in the whole town of Pandi. The main central school is situated in the town proper providing education to the masses in the poblacion central area. The school is situated along Jose E. Bernardo Street, a major street named after another mayor Atty. Jose Espina Bernardo. Atty. Jose Espina Bernardo is a cousin to Mamerto Carpio Bernardo. He built the roads of the new town and central water supply. It was during his term that the new town reached its height of community development.