Apalit 城镇

Apalit, officially the Municipality of Apalit (Kapampangan: Balen ning Apalit; Tagalog: Bayan ng Apalit), is a municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 121,057 people.

The town is famous for its Apung Iru Fluvial Procession, which is listed as one of the most significant water-based intangible cultural heritage of the Philippines where the festival takes place every June 28–30; and for its blacksmithing.

Etymology

The town got its name after a big sturdy tree with the scientific name Pterocarpus indicus also known as Narra and sandalwood which are class of woods from trees in the Santalum genus, known by Kapampangan as Apalit.

History

Apalit received official recognition as a separate town in 1582, while Gonzalo Ronquillo de Penalosa was the country's governor-general at the time. Apalit's town was mostly made up of four encomiendas: Apali (Pale), La Castilla, Cabambangan, and Capalangan. San Juan Nepomuceno was the new name given to the enconmienda "La Castilla" once it had been transformed into a town proper (Poblacion).

After severing ties with the Parish of Calumpit, The Apalit Parish of Saint Peter was established in 1597.

Capitan del Pueblo Don Pedro Armayan-Espiritu y Macam created the customary fluvial parade of Saint Peter on June 28, 1844, commonly known as "Libad ng Apung Iru," which is still observed today in Apalit during its town festival.

It is thought that the son of a specific Gatbonton named Pangpalung, who was once known as Macapagal, built Barrio Capalangan, which takes its name from the Kapampangan word "Palang" meaning machete or bolo, which the barangay takes pride of.

This Barrio was the home of Panday Pira, the first well-known Filipino maker of cannons, and got its name from the Kapampangan word "Palang," which means Bolo or Machete. It is said to have been founded by the son of a particular Gatbonton named Pangpalung, who in his youth also went by the name "Macapagal." After the Spanish conquest of Manila, he worked under Adelantado and Governor General Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, producing "Lantakas" cannons for Rajah Soliman's army.

Geography

Apalit is surrounded by Macabebe, Masantol, Minalin and San Simon in Pampanga, and Calumpit, Pulilan, and Baliuag in Bulacan.

It is 55 kilometres (34 mi) from Manila, 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from the provincial capital, San Fernando, and 28 kilometres (17 mi) from Angeles.

Barangays

Apalit is politically subdivided into 12 barangays, as shown below. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Balucuc (Nuestra Señora de la Divina Pastora)

Calantipe (Santo Niño)

Cansinala (Nuestra Señora del Rosario)

Capalangan (Holy Cross)

Colgante (Holy Family)

Paligui (Chair of St. Peter / Apung Iru)

Sampaloc (San Roque)

San Juan (San Juan Nepomuceno) (Poblacion)

San Vicente (San Vicente Ferrer) (Business District)

Sucad (Santa Lucia)

Sulipan (Christ the Eternal High Priest)

Tabuyuc (Santo Rosario)

Demographics

In the 2024 census, the population of Apalit was 121,057 people, with a density of 2,000 inhabitants per square kilometre or 5,200 inhabitants per square mile.

Religion

Most inhabitants of Apalit are Christian, with a majority professing Catholicism, due to Spanish colonialism and imperialism from the 15th to 19th centuries. Other prominent Christian groups include Members Church of God International, Iglesia ni Cristo, and Muslims.

Catholicism

Apalit was first established as one of the visitas (mission chapel) under the administration of Convento de Calumpit.

In 1597, the Augustinian chapter accepted Apalit as House of Order under the advocacy of San Pedro Apostol where Fray Pedro de Vergara OSA as its first parish priest In conjunction with the annual town fiesta, the Libad was established by the Capitan del Pueblo, Don Pedro Armayan-Espíritu y Macam, on June 28, 1844.Libad fluvial procession also reaching Calumpit even today to signify the old relationship of Apalit to its mother town Calumpit where San Juan Bautista is the patron of the Town.

The first church and convento was constructed under the tenure of Fray Juan Cabello as parish priest from 1641 to 1645. Fray Simón de Alarcia built another church made of concrete and tile in 1854–1860, but it was destroyed by a strong earthquake in 1863. The present neo-classical church was built under Fray Antonio Redondo, who was assigned to Apalit from 1873 to 1886.

Father Gallende wrote in La Iglesia de Apalit:

"Father Antonio Redondo, parish priest of Apalit from 1873 to 1886 laid the foundations of a new one in January 1876, following the plans of Don Ramón Hermosa, assistant officer to the minister of public works.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Apalit (%)

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Government

Like other towns in the Philippines, Apalit 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 the legislative council (Sangguniang Bayan) consisting of councilors from the Barangays or Barrios. Of the eight councilors, only one won independently, while the rest came from KMBLN.

Elected officials

Municipal council (2022-2025):

Mayor: Oscar "Jun" Dizon Tetangco Jr.

Vice Mayor: Pedro C. Nucom

Councilors:

Hon. Andrew Hipolito Manlapaz

Hon. Maria Victoria "Mavic" Mendoza

Hon. Marilou "Malou" Nabong

Hon. Jedalyn "Jed" Dalusung

Hon. Pablo "Pol" Enriquez Nabong

Hon. Elias "Doc" Mendoza

Hon. Kenneth Tiglao Nunag

Hon. Edmon "Tuks" Simon

Roads and bridges

MacArthur Highway - The major road going to Apalit.

Sulipan Bridge

Candaba Viaduct - part of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), the bridge connects the provinces of Pampanga and Bulacan. Its Apalit and Pampanga portion spans from Dr. Joaquin Gonzalez Avenue to a power line wire located between lattice tower 267 and steel pole 268 of relocated San Simon–Pulilan section of Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak Transmission Line of National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) at an area with palm trees farther from the viaduct.

Apalit Bypass Road

Apalit-Macabebe-Masantol Road - going to the towns of Macabebe and Masantol

Dr. Joaquin Gonzalez Avenue - going to municipal hall, Barangay Sucad, and St. Peter's Parish

Macabebe-Calumpit-Apalit Road

Sulipan-Capalangan-Tabuyuc-Cansinala Road

Tabuyuc-Balucuc Farm to Market Road

Arnedo Dike Road

Sampaloc Road

Paligui Road

Transportation

The modes of transportation within Apalit, like in most urban areas in the country, is facilitated primarily by inexpensive tricycles, jeepneys, and buses. In addition, motorized boats (bancas) are used to transport goods and bring people to lower-lying areas in case of floods in other barangays.

Buses

Provincial buses, such as Victory Liner and First North Luzon Transit, pass through the MacArthur Highway and transport passengers to various key destinations. These buses connect Apalit to different parts of Bulacan, Metro Manila, and northern provinces.

Jeepneys

Various jeepney routes connect Apalit to neighboring towns in Pampanga, including Macabebe, Masantol, San Simon, Minalin, and the City of San Fernando. They also provide routes to towns in Bulacan, such as Calumpit, Malolos City, and Balagtas.

Tricycles

Tricycles are commonly used for short-distance travel within the municipality. They provide a convenient means of transportation for residents moving around local neighborhoods and barangays.

Van Taxis

Known as "FX" and "L300", van taxis operate from their terminals, offering transportation to key locations going to the province of Bulacan (Calumpit, Malolos City, and the Guiguinto Tabang Toll Plaza), going to the Metro Manila (including Monumento in Caloocan, Cubao in Quezon City, Divisoria in Manila, and Pasay), and going to other parts of the province such as Lubao, Floridablanca, Guagua, and the City of San Fernando, all the way to Olongapo City in Zambales.

Healthcare

ADD Infirmary

Alphamed Diagnostic Laboratory

Apalit Doctors Hospital

ASCCOM-DLSUMC Friendship Hospital

E.D. Lim Medical Center

La Verdad Diagnostic Center

Pampanga Premier Medical Center

Perez Medical Friendly Clinic

Medsafe Diagnostic Laboratories

Merian Diagnostic Laboratory

Telecommunications

Landline telephone systems are being provided by Datelcom and PLDT. Mobile telephony services are provided by Smart Communications, Globe Telecom and Dito Telecommunity. Internet services are provided through DSL and Cable broadband coverage is provided by PLDT, and Globe Broadband; and Wireless broadband is provided by (Smart Bro) Smart Communications. Cable Television are provided by DatelSat.

Education

The Apalit 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.

Persona non-grata

Daniel Razon through Municipal Resolution No. 28, series of 2008