Mexico, Pampanga

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Mexico
Municipality

Town hall

Seal

Map of Pampanga showing the location of Mexico

Mexico
Location within the Philippines

Coordinates:

1504N 12043ECoordinates:

1504N 12043E

Country

Philippines

Region

Central Luzon (Region III)

Province

Pampanga

District

3rd District

Founded

1581

Barangays

43

Government[1]
Mayor

Teddy Tumang (elect)

Area[2]
Total

117.41 km2 (45.33 sq mi)

Population (2010)[3]
Total

146,851

Density

1,300/km2 (3,200/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Mexican

Time zone

PST (UTC+8)

ZIP code

2021

Dialing code

45

Income class

1st class

Website

mexicopampanga.gov.ph

Mexico[4] is a first class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2010
census, it had a population of 146,851 people.[3]
The town was renamed after Mexico, a country in North America after being confused with its native
name "Masiku" which is often taken as "Elbowed" (elbowing river: macasicung ilug). Some theories
attribute the name to "Siku"; an Old Kapampangan term for Chico or Sapodilla which grew richly in
the town. It has residential, commercial and recreational developments such as SM Pampanga and
Beverly Place. It is a first class municipality which has various educational institutions including Our
Lady of Guadalupe School and Play Matters Therapy Center in Lagund).

Public market

Contents
[hide]

1Barangays
2Demographics
3History
4Parish churches and Spanish-era chapels
5Religious and cultural traditions
6References
7Books

8External links

Barangays[edit]
Mexico is administratively subdivided into 43 barangays.[2]

Acli
Anao
Balas
Buenavista
Camuning
Cawayan
Concepcion
Culubasa
Divisoria
Dolores (Piring)
Eden
Gandus
Lagundi
Laput
Laug
Masamat
Masangsang (Sto. Cristo)
Nueva Victoria
Pandacaqui
Pangatlan
Panipuan
Parian (Poblacion)
Sabanilla
San Antonio
San Carlos
San Jose Malino
San Jose Matulid
San Juan
San Lorenzo
San Miguel
San Nicolas
San Pablo
San Patricio
San Rafael
San Roque
San Vicente
Santa Cruz
Santa Maria,(sitio tramo)
Santo Cristo
Santo Domingo
Santo Rosario
Sapang Maisac

Suclaban
Tangle

Demographics[edit]
Population census of Mexico
Year

Pop.

% p.a.

1990

69,441

1995

91,696

+5.35%

2000

109,481

+3.87%

2007

141,298

+3.58%

2010

146,851

+1.41%

2015

184,937

+4.49%

Source: National Statistics Office[3][5]

History[edit]
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only of original research should be removed. (December 2012) (Learn how and when to
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In the 16th century, the site was a crossing point between the it Mag-Anch and inu (Abrlin)
nations at the upper reaches of the bakan River and the international port cities of Btis and Lbao
to the south. Upland products such as deerskins and beeswax became important commodities to the
16th-century Japanese who made candles out of beeswax and samurai armours out of deerskins.
Plying their goods down the bakan River, these upland traders would have had no choice but to
slow down and dock at the place where the river bends (nung n ya msku ing lug) or where the
river has an elbow (nung n ya makisku ing lug) before continuing their trip downstream. From
there, the river is matlid (straight) all the way to its mouth at Uu. Enterprising merchants from
Lusng Guo (Luzn: c. 13th century 1572) and perhaps even from Japan and China formed a
trading base at this natural checkpoint known as Makisku or Msku. Japanese sources credited the
introduction of candles into the Japanese homes to renowned Hakata merchants Shimai Shoushitsu
and Kamiya Soutan both of whom were known to have had trading bases in Lusng Guo.
After the Fall of Lusng Guo in 1571, Makisku or Msku became an important center for the
Spanish colonizers. They renamed it Nueva Mxico and made it the capital of the newly formed
Province of Pampanga. Gaspar de San Agustin wrote that being the capital, Mexico was one of the
most beautiful and charming centers in the province. A lavish church made of stone and tiles, the
Parish of Santa Monica, was built in 1581 with Masangsang and Matlid serving as its visitas.

In 1585, Dr. Luciano P.R. Santiago wrote that a Kapampngan nobleman by the name of Don
Miguel Maago was awarded a royal encomienda of about one hundred cabalitas of land in Nueva
Mxico for his service to the Spanish King. Another Maniago from Mxico who distinguished himself
in the service the Spanish King was Master-of-Camp Don Francisco Maniago. But he distinguished
himself more in the service of a much nobler cause as leader of the Kapampngan Independence
Revolt of 1660. In 1700, another Maniago form Mexico placed himself in history as the first graduate
of the University of Santo Tomas with a native surname. He was Bachiller Don Jun Maago, who
was ordained priest by Archbishop Camacho in 1705.
The Spanish colonial authorities stripped Mxico of its political importance after the Kapampangan
Independence Revolt of 1660 by moving the provincial capital further downstream to Bacolor. But it
retained its strategic economic importance especially among the Lsung Chinese and their mestizo
descendants. Mxico was still a regular drop off point of forest products from the upper reaches of
the bakan River. It was also a favored destination by merchants from as far north as Pangasinan.
By the 18th century, the Lsung Chinese and their mestizo descendants living in Mxico, Guagua
and Malabon had formed and maintained business and social alliances with each other. Cascos and
sampans maintained the flow of goods along the Malabon-Guagua-Mxico chain. Like the Chinese
section of Manila, the commercial center of Mxico became known as the Parian. By the 19th
century, the Chinese mestizo families not only dominated Mxicos economic scene, they also
began to replace the native principalia in the local political arena.
Novel ideas and radical movements also flowed along Malabon-Guagua-Mxico chain. In 1892, the
gobernadorcillo of Mxico, Don Ruperto Laxamana was mentioned as one of the founders of
Masonic triangles in Pampanga. In 1897, the first cells of the Katipunan in Pampanga was formed in
Guagua and then in Mxico. In 1898, General Maximino Hizon, a product of the Malabon-GuaguaMxico Chinese mestizo family alliance, rallied Kapampngans to fight the Spaniards under Emilio
Aguinaldos revolutionary banner and ordered the execution of the Parish priests of Mxico and San
Fernando. When the Americans replaced the Spaniards as the new colonists, General Maximino
Hizon soon rose up to become supreme commander of all the Philippine Forces in Pampanga. He
was captured by the Americans in 1901 and exiled to Guam after refusing to pledge his allegiance to
the United States. He died in exile on September 1, 1901. [6]:505
Revolutionary sentiments remained alive in Mxico even after the victory of the Americans. The
Manila Times reported that in August 4, 1901, two principales from the town of Mxico were buried
alive for collaborating with the Americans. In 1903, the Universal Democratic Filipino Republic, a
paramilitary independence movement composed of Kapampngan elite, was organized in Mxico.

Parish churches and Spanish-era chapels[edit]

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando, Sto. Domingo de Guzman Parish

Sta. Monica Parish Church, Parian

Benedictine Monastery of Perpetual Adoration

Santa Monica Parish Church and Belfry was built by Fr. Jose dela Cruz in 1665, but was
destroyed during the Second World War. What remains is just the Belfry Tower of the former
Augustinian-run church. Near the 17th century Belltower of Mexico, one can also find the St.
Benedicts Institution de Mexico, an Augustinian convent that was constructed in time with the
Sta. Monica Parish Church in 1665. Although Augustinian records such as the Estado of 1612
indicates that Mexico has one convent and two priests during that time.
Good Shepherd Parish Church, Pandacaqui Ressetlement
Our Lord's Annunciation Parish Church, San Vicente
San Jose Parish Church, San Jose Malino
San Miguel de Archangel Parish Church, Anao
Santo Domingo de Guzman Parish Church
San Jose Matulid chapel is believed to be the oldest chapel in Pampanga.[7][8][9]
Sabanilla chapel. The Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary chapel, commonly referred to as the
Sabanilla chapel (bisitas ning Sabanilla), is a stone chapel located between the fork roads of the
barangay leading to rice fields. Like the San Jose Matulid chapel, no available documents tell of
the exact date and history of the chapel. Notable features of the structure are the saints niche
flanked by decorative columns and carved stone blinds located on rectangular windows of the
faade.

Facade of the Sabanilla chapel

Religious and cultural traditions[edit]

Good Friday rites: The faithful remember the passion and death of Jesus by the pondering om
the Seven Last Words of Christ and the "Tanggal" (a re-enactment of how Jesus body was
taken down from the cross). After the "Prusisyung Pasu at Pamangutcut" (Procession of the
Scenes and Burial of Christ), the traditional "burul" (literally means: wake) where the Santo
Entierro seems to be in a wake follows. In here, people visit and pray before the image, after
which, in the midnight of Good Friday, there is a procession of the Virgen de Soleded (Our Lady
of Solitude). This is a silent procession meditating and joining with the Virgins sorrow and grief.
Usually, single men and women join the procession believing that they will be blessed in their
opted state of single blessedness' in life.
Easter Sunday celebration: The faithful celebrate Easter. During the day, the Filipino tradition of
"Salubong/Encuentro" is done, after which the "Pacbung Judas" or the burning of Judas' effigy
follows.
April 24: This is regarded as the Mexico Day, following the date of the establishment of the town
and parish in April 24, 1581. (Also the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Augustine). During the
day, the parish organizes the Augustinian Festival as a tribute to the Augustinian forefathers of
the town. A procession of different Augustinian saints and blesseds is held. Among the images
joining the procession are Saint Monica, Saint Augustine, Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, Saint Rita
of Cascia, Saint Thomas of Villanova, Saint John of Sahagun, San William the Hermit, Saint
Magdalene of Nagasaki, Saint Ezequiel Moreno and Our Lady of Consolation and Cord.
May 4: Mexico's town fiesta is celebrated in honor of its patron saint, Saint Monica (Mother of
Saint Augustine).
September 4: The people of Mexico celebrate the feast of Virgen dela Consolacion y Correa
(Our Lady of Consolation and Cord; Patroness of the Augustinian Order) during which they
receive blessed cinctures imitating the gesture of the Virgin Mary giving her own cincture to
Saint Monica during her grief and sorrow at her son's misgivings.
September 10: The Sanikulas Festival is celebrated in honor of Saint Nicolas de Tolentino.
Bread/cookies (a local delicacy in the town with arrowroot as their main ingredient) are eaten.
The tradition is inspired by the story of San Nicolas when he was ill for some time and his
advancement to old age started to manifest. He was about to die when his superiors asked him

to eat a little meat (for he was a vegetarian) to be nourished, after all he is needed by his
community and the souls in purgatory, which he had been praying for. Although he wanted to
follow the advice of his superiors he also acknowledged the power and value of fasting towards
Gods merciful love. He then sought the help of the Virgin Mary through a prayer. Moved by his
parayers, she appeared with the baby Jesus in her arms. She handed Nicolas a small piece of
bread and asked him to dip it in the water contained in a chalice being held by the baby Jesus.
Following her advice, he immediately recovered from his illness, and had more strength than he
had ever had before. From then on, Nicolas would bless little pieces of bread, which he would
hand out among the people for them to be healed.
December 1524: Christmas is welcomed by the annual "Lubenas Pascu". During this
celebration, they parade colorful lanterns and decorated carozzas. According to Tantingco,
Lubenas came from the word novena, which means nine days, referring to the nine-daysimbang
gabi. But while the rest of the country was content with attending dawn masses for nine
consecutive days, Kapampangans went a step farther by holding a procession on the eve of
every simbang gabi with a procession after dinner, which means they slept late, and then woke
up before dawn for the simbang gabi (or simbang bengi in Kapampangan).