PANGASINAN PHILIPPINES

Welcome to Pangasinan Philippines, officially Province of Pangasinan (Pangasinan: Luyag na Pangasinan), is one of the provinces of the Republic of the Philippines. The provincial capital is Lingayen. Pangasinan is located on the west central area of the island of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf. The total land area of Pangasinan is 5,368.82 square kilometers. The total population of Pangasinan is 2,434,086. (National Statistics Office, 2000 Census). The Pangasinan language is the primary language in Pangasinan. The estimated population of the indigenous speakers of the Pangasinan language in the province of Pangasinan is 1.5 million.

The name Pangasinan means "land of salt" or "place of salt-making"; it is derived from asin, the word for "salt" in the Pangasinan language.

An ancient kingdom called Luyag na Kaboloan once existed in Pangasinan. Princess Urduja, a legendary woman warrior, is believed to have ruled in Pangasinan around the 14th century. Pangasinan was probably connected to the maritime trade network that once flourished in ancient Southeast Asia.

Pangasinan is famous for the Hundred Islands National Park. This is a marine park located off the coast of Alaminos City in the Lingayen Gulf and is composed of some 123 islands, most of which are quite small and uninhabited.

During the summer, several feasts and festivals are celebrated in Pangasinan, including the Pistay Dayat or Sea Feast, the Bangus Festival, and the Mango and Bamboo festivals.

Pangasinan is noted as the birthplace of President Fidel V. Ramos, and Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. The mother of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was from Binalonan, Pangasinan. The father of the late actor and former presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. was from San Carlos City, Pangasinan. The writers F. Sionil José, and Carlos Bulosan were from Pangasinan. The Filipino modernist and National Artist, Victorio C. Edades, was also from Pangasinan.

The 1200 megawatt Sual Coal-Fired Power Plant, and the 345 megawatt San Roque Multi-Purpose Dam are located in Pangasinan. Pangasinan has extensive areas devoted to salt making and aquaculture along the coasts of Lingayen Gulf and South China Sea. Pangasinan is a major producer of rice, mangoes, and bamboo crafts.

Pangasinan occupies a strategic geo-political position in the central plain of Luzon, known as the rice granary of the Philippines. Pangasinan has been described as a gateway to northern Luzon and as the heartland of the Philippines.

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