Pila Historical Society Foundation Inc. is currently spearheading the improvement of the Pila museum. Please visit Pila Museum to view Treasures of Pila boards and read the story about our town.
One can also read the articles in Treasures of Pila by clicking this link.
POMP, PAGEANTRY AND GOLD:THE EIGHT SPANISH VILLAS IN THE PHILIPPINES (1565-1887)
PQCS 33 (2005): 57-75
Dr. Luciano P.R. Santiago
A villa is a Spanish territorial classification as well as an institution. It is little known in the Philippines, even among historians, because it was sparsely granted in these parts during the Colonial Period. Though small in number, the villas were huge in significance as the centers for regional consolidation as well as, when linked together, the general dissemination of Spanish rule, commerce and culture in the archipelago. In current works, the term is usually, but inaccurately, translated as “village.” However, its closest English equivalent is “borough” (as in Marlborough).i In this article, we shall retain the Spanish word villa.
In the more than three centuries of Spanish domination in the Islands, only eight settlements or towns were raised into the status of a villa - one each in five major ethno- linguistic regions (Cebú, Bicol, Ilocos, Panay and Pampanga) and in three Tagalog provinces (Laguna, Tayabas [now Quezón] and Batangas). Thus, the eight Philippine villas were Cebú (founded 1565), Libón, Albay (1573), Vigan (1574), Arévalo, Iloilo (1581), Pila, Laguna (c1610), Tayabas, Tayabas (1703), Bacolor, Pampanga (1765) and lastly, Lipá, Batangas (1887).
Please read full article.
There is still no irrigation water for the rice fields of Pila. Pila farmers already missed two planting cycles because of lack of irrigation water due to the destruction of Calumpang dam last year. The National Irrigation Administration is rushing the completion of the new dam and according to them it will be completed this coming November 2007.
Pinagbayanan will celebrate its 50th founding anniversary today. It was converted into a barrio on June 20, 1957. Pinagbayanan was formerly a sitio of Linga, Pila, Laguna. It is the site of Philippines’ oldest crematorium found in 1967 by a group of archeologists from the University of San Carlos, Cebu City. Various activities are scheduled today to mark the golden anniversary.
Republic Act No. 1689 is printed in full below.
H. NO. 5140
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1689
AN ACT CONVERTING THE SITIO OF PINAGBAYANAN, MUNICIPALITY OF PILA, PROVINCE OF LAGUNA, INTO A BARRIO OF SAID MUNICIPALITY.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. The Sitio of Pinagbayanan, Municipality of Pila, Province of Laguna, is converted into a barrio of said municipality.
SECTION 2. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Approved, June 20, 1957
From: Official Gazzette, August 31, 1957 page 5136
GPD PI.6 1957 53(16)
Philippine National Library
Today is the birthday of Dr. Jose P. Rizal.
Our national hero was born on June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna. The provincial government of Laguna declared June 19 a public holiday.
The municipal government of Pila, in preparation for Rizal day festivities, transferred to the Northeast corner of the town plaza the statue of Dr. Jose P. Rizal.
