Plaridel, Bulacan - History

History

Like many towns in Bulacan, Plaridel have its niche in Philippine History being the site of the Battle of Quingua - Battle of Quingua during the Philippine-American War in part of the defense of First Philippine Republic against the Northern Campaign of American Army. The battle was manned by Pablo Tecson - Lt. Colonel Pablo Ocampo Tecson of San Miguel, Bulacan under Gregorio del Pilar and during which Col. John Stotsenberg was killed on April 23, 1899. A marker now stands at the site of the battle in Barangay Agnaya.

Plaridel's history can be traced through records back to 1595, in the early years of the Spanish colonization,when the Augustinian friars from Malolos moved north and discovered a vast forest in 1595 which later known as Quingua. As per as the history of the Parish of St.James Apostles recorded,Quingua was established by the Augustinians order from Malolos and named it "Encomienda Binto" (Brgy.Bintog got it name here) They built a mission chapel placed it under the jurisdiction of the Parish of the Immaculate Concepcion.

The mission chapel was elevated into an independent parish named Parroquia de Santiago Apostol and the whole Quingua was separated in district of Malolos as a new pueblo or town in 1602.

Plaridel is surrounded with the rivers of Angat, Bulacan and Tabang River running through it. The Angat River or Bulacan River flows directly to Calumpit, Bulacan meeting the Pampanga River - Pampanga. The Tabang river, a tributary with adjoining intersections dividing the middle of the present Poblacion, flows to Manila Bay passing the Guiguinto and Bulacan towns. The water of this river was called "Tabang" or fresh water.

Very few people lived here, and most were closely related. Each group had a leader called "tandis". Different groups spoke different dialects; Pampango, Pangasinan, Ilocano and Tagalog. From Calumpit, Spanish priests and missionaries of the Augustinian Order, led by the Rev. Fr. Bernardino de Leon, frequently visited the place, preaching the Catholic faith, using the "balsa" or bamboo raft as their means of transportation. The missionaries decided to clear the land and establish settlements, from which they could work to bring unity to the people. They needed ideas to bring this about so each "Tandis" drew up a plan to pursue. For seven years, the groups of people labored, so much so that when the priest returned they found the area completely cleared. They inquired among the natives for who should be credited and the Pampangos exclaimed, "Quing wawa". So every now and then, to every question of the friars, the people would reply "Quing wa". Thereafter, the place was called Quingua.

Jose J. Mariano, then the "Alcalde" or town mayor, took the initiative of renaming the town. Congressman Pedro Magsalin, a friend of the Alcalde, sponsored a bill changing the name of the town from Quingwa to Plaridel. The bill was passed by the Philippine Congress and was approved by President Manuel L. Quezon. On December 29, 1936, the town was renamed 'Plaridel' in honor of the great hero of Bulacan, Marcelo H. del Pilar. The celebrations were attended by the political luminaries, Speaker Gil Montilla, Congressman Pedro Magsalin, Honorable Nicolas Buendia, Honorable Eulogio Rodriguez, Honorable Elpidio Quirino and Governor José Padilla, Sr.