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Calumpit: A Historical Perspective
The town of Calumpit is rich in history. Eversince the 1600's, Calumpit was a prosperous and scenic place with just the right area divided into some barangays and ruled by a leader called a datu or gat. Based on certain writings and documents gathered by Fernando Olalang Balagtas of San Carlos, Pangasinan, the town of Calumpit was established on March 25, 1539 by Gat. Maitim and from this sprang the barangays of Gatbuca, Longos and Balungao. But even earlier than this, a resident named Makaralaga set up the barangay of Buguion. Later a resident named Mandig formed the barangays of Bulusan and Meysulao while one named Gatdula established the barangay of Panducot.
The municipality of Calumpit got its name from the tree called kalumpit, which is related to such trees as talisay, dalinsi, sakat, bunggas, and toog. It is known by its scientific name Ferminalis edulinis. The Kalumpit trunk is hard, tall and large with a diameter from 50 to 60 centimeters. Its leaved are small and its flowers are yellowish in color. Its fruit is about three centimeters wide, smooth-skinned, bright red when ripe, and tastes delicious. According to the noted scientist Leon Ma. Guerrero, the kalumpit fruit is a good medicine for eczema and sore eyes. The studies of George A. Kerr revealed that the bark of the tree is good for tanning. Its trunk and branches are strong materials for building houses and boats.
According to old accounts, the kalumpit tree is a common plant in the area and because of this, the place eventually came to be known as "Kalumpit" and to be registered as "Kalumpit" was bolstered by the occurrence of a strong typhoon in 1882 when many kalumpit trees in front of the Catholic Church got uprooted. Thus, the giving of the tree's name to the town is a way of telling people that the place used to be the site of many kalumpit trees.
When the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines, a group of Spanish soldiers reached the province of Bulacan and few of them accidentally entered the town that was yet unnamed. Being new in the area, soldiers were curious about the name of the place. They saw a man standing by a kalumpit tree and one of them approached the man and asked him about the name of the town, at the same time motioning with his hands. Mistaking the Spaniard's gestures as a way of asking for the name of the tree, the man proudly said "This is kalumpit". The Spaniards was satisfied with the man's response and since then the colonizers called the town "Kalumpit".
Calumpit was already an established "barangay" even before the coming of the Spaniards under the leadership of Gat Maitim. The defeat of Rajah Soliman at the Battle of Bangkusay Channel paved the way for the Spaniards to establish their government in Manila. News reached the Spanish Authorities that there was a progressive community located several miles North of Manila. Through the order of Fr. Martin de Bada, a group of Augustinian missionaries headed by Father Diego Vivar Ordonez was sent to look for the said place. In 1572, they set foot at the riverbank of Brgy. Meyto, armed with a cross. They Christianized the place and established a government with Marcos de Arce as the first Alcalde Mayor of Calumpit. However, it was only in 1575 that the King of Spain officially recognized Calumpit. It was the first town established in the Province of Bulacan in the islands. The Augustinian friars were the first Christian Pastors of Calumpit and acted in some capacity as government offcials , which continued for almost a century.
During the Philippine Revolution in 1896, the people of Calumpit participated in the battles launched by the Katipuneros against Spain. In one incident, Juan Galang, the then Kapitan Municipal of Calumpit entered the town along with Filipino revolutionaries and laid siege on the Catholic Church where Spanish soldiers positioned themselves. After six days of fighting, the Spaniards were forced to surrender by lack of food and water. The revolutionaries then marched to San Rafael.
Further researches were conducted as to the year of establishment of Calumpit and it was officially confirmed that year 1539 is the official date.
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