Macabebe

The Municipality of Macabebe is a first-class coastal municipality located in the province of Pampanga in Region III or Central Luzon. 

The town of Macabebe is situated in the southern area of Pampanga. It is bordered to the north by the metropolises of Minalin, Guagua, and Apalit; to the east by the towns of Calumpit and Hagonoy in Bulacan; to the west by the town of Sasmuan; and the south by the municipality of Masantol and Manila Bay

The meaning of the name “Macabebe” is bordering river banks due to its location along the Rio Grande de la Pampanga known to be the previous name of the Pampanga River. 

History

The town of Macabebe was considered one of the most significant and oldest settlements in the province of Pampanga. This old town in Pampanga Province is closely linked to the Rio Grande de la Pampanga, which is now called the “Pampanga River.” The people of  Macabebe known as ‘the Macabebes’ were considered the first known Kapampangans. During the Spanish Colonial Period of the Philippines, the Macabebes were regarded as an important figure in the History of the Philippines. 

The English translation of Macabebe, meaning: ‘bordering the river banks’ defines the historical heritage of the Macabebe town.

Compared to the other Kapampangan dialects, the tone of the Macabebe dialect is quite strong and louder, it is said that’s how the residents of the town of Macabebe must have had to keep in contact across the river. The main source of income and food for the town is Fishing. That’s why the Pampanga River was considered a high value to the Macabebes, which is why there were a lot of fisheries found along 

The Macabebes that have been involved in an active and conflicting role occasionally in the history of the Philippines. The Macabebes battled against the Spanish colonizers in the year 1571, at the same time, they also guarded the remaining Spanish fort in opposition to the insurgents in the year 898. 

American General Frederick Funston and his troops arrested Philippine President Emilio Aguinaldo in Palanan, Isabela, with the assistance of some Kapampangans known as the ‘Macabebe Scouts’ named after their town, who had joined forces with the American troops. The Americans pretended to be prisoners of the Macabebes, who were dressed in Philippine Army uniforms. Once Funston and his “captors” arrived in the camp of Aguinaldo, they immediately mobbed the guards and quickly stunned them, and the exhausted Aguinaldo in 1901.

During World War II, many Japanese combatants and bomber planes crashed and air raids attacked the municipalities in Macabebe in December 1941, under the Invasion of the Imperial Japanese Government, they were occupied by the Imperial Japanese troops as they entered the municipalities on 1942 during the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines.

Barangay 

The Municipality of Macabebe is divided into 26 barangays. 

Festivals 

Town Fiesta

The Municipality of Macabebe celebrates an annual festival honoring the patron saint of the town, San Nicholas de Tolentino every 10^th of September. 

Santero Festival

Macabebe, one of the ancient towns in Pampanga, is the homeland of the Santeros. They are Artisan that utilizes wood, ivory, cement, or fiber glass to make a religious art piece known as ‘Santo,” typically an image of Jesus Christ, The Blessed Virgin Mary, or patron saints. The festival is held every January 17. 

Barangay Festivals 

Barangay Sta. Maria

Festival held every last Sunday of April honoring the patroness of St. Mary, Mother of Jesus. 

Barangay San Jose 

Festival held every 3^rd Sunday of March honoring the sainthood of St. Joseph. 

Barangay Sto. Rosario 

Festival held every May 1^st honoring the patroness of The Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. 

Barangay San Rafael

Festival held every 24^th of October honoring St. Raphael the Archangel. 

Barangay San Juan

Festival held every 24 of June honoring the sainthood of St. Joseph the Baptist, where people would splash water on one another. 

Barangay San Gabriel and Barangay Caduang Tete

Festival held every 2^nd Sunday of May honoring St. Gabriel the Archangel.

Barangay San Isidro 

Festival held every 15^th of May honoring the sainthood of St. Isidore the Farmer. 

Barangay Sto. Niño

Festival held twice a year; 1 on every 3^rd Sunday of January and 2 is every 3^rd Sunday of April honoring the sainthood of Sto. Niño. 

Barangay Batasan 

Festival held every 2^nd of February honoring Nuestra Señora de Candelaria and the “Presentation of the Lord Parish.”

Barangay Sta. Rita

Festival held every 22^nd of May honoring Sta, Rita.

Barangay San Roque 

Festivals are held every 1^st Sunday of May honoring Saint Roch. However, the West celebrates its festivity every August 16.

Barangay Lutgarda

The festival is held every 1^st Sunday of May and the 16^th day of June honoring the birth of St. Lugardis.

Barangay San Vicente

Festival held every 1^st Sunday of April honoring the sainthood of St. Vincent. 

Barangay San Francisco

Festival held every 2^nd Sunday of April honoring St. Francis of Assisi. 

Barangay Castuli

The festival is held every last Saturday of February to honor the patroness of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Barangay Mataguiti

Festival held every 1^st Sunday of May and they have their fluvial procession honoring the Lord Jesus Christ cross. 

Barangay Candelaria

The festival is held every 2^nd day of February and has its own Fluvial procession honoring Nuestra Señora de Candelaria

Landmarks and Attraction

San Nicolas de Tolentino Church

Commonly called “the Macabebe Church” was erected on March 3, 1575. It’s the 3^rd oldest constructed Church in Pampanga.

Macabebe á Rizal Monument 

The “Macabebe á Rizal” Monument displayed the town’s gratitude for the making of the Filipino nation during the American period. It was the first act of the Macabebes to honor the icon of the Revolution in 1919.

King of Macabebe (Nameless Hero) Monument

The young leader of Macabebe commanded more than 2,000 combatants from Pampanga and Bulacan to oust the Spaniards from Luzon on 31 May 1571. For more decades, he has been confused with Rajah Soliman, owing to Pedro Paterno’s assigning him the name “Tarik Soliman”. The Spanish people usually called him “Bambalito”, a derogatory term, that does not identify him 

References:

* https://www.philatlas.com/luzon/r03/pampanga/macabebe.html

* https://pampanga.gov.ph/index.php/the-government/155-capitol/districts/district-iv/macabebe/335-municipality-of-macabebe.html

* https://infogalactic.com/info/Macabebe,_Pampanga

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macabebe

* https://www.liquisearch.com/macabebe_pampanga/history

* https://kaplistorian.blogspot.com/2017/06/49-18-pampanga-landmarks-and-monuments.html

*https://www.zamboanga.com/z/index.php?title=Macabebe%2C_Pampanga%2C_Philippines&redirect=no#History_of_Macabebe.2C_Pampanga.2C_Philippines

* https://iorbitnews.com/santero-festival-redefines-macabebe/

* https://www.pampanga.gov.ph/index.php/shopping/189-capitol/tourism/municipality/317-macabebe.html

*For corrections or commentaries, please email us at whereinpampanga@gmail.com