HISTORY
TOWN HISTORY
According to folk legend, Pasuquin was first settled by two groups of people, the Itneg and the Ibaliw at a place called nagrebkan, meaning the place of the
vanquished, although when the first Spanish missionaries arrived, they still encountered some from the defeated group, whose names where entered in Spanish documents as Ibaloi.
The Augustinians started evangelizing in Pasuquin 1599. The visita, under the patronage of Santiago Apostol, was performed in the visita were entered in the Bacarra canonical books until Pasuquin became an independent parish in 1784: its oldest extant baptismal book dates from 1790.
The town flourished despite attacks from Chinese ships and Moros as the forests were cleared and made into farmlands. A salt industry in the coastal barrios developed in addition to fishing. This could be one explanation of the town’s name: the smoke resulting from the cooking of brine to make salt, thus, “paasokan” a smoky place, and finally Pasuquin.
During the American colonial era, Pasuquin’s prosperity increased. Agriculture products raised in commercial quantity were rice, sugar cane, tobacco and corn. The Pasuquin biscocho, made from day-old sweet rolls, became famous. The mountains east of the town had many springs which were developed as the source portable water, brought by pipes to Laoag, Bacarra, Vintar and Pasuquin itself.
The Japanese Occupation was a traumatic time of Pasuquin. The school and the church were used as headquarters by the Japanese. The Spanish-era church was destroyed and never rebuilt, but a structure in the modern style now stands near the site of the ruins.
After the Philippines became independent in 1946, the municipality regained its prosperity. A feldspar mine was developed northeast of the town. Roads and bridges were built or improved. A forest development project benefited one barangay. The wide sandy beaches of Pasuquin were transformed into resorts and picnic grounds popular with people from nearby towns. The Paredes Air Station, with radar installations and a clubhouse, was developed in Barangay Sapat in the 1970s. Pasuquin is considered one of the richest towns of the province, a tribute to the industry and enterprise of its town people.
PASUQUIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The Pasuquin Historical Society Album enables the people of Pasuquin to become broader in perspective, more literate, intellectually more astute, ethically more sensitive, and to participate wisely in society as knowledgeable citizens. PASUQUIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY: A Society is born. Mark this well: June 15, 2000. On this date 11 founding members of Pasuquin Historical Society adopted its Bylaws. For this date not only is the birth of a society but also marks the beginning of an era when a town becomes conscious that its growth is a record of the efforts of its citizens. A souvenir inspires a look into its past – the people and the events that have made a difference. The members of the Pasuquin Historical Society fervently hope that others will pick up where they left off and pass on the torch to the generation after them so that each milestone (be it a decade, a century, a millenium) will be even more generous. The society is born with no other resource but vision, courage and determination. They dream that years later, hopefully not very long from now, a building of its own will house its office staff: that eventually, little by little, it will blossom into a park, a library, a museum, and more. “Big things come from small things,” it is often said. Events of the last ten or so years have shown that technology has spurred changes heretofore considered beyond imagination. Information has become common, entertainment a household preoccupation and has made even the remotest village within everyone’s reach. The countryside, once associated with poverty, is becoming more opulent. In short, Pasuquin is no longer the sleepy town it once was. But alas, Pasuquin as a community has not kept pace with individual initiative. Most of the changes are the result of efforts of individuals who take advantage of opportunities available to them. Not much, if any, is the result of community effort inspired by leadership. The birth of the Pasuquin Historical Society is an effort by private citizens to get involved in their government. It is hoped that the vast resources of nongovernment organizations could prod leadership to act for the welfare of the community. Gone are the days when local leaders have the monopoly of leading. Only time will tell if this challenge will make Pasuquin among the developed communities of the future. We hope to leave a message that Dedicated Leadership is an urgent necessity to the development of Pasuquin.
Founding members of PASUQUIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY:
Mr. Constante Aguinaldo
Mr. Sixto Ranjo
Miss Herminegilda Alipio
Mr. Apolinar Visco
Mr. Valentin Salmon
Mrs. Constancia R. Aguinaldo
Mrs. Victoria V. Lagac
Miss Adela Zarzoso
Miss Remigia Aguda
Miss Eugenia Figuracion
Mr. Nonelo Aguinaldo
Miss Salome Calupig
Mrs. Alejandra Estacio
Mr. Isabelo A. Lagac
Mrs. Elvira Z. de Luna
Miss Rosalia Figuracion
Mrs. Eulalia A. Dumlao
Mrs. Encarnacion Garduque
Miss Consolacion Batacan