Malasiqui, officially the Municipality of Malasiqui (Pangasinan: Baley na Malasiqui; Ilocano: Ili ti Malasiqui; Tagalog: Bayan ng Malasiqui), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 143,094 people.

Malasiqui is 26 kilometres (16 mi) from Lingayen and 193 kilometres (120 mi) from Manila.

Etymology

The word Malasiqui originates from the Pangasinan root word lasi meaning lightning. With prefix ma indicating high degree and suffix qui indicating place - Malasiqui means "place full of lightning".

Another version was that of three Spanish priests while conducting ocular during those days, were so pissed off with the condition of the road which was muddy. The first priest said "mala" which means bad. The second priest responded "si" which means yes. The third one apparently not paying attention asked "que?" or "what". The local folk who overheard the conversation mistook it as if they are naming the town. And so it came to be known as Mala Si Que? or the current name spelled as Malasiqui.

History

The Municipality traces its origins during the middle of the 17th century when Spanish friars opened a mission intended to convert the native population to Catholicism. The most probable founding year was 1671 when Spanish civil authorities in Manila gave the license for the creation of the town. There were no organized communities in the area before the Spaniards arrived. Attempts to group families into a settlement may have started as early as 1665. The present site was then heavily forested with small family groups scattered along banks of small rivers and creeks. The socio-political history of the municipality parallels that of the Pangasinan province and the country in general. Its history is punctuated by periods of foreign domination first by the Spanish, then by the United States and briefly by the Japanese during the 2nd World War. The population participated heavily in some of the bloodiest rebellions during the Spanish period. Catholicism and other Christian sects dominate the religious life of the people. Ethnically, it is one of the few places in the province of Pangasinan which did not experience in-migration from other regions of the country. Consequently, Pangasinanse is the dominant ethnic group with almost no other ethnic groups mixing into the locality.

The poblacion or town center, is recently experiencing high commercial growth spurred mainly by high consumer spending generated by increase in family incomes attributable to earnings of OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers). The estimate of OFW population as a percentage of adult labor force is as much as 22% - one of the highest rates in the Philippines. The OFW phenomenon is so significant that almost all households have at least one member working outside of the country.

Geography

Barangays

Malasiqui is politically subdivided into 73 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Climate

Demographics

Population census of Malasiqui

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1903 14,550 —     1918 22,747 +3.02% 1939 33,660 +1.88% 1948 40,786 +2.16% 1960 50,730 +1.83%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1970 61,423 +1.93% 1975 67,489 +1.91% 1980 70,905 +0.99% 1990 92,053 +2.65% 1995 101,056 +1.76%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 2000 113,190 +2.46% 2007 122,820 +1.13% 2010 123,566 +0.22% 2015 130,275 +1.01% 2020 143,094 +1.86%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Economy

Poverty incidence of Malasiqui

5 10 15 20 25 30 2006 28.20 2009 24.45 2012 19.10 2015 12.27 2018 13.29 2021 19.33 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

It is mainly an agricultural municipality with rice, corn and tropical lowland vegetables as main crops. It is also famous for its mango fruits having one of the largest concentration of mango tree population in the Philippines.

Government

Local government

Malasiqui, belonging to the third congressional district of the province of Pangasinan, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.

Elected officials of the Municipal Council (2019–2022):

• Congressman: Rose Marie J. Arenas
• Mayor: Noel Anthony M. Geslani
• Vice-Mayor: Alfe M. Soriano
• Councilors:
  • Rodito A. Austria
  • Alexis V. Mamaril
  • Daria Dolores M. Mamaril
  • Janice D. Pinlac
  • Ramelyn G. Sanchez
  • William C. Valdez III
  • Eric Brian A. Domantay
  • Rydel Ann B. Laforteza

Tourism

The Town Fiesta is celebrated January 17 thru 22 every year. Points of interests include:

• Malasiqui Agno Valley College
• Perpetual Help College of Pangasinan
• Harvest Festival
• Assembly of God
• Rep. Rachel "Baby" Arenas farm
• Monastery of the Poor Clares of St. James the Apostle
• Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan's first cloistered monastery
• Malasiqui Central School
• Centeno Farm Resort and Ecohills Resort
• Barangay Lareg-Lareg and the Arenas Civic Center
• Magic Mall
• St. Ildephonse of Seville Parish Church (Malasiqui)