Bani, Pangasinan

Spanish colonial era

Spain ruled Bani from 1521 to 1899. The pueblo's Gobernadorcillos were appointed by the Spanish authorities and from 1901 to 1936, the Presidentes, by the Americans. From 1937 to present, the local chief executives were elected.

Bani was founded on March 18, 1769. It used to be a part of Zambales as a component of Bolinao.

In 1769, Father Mains de Lamberto erected a "visita" in Bani with settlements around Don Cayo banks. Eventually, these settlements became a sitio, with local officials being headed by Don Francisco Baltazar as "Tiniente Absolute".^[6] Bani was repopulated by the Ilocano settlers from Paoay, Ilocos Norte in 1830.

American invasion era

On October 15, 1903, by virtue of Act No. 945, entitled “An Act Reducing the Twenty-five Municipalities of the Province of Zambales to Fifteen,” while still part of the Province of Zambales, the municipality of Bani retained its existing boundaries.

On November 30, 1903, by virtue of Act No. 1004, the municipalities of Bolinao, Alaminos, San Isidro (Burgos), and Infanta were annexed to the Province of Pangasinan.

On December 19, 1903, by virtue of Act No. 1029, Act No. 1004 was amended to include the municipalities of Anda, Bani, and Agno among those annexed to the Province of Pangasinan.

Contemporary

During the time of Martial Law, the mayor of Bani was Marcelo Navarro, a member of the Liberal Party. After the People Power of 1986, the Officer-in-Charge who headed Bani was Edmundo Cacho^[7] The Immaculate Conception, Patron Saint of San Simon, disappeared from the church altar and was discovered on top of the tall Bani tree in the vicinity of the present Church. She was brought to the Namagbagan Church, and returned to the present site. Bani's name came from the Bani tree where the image of the Patroness was found. Bani (Millettia pinnata) is a smooth tree (height of 8 to 25 meters).^[8]

In May 2009, Bani along with Anda and Bolinao, was severely damaged by Typhoon Emong. The typhoon damaged an office close to the Municipal Building, the Western Pangasinan Lyceum, and a lot of structures and houses.^[6]

Barangays

Bani is politically subdivided into 27 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Climate

Religion

Roman Catholic population of Bani is 28,686 or 66.98% while the Philippine Independent Church (Aglipayan) population is 7,859 or 18.35%.^[17] Other churches include Bani United Methodist Church and Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ) Lokal ng Bani, inter alia.

The 1762 Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish Church (Poblacion, Bani) is under Co Pastor, Fr. Raymond Oligane and Fr. Fernando Castillo. Feast day is December 8, with its Parish Priest, Fr. Roberto Casaclang, Vicariate of the Divine Savior, Vicar Forane, Father Eduardo E. Inacay.^{[10][17][18][19][20]} is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Alaminos (Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan).^[21]

Local government

Bani, belonging to the first 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.

Municipal seal

The Official Seal was adopted in Resolution No. 7 on 7 March 1991.^[31]

Elected officials

Primary and elementary schools

Secondary schools