Paombong

Spanish colonial era

Paombong was originally one of the visitas (subsidiary missionary station) of Malolos, mentioned in Chapter XXXVI of Conquistas de Las Islas libro segundo by Fray Gaspar de San Agustín, OSA. In a meeting held in Tondo convento, the Provincial Chapter created the Town of Malolos in June 1580 with Fray Matheo de Mendoza, OSA as its first minister, together with barrios of Mambog under the patronage of Saint Roch, Matimbo under the Holy Cross, and Paombong under Saint James the Apostle. In 1619, Augustinians already established the Paombong convento but the town was administered by the justice of friars from Malolos. Paombong was not as wealthy as its neighbours Malolos and Hagonoy, and it did not sustain its township leading to its return to the status of barrio and being a visita in 1638.

In 1639, Paombong was turned over to the town of Calumpit from its mother town of Malolos and in 1649 it was returned again to Malolos. On November 28, 1650, it was finally given its own civil government, making Paombong a full township with Don Agustín Mananghaya as its first gobernadorcillo.

In the middle of the 1750s, Paombong grew into a modest community from what was once cogon-grown land inhabited by a handful of Tagalogs.^[7]

Revolutionary era

During the Philippine Revolution against the Spanish Empire, Paombong's coastal area, more specifically, Barangays Masukol and Binakod, played a significant role in Philippine history being known battlefields between Spanish soldiers and Katipuneros. Maloleño General Isidoro "Matanglawin" Torres^[8] used to retreat with his troops to Barangay Masukol and Barangay Binakod to avoid the advancing Spanish forces.^{[citation needed]} In the latter village, he organized the Katipunan militia of Paombong.^[9]

It is from these skirmishes that Barangays Binakod and Masukol earned their present names. In one encounter, Binakod was where the enemies where "fenced in" (binakuran) and it was in Masukol where they were eventually "cornered" (nasukol) and defeated.

American colonial era

In 1898, the first civilian in the person of Don Victorio de León headed the Municipal Government until 1900. The seat of the local government was first established on the ground floor of Paombong Church’s clergy house, then popularly called the "zaguán". It was later transferred to the house of Numerino Lindayag located in Población, then was transferred to the location of the present Rural Health Center I. Eventually it was moved to the place where it is presently located which since has been the seat of the Municipal Government since then. In 1941, the head of the Municipal Government was later on called Municipal Mayor.

Barangays

Paombong is politically subdivided into 14 barangays (6 urban, 8 rural), as shown below. These barangays are headed by elected officials: Barangay Captain, Barangay Council, whose members are called Barangay Councilors. All are elected every three years. Each barangay consists of 7 puroks and some have sitios.

• Binakod - a coastal barangay, it is known for producing rock salt.
• Kapitangan - this barangay is a famous pilgrimage site during Holy Week, particularly Good Friday. Some devout Catholic worshippers flagellate and/or allow themselves to be crucified as a means of penance and sharing in the sufferings of Jesus Christ.^[10]
• Malumot
• Masukol - a coastal barangay which was the site of skirmishes in the Philippine Revolution.
• Pinalagdan
• Poblacion
• San Isidro I
• San Isidro II
• San Jose - hosting the town’s largest sasahan, it is subdivided into seven sitio or purók (Sitio Uno, Gitna, Sitio Tres, Sitio Wawa, Sitio Pantay, Sito Gunao and Sitio Kulis). It is also a political hotspot every election season, while the San Jose Fishport in Sitio Wawa harbours motorboats or bangkâ which are the chief water transport to the three barangays along Manila Bay: Santa Cruz, Masukol and Binakod.
• San Roque
• San Vicente
• Santa Cruz - The two main resources of this coastal barangay are the fishponds and asinan (salt flats)
• Santo Niño - Formerly known as "Tuláy na Bató" as it was once the only place with a concrete bridge. This is the frontier barangay of Paombong.
• Santo Rosario

Climate

Local government

Just as the national government, the municipal government is divided into three branches: executive, legislative and judiciary. The judicial branch is administered solely by the Supreme Court of the Philippines. The LGUs have control of the executive and legislative branch.

The executive branch is composed of the mayor and the barangay captain for the barangays.^[28] The legislative branch is composed of the Sangguniang Bayan (town assembly), Sangguniang Barangay (barangay council), and the Sangguniang Kabataan for the youth sector.

The seat of Government is vested upon the Mayor and other elected officers who hold office at the Town hall. The Sanguniang Bayan is the center of legislation.

Elected officials

The following officials were elected on May 9, 2022, to serve a three-year term.^[29]

• Mayor: Maryanne "Ann" P. Marcos (PDP-Laban)
• Vice Mayor: Emelita B. Yunson (PFP)

Councilors

• Alfredo "JC" B. Castro Jr. (PFP)
• John Raymond A. Marcaida (Lakas-CMD)
• Paulo Mari "Pao" S. de Jesus (PFP)
• Gian Carlo G. Valencia (NUP)
• Judith Z. Bartolome (NUP)
• Marcelo "Marcy" D. Ong III (NUP)
• Philip L. Eusebio (NUP)
• Marcelino "Marcing" R. de Roxas (Lakas-CMD)

Primary and elementary schools

Secondary schools