BETA
History of Patar Bolinao
Bolinao has quite a mysterious past with neither an exact foundation date nor record on when it was created. According to past historical accounts, Bolinao most likely was founded in 1575 by virtue of a Royal Decree from Spain. Headed by a Spanish Captain Pedro Lombi, a little over a hundred families created a settlement in an area called Binabalian on the North of Santiago Island. However, in 1596, due to the threat of Moro pirates, the settler were forced to transfer the entire town to the mainland, the current location of Bolinao.
On September 19, 1988, The Municipal Council of Bolinao through Resolution no 104 adopted the foundation date of July 25, 1575 in honor of the Patron Saint of the town, St James the Great. The Philippine Commission through Public Act 1004 dated on November 30, 1903 made Bolinao and official Province of Pangasinan Philippines. It land area now covers 197.22 sq kms. of land.
Patar was formerly part of the Ilog Malino Municipality but has recently become a tourism area and was granted separate municipality status making it one of the 30 Barangays of Bolinao. As of the last census in 2010, Patar had a population of 1,335 residents approximately 1.8% of the total population of Bolinao which is 74,545 people.
Three Version of the Bolinao name
Pamulinawen Tree – The boli-bolinao tree was of the Molave family and it is said that it was under these trees that the settlers met and planned town activities more specifically plans to thwart the Moro raids that were getting increasingly more common at the early days of the town
Monamon Fish – The fish commonly called Bolinao by Filipinos is abundant in the province and a common source of livelihood and thus the town was reffered to by outsiders as Boliano.
Bolido & Anao – Perhaps the most romantic and most told of the name origins is a story of the town Chieftain’s son Bolido and beautiful Anao or Malinaw to whom he fell in love with. Upon their marriage, the combination of their names became the name of the town.