Camiling Tarlac Philippines

Brief History of Camiling

On the western reaches of Tarlac province lies the historic town of Camiling. Early in the eighteenth century, this thriving community was sitio of Paniqui, contrary to the popular belief that it was a part of Bayambang, Pangasinan. The discovery of a Spanish document in 1937 attested to the fact that it really belonged to Paniqui. Further evidence shows that in the same document, it was stated that the inhabitants of Camiling pay their tributes to Paniqui.

In the beginning, the community was a vast area of cogon growth interposed with thick forestalls areas stretching at the Zambales mountain ranges. A wide river cut peacefully through it. The early inhabitants of the place were known “Aetas” who depend for their living on fruit trees and by hunting and fishing. With the coming of the Pangasinenses and Ilocanos from the north, the “Aetas” who used to roam freely in the wilderness obliged themselves to move in to the interior. The new settlers first occupied the swampy land, now known as “Cacamilingan” on the opposite river. With the passage of time, these settlers moved to the opposite of the river and then transferred to the opposite shore in view of the fact that most often disastrous floods are visiting the present site.

To this new location, the residents therein built a little church or “visitas” with the villagers taking “ST. MICHAEL” as the Patron Saint. The town Camiling owe its name after the name of a tree called “CAMIRING” which grew abundantly in the wilderness. The letter “R” in ‘CAMIRING’ was changed to “L” for its liquid sound. As this settlement attained progress, CAMILING became a District Commission from 1834-1837. It was founded by Don Francisco Soriano, an adventurous barangay leader who incidentally became the town’s first District Commissioner, followed by Domingo Claudio, Bernabe Bugarin and Pascual Cabacungan. In 1838, Camiling became an independent town, formally separated from the mother town of Paniqui and with Don Vicente Galsim, the first Governadorcillo