Santa Ana, officially the Municipality of Santa Ana (Kapampangan: Balen ning Santa Ana; Tagalog: Bayan ng Santa Ana), is a municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 61,537 people.[4]
History of Santa Ana (Town and Parish)
The chapter of December 19, 1598 accepted the town of Pinpin (meaning "land laid aside") as a visita of Arayat. Sta. Ana was a track of forest and bordered by the towns of Arayat, Candaba, Mexico and San Luis. A settlement was established by people who came from the neighboring towns. They cleared the area and as the years passed, more people came to settle the place. Years later, they selected a leader among themselves, the bravest, most diligent and who can defend and provide the needs of the people, whom they addressed as DATU, CAT and APOL.
The name of the town was changed to Santa Ana, who became the titular patroness of the town. The town continued as a visita of Arayat in 1617.
Augustinian historians mark 1756 as the year the church was made independent. Rev. Fr. Lorenzo Guerra was the first parish priest.
Fr. Vicente Ferrer started the construction of the present church in 1853. Fray Lucas Gonzalez, OSA finished it and constructed a five-store belfry in 1857. Materials used for the construction of the church vary from stones brought from Meycauayan and wood from Betis and Porac.
Fray Antonio Redondo built the convent with stone in 1866. Fray Francisco Diaz, OSA began restoration work in 1872, which was continued by Fray Paulino Fernandez, OSA in 1877.
On 1910, Sta. Ana became a barrio of Arayat, but on January 1, 1913 it is reinstated back to its status as a town.
During the Japanese Occupation, the church convent was converted into a garrison where Japanese Soldiers torture captured Filipino and American soldiers using the "water cure" method.
On November 29, 1945, Sta. Ana established its first private catholic school, the Holy Cross Academy thru the efforts of Rev. Msgr. Francisco Lansangan as its founder.
In October 22, 2013, the National Historical Commission, installed a historical marker in the church belfry, bearing the church's history. It was inaugurated with the town former Mayor Rommel Concepcion, Archbishop Emeritus Paciano B. Aniceto D.D and the Rev. Fr. Nolasco L. Fernandez, parish priest.
The town celebrates its annual town fiesta every July 26. In honor of their patroness Santa Ana, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Santa Ana Parish also have a daughter parish, San Agustin Parish in Brgy. San Agustin (Sumpung) that established in 1992.
Majigangga Festival
If there’s one reason to visit Pampanga, it’s to attend one of their festivals. The practice of manufacturing Majiganggas in the town of Santa Ana, Pampanga, is one of the re-emerging festivals to look out for. The festival has proven to be one of the most memorable events in Santa Ana, being more colorful and vibrant than ever before.
The Majiganggas, or enormous puppets, are claimed to be inspired by John the Baptist, who cleared the way for the arrival of the Savior. The Majiganggas follow the light processions in Santa Ana and are also present for the three major festivities such as Christmas, New Year’s, and the feast of the Three Kings.
The puppets, which stand 10 feet tall, are made by both children and adults out of bamboo, springs, steel rods, and colorful paper mache and cloth. These puppets’ faces feature comically large eyebrows and mustaches made of dried durian bark, the body is constructed of discarded tarpaulins, and the hair is made of recycled sacks — a creative and unique approach! During the event, the people also work together to control the huge puppets that dance around the streets of Santa Ana.
The custom of making Majiganggas goes all the way back to before World War II and was pioneered by Jacinto Quiambao. It was supposedly suspended during the Japanese occupation, but was restored by Quiambao’s family members in the 1970s, and was ultimately brought back by the barangay and municipal administration in 2010 and is still going on today. The local administration intends to make it a popular celebration that future generations will enjoy.
Geography
Santa Ana municipal boundaries are: Municipalities of Arayat and Magalang, Pampanga to the north; Municipality of Candaba to the east; Municipality of San Luis, to the south; Municipality of Mexico to the west. The town can be accessed by via Olongapo-Gapan Road, Candaba-Santa Ana Road (Santa Lucia) and Magalang-Arayat-Santa Ana Road (San Pablo).
Santa Ana is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from San Fernando and 81 kilometres (50 mi) from Manila.
Barangays
Santa Ana is politically subdivided into 14 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
In the 2020 census, the population of Santa Ana, Pampanga, was 61,537 people,[4] with a density of 1,500 inhabitants per square kilometre or 3,900 inhabitants per square mile.
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