Миналин: Тарихы, мәдениеті және экономикасы

The Municipality of Minalin Pampanga Philippines

Minalin, officially the Municipality of Minalin (; ), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 48,380 people. Originally known as Minalis, it has a land area of about , and it is located south west of the capital city of San Fernando. The name of the Municipality "Minalin" came from the word "Minalis" or "Minalis la ding dutung". This got its name during the construction of the Sta. Maria Tabungao Church, when a flood came and wiped out all the materials or dutung meaning woods and carried them to Santa Monica Parish Church. The town is known for its 400 year old church, the Santa Monica Parish Church, with its unique design that incorporates pre colonial architectural motif alongside its European Catholic iconography. Minalin is also known for its "Aguman Sanduk" New Year's Celebration, where in which the town's straight men dress up as beauty queens and ride through town on festive floats. The town is also referred to as the "Egg Basket of Central Luzon" because of its large scale production of eggs and chickens, prompting the town to put up the Philippines' first egg festival in 2008.

Pansomun (grandson of Prince Balagtas, the ruler of the Kapampangan empire and Luzon), in his will, claimed to be a cousin of Rajah Soliman and Lakandula, the chieftains of Manila and Tondo in 1571 (conquest by Spain). Pansomun, as Christian convert Fernando Malang Balagtas signed in 1589 a will on the Kapampangan territory. Pansomun/Balagtas stated that he was born in Tabungao (Santa Maria, the old location of Minalin). The legend of Minalin's name came from "minalis la ding dutung, minalis ya ing pisamban" (the lumber moved, and so must the church). Lumber stocks at Santa Maria for the church construction were carried by floods to a hilly Burol. Capitan Diego Tolentino wrote "minalis", thus, the name Minalin evolved. A Malayan settlement of Kahn Bulaun, Prince Balagtas' descendant, also found in the place, beautiful women. The Spaniards called the sitio, "mina linda de las mujerers" (a mine of beautiful women), which could also be the source of the town's name. Subsequently, Chinese traders abbreviated the words to "Minalin". Minalin's name might have originated also from "minalis" ("to move to"). "Mina" means mine, a word written on a rock left at the sitio in 1700 by a Spaniard José Espeleta, and "Lin", the founder's name. Gobernadorcillo (Mayor) Diego Tolentino wrote Minalin in lieu of Minalis and the Calendario Manual y Guia de Forasteros, 1839 to 1841, spelled Minalin, thus Minalin. In 1860, Minalin was a producer of rice, corn, sugar cane, cacao, indigo (añil) and fruits, including dye, nipa wine, vinegar and mats (petates).

In the 2020 census, the population of Minalin, Pampanga, was 48,380 people, with a density of .

Minalin is one of the fastest growing economy in Pampanga despite its propensity to develop flooding. Merchandising, farming and fishing are the usual source of living of Minalenos. The town is known as the "Egg Basket of Central Luzon" because of its large scale production of eggs and chickens. Tilapia, shrimp, crabs are also major products of the town.

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 legislative branch is composed of the Sangguniang Bayan (town assembly), Sangguniang Barangay (barangay council), and the Sangguniang Kabataan for the youth sector. The mayor and vice mayor are elected to three year terms. The mayor is the executive head and leads the town's departments in executing the ordinances and improving public services. The vice mayor heads a legislative council (Sangguniang Bayan) consisting of councilors from the barangays or barrios.

Tourist attractions of the town include its "Aguman Sandoc" New Year's Celebration and the 400 year old Santa Monica Parish Church in Barangay San Nicolas.

One major tourist attraction in Minalin is its "Aguman Sanduk" New Year's Celebration in which the straight men of the town dress as beauty queens and ride through town on festive floats displaying not only humor but also the camaraderie and charity of each member of the community.

A 3,896 sq. m. Minalin Sunset Park in Santa Rita was inaugurated on July 14, 2018. It is like an esplanade or boardwalk built along ‘Tabun Road’ now Sunset Boulevard, next to a river adjacent to the Minalin Tail Dike.

Governor Eddie T. Panlilio, the former governor of Pampanga.