Tayug

Tayug, officially the Municipality of Tayug (Baley na Tayug; Ili ti Tayug; ), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 45,241 people.

Tayug is an agricultural municipality producing commercial crops, livestock, and poultry.

Etymology
The town of Tayug got its unique name not from people who were influential or from name of saints but from a very tall tree that once grew in the heart of the town which is believed to be a bakaiau or bacáyao tree (Madhuca betis (Blanco)), an indigenous fruit tree in the Philippines. It was so tall that the people at that time call it "layog " which means "high, towering like the palm trees" in Kapampangan and “very tall; high; towering” in Ilocano.

According to historical accounts, Tayug was formerly a constituent of a sprawling settlement along the upper reaches of the Pampanga River, which is now encompassed within the boundaries of the present-day province of Nueva Ecija. This proximity suggests that the linguistic heritage of the local populace might have been shaped by interactions with Kapampangans.

Over time, due to the locals' difficulty in pronouncing the letter "L," it became commonly replaced with the letter "T" in everyday speech. This linguistic shift eventually resulted in the adoption of the name Tayug.

History
Tayug is an old settlement founded by the Augustinians who were administering what was then called Upper Pampanga, which later became the province of Nueva Ecija. The exact date of its foundation is not clearly known, but it must have been at the start of 18th century, because according to a book of baptism of the town of Asingan, an Augustinian priest was already mission work at that time in Tayug and San Nicolas. A chronicle of the convents and towns founded by Augustinian Order, Biblioteca Historíca Filipina, Volume 4, mentions 1759 as the year of its foundation, while a document dated in Retiro, 19 December 1742, and signed by King Philip V of Spain, mentions Tayug as one of those place which owed their existence to the Augustinian missionaries.

Tayug was first officially organized as a municipality in the province of Nueva Ecija on February 4, 1817. In 1837, Tayug was ceded to the province of Pangasinan. In 1851, it was once again incorporated with the Province of Nueva Ecija. The town was finally ceded to Pangasinan for the last time in 1864 after decades of uncertainty.

On January 12, 1931, an undercover collective of peasants known as the Philippine National Association, under the leadership of Pedro Calosa, launched an assault against the governing authorities. Their objectives were to assert independence from American governance, denounce societal injustices and economic disparities, and affirm the authority of the Aglipayan Church. Taking control of significant sites including the municipal hall and the Philippine Constabulary's command station, they also set fire to the residences of prominent figures and various structures. The uprising commenced before dawn and was swiftly suppressed by evening, marking a brief yet impactful challenge to colonial authority. A monument paying tribute to Pedro Calosa is situated at the intersection of Pangasinan-Nueva Vizcaya Road and Tayug-San Quintin Road, symbolizing the historical significance of the revolt.

Amid World War II, the town spearheaded a guerrilla assault against the Japanese Imperial Army, marking one of the earliest instances of resistance in the nation. Under the leadership of Lieutenant Severino Antiporda, they successfully expelled the invaders from the fortress and reclaimed the municipal hall on April 14, 1942. However, when the Japanese forces reappeared on May 3, 1942, their defense endured for more than a week before they ultimately surrendered. Subsequently, they, along with individuals suspected of supporting their cause, were executed.

The shifts in colonial governance during the Spanish colonial period, the uprisings under American occupation, and the resistance movements during the Japanese occupation reflect the dynamic history of Tayug. Through these tumultuous times, Tayug would have navigated the changing landscape, adapting to new circumstances and contributing to its distinct historical and cultural identity within the province of Pangasinan.

Geography
Tayug is landlocked municipality located in the eastern part of the province of Pangasinan with neighboring towns of San Manuel and San Nicolas to the North, Natividad to the east, Asingan and Santa Maria to the west, and San Quintin to the south. The municipality has a total land area of 51.24 square kilometers which constitutes 0.94% of the province's total land area.

Tayug is 80 km from Lingayen, 196 km from Manila, and 83 km from Cabanatuan.

Barangays
Tayug is politically subdivided into 21 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.


 * Agno
 * Amistad
 * Barangobong
 * Carriedo
 * C. Lichauco
 * Evangelista (old name: San Flaviano)
 * Guzon (old name: Santa Ana)
 * Lawak
 * Legaspi
 * Libertad
 * Magallanes
 * Panganiban
 * Brgy. Poblacion A
 * Brgy. Poblacion B
 * Brgy. Poblacion C
 * Brgy. Poblacion D
 * Saleng
 * Santo Domingo
 * Toketec
 * Trenchera
 * Zamora (old name: Concordia)

Climate
The climate of Tayug is divided into two seasons, the wet and dry season. The months of June to October are generally termed as the wet season, characterized by rainy days and occasional typhoons, while the days during the dry season of November to May are relatively hot and dry period.

Demographics
In the 2020 census, Tayug had a population of 45,241. The population density was 883 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Local government
Tayug, belonging to the sixth congressional district of the province of Pangasinan, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.