The Beginning
In the early part of the 18th century, Dasol was just a part of a municipality, which today comprises the municipality of Mabini, Burgos and Dasol. These places have no fixed boundaries yet as they were frontier settlements covered with thick forests and coastal fishing grounds teemed with various fish species. Together with eight (8) other towns of Pangasinan, the place is within the territorial jurisdiction of Zambales province.
DOSOL PLANT History reveals that Dasol got its name from a medicinal herb called “dosol” which abounds in the area. The plant has oval leaves and green in color, which was commonly used to cure infected wounds. The Spaniards hardly pronounced “DOSOL” as when spoken, the word sounded “DASOL”. It became its official name when it was created as a municipality.
In 1895, Dasol and Burgos were fused as one municipality known as San Isidro de Potot. The first seat of government was in a place called Uli (now one of the barangays of Dasol) with Don Santos Jimenez as the first Capitan Municipal. Following the freedom struggles of the Katipunan Movement, a revolutionary group was organized in the Central Luzon on January 14, 1898 under General Francisco Makabulos y Soliman. In Pangasinan, the group was headed by Vicente del Prado of San Jacinto who together with Daniel Maramba reached an understanding to launch an attack on Spanish institutions.
On March 7, 1898, a simultaneous attack was suddenly made upon convents in a number of towns of Zambales, in those towns, which constitute the western part of Pangasinan, located west of Lingayen. These were the towns of Alaminos, Agno, Anda, Alos, Bani, Balincaguin, Bolinao, Dasol, Eguia and Potot. The small Spanish detachments in the western towns and 50 Spanish friars were annihilated. These were the parish priests of Balincaguin, Bani, Bolinao, Anda, Burgos and Dasol.3
theCREATION
On November 21, 1903, the northern part of Zambales province was annexed to the province of Pangasinan. The municipalities ceded were Alaminos, Bolinao, San Isidro de Potot and Infanta. The municipality of San Isidro de Potot included Balincaguin and Dasol.4 By virtue of Executive Order No. 25, series of 1911; it became a separate municipality from Balincaguin (now the municipality of Mabini). Don Apolonio Casipit was the first municipal president.
Dasol has barely seven (7) barrios when it was created. These were Tanobong, Tambobong, Uli, Malacapas, Bongalon, Alilao and Poblacion. Eguia was then a part of Infanta. It was only annexed to Dasol in 1925.
As years went by and due to its increasing population, ten (10) more barrios (now barangays) were created. Eguia was divided to form other three (3) barangays namely Macalang, Viga and Tambac. Then came the time when Tambobong was divided to form Osmeña. Malacapas and Bobonot partly merged to create Magsaysay and Tanobong (Malimpin) was divided creating San Vicente. Later, Bongalon (Hermosa) was divided to create Petal out of its two (2) sitios Penec and Espital and from Alilao, two (2) more barangays were formed now known as Amalbalan and Gais-Guipe. There are 18 barangays in Dasol at present where Poblacion as the hub of trade and commerce.
Once a sleepy town due to political conflicts among its constituents, the town continued its quest for greater development. Its salt industry, rich fishing grounds and natural resources and vast agriculture areas are immensely contributing to its economic growth. |
Significant Events
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Shortly after the revolution in 1898, the Americans took the rein of the government. Remnants of the revolutionary forces headed by General San Miguel made several attacks to the American forces. Because of the powerful arms of the Americans, the revolutionary forces were defeated leading them to integrate in the mainstream of the American occupation – the Commonwealth Period.
During this period, political transition took place. Various political leaders emerged that in their own way tried their best to shape the development of Dasol. There was a time, however, that the development efforts were hampered when political factions were set up during the American regime. Political feuds arose such that election time or not, rival political parties were constantly keeping watch over the other party in power and most of the time finds faults to discredit the administration. It was also during this period that Don Calixto Tobias, who served as the municipal president from 1918-1919, was assassinated by unidentified assailants. Worth mentioning during this period was the birth of women’s civic consciousness and concerns for the town’s development. Among the first women who were elected in the political stream were Doña Emiliana Rodriguez, the first woman vice mayor, and Doña Librada Jimenez Castro, the first woman councilor.
Political lull took place during World War II. After the war, the political strife continued, thus no major development in the town occurred. On August 25, 1950, the HUKBALAHAPS raided the town and looted commercial stores. Eventually, the municipal building was razed by fire including the house of Mayor Damaso Rivera.
There were no secondary schools at that time. Owing to political feuds, two (2) high school institutions were constructed. The Bay View High School was established by the Nacionalista Party and the Dasol Academy by the Liberal Party. The choice of the school therefore where children attend depended on their parents’ political affiliations.
From 1952 to present marked the upsurge of socio-economic development of the town. The following events took place:
- 1952-1968
- Construction of a new two-storey town hall
- Creation of new barangays
- 1968-1978
- Construction of Freedom Memorial Grandstand
- Acquisition of 2.5 hectares site for the present market building.
- Construction of Rizal Monument at the center of the town’s plaza.
- Construction of two (2) concrete bridges at Balsaan and Eguia.
- Concreting of the Poblacion’s circumferential road.
- Improvement of the Public Auditorium.
- Construction of additional school buildings.
- Construction of Multi-Purpose Rizal center.
- Acquisition of a farm tractor to promote agricultural development.
- Installation of electric lights in public plaza powered by a diesel generating set.
- Construction of a tennis court.
- Installation of a public address system.
- Construction of a water tanks for the public plaza.
- Availment of the power service of the Pangasinan Electric Cooperative (PANELCO I).
- Passage of Presidential Proclamation No. 1152 dated March 1974 proclaiming Dasol Bay as Communal Fishing Grounds.
- 1978-1980
- Construction of 50 housing units under the Bagong Lipunan Improvement Sites and Services (BLISS).
- 1980-1992
- Expansion and renovation of the dilapidated municipal hall and the painting of all existing municipal buildings.
- Reconstruction of the typhoon-torn Freedom Memorial Grandstand.
- Expansion of the Athletic Oval and construction of bleachers.
- Construction of Basketball Court.
- Construction of more school buildings, water system, water pumps, and the repair of irrigation dams/canals.
- Reclassification of the municipality from fifth class to fourth class, this increasing the number of employees from 17 to 56.
- Nationalization of Eguia Barangay High School.
- Construction of Agricultural building, Rural Health Center, ABC Hall.
- Reconciliation with the rebels of the New People’s Army leading to the surrender of 300 rebels.
- 1992-present
- Construction of Wharves and Piers (Bobonot, Eguia, Uli, Hermosa, Amalbalan, Malacapas).
- Cattle, goat and swine dispersal projects.
- Construction of classrooms for elementary schools (San Vicente, Osmeña).
- Repair of school buildings for elementary schools (Eguia, Poblacion, Hermosa, San Vicente, Petal, Osmeña, Gais-Guipe).
- Construction of multi-purpose pavements/solar driers (Osmeña, Tambac, Tambobong, Viga, Uli)
- Rehabilitation of barangay bridges.
- Maintenance of barangay and municipal roads.
- Provision of hospital beds thru the Scandinavian country.
- Establishment of mini-forest orchard and rehabilitation of the municipal nursery.
- Construction of potable water system in 18 barangays.
- Concrete paving of barangay roads (10 barangays).
- Construction of waiting sheds (18 barangay)
- Construction of multi-purpose gym (Tambobong)
- Construction of barangay halls.
- Construction of a new market building (PNB negotiation for funding completed).
- Intensification of the delivery of social and health services.
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Political, Administrative, Fiscal Development
The various transitions of political leaders in the town contributed to its development.
The following leaders took efforts to shape Dasol into its present development situation:
- Spanish Regime
- Spanish Era
- Capitan Santos Jimenez
- Capitan Vicente Liceralde
- Capitan Gaspar Estrada
- Capitan Pedro Estrada
- Capitan Cornelio Estrada
- 1896 (Revolutionary government)
- American Regime
- 1901 (Military Government) Presidente Nazario Nacar
- 903 (First Civil Government) Presidente Paulino Mendoza
- 1910-1912 Presidente Apolonio Casipit
- 1913-1917 Presidente Leandro Cristobal
- 1918-1919 Presidente Calixto Tobias
- 1920-1921 Presidente Severino delos Reyes
- 1921-1925 Presidente Pedro dela Rosa
- 1925-1931 Presidente Marcelo Jimenez
- Commonwealth Regime
- 1931-1935 Mayor Flaviano Cristobal
- 1937-1939 Mayor Juan Castro
- 1940-1941 Mayor Emiliana R. Jimenez (appointed)
- Japanese Regime
- 1941-1944 Mayor Flaviano Cristobal
- 1945-1946 Mayor Marcelo A. Jimenez (appointed)
- Liberation Period
- 1946-1947 Mayor Isidro L. Bustria (appointed)
- Philippine Republic
- 1947-1948 Mayor Teodoro Milgar (appointed)
- 1948-1950 Mayor Damaso Rivera
- 1951-1952 Mayor Segundo Basuel (served the unexpired term of Mayor Damaso Rivera)
- 1952-1968 Mayor Cristino R. Jimenez
- 1968-1978 Mayor Ramon G. Liceralde
- 1978-1980 Mayor Benjamin C. Ochotorena (appointed)
- 1980–June 15,1986 Mayor Ludovico R. Espinoza
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Edsa Revolution
June 15, 1986 – November 17, 1986 OIC Mayor Manuel R.M. Bunao
November 18, 1986 – 1992 Mayor Ludovico R. Espinoza
Crisis in political leadership characterized this period. After the EDSA Revolution, massive attempt to replace incumbent local government officials was undertaken by the administration of President Corazon C. Aquino. In Dasol, the appointment of Manuel R.M. Bunao as OIC, Mayor was signed by the Local Government Deputy Minister Douglas R. Cagas on June 11, 1986. Bunao tried to assume his post but marred by massive resistance from the camp of Mayor Ludovico R. Espinoza, who filed a protest being the lone UNIDO Mayor of western Pangasinan. Pending the result of the protest, there were then two factions in the political leadership. Both exercised executive powers.
On November 17, 1986, President Corazon C. Aquino personally signed all appointments of local government officials. Mayor Ludovico Espinoza was appointed OIC Mayor on a hold-over capacity until his re-election in 1988. |
Post Edsa Revolution Period
1992-2001 Mayor Sergio N. Jimenez (three (3) terms elected as Mayor)
There were complete political changes, both in administration and organization of local governments, after the EDSA Revolution of 1986. It paved the way for a more holistic delivery of services to the population with the passage of Local Government Code of 1991 or Republic Act No. 7160. One of the best features of the Code is the provision of Internal Revenue Allotments (IRA) to local governments. For Dasol, its revenue increased considerably, from meager revenue of local sources ranging from PhP 1.0 million to PhP 2.0 million to PhP 18 million. Its classification as a fourth class municipality was maintained by the Department of Finance. |
Relative Role to Other Towns
There was no pronounced role of Dasol in terms of the over-all development of the province. Although it has vast and rich natural resources, these remained untapped. Economically, the fishing industry played a major role, such that the production is distributed in the other towns of the province. On the other hand, productions of big fishponds are siphoned-out from the municipality by the owners and traders who are not residents of Dasol. The salt industry remained one of its major industries maintaining the economy, but seasonal.
Agricultural production are just enough for the population of Dasol. Surpluses in agricultural products are not realized due to traditional farming practices. |
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