# Pangasinan people

The Pangasinan people (Pangasinan: Totoon Pangasinan), also known as Pangasinense, are an ethnolinguistic group native to the Philippines. Numbering 1,823,865 in 2010, they are the tenth largest ethnolinguistic group in the country. In the 2020 census Pangasinan speaking households made up roughly 1.3% of Phillipine households. They live mainly in their native province of Pangasinan and the adjacent provinces of La Union and Tarlac, as well as Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, and Nueva Vizcaya. Smaller groups are found elsewhere in the Philippines and worldwide in the Filipino diaspora.

## Etymology

The name Pangasinan means 'land of salt' or 'place of salt-making'. It is derived from asin, the word for 'salt' in Pangasinan. The Pangasinan people are referred as Pangasinense. The term Pangasinan can refer to the indigenous speakers of the Pangasinan language or people of Pangasinan heritage.

## Demographics

The estimated population of the Pangasinan people in the province of Pangasinan is 2.5 million. The Pangasinan people are also living in the neighboring provinces of Tarlac, La Union, and Zambales (which used to be parts of Pangasinan Province), Benguet, Nueva Ecija, and Nueva Vizcaya; as well as in Pangasinan communities in other parts of the Philippines (especially Metro Manila, Cagayan, Isabela, Bataan, Bulacan, Aurora, Quezon, Cavite, Laguna, Mindoro, Palawan and Mindanao) and overseas. Pangasinan residents of Mindanao (especially in Soccsksargen, Davao Region, Caraga, Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental) and their descendants are also fluent speakers of Cebuano (majority language of large parts of Mindanao), Hiligaynon (main lingua franca of Soccsksargen), Butuanon, Surigaonon (Visayan languages native in Caraga) and various indigenous Mindanaoan languages in addition to their native language. However, Pangasinan language has been endangered especially among newer generation of Pangasinans born in Mindanao due to assimilation to the Cebuano-speaking majority, with Cebuano is their main language with varying fluency in their ancestors' native language or none at all.

## Indigenous religion

Prior to Spanish colonization, the Pangasinan people believed in a pantheon of unique deities (gods and goddesses).

### Immortals

* Ama: the supreme deity, ruler of others, and the creator of mankind; sees everything through his aerial abode; father of Agueo and Bulan also referred as Ama-Gaolay
* Agueo: the morose and taciturn sun god who is obedient to his father, Ama; lives in a palace of light
* Bulan: the merry and mischievous moon god, whose dim palace was the source of the perpetual light which became the stars; guides the ways of thieves

### Mortals

* Urduja: a warrior princess who headed a supreme fleet

## Notable individuals

Urduja was a legendary woman warrior who is regarded as a heroine in Pangasinan. Malong and Palaris fought for independence from Spanish rule. Other prominent people of Pangasinan descent include Fidel Ramos (born in Lingayen, he served in the Cabinet of President Corazón Aquino, first as chief-of-staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and later on, as Secretary of National Defense from 1986 to 1991 before becoming the Philippine's 12th president), Tania Dawson whose mother hails from Santa Maria, Pangasinan, lawmaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., who was born in Dagupan City, Pangasinan; and actor and National Artist Fernando Poe, Jr., whose father was from San Carlos City, Pangasinan. Other notable Pangasinenses are Victorio C. Edades, Angela Perez Baraquio, Ambrosio Padilla, Cheryl Cosim (reporter and news program host), Marc Pingris, Leo Soriano, and Ric Segreto. Notable Pangasinense actresses and actors include Donita Rose, Marlou Aquino, Lolita Rodriguez, Barbara Perez, Gloria Romero, Carmen Rosales, Nova Villa, Jhong Hilario, and Liza Soberano.