Magsingal Ilocos Sur Philippines

History of Magsingal

The name of the town, Magsingal owes its origin from an Ilocano term “Managsinggal”. The word means “wanderer”, descriptive of the nomadic nature and characteristics of the Itnegs or Tingguians who migrated to this place some 200 to 300 years before Spanish Era. However, in the process of lingual evolution, the term “Magsinngal” underwent some changes in substance, form and meaning. Its original connotation as “wanderer” gave way to its more endeared meaning, a home, a place and a name of a beloved town, for more than 20,000 people.

The forerunner of Magsingal is a number of neighboring settlements called “Puroc”, usually headed by one of the leaders of the village. He was called “Apo Lakay” and was usually chosen by virtue of his courage, wealth, wisdom and character. He was an acknowledged leader, authorized to settle disputes in accordance with the customs and traditions of their ancestors and people.

Documents attributed to Don Pedro de Aguirre reveal that Magsingal was an “encomienda” in 1591 ruled by an “encomiendero” who was vested with the right to exact free labor and collect tribute.

When the famous Spanish Capitan Juan de Salcedo founded Vigan, then Ciudad Fernandina, a vintage point and jumping board to propagate Christianity in North Luzon, Magsingal was only a “visita” of the Parish of Bantay established in April 20, 1591. “Visita” means no regular parish priest assigned but with a secondary priest. It was only on January 15, 1723 when Father Juan Sanchez, an Augustinian missionary, arrived to become the first parish priest. However, in the establishment of the parish the settlement of Andoriguis was chosen as the site. To forestall any further problem, Anduriguis was made the first capitan of the new Spanish Pueblo now finally Magsingal.

On the other hand, legend has it that the Municipality of Magsingal got its name from a sturdy woman named Palungo Galcia. The town of Magsingal was founded in the year 1676 under orders of capitan Juan de Salcedo of the Spanish Army.

The Spanish colonizers under the leadership of Capitan Juan de Salcedo encountered a place which was called Malungon, a place situated south west and about a kilometer away from the present Poblacion. This place was then under the rule of a woman ruler Palungo Galcia (Garcia). This woman was sturdy and with an exceptional strength. The Spanish colonizers brought them several bells to be allotted to the town of Magsingal. Upon arriving at Malongon, they offered this big bell to ruler Palungo Galcia, but this ruler flatly denied the offer to accept the big bell, and instead, she pointed to a place and simultaneously said, “maysingal”, or (Mayalis Sadiay) meaning, “Let it be transferred there”. This place pointed by Palungo Galcia is the present site of the town’s belfry which was then under the rule of her twin brothers Palungo Andoliguis (Andoriguis) and Palungo Tholentino (Tolentino). Since then, the Spaniards wrote and pronounced the name of this town as MAGSINGAL, a contraction of the word “MAYSINGAL, or MAYALIS SADIAY”.