Aguilar Pangasinan Philippines

Etymology

There are several versions of the origin of the name "AGUILAR". One old version says that Aguilar came from the word "Aguila", a big bird that used to fly around the place during the night. Whenever the "aguila" got tired flying, it would perch on a fence called "alar" in the dialect. The "aguila" had beliefs connected with it. The people believed that it brought them good luck. Some even said that the bird was guarding a buried treasure of the town. When the bird was no longer seen, the people named the place AGUILAR, from the word "aguila" and "alar" to remember the bird that gave them good luck.

Another version of how the town got its name was from the story of some young girls who went to pick up vegetables in the "kaingin". The girls took the short way and panned through the fence. The most beautiful girl in the group suffered bruises and scratches as she forced herself through the fence, and she exclaimed in Pangasinense, "agui, alar, alar". Her companions repeated the words after her just to tease her. Very soon, the expression became popular in town and the people coined the name "Aguilar" to call the town.