Santo Tomas, Pangasinan

Santo Tomas
Municipality
Municipality of Santo Tomas
Downtown area
Flag Seal
Map of Pangasinan with Santo Tomas highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Santo Tomas Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 15°52′45″N120°35′18″E / 15.8792°N 120.5883°E / 15.8792; 120.5883
Country	Philippines
Region	Ilocos Region
Province	Pangasinan
District	5th district
Founded	February 10, 1908
Barangays	10 (see Barangays)
Government   [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
•  Mayor	Timoteo S. Villar III
•  Vice Mayor	Wilfredo M. Pescador
•  Representative	Ramon V. Guico III
•  Municipal Council	Members Jerry P. Marquez Leonora S. Zarasate Dickerson D. Villar Jonathan Q. Castañaga Mary Jane V. Saavedra Garry V. Coloma Nela N. Mariñas Heidiliz S. Ordoño
•  Electorate	9,945 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	12.99 km2 (5.02 sq mi)
Elevation [3]	28 m (92 ft)
Highest elevation	45 m (148 ft)
Lowest elevation	19 m (62 ft)
Population  (2024 census) [4]
• Total	14,894
• Density	1,100/km2 (3,000/sq mi)
•  Households	3,816
Economy
•  Income class	5th municipal income class
•  Poverty incidence	15.32 % (2021) [5]
•  Revenue	₱ 112.2 million (2022)
•  Assets	₱ 300.6 million (2022)
•  Expenditure	₱ 87.89 million (2022)
•  Liabilities	₱ 31.34 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Pangasinan 3 Electric Cooperative (PANELCO 3)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	2426
PSGC	0105540000
IDD  :  area code	+63 (0)75
Native languages	Pangasinan Ilocano Tagalog

Santo Tomas, officially the Municipality of Santo Tomas (Pangasinan : Baley na Santo Tomas; Ilocano : Ili ti Santo Tomas; Tagalog : Bayan ng Santo Tomas), is a municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 14,878 people, making it the least populated municipality in the province. ^[6]

Geography

Santo Tomas is situated 53.64 kilometres (33.33 mi) from the provincial capital Lingayen, and 174.98 kilometres (108.73 mi) from the country's capital city of Manila.

Barangays

Santo Tomas is politically subdivided into 10 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

• La Luna
• Poblacion East
• Poblacion West
• Salvacion
• San Agustin
• San Antonio
• San Jose
• San Marcos
• Santo Domingo
• Santo Niño

Climate

Climate data for Santo Tomas, Pangasinan
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	31 (88)	31 (88)	32 (90)	34 (93)	35 (95)	34 (93)	32 (90)	32 (90)	32 (90)	32 (90)	32 (90)	31 (88)	32 (90)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	22 (72)	22 (72)	22 (72)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	23 (73)	22 (72)	23 (74)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	13.6 (0.54)	10.4 (0.41)	18.2 (0.72)	15.7 (0.62)	178.4 (7.02)	227.9 (8.97)	368 (14.5)	306.6 (12.07)	310.6 (12.23)	215.7 (8.49)	70.3 (2.77)	31.1 (1.22)	1,766.5 (69.56)
Average rainy days	3	2	2	4	14	16	23	21	24	15	10	6	140
Source: World Weather Online [7]

Demographics

Population census of Santo Tomas

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	3,085	—
1918	2,760	−0.74%
1939	3,147	+0.63%
1948	4,294	+3.51%
1960	5,235	+1.66%
1970	7,562	+3.74%
1975	8,615	+2.65%
1980	8,946	+0.76%
1990	10,253	+1.37%
1995	11,397	+2.00%
2000	12,304	+1.66%
2007	13,706	+1.50%
2010	14,406	+1.83%
2015	15,022	+0.80%
2020	14,878	−0.20%
2024	14,894	+0.03%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]

Religion

St. Thomas Aquinas Parish Church

St. Thomas Aquinas Parish Church

The 1973 St. Thomas Aquinas Parish (F-1973) Church (Barangay Santo Domingo) is under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Urdaneta and the Vicariate of Sacred Heart (Vicar Forane is Father Hurley John S. Solfelix). Its Feast Day is January 28, the same feast day of the Church's patron and the town's patron, St. Thomas Aquinas. The current Parish Priest as of 2024 is Father Joseph Repollo. As a parish, Santo Tomas was erected on March 15, 1974, by Archbishop Federico Limon consecrated the Church on March 15, 1974, since before, Santo Tomas Church was merely a "visita” or chapel of Alcala, Pangasinan, while the town was a barrio of Alcala (from 1898 until the 1901 fusion with Alcala), with former name of Arango (“inarang”, fresh water shells at Agno River). ^[13]

Before 1898, Santo Tomas was a barrio of Alcala. Arango was its name as a barrio, Such a name derived from “inarang”, a name given to the fresh water shells which abound near the bank of the Agno river. Santo Tomas was recreated as a town in 1908. ^[14]

Economy

Poverty incidence of Santo Tomas

5 10 15 20 25 30 2000 20.34 2003 16.82 2006 22.80 2009 17.50 2012 13.01 2015 12.21 2018 10.72 2021 15.32 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22]

The town's principal products are palay, yellow corn, coconut, tobacco, poultry and livestock. ^[23]

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

Santo Tomas is part of the fifth congressional district of the province of Pangasinan. It 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.

Elected officials

Members of the Municipal Council
(2019–2022) ^[24]

Position	Name
Congressman	Ramon V. Guico III
Mayor	Timoteo S. Villar III
Vice-Mayor	Wilfredo M. Pescador
Councilors	Jerry P. Marquez
	Leonora S. Zarasate
	Dickerson D. Villar
	Jonathan Q. Castañaga
	Mary Jane V. Saavedra
	Garry V. Coloma
	Nela N. Mariñas
	Heidiliz S. Ordoño

Guinness World Records

On February 11, 2008, during the first Corn Festival of the centennial celebration, Santo Tomas was awarded by the Guinness World Records certificate for the longest barbecue (3,803.96 metres (12,480.2 ft)). Residents grilled 93,540 glutinous corn on the 1,559 metres (5,115 ft) long grills (each interconnected grill measured 2.4 meters), traversing its 10 barangays. Santo Tomas' longest barbecue record beat the previous record of 1,493.2 metres (4,899 ft) set in Montevideo, Uruguay (grilled red meat). ^[25]

On February 11, 2009, Santo Tomas' 2nd Corn Festival's 200-meter (stretch of the street) corn grill was held for its 101st founding anniversary. ^[26] at it previously held its 2007 Santo Tomas Corn Festival. ^{[27] [28]}

In the "Agew na Pangasinan 2012 Street Dancers Showdown", April 11, 2012 Pangasinan Day amid the Float Parade and Street Dancing Contest, Santo. Tomas Street Dancers demonstrated their Guinness entry: “the biggest grill in the world”. ^[29] On the 2012 Corn Festival, March 26, Santo Tomas, Pangasinan grilled 6,000 ears of corn for the town's 103rd founding anniversary yesterday. ^[30]

Education

The Sto. Tomas Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools. ^[31]

Primary and elementary schools

• Doña Aurea Elementary School
• Ernesting Gonzalez Central School
• Salvacion Elementary School
• San Jose Elementary School

Secondary schools

• Antonio P. Villar National High School
• San Antonio National High School

Gallery

• 
  Gate of the Town Hall
• 
  Santo Tomas Town Hall (Municipio)
• 
  Health Center
• 
  Santo Tomas Gymnasium
• 
  Santo Tomas Elementary School (in front of the Town Hall)

References

1.   Municipality of Santo Tomas | (DILG)
2. "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN   0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
3. https://elevationmap.net/san-marcos-santo-tomas-pangasinan-ph-1001561315.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
4. "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
5. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
6. "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
7. "Santo Tomas, Pangasinan: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". World Weather Online. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
8. "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
9. Census of Population (2015). "Region I (Ilocos Region)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 20 June 2016.
10. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region I (Ilocos Region)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office . Retrieved 29 June 2016.
11. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region I (Ilocos Region)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
12. "Province of". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
13. "Sto. Tomas Pangasinan". Archived from the original on 2007-05-14. Retrieved 2025-01-16.
14. "Capital of Pangasinan: All Churches in Pangasinan". 18 February 2008.
15. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
16. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
17. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
18. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
19. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
20. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
21. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
22. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
23. "Santo Tomas | The Official Website of the Province of Pangasinan and its People". www.pangasinan.gov.ph. Archived from the original on 2011-10-28.
24. "2019 National and Local Elections" (PDF). Commission on Elections. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
25. "Longest barbecue in Guinness records". SunStar. 12 February 2010. Archived from the original on 24 April 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
26. "Second Corn Festival". The Philippine STAR .
27. "Santo Tomas, Pangasinan". Archived from the original on 2010-06-13. Retrieved 2025-01-16.
28. "Philippines Top Stories: Politics, Environment, Education, Trending | Inquirer.net".
29. "Kent-the-traveler: Agew na Pangasinan 2012 Street Dancers Showdown". 13 April 2012.
30. "Colorful Festivals in Pangasinan | Travel to the Philippines". October 2012.
31. "Masterlist of Schools" (PDF). Department of Education. January 15, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2025.

External links

• Santo Tomas Profile at PhilAtlas.com
• Municipal Profile at the National Competitiveness Council of the Philippines Archived 2017-02-02 at the Wayback Machine
• Santo Tomas at the Pangasinan Government Website Archived 2019-01-19 at the Wayback Machine
• Local Governance Performance Management System Archived 2016-10-10 at the Wayback Machine
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information