Malacañang has issued Proclamation No. 1126 declaring April 5 as a special non-working holiday in the province of Pangasinan for the celebration of its 441st founding anniversary.

“It is but fitting and proper that the people of the Province of Pangasinan be given full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies, subject to community quarantine, social distancing, and other public health measures,” the proclamation issued on March 30 read.

Pangasinan comes from the word “Panag-asinan” that means a place of “asin” (salt) or salt-making since the province is well-known to be producing salt (rock salt). It has 44 towns and four cities comprising six districts of the province.

Its language called Pangasinan is considered to be one of the widely used in the country. Its origin can be traced to the Austronesian languages in Asia and closer to Ibaloi language, according to the Provincial Information Office.

The province used to celebrate Pangasinan Day every November 15th to commemorate the birth anniversary of the late Speaker of the House of Representatives Eugenio Perez, who was the first Speaker of the House from Pangasinan.

Perez’s birth date was declared a special non-working holiday in the entire province every year in 1990.

The declaration of Pangasinan’s founding day on April 5, 1580 was approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan through Provincial Ordinance No. 143-2010. (PNA)