History and Origin of Bolinao, Pangasinan

     The history of Bolinao remains a history. There were no specific decrees or law under which the town was created. Based on what we saw and heard on our three days trip in the city, the land where we are taking a stroll is a part of the sea a million of years ago.

      It was a feeling of amazement knowing that the whole city was a part of a body of water before and then land arises to what we saw now as the City of Bolinao. I can compare it to the lost city of Atlantis but it was exactly the opposite. Atlantis was a land mass before it submerge deep into the ocean while Bolinao is a water mass before it emerge on the earth’s surface. There were so many evidences that shows that Bolinao is a part of the sea during the pre-historic era because of the corals and the rock formation that we can still see on Enchanted Cave, Cindy’s Cave, Balingasay River and the beach resort Treasures of Bolinao. These corals and rock formation are obviously found underwater because of its structures and forms.

      When the land has emerge, Chinese merchants has found out about the land. They got an easy access to travel, as we all know the sea that surrounds Bolinao is the sea which the Chinese and Filipinos are battling about, the West Philippine Sea. The early Chinese merchants and travelers made their settlements inside the caves. Evidences show that there were really early people who dwell inside of it because of the artifacts found like ceramics, porcelains and other jewelries that we can see inside the Bolinao Museum.

     Based on what we had found out during our tour in the city, Bolinao and some other parts of Western Pangasinan were formerly part of Zambales. It was the year 1903 when Bolinao and other western town were transferred to Pangasinan due to its proximity to the capital town of Lingayen. Also, Bolinao was founded by Capt. Pedro Lombi.

     Another history of the city is based on a legend or myth, which we heard from the elder citizen of Brgy. Patar, Bolinao where we had stayed in and also based on our research. The tale began during the first days of the Spanish era. There was a beautiful lady named Anao. She used to bathe in the spring (Libsong Spring) under the tree called “Boli-bolinao”, a tree of the molave family. A certain chieftain’s son living across the channel had seen her and fell in love with her. An early marriage followed with the condition that the seat of government of the chieftain is transferred to where Anao lived. Then they derived the name of the land to the tree “Boli-bolinao” and Anao’s name thus ended up to the name “Bolinao”.

      Some says and also believes that the name of the chieftain’s son was “Bolidnu”, which means round and robust and the beautiful lady was “Malinao” which means clear as the Libsong spring. The combination of the name of the lovers became the name of the whole land which is Bolinao. The meaning of the names of the two perfectly describes the city’s land shape, form and characteristics.

      I believe that Bolinao has still so many untold stories about its past. We might not know it but what’s important is we have now an idea about it. The real identity and beauty of Bolinao does not lie on just its history, what matters most is the here and now and the upcoming future that waits. Let’s find out if its history will still prevail on the upcoming days to come. We will go back once again to find out.