History of San. Simon, Pampanga
San Simon, an emerging business haven in Central Luzon particularly in the province of Pampanga had its humble beginnings in 1770 as a farming village when it was founded by Don Mariano del Pilar de los Reyes and named it Barrio Del Pilar. It was located in a productive agricultural area between the towns of San Luis in the North and Apalit in the South. As the population kept on growing in the local community, the leading citizens of the progressive village initiated a petition to consolidate a portion of the southern part of the town of San Luis and a land area from the northern part of the municipality of Apalit to form an independent municipality. Appraised of the economic potential of a new town and confidence in the management capability of the leaders, the Spanish Governor General at the time during his second term as chief administrator of the Philippines, Don Simon de Anda y Salazar approved the official creation of the town on November 15, 1771.
The town was named in honor of the Spanish Governor General who approved its creation and of the Apostle Simon Peter, the Patron Saint of the illustrious town of Apalit. Like any other typical Spanish town (pueblo) it was administered by a “Capitan del Pueblo” and had a municipal policy making body called today as Municipal Council. The Catholic Parish Church, the Public Market, the Town Plaza and homes of prominent families were located within the proximity of the Municipal Hall. The people of San Simon celebrate two town fiestas, one in honor of Lady of the Pillar, the patron saint of the first barrio and the other in honor of the Apostle Simon Peter. In 1898, the retreating military forces of General Antonio Luna on their way to Nueva Ecija burned the parish church. In 1979, through the effort and financial contributions of the Ibanez, Guevarra, Santos, Punsalan, Pangan and other families, the church was rebuilt and named as Nuestra Senora Del Pilar.
Among the early settlers of the town were the Macapagal, Simbulan, Santos and Pangan families.
By the year 1835, the town had eight barrios. However, since the late 1940s, the number of barrios increased to fourteen in a land area of 5,736 hectares and by the early years of the 21st century, the population grew to more than 39,000 people. As of this writing, the barrios in San Simon are the following:
Concepcion (Duyong)
De la Paz
San. Agustin (Tulaoc)
San. Isidro (Litlit)
San. Jose
San. Juan
San. Miguel (Calonge)
San. Nicolas (Sompong)
San. Pablo Libutad
San. Pablo (Pulo)
San. Pedro (Cutcut)
Santa Cruz
Santa Monica (Pangkiari)
Santo Nino
In 1904, the town of San Simon was merged with the municipality of San Luis and about three years after, it became an independent municipality. In 1920, the geographical boundaries of San Luis, Apalit and San Simon were officially established.
Like most Kapampangan people, residents of San Simon retain their Kapampangan language and traditional culture and arts brought about by their Malay ancestors and enriched by Chinese, Spanish, American, Japanese and other ethnic and foreign cultures. The principal industries in San Simon are farming, fishing and poultry and swine industries.
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