Abucay

Fast Facts Located in the northern part of Bataan and Pampanga, Abucay is 119 kilometers from Manila or within a 50-km. radius from Manila Bay. It has a total land area of 7,970.00 hectares, 44% of which is ideal for habitation and lowland rice cultivation and fish farming. Six rivers with a combined length of 37 kilometers intertwine from western to eastern direction. Secondary forests cover the western portion which is nearly 38% of Abucay's land area. Abucay has a total population of 38,554 people. Existing fishponds cover an area of 1,521.2 hectares, 319.25 hectares are under intensive use while the rest are non-functioning but available for utilization. Among the commercial marine species found in the area are milkfish, tilapia, pla-pla and shimps. Agricultural produce include rice, corn, rootcrops, legumes, vegetable and various kinds of fruits as well as forest grown bamboo and buho. Abucay Bataan Map Legend The name Abucay was coined from "abu-kinaykay" which means digging the debris of fire. According to legend, a Spaniard came to this town and was asking for its name. It so happened that his arrival coincided with the just extinguished big fire that burned and destroyed quite a number of houses in the place and so the people were busy digging the remains from the ashes. Digging or shoveling, "kinaykay" in local dialect. So when this Spaniard asked for the name of the place, the residents quickly replied, "abu-kinaykay", thinking that this Spaniard was asking what they were doing. From then on this town was called that way and later on to Abucay. Background Abucay was the site of the infamous massacre of 400 Pampangos who fought against the Dutch invaders on June 23, 1647. This town witnessed the courage and heroism of our countrymen who resisted against the Spaniards, the Dutch, the Americans, and the Japanese colonizers. Movable wooden press blocks was taken within the church of Abucay to be the first printing press in the country and is refuted to be older than any other single press in the United States. Tomas Pinpin, a native of Abucay ,who grew up under the tutelage of the Dominican priests in the convent, learned the rudiments of printing from Fray Francisco Blanca de San Jose and Juan de Vera, a Chinese printer at the University of Santo Tomas. Pinpin is undoubtedly the first Filipino printer. Source: http://www.mybataan.com