Pangasinan
Totoon Pangasinan

Total population
2,012,496 (2020 census)[1] (1.9% of the Philippine population)
Regions with significant populations
Philippines (Pangasinan, Tarlac, La Union, Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Nueva Vizcaya, Metro Manila)  United States  Canada Worldwide
Languages
Pangasinan, Ilocano, Tagalog, English
Religion
Predominantly Roman Catholics, some are Protestants, Iglesia ni Cristo, Muslim, Buddhist and Animist
Related ethnic groups
Filipinos (Kapampangan, Sambal, Ilocano, Ibanag, Igorot, Ivatan, other Filipino ethnic groups) other Austronesian peoples

The Pangasinan people (Pangasinan: Totoon Pangasinan), also known as Pangasinense, are an ethnolinguistic group native to the Philippines. Numbering 1,823,865 in 2010, they are the tenth largest ethnolinguistic group in the country.^[2] They live mainly in their native province of Pangasinan and the adjacent provinces of La Union and Tarlac, as well as Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, and Nueva Vizcaya. Smaller groups are found elsewhere in the Philippines and worldwide in the Filipino diaspora.

Etymology

The name Pangasinan means "land of salt" or "place of salt-making". It is derived from asin, the word for "salt" in Pangasinan. The Pangasinan people are referred as Pangasinense. The term Pangasinan can refer to the indigenous speakers of the Pangasinan language or people of Pangasinan heritage.

Demographics

The estimated population of the Pangasinan people in the province of Pangasinan is 2.5 million. The Pangasinan people are also living in the neighboring provinces of Tarlac and La Union (which used to be parts of Pangasinan Province), Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, and Nueva Vizcaya; as well as in Pangasinan communities in the Philippines and overseas.

Indigenous religion

Prior to Spanish colonization, the Pangasinan people believed in a pantheon of unique deities (gods and goddesses).^[3]

Immortals

Mortals

Notable individuals

Urduja was a legendary woman warrior who is regarded as a heroine in Pangasinan. Malong and Palaris fought for independence from Spanish rule. Other prominent people of Pangasinan descent include Fidel Ramos (born in Lingayen, he served in the Cabinet of President Corazón Aquino, first as chief-of-staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and later on, as Secretary of National Defense from 1986 to 1991 before becoming the Philippine's 12th president), Tania Dawson whose mother hails from Santa Maria, Pangasinan, lawmaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., who was born in Dagupan City, Pangasinan; and actor and National Artist Fernando Poe, Jr., whose father was from San Carlos City, Pangasinan. Other notable Pangasinenses are Victorio C. Edades, Angela Perez Baraquio, Ambrosio Padilla, Cheryl Cosim (reporter), Marc Pingris, and Ric Segreto. Notable Pangasinense actresses and actors include Donita Rose, Marlou Aquino, Lolita Rodriguez, Barbara Perez, Gloria Romero, Carmen Rosales, Nova Villa, Jhong Hilario, and Liza Soberano.