On the year 2000 the National Historical Commission of the Philippines declared the town plaza and the surrounding ancestral houses of Pila as a National Historical Landmark. It was cited that the town is an early pre-Hispanic center of culture and trade in Laguna known as “La Noble Villa de Pila” and has been recognized as the countries archaeological sites where clay potteries has been discovered in excavations.
The heritage town is bounded by General Luna Street in the north, M.H. del Pilar Street in the east, Mabini Street in the south and Bonifacio Street in the west including the Pila Elementary School and the Juan Fuentes and Santiago Fernandez House. Two years after its declaration as a National Historical Landmark the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo proclaimed the parish church of Pila as the Diocesan Shrine of St Anthony de Padua making it as the only town in the country that is formally recognized as a historical site by both the church and the state.
The heritage town is bounded by General Luna Street in the north, M.H. del Pilar Street in the east, Mabini Street in the south and Bonifacio Street in the west including the Pila Elementary School and the Juan Fuentes and Santiago Fernandez House. Two years after its declaration as a National Historical Landmark the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo proclaimed the parish church of Pila as the Diocesan Shrine of St Anthony de Padua making it as the only town in the country that is formally recognized as a historical site by both the church and the state.
Before the Spaniards invaded the country the town of Pila was one of the biggest barangay domains in Southern Luzon being led by Gat Salyan Maguinto the “gold rich datu” of Pila. He extended his kingdom far and wide that encompassed the present towns of Morong, Baras, Tanay, Jala-jala and Talim Island. The descendants of Gat Salyan were also regarded as the founders of other towns in Rizal province.
Later on due to flooding they had to transfer to Pagalangan, which signifies a “place of Reverence”. The gold rich datu purchased the new site with his own gold from another chief who own the land, the datu then farmed out the arable land among the nobles and the freemen who in return paid him an annual rent of a hundred ganta of rice.
Later on due to flooding they had to transfer to Pagalangan, which signifies a “place of Reverence”. The gold rich datu purchased the new site with his own gold from another chief who own the land, the datu then farmed out the arable land among the nobles and the freemen who in return paid him an annual rent of a hundred ganta of rice.
In 1571, the Spanish conquistadors, led by Don Juan de Salcedo, “discovered” Pila in Pagalangan after the “pacification” of Manila. On 14 November of the same year Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the first Spanish governor-general, awarded the encomienda (tributes) of Pagalangan and other Laguna villages to Don Francisco de Herrera, a regidor (councilman) of Manila. With the reorganization of the encomiendas in 1575, the tributes of Pila were granted to Don Hernando Ramirez on 29 July.
The Franciscans arrived in 1578 to evangelize the people of Pila and soon afterward built a church dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua, the first Antonine house of worship in the Philippines. Due to the nobleness and mildness of the character of its inhabitants, the Spanish leadership honored the town with an exceptional title La Noble Villa de Pila, one of five villas named by the Spaniards in the 16th and 17th century in the Philippines. During this period, the demesne of Pila includes Victoria, Laguna, and Jala-Jala, Rizal.
The Franciscans arrived in 1578 to evangelize the people of Pila and soon afterward built a church dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua, the first Antonine house of worship in the Philippines. Due to the nobleness and mildness of the character of its inhabitants, the Spanish leadership honored the town with an exceptional title La Noble Villa de Pila, one of five villas named by the Spaniards in the 16th and 17th century in the Philippines. During this period, the demesne of Pila includes Victoria, Laguna, and Jala-Jala, Rizal.
The Franciscans established the second printing press in the Philippines in 1611 under the auspices of Tomas Pinpin and Domingo Loag. The press printed in 1613, Philippines’ oldest dictionary and the first book printed using the movable type, the Vocabulario de Lengua Tagala. The book was written and compiled by Fray Pedro de San Buenaventura and printed by Tomas Pinpin, the Prince of Filipino printers.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the town was transferred from Pagalangan to the present site of Santa Clara because of perennial flooding.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the town was transferred from Pagalangan to the present site of Santa Clara because of perennial flooding.
How to get to Pila, Laguna:
Ride a bus bound to Sta Cruz, Laguna from Cubao or Buendia the travel time is approximately 2-2.5 hours depending on the traffic. You just have to ask the bus driver or conductor to drop you at Pila-Simbahan. All the bus bound to Sta Cruz passes by the town proper of Pila.