GOVPH

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:

     Available records at the Municipal Hall list the following town executives from 1898 to June 2004:

     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. 

        Old Municipal Building (San Juan)

The following prominent Filipinos have/had their heritage or roots in San Simon:

• Rufino Almario – Poet and Author
• Marta Santos de Asis – Business Entrepreneur, Owner of Famous Dry Cleaning
• Gen. Paulino Briones – Philippine Army – Recognized Guerrilla
• Col. Paulino Briones, Jr. – Assistant Chief, TRAFCON, Philippine Constabulary
• Agapito Calanoc – Poet and Novelist
• Candido P. Caluag – Poet, Writer and Orator
• Felix Capulong – Vice President, Chinese Insurance Corporation
• Cesario P. Cunanan – Supervising Teacher
• Esteban P. Cunanan – Poet and Author
• Datu Patricio S. Cunanan – Governor in Davao, Municipal Judge in Mati, Davao
• Atty. Pacifico Garcia – Corporate Lawyer
• Bonifacio Gomez – Governor in Mindoro, President of Mindoro Sugar Central
• Dr. Ricardo Gutierrez – Outstanding Socio-Civic Leader and Dental Surgeon in California
• Cirila Punsalan Macapagal – Versista and Woman Poetess
• Capt. Cielo de Leon – Nursing Corps, Philippine Army
• Atty. Leonardo de Leon – Assistant Director, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI))
• Demetrio Macapagal – Catholic Music composer and grandfather of President Diosdado P. Macapagal
• Atty. Eligio Mallari - Commissioner, Commission on Human Rights 2001-2008 and President, Philippine Trial Lawyers Association, Inc. 2003-2005
• Judge Florentino Mercado – Municipal Judge of Apalit, Pampanga
• Atty. Felicisimo Pamandanan – Philippine National Bank Legal Counselor
• Catalino G. Punsalan – Governor of Occidental Mindoro
• Atty. Cicero J. Punsalan – Lawyer, Provincial Board Member and Vice Governor of Pampanga
• Felix B. Punsalan – Poet Laureate, Dramatist, Historian, Writer and Stage Director
• Col. Leon F. Punsalan – Regular US Army
• Leonardo Punsalan – Governor in Oriental Mindoro
• Dr. Narciso Punsalan – Mayor of San Jose, Mindoro
• Atty. Primitivo B. Punsalan – Philippine National Bank Legal Counselor
• Atty. Silvestre M. Punsalan – Lawyer, Poet Laureate, Novelist and Philippine National Bank Chairman
• Simeon B. Punsalan – Supervising Teacher
• Teodoro Punsalan – Mayor of San Luis, Pampanga
• Roman P. Reyes – Poet Laureate, Dramatist, Stage Actor and Director
• Judge Macario P. Santos – Court of First Instance, Dumaguete City
• Major Dante Simbulan – Philippine Army
• Dr. Donato Simbulan Jr. – Director, St. Michael Hospital in Cotabato
• Major Isauro Simbulan – Armed Forces of the Philippines
• Lt. Ruperto Simbulan – US Navy
• Sergio Taruc – Division Superintendent of Antique
• Conrado S. Yabut – Division Superintendent of Abra
• Engr. Moises Yabut – 1st Provincial Engineer of Pampanga

Following the character traits of their ancestors, many residents of San Simon seek better educational and economic opportunities in other towns and cities in the Philippines and in many foreign lands. Wherever they are, they are always grateful and extend their assistance in any way they could to their beloved hometown.

Source: http://www.andropampanga.com/history_sansimon.htm by Alejandro S. Camiling, CPA with Teresita Z. Camiling, BSE, MA