You can now trace the origins of Philippine towns, communities. Here's how
Ever wondered how your town came to exist in the first place? History buffs and curious Filipinos can retrace those beginnings with just a few clicks thanks to a new online system from the National Archives of the Philippines.
The agency announced that it has officially launched a digital portal that lets users trace the origins of towns, barrios, and parishes across the country.
Called "Erección de los Pueblos System," or Erection of the Towns, the website contains catalog cards and digitized records that document the establishment of communities during the Spanish colonial period.
As you access the site, you'll first be greeted by a research bar where you can search for the town that to learn about. You can input the keyword or province, as well as the archival number and date range.
If you don't know exactly what to search for, you can simply scroll down and click the "See Full List" button to browse all available records in the database. From there, users can explore a catalog of provinces.
As you click one, you'll be taken to a breakdown of individual records tied to that province.
Each catalog entry provides a helpful summary detailing crucial moments in local history—such as royal orders approving the creation of new municipalities or official commission reports establishing town boundaries during the Spanish colonial era.
If you want to view the actual history yourself, hitting the "View Image" button opens the digital viewer. Through this, you can read through the beautifully preserved, centuries-old original Spanish manuscripts and official decrees, complete with historical stamps.
According to NAP, the collection holds over 47,443 bundies and more than 2,700 record series. It also comprises 8,834 images that were digitized from the original cards of the Erección de los Pueblos Spanish Documents Section’s Seccion 1. The catalog includes 238 bundles of manuscripts, illustrations, plans, and maps.
You can access the website through this link.
Copies of the records can also be requested through the NAP’s official email address at nationalarchives@nationalarchives.gov.ph, or personally through their Reference Service Unit in Paco, Manila.