Bani
Definition
Bani is a second income-class municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Ilocos Region (Region I), Philippines, located along the western coast facing the West Philippine Sea. It had a population of about 52,603 (per recent figures) and is composed of 27 barangays. Bani is known as a coastal municipality with a significant salt-production industry, sweet watermelon farming, and the annual Pakwan (Watermelon) Festival. It was formerly called San Simon and was annexed to Pangasinan from northern Zambales on 21 November 1903.
Identities (Wikipedia/Wikidata/DBpedia)
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bani,_Pangasinan
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q41732
- DBpedia: http://dbpedia.org/resource/Bani,_Pangasinan
Also Known As
Officially the “Municipality of Bani.” It is associated with the “Pakwan Festival” and salt farming (asinan); coastal beaches such as the nearby Abagatanen area in neighboring Agno are part of the broader western-Pangasinan coast.
Examples and Analogies
Bani functions as a coastal salt-and-produce town: its salt beds and watermelon farms, paired with a seaside location, make it comparable to small coastal municipalities that combine traditional sea-salt harvesting with seasonal fruit farming.
Usage Scenarios
Salt farmers (asineros) operate beds like the Abunciang Salt Farm, producing thousands of tons of salt annually. Watermelon growers supply the Pakwan Festival and regional markets, while LGU and DTI programs promote salt and melon-based livelihoods.
Strategies
Priorities include reviving and modernising the salt industry, expanding watermelon and high-value crop production, developing coastal tourism, and improving farm-to-market and coastal roads.
Security and Safety Measures
The DRRM office manages coastal typhoon and storm-surge response, while salt-bed and farm operations require health and labour safeguards. The LGU coordinates with the PNP and provincial agencies on festival crowd safety and coastal enforcement.
Historical Context
Bani was originally the settlement of San Simon within northern Zambales and was annexed to Pangasinan in 1903. Its salt-making tradition is part of the wider Pangasinan (“asin”) heritage, and the town has developed a distinct identity around watermelon and salt.
Challenges and Controversies
Issues include the long decline of the local salt industry amid cheap imported salt and rising production costs, coastal-storm vulnerability, watermelon price fluctuations, and the need to make tourism and agribusiness more resilient.