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History of Pura

It was during the Spanish regime when migrants coming from the Ilocos Region ( Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and La Union) moved southward to look for arable lands. These early settlers were forced to abandon their place of birth because it consisted of narrow coastal plains and highlands where agriculture is not a promising means of livelihood.These migrants who were close relatives (brothers, and sisters, cousins, uncles and aunts) decided to stay on the northeastern part of a future province later known to be Tarlac. The place at that time was forest and so the migrants took the plains of clearing the area preparatory for agricultural activities. Because of kinship, they considered themselves pure Ilocano settlers of the place, they unanimously agreed to dub their settlement “PURA”.It seems that the place where the settlers established their settlement was originally a part of Barrio de Villa, then a part of the Municipality of Gerona. The settlement gradually grew until the leaders felt that it was ripe for township and filed a petition to the proper authorities to have the settlement converted to a town. In 1877, through the initiative and efforts of Fr. Pedro Graneta, then the parish priest of Gerona, Pura won and enjoyed its bid for political status as pueblo or town in 1877, by the virtue of Spanish laws. However, Pura’s recognition and political status as a town did not last long, as for unknown cause. The town was reverted into its original status as a barrio in 1903, again under the political jurisdiction of the Municipality of Gerona. Five years later or in 1908, Pura’s township status was re-established with the late Don Felix Melegrito as its Chief Executive or president.In 1919, during the second incumbency of Don Felix Melegrito, about 2,000 hectares of agricultural land at the eastern portion of Pura was ceded and become territorial parts of Guimba, Nueva Ecija by a virtue of a court decision establishing the territorial delineation separating the town of Pura, Tarlac and Guimba, Nueva Ecija. These are now parts constituting the barangays of San Miguel, Medina, Maybobon, and Susubaen.Since then, the Municipality has sixteen (16) barangays. At present, the Municipal Leadership is under the reins of Hon. Concepcion A. Zarate, M.D.

Official Website of Municipality of Pura