Basista, officially the Municipality of Basista, is a 4th class municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 37,679 people. Basista is 29 km from Lingayen, 198 km from Manila, 10 km from San Carlos, and 8 km from Bayambang.

History

The former barrio of San Carlos, now the site of the town proper or poblacion was once the biggest and one of the progressive barrios located in the far south of the mother town, San Carlos (now a city). As early as 1918, influential and prominent citizens of the then barrio of Basista came together and made the first attempt to petition the municipal government of San Carlos and the provincial board of Pangasinan to grant the township of their barrios. Prominent politicians during that time volunteered their help in making representations with the proper authorities, but their request was not granted. On September 5, 1961, President Carlos P. Garcia issued Executive Order No. 446 creating the town of Basista composed of 13 barrios out of the 28 that petitioned. Four years after, however, the Philippine Supreme Court declared the town's creation as without legal basis citing their ruling in the "Emmanuel Pelaez vs. Auditor General" that "municipalities created under Executive Orders are void". It was here that Republic Act No. 4866 filed by Pangasinan 2nd District Representative Jack L. Soriano was enacted into law and legally created Basista as a town of Pangasinan.

Geography

Barangays

Basista is politically subdivided into 13 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Climate

Demographics

Economy

Government

Local government

Basista, belonging to the second congressional district of the province of Pangasinan, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.

Elected officials

Members of the Municipal Council (2022):