Mangatarem got its name from the Ilocano words “Manga ken Tirem” which means “mango and oyster”. It was coined when two woodcutters happened to meet in a forested area that is now part of the current town proper. One woodcutter brought mangoes to eat while the other brought some oysters. When the two men noticed, they both exclaimed “Manga ken Tirem”, thus, the name Mangatarem.
Originally established as a visita of San Carlos in 1827, Mangatarem became an independent town in 1835 headed by its first gobernadorcillo Don Ambrocio Gutierrez and its designated parish priest Dominican friar Father Joaquin Perez.
Part of the second congressional district, Mangatarem neighbors the towns of Aguilar and Urbiztondo. It is 29 kilometers from the capital town of Lingayen. Mangatarem has a total land area of 31,750 hectares, the largest town in the province. It has a population of 79,323 people according to the 2020 census.
Located in Mangatarem is the Manleluag Hot Spring National Park, a 1,935-hectare protected area that boasts two ophiolitic hot springs near the extinct volcano Mount Malabobo. The Manleluag Hot Spring National Park is home to 90 bird species and several other vulnerable and endangered species like the Philippine deer, cloud rat, and Philippine warty pig.
Connecting the towns of Mangatarem, Pangasinan and Santa Cruz, Zambales is Daang Kalikasan, a 60-kilometer four-way lane national highway. The cool breeze and picturesque view of Daang Kalikasan made Mangatarem a local hit for tourists. Its rolling hills are now being compared to the likes of Batanes and Apao Rolling Hills of Abra.
