Lingayen Gulf in the context of Cordillera Central (Luzon)

Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan (Pangasinan: Luyag/Probinsia na Pangasinan, [paŋɡasiˈnan]; Ilocano: Probinsia ti Pangasinan; Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Pangasinan), is a coastal province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its capital is Lingayen while San Carlos City is the most populous. Pangasinan is in the western area of Luzon along Lingayen Gulf and the South China Sea. It has a total land area of 5,451.01 square kilometres (2,104.65 sq mi). According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 3,188,540. The official number of registered voters in Pangasinan is 2,156,306. The western portion of the province is part of the homeland of the Sambal people, while the central and eastern portions are the homeland of the Pangasinan people. Due to ethnic migration, the Ilocano people settled in the province.

Pangasinan is the name of the province, the people and the spoken language. Indigenous Pangasinan speakers are estimated to number at least 2 million. The Pangasinan language, which is official in the province, is one of the officially recognized regional languages in the Philippines. Several ethnic groups enrich the cultural fabric of the province. Almost all of the people are Pangasinans and the rest are descendants of the Bolinao and Ilocano who settled the eastern and western parts of the province. Pangasinan is spoken as a second language by many ethnic minorities in Pangasinan. The minority ethnic groups are the Bolinao-speaking Zambals, and Ilocanos.

Dagupan [dɐˈgupan], officially the City of Dagupan (Pangasinan: Siyudad na Dagupan, Ilocano: Siudad ti Dagupan, Filipino: Lungsod ng Dagupan), is a 2nd class independent component city in the Ilocos Region, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 174,777 people.

Located on Lingayen Gulf on the northwest-central part of Luzon, Dagupan is the primary commercial and financial center of Pangasinan. The city is also one of the centers of modern medical services, education, media and communication in North-Central Luzon. The NEDA-Regional Development Council officially recognized Dagupan as a regional center. The city is situated within the fertile Agno River Valley and is in turn a part of the larger Central Luzon plain.

The Japanese invasion of Lingayen Gulf (Filipino: Paglusob ng mga Hapones sa Golfo ng Lingayen, Pangasinese: Inlusob na Hapon ed Gulpo na Lingayen, Ilocano: Panagraut dagiti Hapon iti Golfo ti Lingayen) was the key point in the Japanese plan for the conquest of the Philippines. Preparations had already been made by the Attack on Clark Field and the landings of Japanese forces at five points in northern and southern Luzon and Mindanao in early/mid December 1941, with the IJAAF seizing air fields and basing aircraft for ground support, and the Imperial Japanese Navy establishing seaplane bases at the Camiguin Island, Legaspi, and Davao. The main landing of Japanese forces targeted Lingayen Gulf, with its proximity to the Philippine capital of Manila, and Lamon Bay on the opposite coast to the south.

Mount Tapulao (also known as High Peak) is the highest mountain in the Zambales Mountain Range and in the province of Zambales in the Philippines. The peak, which rises to an elevation of 2,044 metres (6,706 ft) above sea level, is located in the municipality of Palauig, Zambales. Its name is derived from the abundance of Sumatran Pine trees in the area, known in Zambal as tapolaw.

The mountain was once a site of a large-scale chromite mining operations. The destruction of the beautiful natural scenery is visible in the mine pits on the summit as well as other related structures along the trail. The summit offers a 360-degree vista from where you can see the other Zambales mountains on the eastern side, Lingayen Gulf to the north, and on the western side, the Zambales lowlands and the South China Sea stretching to as far south as Pundaquit in San Antonio, Zambales.

Lingayen, officially the Municipality of Lingayen ([ˌliŋgɐˈjɛn]; Pangasinan: Baley na Lingayen; Ilocano: Ili ti Lingayen; Tagalog: Bayan ng Lingayen), is a first-class municipality and the capital of the province of Pangasinan in the Philippines. It serves as the political, administrative, and historical center of the province, hosting key provincial government offices and institutions. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 108,510 people., making it one of the most significant urban centers in the province in terms of governance and public administration.

The municipality occupies a strategic location along the Lingayen Gulf, which has historically contributed to its importance in trade, transportation, and military operations. Because of this geographic advantage, Lingayen played a crucial role during World War II, particularly as a major landing site for Allied forces during the liberation of Luzon in 1945. The town’s coastal position and infrastructure made it a vital strategic point, and its wartime history remains an important part of its local and national historical identity.

The Agno River, also known as the Pangasinan River, is a river on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Traversing the provinces of Benguet, Pangasinan, and Tarlac, it is one of the largest river systems in the country, with a drainage area of 5,952 square kilometres (2,298 sq mi).

The river originates in the Cordillera Mountains and empties into the South China Sea via Lingayen Gulf. The river is 248 kilometres (154 mi) long, making it the sixth longest river in the country. Roughly two million people live in the Agno River Valley, making it one of Philippines' larger population clusters.