The town of Urdaneta is comparatively the youngest of all surrounding towns of Manaoag, Sta. About the end of the 17th century, people from Manaoag, Sta. Barbara and Villasis established their residence in what is known as Poblacion of Urdaneta. By that time, people from Ilocos Sur and La Union were arriving in this place. Many of these (young) people coming from Ilocos provinces brought their fam
ilies with them. A man from Santa, Ilocos Sur by the name of Tomas Mangzano arrived. By then, there was enough number to establish a separate town. The authorities of Manaoag came and formally founded the town of Urdaneta placing Tomas Mangzano as the head of the Barangay. The name “Urdaneta” was chosen as the name of the town in honor of the priest Andres de Urdaneta. The first church was a leanto, a small structure comparable to the huts as usually found in the hinterlands nowadays. A Dominican friar from Manaoag came after to celebrate Mass and baptized babies. Tomas Manzano who was a recognized leader, was credited with the honor of being the founder of the town. This town was founded on January 8, 1858. It was accepted by the Dominicans as a parish in 1863. The foundation of a regular church was laid but was not continued for it was too big and the town was very young. Vestiges of this church is still found as a part of the present church. And we could see these bricks, which became a portion of the present convent. The first Pastor of the town was Fr. Nicolas Manrique Alonzo. Before that, the parish had been administered by the Parish Priest of Binalonan. Manrique who made and executed the plans of the town. He transferred an old camarin, which served as the house of worship to the site where the first church of the town was later built. The construction of the old church was started by Fr. Rafael Cano on March 4, 1884, when finished it was 77.10 meters long and 23.3 meters wide and had three naves. It was however destroyed by the American bombings in January 1945 in the Second World War. The ruins of the same church became the place where the newly established community high school was. The most notable priest was often called “Matarampas” a Spanish Friar from Manaoag. As the power of Spain weakened, Filipino priests were being ordained, and who were chosen to take their places. Among the Filipino priests assigned in Urdaneta was Fr. Eusebio David from Mangaldan, Pangasinan. When the Philippine revolution came, there was split among Filipino priests. Those who were sympathetic with Spain remained while the others declared independence. So we have here in Urdaneta today the Independent Church which we find in Mabini or Nancamaliran. The leader of this was Gregorio Aglipay. In the course of time, Urdaneta became progressively religious and economically. We have the following Parish Priests of different years: Rev. Domingo Montano, Rev. Ciriaco Billote, Archbishop Emilio Cinense, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Tomas Santos, Rev. Elpidio Sison, Rt. Antonio Palma, Rev. Rufino Lopez, Rev. Amado Lopez, Rev. Geronimo E. Marcelino, Rev. Teofilo L. Calicdan, Rev. Primo A. Garcia, Msgr. Manuel G. Baraan, Rev. Antonio E. Reyes, Jr., Rev. Lazaro P. Hortaleza, Fr. Arturo F. Aquino, Fr. Alejandro T. de Guzman, and now the incumbent Parish Priest is Rev. Jesus Melvyn N. Bufete.
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On January 12, 1985, His Holiness Pope John Paul II, by the virtue of the Papal Bull, NON RARO CATHOLICORUM erected the Diocese of Urdaneta. The Immaculate Conception Parish became the Seat of the Diocese of Urdaneta and is now called the Immaculate Conception Cathedral.
