Pampanga

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the river see Pampanga River.
Province of Pampanga
Provincial seal of Pampanga
Provincial seal of Pampanga
Map of the Philippines with Pampanga highlighted
Map of the Philippines with Pampanga highlighted
Region Central Luzon (Region III)
Capital City of San Fernando
Divisions  
 - Highly urbanized cities 1
 - Component cities 1
 - Municipalities 20
 - Barangays 537
 - Congressional districts 4
Population 10th largest
 - Total (2007) 1,882,730
 - Density 863/km² (4th highest)
Area 23rd smallest
 - Total 2,180.7 km²
Founded December 11, 1571
Spoken languages Kapampangan, Tagalog, English
Governor Eduardo Panlilio (Independent)

Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is San Fernando City, Pampanga. Pampanga is bordered by the provinces of Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to the north, and Bulacan to the southeast. Pampanga also lies on the northern shore of Manila Bay. The name "La Pampanga" was given by the Spaniards who found the early natives living near the river banks. The word "Pangpang" means river bank. Its creation in 1571 makes it the oldest among the seven provinces of Central Luzon. The Province of Pampanga enjoys the distinction of being known as the culinary heart of the Philippines.

Pampanga is served by the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, which is located at Clark Field in Angeles City, some 16 kilometers north of the provincial capital.

Contents

[edit] People and culture

A little history of Pampanga shows that the Kapampangans take pride in their province for being one of the eight provinces in the country to revolt against Spain and having produced two presidents, three chief justices, a senate president, the first Filipino cardinal and many outstanding personalities in public service, education, diplomacy, journalism, the arts and sciences, entertainment and business.

Kapampangan cuisine is widely thought to be among the most evolved and refined of Philippine cuisines. Some of the menus that are said to have originated from Pampanga are kare-kare, sisig, and kilawin. (See Pampangos.)

[edit] Economy

Farming and fishing are the two main industries of the province. Major products include rice, corn, sugar cane, and tilapia. In addition to farming and fishing, the province also supports thriving cottage industries that specialize in wood carving, furniture-making, guitars, and handicrafts. Every year during the Christmas season, the province of Pampanga becomes the center of a thriving industry centered on handcrafted lighted lanterns called “parols” that displays a kaleidoscope of light and color. Other industries include its casket industry and the manufacturing of all Purpose Vehicles present in the Municipality of Sto. Tomas.

The province is famous for its culinary industry. Kapampangans are well known for their culinary expertise. Well known food products range from the ordinary to the exotic. Pampanga's Best and Mekeni Food are among the better known meat brands of the country producing Kapampangan favorites such as pork and chicken tocinos, beef tapa, hot dogs, and longanizas (Philippines-style sausages and cured meats.)

Speciality foods such as the murcon (ground meat stuffed in fish), embutido (ground pork roll), kare-kare (pork or beef cooked in peanut butter), sisig baboy (a spicy pork dish best served with beer), lechon (roasted pig) and its sarsa (sauce), are popular speciality foods in the region. The more exotic betute tugak (stuffed frog), kamaru (mole crickets) cooked ala adobo, bulanglang (pork cooked in guava juice), lechon kawali, and bringhe (a green sticky rice dish like paella) are a mainstay in Kapampangan feasts. Native sweets and delicacies like pastillas, turonnes de casoy, buro, are the most sought after by Filipinos including a growing number of tourists who enjoy authentic Kapampangan cuisine.

Tourism is a growing industry in the province of Pampanga. Clark Field, in Angeles City, is home to Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, Luzon's second International Airport and designated as the Philippines future premier gateway site. Within the Clark Special Economic Zone are well established hotels and resorts. Popular tourist destinations in the province include: St. Peter Shrine in Apalit, Mt. Arayat National Park in San Juan Bano, Arayat, the Paskuhan Village in the City of San Fernando, and the Casino Filipino in Angeles City. Well known annual events include the Giant Lantern Festival in December, the annual hot air balloon festival in Clarkfield during the month of February, the San Pedro Cutud Lenten Rites celebrated two days before Easter and the Aguman Sanduk in Minalin celebrated on the afternoon of new year's day.

Other developing economies include a semiconductor industry involved in the manufacturing of electronics and computers mostly located within the Clark Special Economic Zone in Angeles City.

[edit] Geography

[edit] Political

The flag of Pampanga.
The flag of Pampanga.

Pampanga is subdivided into 20 municipalities and 2 cities.

City No. of
Barangays
Population
(2000)
Area
(km²)
Pop. density
(per km²)
Angeles City[1]
33
267,788
66.16
3,989/km²
City of San Fernando[2]
36
221,857
67.74
3,275/km²
Municipality No. of
Barangays
Population
(2000)
Area
(km²)
Pop. density
(per km²)
Apalit
12
78,295
72
Arayat
30
101,792
Bacolor
21
16,147
Candaba
33
86,066
208.70
Floridablanca
33
85,394
175.48
1,487/km²
Guagua
31
111,259
66.16 km²
3,989/km²
Lubao
44
125,699
155.77
Mabalacat
27
171,045
Macabebe
25
65,346
Magalang
27
77,530
Masantol
26
48,120
Mexico
43
109,481
Minalin
15
40,000
48.27
Porac
29
80,757
343.12
San Luis
17
41,554
San Simon
14
41,253
Santa Ana
14
42,990
Santa Rita
10
32,780
Santo Tomas
8
32,695
Sasmuan
12
23,359

[edit] Physical

[edit] Terrain

The province has a total land mass of 2,180.68 square kilometers. Its terrain is relatively flat with one distinct mountain, Mt. Arayat and the notable Pampanga river. Among its municipalities, Porac has the largest land mass with 343.12 square kilometers; Candaba comes in second with 208.7 square kilometers; followed by Lubao with 155.77 square kilometers.

[edit] Climate

The province of Pampanga has two distinct climates, rainy and dry. The rainy or wet season normally begins in May and runs through October, while the rest of the year is the dry season. The warmest period of the year occurs between March and April, while the coolest period is from December through February.

[edit] Infrastructure

[edit] Telecommunication

Telephone services in the Province are provided by the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), Digitel, Datelcom, the Evangelista Telephone Company, and the Pampanga Telecom Company. The province has 24 public telegraph offices distributed among its towns while the facilities of PT&T and RCPI were set up to serve the business centers in Angeles City, San Fernando City, and Guagua.[3]

Several Internet Service Providers and available in the province. These include the Angeles Computer Network Specialist, Information Resources Network System, Inc., Mosaic communications Inc., Net Asia Angeles City, Phil World On Line and Comclark Network and Technology Corp.

United Parcel Services (UPS) and Federal Express (FedEx) provide international courier services for the province and the rest of the country. Their hubs are located within the Clark Special Economic Zone. These international courier are complemented by four local couriers operating as the communication and baggage of the province. There are 3 postal district offices and 35 post office stations distributed in the 20 municipalities and 2 cities of the province.[4]

[edit] Water and power

Potable water supply in the province reaches the populace through three levels namely: Level I (point source system), Level II (communal faucet system), and Level III (individual connections). A well or spring is the pinpointed water source in areas where houses are few as the system is only designed to serve 15 to 25 households. As of 1997, there were 128,571 Level I water system users in the province. The communal faucet system (Level II) serves the rural areas while the Level III system is managed by the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA). The system provides individual house connections to all second and first class private subdivisions.

Electric power is distributed to majority of the towns through the distribution centers of the Pampanga Electric Cooperative (PELCO) which include PELCO I, II, III. Small parts of Candaba and Macabebe are also supplied by Manila Electric Company (MERALCO).[3]

[edit] Transportation

The province of Pampanga is strategically located at the crossroads of central Luzon and is highly accessible by both air and land. The province is home to two airstrips: Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, which is utilized by the military, and the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (formerly Clark International Airport) in Angeles City. Pampanga also has five existing municipal ports which function as fish landing centers. These are situated in the municipalities of Guagua, Macabebe, Masantol, Minalin, and Sasmuan.[3]

Land travel to the province is made easy by numerous buses that travel the routes of Manila-Pampanga-Bataan, Manila-Pampanga-Zambales, Manila-Pampanga-Tarlac, Manila-Pampanga-Nueva Ecija, and Manila-Bulacan-Pampanga. These buses are serviced by: Philippine Rabbit, Genesis Transport, Philippine Rapid, Panther, Saulog Transit, Victory Liner, Dagupan Bus Lines, San Trans, Fariñas, Dominion, Maria de Leon, Viron, five Star, Arayat Express, Sierra Madre Lines, and the Baliuag Transit.[3]

The 83.7 - km North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) extends from Balintawak in Metro Manila to Sta. Ines in Pampanga. It passes through the large cities of San Fernando and Angeles through Sta. Ines, which is located near the former U.S. Air Force Base at Clark Field.

[edit] Education

The province is home to 40 colleges/universities. They include:

  • University of the Assumption, City of San Fernando
  • Philippine Women's University, Extension Program in Pampanga, Angeles City
  • Saint Anthony College of Technology, San Francisco, Mabalacat
  • AMA Computer College, Angeles City and City of San Fernando
  • AMA Computer Learning Center, Angeles City and City San Fernando
  • Mother of Good Counsel Seminary, City of San Fernando
  • MTC Academy, City of San Fernando
  • Chevalier School
  • St. Luther school of nursing
  • Mary the Queen College, Guagua
  • East Central Colleges, City of San Fernando
  • Clark Institute of Aviation, Clark Air Base, Angeles City
  • Philippine State College of Aeronautics, Basa Air Base, Floridablanca
  • St. Augustine School of Nursing, Angeles City
  • Central Luzon College of Science and Technology (CELTECH College) [1], City of San Fernando
  • Development for Advanced Technology Achievement (DATA) College, City of San Fernando
  • Union Christian College, City of San Fernando
  • Harvadian Colleges, City of San Fernando
  • Jocson College, Angeles City
  • Mega Computer College, Angeles City
  • Systems Plus College Foundation, Inc., Angeles City
  • Mother of Perpetual Help Institute School of Midwifery and Nursing Aide, Angeles City
  • STI Colleges, Angeles City and City of San Fernando
  • Asian Institute of College Studies, Angeles City
  • Integrated Computer School Foundation, Angeles City
  • Computer System Specialist, Inc., Angeles City
  • Jose C. Feliciano College, Inc., Dau, Mabalacat
  • Saint Michael's College, Guagua
  • Guagua National College, Guagua
  • Dau Academy-St. Muchen, Dau, Mabalacat
  • Megabyte College of Science and Technology, Floridablanca and Guagua
  • Holy Cross College Pampanga, Sta. Ana
  • Pampanga Agricultural College, Magalang
  • Assumpta Technical High School, San Simon
  • Pampanga Colleges, Macabebe
  • Somascan Fathers Seminary, Lubao
  • Don Honorio Ventura College of Arts and Trades, Bacolor
  • Dee Hwa Liong College Foundation, Mabalacat
  • New Era University - Pampanga, City of San Fernando
  • Jose Feliciano College, Dau, Mabalacat

[edit] Tourist attractions

[edit] Festivals
  • January 1 — Aguman Sanduk, Minalin
  • January 6 — 10 Kuraldal, Sasmuan
  • February — Philippine International Hot-Air Balloon Fiesta, Clark Field, Angeles City
  • February 28-29 - Caragan Festival, Mabalacat
  • March/April (Good Friday) — San Pedro Cutud Lenten Rites (Mal a Aldo), City of San Fernando
  • May — Sabat/Santacruzan
  • May (First week) - El Circulo Fernandino
  • June 28-30 — Apung Iru Fluvial Procession, Apalit
  • August 27 - Apung Monica Fluvial Procession, Minalin
  • October — Pyestang Tugak (Frog Festival), City of San Fernando
  • October — Fiestang Kuliat (La Naval Fiesta), Angeles City
  • Last Friday of October — Apo Fiesta, Angeles City
  • Last Friday and Saturday of October — Tigtigan Terakan Keng Dalan, Angeles City
  • November (Last week of November) — Duman Festival, Sta. Rita
  • December — Sisig Festival (Sadsaran Qng Angeles), SM Clark, Angeles City
  • December 1-7 — Sinukwan Festival, City of San Fernando
  • December 11 — Aldo Ning Kapampangan (Pampanga Day)
  • December - Saturday before Christmas Eve — Ligligan Parul (Giant Lantern Festival), City of San Fernando
  • December 16-24 - Lubenas, various towns in Northern Pampanga


  • Throughout the year, various towns and cities within the Province of Pampanga celebrates feasts honoring their patron saint. These fiesta days are listed below:
  • Angeles City — Second Sunday of October
  • Apalit — June 28,29,30
  • Arayat — " November 24-25"
  • Bacolor — 18th of November, La Naval
  • Candaba — Nov.30 Saint Andrews day
  • Floridablanca — May.01 Saint Joseph the Worker day
  • Guagua — December 08
  • Lubao — " September 10" (Date of birth of St. Nicholas)
  • Mabalacat — February 2
  • Macabebe — "September 10"
  • Magalang —August 24
  • Masantol — May 8
  • Mexico — May 4
  • Minalin — 2nd Sunday of May
  • Porac — November 25
  • City of San Fernando — May 30
  • Santa Monica,San Luis — May 4
  • San Simon — "October 11"
  • Santa Ana — "July 26"
  • Santa Rita — May 22
  • Santo Tomas — December 21
  • Sasmuan — December 13"


In addition to the town fiesta many barangays within each municipality celebrates a local fiesta also honoring a particular patron saint.

[edit] Heritage churches and shrines
  • San Raphael Parish Church, Mabiga, Mabalacat
  • Our Lady Of Grace Parish Church, Mabalacat
  • Our Lady Of Victory Parish Church, Dau, Mabalacat
  • Metropolitan Cathedral of San Fernando, City of San Fernando
  • Betis Church, Guagua (National Cultural Treasure)
  • Christ the Eternal High Priest Parish Church, Sulipan, Apalit
  • San Agustin Church, Lubao (National Historical Landmark)
  • San Guillermo Church, Bacolor
  • Sta. Catalina Church, Arayat
  • San Luis Gonzaga Church, San Luis
  • Sto. Rosario (Holy Rosary) Church, Angeles City
  • Sta. Monica Church, Minalin
  • St. Peter Parish Church, San Juan, Apalit
  • San Bartolome Church, Magalang
  • Shrine of Our Lord of the Holy Sepulchre (Apung Mamacalulu), Angeles City
  • Pio Chapel, Porac

[edit] Recreational facilities and leisure parks
  • The Lakeshore (Mexico)
  • Fontana (Clark Field, Pampanga)
  • Paskuhan Village (renamed Hilaga) (City of San Fernando)
  • Expo Pilipino (Clark Freeport Zone, Angeles City)
  • Plaza Imelda (Guagua)
  • Bayanihan Park (Angeles City)
  • Bren Z. Guiao Sports Complex (City of San Fernando)
  • Benigno Aquino Hall (City of San Fernando)
  • Federosa Island Resort (Sto. Tomas)
  • Nayong Pilipino (Clark Freeport Zone, Angeles City)
  • Sito Palakol Resort (Floridablanca)
  • Casino Filipino (Angeles City)
  • Mimosa Leisure Estate (Clark Freeport Zone, Angeles City)
  • Clearwater (Clark Freeport Zone, Angeles City)
  • Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (Clark Freeport Zone, Angeles City)
  • Hidden Vale Sports Club (Angeles City)

[edit] Historical landmarks
    • Angeles City Historical Sites
      • Fort Stotsenburg
      • Old Pamintuan Residence
      • Don Juan Nepomuceno Residence
      • Holy Family Academy Building
      • Camalig
      • Bale Herencia
      • Angeles Post Office Building (now houses the Angeles Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Center)
      • Lily Hill
      • Bale Matua
      • Bayanihan Park (formerly Astro Park)
      • Salakot Arch
    • Mabalacat Historical Site
      • Kamikaze Shrine

[edit] Natural parks
  • Mt. Arayat National Park (Arayat)
  • Scenic Candaba Swamps and Wild Duck Sanctuary (Candaba)
  • Mt. Pinatubo Crater (Pampanga/Tarlac/Zambales)
  • Dara Falls (Porac) - Pampanga’s version of the Pagsanjan Falls of Laguna

[edit] History

Pampanga was the first province and the richest spoil carved out of the Luzon Empire (traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Lǚsòng Guó)[5] by the Spaniards in 1571. It was named after the Indung Kapampangan River, the largest river in the former empire.

Pampanga, one of the richest provinces in the Philippines, was re-organized as a province by the Spaniards on December 11, 1571. For governmental control and taxation purposes, the Spanish authorities subdivided Pampanga into towns (pueblos), which were further subdivided into districts (barrios) and in some cases into royal and private estates (encomiendas).

Due to excessive abuses committed by some grantees of private estates, the King of Spain prohibited in 1574 the awarding of private estates (encomiendas). However, the royal decree was not fully enforced until the year 1620. In a report of Philippine encomiendas on June 20, 1591, Spanish Governor Gomez Perez Dasmarinas reported to the King of Spain that La Pampanga's encomiendas were Bataan, Betis y Lubao, Macabebe, Candava, Apalit, Calumpit, Malolos, Binto, Guiguinto, Caluya, Bulacan and Mecabayan. The encomiendas of La Pampanga at that time had eighteen thousand six hundred and eighty whole tributes.

Ancient Pampanga's territorial area used to include portions of the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac and Zambales in the big Island of Luzon of the Philippine Archipelago.

Pampanga which is about 850 square miles in area and presently inhabited by more than 1.5 million people, had its present borders drawn in 1873. During the Spanish regime it was one of the richest Philippine provinces. Manila and its surrounding region were then primarily dependent on Pampangan agricultural, fishery, and forestry products as well as on the supply of skilled workers. As other Luzon provinces were created due to increases in population, some well-established Pampanga towns were lost to new emerging provinces in Central Luzon.

The historic province of Bataan which was founded in 1754 under the administration of Spanish Governor General Pedro Manuel Arandia, absorbed from the province of Pampanga the municipalities of Abucay, Balanga, Dinalupihan, Llana Hermosa, Orani, Orion, Pilar, and Samal.

The old Pampanga towns of Aliaga, Cabiao, Gapan, San Antonio and San Isidro were ceded to the province of Nueva Ecija in 1848 during the term of Spanish Governor-General Narciso Claveria y Zaldua.

The municipality of San Miguel de Mayumo of Pampanga was yielded to the province of Bulacan in the same provincial boundary configuration in 1848.

In 1860, the northern towns of Bamban, Capas, Concepcion, Victoria, Tarlac, Mabalacat, Magalang, Porac and Floridablanca were separated from Pampanga and were placed under the jurisdiction of a military command called Comandancia Militar de Tarlac. However, in 1873, the four latter towns were returned to Pampanga and the other five towns became municipalities of the newly created Province of Tarlac.

A large number of people have been displaced and whole towns and villages have been submerged in lahar in the aftermath of the Mount Pinatubo eruptions.

[edit] Governors of Pampanga

ALCALDES MAYORES[6]

  • 1812-1820 Jose Aviles
  • 1821-1824 Francisco Paula de los Santos and Fulgencio Nuñez
  • 1824-1827 Manuel de Olea
  • 1827-1831 Antonio Chacon y Conde
  • 1831-1836 Juan Garrido
  • 1836-1839 Mariano Valero y Soto
  • 1839-1840 Angel Viniegra
  • 1841-1846 Jose Urbina y Daoiz
  • 1846-1847 Mariano Valero y Soto
  • 1848-1849 Juan Lopéz Cordón
  • 1849-1850 Manuel Gastero Serrano
  • 1850-1852 Fernando Cajigas
  • 1852-1854 José Paez y Lopéz
  • 1854-1855 Jose Sanchez Guerrero
  • 1855-1856 Francisco de Paula Rodriguez
  • 1856-1860 Francisco Hidalgo y Caballero
  • 1860-1862 Jose Maria Barrasa
  • 1862-1864 Ramón Barrueta
  • 1864 Mariano de la Cortina y Oñate
  • 1864-1865 Vega
  • 1865-1866 Juan Muñoz y Alvarez
  • 1867 José Bolaños
  • 1867-1869 Mariano de la Cortina y Oñate
  • 1869-1870 Francisco Godínez y Esteban
  • 1870-1871 Romero
  • 1871-1872 Romay
  • 1873 Jose Dias y Oliver
  • 1873-1874 Jose Feced y Temprado
  • 1875 Emilio Martín Bolaños
  • 1875-1877 Miguel Sanz y Urtasun
  • 1877-1879 Jose Feced y Temprado
  • 1879 Antonio Graciano de Oro
  • 1880 Carmona
  • 1880-1881 Rafael Manzanares
  • 1881-1883 Antonio Graciano de Oro
  • 1883-1884 Pampillon
  • 1884 Gaspar Castaño
  • 1885-1886 Emilio Martín Bolaños


GOBERNADORES CIVILES

  • 1886 Garanto
  • 1886-1887 Requiferos
  • 1887 Luis Goza
  • 1887-1888 A. de Águila
  • 1888-1891 Luis de la Torre Villanueva
  • 1891-1892 José Ignacio Chacón
  • 1892-1893 Joaquin Oliver
  • 1893 Bascaran
  • 1893-1895 Tomás Pérez del Pulgar y O’Lawlor
  • 1895-1898 José Canovas y Vallejo
  • 1898 Mota


REPUBLICA FILIPINA[7]

  • 1898 Mariano Alimurung
  • 1898 Tiburcio T. Hilario
  • 1899 Tomás Mascardo
  • 1900 Francisco Dizon
  • 1900-1901 José M. Alejandrino


U.S. MILITARY GOVERNMENT

  • 1899-1900 Frederick Dent Grant
  • 1900-1901 Arthur MacArthur


CIVIL GOVERNORS

  • 1901-1903 Ceferino Jóven
  • 1904-1911 Macario Arnedo
  • 1911 Mariano Lim
  • 1912-1916 Francisco Liongson
  • 1916-1922 Honorio Ventura
  • 1922-1925 Olimpio Guanzon
  • 1925-1931 Sotero Baluyut
  • 1931 Eligio G. Lagman
  • 1931-1937 Pablo Angeles David

JAPANESE OCCUPATION

  • 1942 Lazaro Yambao
  • 1942-1944 Eligio G. Lagman
  • 1944 Urbano D. Dizon
  • 1944 José Y. David


CIVIL GOVERNORS (cont.)

  • 1945 Gerardo Limlingan
  • 1945 Pablo Angeles David


PROVINCIAL GOVERNORS

  • 1946-1947 Pablo Angeles David
  • 1948-1951 José B. Lingad
  • 1952-1959 Rafael Lazatin
  • 1960-1971 Francisco G. Nepomuceno
  • 1972-1976 Brigido Valencia
  • 1976-1980 Juanita L. Nepomuceno
  • 1980-1986 Estelito P. Mendoza
  • 1986-1995 Bren Z. Guiao
  • 1995-2004 Manuel M. Lapid
  • 2004-2007 Mark T. Lapid
  • 2007-2010 Rev. Fr. Eduardo Panlilio

[edit] Notable people from Pampanga

  • Jose Abad Santos - born in San Fernando, Pampanga, was the 5th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He was appointed acting president by President Quezon with full authority to act on behalf of the President of the Philippines in areas unoccupied by the Japanese. He was killed by Japanese forces during the occupation of the Philippines in World War II.
  • Pedro Abad Santos - Founder of the Socialist Party. Ideological mentor of Luis Taruc.
  • Armando Biliwang - was elected as a municipal councilor and later became municipal mayor of San Fernando. He is well known for his fearless stand against communism during his term as municipal councilor and mayor.
  • Rogelio dela Rosa - was one of the most popular Filipino matinee idols of the 20th century and was elected to the Senate in 1957. He was also the first film actor who was able to parlay his fame into a political career, paving the way for other Filipino entertainers-turned-politicians. He had an equally famous brother, Jaime dela Rosa, also a matinee idol in the 1950s.
  • Zoilo Hilario - born in San Fernando, Pampanga, was a famous Kapampangan writer and poet who dedicated his life to the propagation of Kapampangan literature and culture.
  • Cecilia B. Licad - is one of the world's most famous concert pianists and hails from Lubao.
  • apl.de.ap (Allen Pineda Lindo) - is a member of the Grammy-award winning group, The Black Eyed Peas, and was born in Sapang Bato, Angeles City. He is famous throughout the Filipino community after the release of his life story of his homeland Philippines in a song called "The Apl Song" found on the Peas' 2003 album Elephunk
  • Joe Lingad - one-term governor and congressman. Served as Secretary of Labor during Macapagal administration. Identified with the political opposition during the Marcos regime, he was assassinated in 1980 while campaigning for election as Pampanga governor.
  • Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo - is the 14th and current President of the Republic of the Philippines. She is the daughter of the 9th President of the Republic Diosdado Macapagal. She is the country's second Female President after Corazon Aquino. She also was the country's first Female Vice President during the tenure of the now Deposed Former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada.
  • Melanie Marquez - is a popular beauty queen-turned-actress who hails from Mabalacat. She was Miss International 1979 and was voted as the Most Beautiful Miss International in 2000. She's also a sister of another local actor, Joey Marquez .
  • Vanessa Minnillo - is an American television personality born in Clark Air Base, Angeles City and raised in the US. She was Miss Teen USA 1998 and is currently a host on MTV's Total Request Live.
  • Eddie Panlilio - born in Minalin, Pampanga, was the first Filipino priest to be elected as Governor in Philippine history.
  • Gil J. Puyat - was a Senate President of the Philippines from 1967 to 1972.
  • Efren "Bata" Reyes - is referred to as "The Magician" and a very popular Filipino billiards player who hails from Angeles City. He is considered to be one of history's greatest practitioners of billiards.
  • Donita Rose - although she was born in the US, she moved to Angeles City, where her father was designated at the US Clark Air Base, when she was five years old. She went on to become a famous local actress and MTV VJ in Asia.
  • Lea Salonga - is a Tony Award-winning singer and actress who is best known for her portrayal of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon. She spent the first six years of her childhood in Angeles City before moving to Manila.
  • Rufino Cardinal Santos - was born in Guagua, Pampanga and became Archbishop of Manila from 1953 to 1973. He was the first Filipino to be named Cardinal.
  • Kristine Johnson - is a co-anchor at WCBS-TV, making her the first Filipino-American to serve as the face of a major network newscast in New York and the entire US East Coast. She was previously an anchor of Early Today and Weekend Today. She was born in Clark Air Base and is currently residing in New Jersey with her husband and two children.[8][9]
  • Luis Taruc - Supremo of the Hukbalahap (Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon), and later of the HMB (Hukbong Mapagpalayang Bayan)
  • Aurelio Tolentino - An original member of the Katipunan and nationalist playwright. He was born in Guagua. He was one of the so-called seditious playwrights whose works became the foundation for the nation's political theater. His most famous work is "Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas" written in 1903. The The Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino, commonly known as the Little Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines is named after him.
  • Peter Valdes - a US-based Software Technopreneur who cofounded the globally successful Tivoli Systems (an IBM Company). He is a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of the Philippines College of Engineering and an Outstanding Alumnus (High School) of the Holy Angel University. Selected as one of the 10 Most Inspiring Technopreneurs in the Philippines in 2006 and an Honored Member of the global Who's Who in Computer Industry. He was born in Angeles City.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Highly urbanized city (independent of province).
  2. ^ Capital city of Pampanga, and regional center of Central Luzon (Region III).
  3. ^ a b c d Province of Pampanga, A Profile of Region III September, 2001.
  4. ^ Official website of the Province of Pampanga
  5. ^ 東西洋考
  6. ^ Henares, Ivan Anthony S. "Filipino Alcaldes Mayores in the Province of Pampanga"
  7. ^ Henares, Ivan Anthony S. "Filipino Alcaldes Mayores in the Province of Pampanga"
  8. ^ Hoy! Pinoy Ako!
  9. ^ wcbstv.com - Kristine Johnson
  10. ^ Ivan About Town: Ninoy and FPJ death masks on display in Pampanga

[edit] External links

Provincial Seal of Pampanga
Cities and Municipalities of Pampanga
Cities: Angeles | San Fernando
Municipalities: Apalit | Arayat | Bacolor | Candaba | Floridablanca | Guagua | Lubao | Mabalacat | Macabebe | Magalang | Masantol | Mexico | Minalin | Porac | San Luis | San Simon | Santa Ana | Santa Rita | Santo Tomas | Sasmuan

Coordinates: 15°04′N, 120°40′E