REGION III

PHILIPPINES: CENTRAL LUZON

1. REGION III – CENTRAL LUZON CAPITAL: SAN FERNANDO, PAMPAGA

2. GEOGRAPHY TOTAL LAND AREA OF 21,543 SQUARE KILOMETERS LOCATED NORTH OF MANILA EAST: AURORA & QUEZON SOUTH: MANILA BAY & METRO MANILA WEST: SOUTH CHINA SEA

3. PEOPLE ILOCANO KAPAMPANGAN AETA TAGALOG

4. DIALECTS TAGALOG ENGLISH

5. KAPAMPANGAN - OLD > MATUANA - HANDSOME > MASANTING - BEAUTIFUL > MALAGU

6. PANGASINAN - GOOD EVENING > MASANTOS YA LABI - GOOD MORNING > MASANTOS YA KABWASAN - I LOVE YOU > INARO TA KA

7. ILOCANO - THANK YOU > AGYAMANAK - YOU’RE WELCOME > AWAN TI ANYAMAN NA - I’M SORRY > PAKAWANEN NAK

8. SAMBAL - HOW ARE YOU? > KAMUSTA CAY NA? - WHAT IS YOUR NAME? > ANYAY NGALAN MO - I MISS YOU > ANCAMISS CATAY NA

9. POLITICAL PROFILE 7 PROVINCES 14 CITIES 116 MUNICIPALITIES 3,102 BARANGAYS

10. HOW TO GET THERE BUS: BALIWAG TRANSIT, GENESIS, VICTORY LINER & PHILIPPINE RABBIT PLANE: DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL INT’L AIRPORT & SUBIC BAY INT’L AIRPORT

11. FACTS KNOWN AS “RICE GRANARY OF THE PHILIPPINES 3 RD LARGEST AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION IN THE PHILIPPINES CONTAINS LARGEST PLAIN IN THE COUNTRY PRODUCES MOST OF THE COUNTRY’S RICE SUPPLY

12. ZAMBALES CAPITAL: IBA

13. GEOGRAPHY Total land area of 3,830.83 square kilometers North : Pangasinan East : Tarlac & Pampanga South : Bataan West : South China Sea

14. PEOPLE Tagalog Ilocano Sambal

15. DIALECTS Tagalog English Sambal Ilokano Kapampangan Pangasinan

16. FACTS 2 nd largest among the 7 provinces of central Luzon Also known as Mango Capital of the Philippines

17. HISTORY 1572 , Zambales was 1 st explored by the Spanish led by Juan de Salcedo Earliest towns founded were: Subic (1572), Botolan (1572), Masinloc (1607), Iba (1611) & Santa Cruz (1612)

18. ETYMOLOGY Came from the word zambal which is hispanized term for Sambali . Zambal refers to the language spoken by the Austronesians

19. A contending version states that the name was derived from the word samba meaning worship because the Spanish supposedly found the native inhabitants to be highly superstitious.

20. HOW TO GET THERE Bus: 3-5 hours (Victory Liner) Private Vehicles: 2-3 hours

21. NATURAL ATTRACTIONS

22. ANAWANGIN COVE

23. POTIPOT ISLAND

24. MT. PINATUBO

25. MAN-MADE ATTRACTIONS

26. CAPONES LIGHT HOUSE

27. PHILIPPINE MARINE MERCHANT ACADEMY

28. SAN AGUSTIN CHURCH

29. FESTIVALS

30. PAYNAUEN ‘DUYAN’ FESTIVAL

31. ZAMBALES MANGO FESTIVAL

32. BINABAYANI

33. CUISINES

34. GINIPANG

35. LINGA

36. PASTILLAS

37. ACTIVITIES Trekking Island hopping Surfing at crystal beach resort Hike Scuba diving

38. FLORA & FAUNA

39. TRISTANIOPSIS DECORTICATA

40. FLAME-BREASTED FRUIT DOVE

41. PHILIPPINE EAGLE-OWL

42. AURORA CAPITAL: BALER

43. GEOGRAPHY Total land area of 3,147.32 square kilometers South: Quezon Southwest: Bulacan West: Nueva Ecija East: Philippine Sea North: Isabela & Quirino Northwest: Nueva Viscaya

44. PEOPLE Tagalog Ilocano Kapampangan Bicolano Kasigurahin Kankanaey Dumagats or Negritos

45. DIALECT Tagalog English Ilocano Pangasinan Kapampangan

46. FACTS Known as “Gateway to the Pacific” Baler is the oldest municipality Aurora is the only Philippine province named after a first lady Baler bay is the best surfing place with 9 ft high waves

47. HISTORY 1572 the Spanish explorer, Juan de Salcedo became the first European to visit the region 1579 the first Franciscan to reach the eastern coastal region of the Sierra Madre was Fray Ortiz.

48. 1609 the earliest missionaries in the province were the Franciscan, who had established missions in Casiguran and Baler. 1658 due to lack of available personel , the region was given to the jurisdiction of the Agustinians and Recollects 1703 it was returned to the Friars Minor

49. 1719 mission of Dipaculao was established 1753 mission of Casiguran 1951 Aurora became sub-province of Quezon August 13, 1979 Aurora with its capital Baler was founded by Ferdinand Marcos.

50. ETYMOLOGY The province was named in honor of Aurora Quezon, wife of former president Manuel Quezon. Aurora itself is the latin word for dawn.

51. HOW TO GET THERE By bus: 6 hours (Genesis)

52. NATURAL ATTRACTIONS

53. DISCALARIN COVE

54. DINADIAWAN BEACH

55. DITUMABO FALLS

56. MAN-MADE ATTRACTIONS

57. ERMITA HILL

58. BALER CATHOLIC CHURCH

59. QUEZON HOUSE

60. FESTIVALS

61. AURORA FOUNDATION DAY

62. SABUTAN FESTIVAL

63. SUMAN FESTIVAL

64. CUISINES

65. BALER SUMAN

66. ENSALADANG PAKO

67. ACTIVITIES Surfing Watching sunrise Swimming Go inside the 600 year old Balete tree

68. TARLAC CAPITAL: TARLAC CITY

69. GEOGRAPHY Total land area of 3,053.60 square kilometers South: Pampanga East: Nueva Ecija North: Pangasinan West: Zambales

70. PEOPLE Ilocano Kapampangan Tagalog

71. DIALECTS Ilocano English Tagalog Kapampangan Pangasinan

72. FACTS Known as “Melting Pot of Central Luzon” and “Sugar Capital of Luzon” Most multicultural of the central Luzon Known for its fine foods, vast sugar and rice plantations

73. HISTORY 1896 Tarlac was among the first eight provinces to rise against Spain. March 1899 it became the new seat of the first Philippine Republic when Gen. Emilio Jacinto abandoned the former capital, Malolos , Bulacan .

74. November 1899 Tarlac was captured by American forces. 1901 a civil government was established in the province. April 9, 1942 during WWII, Camp O’Donnell in Capas became the terminal point of the infamous Bataan death march of Filipino and American soldiers who surrendered at Bataan.

75. 1942-1946 the general headquarters of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was established. Early 1950s Tarlac became a hotbed for the hukbalahap , a local communist movement headed by Benigno Aquino Sr., father of the late Ninoy Aquino.

76. ETYMOLOGY Hispanicized rendering of tarlak , Aeta term for a certain grass related to talahib and tanglar ( Zamabal for lemongrass). The area around the current capital city, after which the province was named, was described as matarlak , an adjective meaning “abundant with tarlak grass.”

77. HOW TO GET THERE By bus: 2-5 hours (Five Star, Victory Liner, Baliwag Transit & Genesis)

78. MAN-MADE ATTRACTIONS

79. CAPAS NATIONAL SHRINE

80. CAPAS DEATH MARCH MONUMENT

81. HACIENDA LUISITA

82. MARIA CLARA MUSEUM

83. BAMBAN PARK

84. FESTIVALS

85. BELENISMO FESTIVAL

86. MELTING POT FESTIVAL

87. ANAO TOWN FESTIVAL

88. CUISINES

89. INIRUBAN

90. TUPIG

91. CHICHARON CAMILING

92. ACTIVITIES Hiking Camping Trekking Golf

93. BATAAN CAPITAL: BALANGA CITY

94. GEOGRAPHY Total land area of 1,372.98 square kilometers North: Pampanga & Zambales East & South: Manila Bay West: South China Sea

95. PEOPLE Tagalong Kapampangan Ilocano

96. DIALECT Tagalong English Kapampangan Ilocano

97. FACTS Where large turnips or singkamas are found They export cashew to Antipolo They have unusual flavors of ice cream like: gabi , caimito , aratilis and chesa . Also known as historical hub of central Luzon

98. HISTORY 1572 Bataan was explored by Juan de Salcedo 1754 the province was established by Gov.-Gen. Pedro Manuel Arianda from 8 towns of Pampanga and 3 towns from the Corregimiento of Maragadoni in Cavite.

99. December 1, 1896 Bataan joined the revolution April 9, 1942 Death March - From Mariveles , Bataan to San Fernando, Pampanga, from San San Fernando prisoners were loaded in a train and brought in Camp O’Donnell in Capas , Tarlac - 60,000 to 80,000 Filipino and American soldiers

100. ETYMOLOGY The current name “ Bataán ” (spoken with emphasis on the last syllable) was first used upon the establishment of the province in 1754 “ Batáan ” (with emphasis on the second syllable) itself can mean “servant” or “place of suffering”. In tagalog , from the verb batâ meaning “to tolerate” or “to suffer”

101. HOW TO GET THERE By bus: 3 hours (Genesis, Victory Liner and Bataan Transit) By private car: 2 hours By ferry: 45 minutes to 1 hour ( Diosdado Macapagal Ferry to Orion Point)

102. NATURAL ATTRACTIONS

103. WESTNUK BEACH RESORT

104. MT. NATIB

105. CAMAYA COAST

106. CORREGIDOR ISLAND

107. MAN-MADE ATTRACTIONS

108. LAS CASAS FILIPINAS DE ACUZAR

109. STO. DOMINGO ABUCAY CHURCH

110. PHILIPPINE-JAPANESE FRIENDSHIP TOWER

111. FESTIVALS

112. PAWIKAN FESTIVAL

113. ALIMANGO SUGPO FESTIVAL

114. CUISINES

115. TINAPA

116. TIDTAD

117. CASHEW BUTTER

118. ACTIVITIES Biking Mountain climbing Swimming

119. BULACAN CAPITAL: MALOLOS

120. GEOGRAPHY Total land area of 2,796.10 square kilometers North: Nueva Ecija Northeast: Aurora East: Quezon Southeast: Rizal South: Metro Manila Southwest: Manila Bay West: Pampanga

121. PEOPLE Tagalog Bisaya Bicolano Ilocano

122. DIALECT Tagalog Waray Ilocano Bicolano Kapampangan

123. FACTS Also known as land of the heroes

124. HISTORY 1571 during the conquest of Luzon by Adelantado Miguel Legazpi , Bulacan was reported to be well populated and rich 1575 the first pueblo was established in Bulacan was the town of Calumpit , founded by Agustinian Friars.

125. 1578 the Franciscan friars Juan Plasencia and Fray Diego de Oropesa founded Meycauayan . 1899-1900 Malolos became the headquarters of the Military Governor of the Philippines Malolos at Casa Real in Malolos .

126. February 27, 1901 the Philippine Commission officially transferred the seat of government to Malolos and the Casa Real de Malolos was the seat of the provincial Governor. 1942 at the height of WWII, the Japanese Imperial Army occupied Bulacan and made Casa Real it’s headquarter.

127. 1945 combined Filipino and American forces and local guerillas attacked the Japanese Imperial Forces and liberated Bulacan .

128. ETYMOLOGY Hispanicized form of the word burakan , tagalong or kapampangan for “muddy place” Hispanicized rendering of bulakan tagalong for “place with cotton”

129. HOW TO GET THERE By bus: 30 minutes to 1 hour ( Baliwag Transit)

130. NATURAL ATTRACTIONS

131. BIAK NA BATO

132. PUNING CAVE

133. TILANDONG FALLS

134. MAN-MADE ATTRACTIONS

135. NATIONAL SHRINE OF DIVINE MERCY

136. BARASOAIN CHURCH

137. SAN AGUSTIN PARISH CHURCH

138. FESTIVALS

139. PAGODA FESTIVAL

140. PASTILLAS FESTIVALS

141. PULILAN CARABAO FESTIVALS

142. CUISINES

143. APAHAP DE PATERNO

144. BRINGHENG MALOLOS

145. MORCON PLARIDEL

146. ATIVITIES Church hopping Swimming Golf in Royal Northwoods Hiking

147. FLORA TEAK

148. NUEVA ECIJA CAPITAL: PALAYAN CITY

149. GEOGRAPHY Total land area of 5,751.33 square kilometers North: Nueva Viscaya South: Bulacan East: Aurora West: Tarlac Southwest: Pampanga Northwest: Pangasinan

150. PEOPLE Tagalong Ilocano Kapampangan

151. DIALECT Tagalong English Kapampangan Pangasinan Ilocano

152. FACTS Largest province in Central Luzon Biggest rice producer of Central Luzon, referred as the “Rice Bowl of the Philippines”

153. HISTORY 1777 Nueva Ecija was created as a military commandacia by Governor General Claveria , with the capital Josean at Baler, now part of Aurora. 1942 During WWII the Imperial Japanese Army entered the province and Nueva Ecija was taken.

154. March 29, 1942 under the leadership of Luis Taruc the Hukbalahap was organized in Sitio Bawit , Barrio San Juan in the town of Cabiao . 1945 combined American and Filipino soldiers liberated Nueva Ecija with the recognized guerillas continuing to harass the Japanese at every opportunity.

155. January 30, 1945 American Army Rangers, Alamo scouts and Filipino guerillas conducted a raid to liberate Allied civilians and prisoners of war in Cabanatuan, this was successful with over 516 rescued. 1896 Nueva Ecija became one of the first provinces to revolt against Spanish rule

156. 1898 declared its independence.

157. ETYMOLOGY Nueva Ecija , Spanish for “New Ecija ” in honor of the hometown of province’s first Spanish governor, Governor Acuyar .

158. HOW TO GET THERE By bus: 2 hours and 12 minutes ( Baliwag Transit)

159. NATURAL ATTRACTIONS

160. MINALUNGAO PARK

161. GABALDON FALLS

162. BINBIN FALLS

163. MAN-MADE ATTRACTIONS

164. GEN. LUNA STATUE AND MARKER

165. CAMP PANGATIAN

166. PANTABANGAN DAM

167. FESTIVALS

168. PANDAWAN FESTIVAL

169. LONGGANISA FESTIVAL

170. TAONG PUTIK FESTIVAL

171. CUISINES

172. AR-AROSIP

173. ITLOG TI ABOOS

174. BARBARADYUT

175. ACTIVITIES Sight-seeing Swimming Mountain climbing

176. PAMPANGA CAPITAL: SAN FERNANDO CITY

177. GEOGRAPHY Total land area of 2,062.47 square kilometers North: Tarlac & Nueva Ecija East: Bulacan South: Bataan West Zambales

178. PEOPLE Kapampangan Tagalong Ilocano Bicolano

179. DIALECT Kapampangan Tagalog English

180. FACTS Known as “Culinary Capital of the Philippines” Porac has the largest land mass followed by Florida Blanca and the smallest is San Antonio It is famous for Christmas lantern

181. HISTORY It was the first province in the island of Luzon inaugurated by the Spaniards. It was founded on December 11, 1571 in the same year the city of Manila was established by Miguel Lopez de Leagzpi as the seat of the national government.

182. 1848 the old Pampanga towns of Aliaga , Cabiao , Gapan , San Antonio and San Isidro were ceded to the province of Nueva Ecija during the term of Spanish governor-general Narciso Claviera y Zaldua . November 11, 1849 Claviera issued a decree to systematize the selection and registration of names of the Filipino people.

183. ETYMOLOGY Hispanicized form of pampang or pangpang , kapampangan for “river bank” referring to the densely populated area on the northern shores of Manila Bay, the settlements of which stood on the banks of the delta of what is now called the Pampanga River.

184. HOW TO GET THERE By bus: 1 hour to 2 hours (Victory Liner, Genesis, Baliwag Transit)

185. NATURAL ATTRACTIONS

186. MT. ARAYAT

187. CANDABA SWAMP

188. MAN-MADE ATTRACTIONS

189. SAN GUILLERMO PARISH CHURCH

190. BETIS CHURCH

191. NAYONG PILIPINO

192. FESTIVALS

193. IBON EBON FESTIVAL

194. APUNG IRO FLUVIAL FESTIVAL

195. PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL HOT-AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL

196. CUISINES

197. ADOBONG BALUT

198. DEEP FRIED CAMARU

199. BURONG HIPON

200. ACTIVITIES Trekking Bird watching Ride a hot-air balloon Horseback riding in At El Kabayo Golf in Clearwater Resort Swimming