region iii

REGION III – CENTRAL LUZON

CAPITAL: SAN FERNANDO, PAMPAGA

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

PEOPLE• ILOCANO• KAPAMPANGAN• AETA• TAGALOG

DIALECTS

• TAGALOG• ENGLISH

• KAPAMPANGAN- OLD >

MATUANA- HANDSOME >

MASANTING- BEAUTIFUL >

MALAGU

• PANGASINAN- GOOD EVENING >

MASANTOS YA LABI- GOOD MORNING >

MASANTOS YA KABWASAN

- I LOVE YOU > INARO TA KA

• ILOCANO- THANK YOU >

AGYAMANAK- YOU’RE WELCOME

> AWAN TI ANYAMAN NA

- I’M SORRY > PAKAWANEN NAK

• SAMBAL- HOW ARE YOU? >

KAMUSTA CAY NA?- WHAT IS YOUR

NAME? > ANYAY NGALAN MO

- I MISS YOU > ANCAMISS CATAY NA

POLITICAL PROFILE

• 7 PROVINCES• 14 CITIES• 116 MUNICIPALITIES• 3,102 BARANGAYS

HOW TO GET THERE

• BUS: BALIWAG TRANSIT, GENESIS, VICTORY LINER & PHILIPPINE RABBIT• PLANE: DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL INT’L AIRPORT & SUBIC BAY INT’L AIRPORT

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

ZAMBALES

CAPITAL: IBA

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

PEOPLE• Tagalog• Ilocano• Sambal

DIALECTS•Tagalog•English•Sambal•Ilokano

•Kapampangan•Pangasinan

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

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

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

• 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.

HOW TO GET THERE

•Bus: 3-5 hours (Victory Liner)•Private Vehicles: 2-3 hours

NATURAL ATTRACTIONS

ANAWANGIN COVE

POTIPOT ISLAND

MT. PINATUBO

MAN-MADE ATTRACTIONS

CAPONES LIGHT HOUSE

PHILIPPINE MARINE MERCHANT ACADEMY

SAN AGUSTIN CHURCH

FESTIVALS

PAYNAUEN ‘DUYAN’ FESTIVAL

ZAMBALES MANGO FESTIVAL

BINABAYANI

CUISINES

GINIPANG

PASTILLAS

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

FLORA & FAUNA

TRISTANIOPSIS DECORTICATA

FLAME-BREASTED FRUIT DOVE

PHILIPPINE EAGLE-OWL

AURORA

CAPITAL: BALER

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

PEOPLE• Tagalog• Ilocano

• Kapampangan• Bicolano

• Kasigurahin• Kankanaey

• Dumagats or Negritos

DIALECT• Tagalog• English• Ilocano

• Pangasinan• Kapampangan

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

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.

•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

•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.

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

HOW TO GET THERE

•By bus: 6 hours (Genesis)

NATURAL ATTRACTIONS

DISCALARIN COVE

DINADIAWAN BEACH

DITUMABO FALLS

ERMITA HILL

BALER CATHOLIC CHURCH

QUEZON HOUSE

FESTIVALS

AURORA FOUNDATION DAY

SABUTAN FESTIVAL

SUMAN FESTIVAL

CUISINES

BALER SUMAN

ENSALADANG PAKO

ACTIVITIES•Surfing

•Watching sunrise•Swimming

•Go inside the 600 year old Balete tree

TARLAC

CAPITAL: TARLAC CITY

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

PEOPLE•Ilocano

•Kapampangan•Tagalog

DIALECTS•Ilocano•English•Tagalog

•Kapampangan•Pangasinan

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

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.

• 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.

• 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.

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.”

HOW TO GET THERE

•By bus: 2-5 hours (Five Star, Victory

Liner, Baliwag Transit & Genesis)

CAPAS NATIONAL SHRINE

CAPAS DEATH MARCH MONUMENT

HACIENDA LUISITA

MARIA CLARA MUSEUM

BAMBAN PARK

FESTIVALS

BELENISMO FESTIVAL

MELTING POT FESTIVAL

ANAO TOWN FESTIVAL

CUISINES

INIRUBAN

CHICHARON CAMILING

ACTIVITIES• Hiking• Camping• Trekking• Golf

BATAAN

CAPITAL: BALANGA CITY

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

PEOPLE•Tagalong

•Kapampangan•Ilocano

DIALECT•Tagalong•English

•Kapampangan•Ilocano

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

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.

•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

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”

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)

NATURAL ATTRACTIONS

WESTNUK BEACH RESORT

MT. NATIB

CAMAYA COAST

CORREGIDOR ISLAND

LAS CASAS FILIPINAS DE ACUZAR

STO. DOMINGO ABUCAY CHURCH

PHILIPPINE-JAPANESE FRIENDSHIP TOWER

FESTIVALS

PAWIKAN FESTIVAL

ALIMANGO SUGPO FESTIVAL

CUISINES

TINAPA

TIDTAD

CASHEW BUTTER

ACTIVITIES•Biking

•Mountain climbing•Swimming

BULACAN

CAPITAL: MALOLOS

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

PEOPLE•Tagalog•Bisaya•Bicolano•Ilocano

DIALECT•Tagalog•Waray•Ilocano•Bicolano

•Kapampangan

FACTS•Also known as

land of the heroes

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.

•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.

•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.

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

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

HOW TO GET THERE

•By bus: 30 minutes to 1 hour (Baliwag Transit)

NATURAL ATTRACTIONS

BIAK NA BATO

PUNING CAVE

TILANDONG FALLS

NATIONAL SHRINE OF DIVINE MERCY

BARASOAIN CHURCH

SAN AGUSTIN PARISH CHURCH

FESTIVALS

PAGODA FESTIVAL

PASTILLAS FESTIVALS

PULILAN CARABAO FESTIVALS

CUISINES

APAHAP DE PATERNO

BRINGHENG MALOLOS

MORCON PLARIDEL

ATIVITIES•Church hopping

•Swimming•Golf in Royal Northwoods•Hiking

FLORA

TEAK

NUEVA ECIJA

CAPITAL: PALAYAN CITY

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

PEOPLE•Tagalong•Ilocano

•Kapampangan

DIALECT•Tagalong•English

•Kapampangan•Pangasinan•Ilocano

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

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.

•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.

•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

•1898 declared its independence.

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

HOW TO GET THERE

•By bus: 2 hours and 12 minutes (Baliwag Transit)

NATURAL ATTRACTIONS

MINALUNGAO PARK

GABALDON FALLS

BINBIN FALLS

GEN. LUNA STATUE AND MARKER

CAMP PANGATIAN

PANTABANGAN DAM

FESTIVALS

PANDAWAN FESTIVAL

LONGGANISA FESTIVAL

TAONG PUTIK FESTIVAL

CUISINES

AR-AROSIP

ITLOG TI ABOOS

BARBARADYUT

ACTIVITIES•Sight-seeing•Swimming

•Mountain climbing

PAMPANGA

CAPITAL: SAN FERNANDO CITY

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

PEOPLE•Kapampangan

•Tagalong•Ilocano•Bicolano

DIALECT•Kapampangan

•Tagalog•English

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

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.

•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.

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.

HOW TO GET THERE

By bus: 1 hour to 2 hours (Victory Liner, Genesis, Baliwag Transit)

NATURAL ATTRACTIONS

MT. ARAYAT

CANDABA SWAMP

SAN GUILLERMO PARISH CHURCH

BETIS CHURCH

NAYONG PILIPINO

FESTIVALS

IBON EBON FESTIVAL

APUNG IRO FLUVIAL FESTIVAL

PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL HOT-AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL

CUISINES

ADOBONG BALUT

DEEP FRIED CAMARU

BURONG HIPON

ACTIVITIES•Trekking

•Bird watching•Ride a hot-air balloon

•Horseback riding in At El Kabayo

•Golf in Clearwater Resort•Swimming

region iii

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