Tarlac Province
THE MELTING POT OF CENTRAL LUZON
Mequeni abe / Meykan ditoy gayyem / Tuloy ka kaibigan

Capitol Building of Tarlac
Courtesy of our friends from Concepcion Tarlac Homepage

JOSE V. YAP, SR.
(LAKAS-NPC)
GOVERNOR

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HERMINIO S. AQUINO
(LP-KAMPI)
Vice Governor

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FIRST DISTRICT

Congressman - GILBERTO TEODORO, JR. (NPC)

Board Members
MARTIN AGUSTIN (NPC)
ALVIN BELARMINO (NPC)
REY ROY  (LP-KAMPI)

SECOND DISTRICT

Congressman - BENIGNO C. AQUINO III (LP)

Board Member
JOJI  DAVID (LP-KAMPI)
MINA TABAMO (LAKAS)
BENJIE BUAN (LP-KAMPI)
ERROL AGANON (LP-KAMPI)

THIRD DISTRICT

Congressman - JESLI  A.  LAPUZ (LAKAS)

Board Member
REY CATACUTAN (LP-KAMPI)
DAN DAVID (LP-KAMPI)
ROLLY PINEDA

Local  Officials

Anao Mayor -  RODOLFO GUERRERO Vice Mayor -  ELPIDIO IGNACIO Councilors ANGELINA  T.  GUARDIAN LEONIDA   LACABAYAN ARTEMIO  ALAVAZO PEPE  CONCEPCION GIL  CONCEPCION JAIME  CABIGTING CESAR  BAUTISTA LEOPOLDO  TUVERA

Bamban Mayor - FLORANTE COJUANGCO Vice Mayor - FRED SALUNGA Councilors EDISON MARIMLA JULY VITUG BOY MIRANDA DAY DELA CRUZ REDEN CAMPO CARLYLE OCAMPO JUN ILAGAN BERT GREGORIO

Camiling Mayor - JHONNY DELOS REYES Vice Mayor - PRIMITIVO BELTRAN Councilors NEIL  AGUSTIN ERLON  AGUSTIN SALLY  MANUEL JHONNY ARCIBAL ANTONIO  GOROSPE SERGIO  "BOY"  PETERO RICARTE  ANDRES LEONCIO  AQUINO

Capas Mayor - HERMES FRIAS Vice Mayor - REY DAVID Councilors ALFONSO  SICAT LITO  MALLARI IGNACIO  GARCIA ALBERT  SICAT IKE  DAVID YOLLY  CONDE FELIPE  ONG ARNEL  DIZON

Concepcion Mayor - ALFREDO AVENA Vice Mayor - TITUS VALDEZ Councilors FRANCILLO  DAVID JOEY  BALUYUT ANDY LACSON REY  PUNZALAN BERT DIZON SATURNINO MANDAN DANTE  PARAS NOEL MANALO

Gerona Mayor - HARMES SEMBRANO Vice Mayor - DENNIS GO Councilors DAISY  MAMBA GERRY  BATENGA ATTY. REGINA  BALMORES RONJI   DAQUIGAN COL. BOY  IGLESIA RUSTICO CRUZ JESUS  LAGADE RICARDO PARAZO

La Paz Mayor - FLORA FLORES Vice Mayor - MEL SANGIL Councilors VIRGILIO  TAGAZA JOJI  VILLA BIO  SAN MIGUEL JESSIE  BRUNO RESTING  IGNACIO MEL REGIS RONALD DUNGCA AMADO CATALAN

Mayantoc Mayor - JULIE POBRE-ICMAT Vice Mayor - RECTO TOMAS Councilors PASCASIO  CASTRO VIRGILIO  MANUEL ORLANDO  QUINES EUGENE RAMOS JOSE  LAGASCA ROMULO  RACAL ROMULO  CELEBRADOS TARUK  TOMAS

Moncada Mayor - ESTELITA  AQUINO (Pres. Phil. Mayors League – Tarlac Chapter) Vice Mayor - JAIME DUQUE Councilors CLEOFE FAVIS RICARDO VENGCO APOLONIA OBILLO EDGARDO TOLENTINO RODOLFO ESPEJO CATALINO AGANAN JR. ALBERTO MORALES ZOSIMO CUCHAPIN

Paniqui Mayor  -  ELPIDIO IBARRA Vice Mayor -  RODOLFO VILLANUEVA Councilors JOY GILBERT LAMORENA DANTE BELARMINO ROMMEL DAVID SERGIO BALTAZAR BRETT RECTO ROMEO LAGMAY ROSAURO TAYAG ALFREDO TANGONAN, JR.

Pura Mayor  - DR. MARIO N. MADELA Vice Mayor  - TIMOTEO D. BALMORES Councilors NORBERTO SIMON CRISTY MILLO MARCELO MILLO BERNABE P. IDMILAO AURORA CARATIQUIT ARTHUR CORTEZ BENJAMIN ANTALAN ARSENIO SABADO

Ramos Mayor - GIL  BELTRAN Vice Mayor - BARTOLOME  JONATAS Councilors EDWIN  BAESA BENJAMIN  BAGTING JESUS  RAMOS FELIPE  TOMAS PONS  GALANG ALEJO  ACOSTA FAUSTO  CABAÑERO TITO  BANAG

San Clemente Mayor - VICENTE PACADA Vice Mayor - MANUEL  LARANAN Councilors RANDY  BALAOING ISAIAS APOSTOL ARIEL CRISTOBAL ARNOLD CABUSAO JESUS  ROSETE, JR. ASTERIO GABRIEL LARRY NERI ISMAEL ABDUL

San Jose Mayor - JOSE YAP JR. Vice Mayor - SAMUEL EUGENIO Councilors MARY CAPIENDO ROMEO CAPITULO DOMINGA RIVERA DOMINGO ESPINOSA JOSE BALETE CRISTY FACUN RODNI TANESA BAYANI FACUN

San Manuel Mayor - REYNALDO MALAZO Vice Mayor - HERMOGENES FELIX Councilors JOHNIEL TABLANG ANGELITA ABUAN ERLINDA BERNAL JESUS PERALTA RICARDO ADOLFO JULIAN TACPAL JOHN GAVINA

Santa Ignacia Mayor - REY MODOMO Vice Mayor - SAKLOLO INRADO Councilors GLORIOSO  REGALA ALEXANDER MOLINA NICANOR  PASAMONTE FE  LIAL ALFREDO  DOMINGO NENA  APOSTOL TESSIE CORPUZ SONNY  MANGAHAS

Tarlac City Mayor - GELACIO MANALANG Vice Mayor - NOEL SOLIMAN Councilors MIKE  TAÑEDO ARSENIO  LUGAY RIVO  NISCE SHERWIN  RIGOR ARTURO  SERRANO CESAR  GO AMADO  DE  LEON GLENN  CARITATIVO JON-JON  MAGBAG FRANK  DAYAO

Victoria Mayor - EMMANUEL GUIAM Vice Mayor - FRANCISCO GALLEVO Councilors MARVIN SILAO LUIS RENDON SOL TABANGGAY ROBERT MAGNO EUGENIO GAGARIN BENJAMIN RIGOR LINA APOLONIO ALFREDO RIGOR

Aknowledgement:
I am very grateful to Benjie Villa, editor-in- Chief of the Tarlac Obsever Online, who is very instrumental in providing the informational needs of  THP. I also would like to extend my gratitude to the  members of  the Capitol staff for all the assistance they Gave to Benjie and future needs of the Tarlac Province Homepage..

Andy Zapata

Brief History of the Province of  Tarlac ~

By: Andy Zapata

Tarlac Province is in the west central of Luzon, the main island of the Republic of the Philippines.The province has a total land area of 1,175 square miles (3,045 sq. km), is bordered on the north by Pangasinan Province, on the east by Nueva Ecija,  on the south by  Pampanga,   and on the west by the province of  Zambales. The eastern slopes of Zambales Mountains form the eastern part of the Tarlac province.

During the Spanish regime Tarlac was originally part of the provinces of Pangasinan and Pampanga.  Part of it became a military command in 1860. It was one of the last provinces to be created although many of its towns were incorporated prior to its recognition as a separate province.  Among these towns were Bamban, Capas, Concepcion, Victoria, and Tarlac. At present, the province has 18 municipalities.

Tarlac join the revolt against Spain in 1886 . It was one of the first provinces to be proclaimed in a state of war by Gen. Blanco. When General Emilio Aguinaldo had to retreat from Bulacan he moved the seat of the Government to Tarlac. This lasted for only one month since the seat was moved to Nueva Ecija. American forces captured Tarlac in November 1899 and civil government was instituted by the Americans in 1901. The Hospital was built in 1924,  it was the first provincial hospital in the Philippines.

The town of Tarlac, the provincial capital, lies on a level plain about 65 miles (105 km) northwest of Manila.  It is on the Manila-Dagupan railroad, at the junction of the line to Baguio City . The town of  Tarlac was founded in 1686,  it was the chief trade center of the region, and still is. Today, Tarlac is one of the fastest developing  town in the region . It is known as the mecca of Shopping Malls in central Luzon, The Plaza Luisita Center. Hacienda Luisita Industrial Park in San Miguel,  Tarlac, was chosen by Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., one of the giant electronics manufacturers in the world to be its home for Sanyo Semiconductor Manufacturing Philippines Corporation. .

The "Melting Pot of Central Luzon", The province of  Tarlac, is home to beautiful mosaic ethno-linguistic people. The southern part of the province are predominantly Kapampangans who are attached culturally to the Kapampangans of Pampanga Province. The northern and western  towns of the province are 90% Ilocanos,  while some of the eastern towns bordering Nueva Ecija speak Tagalog. The Tarlaquenos speak a variety of dialects,  the majority are Ilocanos (50%), Kapampangans (41%), Tagalogs and others .Tarlac province is attractive to migrants due to its diverse culture and economic stability..

Historical

(Compiled from European province page)

Capas Death March Monument. This monument is a historical marker of the infamous concentration camp where nearly 30,000 Filipino and American soldiers that participated in the Death March perished in 1942. It depicts the endurance and heroism of valient soldier - defenders of the freedom and democracy. Located 3 kilometers from the town proper along the highway, the historical marker is easily spotted with its sky-high emblem.

Camp O'Donnel (Capas). This former concentration camp, was the site of the ultimate destination of the Infamous Death March and was subsequently the burial grounds for thousands of Filipino and American Prisoners of War, during World War II. The camp is 7 km. west of Capas, Tarlac, and it can be reached by car in 3 1/2 hours from Manila driving northward. From Baguio City, one reaches the place in 4 hours on a southward direction.

Sto. Domingo Death March Marker. The site where about 60,000 Filipino soldiers cramped like sardines in closed boxcars were unloaded to start the second phase of the tragic Death March is about 1.5 km. north from Capas town proper. Even from this "Disembarkation" point, already more than 30,000 of these defenders of democracy and freedom perished from the inhuman treatment they were subjected to during the trip from Abucay and Mariveles, Bataan to San Fernando, Pampanga. The survivors started their tortuous journey from here to Camp O'Donnell.

Camp General Servillano Aquino. Formerly called Camp Ord named after Lt. Col. James B. Ord (who died in the airplane crash in 1938) is now the home of the 5th Infantry Division, Philippine Army. To add to historicity of the place is the Eisenhower tree planted on July 4, 1939 by Lt. Col. Dwight D. Eisenhower, chief of Staff of Marshall Douglas McArthur, the military adviser of the Philippine Commonwealth. The Camp is about 20 meters away from the national highway.

Bamban Caves. Built on orders by Major Gen. Tsukada, this "protective installations" probably the most elaborate and extensive system of cave and tunnel defence of the Japanese, was built in the hope of preventing the Americans from utilizing the Clark Field Air Center, by delaying actions into the hills to the west by means of artillery fire and infilteration attacks.

Acocolao (Paniqui). The old townsite of Paniqui where Ali Mudin, a deposed Muslim Sultan graciously embraced Christianity on April 29, 1750 and assumed the name Don Fernando Ali Mundin I. As the story is told and re-told, a whole day celebration of the solemn affairs was held in his honor, highlighted with the presence of church dignitaries and high government officials from Manila and the towns people who witnessed the ocassion.

Catholic Chruch of Camiling. Of historical importance, the Camiling Catholic Convent was the death place of General Pedro Pedroche and his men in the hands of Francisco Makabulos and his revolutionary troops on orders of Gen. Luna on charges of rebellion.

Tarlac Provincial Capitol and Maria Cristina Park. An imposing historical landmark in the province is the seat of provincial government, the Capitol Building. Constructed atop a hill, capitol command a panoramic view of the town of Tarlac and its surrounding environs. To add grandeur and beauty to the place is the Maria Cristina Park, fittingly named after a Tarlac beauty queen, Maria Cristina Galang, 1952 Miss Philippines.

San Sebastian Cathedral (Tarlac). Located in front of Municipal Hall, this edefice was the site of Revolutionary Congress.

Ma. Clara Museum. To the incurable romantic, a visit to the museum in the historic town of Camiling is a must. Several priceless articles belonging to Leonor Rivera better known as the immortal heroine Ma. Clara are now in glass cabinets like pieces of embroidered box, jewelry music box and wigs where Rizal's letters were meticulously kept. Other things on display are ornate pieces of furniture such as chairs and tables, aparadors, and tocadors used by the tragic heroine.

Natural

Mayantoc. The summer capital of Tarlac Province, popularly known for its panoramic views, that caught the administration of the picnickeers, vacationist, site-seers, balikbayan and tourists. The center of attraction is the Town Hall's site which is on top of a hill - the first of the seven hills. At both wings of the second floor overlooking all directions, at an eye-view, the scenic beauty around could be seen. Other structures visitors love to visit are the hanging bridge in Poblacion Sur, the tree (rest) house in San Baartolome, the ESTAFE Resort in Gossood, and the Magsaysay Dam .