Ariel H.

Dolar

BEED-III

Region 3
(Central Luzon)

Geographical Background
Central Luzon occupies the central portion of the island of Luzon and is strategically located between
Northern Luzon and National Capital Region.

Characteristics

Total Land Area: 2,201,463 ha

Provinces: 7
Cities: 13

Municipalities: 117

Barangays: 3,102

Agricultural Land Area: 552,104 ha.

Temporary Crop Land: 410,973 ha.

Idle Land: 4,790 ha.

Permanent Crop Land: 100,194 ha.

Meadows/Pasture: 5,801 ha.
Forest Land: 3,360 ha.
Other Land: 23,620 ha.
Population (2010)
Total Population: 10,137,737
Growth Rate (2000-2010): 2.14 percent
Climate: Type I, II, III
Tagalog, Kapampangan, Sambal, Casiguranin,
Dialect:
Ilocano

Poverty incidence among families (%)

10.10 percent
2012:
Provinces

Aurora
Nicknamed: "Land of the Golden Sunrise”and "Gateway to the Pacific"

A province of the Philippines located in the eastern part of Central Luzon region, facing the
Philippine Sea. Its capital is Baler and borders, clockwise from the south, the provinces of Quezon,
Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, and Isabela.

Economy

Agriculture is the primary industry in Aurora, employing approximately half of the population.
About 49,991 hectares, or 15% of the provincial land area, consist of cultivated land. Major crops include
rice, coconut, coffee, bananas, root crops, corn, citrus fruits, peanuts and abaca.

Products

Suman

It is a bit sweet already so no need to dip it in sugar.

It comes in two versions -- the basic white and the ube-colored one
made with rice coming from Dilasag, Aurora.

Ensaladang Pako Peanut Butter

Festivals

AURORA DAY AND SUMAN FESTIVAL

February 14- February 19 | Baler, Aurora
Baler, Aurora

The biggest and grandest of all feasts in Aurora is a parade of

floats uniquely designed. Main streets and homes are decked
with suman, a native delicacy

Sabutan Festival
Date August 24-25
Venue San Luis, Aurora
Description The Sabutan Festival in the town of San Luis, province of
Aurora highlights the importance of growing palm trees locally called
Sabutan on the community's economic wellbeing.
History

 Before 1979, Aurora was part of the province of Quezon. Aurora was, in fact, named
after Aurora Aragon, the wife of Pres. Manuel L. Quezon, the president of the Philippine
Commonwealth, after whom the mother province was named.

Attraction/ Tourist spot

Baler Catholic Church-The structure is an old

church with a simple facade. Here, the last Spanish
garrison of four officers and 50 men was besieged
by Filipino insurgents from June 27, 1898 to July 2,
1899.

Aurora Quezon Marker-The historic marker built in honor

of Doña Aurora Aragon Quezon, the wife of
Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon. Aurora
Quezon was known for her untiring efforts in social
welfare, especially for the benefit of the people of Aurora
province

Bataan

The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and
Pampanga to the north. The peninsula faces the South China Sea to the west and Subic Bay to the north-
west, and encloses Manila Bay to the east.

Economy

The population of Bataan for the year 2000 was 552,000 based on the growth rate of 2.12% in
Central Luzon. Tagalog is the main language and is widely used, followed by Pampango and Ilocano.
English is used mostly as the medium of transaction in business.

Products

Tinapa is the Filipino term that usually refers to fish cooked or

preserved through the process of smoking.

Ukoy is the Filipino version of Shrimp Fritters. This dish can be eaten as
a snack or an appetizer.

Ginataang Laing

is taro leaves cooked in coconut milk plus other flavorsome ingredients

and seasonings
Attraction/ Tourist spot

Is a mountain in the town of Pilár, Province of Bataan, in the Republic of

the Philippines. Located on the summit of the mountain is Dambana ng
Kagitingan (Shrine of Valour), a memorial shrine complex built to honor
and remember the gallantry of Filipino and American soldiers who fought
duringWorld War 2.

Philippine Japanese Friendship Tower

Located at Bagac, Bataan, was built to commemorate the

reconciliation, peace, and friendship between the once
warring nations of Philippines and Japan during the World
War II.

Lamutag Falls

First Abucay Catholic Church MOUNT SAMAT

Zero Kilometre Death March Marker

The Zero Km. Death March Marker was the starting

point of the Bataan Death March in Bagac in 1942

Festivals

BANGA FESTIVAL PAKWAN FESTIVAL

Bulacan

A first class province of the Republic of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon Region
(Region 3) in the island of Luzon, 50 km north of Manila (the nation's capital), and part of the Metro
Luzon Urban Beltway Super Region. Bulacan was established 15 August 1578.

The province is honored as one of the 8 rays of the sun in the national flag. It is the home of the
"Three Republics." These are the Republic of Real de Kakarong de Sili (1896) in Pandi, the Republic of
Biak-na-Bato (1897) and the First Philippine Republic in Malolos (1899–1901).

Products

Puto bumbong

Bulacan, home of numerous delicious recipes, has made

Philippine delicacies more flavorful. Thanks to its people who are
very good in cooking.

Suman bulacan

Made up of glutinous rice

Yema pastillas

Yema is another favorite for those who have a sweet tooth.

Bulacan is the home of this tasty and sweet candy.

Meringue

Meringue is a great treat for the sweet tooth. It is a delicacy loved and
enjoyed by both young and old but most especially the kids.

Attraction/ Tourist’s spot

Biyak na Bato is a national park. It was declared

so by President Manuel L. Quezon in 1937. History has it
that Filipino revolutionaries like Emilio Aguinaldo used
the numerous caves of Biak na Bato as refuge when
they fought against the spaniards.
Obando Church

Barasoain Church is a Roman Catholic church built in

1630 in Malolos City, Bulacan. Having earned the title as
the Cradle of Democracy in the East, most important religious
buildings in the Philippines and the palace of General Emilio
Aguinaldo, the Church is proverbial for its historical
importance among Filipinos.

Festivals

Obando Fertility Rites

The Obando Fertility Rites are a dance ritual

and Catholic festival celebrated every May in Obando,
Bulacan, Philippines. Locals and pilgrims, sometimes dressed in
traditional costume, dance and sing in the town's streets to honour
and beseech Obando's three patron saints: San Pascual (Paschal
Baylon), Santa Clara (Clare of Assisi) and Nuestra Señora de
Salambáo (Our Lady of Salambao).

Pulilan Carabao Festival

Hundreds of work animals, mostly carabaos, are led

on a parade in the streets of the town every 14th and 15th
of May to honor its patron saint. San Isidro Labrador. The
carabaos decorated with garland and shaved for the
occasion, genuflect or kneel in front of the church. Witness
the colorful Carabao Festival and religious activities of the
town. On the 14th of May, farmers all over the town pay
tribute to their patron saint. San Isidro Labrador, in glorious
thanksgiving for a year-long bountiful harvest. The
celebration is manifested by hanging all sorts of fruits,
candies, food crops and multi-colored kipping’s on bamboo
poles. The affairs is highlighted by kneeling of carabaos in front of the church and the symbolic floats.
Every year, a sea of frolicking humanity comes in droves to witness this showcasing innate talents of the
carabaos.

Singkaban Festival: Linggo Ng Bulacan

Singkaban Festival is an annual provincial

event of Bulacan where Bulakenyo culture and arts
are featured in a week-long celebration. It showcases
the traditional arts of the literary form
“Balagtasan,”folk dances, and traditional songs
known as “kundiman.”

The main focus though, is on the singkaban, a Bulakenyo art of creating an entrance arch and
other decorative materials mainly from bamboo.

The main event of the festival is the street dance and float parade where representatives from
different Bulacan towns, as far as San Jose del Monte in the southeast and San Miguel in the north,
travel to Malolos during the festival season.
Pagoda Festival

The Pagoda sa Wawa is held every first

Sunday of July in Bocaue, Bulacan, in honor of the
Holy Cross of Wawa (Mahal na Krus sa Wawa). The
festival is also known as the Bocaue River Festival,
Bocaue Pagoda Festival, and the Pista ng
Mapagpalang Krus sa Wawa (Fiesta of the Blessed
Cross of Wawa). The main attraction of the
celebration is the fluvial parade of the pagoda or decorated barge and colorful small boats.

Legend states that the forefathers of Bocaue extracted the Holy Cross of Wawa from the river
200 years ago, and the celebration is in commemoration of this event. A well-known story tells of a
woman who was saved from drowning by a floating cross which is presumed to be the Holy Cross of
Wawa.

Nueva Ecija

Nueva Ecija is the largest province and the biggest rice producer of Central Luzon and the
Philippines, thus, often referred to as the “Rice Bowl of the Philippines.”

A landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is
Palayan City. Nueva Ecija borders, from the south clockwise, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Pangasinan,
Nueva Vizcaya, and Aurora.

Economy

Nueva Ecija is one of the top producers of agricultural products in the country. Its principal crops
is mainly rice but corn and onion are also produced in quantity. The province is often referred to as the
“Rice Granary of the Philippines.”

Products

Suman sa lihiya

Suman sa Lihiya originated in Nueva Ecija. It is made of

glutinous rice, water and lihiya. Sugar and grated coconut can be
added as desired.

Duro-duro

Duro-duro is a delicacy made from rice that originated in Nueva Ecija. It only has three simple
ingredients: glutinous rice, cooking oil, and brown sugar. But it surely has a great taste.

Attraction/ Tourist’s spot

Church of Penaranda

The church of Penaranda was erected in 1869 by Fr. Florentino

Samonte. Construction was continued by Fr. Candicho San Miguel from 1879–
1881 and by Fr. Santos Vega from 1887-1889. From 1889 to 1891, the
parochial house of bricks and wood was built by Fr. Valentin Gatode la Fuente.
Fr. Alvaro Callega built the original church with thatch-roof and stone walls
Minalungao Park

Declared as a national park, it features a

breathtaking view of the narrow but deep
Penaranda River. On both sides of the river bank
are 16 meter high limestone walls. The ridge
formation of white sculptured limestone walls
shows the might of the great river.

Festivals

Taong Putik Festival

The Taong Putik Festival is an annual feast held every

June in Bibiclat, Nueva Ecija where devotees soak themselves in
mud and cover their body with dried banana leaves to
celebrate the Feast of Saint John the Baptist.

The coating of mud and leaves is an act of humility and

penance. According to some elders in the town, this festival is
an emulation of the prophet’s role to the life of Jesus Christ,
where he has to hide himself to be able to baptize the Son of
God. Most of St. John’s appearances in the Bible are dressed
like a beggar or wearing animal skin to disguise around people
who’s after his head.

Kariton Festival

Date Last Saturday of March

Venue Licab, Nueva Ecija,

Kariton,which means rig-cart drawn

by carabao, is celebrated during the annual
celebration of the founding anniversary of
Licab town on March 28. Kariton plays a
significant part in the history of Licab. Don
Dalmacio Esguerra, the town’s founding
father, used kariton when he left San Nicolas,
Ilocos Norte until he finally settled and found
this town in Licab. In fitting recognition of the
significance of this very important farm
equipment, the LGU of Licab adopted “Kariton
Festival” as the town’s official festival. The event features a parade of colorfully-dressed kariton floats,
Search of Outstanding Licabenos, Agri-aqua trade fair and beauty pageant

Taduyong Festival

The Tanduyong Festival is a yearly festival in San

Jose City, Nueva Ecija in the Philippines. The people in San
Jose give thanks to a blessed harvest of tanduyong. The
tanduyong is a kind of a onion here in the Philippines.
Because of a good harvest here in San Jose the city was
been called the Onion Capital of the Pilippines. Every year
the city celebrate the festival during the month of April.
During the festival the people filled the street and the
dancer wear a colorful costume
Pampanga

A province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the City of San
Fernando. 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.

The population has 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.

Products

Bulanglang Kapampangan

A healthy soup perfect for any fried dishes to liven

up your meal. It was introduced by the province of
Pampanga.

Pastillas de leche Pastillas de mocha

Attraction/ Tourist’s spot

Fort Stotsenburg

During the World War II era, was the location of

the Philippine Department's 26th Cavalry Regiment, 86th Field
Artillery Regiment, and 88th Field Artillery Regiment; along
with the Philippine Division's 23rd and 24th Field Artillery
Regiments. Also based here were the 12th Ordnance
Company and a platoon of the 12th Quartermaster Regiment.

Fort Stotsenburg is situated at Barrio Sapang Bato

in Angeles City and is approximately 80 km north of Manila.
This was one of the locations where, under the National
Defense Act of 1935, field artillery training was conducted. It
was named after Colonel John M. Stotsenburg, a Captain of
the Sixth U.S. Cavalry, and a Colonel of the First Nebraska
Volunteers who was killed while leading his regiment in action
near Quingua, Bulacan, the Philippines on April 23, 1899.

Mt. Pinatubo Crater

And we only found out in 1991. The volcano is part of the

Cabusilan mountain range. It was relatively dormant until one fateful
day on June 15, 1991 when it spewed an intense cloud smoke,
followed by millions of tons of lahar—a deadly mix of volcanic ash
and lava. It destroyed entire towns, leaving desolate villages and
displaced people. But 20 years later, the locals are reaping the
benefits—from lahar, which is quarried and sold as construction
material or turned into handicrafts. Tourism is pretty good too! Mt.
Pinatubo is now a world-class hiking destination with a caldera lake!
Mt Arayat National park in Arayat

Mount Arayat is a dormant volcano with an area of

3, 715.28 hectares situated in Pampanga. Legend says it is
the home of Mariang Sinukwan, a fairy who safeguard the
mountain’s foliage and wildlife. At the foot of the mountain
is Mt. Arayat National Park

Festivals

Giant Lantern Festival

The word parol derives from the Spanish farol, meaning

lantern or light. Filipinos place much significance on the symbolism
of light, the star regarded as a fount of light and a sign of hope in
the predominantly Christian country in Asia. Such a creation
however, did not come without the untiring efforts of the
Fernandinos, and more so, their ingenuity and innovation. And it is
because of the Parul Sampernandu that San Fernando has earned
for itself the title of “Christmas Capital of the Philippines.”

Sinukwan Festival

The Sinukwan Festival relives

the Kapampangan spirit with a week-long calendar of
cultural revivals capped by a grand street-dance parade in
the streets of San Fernando, with towns outdoing each
other to the tune of “Atin Cu Pung Singsing.” Organized
annually by the Save Pampanga Movement, the festival
memorializes Aring Sinukwan, god of the ancient
Kapampangans.

Highlighting the cultural diversity of Pampanga

and the week-long Pampanga Foundation Day Festivities,
the annual celebration of Sinukwan Festival is held from
November 29 to December 6. The event relives the spirit
of the Kapampangan in honor of Aring Sinukwan, the god
of ancient Kapampangans, as various events for the
festival are lined up. Activities include native photo contest, cultural pageants, trade fairs of food and
crafts, cultural shows, and street dancing competition.

Tarlac
Nicknamed: “Melting Pot Of Central Luzon” and “Sugar Capital of Luzon”

Economy

The economy of Tarlac is predominantly agricultural. Principal crops are rice and sugarcane.
Other major crops are corn and coconut; vegetables such as eggplant, garlic, and onion; and fruit trees
like mango,banana, and calamansi. It is among the biggest producers of rice and sugarcane.
Products

Pancit Malabon

Attraction/ Tourist’s spot

Hacienda Luisita

Tarlac City, Tarlac

The Cojuangco-owned hacienda in Tarlac City houses

the famous Tarlac Industrial Park where a growing lists of
international export producing companies are located

Magsaysay Dam

Mayantok, Tarlac

This dam, named after the late Pres. Ramon

Magsaysay, boasts of crystal-clear water from the mountain
and a scenic view of surrounding areas.

Camiling Museum

Maria Clara Museum, in Camiling, Tarlac, was built in honor of Leonor

Rivera, sweetheart of Dr. Jose Rizal the Philippine national hero, immortalized
as the heroine Maria Clara in his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
Preserved inside are the priceless mementos of Leonora like pieces of
embroidered box, jewelry music box and wigs where Rizal's letters were
meticulously kept. Ornate pieces of furniture that was used by the heroine can
be seen inside.

Festivals

Belenismo sa Tarlac

Belenismo sa Tarlac: The Art of Making Belen

Date 1st Saturday of December (awarding)
Venue Province of Tarlac

Description The campaign to create an annual tourist

attraction for Tarlac and at the same time develop a Belen-related
cottage industry while preserving the religious importance of
remembering the birth of Jesus Christ has gained ground with the
launch in December 2007 of "Belenismo sa Tarlac," a project initiated
by a group led by Ms. Isabel Cojuangco-Suntay that seeks to transform
the province into the "Belen Capital" of the Philippines. Belenismo in
Spanish means "the art of making Belen, a representation of the
Nativity scene in which the Holy Family (Joseph, Mary and the infant
Jesus) is visited by the three wise men who came to the manger through the guidance of a star.
Zambales

Zambales is served by the Subic Bay International Airport, which is located in Cubi Point in the
Subic Bay Freeport Zone. The Freeport Zone is host to many tourist attractions which include casinos,
beach resorts, parks, beachside huts and cottages and historical sites.

Economy

Tourism plays a large role in the economy of Zambales. Local and foreign tourist flock its many
beaches creating many job opportunities and contributing to the economy. Most of the province is still
agricultural but there are considerable industrial zones that provide jobs not just for residents of
Zambales but also for neighboring provinces. Mining has recently been booming in Zambales where
there is an abundant deposit of Nickel and other minerals.

Products

Bagnet

Ginipang of Sta. Cruz

Ginipa is a native delicacy of the northernmost town of

Zambales, made of conspicuously dried rice grains flavored with a
uniquely sweet concoction to taste.

Attraction/ Tourist’s spot

Looc Lake

Festivals

Mango Festival

The event is a celebration of a bountiful harvest of

mangoes and other agricultural products which the province is
so known for. It is aimed to highlight the must-see attractions
and places of interest in all its towns.