Introduction
The Central Luzon Region is the largest plain and rice-producing
region in the Philippines dubbed a the Rice Granary of the
Philippines. The constitution of the Philippine Independence was
written in Malolos, Bulacan and the biggest international airport is
being planned in Clark, Pampanga. Its regional capital in San Fernando
City, Pampanga. The Central Luzon Region include the provinces of:
Aurora
Bataan
Nueva Ecija
Pampanga
Tarlac and
Bulacan
Zambales
A. Ports of Access
Clark International Airport
Manila to Orion, Bataan, vv. via MacArthur Highway, North Luzon
Expressway (NLEX), Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), and
Tarlac-Pangasinan La Union Expressway (TPLEX)
A vast landlocked region is accessible via major roads NLEX,
SCTEX, and TPLEX, as well as via the Clark International Airport.
By Air: Clark International Airport remains to be the
international gateway to the region. Currently, carriers such as
Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, Asiana Airlines, TigerAir,
Jin Air, Qatar Airways, Emirates Airlines, Dragon Air, Cathay
Pacific, and Korean Air mount flights to and from different local
and international destinations.
By Sea: Ferry service offered by Fahrenheit Co. Ltd. offers daily
trips from CCP Complex, Manila to Port Capinpin, Orion, Bataan
and vice versa. The two ferries that would service this route has
a seating capacity of 261 and 150. Travel time is expected to
take 45 to 60 minutes only.
By Land: Due to its proximity to Manila, the Central Luzon region
is highly accessible through the MacArthur Highway or via the
North Luzon Expressway (NLEX). It is connected to the Subic-
Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and the continuous extension of
the Tarlac Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) that makes it
accessible both from Manila and from the Ilocos Region.
Getting Around: Private van and car rentals are available to move
around the region as well as public modes of transportation. One
can take a bus to move from one province to the other, or a
jeepney and tricycle to get around towns.
D. Festivals and Special Events
Aurora
Aurora Surfing Cup
(February) an annual international surfing competition held
in Baler that includes four divisions-Open Surfing
Division, Youth Division, Grommet Division, and Bodyboard
Division.
Aurora Foundation Day - (February 14-19) in celebration of
the founding anniversary of Aurora, a street dancing
competition is held to promote cooperation and unity among
its constituents.
Sabutan Festival (August 24-25) features the palm trees and
its economic importance to the town of San Luis in Aurora;
includes traditional dance presentations, trade fairs, and
exhibits.
Bataan
Pawikan Festival - (November 29-30) organized to increase
awareness on the importance of protecting the endangered
pawikan especially the baby Olive Ridley turtles-the
smallest in the world.
Galunggong Festival - (April 14-15) in celebration of the
Fisherfolks Day, the Galunggong Festival highlights the
significance of the fishing industry to the food production
for the community.
Bulacan
Obando Fertility Dance - (May 17-19) in honor of Sta. Clara
de Asis, devotees from all over dances their way to the
accompaniment of traditional brass bands, in order to find a
lover or be rewarded with a child.
Pulilan Carabao Festival - (May 14-15) featuring the water
buffalos or carabaos to celebrate the feast of their patron
saint San Isidro de Labrador. Singkaban Festival -
(September 8-15) a celebration of arts and culture in honor
of the patron saint of the province, Our Lady of Victory.
Feast of the Holy Cross of Wawa (1st Sunday of July) a
fluvial parade in honor of the miraculous "krus sa wawa,"
believed to assure the bountiful harvest in the town of
Bocaue.
Nueva Ecija
Taong Putik Festival (June 24) originated from unique
practice of the devotees of St. John the Baptist, they
completely coat their bodies with mud, vines, and leaves to
hide their identity as an act of humility and Araquio of
Penaranda (last Sunday of May) a traditional procession and
penance.
Araquio of Penaranda (last Sunday of May) a traditional procession and dramatization of
the finding of the Holy Cross by Sta. Helena and her son Emperor Constantine, where
Christ was crucified.
Pampanga
Giant Lantern Festival - held every Saturday before
Christmas Day, it features the largest and brightest
lanterns with a colorful combination and interplay of lights
and sounds.
Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival - (April)
the biggest gathering of hot air balloons in Asia.
Sinukwan Festival - (December) a week-long celebration of
cultural presentations highlighted by a grand street dance
parade in the City of San Fernando.
Frog Festival (1st week of October) also called Piyestang
Tugak, it showcases the significant contributions of frogs
in the environment, economy, and culture of San Fernando
City.
Sampaguita Festival - (May 2-5) the festival celebrates a
remarkable chapter in the town's history when, in 1572, the
leader of a Spanish fleet that set sail to conquer Lubao,
handed over to Datu Macabulos the Holy Cross of the
Crucified Christ as a symbol of peace, unity, and goodwill.
Tarlac
Belenismo Festival - (1st Saturday of December) showcases
the Belen-related cottage industry of the province by
preserving the religious and traditional importance of Belen
during the Christmas season.
Zambales
Mango Festival - (April) in celebration of a bountiful
harvest of mangoes and other agricultural products of the
province.
Subic Karakoa Festival - (November) in honor of the warship
called Karakoa built by the Pintados tribe in Subic,
Zambales.
Olongapo Grand Mardi Gras (October 27-29) features street
dancing Magsaysay Avenue together with acoustic bands.
E.Major Cultural Groups
Acta, Ayta, Ita, and Ati are believed by some to derive from the
Malay bitam, meaning "black," or its cognate in Philippine
languages, itom and itim. In reality, Aeta means "people." The
Aetas are people with a dark complexion, short (average height:
1.35-1.5 meters), small of frame, kinky haired, snub nosed, and
with big black Aeta population today consists of some 30
different ethnolinguistic groups, numbering an estimated 30,000
people. Many Aeta adopted the language of the lowlanders with
whom they came in contact.
The Kapampangan is one of the largest ethnic groups of the
country occupying the plains and marshes of the Pampanga River in
Central Luzon. The people are known for their culinary talents
and extravagance. Deeply mainstream Kapampangan are
entrepreneurs. Agriculture is based on intensive wet rice
cultivation being the rice bowl of Central Luzon. Woodcraft is
highly developed in Betis and other areas are known for pastries
and preserved meat such as tocino and longganisa.
The Tagalog is considered as the largest of the Philippine ethnic
groups concentrated along Metro Manila, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite,
Batangas, Bulacan, and Nueva Ecija. The national language,
Filipino, revolves around Tagalog which makes it well-understood
and spoken in different parts of the Philippines. Being in the
urban areas and the national capital, where government agencies
and private institutions with national coverage hold office, the
Tagalogs are immediate beneficiaries of basic services; hence,
the development of Tagalog as the national language.
F. Major Industries
Major industries in the region are agriculture, farming,
forestry, fishing, and mining. Nueva Ecija's principal crops
include rice, corn, and onion. Pampanga's major crops are rice
and sugarcane. Its rivers and fishponds produce fish, shrimps and
crabs. Aurora's principal crops are copra and rice while weaving
of buntal hats is its primary cottage industry. Bataan produces
rice, cattle, carabao, and hog rising as well as poultry,
broiler, and duck egg production. Tarlac's and Zambales' major
produce is rice. Mangoes from Zambales are among the sweetest
variety in Luzon. Bulacan is famous for its sweet delicacies.
G. Languages/Dialects Spoken
Major languages/dialects spoken are Tagalog, English,
Kapampangan, Ilocano, Sambal, and Spanish.
Travel Trivia:
Central Luzon houses the country's premier economic zones - Clark
and Subic Freeport Zones, both former US Military Bases in the
Philippines. It is being developed with resorts, hotels, casinos,
Duty Free shops, airport (Clark), seaport for luxury cruise
liners (Subic) among others.
