Angeles City

Angeles City, with a land area of 64. 33 square kilometers and the hometown of 264,927 people, had its humble beginning as an outlying village called Culiat of the town of San Fernando in 1796 when Don Angel Pantaleon de Miranda and his courageous wife, Dona Rosalia de Jesus de Miranda started clearing the woodland and cultivated the area for rice and sugar farming.

This premier city, chartered on June 22, 1963, was once the site of a large portion of the defunct Clark Air Force Base of the USA which has been developed as a major industrial and commercial center with an international airport under the leadership of Brigadier General Romeo Soliman David of San Fernando, Pampanga during the administration of President Fidel Ramos which lasted through the end of June, 1998.

Angeles City has first-class hotels, fine dining, good recreation centers and several institutions of higher learning. Two industrial estates, Angeles Livelihood Village and Angeles Industrial Park are strategically located in this progressive city.

Angeles City has contributed its share to the list of great Filipinos. Honorable Juan G. Nepomuceno, delegate to the Malolos Congress, Governor Rafael Lazatin and Governor Francisco Nepomuceno served also as mayors of Angeles City.

Following the footsteps of his powerful father in politics, Carmelo "Tarzan" Lazatin, son of former Governor Rafael Lazatin has been elected as city mayor after completing his term as congressman of his district. Former city mayor Blue Boy Nepomuceno is also continuing his parents’ great political legacy. He was elected to the congressional slot vacated by Mayor Carmelo Lazatin. Congressman Nepomuceno is the son of Honorable Francisco and Juanita L. Nepomuceno who both served also as congressional representatives and governors of Pampanga.

Angeles is also the hometown of famous authors and writers such as Dr. Serafin D. Quiason, Director of the National Library of the Philippines, Don Mariano Henson, Jose F. Sanchez, Renato Tayag, Mariel Nepomuceno-Francisco and her celebrated siblings, movie scriptwriter and actress Raquel Nepomuceno-Villavicencio, Patricia Nepomuceno-Sutter of Maryland and Austria, Genealogy researcher and Kapampangan language and culture advocate Marc D. Nepomuceno of Maryland and KHP/KWC and Batiawan Foundation founder David D. Nepomuceno of New York.

Included in the long list of favorite sons and daughters of Angeles City are Dr. Emmanuel Angeles, president of Angeles University and Clark Development Corp., former Secretary of Trade and Industry Rizalino Navarro; Kapampangan World Congress co-founders and Kapampangan language and culture advocates retired US Navy Lt. Cmdr. Vic Sibal of Virginia; educator Aida Tanglaw-Aguas of California; accounting and financial administration executive Gina Nepomuceno-Gueco of Maryland; Batiawan Foundation president Mike Pangilinan; KHP co-founder and brilliant webmaster Gil Malonzo II of California and Akademyang Kapampangan president Josie D. Henson.

Dr. David L. Rosmer of South Carolina , an accomplished United States Air Force historian who wrote "Annotated Pictorial History of Clark Air Force Base – 1899 - 1986" is an unofficial adopted son of Angeles City and the town of Mabalacat, Pampanga. Dr. Rosmer is a strong advocate of the propagation of Kapampangan language and culture who actively participate in K-List daily discussions via the Internet. He also made a name for himself for his charitable projects as a Rotarian in Angeles City and Mabalacat in the ‘80s.

Angeles City’s twenty seven barangays are the following:

San Fernando City

San Fernando, originally carved out from the towns of Bacolor and Mexico was founded on August 15, 1754. It became a component city on January 15, 2001. Aside from being made as capital of the Philippines of the revolutionary government for about a month in 1899 and the provincial capital since 1904, it is also the current regional capital of Central Luzon. It is now the domicile of giant lanterns and the place of the world renowned annual re-enactment of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Philippine Christmas Village, the Philippine National Sports Center, the University of the Assumption and the Pampanga Sugar Development Co, Inc. are located in this town.

Revolutionary Governor Tiburcio Hilario; Kapampangan poet and writer Don Zoilo Hilario; Socialist Party of the Philippines founders Assemblyman Pedro Abad Santos and Mayor Vivencio Santos-Cuyugan; Governor Urbano Dizon; Secretary of the Interior Sotero Baluyut and Mayor Levi Panlilio were native Fernandinos. General Romeo Soliman David of the Philippine Air Force; Vice Admiral Armando Q. Madamba of the Philippine Navy; Dr. Manuel M. Dayrit, Secretary of Health of the Arroyo-Macapagal presidency; Environmental advocate and well-known architect Tirso Dayrit; Gerry H. Rodriguez and Jesus S. Lazatin, nationally known industrial executives and prominent rice and sugar magnates; business entrepreneurs and self-made millionaires Abelardo Miranda, Jr., Sergio Laus and Wilfrido Lomboy, Mayor Armando Biliwang, a renown and fearless anti-communist leader; popular mayor Atty. Paterno Guevarra, Marivi D. Magat, an authority on European royalty history and Dr. Antonio R. Suba of St. Louis, Missouri who is listed in Who’s Who in the USA and in Who’s Who in the World have their roots from this town.

San Fernando has a population of more than 222,000 in its thirty-five barangays.

Apalit

Apalit, the hometown of many illustrious Filipinos with a population of 70,914 has twelve barangays, namely:

The town derived its name from the Philippine national tree, Narra or Apalit in Kapampangan and renowned for its weaving, metal industries and for its colorful fluvial parade in honor of St. Peter. The points of interest in Apalit are the Apalit Parochial Church of St. Peter, the Municipal Park and the Municipal Building and the man-made river which was made to prevent flooding during the annual rainy season . This man-made river which commences at Barrio Sulipan and crosses MacArthur Highway flows down to the Manila Bay via the towns of Macabebe and Masantol.

These well-known Filipinos refer to Apalit as their native town: Panday Pira; Capitan del Pueblo Don Joaquin Arnedo Cruz, the respectable host to foreign dignitaries; four-term Governor Macario Arnedo; Congressman and Executive Judge of the Court of Agrarian Relations Artemio Macalino; Secretary of Justice and UP President Jose Escaler; Don Joaquin Gonzalez, a delegate to the Malolos Congress and Constitutional Convention and his two sons, Dr. Bienvenido Gonzalez, former president of the University of the Philippines, and Don Fausto Gonzalez, a brilliant lawyer and distinguished member of the Philippine Assembly before World War II; Angeles City fiscal and Congressman Eller D. Torres; Secretary of Education Brother Andrew Gonzalez, author and former president of De La Salle University and Manila Bulletin; Dr. Benito Pangilinan, Director of Bureau of Education and Undersecretary of Education, General Narciso Cabrera; General Edgar D. Torres; World War II hero and book author Col. Ricardo Galang; Professor Ricardo E. Galang, chairman of the Anthropology Department of the University of the Philippines; Consul General Hermenigildo Garcia; socio-civic-religious leader Dr. Vicente Catacutan, Judge M. Macapagal, and Dr. Eulalia P. Reyes, a retired colonel of the USAF Medical Corps. This list of notable leaders, political figures and heroes grows longer everyday.

The late Sixto Torres, Sr., former Land Transportation Commisioner, co-founded Gonzalez Memorial Academy in this town together with Dr. Remedios Espiritu Galang, the first woman councilor of Apalit.

Noted urologist, medical school professor and private school executive Dr. Manuel "Noli" Soriano, Jr., US-based Dr. Jose Pangan, Dr. Amado Lugue Jr., Dr. Napoleon Punsalan and Attorney Medardo "Darren" Torres, a prominent businessman and community leader in California are natives of Apalit. Asian Games fencing gold medalist, successful business entrepreneur and popular book author in culnary arts Gene Gonzalez and former Undersecretary of Finance Cecilia Gonzalez-Soriano, daughter of chemist and successful entrepreneur Gerry Gonzalez and PAL financial executive Celia Tancinco-Gonzalez call Apalit also as their hometown.

Arayat, a popular tourist spot all year round is nestled on the foothills of Mt. Arayat, the legendary home of the beautiful fairy, Mariang Sinukuan. It has a population of 83,211in its thirty barangays. It was once the location of President Quezon's presidential retreat and recreation area in the '30s until the outbreak of World War II.

Spanish revolutionary heroes, General Jose Alejandrino and his brother, Col. Joaquin Alejandrino, General Ananias Diokno, and Mayor Casto Alejandrino, the "brain" of the Socialist Movement in the Philippines were natives of Arayat. Ambassador Amelito Mutuc, Presidential Press Secretary Leo Parungao, author/historian Rafaelita Hilario-Soriano and leading political activist/Kapampangan language and culture advocate Yvonne Reyes of Washington D.C. are also noted citizens of this town.

The thirty barangays of Arayat are :

Bacolor, known also as Baculud, the Athens of Pampanga was the capital of the Philippines during the British occupation of Manila in 1762-63 when the Spaniards under Simon de Anda retreated in this town. It was also the original provincial capital and remained as the seat of provincial government for more than three hundred years. The Spaniards founded the oldest Philippine trade school in Bacolor which was the forerunner of Don Honorio Ventura College of Arts and Trades..

Revolutionary General Mamerto Natividad, Senator/Governor Pablo Angeles David, Governors Francisco Liongson, Ceferino Joven, Honorio Ventura, UP President Vidal Tan, and Supreme Court Justices Roberto Regala and Jose Gutierrez David, playwrights and writers Crisostomo Soto, Felix N. Galura, Mariano P. Pabalan, Fr. Anselmo Jorge Fajardo, and Francisco A. Liongson were eminent sons of this town. Governor Estelito Mendoza, Undersecretary of Defense Emerito de Jesus, Education Secretary Jose de Jesus, Lieutenant General Gregorio M. Camiling, Jr., Brigadier General Virgilio David and Col. Joselito M. Camiling trace their ancestry from Bacolor.

Many people from this town who lost their homes and properties due to the occasional flow of lahar during the rainy seasons since the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991 fled to other municipalities and resettled there through the help of the provincial and national governments. Bacolor with a population of 77,255has twenty one barangays which are:

 
Candaba

Candaba was once known as Candawe . It has a population of 77,477 in its thirty three barangays, The town is noted for its productive farmlands where sweet watermelons are grown and known for its wide and scenic swamps, the habitat of huge mudfish and gigantic catfish. Resourceful residents of this locality make use of Candaba swamps as fishponds during the rainy season and watermelon and rice fields during the dry season.

Among its many points of interest, is a miniature San Francisco-like bridge and a Wild Duck Sanctuary where thousands of wild ducks make their home. The town has also centuries-old Spanish houses with antiques and relics.

General Marcos Soliman, a former chief of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency and superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy; Rafael Yabut, popular radio announcer/commentator and award-wining poet laureate Jose M. Gallardo were raised in Candaba. Kapampangan language and famed culture advocate Manolo Gatbonton of Virginia; Atty. Nestor Gatbonton of California, former executive of the Philippine Aeronautics Board; and socio-civic-business-political leader Dr. Felix Lapuz of California hail also from Candaba.

The barangays of Candaba are the following:

Floridablanca derived its name from small white flowers which happened to be in bloom when a new Spanish priest was assigned in the area. It was founded as a Spanish pueblo in 1867 but reorganized later into a bigger area in December 1878 during the administration of General Domingo Moriones y Murillo as Spanish Governor of the Philippines. Most of the town people now are engaged in farming or gainfully employed at Pampanga Sugar Mills, Inc. and at Basa Air Base of the Philippine Air Force.

Floridablanca spans across twenty-three miles and has a population of 74,838 in its thirty-three barangays. A few of the famous natives of Floridablanca are: Aber P. Canlas, former deputy minister of the Ministry of Public Works and Highways of the Philippines; Brigadier General Angeleno Medina of the Armed Forces of the Philippines; Edilio Montemayor, director of Public Works in Pampanga; news reporter/columnist and book author Leandro Coronel; beautiful movie actress Rosita Noble; movie actor Danrte Rivero and three energetic socio-civic leaders in Southern California, Dr. Armi Alian-Reyes, Estela "Baby" Fajardo, and Vidal Aguas, an account manager of the USC Department of Surgery at Doheny Eye Institute in Los Angeles, California. Other prominent Floridablancans are/were: Col. Juan S. Aguas, Philippine Military Academy and University of the Philippines professor; Dr. Mariano Aguas, a veterinarian who headed then Magalang Agricultural School In Pampanga which is now a national state college, and Lumbunao Agricultural College in Iloilo; Justice Carmelino Alvendia, Benigno Toda who once owned Philippine Air Lines; Fe Panlilio-Sarmiento, famous jeweler, and the Infante, Valdez, Songco, Toledo, Castelvi families, known for their wealth and political connection.

The barangays of Floridablanca are as follows:

Guagua or Wawa, which means "mouth of a river" is a major commercial center accessible by water and land transportation. It is a land area of 4,857 hectares which is primarily dedicated to aquaculture and farming. It is located in the southwestern part of Pampanga. It is adjacent to the towns of Bacolor, Minalin, Sasmuan, Macabebe and Lubao. The principal industries are fishing, farming, food processing and furniture manufacturing.

Guagua begot the first Philippine Cardinal in the holy person of Rufino Cardinal Santos and the first native Filipino Catholic priest, Fr. Francisco Baluyot who was ordained in 1698 by Archbishop Diego Camacho y Avila. Other prominent Filipinos from Guagua were Congressman/Governor Eligio Lagman; Senate President Gil J. Puyat; Secretary of Public Works and Governor Brigido Valencia; Minister of Justice Ricardo C. Puno; Brigadier General Rafael Goseco, World War II hero Captain Ruben Songco; movie action star Jess Lapid , internationally known poet, professor and Congressman Amado Yuzon; noted Tagalog and Kapampangan writer and revolutionary leader Aurelio Tolentino; philanthropist and businessman Mariano Salazar and college executive/professor, Irene Songco-Nicdao. Guagua is also the hometown of eminent insurance executive Nardo Chingcuango; business mogul Jose Velez and prominent physician Dr. Ramon T. Guiao; Executive Judge Bienvenido Chingcuangco of the Court of Agrarian Relations and Regional Trial Court of Quezon City; Randy David, UP Professor, Public Affairs TV personality and Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist. Well-established private educational institutions such as Guagua National Colleges and Saint Michael College are based in Guagua.

This town has about 97,479 residents in its thirty-one barangays including the community of Betis, an old Muslim settlement before the arrival of Spanish colonizers. The barangays are:

Lubao, with a growing population of 113,358, known also as Baba and Baras at one time is a nucleus of the Philippine movie industry because of many Lubenian leading artists, directors, producers, writers and cinematographers. Movie director Gregorio Fernandez, movie artists Jaime and Africa de la Rosa, Senator Rogelio de la Rosa had their roots from this town and so with beautiful movie actress, Letty Alonzo and current Radio/TV celebrity, John Susi.

Lubao was once home to prominent government officials such as Secretary of the Interior Leandro Ibarra of the first Philippine Revolutionary Government; BIR and Customs Commissioner and Governor Jose B. Lingad; National Treasurer Amable Aguiluz; Director of Printing Cornelio Regala; Manila City Administrator Jose Regala; Director of Prisons Dominador Danan; Assistant Solicitor General Antonio Ibarra, Col. Jesus "Romy" Tayag, presidential security officer and chief of police of Caloocan City; former Senator and current President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo; former Undersecretary of Finance Diosdado Macapagal, Jr. and former Vice Governor Cielo Macapagal-Salgado.

With its rich history in art and Kapampangan culture, Lubao is also proud of internationally famous pianist Cecile Licad; book authors and editors Jose Luna Castro, Rosalina Icban-Castro and Bienvenido N. Santos, Armando Allen B. Regala, co-founder of KHP and strong advocate for the propagation of Kapampangan language and culture; Ernesto Turla, award-winning poet and author of a classic Capampangan-English Dictionary; poet-laureate and educator Delfin T. Quiboloy, an awardee on the propagation of the Capampangan language; educational administrator and short story writer Constantino T. Quiboloy and stage actor Marcial Quiboloy of the immortal "Bayung Jerusalem" fame written by playwright; Urbano Macapagal who also sired President Diosdado P. Macapagal and Congressman Angel P. Macapagal .

The forty-five barangays of Lubao are:

Mabalacat, a prosperous town of 148,136 inhabitants, was also called Mabalacad at one time and was founded in 1712.

Six of Mabalacat's famous sons and daughters are Dr. Catalino Domingo, a medical doctor and health consultant of Clark Development Corporation who served for many years as mayor of his hometown; Mayor Marino Morales, Kapampangan language and culture activists Rev. Joe Gutierrez of California and telecommunication executive Christine dela Cruz-Jose of Florida; columnist Federico D. Pascual of the Philippine Star; and Kapampangan poet and managing editor of "The Voice", Querubin D. Fernandez who wrote the award-winning "Ing Kapagpabustan".

This prosperous municipality had within its area the defunct Fort Stotsemburg and the US Post Exchange capital of the Philippines in barrio Dau . It has a total land area of 15,262 hectares. The historical Japanese Kamikaze Memorial and the Kameso Museum and Library are located in this town.

Mabalacat has twenty-seven barangays namely:

 
Macabebe

Macabebe, with a population of 61,072, is known for its cloth traders throughout the Archipelago and for the bravery of its soldiers under Tarik Suleiman who resisted the Spanish invaders in the 16^th century. It was also the home depot of the defunct La Mallorca-Pambusco Transportation Company controlled by former Vice Governor Gerry Enriquez and his family. Executive Secretary Juan Cancio, Makati Mayor Nemesio Yabut and Reparations Commissioner Eduardo Lagman had their heritage from this community. The notorious Spanish colonel, Eugenio Blanco, leader of the brave Macabebe scouts was a long-time resident of this town. Other prominent Filipinos who consider Macabebe as their hometown are actress Alma Moreno, singer Rico J. Puno, movie producer Espiridion Laxa, movie actor Tony Ferrer, noted Kapampangan language and culture advocates Paul Kekai Manansala of California, Vicente Manansala, National Artist of the Philippines, Dennis Pacia of New Jersey and his US-based brother, radio announcer/commentator, Elmer Pacia.

The twenty-five barangays of this town are:

San Pedro de Magalang is situated in the northeastern part of Pampanga. It was founded in 1605 during the term of Spanish Governor Pedro Bravo de Acuna. It prides itself of having one of the oldest agricultural school, a weather observatory and research station established by the Spaniards in the late nineteenth century. Like its neighboring towns of Mabalacat and Arayat, its land is well-suited to agriculture particularly for sugar cane and rice farming. It contributed also to the long list of famous Filipinos such as writer, editor and art critic Emilio Aguilar Cruz, nationally famous lawyer and Kapampangan poet and writer Silvestre Punsalan, Honorable Governor Bren Guiao, author/historian Evangelina Hilario-Lacson and poet laureate Segundo D. Dizon, the author of the award-winning poem "Kapampangan". Toledano Vocational School of San Fernando which became East Central College, was founded by Kapampangan and Spanish poet Ciriaco Toledano of Magalang. Movie actresses Nancy Roman, Helen Gamboa and her sister, Elaine Gamboa, wife of Pasay City Mayor Cuneta and mother of actress/singer Sharon Cuneta established their roots from Magalang.

This town covers 9,731 hectares and its population of 49,327 reside in the following twenty seven barangays:

Masantol which used to be called San Miguel and part of Macabebe is a fishing town. Many people from this town received monthly veterans' pensions because of the thousands of Masantolenos who served in the Philippine and United States Armed Services. Masantol is fortunate to have reared General Jesus Castro, General Gaudencio Gaddi, and so with Undersecretary of the Macapagal-Arroyo presidency and the first lawyer from Masantol to have graduated from an American law school in the person of Atty. Manuel Fajardo, Sr. who had served also as town mayor and father of the chief of the Public Defender's Office of the Philippines, Atty. Reynold S. Fajardo, also Dr. Epifanio A. Lacap, Undersecretary of Health of the Arroyo-Macapagal presidency.

The estimated 45,722 residents of Masantol reside in twenty- six barangays namely:

Masicu or Machico, with a current population of 79,301in its 15,339 hectares land area, was re-named as Mexico by the Spaniards. Aside from agriculture, most of the people of this town are engaged in fishpond operation, livestock industries, manufacturing of novelty items and toys and other metal products.

Born and raised here were the revolutionary heroes, Don Francisco Maniago, Don Nicolas Maniago and General Maximino Hizon and so with General Rafael Maniago of the modern Philippine Army, PNRC Secretary-General Loreta Paras Sulit and well-known law professor and industrial executive Don Luis Panlilio and New York-based scholar and financial executive, Dalmacio Panlilio Inventor and his niece, Nanette Inventor, popular Philippine TV and movie comedy star, hail from the town of Mexico.

Mexico has forty-three barangays which are:

With its current population of more than 39,000, Minalin is an ever-growing, ever-changing farming locality. It was founded in 1614 with the approval of Spanish Governor Juan de Silva. It was also known as Minalis at one time. It is noted for the provocative "Belles of Minalin " New Year's parade of men dressed as beauty queens.

Don Cristino Lagman, a Katipunan officer , former mayor and municipal judge and Mayor Julian Lagman had their roots from Minalin and so with Justice Roberto Lagman of Sandigan Bayan, former Undersecretary of Finance Ruben Macapinlac; Honorable former Tarlac Governor Mariano Ocampo; Kapampangan language and culture advocates Nancy Lagman-Tremblay of Canada and Fr. Ed Abano of New Jersey, and award-winning architects/artists Pacifico Lagman of California and Chito Pabustan of Canada,

Minalin is also dubbed as the "Egg Basket of Luzon" because of its large scale poultry industry producing millions of chickens and eggs which reach millions of Philippine homes and restaurants.

Minalin's current geographical jurisdiction include the following fifteen barangays:

Porac or Purac, located in the northwestern part of Pampanga is geographically the largest Pampanga town (34,310 hectares). It is a mineral stamping ground and primary source of granite. It is the hometown of Governor and movie actor Lito Lapid and acting governor and provincial board member Edna David and Congresswoman Juanita Lumanlan Nepomuceno who sponsored the first Philippine Land Reform Law during the early sixties. It is also the hometown of noted parasitologist Marcos Tubangui and Dr. Pardo de Tavera, member of the Philippine Commission in the American installed civil government in the Philippines. Famous movie actress Rosemarie Gil is a descendant of a wealthy Spanish family of Porac.

The town's twenty-nine barangays are home to 76,429 people.

San Luis known also at one time as Cabagsac has an expanding population of 35,589 in its seventeen barangays was founded in 1735 but set on fire by Captain Mariano Carlos on orders of General Luna in May, 1899. Its diligent people rebuilt their town from the ashes. Former Huk Supremo and Congressman Luis Taruc, HUK Chieftain Peregino Taruc and Kapampangan poet and writer Simeon Catacutan who wrote "Maulagang Mana" are local heroes from this township.

This town has seventeen barangays which are :

San Simon, with a total land area of 5,736 hectares, was established as a pueblo in 1771 during the governorship of Simon de Anda y Salazar. It is now inhabited by 35,049 residents whose primary source of livelihood is farming. It is the hometown of Gov. Catalino G. Punsalan of Occidental Mindoro, Gov. Patricio Cunanan of Davao, Acting Pampanga Governor Gov. Silvestre Punsalan, Gov. Bonifacio Gomez of Mindoro and Gov. Leonardo Punsalan of Oriental Mindoro, Honorable Cicero J. Punsalan, a top-notch lawyer, a former vice governor and acting governor of Pampanga and so with Atty. Eligio Mallari, a top-rate legal counsel and wealthy businessman. It is also the birthplace of a well-known Kapampangan poet, playwright and journalist named Roman P. Reyes. This town has the potential of attracting big investments because within its jurisdiction are the San Simon Industrial Park, First Clarkway International Corporation, Altitude Development Corporation and the Powerpoint Industrial Complex which occupy already more than 200 hectares for its industrial and business activities.

Its fourteen barangays under its municipal jurisdiction are:

 
Santa Ana

Santa Ana which used to be called "Pinpin" had its first Augustinian Mission authorized by the first bishop of the Philippines, Don Fray Domingo de Salazar on August 29, 1590, the same date the Augustinian Mission in Arayat was authorized to be founded, both missions were under the jurisdiction of the Parish of Candaba

Santa Ana, a farming area of 36,852 inhabitants is proud to have reared Congressman Emilio Cortez, a medical doctor and a famous lawmaker, congressional representatives Jose P. Fausto and Oscar Rodriguez, Archbishop Paciano Aniceto of the Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando and Brigadier General Leonardo Sangalang of the Philippine Constabulary.  Santa Ana has grown into fourteen barangays:

Santa Rita, a former barrio named Gasac of the town of Porac, is nationally famous for a delicacy called "turones de casoy". It was officially founded by Rev. Father Eustaquio Polina in 1770. Ritenans are proud of their famous sons, Ambassador Librado Cayco, Philippine Art Museum Director Galo B. Ocampo, poet laureate Abdon Jingco who was recognized by the 1972 Committee on Arts and Culture of the Philippine Constitutional Convention and known for his Kapampangan award-winning short story "Delfin at Salome" and his poem "Sisa", and notable civil engineer Mamerto Barrera, a dedicated socio-civic-religious leader and former president of the Ritenians of Southern Califormnia. Famous author of Kapampangan Literature – A Historical Survey and Anthology and other best-selling books, Professor Edna Zapanta-Manlapaz and multi-awarded movie actress Rosa Rosal are also mentioned as natives of Santa Rita.

The 30,094 residents of this town are distributed in its ten barangays :

Sasmuan which used to be known as Sexmoan is an historic town. It is one of the oldest communities and the site of the first church in the province built by Augustinian priests. It was the hometown of Congressman Monico Mercado, a great politician and Kapampangan poet and writer at the turn of the century, movie actor Oscar Roncal and so with General Jose D. Regala of TRAFCON fame. The renowned musical band "Banda 31" owned by Don Pepe Baltazar and his wife, Dona Temang Mangio-Baltazar, and the famous orchestra of Abe and Rizal Panlaqui were based in this town.

Former Quezon City Mayor Jun Simon, prominent physician and southern California soci-civic-community leader, Dr. Eliseo B. Roncal and Dr. Emilio C. Mangalindan, another successful physician , turned socio-civic leader and politician who served as vice mayor of the hometown of his wife, the former Esther Concepcion of Mabalacat, call Sasmuan as their beloved hometown.

Although Sasmuan is one of the oldest settled communities in Pampanga, this town has only a population of 23,008 in its twelve barangays which depend mostly in farming and fishing. Sasmuan’s barangays are:

Known as Baliwag centuries ago, Santo Tomas used to be a portion of Minalin and ceded to San Fernando in 1904. It had its first Catholic Church erected in 1767. It is known for its pottery industry, its beautiful women, the delicious food they prepared for their joyful "Sabado de Gloria" Celebration. The renown "Father of Philippine Surgery", Dr. Gregorio Singian and Alfredo Santos, national scientist and pharmacist and co-founder of the Academy of Science and Technology were natives of this community and so with Dr. Dante B. Canlas, Secretary of National Economic Planning and Development, retired school principal and vernacular playwright and zarzuela director, Emilio C. Sambo who is credited for three dramatic plays including his masterpiece "Lihim Ning Caladua".

Santo Tomas has a growing a population of 38,483. It has seven magnificent barangays which are Moras de la Paz; Poblacion; San Bartolome; San Matias; San Vicente; Santo Rosario Pau and Sapa or Santo Nino.

The Kapampangan nation bestowed to the Philippines many famous individuals who made valuable contributions in nation building. The first Filipino who was initiated to the Society of Jesus was Martin Sancho, a Kapampangan, who was admitted to the said prestigious religious Society in 1593.

To practice democracy, Pampanga gifted the country, President Diosdado Macapagal of Lubao. To preserve democracy, it presented the motherland, Secretary of Justice Jose Abad Santos of San Fernando, and to topple dictatorship in order to restore personal freedom and a functional democratic form of government, it gave the nation, Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. and thousands of Pampangans who dedicated their lives in the quest of civil liberties and national independence.

Continuing the untarnished judicial legacy of a great Philippine national hero, Honorable Jose Abad Santos of San Fernando, Pampanga, who once served as Secretary of Justice and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, were Justices Jose Gutierrez David and Roberto Regala. Currently, Kapampangans make up one third of the fifteen Justices of the Philippine Supreme Court. These five distinguished Kapampangan members of the highest court of the land are Justices A. R. Melo, Reynato Puno, Vicente Mendoza, Jose Vitug and Artemio Panganiban.

There are now about 1.85 million Kapampangan-speaking people all over the world. In addition to the famous Kapampangan poets, dramatists, writers and editors already mentioned who enhanced the beauty and developed the Kapampangan language, there are many other award-winning Kapampangan poets and writers such as Magin Torres; Rosa Yumul-Ogsimer; Braulio D. Sibug; Mariano C. Sigua; Armando P. Baluyut; Ramiro G. Mercado; Geronimo del Rosario; Felipe F. Angeles; John Galang Dizon; Lionel M. Dizon; Vedasto D. Ocampo and Abel Dizon who continue to write in Kapampangan to ensure its everlasting existence.

Wherever they are, many Kapampangans excel in their endeavors whether in business, in professional employment and in community services. They are peace loving, patriotic and God-fearing people who care so much for their fellowmen. In thoughts, in words and in deeds, they are traditional members of the Kapampangan nation with a unique language, a rich culture, an old glory and a memorable history. (camiling@mizar.usc.edu – 01/27/02)