Tarlac Probinsya Ng Tarlac
—  Province  —
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): Melting Pot Of Central Luzon Sugar Capital Of Luzon
Map of the Philippines with Tarlac highlighted
Coordinates: 15°30′N 120°30′E / 15.5°N 120.5°E / 15.5; 120.5Coordinates: 15°30′N 120°30′E / 15.5°N 120.5°E / 15.5; 120.5
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Luzon (Region III)
Founded	1872
Capital	Tarlac City
Government
• Type	Province of the Philippines
• Governor	Victor Yap (NPC)
• Vice Governor	Pearl Angeli Pacada (Lakas-Kampi-CMD)
Area
• Total	2,736.6 km2 (1,056.6 sq mi)
Area rank	49th out of 80
Population (2007)
• Total	1,243,449
• Rank	17th out of 80
• Density	450/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
• Density rank	12th out of 80
Divisions
• Independent cities	0
• Component cities	1
• Municipalities	17
• Barangays	511
• Districts	1st to 3rd districts of Tarlac
Time zone	PHT (UTC+8)
ZIP Code	2300
Spoken languages	Kapampangan, Tagalog, Ilocano, Pangasinan, English

Tarlac is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Luzon Island. Its capital is Tarlac City. Tarlac borders Pampanga to the south, Nueva Ecija to the east, Pangasinan to the north, and Zambales to the west. It is a part of Central Luzon, which is also composed of Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Zambales.

Demographics[link]

As of the 2000 census, Tarlac has a population of 1,068,783. Its population density is 350/km².^{[citation needed]}

In the southern half of the province Kapampangan is the spoken language whereas Ilocano and Pangasinan dominate the northern half. Tagalog, being the country's national language, is widely understood throughout the province.

Economy[link]

The economy of Tarlac is dominantly 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 notably grown in Hacienda Luisita in Barangay San Miguel, Tarlac City which is owned by the Cojuangco Family.

Because the province is landlocked, its fish production is limited to fishponds but it has vast river systems and irrigation which is more than enough to compensate for the need of water. On the boundary with Zambales in the west, forest lands provide timber for the logging industry. Mineral reserves such as manganese and iron can also be found along the western section.

Tarlac has its own rice and corn mills as well as sawmills and logging outfits. It has three sugar centrals. Other firms service agricultural needs such as fertilizer. Among its cottage industries, ceramics making has become important because of the abundant supply of clay. Some of the major industries here are the making of Chicharon and Iniruban in the municipality of Camiling, Ylang Ylang /Ilang-Ilang products of Anao and the Muscovado sugar products of Victoria. Besides those products, the province also boosts its sugar products in the Philippines. It is next to Negros Occidental which is the nation's sugar capital. Tilapia is also improving in Tarlac and it will soon be the Tilapia capital of the Philippines.

Festivals[link]

Chicharon and Iniruban festival - a.k.a. Tarlac's best. In the town of Camiling. Celebrated during the last week of October for the preparations for All Saints day and a thanks giving celebration for good harvest particularly (Iniruban) and good quality of meat products particularly the Chicharon or Bagnet. It also features the delicious and TOURIST LOVING Chicharon and the exotic but unique, delicious rice cakes the Ilocano called Iniruban. The fiesta's highlights are the Street dancing competition, Miss Iniruban beauty pageant and the municipality's agri trade. It is the oldest cultural celebration in the province since 2000.

Geography[link]

Eastern Tarlac is a plain, while Western Tarlac is hilly to mountainous. Because of this, the province owns a large portion of mountains like Mt. Telakawa (Straw hat Mountain), which is the highest mountain in the province located at Capas, Tarlac. Mt. Bueno, Mt. Mor-Asia and Mt. Canouman is located also in Capas as well as Mount Dalin. The other mountains are Mt. Dueg and Mt. Maasin, found in the municipality of San Clemente. Also noted are Mt. Papaac, Bacsay, Cayasan and Birbira of Camiling. The whole of Mayantoc and San Jose are mountainous so it is suitable for the highest natural resources and forest products in the province such as coal, iron, copper, vegetables, fruits, log fires, sand, rocks and forest animals such as wild boar, deer etc. The main water sources for agriculture include the Tarlac River at Tarlac City, The Lungcob and Parua rivers in Concepcion, Tarlac, Sacobia Bamban River in Bamban and the Rio Chico in La Paz.

Political[link]

Tarlac is subdivided into 17 municipalities and 1 city. These divisions are further subdivided into 511 barangays. The province comprises three congressional districts.

City[link]

• Tarlac City

Municipalities[link]

Physical[link]

The province is situated at the center of the central plains of Luzon, landlocked by four provinces: Pampanga on the south, Nueva Ecija on the east, Pangasinan on the north, and Zambales on the west. Approximately 75% of the province is plain while the rest is hilly to mountainous.

Like the rest of Central Luzon, the province has two distinct seasons: dry from November to April and wet for the rest of the year.

History[link]

Tarlac's name is a Hispanized derivation from a talahib weed called "Malatarlak". Tarlac was originally a part of the provinces of Pampanga and Pangasinan. It was the last Central Luzon province to be organized under the Spanish administration in 1874.

During the Philippine Revolution of 1896, Tarlac was one of the first eight provinces to rise in arms against Spain. It became the new seat of the first Philippine Republic in March 1899 when Emilio Aguinaldo abandoned the former capital, Malolos, Bulacan. This lasted only for a month, as the seat was moved to Nueva Ecija in Aguinaldo's attempt to elude the pursuing Americans.

On October 23, 1899, Gregorio Aglipay, military vicar general of the revolutionary forces, called the Filipino clergy to a conference in Paniqui. There, they drafted the constitution of the Philippine Independent Church. They called for the Filipinization of the clergy, which eventually led to a schism in the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines.

Tarlac was captured by American forces in November 1899. A civil government was established in the province in 1901.

During the World War II, Camp O'Donnell in Capas became the terminal point of the infamous "Bataan Death March", involving Filipino and American soldiers who surrendered in Bataan on April 9, 1942. The camp was so overcrowded that many allied prisoners who survived the grueling march died here of hunger and disease.

In the beginning of 1945, combined American & Filipino military forces with the recognized Aringay Command guerillas liberated Camp O'Donnell. The Raid at Capas resulted in the rescue of American, Filipino and other allied Prisoners of War.

Liberation of Tarlac
Part of World War II
Date January 20, 1945 to August 15, 1945 Location Tarlac Result Allied Victory
Belligerents
Philippine Commonwealth Philippine Commonwealth Army Philippine Constabulary Various Recognized Guerrilla Unit Hukbalahap United States United States Army United States Army Air Forces	Empire of Japan Imperial Japanese Army

On January 20, 1945 to August 15, 1945, Tarlac was recaptured by combined Filipino and American troops together with the recognized guerrilla fighters against the Japanese Imperial forces during the liberation.

In the early 1950s, Tarlac was the hotbed of the Hukbalahap, a local communist movement. It was suppressed at first but had resurgence in 1965.

Famous personalities[link]

Tarlac is the home province of the Cojuangco and Aquino families, particularly Ninoy and Cory Aquino, as well as their son, President Noynoy Aquino.

TV Host, Actress Kris Aquino also came from the province.

Billiard Champ Francisco Dyango Bustamante came from Brgy. Maliwalo, Tarlac City.

Pulitzer Prize winner General Carlos P. Romulo hails from the town of Camiling. He served as president of the University of the Philippines, Philippine ambassador to the United Nations, president of the General Assembly and chairman of the Security Council.

Former education secretary Onofre D. Corpuz was also from the town of Camiling. Sec. Corpuz also served as president of the University of the Philippines.

Tarlac is also the home province of actress-turned-politician, Vilma Santos, who is the incumbent governor of Batangas province.

Tarlac is also home province of General Paulino Santos (from Camiling), who served as commander of Penal Colonies of South-Western Mindanao. The town of Rajah Buayan was later renamed to General Santos City on his honor.

Tarlac Military Testing Ground[link]

US and Philippine troops during a military excersise in Crow Valley, Tarlac

Recently the Philippine Army has used Crow Valley in the borders of Barangay Patling and Sta. Lucia in Capas, Tarlac as a testing ground for both Philippine forces and allies. Many of the Philippine Military testings were done on March 17, 2006 [1] most likely as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom - Philippines.

Belenismo sa Tarlac[link]

“Belenismo sa Tarlac” (project to transform it to “Belen capital” of the Philippines) was launched by Isabel Cojuangco-Suntay, sister of former Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., president of the Tarlac Heritage Foundation. 2007 Belen Festival began in September, with the first Belen-making workshop to Dec. 16. Sen. Loren Legarda led the awarding of 16 winners in 5 categories—personal, grand, monumental, municipal and diorama. The Tarlac police office Belen, built by at least 24 policemen, won the first prize; Asiaten Hotel was second and restaurant Coconut Grill was third.^[1]

See also[link]

• Super regions of the Philippines

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tarlac

• Executive Order No. 561: FORMATION OF THE "SUPER" REGIONS AND MANDATE OF THE SUPERREGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHAMPIONS
• North Luzon Super Region: Potentials
• North Luzon Super Region: Projects

		Pangasinan
	Zambales		Nueva Ecija
		Tarlac    East
		Pampanga

v t e Region III Central Luzon Regional Center San Fernando, Pampanga Highly Urbanized Cities Angeles City Olongapo City Metropolitan Areas Metro Angeles Metro Olongapo Provinces Aurora Bataan Bulacan Nueva Ecija Pampanga Tarlac Zambales Component Cities Balanga City Cabanatuan City Gapan City City of Malolos Meycauayan City Munoz City Palayan City San Fernando, Pampanga San Jose City San Jose del Monte City Tarlac City Luzon, Republic of the Philippines

v t e Political divisions of the Philippines Capital Manila National Capital Region Autonomous region Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Provinces Abra Agusan del Norte Agusan del Sur Aklan Albay Antique Apayao Aurora Basilan Bataan Batanes Batangas Benguet Biliran Bohol Bukidnon Bulacan Cagayan Camarines Norte Camarines Sur Camiguin Capiz Catanduanes Cavite Cebu Compostela Valley Cotabato Davao del Norte Davao del Sur Davao Oriental Dinagat Islands Eastern Samar Guimaras Ifugao Ilocos Norte Ilocos Sur Iloilo Isabela Kalinga La Union Laguna Lanao del Norte Lanao del Sur Leyte Maguindanao Marinduque Masbate Misamis Occidental Misamis Oriental Mountain Province Negros Occidental Negros Oriental Northern Samar Nueva Ecija Nueva Vizcaya Occidental Mindoro Oriental Mindoro Palawan Pampanga Pangasinan Quezon Quirino Rizal Romblon Samar Sarangani Siquijor Sorsogon South Cotabato Southern Leyte Sultan Kudarat Sulu Surigao del Norte Surigao del Sur Tarlac Tawi-Tawi Zambales Zamboanga del Norte Zamboanga del Sur Zamboanga Sibugay Former Provinces Agusan Ambos Camarines Camarines Cotabato Davao Kalinga-Apayao Lanao Lepanto-Bontoc Manila Mindanao and Sulu Mindoro Misamis Moro Province Negros Negros del Norte Occidental Leyte Oriental Leyte Samar Shariff Kabunsuan Surigao Tayabas Zamboanga Other subdivisions Island groups (Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao) Regions Cities Municipalities Barangays Legislative districts Territorial disputes North Borneo (Sabah) Scarborough Shoal Spratly Islands