Angeles University Foundation Prelims

PHILIPPINE
LITERATURE

Introduction to Literature
Literature
• Origin: Latin word “litera”, meaning
acquaintance with letters
• Nature: Oral or written
• Imaginative and based on thoughts, emotions,
Style
• Presents peculiar ways about how life is
viewed by the author as seen in the
organization of the ideas, structures, and
expressions in his/ her literary work

experiences, and culture

Literary Models
• Perceived usefulness of literature
Literary Standards • Ways by which literature may be used

• Measures or characteristics unique to literary .

works Cultural Model

• Characteristics that make literature different • For understanding and appreciating one’s own
from other works
and other people’s cultures
Language Model
Universality • For language development (e.g., improvement
• Appeals to everyone regardless    of culture, of vocabulary and grammar)

sex, and time

Personal Growth Model
Artistry • For pleasure, enrichment, and development of
• Aesthetically appealing and has sense of love for reading

beauty

Intellectual Value
• Requires and enriches critical thinking and Classifications
teaches truths about life • Ways by which works of literature may be
grouped, depending on usage

Suggestiveness
•  Filled with symbols and implied meanings and
messages Structure
Spiritual Value • Fiction—from the imagination expressed orally
• Uplifts and motivates the spirit and soul or through written means, mainly for
entertainment purposes
Permanence
• Endures time • Non-Fiction—based on “real life,” history, and
facts, mainly for intellectual appeal or
• Has timeliness and timelessness

enrichment

Introduction to Literature 1
Angeles University Foundation Prelims

Form • Its meaning may best be understood if its

• Prose—spoken or written in a way similar to
how language is used in communicating with
others, i.e., through sentences and paragraphs
• Poetry—expressed in verse, is measured,
rhythmic, melodic and imaginative
classes of people or characters are depicted.
• Cultural
Genre
• Fiction—narrates in prose imaginative
recreation of life based on objective and/ or
subjective reality
a. Novel—with chapters
b. Short Story—without chapters
• Poetry—follows a pattern, is imaginative,
metrical/ measured, and is rhythmical because
of rhyming and counting of syllables
• Essay—explains, explores, and evaluates a
subject or topic in prose
• Drama (aka Stage Play/ Theater)—presents a
story through dialogues or lines delivered
between and among characters while in front
of a live audience
historical background is involved.
Sociological
• The value and the message of the piece
depend on how struggles between and among
• The piece is seen and judged based on its
usefulness as a tool to teach and to learn
about a particular culture or tradition.
Psychological
• The piece is thought to best be processed or
understood by first understanding how the
author thinks and how characters think.
Impressionistic
• The value of the piece is dependent on the
reaction and/ or response it is able to elicit
from its readers.
• View about the text needs little to no
explanation at all as it is based on the impact it
has on its readers.

Approaches
• Ways by which the meaning or value of a
literary work may be determined or understood
• Ways of studying or learning about a literary
piece

Formalistic or Literary
• The literary piece is “independent” from the
author or the period when it was written.
• Elements present and how they work together
in the piece are what determine its value,
beauty, or relevance.
Moral or Humanistic
• The value of the literary piece depends on how
it presents human nature/ behavior and how it
teaches good or bad things.
Historical
• The value of the literary piece depends on how
it reflects the times and place when and where
it was written.

Introduction to Literature 2
Angeles University Foundation Prelims

PHILIPPINE
LITERATURE

Philippine Literary History/Periods


Type to
Philippine Literature Proverbs
• A product, a reflection, of and reaction to the • “kasabihan” = tanaga poems (4-lined poems
period, place and people who produced it
with only 7 syllables/ line)

• Body of works, oral and written, that Filipinos • Teach rules of conduct and wisdom of the
have created (may be written in one of the community

Philippine languages, in Spanish, in English, and • Basahanon - Cebuano

in Chinese as well)
• Daraida and Daragilon - Panay

• Reasons for studying Philippine Literature

• To appreciate our literary heritage

• To understand that e have a great and noble Folk songs

tradition
• with sound quality and are repetitive
• To show that as Filipinos who truly love and • About dreams, hopes, aspirations, lifestyles/
take pride in our own culture, we have to cultures, and loved ones

manifest our deep concern for our own • Harana - Cebuano

literature
• Mambayu - Kalinga

• Ambahan - Mangyan’

Pre-Colonial (prior to 1521): • Tagay - Cebuano/Waray

• “No history before 1521”

• Kanogon - Cebuano

• Wealth of ethnic traditions

• Annako - Bontok

• Filipino Identity

• “rich past” Folk Speeches, songs, narratives and Folk narratives

• exotic and magical epics and folk tales/ stories
rituals/ dances - all oral

• Explain origins of things, beings, and events

Riddles • Tungkong Langit and Alunsina

• Famous folk speech; “talinhaga”

• Test wit & ability to logically guess for things/ Fables

• with animals as characters
concepts described

• Teach moral lessons

• Central to the riddle is the talinhaga or metaphor
• Ang Pagong at ang Kuneho (The Turtle and the
because it reveals subtle resemblances between
Rabbit)

two unlike object.

• Tigmo - Cebuano

• Bugtong - Tagalog
Ethno epics
• Paktakon - Ilonggo
• from various places in the Philippines

• Patototdon - Bicolano
• Teach history, culture, and beliefs of one place

• Darangen - Maranao

• Lam-Ang - Ilocano

Philippine Literary History/Periods 3

Angeles University Foundation Prelims

Folk Epic Dalit

• Narrative of a sustained length
• no fixed rhyme scheme and meter/ number of
• In the form of verse
syllables/ line

• Based on oral tradition

• added to novenas and catechisms

• Revolving around supernatural events and heroic

deeds
Prose narratives
• Either chanted or sung
• non-poetic

• Prescription of proper decorum and

• With a certain seriousness of purpose,
‘proselytization’

embodying the beliefs, customs, ideals of life-

values of the people
• Pagsusulatan nina Urbana at Feliza
(Correspondence of Urbana and Feliza)

• Biag ni Lam-Ang by Pedro Bucaneg (1640)

• Hinilawod made by the inhabitants of Iloilo, Aklan • Panunuluyan – held in the eve of Christmas
and Antique • Cenculo/Sinakulo- passion and death of Jesus
Christ
• Hud-Hud by the Ifugaos (talks about the life and
heroism of the native Igorot
• Salubong- dramatizes the meeting of the Risen
Christ and His mother

Chanters
• perform during events like harvests, weddings, Secular poetry
funerals, etc.
• non-religious; romantic (imaginative, adventure-
• Treasured as repositories of knowledge
filled, and dreamy)

• Status symbol; enrichment of literary knowledge

Spanish Colonial Period: • Florante at Laura: 12-syllabic line (awit)

• Conquered for 3Gs: Gold (wealth), Glory (power), • Ibong Adarna: 8-syllabic line (korido)

God (Christianity)

• Colonialism introduced new forms of literature.

Illustrados
• Filipinos educated abroad like Jose Rizal,
• Drama and written literature

Marcelo Del Pilar, Mariano Ponce, and Emilio

• Two purposes/ classifications:
Jacinto

• Religious—indoctrination

• Disadvantages of colonization; revolting against

• Secular—non-religious; cultural, social, and/
abuses

or political

• Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo

Ladino poets
• well versed in Spanish and Tagalog
Pedro Paterno
• wrote about cultural topics

• Catechism and teaching of Spanish

• Spread Spanish culture and lifestyle

• Memorial de la vida Cristiana en lengua tagala

• Ninay (1885)

(Guidelines for the Christian Life in Tagalog)

American Colonial Period:

Gaspar Aquino De Belen • Introduction of new forms of literature and liberal
• writer of the first pasyon—an octosyllabic 5- way of thinking

lined/ verse poem

• English ONLY PLEASE.

• Birth, death, resurrection, and passion of Christ

• “Freedom from colonizers”

• Ang Mahal na Passion ni Jesu Christong • New forms of literature

Panginoon natin na tola (Holy Passion of Christ • Free verse poetry—no more rhyming and
in Verse)
metric rules,

• Modern short story

• Critical essay

Philippine Literary History/Periods 4

Angeles University Foundation Prelims

Jose Garcia Villa Japanese Colonial Period:

• Colonized—AGAIN!

• National Artist for Literature; promoter of free

• YOU NO SPEAK OR WRITE ENGLISH.

verse writing

• “Love your own.”

• “Art for art’s sake”—art not needing any

apparent reason for creation
Fiction
• short stories and novels in the vernacular

Angela Manalang Gloria

• woman poet
Clemente Alejandria - Bicolano

• Focused on illicit love affairs

Benjamin Pascual - Ilocano

Lorenzo Dilag Fajardo - Ilonggo

Seditious Works Rosario Tuazon Baluyut - Kapampangan

• works in the native tongue

Genova Edroza-Matute - Tagalog

• Discreetly in Liwayway and Bisaya

Genoveva Edroza Matute

Alejandro G. Abadilla • a famous writer of Tagalog fiction

• advocate of modernism in poetry

• Usually involved children and women in her
• Tackled new topics not focused on by others works

before him through poetry

• Bughaw Pa sa Likod ng Ulap

• Virgilio S. Almario

• Pedro I. Ricarte
Contemporary & 21st Century
• Rolando S. TInio

Period:
Paz Marquez Benitez • Freedom at long last—from foreigners but not
• prominent short story writer in this period
from a fellow Filipino!

• Wrote the first short story in English in the • Speak/ write in any language you like, but you
Philippines
won’t have the means.

• Empowerment all the way!

Lope K. Santos and Valeriano

Hernandez Pena
• writers in the vernacular
Essay
Essay Fiction, poetry and other forms in
• a ‘potent’ medium to connect with others social media
formally or informally
Jose Ma. Sison - Essay

• For information or entertainment

Judy Taguiwalo - Essay

• Carlos Romulo
Gemino Abad - Essay

• Jorge Bacobo
Danton Remoto - Poetry

• Pura Castrence
Wilfredo Nolledo - Fiction

Salvador P. Lopez
• critical essayist
Award-giving bodies
• Won Commonwealth Literary Award for opinion • Empowerment and encouragement of talents

on function of art
• Palanca Awards

• Philippine Graphic

Disparaging view on Philippine • Philippine Free Press

Literature
• view inculcated by the Americans

Philippine Literary History/Periods 5

Angeles University Foundation Prelims

PHILIPPINE
LITERATURE

History and Geography of Pampanga


Pampanga 3rd District
• Province of the Philippines
• Arayat

• Located in Central Luzon (region 3)

• Mexico

• Capital: city of San Fernando

• Bacolor

• bordered by the provinces of Bataan and • Sta. Ana

Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to • City of San Fernando

the north
4th District
• Candaba

History of Pampanga
• Apalit

• one of the rich provinces in the Philippines,

• Macabebe

• founded by the Spanish conquistador, Martín de

Goiti in 1571.
• Masantol

• Minalin

• December 11, 1571 - was re-organized as a

• Sto. Tomas

province by the Spaniards

• Political Subdivisions • San Luis

• San Simon

• composed of nineteen (19)municipalities

• three (3) cities, namely:

• Angeles City,
District 1
• City of San Fernando, Angeles City
• Mabalacat City.
• Population : 326,336 as of May 1, 2010

• 4 political Districts
• was known as “CULIAT”
• Remained a barrio of San Fernando for 33 years

Districts • Founders of the place

• Don Angel Pantaleon de Miranda and wife

1st District
Doña Rosalia De Jesus
• Magalang
• Dec.8, 1829
• Angeles City
• Became an independent town through the
• Mabalacat City

initiative of Don Angel Pantaleon de Miranda and

2nd District son-in-law Dr. Mariano Henson.

• Lubao
• Renamed as Angeles in honour of its   founder,
• Guagua
Don Angel.
• Floridablanca
• May 7, 1899: became the seat of the First
• Porac
Philippine Republic under Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo.

• Sta. Rita
• Also hosted the celebration of the 1st
• Sasmoan
anniversary of Philippine independence on June
12, 1899.

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• The Pamintuan Residence (now the Central Barangays

Bank clearing office) became the presidential • Atlu-Bola
• San Joaquin

palace.
• Dau
• Mangalit

• Mt. Pinatubo eruption on June 15, 1991.

• Bical
• Santa Ines

• Many government agencies have their regional • Dolores

• Marcos Village

offices in the city.

• Bundagul
• Santa Maria

• January 1, 1964 - Angeles was finally hailed • Duquit

• Mawaque (Mauaque)

as a chartered city under Republic Act #3700 • Cacutud

• Santo Rosario

Barangays • Lakandula
• Paralayunan

• Agapito Del Rosario

• Pandan
• Calumpang
• Sapang Balen

• Lourdes Northwest
• San Nicolas
• Mabiga
• Poblacion

• Amsic
• Pulung Bulu •
Camachiles
• Sapang Biabas

• Lourdes Sur
• Sta. Teresita
• Macapagal Village
• San Francisco

• Anunas
• Pulung Cacutud
• Dapdap
• Tabun

• Lourdes Sur East

• Sta. Trinidad
• Mamatitang

• Balibago
• Pulung Maragul

• Malabanias
• Sto. Cristo
Magalang
• Claro M. Recto
• Salapungan
• Population: 100,597

• Margot
• Sto. Domingo
• formally established on Dec. 24, 1863 with 22-
• Capaya
• Sapa Libutad
year-old Pablo Luciano y David as the first
• Mining
• Sto. Rosario
gobernadorcillo.
• Cuayan
• Sapang Bato
• first settlers were the migrants from a
• Ninoy Aquino
• Tabun
village in Indonesia called “Magelang”
• CutCut
• San Jose
• Has the oldest agricultural schools in Pampanga,
• Pampang
• Virgen de los the Pampanga Agricultural College (PSAU)
• Cutud
Remedios
served as a weather observatory and
research station established by the Spaniards in
the late 19th century.

Mabalacat • Magalang was originally located in Macapsa,

• (full of balacat trees)

farther up north than its present site.

• Population: 203,307

• due to severe flooding caused by the Cuayan

• 1712 - became a town
and Maisac rivers, Magalang was transferred
• July 1996 - a first class municipality
to San Bartolome , which was dangerously
• July 21, 2012 - third city in Pampanga
close to the Parua river which is today the
• named after the “Balacat tree”

Sacobia-Bamban river.

• Balacat tree - 4th class timber.

• Due to constant flooding, Magalang’s

• It was then a settlement of a Negrito tribe
principales, namely the Suing, Cortez, Pineda
headed by chieftain, Caragan.

and Luciano families divided the town into two:

• Smallest brgy: Sapang Balen (347 people)

• Sto. Niño, which they renamed as Concepcion;

• Biggest brgy: Dau (47,180 people)

• San Bartolome and retained the name of their

• Before 1712, Mabalacat was a barrio of
town as Magalang.

Bambang, now Bamban Tarlac

• Heavy rains on Sept. 22, 1856, made the town

• Its land of 15, 262 hectares is more than double
look like a large lake.

with that of Angeles City’s

• San Bartolome- old Magalang site came to be

• 2/3 of the land area of Clark Air Base was taken
known as Balen Melacuan (abandoned town)
from Mabalacat

and is now a barrio of Concepcion.

History and Geography of Pampanga 7

Angeles University Foundation Prelims

• Talimundoc or San Pedro - Magalang’s American Army so it became one of the main
present site is in. (“San Pedro de Magalang” targets of the Japanese bombing missions.

although the patron saint remains to be San • Also, the famous and tragic death march passed
Bartolome)
through this town.

• magalang is an ancient Kapampangan word • First printing press in the country was set up in
for abundance (In Bergaño’s dictionary the town by Augustinian friars.

Kapampangan dictionary by Fray Diego • At one time it was the nucleus of the Philippine
Bergano)
movie industry.

Barangays Barangays
• Ayala
• San Agustin
• Balantacan • San Pablo 1st

• San Antonio
• San Nicolas Dos
• Bancal Sinubli • San Pablo 2nd

• Bucanan
• San Pablo
• Bancal Pugad • San Pedro
• San Francisco
• Santa Maria
• Baruya (San Rafael) Palcarangan

• Camias
• San Pedro Uno(Pob.)
• Calangain • San Pedro Saug

• San Ildefonso
• Santo Niño
• Concepcion • San Roque Arbol

• Dolores
• San Pedro Dos
• Del Carmen • San Roque Dau 1st

• San Isidro
• Santo Rosario
• De La Paz • San Roque Dau 2nd

• Escaler
• San Roque
• Don Ignacio Dimson • San Vicente

• San Jose
• Turu
• Lourdes (Lauc Pau) • Santa Barbara

• La Paz
• San Vicente
• Prado Siongco • Santa Catalina

• San Miguel
• Santa Cruz (Pob.)
• Remedios • Santa Cruz

• Navaling
• Santa Lucia • San Agustin • Santa Lucia (Pob.)

• San Nicolas Uno • San Antonio • Santa Maria

(Pob.)
• San Francisco • Santa Monica

• San Isidro
• Santa Rita

District 2 • San Jose Apunan

• Santa Teresa 1st

• San Jose Gumi

• Santa Teresa 2nd

Lubao • San Juan (Pob.)

• Santiago

• Population: 143,058
• San Matias
• Santo Domingo

• One of the oldest towns in Pampanga.

• San Miguel
• Santo Niño (Prado
• It is believed to have been founded by the • San Nicolas 1st Aruba)

Malays and was already established when the (Pob.)

• Santo Tomas (Pob.)

first Spaniards led by Martin de Goiti set foot on • San Nicolas 2nd
• Santo Cristo

its soil in September, 1571.

• Originally referred to as “Baba Lubao” which Guagua

• Population: 104,284

means “lowland” opposite of “Bakulud” which

• Hub of trade and commerce
means upland.

• Seat of learning in the district

• Was also called “Baras” (from Spanish Barras,

• Guagua public market – one of the biggest
meaning “sandbars”)

and most developed in the province

• In 1572, Agustinian led by Rev. Father Juan
• Popular for chicharon, tocino, longganisa and
Callegos built a Catholic church which became
especially crablets.
the temporary and emergency seat of the
• Back in 1590 - it was known as “wawa” which
Aguinaldo government during the Fil-Am war.

means “the mouth of a river” or “alua” or

• During World War II, the national warehouse or
“bukana” in the vernacular.

bodega of the town was used as arsenal of the

History and Geography of Pampanga 8

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• early inhabitants used to engage in barter, fishing Porac

and farming.
• Geographically the largest Pampanga town
• In the 18th century, Chinese people sought (343.12 sq km)
refuge in the town to escape Spanish atrocities • It is a mineral tamping ground and primary
in Manila and this made them part of the social source of granite.

economic mainstream of Guagua.

• Its land is also suitable for rice, sugar and corn
• A house near parish church was used as a plantation as well as for horticultural and orchard
safehouse by the Katipuneros.
uses.

• It also became an important battleground • Heavily extracted for sand, gravel and mineral
during the Filipino-American War. deposits.

• Betis- a particular place in Guagua is well- • Population: 102,962

known for its people’s excellence in gold and • got its name from a river called Porag which
silver smithing, gilding, wood-carving, came from purag which is a rattan plant
carpentry, furniture inlaying and drop curtain growing near the river.
and interior church painting. Barangays
• The land is predominantly devoted to rice, sugar, • Babo Pangulo • Manuali

and corn farming, horticulture, fishpond and • Babo Sacan • Mitla Proper

prawn enterprises. (Agriculture)

(Guanson) • Palat

• Balubad • Pias

Barangays • Calzadang Bayu • Pio

Poblacion Area Locion Area • Planas

• Camias
• Bancal
• San Pablo
• Poblacion

• Cangatba
• Plaza Burgos
• San Agustin
• Pulung Santol

• Diaz
• San Nicolas 1st
• San Juan 1st
• Salu

• Hacienda Dolores
• San Pedro
• San Juan Bautista
• San Jose Mitla

• Inararo (Aetas)
• San Rafael
• San Jose
• Santa Cruz

• Jalung
• San Roque
• San Juan Nepomuceno
• Sepung Bulaun
• Mancatian

• Sta. Filomena
• San Matias
(Baidbid)

• Manibaug Libutad

• Sto. Cristo
• San Miguel
• Siñura(Seniora)

• Manibaug Paralaya

• Sto. Niño
• San Isidro
• Sapang Uwak (Aetas)

• Manibaug Pasig

Pangulo Area • San Nicolas 2nd

• Villa Maria (Aetas)
• San Vicente
• San Antonio
Sta Rita
• Lambac
• Sta. Ines
• “Fruit Basket of Pampanga”
• Magsaysay
• Betis Area
• Population of 36,723

• Maquiapo
• Sta. Ursula
• Was once a part of the municipality of Porac
• Natividad
until it became independent in 1770.
• Pulungmasle
• Formerly a wilderness where gigantic trees grew
• Rizal
in abundance

• Ascomo
• The town is popular for Turones de Casoy

• Jose Abad Santos delicacy

(Siran)
• It is chiefly a farming town.

Barangays
• Becuran • San Jose
• Dila Dila • San Juan
• San Agustin • San Matias
• San Basilio • Santa Monica
• San Isidro (Gasak) • San Vicente
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Sasmuan Barangays
• Population: 27, 336 people.
• Pabanlag • San Nicolas
• Used to be known as “Sexmoan” • Paguiruan • San Pedro
• Formerly called “Sasmoan”. (Sasmo- “to • Palmayo • San Ramon
assemble”) . It was somehow mispronounced • Pandaguirig • San Roque
as “Sesmoan” and became “Sexmoan”.
• Poblacion • Santa Monica
• The Spaniards misspelled it as Sexmoan • San Antonio • Solib
because x and s in Latin are phonetically the • San Isidro • Valdez
same.
• San Jose • Mawacat
• Until 1987, Rep. Emy Lingad corrected the
colonial faux pas from Sexmoan to Sasmuan District 3
• It is the only town in Pampanga where you can
find NO FARM AT ALL.
San Fernando
• BUT, it is a haven of fishponds, rivers, and • Population: 269,365

brooks which makes fishing as the people’s main • Center of commerce and industry
source of livelihood.
• Founded for in 1754 and named after its patron
• the site of the first church (Sta. Lucia Parish saint, Spanish King Fernando III.
Church) in the province built by the Augustinian • Famous for its original Christmas lanterns
Priests.
brought about by the creativity and
Barangays craftsmanship of the Fernandinos

• Batang 1st • San Nicolas 1st • Fernandinos take pride in being known for its
• Batang 2nd • San Nicolas 2nd delicious Kapampangan cuisine and meat
• Mabuanbuan • San Pedro products ( tocino and longaniza)

• Malusac • Santa Monica • Site of the annual re-enactment of the

• Santa Lucia (Pob.) • Santo Tomas Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
• San Antonio • Sebitanan
Barangays
Floridablanca • Alasas • Palpitic
• Population: 103,388
• Baliti • Pandaras
• “Floridablanca” Spanish word which means • Bulaon • Panipuan
“maputing sampaga” or “white flower”
• Calulut • Quebiawan
• Named after “Jose Moñino”, Count of • De La Paz Norte • Saguin
Floridablanca in Spain, a popular Spanish • De La Paz Sur • San Agustin
political figure (1800s)
• Del Carmen • San Felipe
• 2nd largest producer of rice in the province.
• Del Pilar • San Isidro
• Also noted for its sugar farms (Pampanga Sugar • Del Rosario • San Jose
Mills, Inc.) is located here.
• Dolores • San Juan
• Juliana • San Nicolas
Barangays
• Dampe • Lara • San Pedro
• Anon
• Apalit • Del Carmen • Lourdes • Sta. Lucia
• Basa Air Base • Fortuna • Magliman • Sta. Teresita
• Gutad • Maimpis • Sto. Nino
• Benedicto
• Bodega • Mabical • Malino • Sto. Rosario
• Cabangcalan • Malabo
• Calantas • Maligaya ϖ
• Carmencita • Nabuclod
• Consuelo
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Barangays
• Acli • Parian (Pob.)
Bacolor • Anao • Sabanilla
• Population: 25,238
• San Antonio
• Balas
• “Athens of Pampanga”, known for its • San Carlos
• Buenavista
beautiful women • San Jose Malino
• Camuning
• was the capital of the Philippines during the • San Jose Matulid
• Cawayan
British Occupation of Manila. • San Juan
• Concepcion
• Known as “Villa de Bacolor” when the Spaniards
• Culubasa • San Lorenzo
under Simon de Anda retreated in this town.
• San Miguel
• Divisoria
• Pre-hispanic Bacolor was called “Bakulud” • San Nicolas
• Dolores (Piring)
from the word “makabukulud” which means
• Eden • San Pablo
“upland surrounded by lowland” (cababan or • San Patricio
• Gandus
baba lubao in ancient Kapampangan) .
• San Rafael
• Lagundi
• Popular for its pansit luglug or pansit palabok ,
• Laput • San Roque
tamales, suman bulagta, puto seco and sopas • San Vicente
• Laug
(special mamon)
• Santa Cruz
• Masamat
• Home to the oldest vocational school in the • Santa Maria
• Masangsang (Sto.
Far East established on November 4, 1861, • Santo Domingo
Cristo)
the Escuela de Artes y Oficios de Bacolor, • Santo Rosario
• Nueva Victoria
which is now the DHVTSU (Don Honorio • Sapang Maisac
• Pandacaqui
Ventura Technological State University • Suclaban
• Pangatlan
• San Guillermo Parish Church, one of
• Panipuan
Philippine’s oldest churches, was built in this
town in 1754.
Sta. Ana
Barangays • Population: 49,756

• Balas • Mesalipit • Sta. Ana residents are known for their

• Cabalantian • Parulog spirituality and kindness.
• Cabambangan • Potrero • It is basically a farming area.

• Cabetican • San Antonio • Previously known as “Bale Pinpin” meaning

• Calibutbut • San Isidro “laid aside”
• Dolores • San Vicente • Spaniards named it after its patron saint, Sta.
• Duat • Santa Barbara Ana.

• Macabale • Santa Ines • Main products: rice, corn and sugar. Also,
• Magliman • Talba horticulture and fishpond enterprises are also
• Maliwalu • Tinajero undertaken.

• January 1, 1913, through the petition of its

Mexico representatives, Sta. Ana was recognized as a
• Population: 141,298
separate municipality since it was made a part
• Sweet chico fruits abound in the town. of Arayat since 1905.

• “Masiku” (pre-Spanish period) which means

abundance of water, the town had vast irrigated Barangays • San Pablo

• San Agustin • San Pedro

farmlands.
• San Roque (Tuklung)
• San Bartolome
• Or from the description “Makasiku”, which • Santa Lucia (Kalinan)
• San Isidro (Quenabwan)
means river elbowing or town elbowing • Santa Maria (Balen
• San Joaquin (Pob.)
neighboring towns. • San Jose Bayu)
• San Juan • Santiago
• San Nicolas (sepung • Santo Rosario
ilog) (Pagbatuan)
History and Geography of Pampanga 11
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Arayat
District 4
• Population: 118,312.

• Nestled at the foothills of Mt. Arayat , home of Apalit

the beautiful fairy, Mariang Sinukuan who • Population: 97,296.

accoding to legend protects the mountain’s flora • Founded in the 1500s

and fauna.
• Is renowned for its weaving and metal
• Used to be a jungle inhabited by Aetas industries.
• Before the Spanish colonization, it was known as • Home of the blacksmith
“Balayan ning Pambuit”, an ancient settlement • It got the name from a species of tree growing
originally located in Barrio Palinglang (now abundantly in the place – Pterocarpus Indicus-
Poblacion)
Asana in Tagalog and Apalit in Kapampangan.
• It was renamed “Dayat” which means • the site of the annual colorful traditional fluvial
“irrigated farmlands” while the mountain was parade (since 1844) in honor of St. Peter, its
originally called “Bundok Alaya” which means patron saint.

Eastern Mountain.
• The shrine of the ivory image of St. Peter, called
• Its livelihood depends primarily on agriculture. Apung Iru , is venerated by the townspeople
( rice, sugarcane, and corn are grown here. Also whole year round.

orchard, horticulture and fishpond enterprises)

• The parochial church, strikingly baroque, is
also a source of pride among the local folks.

Barangays Barangays
• Arenas • San Roque Bitas • Balucuc
• San Juan
• Baliti • Cupang (Santa Lucia) • Calantipe
(Poblacion)

• Batasan  • Matamo (Santa • Cansinala

• San Vicente
• Buensuceso Lucia) • Capalangan
(Business District)

• Candating • Santo Niño Tabuan • Colgante

• Sucad

• Gatiawin • Suclayin • Paligui

• Sulipan

• Guemasan • Telapayong • Sampaloc

• Tabuyuc (Santo
• La Paz (Turu) • Kaledian (Camba) Rosario)

• Lacmit
• Lacquios Candaba
• Population: 96,589

• Mangga-Cacutud
• Known for its rich farmlands, where sweet
• Mapalad
watermelons are grown, during the dry season
• Palinlang
and for its wide and scenic swamps, the habitat
• Paralaya
of mudfish and gigantic catfish during the rainy
• Plazang Luma
season.

• Poblacion
• Migrant wild ducks and various birds wildlife
• San Agustin Norte
escape winter winds from China and Siberia
• San Agustin Sur
making Candaba their yearly sanctuary
• San Antonio
(Candaba swamp)
• San Jose Mesulo
• Delicacy- Burong Isda, a distinct Kapampangan
• San Juan Bano
fermented delicacy, is made from the best catfish
• San Mateo
or mudfish as only Candaba can produce.

• San Nicolas
• Second largest municipality of Pampanga

History and Geography of Pampanga 12

Angeles University Foundation Prelims

• Fishing-related industries are the main means of Barangays

• Batasan • San Rafael
livelihood in Candaba.

• Caduang Tete • San Roque

• As told by Dr. Juan P. Gatbonton, one of the
• Candelaria • San Vicente
more knowledgeable chronicles of the town,
• Castuli • Santa Cruz (Pob.)
derived its name from CANDAWE,  a name of a
• Consuelo • Santa Lutgarda
place close to Sitio Culumanas in Candaba.
• Dalayap • Santa Maria
Candawe was later corrupted by Spanish
• Mataguiti • Santa Rita
derivation to Candaba.

• San Esteban • Santo Niño

• from CANG DABA or “BROTHER
• San Francisco • Santo Rosario (Pob.)
DABA.” (Daba was a term used for a big
• San Gabriel (Pob.) • Saplad david
earthen jar and obese people were teased by
• San Isidro • Telacsan
likening them to a daba.)
• San Jose • Tacasan
Barangays • San Juan
• Bahay Pare • Pangclara
• Pansinao
• Bambang Masantol
• Barangca • Paralaya (Pob.) • Population: 50,984
• Barit • Pasig • Used to be called San Miguel and once a part
• Buas (Pob.) • Pescadores (Pob.) of Macabebe.
• Cuayang Bugtong • Pulong Gubat • It is predominantly a fishing town
• Dalayap • Pulong Palazan • The main livelihood activities in the town are
• Dulong Ilog • Salapungan fishing, rice production, and cottage and
• Gulap • San Agustin (Pob.) handicraft industries

• Lanang • Santo Rosario • got its name from the fruit tree, santol trees,
• Lourdes • Tagulod or because the town was where santol fruits
• Magumbali • Talang were heavily bartered

• Mandasig • Tenejero • Originally part of the ancient Macabebe town,

• Mandili • Vizal San Pablo was founded as a separate town and was
• Mangga • Vizal Santo Cristo renamed San Miguel on May 1, 1878, composed
• Mapaniqui • Vizal Santo Niño of the former Macabebe barrios of Bebe,
• Paligui Bulakus, Kaingin and Nigi.

Barangays
• Alauli • San Nicolas (Pob.)
Macabebe • Bagang • San Pedro
• Population: 70,332 • Balibago • Santa Cruz
• known for its cloth traders and for the bravery of • Bebe Anac • Santa Lucia Matua
its soldiers under Rajah Soliman. • Bebe Matua • Santa Lucia Paguiaba
• The English translation of Macabebe  • Bulacus • Santa Lucia Wakas
• Santa Lucia Anac (Pob.)
(“bordering river banks”) reveals the antiquity • San Agustin (Caingin)
• Santa Monica (Caingin) • Sapang Kawayan
of the town once it is realized that the word
• Cambasi • Sua
pampanga means the same.
• Malauli • Santo Niño
• Nigui
• Palimpe Barrio:
• Puti • Bebe Arabia
• Sagrada (Tibagin) • Sagrada 2
• ◦ Anac

San Isidro
• San Isidro Matua (Pob.)

History and Geography of Pampanga 13

Angeles University Foundation Prelims

Minalin Barangays
• Population: 40,084 • San Agustin • Santa Cruz Pambilog
• Is dubbed as the “Egg Basket of Luzon” • San Carlos • Santa Cruz
because of its large-scale poultry industry, • San Isidro Poblacion
• noted for its Aguman Sanduk: “Belles of • San Jose • Santa Lucia
Minalin” New Year’s parade of men dressed • San Juan • Santa Monica
as beauty queens. • San Nicolas • Santa Rita
• Used to be called Minalis which means moved.
• San Roque • Santo Niño
• Another version of how Minalin got its name – • San Sebastian • Santo Rosario
the town originated as a Malayan settlement • Santa Catalina • Santo Tomas
‘

(called Tigip) under the leadership of Kahn

Buluan. However, when the Spaniards came and San Simon
looted the town and raped its women, they • Population: 48,050,
renamed the settlement as Mina Linda de las • The primary source of livelihood is farming.
Mujerez. A Chinese merchant from Wawa Also undertaken are cottage and handicraft
(Guagua), who established a general store in this industries.
town, mispronounced the name of the town as • Before it was founded it was divided into 2 parts:
Minah Linah Neh Lah Muchele, which the the southern part belongs to the town of Apalit
townspeople shortened to Minalin. and northern part to San Luis.
Barangays • After a century, this place became progressive.
• Bulac • San Pedro Those residing in the northern part paid taxes to
• Dawe • Santa Catalina San Luis and those in the southern part to Apalit.
• Lourdes • Santa Maria Both sides decided to petition the then Governor
• Maniango • Santa Rita (Pob.) General Simon de Anda Y Salazar to consider
• San Francisco 1st • Santo Domingo declaring it a town. Because of Governor
• San Francisco 2nd • Santo Rosario (Pob.) Generals kindness (which he has approved) they
• San Isidro • Saplad name the town  San Simon, after the Apostle
• San Nicolas (Pob.) Simon.
• In 1771, San Simon was included as one of 
San Luis the towns of Pampanga.
• Population: of 47,517
• The people are engaged in agriculture. They
produce rice, sugar, and corn. Some of them run Barangays
• Concepcion • San Pablo Libutad
fishponds (tilapia) and orchard enterprises.
• De La Paz (anak)
• Originally named Cabagsak ( from bagsakan,
• San Juan • San Pablo Proper
kabag, plenty of fruits bats), it was renamed San
• San Agustin (matwa)
Nicoloas Cabagsac in honor of its first parish
• San Isidro • San Pedro
priest, Fray Nicolas de Orduno, OSA.
• San Jose • Santa Cruz
• Much later it was renamed San Luis, after certain
• San Miguel • Santa Monica
Dona Luisa, wife of the town’s legal counsel who
• San Nicolas • Santo Niño
successfully defended it against a land claim by
the neighboring town of Pinpin (Sta. Ana) in
1761.

History and Geography of Pampanga 14

Angeles University Foundation Prelims

Santo Tomas
• Population: the town residents number 37,866,
• known for its pottery industry, the delicious food
they prepare and for the joyful “ Sabado de
Gloria”celebration
• Smallest numbers of barangays because of its
size.
• Is strategically located at the heart of Pampanga
• is the smallest town in the province.

• Known as Baliwag centuries ago, Sto. Tomas

used to be a portion of Minalin and was ceded to
San Fernando in 1904.

• Baliwag means tardy in Spanish

• It was christened by the Spanish Augustinians

after Santo Tomas Apostol, whose festivity was
solemnized on December 21, 1792.

• Had its Catholic church erected in 1767

Barangays
• Moras De La Paz
• Poblacion
• San Bartolome
• San Matias
• San Vicente
• Santo Rosario (Pau)
• Sapa (Santo Niño)

History and Geography of Pampanga 15

Angeles University Foundation Prelims

PHILIPPINE
LITERATURE

Festivals in Pampanga

convergence and harmonization. It goes beyond
District 1 networking and creating bridges of relationships.
It’s an eight day celebration and held every
Angeles City December 1 to December 8 every year. Some of
Fiestang Kuliat the highlights of the festival is the Salakot dance
• represents the resilience of Angeles City in parade contest, Lakambini ning Balibago,
Pampanga since the area was hit by the Mt. singing and dance contest.

Pinatubo eruption in 1991 and after the United

Mabalacat City
States Military base in Clarkfield was withdrawn.
The Fiestang Kuliat is celebrated every October Caragan Festival
10, in honor of the patron saint of Culiat • a street dancing event celebrated in Mabalacat,
(Angeles), Blessed Virgin Mary of Rosary.
Pampanga on their month-long celebration of
fiesta in honor of their patron saint Nuestra
Tigtigan Terakan Keng Dalan
Señora de Gracia. It is an annual affair that
• (October 28-29) held along the MacArthur
commemorates their early Chieftain Caragan and
Highway in Balibago District, it caps the Fiestang
their fellow Aetas.

Kuliat celebration and features street dancing,

variety shows featuring popular rock and roll Magalang
bands and booths selling sumptuous meals and
souvenir items.
Kamaru Festival  
• which started on August 21, 2012, is a blend of
history and festivities in the municipality. It was
Sisig Festival
demonstrated by inter-school street dancing and
• an annual festival every December that is held at
free interpretation competition open to all private
SM City Clark. The highlights of the Sisig Festival
and public schools here.

are the street dancing competition and the

cooking competition that features the hundreds District 2
of ways to cook Sisig.

• Sisig is a Kapampangan dish that has become a Floridablanca

favorite of the Filipinos over the years, not just in
Ampalaya Festival
Angeles City but the whole Philippines as well. It
is believed that Sisig originated in Angeles City • conducted on July 30, 2010 by the Floridablanca
and has been included in the menus since the FITS Center. The activity featured the town’s sole
1730s era.
STBP project which is ampalaya located in
barangay Sto. Rosario.  The ampalaya festival
Salakot Festival was attended by more than 110 participants and
• has started when Punong Barangay Rodelio H. most of these were farmers with some PAC
Mamac served as the Punong Barangay in 2007 officials, LGU staff and other visitors. 
at Barangay Balibago, since then it has been an Floridablanca is one of the major vegetable
annual celebration of our friendship, producers in the province. 

Festivals In Pampanga 16
Angeles University Foundation
Guagua
Wawa Festival
• was launched last December 7, 2009 at
the Guagua Town Plaza in celebration of the
Feast of the Immaculate Concepcion. With the
13 participating schools all over the Parish of the
Immaculate Concepcion, the under constructed
road was rained with cultural dances.
fertility dancing. However, the crowd is too thick
• the participating schools were tasked to
choreograph the remixed version of the native
kapampangan song “Atin Cu Pung Singsing”.
They need to showcase the tradition, history and
industry of Guagua through their six-minute
cultural dance.
will be blessed will have their fervent prayers
Lubao
Sampaguita Festival
• The Parish of Saint Augustine, the oldest church
in Pampanga (1572) celebrated its 440th
Founding Anniversary last May 05, 2012 with the
launching of the 1st Sampaguita Festival;
participated by the six parishes of Lubao. And
the reception of the relics of St. Augustine & St.
Monica.
other to the tune of “Atin Cu Pung Singsing.”
Porac
Binulu Festival
• started in 2005, highlights the cooking of rice
and other foodstuffs using a variety of bamboo
called “bulu,” which can be used to cook rice
and usual dish of soured chicken broth that is
seasoned with salt and other local herbs.
Sta. Rita
Duman Festival
• started in 2002, originated from the tradition of
pounding and winnowing unripe glutinous rice
(lacatan) and turned into a light pale gold or
green delicacy called "duman." The glutinous
rice is harvested just before it gets ripe and
continuously pounded amidst song and
merriment.
Nicholas de Tolentino.
Festivals In Pampanga
Prelims
Sasmuan
Kuraldal Festival
• refers to a dance-worship. The celebration of the
rites is held every January of each year, five days
after the town’s traditional fiesta or feast for a
bountiful harvest.
• The festival is an all night non-stop ritual of
for real dancing; hence, the devotees merely
sway or jump as they wait for their turn to pick a
flower or rub their handkerchiefs against the
wooden statue of Sta. Lucia. The practice is said
to put the devotees in a trance and those who
answered.
District 3
Arayat
Sinukwan Festival 
• relives the Kapampangan spirit with a week-long
calendar of cultural revivals capped by a grand
street-dance parade with towns outdoing each
Organized annually by the Save Pampanga
Movement, the festival memorializes Aring
Sinukwan, god of the ancient Kapampangans.
Bacolor
Makatapak Festival (Barefoot Festival)
• is a merry dance event featuring competing
groups that dance along major through fares,
barefooted. It is the Exodus of people of Bacolor
back in the day when the town became a Lahar
Country 1991 - 1995 caused by the devastating
eruption of Mount Pinatubo.
Mexico
Sanikulas Festival
• held in September 10, 2011 at Mexico,
Pampanga in honor of Apung Culas or St.
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Angeles University Foundation
Sta, Ana
Mahigangga Festival
• held in Barangay Santiago, Sta. Ana, Pampanga
featured a parade of giant characters which
stood about ten feet tall, and comically bulging
around the midsection. The costumes were
made out of wire and colorful cloth, and required
only one person to operate.
• (literally means 'bird - egg') features the
• The Mahigangga (which is a Kapampangan term
for "giant") reportedly began when residents
noticed a group donning giant costumes and
dancing every Christmas. Since then, event
organizers decided to incorporate the tradition
into a unique festival.
and trade fair at the Ms. Earth Park, bird-inspired
San Fernando
Fiestang Tugak
• started in 2003 to perpetuate the beautiful
traditions that emerged through the years in
catching and cooking frogs that used to abound
in the rice fields of Pampanga. The citizens of
San Fernando have reserved a special day every
year to honor this amphibian because of its
important contributions to the environment, the
economy and culture.
Giant Lantern Festival
• an annual festival held in December (Saturday
before Christmas Eve) in the City of San
Fernando in the Philippines. The festival features
a competition of giant lanterns. Because of the
popularity of the festival, the city has been
nicknamed the "Christmas Capital of the
Philippines.”
Sto. Tomas
District 4
Apalit
Apung Iru
• The "Libad" --- the "Apung Iru" (or "Grandfather
Peter") fluvial procession which is annually held
during June 28, 29 and 30, is the most widely
recognized religious procession in the province
of Pampanga. It is considered the Kapampangan
equivalent of the Black Nazarene procession of
Festivals In Pampanga
Prelims
Quiapo. Here the venerated ivory image of St.
Peter the Apostle is paraded along the
Pampanga River. "Apung Iru" has long been
considered miraculous and he has devotees from
all over the Philippines.
Candaba
Ibon-Ebon Festival
municipality of Candaba as the home of
thousands of migratory birds from different parts
of the globe. Activities featured during the two-
day event include street-dance performance by
Tribung Dumara and school contingents, exhibits
kite flying exhibition, and “itik” and boat race
along Pampanga river.
Masantol
San Juan’s Day
• Held every June 24 in honor of St. John the
Baptist. Town people observe this festivity by
riding on boats along Pampanga River and
dousing each other with water after a mass in the
morning.
Minalin
Aguman Sanduk
•  (Fellowship of the Ladle), which is celebrated in
the afternoon of January 1. While the rest of the
country takes a nap after the New Year's Eve
revelry, hundreds of boys and men in Minalin
parade in the streets dressed as women.
Sabuaga Festival 
• or the Flower Showering Festival is a day long
festivity celebrated in the municipality of Santo
Tomas, Pampanga every Easter Sunday. It is a
festival deeply rooted in the religious and
spiritual tradition of the locals where they scatter
or “sabuag” flower petals to the life size saint
figures mounted on carrozas which is especially
evident in Salubong, a common tradition in the
Philippines where they reincarnate the meet up
of the Risen Christ and the Sorrowful mother.
18