PAMPANGA PROVINCE is said to be the lowest and most level of all the provinces. It is the chief sugar raising province in Luzon. Some of the islands’ modern sugar centrals are there. Besides farming, sugar making, lumbering, and fishing, the people are engaged in several other industries such as distillation of alcohol, buri hat making, and pottery.
Historical Incidents About the middle of the seventeenth century, two great rebellions broke out in the province. The first of these took place in 1645 as a result of the injustices connected with the collection of tributes. It spread quickly and extended to Zambales. The second revolt took place fifteen years later as a result of the forcible employment of natives in the work of cutting timber and of the failure of the Government to pay for large amounts of rice collected in Pampanga for the use of the royal officials. The leader of the rebellion was Francisco Maniago. It spread rapidly among the inhabitants of the towns along the banks of the Pampanga River, and was only suppressed after drastic measures were taken by Governor-General de Lara.
Pampanga was one of the first provinces to start the Revolution. During the early part of the war Mariano Llanera commanded the Revolutionary forces. Later Tiburcio Hilario took possession of the province as governor in the name of the Revolutionary Government.
Attractions Among the attractions are the sugar centrals, Camp Stotsenberg, one of the principal Army posts and an airplane station of the United States, dome-shaped Mount Arayat, about 3,300 feet in height and fairly easy to climb, and San Fernando, the capital, with its handsome capitol and school buildings grouped about the pretty plaza.
Arayat, a picturesque village lying at the foot of the mountain of that name is an ideal spot for those desiring to camp out. Nearby is the little barrio of Baño where there is an ancient tile bath constructed by the Spanish Friars. It consists of a tile lined tank some forty feet in length and of varying depths, filled by a crystal-clear spring which gushes into it from a grassy bank just above.
Mount Arayat is a perfect cone that rises majestically from the immense plain of Central Luzon, and is visible for miles around, presenting the same conical shape no matter from what direction viewed.
Several trails lead to the top of the mountain from where a wonderful panorama can be seen. It was an insurgent stronghold during the war, but its heights were scaled by American troops and its defenders dispersed. Scientists state that the mountain is an extinct volcano and local tradition has it that the original town of Arayat was destroyed by an eruption and covered by ashes.
TARLAC PROVINCE is also in the central plain of Luzon. The province has two distinct geographical areas. The northern and eastern parts consists of an extensive plain while the rest is covered with mountains which abound in timber suitable for building material and furniture making. The minor forest products are anahaw, palasan, rattan, honey and bojo for sawali.
There was an uprising in this province somewhere in 1762 headed by Juan de la Cruz Palaris. In 1896 the province was one of the original eight provinces where a state of war was declared to be in existence against the Spaniards. When Malolos was evacuated by the Philippine Revolutionary Government, the town of Tarlac became for a time the central headquarters.
Among the attractions are the medicinal springs in O’Donell in the municipality of Capas and those of Sinait.