Porac. Guagua. Betis.

Group Members:
Jolyn Ann F. Aguirre
Camille Diamzon
Janelle L. Garcia
Robert Anthony G. Mamangun
Marion Mercado
Queennie Graciel G. Napoto

Porac

Toponym
Topographical Features

Porac is a first class municipality in the province of

Pampanga, Philippines, 26 kilometres (16 mi) west from the
provincial capital San Fernando. With an area of 31,400
hectares (78,000 acres), Porac is the largest town in
Pampanga.

Plant Names

The etymology of Porac was derived from the plant purak

(alias pandan lalaki) that commonly thrived in the area.

Patron Names

San Ignacio, Sta Catalina, San Pedro

Town Founded
Origin

Porac was founded on October 31, 1594, upon acceptance

by Fray Mateo Peralta in the Friar's Intermediate Chapter
(recorded by Fray Gaspar de San Agustin, by saying Porac
has its First Minister and Friar, Fray Mateo de Mendoza.
The name "Porac" is derived from the word "purac" after the
abundant Purac tress encountered by the first settlers and is
believed to be the first town established in Pampanga.
The then Provincial Surveyor Don Ramon N. Orozco in 1879
called the river in this place "Poraq River" in his sketch of
the nearby town of Floridablanca. Puraq later became what
is now known as Porac on September 16, 1867.

Demography
According to the 2010 census, it has a
population of 111,441 people. Mostly the
religions in Porac are Roman Catholics
and Iglesia ni Kristo but there are some
who are Islams. Major Spoken laguage in
Porac is Kapampangan and Filipino.

Landmarks

SandBox

An outdoor adventure park featuring a giant swing, aerial walk,

and roller coaster zipline. Through the ongoing development of
Alviera, more offerings will be available for the visitors of this park
like archery, camping sites, urban karting, dining shops, and a
retail strip.

Miyamit Falls
Miyamit Falls have strong and
powerful currents that fill a basin
of clear and cool water perfect
for swimming. Miyamit falls
continues to inspire awe from
adventure seekers who happen
to stumble upon this largely
undiscovered charm at the heart
of Porac.

Poracay Resort

Poracay Resort is fast becoming a popular destination. Be it a

family gathering, an outing among friends or even a teambuilding
activity, Poracay offers you the flexibility to cater to any occasion.

St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish

The Santa Catalina de Alejandria parish church is under the

jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando.
Its original structure, built in 1872, is largely intact but slight
revisions have been made to the inside. It underwent restoration
in the 1980s.

Pio Chapel

The 1861 Pio Chapel is a circular chapel built by Don Felino Gil,
founder of the Escuela de Artes y Oficios (now the Don Hororio
Ventura Technical State University)

Hacienda Dolores Chapel

Another vintage chapel is located at Barangay Dolores, north of

the Porac town proper. The Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel was said
to be built by the Dolores family within the old Hacienda Dolores
in 1856.

Land Use

A lifestyle and business destination is set to rise at Central Luzon as

Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) is set to transform the once lahar-devastated
town of Porac, Pampanga into a mixed-use township to be called
Alviera.

The soon to rise Php75 billion (according to a close source) 1,100hectare township is perceived to be a future hub of modern living that
would cradle residential neighborhoods, commercial districts, business
and industrial parks, university zones, retail centers, a country club, and
recreational areas.

Another future main attraction set to be operational in 2016 would be

the Alviera Country Club, which will feature swimming pools, sports
center, specialty restaurant, exercise area, and a multi-purpose area for
celebrations, among others, surrounded by a panoramic view of the
mountain range.

Political Map

Festivals

Binulu Festival (Indigenous cooking

traditions at its finest)
Porac'sBinulu festival will give you a taste of traditional food made
popular by the Aetas. The Binulu Festival which started in 2005,
highlights the cooking of rice and viands such as fish, pork,
chicken and other seafood stuffed and cooked together using a
variety of bamboo called bulu.
The festival is held every year in late November and aims to create
a sense of community, as participants represent their barangays
and would have to come up with a binulu dish with the help of the
community.

Feast of St. Catherine

A celebration in honor of St. Catherine of Alexandria

Porac Day

A bill seeking for the declaration of Porac Day as a special working

holiday passed the Senate committee on local government.
Senate Bill 2386, which declares October 31 (Porac Day) as special
working holiday, is one of the 17 bills approved by Senator
Ferdinand Marcos Jr., chairman of the committee on local
government.

The 1st Balas Festival

A day of Prayer and thanksgiving in commemoration of the Mt.
Pinatubo Eruption. Program includes Art festival, Street Dancing,
Market Day, Dinner for a Cause, proposal of monument near the
megadike area and an Exhibit held at the SM City Clark. The Balas
Theme Song which will be the official jingle of the Festival was
also launched during festival.

Himnu ning balen Porac

O indung balen a tibuan
Pugad ning purit dangalan
Perlas cang sari king leguan
Busilak king calinisan
Ing lugud ding kecang anac
Labis king gintu at pilak
Ing lingap da alang cupas
Banal, dalise at wagas.
Ing lugas,

Ding parang at
cabunducan
Ilang dase mung pagkeran
Ding batis, ilug, pasigan,
Ilang sibul ning canuanan
Luid cang balen Porac
Luid king calayan
magduyan ca
Sesen mu king pamalsinta
Calam ning matas a banua
Luid.

Beliefs

Beliefs and Practices - Just like the other ethnolinguistic groups,

the Kapampangans have rich customs and traditions governing

the rites of passage. Some of these practices are still being
observed nowadays.

Baptismal Rites Practices - In many Kapampangan houses, the

babys baptismal dress serves as a souvenir and decoration for the
sala. It is put on a frame and hung in the sala like a picture.

Courtship and Marriage. - The only prevalent form of courtship

now is the pamanhikan, where the male, with the permission of

the parents, is to visit the girl in the latters house. When the
agreement is reached between the boy and the girl, the marriage
ceremony is arranged. At present, pamanhikan is being
practiced when the parents of the boy confer with
their balae (parent of the bride-to-be) regarding marriage plans
of the children.

Death and Burial - The wake (makipaglame) lasts for at least

three days and two nights after which everybody participates in

the libing (interment). As part of the ritual, vigil is observed till the
ninth day after the death of the deceased known as pasiyam(day).
On the first death anniversary, lukas paldas (literally the removing
of the dress for mourning) is practiced with a grandiose
meal. The pangadi (prayer observance) is an important part of the
ritual.

Culinary Specialties
Uraro Cookies

Mekeni Food Products

Memorable
Kapampangans

Manuel Mercado "Lito" Lapid

Mark T. Lapid

Guagua

Toponym
Topographical Feature

The town is almost flat and is suitable to any phase of

development; agricultural, industrial, commercial and others. It is
only a meter above sea level. The general slope is south and
southeast toward the Bay of Pampanga (Baha de
Pampanga in Spanish) which drains out into Manila Bay. Further,
Guagua is traversed by several creeks and tributaries during rainy
days, which collect and convey floodwater to the Guagua river
and into the Manila Bay.

Toponym
Patron Saint: Immaculate Conception
Traditional representations
of the Immaculate shows
her wearing a crown of
twelve stars and represents
the sun as a modified
mandorla outline with
flame-like "rays." At the
base is a snake who assails
the woman in Revelation 12.

Town Founded
Origin

Guagua got its name from wawa, the native term for "mouth of a
river," owing to the location of the town. The spelling got
hispanized and became Guagua (Spaniards do not pronounce
their g). There's a charming little folk tale about the town being
named after the saliva dripping from the mouth of a deer, but it's
very unlikely that people would name their town after a body
fluid.

Town Founded
As far back as 1590, Guagua was known as 'Wawa,' which
means the mouth of a river, or 'alua' or 'bukana' in the
vernacular.
Its strategic location along the river played a vital role in trade
and transportation. Guagua was already a prosperous
settlement way before the Spaniards came to take control of
the town in the year 1561.
Archeological artifacts excavated in a nearby town affirmed a
pre-historic community in Guagua.
Early inhabitants opted to stay in the town to barter with
people from different islands and to engage in fishing and
farming.
The Chinese people have long been part in Guagua's social and
economic mainstream.

Demography
Population Census of Guagua
Year

Population

%P.A.

1990

88 290

1995

95 363

+1.45%

2000

96 858

+0.33%

2007

104 284

+1.02%

2010

111 199

+2.36%

Landmarks

Immaculate Conception Parish Church

The Immaculate Conception parish church, also known as the Guagua
Church, is a 17thcentury Baroque church located at Brgy. Plaza
Burgos, Guagua, Pampanga, Philippines.

Rizal Monument
On 28 September 1901, the
Philippine Commission
passed Act No. 243,
authorizing the
construction of a National
Monument for Filipino
patriot and reformist, Jose
Rizal (June 19, 1861
December 30, 1896).
Subsequently, public
schools, municipalities, and
cities all over the country
built their own versions of
Rizal monuments.

Pamilihang Bayan ng Guagua

The Guagua Public Market, one of the biggest and most
developed in the province. The public market is famous even
from neighboring towns who come to purchase and trade.

Political Map

Festivals
The people of Guagua are known for their religiosity
and penchant for fun and tradition. The town fiesta
is celebrated every 8th December with highlights like
street dancing and shopping, magnificent parade
and several other attractions. Moreover, in Barangay
San Antonio, the Lulung Kabayu (Horse Race)
festival is one of the main attractions during their
fiesta celebration, drawing spectators from various
locations.

Himno ning balen

Marcos Nuludjir
And Isidro Ocampo
Balen Guagua,
Balen Kapampangan
Balen binakungpakamalan
Bie mu sagana, bie mu sagiwa
Kabiasnan at dangal mu aliwa
Anak mu sinlag la king
dangalan
Kekasinuyu at king kapuluan
Pakamalan mu la ttularan
Ila ring iyas mu at pibandian

Balen ming Guagua

Balen kung sinta
Ikaingtula at ligaya
Ining kakung bie
iyampangkekeka
Luidka, o luidka
Balen kung Guagua
Balen ming Guagua

Culinary Specialties
Razons Famous Halo-Halo and Pancit Palabok

Memorable
Kapampangans

Rufino Cardinal Santos

Jess Lapid Sr.

Mayor Manuel P. Santiago

Betis

Toponym & Town Founded

Topographical Feature & Origin

Betis was derived the word hispania baetica, its an ancient place
during roman period.
Betis was already called barrio in 1904 and it all began in 16th
century. The town is already well known because the people in
this town are carvers and experts in trade.

Demography

According to 2000 census, Betis has a population of 786. Most of

the people in Betis are Roman Catholic and Iglesia ni Kristo. The
major spoken language in Betis is Kapampangan.

Landmarks

St. James the Apostle Parish Church

The St. James the Apostle Parish Church, commonly known as
Betis Church, is a Baroque church located in the Betis, Guagua in
Pampanga, Philippines under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of
San Fernando.

Victor Ramos and the ceiling paintings

Victor Ramos, together with Daning Henson from San Fernando
Pampanga and a certain Mr. Pangilinan reworked the ceiling
paintings in the early 80s, commissioned by the Betis Fiesta
Committee under Tatang Emias Roque.

Betis Artesian Well

In the last quarter of the 19th century, 1886-1894, Father Manuel
Camaes dug an artesian well on the north-side of the church
which served as a source of potable water not only for the Betis
townsfolk, but to the other nearby towns as well

Betis Museum
The goal is to ignite awareness, interest and sense of pride
among the townspeople especially the new generation
Betisenos. After several considerations and consensus among the
committees member, it was decided that the refectory of the
church will be converted into a museum.

Political Map

Festivals

Kuraldal & Libad Bangka

The event starts with a one hour mass in the small chapel of San Juan
Bautista which highlights the life and importance of the patron saint,
John the Baptist which was celebrated every 24th of June in barangay
San Juan Bautista, Betis.
Wawa Festival
Celebrated every 7th of December was the first festival in Betis,
Pampanga in which 16 Schools including Elementary, High School and
College School join this competition.
Dukit Woodcarving Festival
Celebrated every 29th of December, this event will feature artists from
different regions in the country in a bid to showcase their homegrown
talent / skills and propagate the woodcarving industry and products to
both national and international market while at the same time
promote tourism and travel in this part of the region.

Nuestra Seora dela Consolacion y Correa

Betis patron saint that is processioned together with Santiago de
Galicia every Marian Festival and Fiestang Betis.

Culinary Specialties
Ar-Yins Delicacies

Memorable
Kapampangans

Randolf Randy S. David

Auxiliary Bishop Pablo Virgilio

Siongco David

Wilfredo Tadeo Layug

End