ABOUT TARLAC
HISTORY
Tarlac's name was derived from a talahib weed called "Malatarlac". Tarlac was originally a part of the provinces of Pangasinan and Pampanga. 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.
The terrain formerly belonging to Pangasinan and Pampanga makes the territory of what is now the Tarlac province. This Central Luzon province was the last to be organized under the Spanish Regime. In 1874, its nuclei were the towns of Concepcion, Capas, Bamban, Mabalacat, Magalang, Porac, Floridablanca, Victoria and Tarlac (now City) which constituted the military "Commandancia".
Some of these municipalities were returned to Pampanga but the rest were incorporated into the new province of Tarlac, together with municipalities from the province of Pangasinan.
Tarlac became briefly the seat of the Philippine Republic headed by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo when he abandoned Malolos, Bulacan in the face of the advancing American Forces. Pacification was considered complete when civil government was instituted by the Americans in the whole Archipelago on February 18, 1901.
DEMOGRAPHICS
As of the 2000 census, Tarlac has a population of 1,068,783. Its population density is 350/km². Ilocano is spoken by more than half of the population followed by Pampango or Kapampangan spoken by 41%. Tagalog is widely understood.
ECONOMY
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.
Because the province is landlocked, its fish production is limited to fishponds. On the boundary with Zambales in the west, forestlands 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.
GETTING THERE
From Manila, Tarlac is approximately 2.5 to 3 hours away by car or bus. Take the North Luzon Expressway to the far end and exit at the Sta, Ines tollgate. Take the Mabalacat road and turn right onto MacArthur Highway, then right again at Luisita Industrial Park. |
