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PAMPANGA

Pampanga is a province located in Region 3 of the Philippines. It was founded on December 11, 1571. It has an estimated population of over two million. The people in Pampanga speak Kapampangan as their native language. Moreover, it is popularly known as the Culinary Capital of the Philippines. Pampanga has rice, corn, sugarcane, bangus, crabs, and tilapia as its major products. Lastly, its capital is San Fernando City.

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HISTORY OF PAMPANGA

Being located by a riverside, the area of Pampanga has been inhibited by people long since written history. Its history has also gone a long way, being one of the provinces that revolted against the Spaniards' rule. Here are a few significant events in the history of the province.

1754 - The town of San Fernando was founded during the reign of Fernando VI, King of Spain. It was carved out from the town of Mexico and Bacolor.

1829 - Angeles City, formerly known as Barrio Culiat, was separated from San Fernando.

1892 - The San Fernando railroad station was inaugurated. In the same year, Dr. Jose Rizal made a stop-over in the town as a part of his mission to recruit members of the La Liga Filipina, a secret society he founded.

1989 - Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, together with his cabinet visited the town and proceeded to the convent of the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Fernando, which served as the military headquarter that time.

1899 - Revolutionary troops led by Gen. Antonio Luna burned the casa municipal, the town church and several houses to render them useless to the approaching American forces.

1904 - The Pampanga Provincial Government was finally transferred to San Fernando from Bacolor.

1921 - The Pampanga Sugar Development Company (PASUDECO), the first Filipino financed sugar center, began its operation. The company was formed in 1918, which became a catalyst for the exponential growth of San Fernando.

1941 - Forces of the Japanese Imperial Army occupied the town and placed the municipal government under its supervision.

1942 - The San Fernando train station was the ending point of the long walk of the Filipino-American prisoners during the Bataan Death March, which started in Bataan.

1991 - Mt. Pinatubo erupted over 600 years of dormancy, hurling a layer of ash and volcanic debris on the town.

1996 - The Pampanga Megadike was constructed, preventing further damage to the town due to the Mt. Pinatubo eruption.

2001 - San Fernando became a component city through the ratification of Republic Act 8990, which made the City of San Fernando the 99th city of the Republic of the Philippines.

Source:

City of San Fernando (n.d.). Brief history. https://cityofsanfernando.gov.ph/invest/discoverthecity/profile_brief_history

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HEROES OF PAMPANGA

As one of the first established provinces in the country, several Kapampangans decided to give a part of their lives to the nation and the province. Here are a few local heroes with their notable noble acts.

THE ABAD SANTOS BROTHERS

Pedro Abad Santos and Jose Abad Santos gained prominence during the pre-Commonwealth Era and World War II because of their involvement in politics and social movement.

Pedro, the older brother, was the founder of the Socialist Party of the Philippines, a forerunner of the peasant and labor movements in the country, and considered the “champion of the masses” because of his good heart for lowly laborers who were victims of injustice.

Jose, the younger and soft spoken one, was a trusted public servant and member of the cabinet of former President Manuel L. Quezon.

Pedro sympathized with the poor landless farmers and was critical of the government while Jose was identified with the government, and consequently with the elite.

Source: Palafox, Q. A. J. (2012, September 4). The Abad Santos brothers. National Historical Commission of the Philippines. https://nhcp.gov.ph/775-2/

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TIBURCIO HILARIO

“The Brains of the Revolutionary Movement in Pampanga”

Hilario's historical significance derives from his civilian leadership in his province.

He implanted the seeds of liberalism in Pampanga preserving, even in times of war, the human rights of the Filipino people.

 Source: City of San Fernando (n.d.). Tiburcio Hilario. https://cityofsanfernando.gov.ph/forvisitors/localheroes/tiburciohilario

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VIVENCIO CUYUGAN

Cuyugan was one of the voices of the oppressed, a mission he had lived for.

Although part of the upper class, he was able to identify himself with the lowly and soon joined socialist movement leader, Pedro Abad Santos, in creating the Socialist Party.

Source: City of San Fernando (n.d.). Vivencio Cuyugan. https://cityofsanfernando.gov.ph/forvisitors/localheroes/vivenciocuyugan

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TOPONYMS

A toponym is a place name or a word coined in association with the name of a place. The City of San Fernando was named after two King Ferdinands of Spain. First was after Ferdinand VI who was the king of Spain at that time (1754) and approved the establishment of this new town. The other was its titular patron, Saint Ferdinand, who was also coincidentally a Spanish king (Ferdinand III).

With the wide history of the province, names of places have been associated with geographic location, products, and saints. Mentioned below are Kapampangan localities and where their names were derived from.

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BARANGAYS NAMED AFTER PLANTS

Alasas - A barrio situated mid-southwest of San Fernando’s boundary, this barangay was named after the alásas tree (Ficus ulmifolia Lam.) from the baliti family.

Baliti - This barangay was named from the basic term for all the “strangling” figs of the Ficus family.

Bulaon - This barangay was named after the bulaon tree, which is a type of tree known as lagundi in Guam and molauin in Tagalog.

Calulut - This barangay was named after an erect tree about 8 meters high with oblong leaves, axillary inflorescence, and many seeded fruits known locally as kalulút. The bark of this tree is a favorite material for wood carving.

Lara - This barrio’s name was derived from lára, which is a generic term for local chillis or sili.

Pulung bulu - This barrio’s name was derived from the words pulung, which means “forest of,” and bulu, which is a plant with scientific name  schizostachyum lumampao.

Saguin - This barangay was named after ságin or banana (in English), a fruit abundant in the country. Varieties of which are known to local Kapampangans such as paltikus, saba, latondan, matabia, seniorita etc.

 Source: Mallari, J. P. (n.d.). Baltang da ring memalen ning pueblo San Fernando. Singsing, 4(1), 67-70.

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BARANGAYS NAMED AFTER RIVERS

Maimpis - Water going through the Maimpis River decelerates, thus becoming meímpis, i.e., thinning of river flow or shallowing of water.

Malino - This barrio was named in association with the various behaviors and characters of its respective river, the Malino River, wherein malino literally means “clear.”

Sindalan - River water going halfway through Barrio Sindalan “bends and slows down,” thus gaining a meandering shape— marked by old town folks as sinandal

Source: Mallari, J. P. (n.d.). Baltang da ring memalen ning pueblo San Fernando. Singsing, 4(1), 67-70.

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BARANGAYS NAMED AFTER HOMEGROWN PRODUCTS

Magliman - Magliman (or mangaliman) is the verb used by an infanticipating woman when she asks a favor, usually for something to eat. It can also be associated to maglimas, that is, “to get rid of the water” (from waterlogged areas like bana, pinak, etc.) either by constructing a tabun (irrigation dam) or manually, using a container; the objective is usually to facilitate the catching of fish. This theory is bolstered by the presence of rivers and creeks in the vicinity of both Magliman barrios (in Bacolor and San Fernando), which have a long history of rice farming and fishing.

Malpitic - This barangay, also known as Palpitik, is an abbreviation of mala, which means like, and pitik, which means any of the following: (a) flick (with a finger); (b) carpenter’s or boat carver’s line marker; (c) spark and its sound (as in ignition), like pisik; (d) the sound of sudden tension or waving (of cord, rope, bridle, whip etc.); (e) smarting pain on the skin, or muscular numbness due to exhaustion. This barangay’s name may have also been derived from the Kapampangan word salpitik, which means “graded paper” or “brave person.”

Pandaras - This barangay was named after the adze or adze-like tool, daras, used for making the old-fashioned, canoe-type boat known to old Kapampangans as balutu.

Panipuan - This barrio’s name was derived from several terms: (a) pipaniplan or pipalutan (the place for harvested rice field); (b) pipanipunan which means “a collecting area” or “a place of gathering”; (c) the root word puapu, a kind or type of a paduas (fishing implement with hook, string and rod) used for fishing or for frog catching since the place conveniently has several headwaters of small rivers and creeks; and, (d) the plant ipo (Antiaris toxicaria [Pers.] lesch.), a term common to Kapampangans, Tagalogs and Bisayas.

Quebiawan - This barrio’s name came from the noun kebiauan, which means “a place where sugar cane juice is extracted.”

Telabastagan - This barangay’s name literally means “frame-like,” which either refers to the bastidor-like frame used in weaving fishing nets or dase ebus (native mat made of palm leaves of Corypha utan Lam. Some old folks associate Telebastagan with the early game venue of jueteng.

 Source: Mallari, J. P. (n.d.). Baltang da ring memalen ning pueblo San Fernando. Singsing, 4(1), 67-70.

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BARANGAYS NAMED AFTER PATRONS

Del Carmen - This barangay was named after an erect tree about 8 meters high with oblong leaves, axillary inflorescence, and many seeded fruits known locally as kalulút. The bark of this tree is a favorite material for wood carving.

Dela Paz Norte - This barangay was named after the Blessed Mother’s title.

Dela Paz Sur - This barangay was named after the Blessed Mother’s title.

Del Rosario - This barangay was named after a historical figure.

Dolores - This barangay was named after the Blessed Mother’s title.

Juliana - This barangay’s name was said to have derived from Santa Juliana or from a local resident now forgotten.

Lourdes - This barangay was named after the Blessed Mother’s title.

San Agustin - This barrio’s name was derived from its patron saint, Saint Augustine.

San Felipe - This barrio’s name was derived from its patron saint, either St. Philip Neri or St. Philip the Apostle.

San Isidro - This barrio’s name was derived from its patron saint, Saint Isidore.

San Jose - This barrio’s name was derived from its patron saint, Saint Joseph.

San Juan - This barrio’s name was derived from its patron saint, Saint John the Evangelist.

San Nicolas - This barrio’s name was derived from its patron saint, Saint Nicholas of Tolentine.

San Pedro - This barrio’s name was derived from its patron saint, Saint Peter the Apostle.

Santa Lucia - This barrio’s name was derived from its patron saint, Saint Lucy.

Santa Teresita - This barrio’s name was derived from its patron saint, Saint Therese of Lisieux.

Santo Niño - This barrio’s name was derived from the Holy Child, Sto. Niño.

Santo Rosario - This barangay was named after the Blessed Mother’s title.

 Source: Mallari, J. P. (n.d.). Baltang da ring memalen ning pueblo San Fernando. Singsing, 4(1), 67-70.

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KAPAMPANGAN TRADITIONS AND CELEBRATIONS

Kapampangans are known for being boastful. This trait is the locals' way of showing how proud they are for overcoming challenges, such as the hardship of farming and the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. Consequently, various festivals are celebrated in the province for the citizens' wins and to showcase the talents of the citizens. Here are some of the most significant traditions held in Pampanga.

PIESTANG TUGAK

The Annual San Fernando Frog Festival was born from the Kapampangan traditional practice of frog-catching and delicacy making of the native amphibian. The festival was orchestrated to celebrate the Fernandinos’ rich tradition in the frog-catching process, pamamaduas tugak, which has been passed on from generation to generation.

The festival includes food, street dances, attractions, and frog-catching competitions. Fernandinos put together green and yellow costumes to mimic the frogs and colorful cartoon frog mascots for the parade. The 1st Annual San Fernando Frog Festival was celebrated last November 4, 2003 at the WOW Northern Philippines, HILAGA.

The Piestang Tugak is held every October in the City of San Fernando to celebrate its old past time of catching frogs.

Origin 

Children would set out for the rice fields, streams, and estuaries fed by the Rio Grande de Pampanga during the beginning of the rains when the town folks would start planting rice. From this, the rainy season became a frog-catching season. They would lure the frogs out with a fishing rod and string to jiggle a black piece of cloth to imitate flies. Once the frogs jump, they are captured using reed containers or sacks dressed later with ash to remove the frog’s slime.

This tradition also comes with a wide range of frog cuisine to salivate the tourists, passers-by, and locals. The most famous of these is the betute, frogstuffed with the common pork or the traditional minced frog meat and then deep-fried. And then there is of course the adobong tugak, tinolang tugak, almondegas, torta, or frog burgers.

 Source: City of San Fernando. (2021). Kaganapan/Cityhood Anniversary: Fiestang Tugak. https://cityofsanfernando.gov.ph/forvisitors/fiestangtugak

Pueblo de Oro. (2017, October 10). Unique Festival of Pampanga. https://pueblodeoro.com/blog/unique-festivals-of-pampanga 

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SINUKWAN FESTIVAL

Sinukwan Festival is a weeklong festival that captures the Kapampangan pride and the soul of San Fernando City. It is best described as the essence of the Kapampangan Spirit. It begins with the participation of various groups in a grand street performance. They dance to the tunes of the ‘Atin Cu Pung Singsing’ in their colorful costumes and vivacious energy.

Tourists and locals alike also enjoy other attractions at the festival such as the local photography competitions, cultural shows, and pageants where participants battle it out for the festival’s title. Through this, indigenous traditions are showcased with unique cultural and festival costumes; and by performing local music and arts. In addition, they can indulge and savor an array of local cuisine and delicacies through food fairs on location. It aims to save and empower Pampanga’s culture and language.

The Sinukwan Festival is an annual event held every first or second week of December in the City of San Fernando Pampanga.

Origin 

Sinukwan Festival is a cultural festival that honors Aring Sinukwan, the god of the ancient Kapampangans. The Sinukwan Festival is believed to be an old tradition but there has been no accurate date or year to which it was founded. However, it has been celebrated throughout the years and made a big impact on the people’s culture that they happily celebrate every year. Although the precise date or year of the first Sinukwan Festival is unknown, it is believed to be an old tradition. Nevertheless, it has been celebrated for many years and has made a significant impact on people's culture.

 Source: Expert World Travel. (2021, May 28). Sinukwan Festival. https://expertworldtravel.com/philippines/sinukwan-festival/

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GIANT LANTERN FESTIVAL/LIGLIGAN PARUL

Being the Christmas Capital of the Philippines, the City of San Fernando holds an annual Giant Lantern Festival or Ligligan Parul, a parade showcasing the huge lanterns. It is a parol-making competition among towns or municipalities of the province held annually at San Fernando. They must work together to build a giant lantern that is usually almost 20ft. in diameter. In addition, the lanterns utilize colorful plastics that reflect light. During the event, watchers are truly awed by the creativity, festivity, and magnificence of the sight.

The Giant Lantern Festival or Ligligan Parul is held every December, on the Saturday before Christmas Eve in the City of San Fernando Pampanga.

 Origin

The start of the Giant Lantern Festival or Ligligan Parul is uncertain. It is believed to have started in the year 1904, however, some claim it began in 1908. As the tradition gradually evolved, the lanterns created by each barrio became bigger and the designs more intricate.

The birth of the first Giant Lantern Festival was in the year 1931 when electricity was established in San Fernando. It became a bridge for makers to add the illusion of dancing lights, and highlight the bright colors and intricate designs of these Giant Lanterns. Later on, the lanterns continued to evolve by using colored plastic, steel frames, rotors, and more.

 Source: City of San Fernando. (2021). Giant Lantern Festival. https://cityofsanfernando.gov.ph/forvisitors/giantlanternfestival

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SAN PEDRO CUTUD CRUCIFIXION RITES

The San Pedro Cutud Crucifixion Rites is an annual Holy Week re-enactment of the Passion and death of Christ. The devout believers – penitents – portray the suffering of Christ by participating in real-life self-flagellation and Passion Play which culminates with the crucifixion penitents. They believe their participation are sacrifices to gain personal penance as they seek atonement for their sins and misdoings. The forms of penitence include self-flagellation (magsalibatbat or magdarame), carrying a wooden cross as well as crawling on the public streets (kukusad).

Due to this, San Pedro Cutud, a barangay in San Fernando City, Pampanga province, has become infamous as a site of a senakulo. It is one of the bloodiest and most violent replications of Jesus’ Passion. It has local popular and political support; however, it is not endorsed by the church.

The San Pedro Cutud Crucifixion Rites is held annually every Friday in Barangay San Pedro Cutud of San Fernando City in Pampanga.

 Origin

The San Pedro Cutud Crucifixion Rites can be traced back to 1955. It was performed by amateur volunteer artists of the village. In 1962, Artemio Anoza, a quack doctor of Apalit was the first to be literally crucified when he played the role of Christ. He was prompted by his ambition to become a religious leader and be able to heal. From this, the actual crucifixion is staged annually which garnered the interest of national and even international media.

 Source: Traveloka. (2018, March 16). Crucifixion in Pampanga: Everything You Need To Know. https://www.traveloka.com/en-ph/explore/tips/crucifixion-pampanga-everything-need-know/63767

The Restless Pinoy Traveler. (2014, April 20). PAMPANGA | San Pedro Cutud Lenten Rites. https://therestlesspinoytraveler.wordpress.com/2014/04/20/city-of-san-fernando-pampanga-san-pedro-cutud-lenten-rites/

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Given how long the history of Pampanga is, there have been several stories passed down from generation to generation. These stories often include legends or stories of how things came to be. Others featured supernatural beings that the locals still believe until this day. One belief passed is that the Pampanga River was formed by a wrathful river demon.

In the early days when San Fernando was a small thinly populated town, the present ilug of San Fernando was only then a small intermittent stream. It is said that it was the youngest daughter of the goddess of the Pampanga River. In this river, the river demon made his abode. As the goddess and the river demon were the only powerful sovereigns of the Pampanga River they agreed to form an alliance against any possible invasion by some other sovereign. The agreement continued for several years. It was dissolved when the river demon asked for the hand of her youngest daughter located in San Fernando. From that time on, she took a decided dislike for the river demon. So the river demon caused the banks of this once intermittent stream to fall in. Soon its banks widened and it ceased being an intermittent stream. The people afterward named it Ilug. This ilug, one of the branches of the Pampanga River, facilitates the communication of San Fernando with other towns. The people of San Fernando do say, “Because of the constant trouble between the goddess and the river demon, the latter causes the drowning every year of at least one of the townspeople.”

Daughter of the Pampanga River Goddess by Eugenio B. Sicat (From the H. Otley Beyer Collections, 1917)

Source: A Tale of Two Cities. (n.d.). Singsing, 4(1), 15-16. https://www.hau.edu.ph/kapampangan_center/publication/pdf/singsing/a-tale-of-two-cities.pdf

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Another folk belief is that the god came down from Mt. Arayat and coverted the road into a canal.

In olden times there lived a super-human being in Mount Arayat who was very rich. He was called Suku (another name of Sinukuan) and his golden palace was situated in the heart of the mountain. He was lonesome in spite of his vast wealth. He wished to have an heir to his immense wealth. To satisfy his longing, he sent one day a portion of his numerous slaves to different directions to look for a fair damsel. 

In ten days all the slaves returned with unfavorable news. Again he sent another group of slaves. After twenty days, a slave prostrated himself before Suku and related to him a beautiful woman who lived in Sexmoan. 

Suku ordered his golden chariots ready in an hour’s time. Furniture of gold and jewels were packed up and placed in the chariots to be given to the unknown beauty as a dowry. 

The party headed by Suku pursued their way through the grassy country to Sexmoan. The people of Sexmoan were dazzled at the shining gold. They proceeded to the house of the lady, located among the nipa groves. This unknown beauty was the queen of the swamps. 

The offer was gladly accepted and marriage was to take place at the end of the fourth year dating from that day. 

Suku went home with gladness in his heart. Suku visited his fiancée once or twice a week and the road he followed became dusty due to the continuous passing of hundreds of chariots. When it became so dusty that Suku could not pass through it without closing his nostrils he ordered all his subjects to dig it up and make a canal. 

The canal was joined to the main body of the Pampanga River so as to supply it with water. Instead of riding a chariot to Sexmoan, Suku used a banca. Today the people of Sexmoan use the same type of banca that Suku used many years ago. The canal widened little by little due to the frequent floods and finally it took the form of a river. 

The appointed time came and Suku took his bride to Arayat in a casco and sailed through the canal which was finally converted into a river.

Sinukuan’s Passage to Sexmoan by Alfredo Nicdao (From the H. Otley Beyer Collections, 1917)

Source: A Tale of Two Cities. (n.d.). Singsing, 4(1), 15-16. https://www.hau.edu.ph/kapampangan_center/publication/pdf/singsing/a-tale-of-two-cities.pdf

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The following are supernatural creatures believed to be true by the Kapampangans.

Nunu - the old men who reside in mounds

Mangkukulam - flesh and blood men/women possessing dreadful evil power

Tianaka - evil spirits who inhabit forests and bamboo thickets

Dwende - spirit that assume the form of man

Kapre - nocturnal giants

Magkukutud - beings endowed with supernatural powers to separate their heads from their bodies

Source: Mendoza, R. (n.d.). The Kapampangan. https://ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca-3/subcommissions/subcommission-on-cultural-communities-and-traditional-arts-sccta/northern-cultural-communities/the-kapampangan/