Feature: Happy anniversary Tarlac!

By William L. Beltran

Sunday 27th of May 2012

Tarlac, popularly known as the “Sugar Capital of Luzon” because of its vast sugar plantations, will be celebrating its 139th founding anniversary on Monday, May 28, with activities slated for the week-long celebration which kicked-off Sunday last week, May 20.

The province’s anniversary celebration this year, which features a trade exhibit of the different Tarlaqueno products, franchising fair, sports festival, the first Kuran-Tayab Festival, design and art painting contest, talent show, football festival, launch of Tarlac food website, Kuran Queen Festival, cultural parade, variety shows, mobile passporting services and benefit concert, marks the 13th year that the province celebrates its foundation day anniversary on May 28.

It was in 1999 when then President Joseph Ejercito Estrada issued Presidential Proclamation No. 109 declaring May 28 as a special non-working holiday in the entire province of Tarlac in commemoration of its founding anniversary. This came about after Tarlac historians, commissioned by the late Governor and Congressman Jose “Aping” Yap, discovered that Tarlac was formally declared as a province on May 28, 1872.

Historically, Tarlac was originally part of Pampanga and Pangasinan provinces. It was the last province in Central Luzon to be organized under the Spanish colonial government. Kapampangan is the widely spoken dialect in the southern half of the province, while Ilocano and Pangasinan dominate the northern half. Despite language blend, people here are united by the Tagalog language, which is widely spoken and understood all over the province.

The province left an indelible mark in Philippine history particularly in the role it played during the Philippine revolution and World War II. Tarlac was one of the first eight provinces to rise arms against Spain in 1896 during the Philippine Revolution. During the World War II, the province, particularly Camp O’Donnell in Capas town, became the terminal point of the infamous Bataan Death March.

In terms of economy, Tarlac is predominantly agricultural in nature, with rice and sugarcane as the principal crops. At present, it is one of the country’s biggest producers of rice and sugarcane.

The province is not left behind when speaking of prominent personalities it has produced. Most notably in politics, Tarlac is home to the revered former senator and martyred hero Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, the first lady president of the Philippines former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino and their son, now Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III, who all contributed significantly to our nation’s democracy. (WLB-PIA3)