Brief History
The City of San Fernando, Pampanga was founded in 1754, during the reign of King Ferdinand VI. Vidal de Arrozal was its first gobernadorcillo in 1755. It served as an important crossroad connecting Manila with Bataan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and the rest of Northern Luzon. A growing agro-industrial-commercial metropolis, its foundation started from the small community of Sto. Rosario I which was then within the boundaries of Mexico and Bacolor as its original downtown. It was established as an independent municipality headed by a governadorcillo with Vidal de Arrozal as the first town administrator during the term of Spanish Governor General Pedro Manuel de Arandia in 1755. The first families in the town were those of Arrozal, Catacutan and David. It is named after a saint, King Ferdinand III of Spain. The first Roman Catholic church was erected in 1756 with Rev. Father Sebastian Moreno as the first parish priest. The annual town fiesta is celebrated on the 30th of May. Although majority of the residents of San Fernando belong to the Roman Catholic Church there are also other religious denominations within the local community. The Iglesia ni Cristo was founded under the Ministry of Felix Manalo in 1914 at Sto. Nino Viejo of this town. San Fernando is considered the birthplace of the labor movement in the Philippines. The first organized strike was staged by a gremio of printers from a government press located in the town in 1872, in protest against the abuses of the plant foreman. The first labor union was also established in San Fernando in the printing plant of La Independencia, edited by Gen. Antonio Luna. It was known as the Union de Litografos y Impresores de Filipinas (ULIF), organized and headed by Hermenegildo Cruz. National hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, visited the town on June 27, 1892. After the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution, it was declared in a state of war on September 1, 1896. Antonio Consunji was presidente municipal under the Republika Pilipina, 1898-1899.On October 9, 1898, President Emilio F. Aguinaldo and his cabinet visited the town. The Red Cross established a hospital for wounded revolutionaries on February 10, 1899. Some accounts say that the town became a temporary seat of the Philippine Revolutionary Government. On orders of Gen. Antonio Luna, the Philippine Revolutionary Army burned the poblacion, including the Church and Casa Municipal, on May 4, 1899. San Fernando became the provincial capital on August 15, 1904 when the seat of provincial government in Pampanga was transferred from Bacolor to San Fernando by virtue of Act No. 1204 signed on July 22, 1904 under the governorship of Don Macario Arnedo of Apalit. In the same year, the town of Minalin was consolidated with the new provincial capital and in 1905 Santo Tomas was also combined with San Fernando. Don Cristino Lagman, a Katipunan officer who later became Minalin town mayor and justice of the peace spearheaded the drive for the independence of Minalin as a separate town again in 1909. In 1952, Santo Tomas, under the leadership of Patricio Gomez, was formed again as a municipality comprising the barrios of San Bartolome, San Matias, San Vicente, Santo Rosario Segundo and Santo Tomas. Don Angel Pantaleon de Miranda co-founder of the current City of Angeles with his wife Dona Rosalia de Jesus, which started with Culiat, a remote barrio of San Fernando in the 18th century, served as San Fernando town executive in 1795. Don Antonio Consunji was a town president under the revolutionary government of General Emilio Aguinaldo and was succeeded in 1899 by Enrique Kerr to restore peace and prosperity. Honorable Rodolfo Hizon and Abel L. David, officiated as mayor and vice mayor, respectively when the town was recovering from the ravages of World War II. In 1908, the tradition of the lantern festival began. By 1931, electricity was introduced sparking the birth of the first Giant Lantern Festival, and earning for San Fernando the moniker of Christmas Capital of the Philippines. Vivencio B. Cuyugan was its first mayor under the Philippine Commonwealth in 1935. The town was occupied by the Japanese Imperial Army and, due to its strategic location, was used as their base of operations in their assault of Bataan. In 1942, it also served as the transport point for the participants of the Bataan Death March, as Filipino and American prisoners-of-war, after the long walk from Bataan, were carted from the San Fernando Train Station to Capas, Tarlac. The municipality has figured in national history especially during the period of American occupation and the Japanese regime. It can be considered as the commercial and educational center of the region. San Fernando is also considered the heart of Central Luzon when it was designated regional capital. In 1995, it was heavily damaged as a result of floods and mudflows from Mount Pinatubo. Became the 99th city of the Republic of the Philippines as by virtue of the ratification of Republic Act 8990 on February 4, 2001.
Population
Total Population: 221,857
Household Population: 221,204
Number of Households: 43,649
Geography
The first-class municipality of San Fernando in the Province of Pampanga is strategically located within the Manila-Clark-Subic Economic Triangle. It is situated 67 kilometers north of Manila and could be accessed by motorists via the MacArthur Highway and by the North Expressway. San Fernando which is noted for its sugar industry and for its finest taste of potable natural water is a melting pot and an attraction for big investment in real estate, manufacturing and commercial ventures.
Barangays (34)
Alasas, Baliti, Bulaon, Calulut, Del Carmen, Del Pilar, Del Rosario, Dela Paz Norte, Dela Paz Sur, Dolores, Juliana, Lara, Lourdes, Magliman, Maimpis, Malino, Malpitic, Pandaras, Panipuan, Quebiauan, Saguin, San Agustin, San Felipe, San Isidro, San Jose, San Juan, San Nicolas, San Pedro, Santa Lucia, Santa Teresita, Santo Niño, Santo Rosario, Sindalan, Telabastagan
Major Industry
San Fernando has a population of more than 198,000 people. Literacy rate is almost 99%. It has two public markets, about a hundred residential subdivisions and several commercial and industrial firms which include thirty nine banks, forty eight lending investors, thirty eight pawnshops, seventeen gasoline stations, nine movie houses, thirty nine public and private schools, seven hospitals, thirteen dental offices, nine hotels, twenty eight drug stores, seven disco clubs, six foreign exchange firms, fifteen garment factories, twenty four groceries, seven supermarkets, forty two insurance companies, sixteen security agencies and seventy restaurants and fast food chains such as Jollibee, McDonald's, Mr. Donut, Greenwich, Shakeys, Chowking, etc. Major bottling companies such as San Miguel Corporation Complex, Coca-Cola, Pepsi Cola and Cosmos are located in this capital town. For those who have a discriminating taste for the renowned and exquisite Kapampangan cuisine, San Fernando is the home of Everybody’s Café, Kamayan Restaurant, Patria’s, Café Fernandino, Ituro Mo, Iluto Ko, Holiday Land, Tito Eds, Fisherman’s Grill and Café Rustico. For communication facilities, in addition to the easy access to Metro Manila TV and radio stations and national newspapers, San Fernando has two TV stations - KTV Channel 12 and a Satellite Cable Network of its own. It has also two radio stations, the DWCL 92.7 FM and DWRW 95.1 FM and four local newspapers which include the Probe, Coffee Punch, Pampanga Times and the Observer. The Pampanga Sugar Development Co., Inc. which used to be the largest private employer in Pampanga is located in this progressive town and so with several subsidiaries of manufacturing companies such as Universal Robina Corporation, Zuellig Pharma Corporation, Nestle Philippines, Petrophil, Mondragon Industries, Asia Brewery, Del Monte Corporation, etc.. Almost all Philippine banking institutions, military and governmental agencies have regional offices in San Fernando. The town itself has a national sports arena, a convention center and an attractive showcase of indigenous Philippine products, the world famous Paskuhan Village. The Provincial Capitol and the Pampanga High School, the alma mater of many famous Pampangans such as the late President Diosdado P. Macapagal are located in this town.
Sites to visit
PASKUHAN VILLAGE The forts of its kind in Asia and third in the world, stands on a fve (5) hectar land at the San Fernando exit of the North Expressway. It showcases various indegenous products of the Philippines as well as its cultural heritage thoughout the year. Florikultura International Garden Festival was held at this place, the first of such event held outside london.
THE ARCHDIOCESAN MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES The museum house a unique collection of antique and exquisite works of art depicting the cultural heritage of humanities, artistic skills and Roman Catholic inspiration of the Kapampangan people is housed in the Guerrero Building at the University of the Assumption in this locality. The Jose B. Lingad Regional Medical Center, a major government health care provider in Central Luzon is also based in San Fernando.
Festivals & Events
CUTUD LENTEN RITES
San Fernando, Pampanga - A re-enactment Christ’s passion and death is done every year during the Lenten season at Cutud, San Pedro, San Fernando, Pampanga. This ancient ritual is performed on the morning of Good Friday complete with the passion play and culminates with the actual crucifixions using two-inch, stainless steel nails that had been soaked in alcohol to disinfect at least three flagellants on wooden crosses a top a makeshift Calvary. The penitents were taken down seconds after being nailed to the crosses, but there seems to be a fine line between religious ritual and spectacle. As the three were hoisted onto the crosses, thousands of local and foreign tourists were watching, their cameras clicking as the painful, bloody ritual unfolded before their eyes. In past years' rites, a Japanese man and a Belgian nun joined local penitents in the crucifixions in the same Pampanga town. Real-life crucifixions have long been frowned upon by the religious officials. Earlier in the week, a Catholic bishop was quoted as saying the Church ''does not approve of it and does not endorse'' them. But one observer said of the crucifixions: ''It's barbaric, it's inhuman, and it’s a good show.''
SAN FERNANDO GIANT LANTERN FESTIVAL
Days before Christmas, giant lanterns made of colored crepe and Japanese paper with frames of intricate tin wires keletons containing electrical mechanism and a thousand bulbs, highlight the San Fernando Giant Lantern Festival. The lanterns dance, blink and brilliantly twinkle in kaleidoscopic pattern in cadence with the band music. No one can dispute the fact that the Giant Lantern Festival of San Fernando is the event that the province of Pampanga is most known for. It is because of these giant lanterns and the San Fernando lantern-making industry that the City of San Fernando has been dubbed the "Christmas Capital of the Philippines." The San Fernando lantern industry evolved from the Giant Lantern Festival of San Fernando. The festival, which is held every December, finds its roots in Bacolor where a much simpler activity was held. Following the transfer of the provincial capital from Bacolor to San Fernando in August of 1904, this parul event followed as well. "Ligligan Parul" was said to have started in San Fernando in the year 1904. But some say that the "Ligligan Parul" did not happen immediately after the transfer and in fact began in 1908. This predecessor of the modern day Giant Lantern Festival was actually a religious activity which we know today as “lubenas.” The lanterns measured just two feet in diameter, a far cry from the fifteen feet that we see today. These were created in each barrio from bamboo and other locally available materials. During the nine-day novena before Christmas, which coincided with the simbang gabi from December 16 to 24, these paruls were brought around each barrio in procession to their visita. Before the midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, the lanterns were brought to the town church together with the barrio patrons. This tradition gradually evolved as the lanterns became bigger and the designs more intricate. Later, one big lantern was made for each barrio, which was created through a cooperative effort. Each resident contributed to its construction, from the concept and design, to the materials and labor. In the end, these lanterns became a symbol of unity for the barrios.
PAMPANGA DAY
The people of Pampanga celebrate the official founding date of Pampanga as the first province of Luzon on December 11, 1571. The annual celebration is called “Aldo Ning Kapampangan.”
MALEALDO
Holy Week is celebrated by Catholic Filipinos all over the country. However, it is only in Pampanga that one can witness the Filipino’s religious fervor in the form of penitents flogging themselves and actually being crucified. Like in many other places in the country, a religious procession is held on Good Friday in most Pampango towns.
SINUKWAN FESTIVAL
Held every year from December 7 to 12, the Sinukwan Festival involves the 21 municipalities and one component city of the province. It heralds the unique culture and distinct beliefs of the Kapampangans through a colorful street-dancing parade along the capital town of San Fernando. A province-wide dance competition showcasing indigenous rituals and music is held at the Pampanga Sports Complex. This festival is conceived to pay tribute to King Sinukwan who has since evolved to become the essence of the Kapampangan character. This is also the reason why the focus of the festival’s attire is the “headdress”, symbolizing Sinukwan’s kingly crown. But more importantly, the festival is a living testament to what is known as the “Lahing Kapampangan.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sources: [1]http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~camiling/san_fernando_history.html Alejandro S. Camiling, CPA with Teresita Z. Camiling, BSE, MA (email: camiling@rcf.usc.edu) [2]http://www.geocities.com/balen_net/sanfernando.htm Ivan Henares ivanhenares@yahoo.com