CSTC COLLEGE OF SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGY

AND COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

___________________________________________________________

LESSON MODULE
Lesson Number 4

Lesson Title Region 3 – CENTRAL LUZON REGION

Introduction/Discussion of Content

I. Introduction
CENTRAL LUZON or Gitnang Luzon in Filipino, also known as Region III, is an administrative division or
region of the Republic of the Philippines, primarily serve to organize the 7 provinces of the vast central plain of the
island of Luzon, for administrative convenience. The region contains the largest plain in the country and produces
most of the country's rice supply, earning itself the nickname "Rice Bowl of the Philippines.

II. Physical Geography

A. Size of the Region
Central Luzon 22,014.63 km2 (8,499.90 sq mi
Aurora 3,147 km2
Nueva Ecija 5,751K km2
Bulacan 2,775 km
Bataan 1,373K km2
Pampanga 2,181km2
Tarlac 2,737 km2
Zambales 3,830.83 km2

B. Territory
Central Luzon Region is located north of Manila, the nation's capital.
Bordering the region are the regions of Ilocos, Cordillera Administrative
Region and Cagayan Valley regions to the north; National Capital Region
and CALABARZON to the south; and of waters of Manila Bay to the south;
South China Sea to the west; and The Philippine Sea to the east. Only 66
kilometers away from Metro Manila, Central Luzon contains the largest
plain in the country and is the gateway to the Northern Luzon regions. It
covers a total land area of 21,470 square kilometers. The City of San Fernando, in Pampanga, is the regional center.
A. Population
Based on the 2015 Census of Population in Region 3 Central Luzon. Bulacan had a biggest population in 2015 with

Population as of 2015
3,500,000 3,290,000
3,000,000
2,500,000 2,200,000
2,150,000
2,000,000 1,370,000
1,500,000 Population as of 2015
1,000,000 761,000591,000
500,000 214,000
0
an ga ija lac taan ales rora
lac pan a Ec Tar
Bu am ev Ba amb Au
P u Z
N

B. Famous People

Francisco Balagtas (Bigaa, Bulacan) - He is the greatest Filipino Literary Laureate

Marcelo H. del Pilar (Bulacan) He was the editor and publisher of La Solidaridad or
 CSTC COLLEGE OF SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGY
AND COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
___________________________________________________________
The Solidarity

Gregorio H. del Pilar (Bulacan)- the youngest generals in the Philippine Revolutionary Forces.

 Ramon Magsaysay (Iba, Zambales) 7th President of the Republic of the Philippines
 Diosdado Macapagal (Lubao, Pampanga) - 9th President of the Republic of the Philippines
 Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (Lubao Pampanga) - 19th President of the Republic of the Philippines
Figure 1. Diosdado
 Corazon Macapagal
Aquino (Paniqui, Tarlac) - 11th President of the Republic of the Philippines
 Ninoy Aquino (Conception, Tarlac) - a Filipino Senator

C. ETHNIC GROUPS
Kapampangan

Kapampangan's or Pampangos are the sixth largest Filipino ethnolinguistic

group, numbering 2,890,000. The province of Pampanga is traditional homeland
of the Kapampangans.

Aeta
Aeta or Ayta are indigenous people live in scattered, isolated mountainous parts of
Luzon, Philippines. They are considered as to be Negritos, who are dark to very dark
brown-skinned and tend to have a features such as a small stature, small frame, curly to
kinky afro-like textured hair with a higher frequency of naturally lighter hair color (blondism) relative to the general
population, small nose, and dark brown eyes.
Tagalog
The name tagalog comes from either the native term taga-ilog, meaning 'people living along the river', or another
native term, taga-ilog, meaning 'people living along the ford' a ford being a shallow part
of a river or steam where people, animals, or vehicles can cross it.
- The prefix taga-means 'coming from' or 'native of', while the word ilog means 'river'.
Translated, taga-ilog means 'coming from the ford or 'native of the ford' with 'the' being
implied in both cases.
- Either way the original name has been contracted to become simply tagalog. In more recent times the people of this
ethnolinguistic group rarely refer to themselves as "Tagalog" and instead, refer to themselves simply as "Filipino".

III. Economy

A growth region in the Philippines that contributes significantly to the national economy, Central Luzon is
home to a number of industrial estates and economic zones with efficient water, power and telecommunication
facilities; port facilities; road networks that create synergy between and among the economic and tourism points of
Subic, Clark and the seven provinces; and, a strategic location that offers accessibility for the movement of people,
goods and service from the North to Manila. A distinct advantage in consideration of the Asia-Pacific Rim, Central
Luzon’s highly strategic location was enough for the United States Government to locate their biggest naval and air
military facilities outside the US mainland. The former Subic Naval Base and Clark Air Base facilities which were
turned over to the Philippine government in 1991, now two of the country’s premier economic zones. Central Luzon
combines the advantages of an international airport, a seaport, industrial and agricultural areas, tourism and leisure
sites, support services, and major thoroughfares. The complementation of each of these elements enhances the
strengths of the region as an investment destination

Subic Naval Base Clark Air Base

 CSTC COLLEGE OF SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGY
AND COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
___________________________________________________________

Road Networks

TARLAC-PANGASINAN-LA UNION EXPRESSWAY PROJECT (TPLEX)

It is an 89.31 km. expressway from Tarlac City, Tarlac to Rosario, La Union. The Design, construction, operation and
maintenance is financed by the private sector.

NORTH LUZON EXPRESSWAY (NLEX)

The North Luzon Expressway (NLE or NLEx), formerly known as the North Diversion Road and Manila North
Expressway (MNEX), is a 4 to 8-lane limited-access toll expressway that connects Metro Manila to the provinces of
the Central Luzon region in the Philippines
A. Water Transport and Seaports

Subic International Seaport

Subic Bay is part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island
of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers
northwest of Manila Bay. Formerly the U.S. Naval Base Subic
Bay, it is now the location the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBF)
managed by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA). The
bay is surrounded by the town of Subic and Olongapo City, both
Figure 32. Subic International Seaport
in the province of Zambales and the town of Morong in the
province of Bataan in the east. The mountain ranges around the bay area and the deep natural harbor provide a
protected anchorage, naturally sheltered from typhoons. The harbor is up to 13.7 meters covering a total area of 41
hectares.

Clark International Airport

Clark International Airport is an airport that is an international gateway to the Philippines within Clark Freeport
Zone in Angeles and Mabalacat, located 43.2 NM (80.0 km; 49.7 mi) northwest of Manila. The airport is located in the
province of Pampanga and is accessible through the Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway, which is connected to
the North Luzon Expressway.

IV. Festivals
Hot Air Ballon Festival (Feb)Clark, Pampanga
Before it even became the biggest sports event in the country, having a festival was
decided by the then Tourism Secretary Mina Gabor and three of her friends
including a hot air balloon pilot in 1994. Three years after the massive devastation
brought by the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, the hot air balloon festival aims to
jumpstart Pampanga’s economy. Another objective is to position the province as a
center of aviation in the Philippines.

Tugak Festival (Sept 24)

City of San Fernando, Pampanga
The City of San Fernando, Pampanga, other than being known as the
Christmas Capital of the Philippines is also teeming with frogs. With their
abundance in the Kapampangan rice fields, frogs have actually become
part of the kapampangan culture especially of the Fernandinos. From a
 CSTC COLLEGE OF SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGY
AND COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
___________________________________________________________
simple frog dish, the Kampampangans have actually dished out a wide variety of frog cuisine enough to salivate the
tourists, passers-by and locals. Not only that, the traditional frog catching or pamamaduas has also become a regular
bonding exercise for every Fernandino family. No doubt these traditions are purely significant to the Kapampangan’s
especially the Fernandino.

Giant Lantern Festival (Ligligan Parul)

Saturday before December 25
City of San Fernando, Pampanga
The word “parol” derives from the Spanish “farol”, meaning
“lantern or light”. Filipinos place much significance on the
symbolism of light, the star regarded as a fount of light and a
sign of hope in the predominantly Christian country in Asia.
Such a creation however, did not come without the untiring
efforts of the Fernandinos, and more so, their ingenuity and
innovation. And it is because of the Parul Sampernandu that
San Fernando has earned for itself the title of “Christmas
Capital of
Figure 51. Giant Lantern Festival
the Philippines.” This forerunner of the present day Giant Lantern Festival was in a religious activity which we
know today as “lubenas”, a nine-day novena before Christmas, which coincided with the “simbang gabi” from
December 16 to 24. 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.

Pulilan Carabao Festival (May 14-15)

Pulilan, Bulacan

“Pulilan Carabao Festival” treats the most revered water buffaloes or

carabao in an imperial way. Before anoint them in the Church Square,
these revered creatures are properly shaved, their bodies are fabulously
massaged with scented oil and are then decked out with hibiscus and
frangipani. It is really a very attention-grabbing festival that involves
superb ceremonies to behold. It is celebrated as a commemorative day of San Isidro Labrador in thanks for a
plentiful harvest.

Pagoda sa Wawa (July 4)

Bocaue, Bulacan

Every First Sunday of July, the town of Bocaue in the Province of Bulacan
celebrates the fluvial pagoda festival, the Pagoda sa Wawa, which commemorates
the discovery of the miraculous cross floating on the Bocaue river 200 years ago.
A replica of the cross on which Jesus was crucified is paraded on a pagoda
adorned with magnificent trimmings and guided by by colorful bancas. Hundreds
attend the procession for a nine-day novena, during which they feast and celebrate the legendary rescue of the Holy
Cross from the Bocaue River

Aurora Surfing Cup (Feb 8 – 11)

Baler, Aurora
Every February, the province of Aurora plays host to the Aurora Surfing Cup,
which through the years, has established a steady following of local and
international surfing enthusiasts. The province boasts of internationally
recognized surf sites such as Sabang Beach (beach break), Cemento Beach
(reef break), and Charlie's Point (river mouth break). The best waves in these
 CSTC COLLEGE OF SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGY
AND COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
___________________________________________________________
areas come around October to March.

V. Products
a. Delicacies
INIRUBAN
Iniruban or nilubyan is a famous Tarlac delicacy originating from the town of Camiling.
It is a type of rice cake made with burned young sticky rice, coconut milk and sweetener;
usually sugar, or tagapulot, hardened sugarcane molasses.

TUPIG
Tupig is a famous local delicacy of Tarlac and Pangasinan. It consists of coconut milk,
glutinous rice flour, young coconut meat and sweetener (usually sugar or molasses).

Figure 60. Tupig

Sisig Pampanga
“Sisig” is a term in the “Capampangan”, the dialect of the people of Pampanga and partly of
Tarlac Provinces of Central Luzon, Philippines which means “to snack on something sour”.

A. Religious Sites
Obando Church in Bulacan The Obando Church, or the San
Pascual de Baylon Parish
Church, is one of the Figure 61. Sisig Pampanga
oldest
churches in the Philippines. Built
in 1754 by Spanish Franciscan
missionaries, it was destroyed in
World War II in 1945 and later
rebuilt. Figure 79. Obando Church

B. Natural
Place Description Images
 CSTC COLLEGE OF SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGY
AND COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
___________________________________________________________
Mount Pinatubo in Zambales Responsible for one of the largest
and most catastrophic volcanic
eruptions in the 20th century,
Mount Pinatubo casts a formidable
silhouette over the Cabusilan
mountain skyline. Known
worldwide for its June 1991 Figure 80. Mount Pinatubo
eruption, the once devastated,
debris-covered landscape now
flourishes with new life,
surrounded with valleys home to
the indigenous Aeta tribe.
Mt Cinco Picos in Zambales Cinco Picos, also known as Tatlong
Tirad to the Aetas.The mountain
was originally used as a training
ground by the U.S. troops, who
were stationed in what used to be
the Subic Naval Base.
Figure 81. Mt. Cinco
Diguisit Falls in Aurora The Diguisit Beach is the rock
formation. It is the evidence of the
millions of years of wave pounding
that mold its form. The Diguisit
rock formations just lie beside the
famous Cobra Reef- it is the
ultimate surfing paradise for
Figure 82. Diguisit Falls
surfers in Baler who want to take
a pounding.

Ditumabo Mother Falls in Ditumabo Mother Falls, locally

Aurora
known as "Mother Falls" for their
sheer size, with water dropping
some from the mountain plateau.

Figure 83. Ditumabo Mother Falls

Balete Tree in Aurora This 600 year-old tree is
recognized as the oldest and
biggest tree in Southeast Asia with
a height measuring over 30 meters
and a four-meter diameter.
Dubbed locally as the Philippines'
Millenium Tree, it has a trunk Figure 84. Balete Tree

with a circumference that takes 60

adults holding each other at arm's
length to surround
 CSTC COLLEGE OF SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGY
AND COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
___________________________________________________________
 CSTC COLLEGE OF SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGY
AND COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
___________________________________________________________
 CSTC COLLEGE OF SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGY
AND COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
___________________________________________________________
 CSTC COLLEGE OF SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGY
AND COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
___________________________________________________________