When speaking of food….

The culinary recipes of Pampanga is said to be one of the outstanding food anyone would enjoy. The Kapangpangans are great cooks and have passed their ingenuity from generations to generations from traditional dishes to exotic palates to pulutans (appetizers). Some of my favorites are the burong talangka and the taba ng talangka, fermented little crabs and crab fat translated in english respectively. Sisig and bulanglang also are mouthwatering dishes I never miss with local longganiza and tocino while the azucena is a chefs specialty when it comes to a social drinking session with the barkada. ( Don’t ask me about the azucena as some of our readers wouldn’t like it.) These are some examples but there are also many more and even the country’s native dishes are so good that preparation by individual household cookings are well known in almost all parts of the country.

Beauty and brains….

Beautiful women are Pampangga’s pride. Beauty and sophistication is very synonymous about women of this province. I myself have a wife from Macabebe coming from the Lagman Family. Some of the famous movie personalities are Hilda Koronel, JaclynJose, Alma Moreno, Helen Gamboa, Lorna Tolentino, Melanie Marquez, Vilma Santos and more including their second generation breeds such as Sharon Cuneta, Mark Anthony Fernandez, Lucky Manzano and more. In the political field Diosdado Macapaga, Gloria Macapagal and Lito Lapid are the most popular. While Pampanga has produced so many popular beauties it has also produced a lot of talented people in both political, civic and cultural field. Besides the popular sons and daughters in politics Nicanor Abelardo (kundiman), Amando Dayrit (columnist/writer), Jose Gallardo (poet), Rafael Yabut (radio), Efren Bata Reyes (sports), Jose Abad Santos ( law), and more that have an illustrious career and are featured in our national heritage that if we go on and on it might take us to write a book.

Doing business in Pampanga….

Since the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo and the devastation of “lahar” that spread throughout its other towns and municipalities, the Province of Pampanga has definitely showed its might and the will to move on. Farming which has been affected mostly has diverted to other more productive ways that includes indoor greenhouses for growing crops. The former Clark Air Force Base has been overturned as the country’s second biggest airport of the country named as Diosdado Macapagal International Airport and serves as the gateway powerhouse economic industry of the province with manufacturing of semi conductors in the Clark Special Economic Zone . Other industries of the province are handicrafts (guitars, furniture and wood carving), fishing, specialty foods. While the business sector is moving on a rapid growth, education facilities and its system copes up with it growing youth population. There are at this moment 40 colleges and universities throughout the province with the University of the Philippines in Angeles City leading the way.

No pristine beaches or reef corals….

Though there are no pristine beaches or corral reefs to be explored, there are vibrant arts and culture, historical places, natural parks, festivals and fiesta fevers of the different towns and municipalities. Some examples are the Mt. Arayat National Park (Arayat), Mt. Pinatubo, Swamps and Wild Duck Sanctuary (Candaba), Dara Falls (Porac), Death March Marker (San Fernando City), Kamikaze Shrine (Mabalacat). To make up for the lack of beaches, man made attractions and theme parks are one of the biggest hits this province has made such as the Fontana Leisure Parks complete with pools, golf course, and casino. Festivals and fiestas are not to be counted off such as the Sinukwan Festival, Ligligan Parul (Lantern Festival), Fiestang Kuliat and the Hot Air Ballon Festival. Catching all the Fiesta Fever in Pampanga will definitely leave you to stay all year round in this province as town fiestas and parish feast runs through all different months and dates.

The Province of Pampanga
Cities
Angeles City
San Fernando City
Municipalities
Apalit, Arayat, Bacolor, Candaba, Floridablanca, Guagua, Lubao, Mabalacat, Macabebe, Magalang, Masantol, Mexico, Minalin, Porac, San Luis, San Simon, Santa Rita, Santo Tomas and Sasmuan.

So Mekeni na and Malaus ka sa Pampanga…

Tags: diosdado macapagal international airport, Fontana Leisure Parks, sinukwan festival