Porac, Pampanga

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Porac

Municipality

Map of Pampanga showing the location of Porac

Porac

Location within the Philippines

Coordinates:

15419N 1203231ECoordinates:

Country

Philippines

Region

Central Luzon (Region III)

Province

Pampanga

District

2nd District

Founded

1594

Barangays

29

15419N 1203231E

Government[1]
Mayor

Condralito "Carling" Balatbat Dela Cruz

Area[2]
Total

314.00 km2 (121.24 sq mi)

Population (2010)[3]
Total

111,441

Density

350/km2 (920/sq mi)

Time zone

PST (UTC+8)

ZIP code

2008

Dialing code

45

Income class

1st class

Website

municipalityofporac.com

Porac is a first class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines, 26 kilometres (16 mi)
west from the provincial capitalSan Fernando. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of
111,441 people.
[3]

With an area of 31,400 hectares (78,000 acres), Porac is the largest town in Pampanga. The SubicClark-Tarlac Expressway(SCTEx) traverses this town, the exit of which is located in Barangay
Manuali. Notable residents include former governor and Senator Lito Lapid, and former
governor Mark Lapid. Porac was among the largest municipalities in the archipelago before it was
divided into separate municipalities. A portion of Mount Pinatubo is in the municipality.
Contents
[hide]

1 History
2 Geography

o
o

2.2 Climate

3 Demographics
4 Local government
5 Economy
6 Spanish-era Roman Catholic churches

o
o
o

2.1 Barangays

6.1 Santa Catalina de Alejandria Church

6.2 Pio Chapel
6.3 Hacienda Dolores Chapel

7 Images
8 References
9 External links

History[edit]
Porac was founded on October 31, 1594, upon acceptance by Fray Mateo Peralta in the Friar's
Intermediate Chapter (recorded by Fray Gaspar de San Agustin, by saying Porac has its First
Minister and Friar, Fray Mateo de Mendoza. The Mexican Expeditionary Air Force were given a base
around Porac to help liberate the country from the Japanese Empire in World War II. (Marker:
October 31, 2008, 412th Anniversary of Porac).
[4]

Geography[edit]
Porac has a hilly to mountainous terrain in the majority of its plains. Most rivers, if not all, are heavily
silted by mudflow due to the eruption of Mount Pinatubo and succeeding lahar flows. Tourist spots
include Darabulbul Falls (nicknamed Dara Falls) in Jalung, Miyamit Falls in Sapang Uwak, and the
hot springs of Sitio Puning, accessed through Sapang Bato in Angeles City. Babo Pangulo offers a
view of Porac and Mount Negron.

Barangays[edit]
Porac is politically subdivided into 29 barangays.

[2]

Babo Pangulo
Babo Sacan (Guanson)
Balubad
Calzadang Bayu
Camias
Cangatba

Diaz
Dolores (Hacienda Dolores)
Inararo (Aetas)
Jalung
Mancatian
Manibaug Libutad
Manibaug Paralaya
Manibaug Pasig
Manuali
Mitla Proper
Palat
Pias
Pio
Planas
Poblacion
Pulung Santol
Salu
San Jose Mitla
Santa Cruz
Sapang Uwak (Aetas)
Sepung Bulaun (Baidbid)
Siura (Seniora)
Villa Maria (Aetas)

Climate[edit]
The town of Porac has two distinct climates, rainy and dry. The rainy or wet season normally begins
in May and runs through October, while the rest of the year is the dry season. The warmest period of
the year occurs between March and April, while the coolest period is from December through
February.

Demographics[edit]
Population census of Porac

Year

Pop. % p.a.

1990

68,215

1995

75,408 +1.90%

2000

80,757 +1.48%

2007

102,962 +3.41%

2010

111,441 +2.92%

Source: National Statistics Office[3][5]

Local government[edit]

Town hall

The municipal government is divided into three branches: executive, legislative and judiciary. The
judicial branch is administered solely by the Supreme Court of the Philippines. The executive branch
is composed of the mayor and the barangay captains for the barangays. The legislative branch is
composed of the Sangguniang Bayan (town assembly), Sangguniang Barangay (barangay council),
and theSangguniang Kabataan for the youth sector.

Economy[edit]
Porac is an important source of granite and a tamping ground of minerals.

[6]

Porac is home to the Mekeni Food Corporation, an "AAA" Meat Processing Plant accredited with the
National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS). Being classified under the "AAA" category, it is qualified to
market its products, not just in the local, but in the international market as well. This means that it is
compliant to all government regulatory requirements to assure food quality and safety in its
operations (Sun Star, 2006).

Faade of Santa Catalina de Alexandria Parish Church

Spanish-era Roman Catholic churches[edit]

Since the founding of the town of Porac in 1867, various Roman Catholic structures have been built
in the area to aid in the religious practices of the devout Kapampangans. As of writing, three notable
Spanish-era religious structures are extant within the municipality. The largest of the three, the Santa
Catalina de Alejandria Church is located at Barangay Poblacion and still functions as one of Poracs
main parochial structures. The other two are currently utilized as barangay chapels.
[7]

Santa Catalina de Alejandria Church[edit]

The Santa Catalina de Alejandria parish church is under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic
Archdiocese of San Fernando. Its original structure, built in 1872, is largely intact but slight revisions
have been made to the inside. It underwent restoration in the 1980s. The church is 52 metres
(171 ft) long, 12 metres (39 ft) wide and 9 metres (30 ft) high.
[8]

Pio Chapel[edit]
The 1861 Pio Chapel is a circular chapel built by Don Felino Gil, founder of the Escuela de Artes y
Oficios (now the Don Hororio Ventura Technical State University).
[9]

Hacienda Dolores Chapel[edit]

Another vintage chapel is located at Barangay Dolores, north of the Porac town proper. The Our
Lady of Sorrows Chapel was said to be built by the Dolores family within the old Hacienda Dolores in
1856. The chapel, like the Pio chapel, is currently utilized as a community chapel. The chapel
boasts of a slender octagonal belfry and Doric columns adorning the two-level faade. Notable
features of the chapel are finials found on both levels of the faade.
[10]