Central Luzon
Central Luzon (Kapampangan: (Reyun ning) Kalibudtarang Luzon, Pangasinan: (Rehiyon na) Pegley na Luzon, Tagalog: (Rehiyon ng) Gitnang Luzon, Ilocano: (Rehion/Deppaar ti) Tengnga ti Luzon), designated as Region III, is an administrative region in the Philippines, primarily serving to organize the 7 provinces of the vast central plains of the island of Luzon (the largest island), 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 Granary of the Philippines".[1] Its provinces are: Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales.[6] Pangasinan was formerly a province of Central Luzon before President Marcos signed Presidential Decree No. 1, 1972, incorporating it into Ilocos Region. Additionally, the province of Aurora was part of the defunct political region Southern Tagalog when the region was divided into Calabarzon and Mimaropa, upon the issuance of Executive Order No. 103, dated May 17, 2002, by then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, which transferred Aurora to Central Luzon.
Central Luzon
Gitnang Luzon
Tengnga ti Luzon
Kalibudtarang Luzon
Pegley na LuzonRegion III
Tengnga ti Luzon
Kalibudtarang Luzon
Pegley na Luzon
22,014.63 km2 (8,499.90 sq mi)
2,037 m (6,683 ft)
12,422,172
560/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
PH-03
115
3,102
20
(6.1%)[5]
0.765 (High)
4th in the Philippines (2019)
Etymology[edit]
The current name of the region refers to its position on the island of Luzon. The term was coined by American colonialists after the defeat of the First Philippine Republic. There have been proposals to rename the current Central Luzon region into the Luzones region. The proposed name is in reference to the old name of Luzon island, Luções, which was later used to refer to the central area of the island, stretching from Pangasinan in the north, all the way to Pampanga in the south. The term Luções literally translates into Luzones.[7][8]
Geography[edit]
The region is located north of Manila, the nation's capital. Central Luzon, in addition to the neighboring province of Pangasinan, contains the largest plain in the Philippines with its agricultural plains accounting for about 40% of the geographical region's area.[10] Bordering it are the regions of Ilocos and Cagayan Valley to the north; National Capital Region, Calabarzon and the waters of Manila Bay to the south; South China Sea to the west; and the Philippine Sea to the east.[11] Pangasinan is historico-culturally and geographically an integral part of this region, but was politically made part of the Ilocos Region by President Ferdinand Marcos on June 22, 1973.[12]
There are fifteen cities in the region: Balanga in Bataan; Baliwag, Malolos, Meycauayan, and San Jose del Monte in Bulacan; Cabanatuan, Gapan, Muñoz, Palayan, and San Jose in Nueva Ecija; Angeles City, Mabalacat, and San Fernando in Pampanga; Tarlac City in Tarlac; and Olongapo in Zambales. Central Luzon produces the most rice in the whole country. Excess rice is delivered and imported to other regions of the Philippines.[13]
The city of San Fernando, the provincial capital of Pampanga, is designated as the regional center. Aurora was transferred from Region IV through Executive Order No. 103 in May 2002.[14] Aurora was the sub-province created from the northern part of Quezon in 1951, named after Aurora Quezon.[15] On September 7, 1946, the Third Philippine Republic enacted Republic Act No. 14, which renamed the province of Tayabas to Quezon, in honor of Aurora's husband & cousin Manuel Quezon.[16] Quezon was the second President of the Philippines and, along with Aurora, were natives of Baler (now capital of Aurora), formerly one of the towns of Quezon Province. The total separation of Aurora from Quezon & transfer of Aurora to Central Luzon were the fulfillment of the wishes and prayers of the residents of the original Municipalities of Baler and Casiguran to be truly independent from Quezon Province for the first time & to reform the original La Pampanga since the Spanish occupation.[17][18]
