Angeles City

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City of Angeles

Location
Map of Pampanga showing the location of Angeles City.
Government
Region	Central Luzon (Region III)
Province	-
District	1st district of Pampanga
Barangays	33
Income class:	1st class city, highly urbanized
Mayor	Carmelo Lazatin (Lakas-CMD)
Founded	December 8, 1829
Cityhood	January 1, 1964
Official Website	elgu2.ncc.gov.ph/angeles/
Physical characteristics
Area	66.16 km²
Population      Total (2000)      Density	263,971 3,989/km²
Coordinates	15°9' N, 120°35' E

Angeles City (Filipino: Lungsod ng Angeles; Kapampangan: Siudad Ning Angeles) is a 1st class highly urbanized city geographically located within the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 267,788 people in 56,575 households.^[1]

On the north-western part is the Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) (formerly Clark Air Base) and Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark Field.

Being the former home of the biggest American base outside the U.S. mainland, it lies in a threshold of change after being severely affected by the base pull out brought about by the great eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991. It has risen from the ashes by putting itself back to the economic status that it once occupied and dream surpassing feats never before any city or province has ever accomplished.

Contents 1 History 2 Barangays 3 Economy 4 Festivals and Local Celebrations 5 Famous People from Angeles City 6 References 7 External links

[edit] History

In 1796, the Capitan-Mayor of San Fernando, Don Angel Pantaleon de Miranda, along with his wife and some followers, staked out a new settlement which they named Kuliat, because of the abundance of vines of that name in the area. Located some 20 miles north of the capital city of Pampanga, Kuliat remained a barrio of San Fernando for the next 33 years, becoming a separate town in 1829, at which time it was renamed Angeles. By December 8, 1829, when it received its first official municipal charter, the town contained some 661 people, 151 houses, and an area of 38.65 km².

As for the city itself, Angeles remained fairly small until the end of World War II, and then entered a period of tremendous growth that has resulted in its present position as the "Premier City in Central Luzon." The first American government of Angeles was established by General Frederick D. Grant on January 1, 1900 and 64 years later to that day, Angeles received official Philippine recognition as a city.

Many Americans chose to permanently settle in Angeles (particularly in Balibago district) after the country gained independence from the United States in 1946. The Americans until the mid-1990s had a heavy population in the city due to the presence of Clark Air Base. During the American colonial period (1898-1946), a recorded number of more than 800,000 Americans were born in the Philippines. In fact, a large concentration of Filipinos with American ancestry are located in the areas of the former US base in Clark Field.

In 1991, the city was affected by the eruption of nearby Mount Pinatubo, with up to 60,000 people being evacuated from the city. Clark Air Base was evacuated and the 18,000 personnel and their families were transported to Subic Bay Naval Station, most of whom were returned to the United States. The U.S. military never returned to Clark, turning over the damaged base to the Philippine government on November 26, 1991. ^[2]

[edit] Barangays

Angeles City is politically subdivided into 33 barangays.

Agapito del Rosario Anunas Balibago Capaya Claro M. Recto Cuayan Cutcut Cutud Lourdes North West Lourdes Sur Lourdes Sur East

Malabanias Margot Mining Pampang (Sto. Niño) Pandan Pulungbulu Pulung Cacutud Pulung Maragul Salapungan San Jose San Nicolas

Santa Teresita Santa Trinidad Santo Cristo Santo Domingo Santo Rosario (Pob.) Sapalibutad Sapangbato Tabun Virgen Delos Remedios Amsic Ninoy Aquino (Marisol)

[edit] Economy

The economy of Angeles City has accelerated in the past decade, driven by advances in global communication technology and the finishing of a modern highway that tremendously improved trade and transport. Angeles has a cottage industry that includes rattan furniture production. It also includes the production of coconuts, charcoal, and briquettes. Call centers in Clark and other IT industries are major employers. It also has a semiconductor industry involved in the manufacturing of electronics and computers.

[edit] Festivals and Local Celebrations

• Philippine International Hot-Air Balloon Fiesta - is held annually between January and February at Clark Field, Angeles City, Pampanga.

• La Naval Fiesta - is held every second Sunday of October in commemoration of the Virgin of the Holy Rosary whose intercession saw the victory of the Spanish fleet over the Dutch invaders. It is celebrated with religious programs and the finest food and drinks from Kapampangan homes [1].

• Fiestang Apu - is held on the last Friday of October. Devotees from all over Pampanga flock to the Apu shrine every Friday to venerate the supposedly miraculous image of Jesus Christ lying in the sepulcher. It is also every Friday when people buy household items, clothing, including audio-video equipment in a makeshift market called "tiangge" at bargain prices [2].

• Tigtigan Terakan keng Dalan - is held every last Friday and Saturday night of October. It is a street party which lasts up to the wee hours of the following day. In the last years, roads in Balibago are closed and are used as party dance floor, and is the biggest street party held each year in the city; but now, they celebrate it outside SM City Clark.

• Sisig Festival (Sadsaran Qng Angeles) - is also held every year in the month of December, celebrating the Kapampangan dish sisig, which is said to have originated from Angeles. It used to be held along the stretch of McArthur Highway in Balibago but is now celebrated at SM City Clark.

[edit] Famous People from Angeles City

• Lea Salonga - is a Tony Award-winning singer and actress who is best known for her portrayal of Kim in the musical, Miss Saigon. She spent the first six years of her childhood in Angeles City before moving to Manila.

• apl.de.ap (Allen Pineda Lindo) - is a member of the Grammy-award winning group, The Black Eyed Peas, and was born in Sapang Bato, Angeles City. He is famous throughout the Filipino community after the release of his life story of his homeland Philippines in a song called "The Apl Song" found on the Peas' 2003 album Elephunk.

• Vanessa Minnillo - is an American television personality born in Clark Air Base, Angeles City and raised in the US. She was Miss Teen USA 1998 and is currently a host of MTV's Total Request Live.

• Efren "Bata" Reyes - is referred to as "The Magician" and a very popular Filipino billiards player. He is considered to be one of history's greatest practitioners of billiards.

• Cris Judd - is an American actor and popular choreographer to Michael Jackson and Usher, but he is best known for his failed marriage to American actress, Jennifer Lopez. He was born in Clark Air Base and spent his childhood years there.

• Arwind Santos - is a local basketball player, playing for Far Eastern University in the UAAP and the Magnolia Ice Cream Spinners in the Philippine Basketball League. He was selected PBL's Most Valuable Player (2004), two-time UAAP Men's Basketball MVP (2004-2005), and one-time UAAP Men's Basketball Finals Most Valuable Player (2005).

• Donita Rose - although she was born in the US, she moved to Angeles City, where her American father was designated at the US Clark Air Base, when she was five years old. She went on to become a famous local actress and MTV VJ in Asia.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• The Forgotten Angels, article on Filipino mestizos in Angeles