Giant Mango From Barangay Manibaug Paralaya Porac PAMPANGA Philippines
Porac, officially the Municipality of Porac (Kapampangan: Balen ning Porac; Filipino: Bayan ng Porac), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 140,751 people. [4]The Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) traverses this town, the exit of which is located in Barangay Manuali.
With an area of 31,400 hectares (78,000 acres), Porac is the largest town in Pampanga. It was once among the largest municipalities in the archipelago before it was divided into separate municipalities.
Porac is 26 kilometres (16 mi) west from the provincial capital San Fernando, south of Angeles City and north of Floridablanca. A portion of Mount Pinatubo is in the municipality.
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. Babo Pangulo offers a view of Porac and Mount Negron.
Barangays
Porac is politically subdivided into 29 barangays.
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)
Siñura (Seniora)
Villa Maria (Aetas)
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).
In 2014, Ayala Land and Leonio Land embarked on developing a mixed-used estate in Porac known as Alviera. The development project combines business, residential, recreational, leisure, and institutional. The local government dubbed Alviera as the regional growth center of Central Luzon.[1] Now, it is a premiere tourist destination in the north, and the Philippines' hub for karting with the presence of the Pampanga International Circuit.[20]
Government
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 the Sangguniang Kabataan for the youth sector.
Spanish-era Roman Catholic churches
Façade of Santa Catalina de Alejandria Parish Church
Since the founding of the town of Porac in 1867,[21] 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 Porac's main parochial structures. The other two are currently utilized as barangay chapels.
Santa Catalina de Alejandria Church
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.[22]
In the earthquake of 2019, the church belfry has been destroyed a day after Easter Sunday. Rebuilding operations are planned with call for donations to restore the church bell tower.
Pio Chapel
The 1861 Pio Chapel is a circular chapel built by Don Felino Gil, founder of the Escuela de Artes y Oficios (now the Don Honorio Ventura Technical State University).[23]
Hacienda Dolores Chapel
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.[24] 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 façade. Notable features of the chapel are finials found on both levels of the façade.