TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
The City of
ANGELS
“ Many relics of its Spanish, American & Japanese past still exist in the city...”
Palawan
Angeles Manila
Story & Photography by Benjamin Layug
Manila
Cebu
Pampanga
Bale Matua( Founder’ s House)
When one mentions Angeles City the first thing that comes into mind is its being, during its heyday, a rest and recreation area frequently visited by the U. S. servicemen from nearby Clark Air Base. Even with the closure of the U. S. base, Angeles is still home to a large colony of expatriates as many Americans chose to permanently settle in Angeles, particularly in the Balibago District. As a travel consultant for United Tourist Promotions( makers of EZ Maps), I sometimes drop by its Angeles head office for meetings. Angeles is also home to good friend Claude Tayag, an accomplished painter, sculptor, furniture designer, and like me, a travel columnist. Claude is also a handy chef. He owns and operates Bale Dutung, said to be the best Kapampangan
The Angeles Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Center
restaurant in the province. Angeles, well known as the culinary center of Pampanga, is said to be the birthplace of sisig, in menus since the 1730s. This Kapampangan dish is made from parts of a pig’ s head and liver and is usually seasoned with kalamansi and chili peppers.
HISTORICAL SITES FOUND IN ANGELES
This 66.16 sq. km., highly urbanized city of 314,493 Angeleños was once a jungle clearing and northernmost barrio of San Fernando called Kuliat( after an indigenous vine that grew abundantly in the area). It was founded in 1796 by Capt. Angel Pantaleon de Miranda, the former gobernadorcillo of San Fernando, and his wife Doña Rosalia de Jesus. On December 8, 1829, it was separated from San Fernando and was renamed Angeles in honor of Don Angel and the town’ s patron saints, the Holy Guardian Angels( Los Santos Angeles de los Custodios).
Not many people know this but Angeles was also made briefly the capital of the First Philippine Republic by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo on March 17, 1899. The first and only anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence( June 12, 1899) was celebrated here. Upon its capture by the Americans on November 5, it was made the headquarters of Maj.-Gen. Arthur MacArthur( father of Douglas). Angeles grew rapidly around the former Clark Air Base and was made into a chartered city on June 22, 1963 by virtue of Republic Act No. 3700 and inaugurated as such on January 1, 1964.
Many relics of its Spanish and American past still exist in the city, all within walking distance from each other. The present stone and brick Renaissance-style Holy Rosary Cathedral, along Sto. Entierro corner Sto. Rosario St. was built in 1860 by Fr. Ramon Sarrionandia through the forced labor system( Pols y Servicios), continued by Fr. Juan Merino in 1880 and completed by Fr. Pedro Ibeas in 1891. Then Fr. Rufino Santos later restored it from 1893 to 1897. The backyard of the church was once an execution ground for Filipino rebels from 1896 to 1898. The Holy Family Building, the former convent, was used by the U. S. Army from August 1899 to December 1900
54 7107 ISLAND TRAVEL