Angeles City, Pampanga |Far Beyond the Neon Lights
Posted by Potpot
- 15658 Views
- April 18th, 2019
- in Destinations, Philippines
- No Comments
If only you decide to take strides further than the neon-lit side of Angeles City, you would end up in a townscape saturated in stories of the past. These are narratives told in heritage architecture, heirloom food finds, age-old scripts as well as other exquisite art.
Angeles Cityโs growth is phenomenal. In fact, it is today’s center for commerce, tourism, leisure & entertainment in Pampanga. And along with the rise of Clarkโs popularity, it has also become the hub of aviation & international business in Central Luzon.
Nevertheless, being todayโs apple of the eye didnโt come easy. Surely, Angeles City is doing endless hard work, not to mention summoning the angels to come down.
Angeles City: Retelling Pampangaโs Story Differently Wonderful
Just like the rest of Pampanga, Angeles Cityโs share in its episodes in history unfolds the dramatic sieges of power. From Spanish to American periods, then to the hands of the Japanese & back to the Americans, Angeles City bears traces of these colonial impressions.
However, the wrath of Mt. Pinatubo rewrote the history of Pampanga. From rising above the ashes to the departure of the US forces, Angeleรฑos took this chance to rebuild its city. This time, strongly founded on Kapampangan values of life, love & culture.
Quick Look: Angeles City
At a glance, Angeles City evolved into zones with different township characters. Anunas is the famed Korean Town. While next-door neighbors, Balibago & Malabanias are the entertainment districts.
On the other hand, Pampang & San Nicolas form the market district. Pulung Maragul houses the seat of governance. Meanwhile Sapangbato is much a residential zone but a key link to Clark & to the new Pinatubo trail.
Click here for hotel deals in Angeles City
Moreover, Santo Rosario is the heritage district where most of Kapampangan legaciesย still abound today. Being the heartbeat of Angeles City, it forms the cultural epicenter — from folk to modern & everything excitingly in between.
Get Happily Lost at the Heritage District
If heritage tours tickle your travel fancies, then youโll need a low-dose chill pill being on this old side of town. Every street corner here seems to have a piece of heritage, be it an ancestral house, an art gallery, food or flashes of age-old scripts.
Letโs take a look at the rich cultural treasures of Angeles City & meet some of the people that keeps it going.
The Holy Rosary Parish
Above all, the Holy Rosary Parish is the most prominent heritage property in Angeles City, It is a 19thย century stone church recognized by the National Commission for Culture & the Arts as national historical site.
Museo ning Angeles
Nearby is Museo ning Angeles, a 1920s architecture housing many Angeleรฑo memorabilia. The Kuliat Foundation Inc. manages it.
Pamintuan Mansion
Around the block is the 1880s mansion of Don Florentino Torres Pamintuan, where romance for architectural opulence & historical importanceย meet.
Bale Herencia
Within sight from the church is Bale Herencia. Built in 1860, it is an ancestral house now used as a commercial establishment. It punctuates the corner between Lakandula & Sto. Rosario Streets.
Bale Matua
Dubbed as the Founderโs Residence, Don Angel Pantaleon de Mirandaโs home stands as the oldest building in the city at 194 years old.
Dayrit Ancestral House
Further, is the ancestral house of Don Clemente Dayrit. Today, it is the Bishopโs Residence of the Archdiocese of San Fernando.
Apung Mamacalulu Shrine
Beside the Dayrit House is the Apung Mamacalulu Shrine where massive devotees flock to ask for miracle, healing & hope. To add, it also keeps a wealth of Kapampangan-made sculptures.
Sรญnรบpan Singsing: Center for Kapampangan Cultural Heritage
Housed at the Angeles City Library & Information Center, the Center for Kapampangan Cultural Heritage is a must-visit-first site for everything Kapampangan.
Kulitan Workshops
You canโt talk about Pampanga without mentioning โkulitanโ. Uniquely, it is one of the indigenous writing systems in the Philippines used for writing Kapampangan. Join their monthly workshops at Sรญnรบpan Singsing office. Click here for inquiries.
Galleries, Exhibits, Other Workshops
Likewise, the center curates regular exhibits of fine art such as paintings & sculptures done by Kapampangan artists. Additionally, other galleries exhibit memorabilia, folk & contemporary creative works.
The Storytellers of Kapampangan Heritage
They live to tell the tale. Some in their purist expressions & others in progressive interpretations. Meet some of Angeles Cityโs keepers of Kapampangan culture.
Kulitan Advocates
This strong force of cultural advocates are making huge impacts in preserving the collective Kapampangan identity through the revival of Kulitan. Michael Pangilinan among many others is at the forefront of this campaign.
Bale Balayan
On the other hand, Bale Balayan is a museum with quite an eclectic collection. It is also a house that cares for the disadvantaged children where they learn to play traditional musical instruments, stagecraft & dramatics.
Sunlag Ensemble
Sunlag is a contemporary art music ensemble based in Angeles City led by Titus del Rosario, a multi-laureled composer & musician. They play a repertoire inspired by nature & Asian traditional music.
The Lantern Makers
Equally interesting are theย traditional lantern designs of Angeles City. And all of these come to life during the Ing Lubenas ning Pasku held during the Christmas season.
Culinary Arts
Truly, Angeles City is home to many of the countryโs finest chefs, hometown cooks, cafes & restaurants. In fact, it isnโt hard to spot a good place to eat. Check out Chef Claude Tayagโs Bale Dutung & Chef Sau del Rosarioโs 25 Seeds among many, many others.
The City Tourism & the Center for Kapampangan Cultural Heritage
Of course, if there is one group unifying all of its efforts, this team of cultural & tourism vanguards are the best to tap. They surely know the A-to-Z of Kapampangan heritage in a wink of an eye.
Itโs almost not fair how beautiful Angeles City is. Truly, I wish the rest of the Philippines learn from them. So, how about putting it in your travel bucketlist too?
Leave a Comment