Floridablanca, officially the Municipality of Floridablanca (Kapampangan: Balen ning Floridablanca; Filipino: Bayan ng Floridablanca) is a municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 135,542 people.[3]
Etymology
Floridablanca is derived from Spanish which translates to "white flower." However, there are two versions of the name's origin:[5]
in honor of José María de Castillejo y Moñino, III conde of Floridablanca, (25 de Febrero de 1826 y falleció en 1892), who inherited the Condado de Floridablanca from the 2nd holder, his aunt Maria Vicenta Moñino y Pontejos, through his mother, Maria Ana. Maria Vicenta died in 1867 and thus Jose inherited the title; 1867 was also the year the town's name was changed from San Jose de Calampaui to Floridablanca. The rest of Maria Vicenta's titles devolved to her husband's family, the Marquesado de Miraflores whose present title holder today married the grand daughter of President Elpidio Quirino. Jose Maria conquered the island of Menorca and helped create the Viceroyalty of La Plata or all the lands in present day Argentina and nearby. As a renowned statesman of the time, he helped Spain counterbalance its position between warring France and England. He also established the Compania de Filipinas in the South Seas that kept the Philippines connected to Spain through the maritime routes regularly passing to the upper stretches of Nuevo Mexico (a part of the Viceroyalty of Nueva Espana) down to the ports of Callao in Peru, where the Manila Galleon ships were known as the La Nao de Manila or the La Nao de China. 1867 was also the year when the de tallado image of San Jose Obrero and the de tallado Santo Nino accompanying it, was installed in the church of Saint Joseph the Worker church to signify the establishment of the new parroquia for the farm workers, separate from the old Spanish monastery of San Jose de Calampaui, and separate from the friars who owned all the lands from the foot of the mountains to the eastern boundaries of the nearly flat expanse that is Floridablanca.
white flowers of a pandacaqui plant (Tabernaemontana pandacaqui) that flourished in the town, considered as a more credible origin. Florida means "Flower" and Blanca means "Fragrant".
Previously, the town was named San Jose de Calampaui, which is derived from Spanish for Saint Joseph, its patron saint.
History
Aerial view of Floridablanca and Del Carmen, November 17, 1931
Floridablanca was founded in 1823 as Hacienda de San Jose de Calampaui at the site of a monastery. In 1867, it was renamed to Pueblo de Floridablanca.
In 1991, the Santo Nino enshrined in San Jose Obrero parish was stolen. Within two months or so, Mount Pinatubo erupted. Sand and ash and lahar fell into Floridablanca, killing hundreds and destroyed the rice paddies. Superstitions by the elders of the town exist that the theft of the statue resulted in such unimaginable disaster.
In 2024, the Santo Nino was rediscovered after almost 22 years. The Foronda family assisted in raising funds for its eventual return to San Jose Obrero parish.
Geography
Floridablanca is located on the western part of Pampanga along the Zambales mountain ranges and is bounded by the municipalities of Porac on the north, Lubao on the south, Guagua on the east, and Dinalupihan, Bataan on the west. It is 40 kilometers (25 mi) from the city of San Fernando and 106 kilometers (66 mi) from Manila. The town is at an elevation of 12 feet (3.7 m) above sea level. Floridablanca is north of Dinalupihan, Bataan via Dinalupihan-Floridablanca Access Road at the Bataan-Pampanga boundary line.
With an area of 17,548 hectares (43,360 acres), it is the third largest municipality in the province, after Porac and Candaba.
Barangays
Floridablanca is politically subdivided into 33 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
In the 2020 census, the population of Floridablanca, Pampanga, was 135,542 people,[3] with a density of 770 inhabitants per square kilometer or 2,000 inhabitants per square mile.
Floridablanca is the second largest producer of rice in the province. It produces more than enough rice to meet its needs resulting in a surplus. In 1999, only 37.76% of its produce was used for its own rice requirement resulting in a surplus of 65.24% equivalent to 17,553 metric tons.
The Bank of Florida, formerly Rural Bank of Floridablanca, Inc. was first established on February 10, 1964, with its first branch in Floridablanca, as one of the six subsidiaries of House of David Group headed by Ladislao Sibal-David, founder and chair.[19] Currently, it has 24 branches in Central Luzon under its President and CEO, Jose Paolo D. Carlos. In 2023, BOF President and CEO Susan David-Nunga opened its 21st branch in San Jose, Floridablanca. Its executive office, the BOF Corporate Center is located along Jose Abad Santos Avenue, San Jose, City of San Fernando, Pampanga.[20]
Like other towns in the Philippines, Floridablanca is governed by a mayor and vice mayor who are elected to three-year terms. The mayor is the executive head and leads the town's departments in executing the ordinances and improving public services. The vice mayor heads a legislative council (Sangguniang Bayan) consisting of councilors from the Barangays of Barrios.
List of municipal leaders
Capitan Municipal
1897 – Don Gerónimo Romero Dinio
1898 – Don Cecilio Alvendia
1899 – Don Alejandro Ramos
Municipal Presidents
1900–1902 – Don Gerónimo Romero Dinio
1903–1905 – Don Alejandro Ramos
1906–1908 – Don Gregorio Panlaqui
1909–1911 – Don León Gutiérrez
1911 – Don Arcadio Ramírez
1912–1917 – Don Martin Sundiam
1918–1922 – Don José O. Dinio
1923–1925 – Don Isidoro Alvendia
1926–1931 – Don Roberto Nuguid
1932–1937 – Don Camilo Ocampo
Municipal Mayors
1938–1940 – Geronimo Dinio Coronel
1941 – Benigno Layug
1942–1943 – Francisco Vargas
1943–1944 – Fidel Pekson
1944 – Leandro Garcia
1945 – Benigno Layug
1945 – Dr. Vicente Chincuanco
1945–1946 – Mariano Macabulos
1946–1947 – Arsenio T. Isip
1948–1951 – Mariano Macabulos
1951–1955 – Dominador Diyco Songco
1956–1959 – Atty. Marcelo Dungca Mendiola
1960–1967 – Dominador Diyco Songco
1968–1971 – Jose Dungca Mendiola
1972–1986 – Pedro Manuel Capulong
1986–1992 – Tito Morales Mendiola
1992–2001 – Pedro Manuel Capulong
2001–2004 – Joerey Montemayor
2004–2007 – Darwin Manalansan
2007–2016 – Eduardo Guerrero
2016–present – Darwin Manalansan
Tourism
Aside from Basa Air Base, the town has cultural treasures and interesting points.
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