ARAYAT REVIEWER

Country : Philippines 17. San Agustin Norte

Region: Central Luzon
(Region III) 18. San Agustin Sur
Province: Pampanga
District: 3rd District 19. San Antonio
Founded: no exact date
Barangays: 30 20. San Jose Mesulo
Government: Mayor Emmanuel
Manahan Alejandrino 21. San Juan Bano
Population: As of 2010 121,348
ZIP code: 2012 22. San Mateo
Dialing code: +63 (0)45
Income class: 1st class 23. San Nicolas

Barangays: 24. San Roque Bitas

1. Arenas 25. Cupang (Santa Lucia)

2. Baliti 26. Matamo (Santa Lucia)

3. Batasan 27. Santo Nio Tabuan

4. Buensuceso 28. Suclayin

5. Candating 29. Telapayong

6. Gatiawin 30. Kaledian (Camba)

7. Guemasan

8. La Paz (Turu)

9. Lacmit HISTORY

10. Lacquios Arayat, Pampanga is a town

located in the northern part of
11. Mangga-Cacutud Pampanga. It is famous for its mystical
mountain, Mt. Arayat. It is believed to
12. Mapalad be the home of the beautiful fairy,
Mariang Sinukuan. There is still no
13. Palinlang confirmed research about the exact
founding of the place. Before the
14. Paralaya Spaniards came, it was known as the
Balayan ning Pambuit but is now
15. Plazang Luma referred to as Barrio Palinglang which
was used to be a jungle occupied by
16. Poblacion early inhabitants called Aetas.
 One historian claims that it was
founded either by the Madjapahit
rulers, Prince Balagtas or his son Lord
Maalangsic (also known as Araw) and
other people believed that the place
was pioneered by Jose Carlos Garcia,
Macapagal, Lapira, Simbulan, and
Maria Vinas. At the foot of the
mountain is the Arayat National Park,
whose recreational hall, picnic sheds,
and swimming facilities are frequented
by tourists all year round.
ORIGIN OF THE NAME ARAYAT
1. Originated from the name of
Fernando de Arayat, a Spanish
encomiendero whose birthplace in
Spain was called "Arayat".
2. An unknown researcher says that the
early natives had transformed the
name to Daya. Then it became
Dayat derived from the word
dayatan that means dry season
rice crop.
3. Arayat was formerly known as
"Alaya" or "east". Thus, bunduk
alaya" or "eastern mountain"
referred to Mt. Arayat.
4. Before the Spaniards came Arayat
was known as 'Balayan ning
Pambuit,' an ancient settlement
originally located in barrio Palinglang
(the present poblacion that used to
be a jungle inhabited by Aetas)
FESTIVALS
Arayat Town Fiesta
November 25
celebration in honor of St.
Catherine de Alexandria
Mangga Festival
December 6
annual competition of Brgy.
Mangga Cacutud
celebration of the Feast of
Immaculate
Mais Festival
Celebrated in Brgy. Lacmit
Makatapak Festival
TOURISM
A popular landmark of the town is
the majestic Arayat Mountain
or "Bundok Alaya". Mount Arayat is
likewise known as Mount Sinukuan,
named after the legendary Goddess
and enchanted lady, Maria Sinukuan. It
has three peaks, the two highest of
which are the Northern Peak with 1086
meters altitude and the Southern Peak
with 984 meters height. The
Pampanga River has its bank at the
foot of Mt. Arayat.
Situated at the base of the well-
known Mount Arayat is the Mount
Arayat National Park, a major tourist
attraction not only in Pampanga, but
whole Luzon. It is noted for its
swimming pools, wholesome,
refreshing and verdant surroundings
and its cool water cascading from its
waterfalls.
CLIMATE
Arayat is generally a level land,
except the areas where Mt. Arayat
stands and its vicinities, with a type I
climate and two pronounced seasons;
dry from November to April and wet
during the rest of the year.
Arayat croplands cover 7,716.49
hectares or about 60% of the total
area. It can be also said that it falls
within the category of those with
traditional industrial structures as
reflected by its lands use, agriculture
has the widest area, followed by forest
land, swamp and marshed land. Rice
and sugarcane are the main staple
products of the town, followed by corn,
mongo, watermelons, turnips,
peanuts, camote and different kinds of
vegetables. Fresh fish are abundant in
its rivers and swampy areas. The
forest land of Mount Arayat is the
source of firewood, charcoal and the
famous "Teak" wood used in furniture
making.
HISTORICAL LANDMARKS
Cong Dadong Dam, which is also
called Pampanga Delta, is named after
the first Capampgan President of the
Phillippines, Diosdado Macapagal who
went by the nickname of "Dadong". The
dam, which diverts water from the
Pampanga and Rio Chico rivers, released
12 cubic meters of water per second to
canals leading to farms on Arayat, Sta.
Ana, San Luis, Candaba, San Simon, and
Apalit towns. In addition, it is said that
the dam would service 10,270 hectares
of farmland when it is fully operational.
San Juan Bao, which is the known
as the Grotto of God the Father and
the Nativity.
The Santa Catalina de Alejandria
Church, Arayat Church, was built in
honor of St. Catherine of Alexandria, a
royal, learned; rich and virgin gloriously
martyred at Alexandria. Saint Catherine
was chosen as the patroness and
models of Christian philosophers,
Aecatherina, as she called by the
Greeks, glorified God by an illustrious
confession of the faith of Christ under
Maximinus II. Fr. Jose Torres had the
present church restored in 1858. This
was continued during the term of Fr.
Juan Tarrero and completed under the
supervision of Fr. Urbano Beduya in
1892. Several renovations have been
conducted since then. The church
measures 70 meters long and 16 meters
wide, 12 meters high and was done in
three-level Renaissance style facade.