Profile of Angeles City

TIME ZONE

GMT+8 Hours

ENTRY FORMALITIES

Except for stateless persons and those from countries with which the Philippines has no diplomatic relations, all visitors with valid passport may enter the country without visas and may stay for 21 days provided they have tickets for onward journey. Holders of Hong Kong and Taiwan passports must have special permits. Visas and special permits may be obtained from Philippine embassies and consulates.

HEALTH REGULATIONS

Visitors coming from infected areas need yellow fever vaccination. Children under one year of age are subject to isolation when necessary.

DRUG ABUSE

Possession or use of prohibited drugs carries a minimum of 20 years imprisonment and a maximum penalty of death for drug pushers

AIRPORT

Angeles is served by the Clark International Airport, approximately 12 kms. From the city center. It has adequate travel facilities; a duty free shopping center and souvenir shops; and a tourist information center, hotel and travel agency representatives, and car rental services

CUSTOMERS REGULATIONS

To facilitate customs examination, visitors are devised to fill in the Baggage and Currency Declaration Form before disembarking. Visitors are allowed to bring in the following articles duty-free: reasonable quantity of clothes; jewelry and toiletries; 400 sticks of cigarettes or two tins of tobacco; and two bottles of wine or spirits of not more than one liter each.

CURRENCY REGULATIONS

Visitors can bring in and take out any amount of foreign currency.

ARTS

Early exposure to the outside world, even before the Spanish colonial period, has contributed to the rich culture of Kapangpangan people. In Angeles itself, one can find a large concentration of carpenters, woodcarvers, metal craftsmen, tinsmiths and other artisans. In the visual arts one can see the degree of sophistication of the Kapampangan craftsmen working in jewelry, painting and scripture. A visitor can enjoy a night of Kapangpangan poetry or Teatrong Kapangpangan plays at Culture shack, a local hangouts for poets, writers and artists

CULTURE

One of these is the Baguis Fiestang Kuliat, which includes the Tigatigan at Terakan King Dalan . Added to these activities are the Feast of the Guardian Angels, the Celebration of the Foundation Day commemorating 1829, time when Angeles was inaugurated as a new town, the Malealdo (Holy Week), the Santacruzan and the Sinukwan Festival

TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Almost three percent of Angeles City is roads. In fact its network is longest compared to other cities in the region, like Olongapo, Tarlac and Cabanatuan. There are 53,814 registered vehicles in the city, which contributes to the emerging traffic problems. Angeles City has a number of buses, mini-buses, jeepneys, tricycles and horse-driven carriages called “calesas” plying the busy streets. Inside the city limit, jeepneys are colored coded according to their routes and they could accommodate 10-16 passengers. Mini-buses and jeepneys are also used to ferry passengers from the city to nearby towns and municipalities. Buses are available going to and from Manila. To address the needs of its people, the City Government is now under negotiations with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and other agencies regarding road networks. Part of the project that will lessen traffic problems is the construction of the East Circumferential Road and the Friendship Bridge.

WATER UTILITIES

Water in the city is supplied by eleven (11) waterwork systems. Seven (7) of these are privately owned and operating in residential subdivisions. Three (3) of the original five (5) barangay waterworks are still operational . The Angeles City Water District has taken over the areas and being served by two (2) barangay waterworks which has stopped operations. The eleventh is the Angeles Water District (ACWD) , a quasi-government corporation, which has the big coverage and the most subscriber .In 1999 alone, it was able to expand its services to four (4) more baragay. Of the thirty three (33) barangays, thirty one (31) barangays are reached by the various systems. 49.79% of the total population if these thirety one (31) barangay is served by ACWD, 51.65 % is served by private water systems and 8.82% by Barangay Waterworks. The barangay and households ,which has not yet been reached by these water systems rely either on their own jetmatics ,deep and open wells

ELECTRICITY

Electric power System in Angeles City is owned and operated by a private firm, the Angeles Electric Corporation (AEC). Its power system is one of the efficient electric corporations in the country. It has an operating capacity of 71.9 million volt amperes, thus able to supply even the maximum demand of the city which is 59.00 megawatts and the average demand of 57.00 megawatts. Power supply is enjoyed by ninety five percent (95%) of the populace. Household that have no electrical connections used kerosene lamps ,candles /gas for their lightning .Suc is their situation because they could not afford the electrical service although the power rates of AEC is already considered the cheapest compared to the electric companies and cooperatives in neighboring municipalities in Pampanga .As for cooking , residents resort to the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) , charcoal or kerosene.

TELECOMMUNICATION

Facilities – Several communication facilities have been established in Angeles City, one of which is telephone systems. The city now has two privately-owned landline telephone companies – DATELCOM and DIGITEL, Inc. – which serve 59.66% of combined 88,124 households and business firms. This percentage continues to rise as Smart Communications Inc. extends its services to a limited number of landline subscribers. In addition to the latter, cellular phone firms like Globe, Islacom, Piltel, Extelcom, Mobiline and Nextel also serve the city. The Philippine Graphic, identify Angeles City as one of the cities where there is an average of 178 available lines per 1,000 population. This will help for the growth of electronic commerce division.

History of Angeles City

REVOLUTION ERA

During the Philippine Revolution, Angeles became a byway for the revolutionary forces. During the Filipino-American War, General Emilio Aguinaldo made Angeles the seat of government from May to July, 1899. The first anniversary of the First Philippines Republic, the first republic in Asia, was celebrated at Angeles. Mrs. Hilaria Aguinaldo, wife of the revolutionary leader organized the Angeles chapter of the Philippine Red Cross in the home of Don Ricardo Nepomuceno y Paras. On May 7,1899, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo made Angeles the seat of the Phillipine Government. A field mass was held in his honor. The first anniversary celebration of rhe Philippine Independence proclaimed a year earlier in Kawit, Cavite was held in Angeles in June 12, 1899. It was highlighted with a parade led by the youngest ever Filipino Generals Gregorio del Pilar, and Manuel Tinio. It was viewed by Gen. Aguinaldo from the Pamintuan residence (restored recently to its original, now houses the Central Bank Clearing Office, the Presidential Palace that time).

After a bloody battle, the American forces led by General Arthur MacArthur penetrated the town on August 10, 1899. On January 1, 1900, a civil government was re-established by American forces.On August 10, 1899, U.S. forces began the attack on Angeles confident in capturing it in a few days. However, the Filipino Army defending the town refused to give in so easily and fiercely fought back and for threee months battled the Americans in and around Angeles. It was only after the battle on November 05, 1899 that the brave town finally fell into American hands. The battles for Angeles are considered to be the longest in the history of the Filipino-American War in Pampanga. In the photo, Gen. Arthur McArthur (in tall hat) with Gen. Wheaton on an inspection tour along a frontline in Angeles

During Aguinaldo’s stay in Angeles, Manuel L. Quezon then a member of the General’s Staff, stayed in the house of a certain Don Lorenzo Sanchez (then just acrros the Pamintuan residence), Aguinaldo’s sojoum was short however, for in July of this same year he transferred his government to Tarlac following its occupation by the American Forces. On January, 1900 Gen. Frederick D. Grant organized the first U.S. Civil Government by appointing an Alcalde.In August 1899, at the peak of the Filipino-American War, U.S. Army Forces finally captured Angeles after a week of heavy fighting. The Americans quickly commandeered the Holy Rosary Parish Church and converted it into an army hospital. In this 1899 photo, American wounded and sick soldiers with the medics are seen in the main isle. The choir loft served as the dental section. The convent (now Holy Family Academy wing) was the barracks for medical officers and enlisted men. The sacristy was the only portion where Angeleños could hear mass. When the Americans vacated the church in 1904 and moved to Fort Stotsenberg, Rev. Vicente Lapus, the parish priest listed of total U.S. ,638.00 for portions of the church destroyed, looted church items and treasures and arrears on rentals.