Tarlac City

Tarlac City
Component city
City of Tarlac
From top, left to right: San Sebastian Cathedral, Poblacion, MacArthur Highway, Aquino Center and Museum, Tarlac City Plazuela
Flag Seal
Motto(s):  Magkaisa: Bawat Oras, Sama-Sama
Map of Tarlac with Tarlac City highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Tarlac City Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 15°29′13″N 120°35′24″E / 15.4869°N 120.59°E / 15.4869; 120.59
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Luzon
Province	Tarlac
District	2nd district
Founded	1788
Cityhood	April 18, 1998
Highly urbanized city	October 27, 2005
Barangays	76 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Panlungsod
• mayor of Tarlac City[*]	Maria Cristina C. Angeles
• Vice Mayor	Genaro M. Mendoza
• Representative	Christian Tell A. Yap
• City Council	Members Katrina Theresa C. Angeles Pee Jay E. Basangan Jude Joseph S. David Emily L. Facunla Enrico J. De Leon Richard B. Diolazo Robert Ace B. Manalang Vladimir S. Rodriguez Necito N. Chua Cesar P. Go
• Electorate	213,784 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	274.66 km2 (106.05 sq mi)
Elevation	61 m (200 ft)
Highest elevation	490 m (1,610 ft)
Lowest elevation	14 m (46 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	385,398
• Density	1,400/km2 (3,600/sq mi)
• Households	90,676
Demonym(s)	Tarlaqueño (Male), Tarlaqueña (Female), Tarlaquenean
Economy
• Income class	1st city income class
• Poverty incidence	10.01 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 2,064 million (2020), 870.2 million (2012), 925.4 million (2013), 1,031 million (2014), 1,140 million (2015), 1,234 million (2016), 1,431 million (2017), 1,533 million (2018), 1,762 million (2019), 2,054 million (2021), 2,577 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 4,710 million (2020), 2,177 million (2012), 2,216 million (2013), 2,603 million (2014), 2,753 million (2015), 3,125 million (2016), 3,954 million (2017), 4,502 million (2018), 4,537 million (2019), 5,253 million (2021), 6,054 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 1,663 million (2020), 725.2 million (2012), 756.3 million (2013), 800.8 million (2014), 717.7 million (2015), 758.9 million (2016), 963.5 million (2017), 1,198 million (2018), 1,434 million (2019), 1,419 million (2021), 1,715 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 856.5 million (2020), 780 million (2012), 947 million (2013), 1,198 million (2014), 1,086 million (2015), 981.2 million (2016), 1,143 million (2017), 1,187 million (2018), 1,051 million (2019), 860.4 million (2021), 909.2 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Tarlac Electric Incorporated (TEI)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	2300
PSGC	036916000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)45
Native languages	Kapampangan Ilocano Tagalog
Website	www.tarlaccity.gov.ph

Tarlac City, officially the City of Tarlac (Kapampangan: Lakanbalen ning Tarlac; Pangasinan: Siyudad na Tarlac; Ilocano: Siudad ti Tarlac; Filipino: Lungsod ng Tarlac [tɐɾˈlak]), is a 1st class city and the capital of the province of Tarlac, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 385,398 people making it the most populous in the province.^[3]

Tarlac's first settlers came from Bacolor, Pampanga. They cleared the area, fertilised the soil, and then established their settlement here in 1788. Tarlac's name is a Hispanized derivation from a talahib weed called tarlak, an Aeta term.^[5] The area around the current capital city was described as matarlak or malatarlak, a word meaning "abundant with tarlak grass."^[6] This small community of settlers experienced rapid population growth, as settlers from Bataan, Pampanga and Zambales moved into the area. The Kapampangan language, which is the language of Pampanga, became the native language of this town. Roads and barrios were built over the following decades through hard work of its residents. Following the foundation of the province of Tarlac in 1872, Tarlac was designated as the capital of the new province.

On June 21, 1969, President Ferdinand Marcos signed and approved the Republic Act 5907, converting this municipality into a city. However, its plebiscite was unsuccessful, showing their voters rejected cityhood.

On April 21, 1990, the barangays of Burgos, David, Iba, Labney, Lawacamulag, Lubigan, Maamot, Mababanaba, Moriones, Pao, San Juan de Valdez, Sula, and Villa Aglipay, originally part of the then-municipality of Tarlac, separated and formed to be the part of San Jose. Tarlac now retains its 274.66 km² (106.05 sq mi) area.

Finally, on March 12, 1998, Republic Act 8593 was signed by President Fidel V. Ramos, making Tarlac as the component city of the province of Tarlac. On April 18, 1998, its residents approved the conversion of the municipality into a city. Tarlac was proclaimed as the component city by COMELEC on the next day, on April 19, 1998.

On October 27, 2005, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed the Proclamation No. 940, making Tarlac City into a highly urbanized city (HUC) in the province.^[7] However, the provincial government opposed the city's campaign for conversion into HUC.^[8] The majority of voters rejected the conversion in the plebiscite on February 11, 2006.

The city is situated at the centre of the province of Tarlac, along the Tarlac River. To its north is Gerona and Santa Ignacia, west is San Jose, south is Capas and Concepcion and eastern boundaries are Victoria and La Paz. Tarlac City is located 58 kilometres (36 mi) north of Central Luzon's regional center San Fernando, Pampanga, and 124 kilometres (77 mi) north of Manila.

Tarlac City is approximately 24 metres (79 ft) above sea level on some parts but reaching even 50 metres (160 ft) on large western portions. Tarlac City was historically a part of what is now Porac, Pampanga. Parts of Tarlac City are claimed to be among the few portions of land in the province which was not created by ancient eruptions from Mount Pinatubo.

Tarlac City is politically subdivided into 76 barangays.^[9] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

In the 2020 census, the population of Tarlac City was 385,398 people,^[3] with a density of 1,400 inhabitants per square kilometre or 3,600 inhabitants per square mile.

Being at the meeting point of both Kapampangan and Pangasinan languages, cultures, and ethnicities, both languages are predominantly spoken in the city and environs. Ilocano and Tagalog are also used, especially those with Ilocano and/or Tagalog ethnicity/ancestry, respectively, with the latter language also serving as a medium for inter-ethnic communications. As the majority of the residents are Kapampangans, most of the Pangasinans, Ilocanos, and Tagalogs speak Kapampangan as first language.

According to statistics compiled by the Philippine government, the most dominant religion in the city is Christianity. The majority of Christians are Roman Catholics followed by a large concentration of Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ). Other Christian groups belong to various Protestant denominations. There are some being non-Christian such as Muslims, etc.

There are several shopping malls established within the city. To name a few, there is the SM City Tarlac, which is the first SM Supermall in the Tarlac Province, located along McArthur Highway in San Roque; Plaza Luisita Mall, which is the first shopping center in Central Luzon (now Robinsons Luisita); the Magic Star Mall along Romulo Blvd. in Barangay Cut-cut; My MetroTown Mall in Barangay Sto Cristo; Palm Plaza Mall located along McArthur Highway corner F. Tanedo St. Barangay Matatalaib; CityWalk also located in Barangay San Roque and CityMall located in Barangay San Rafael.

As the educational center of Tarlac, Tarlac City houses the main campus of Tarlac State University, as well as other higher educational institutions.

The Tarlac City Schools Division of the Department of Education operates 87 elementary schools and 13 high schools as of 2013.

Some private schools in Tarlac City are the Don Bosco Technical Institute, College of the Holy Spirit, Tarlac Montessori School, Kian Tiak School, and the Ecumenical Christian College.

The Malatarlak Festival, celebrated every January in Tarlac City, is one of the most remarkable festivals in the province. In 2011, the City Mayor then changed the name of the festival to Melting Pot Festival, but it is still remembered by its former name. The festival is a commemoration to the first people who built civilization in the province, the Aetas. The names and themes of the festivals in Tarlac City have changed over the years depending on the city's leadership. For the current administration (since July 2016), the local fiesta or festival has been called Kaisa Festival derived from the word magkaisa (to unite).

Tarlac City is the usual bus stop for commuters traveling from the South to the Ilocos Region and Cordillera provinces. Bus companies that take a route through the city include Pangasinan Solid North Transit, Inc., Dagupan Bus Company, Philippine Rabbit, Victory Liner, Five Star, First North Luzon Transit, Luzon Cisco Transport, Genesis, Santrans, Viron Transit, Partas, and many others. Many of the bus companies' rest stops can be found along MacArthur Highway including Siesta and Motorway.

The MacArthur Highway goes from the southern to the northern end of the city. There are a series of roads leading to Zambales and Pangasinan as well as Baguio. Most buses passing through the town of Camiling onwards to Pangasinan usually take the Romulo Highway which forks from MacArthur Highway along Barangay San Roque.

Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) connects with Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway (TPLEx) and Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEx) within the capital of the province. The 3 expressways serves as an alternate route for motorists going to the other parts of Northern Luzon area such as Cagayan Valley, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, La Union and Baguio while in the Marcos Highway via TPLEX and Kennon Road from McArthur Highway.

• Angeles City
• Cabanatuan
• Taguig
• Baguio
• Bauan, Batangas

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tarlac City.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Tarlac City.

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Tarlac Province Official Portal
• Philippine Statistics Authority^{[permanent dead link‍]}