REGION III

• The project highlights major tourist recreational activities such as surfing, glamping, and other entertaining beach activities.
• The region produces one-third of the country's total rice production, thus it is also called the Rice Granary of the Philippines.
• Region III, also known as Central Luzon, occupies the central portion of the island of Luzon and is the longest contiguous area of lowlands, also known as the Central Plains of Luzon.
• Excess rice is delivered and imported to other provinces of the Philippines.
• Central Luzon combines the advantages of an international airport, a seaport, industrial and agricultural areas, tourism and leisure sites, support services, and major thoroughfares.
• The complementation of each of these elements enhances the strengths of the region as an investment destination.
• Malolos, Bulacan was the place where the first constitution of an independent Philippines was promulgated on January 21, 1899.
• Tarlac town became the seat of the Philippine government for one month in March 1899, when Pres. Aguinaldo left Bulacan to escape approaching US forces.
• Region III is the largest contiguous area of lowland in the country, located between latitudes 120 and 160 north of the equator and between longitudes of 120 and 121.
• The region has a land area of 2,201,463 hectares, with Nueva Ecija province occupying the biggest land area and the Bataan peninsula having the smallest land holding.
• Region III is located north of Manila, the nation's capital.
• Central Luzon, in addition to the neighboring province of Pangasinan, contains the largest plain in the Philippines with its agricultural plains accounting for about 40% of the geographical region's area.
• Region III is bordered by the regions of Ilocos and Cagayan Valley to the north; the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, and the waters of Manila Bay to the south; the South China Sea to the west; and the Philippine Sea to the east.
• Pangasinan is historico-culturally and geographically an integral part of this region but was politically made part of the Ilocos Region by President Ferdinand Marcos on June 22, 1973.
• Region III is composed of seven (7) provinces, 14 cities, 116 municipalities, and 102 barangays.
• The Department of Tourism (DOT) highlighted that the tourism sector in Central Luzon is vibrant, receiving about 3.9 million tourists in 2022, a figure that is largely higher than the two million tourist arrivals in 2021.
• Travel time from Manila by Airplane: 1-2 hours, by Bus: 2-3 hours, by Private Car: 1hr, 30 mins - 3 hrs.
• The major roads in Region III also known as Central Luzon are MacArthur Highway and North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).
• Biak na Bato is a 2,117-hectare land across three Bulacan towns; San Miguel, San Ildefonso, and Doña Remedios Trinidad.
• Airplane and Bus are the two main modes of transportation to reach Central Luzon.
• Airplane: NAIA and Clark International Airport have both domestic and international flights, with PAL Express offering local service to most destinations in the Philippines.
• Air flights increased when the Clark International Airport opened its new passenger terminal building where all departing and arriving flights were transferred to the modern, state-of-the-art facility envisioned to be Asia's next premier gateway.
• Bus: The following bus services provide a service to most of Central Luzon from Manila: Victory Liner, Five Star, Genesis Transport, and Philippine Rabbit.
• Subic Bay Port is located in Olongapo City and provides regular trips to and from Port Capinpin, Orion, Bataan, and the CCP Complex in Manila.
• Private Car: Owing to its close proximity to Manila, the MacArthur Highway and the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) provide excellent access to the Central Luzon area.
• Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is a 400-hectare land situated in Bagac, Bataan, with 63 heritage structures, including 41 original heritage structures and 22 replicas.
• Ninoy Aquino International Airport offers the easiest way to get from NAIA to Central Luzon State University which is located in Munoz City, Nueva Ecija.
• Clark International Airport is located in Mabalacat, Pampanga, which remains to be the international gateway to Central Luzon.
• Museo De Baler is a two-story museum located in Baler, Aurora, highlighting the vibrant history and culture of Aurora.
• The region’s booming tourism sector is brought about by its improved gateway access, whether land routes or air flights.
• The provinces in Region III are Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales.
• The fourteen (14) cities in Region III are Balanga in Bataan; Malolos, Meycauayan, and San Jose del Monte in Bulacan; Cabanatuan, Gapan, Muñoz, Palayan, and San Jose in Nueva Ecija; Angeles, Mabalacat and San Fernando in Pampanga; Tarlac City in Tarlac; and Olongapo City in Zambales.
• San Pedro Cutod Festival is well known as the re-enactment of the crucifixion of Christ that involves roleplaying the actual process of nailing at least three penitents to the cross.
• Taong Putik Festival is celebrated by locals in Nueva Ecija every June 24.
• Local tourism offices will be involved and technical assistance will be extended to the province of Zambales that also includes training, comprehensive guidance, and the establishment of local policies, and ordinances that will ensure the program's development and sustainability.
• Aeta Youth Festival is held every May 30 to May 31 in the province of Tarlac to share awareness about the Aeta’s unique cultural beliefs, songs, rituals, and dances.
• Baptismal Practices in the Philippines involve presenting the child's clothes as a souvenir after the baptismal process, which are then framed in glass and placed on the wall to serve as decoration in the family's living room.
• The location of the finished project is located in Barangay Liwaliwa San Felipe, Zambales.
• Locals who participate in the Taong Putik Festival are required to cover their bodies using mud and dress up by using banana leaves, tree vines, and dried coconut leaves.
• San Pedro Cutod Festival is celebrated every March 24 to March 30 in the province of Pampanga.