center for tarlaqueño studies

From Angeles City, we had to drive about another hour to get to Tarlac City, where Tarlac State University (TSU) and the Center for Tarlaqueño Studies are located. I took some pictures along the highway. The second picture is of Mount Arayat, legendary home of diwata (fairy) Maria Sinukuan.

As we were already running late to our second stop, needless to say, we were also late to this, our last place to visit. Luckily, when we were asking where we could find Lino Dizon, Director of the Center for Tarlaqueño Studies and with whom I had an appointment, he happened to be passing by.

He brought us to the Center, which is basically just a room. Here are some books, data, and artifacts on/from Tarlac.

Lino was genuinely quite happy to have me there. He wanted to introduce me to everybody. Here's a picture of me, Lino, and Glen Madriaga, University Vice President for Research, Extension, and Development at the Center. Lino also later took me to meet University President Priscilla Viuya.

Lino, whose current research interest is the Thomasites, or American teachers who came to the Philippines onboard the USS Thomas to establish a public school system, showed me this marker. It is dedicated to Frank Russell White, a Thomasite assigned to Tarlac and who founded the first high school (at the site where TSU is currently located) in the Philippines. Lino, whose latest book is on the Thomasite-established Baguio Teachers' Camp, is doing research on White.

Lino also introduced me to Rodrigo Sicat, Director of the University Testing Center and former director of the Center for Tarlaqueño Studies. Here is a picture of the three of us.

We had snack (in my case, late lunch) together, and Dr. Sicat entertained us with his stories and opinions. If we weren't so tired and if we didn't have a long drive home ahead of us, we might have just sat there and chatted the hours away.

I have to say that though this Center is the smallest (which does not mean it's not prolific in its publications), its directors, both current and former, are the most affable.

center for kapampangan studies

Because of the unplanned merienda break and the Barasoain tour, we were running behind schedule. We still had an hour drive to Angeles City, Pampanga, where we needed to find Holy Angel University and the Center for Kapampangan Studies.

It was past noon by the time we got to the University. A student gave us a tour of the very impressive Center. This is the beautiful sign outside the huge center, which includes a museum, a library, and an archives.

In the exhibits area, they have this gorgeous wooden timeline comparing the history of the world, the Philippines/Southeast Asia, and the Kapampangan people.

The room also has various artifacts, such as weapons, pottery, etc., as well as the death masks of two of its famous sons: slain former Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. and actor/presidential candidate Fernando Poe, Jr.

Upstairs is a pictorial display.

In the lobby area are several notable displays. There are three interactive stations on Kapampangan songs and music, ancient script, and map.

Here are some samples of baybayin, the ancient Filipino script, from various sources/regions.

Nearby is a retablo featuring the patron saints of the various towns in the province of Pampanga.

Also in the lobby are samples of the parols, or Christmas lanterns, for which Pampanga is known. This parol is made of capiz (shell), and it has lightbulbs inside.

This is a regular-size, simpler version of the giant lanterns featured in the annual Giant Lantern Festival.

A drum actually contains the lighting design. When hand-cranked, the appropriate design segments hits the metal plate which then triggers the corresponding lights (something like that, anyway.) Here is what it looks like when it is cranked.

Apparently, the giant ones operate under the same concept. Several barrels control the lighting for each lantern. Here's a video.

To the left of the lobby is the reading room/library. The ground level has study tables; on the mezzanine (pictured) are some monographs.

After the tour of the first level, we were taken to the film room on the second level, where we saw an introductory film about the Kapampangan people and culture. You can watch the video in its entirety here.

Also on the second floor (or maybe it was on the third floor) is the display of the Center's rarer manuscripts and other archival materials.

Here is the preservation area. I can't remember if this is on the second or third floor.

The Center for Kapampangan Studies is really beautiful and very impressive. It looks like it could be in a developed country, instead of a developing one. I wish all the other local studies centers could have the funding so they can have a center like this one!