Aurora, officially the Province of Aurora (; ), is a
province
A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
in the
Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
located in the eastern part of
Central Luzon
Central Luzon (; ; ; ; ), designated as Region III, is an administrative region in the Philippines. The region comprises seven provinces: Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga (with its capital, San Fernando City serving as the re ...
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
, facing the
Philippine Sea
The Philippine Sea is a List of seas#Marginal seas by ocean, marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean, Western Pacific Ocean east of the list of islands of the Philippines, Philippine Archipelago (hence the name) and the List of seas#Largest seas ...
. Its capital is
Baler and borders, clockwise from the south, the provinces of
Quezon
Quezon, officially the Province of Quezon () and historically known as Tayabas, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon Regions of the Philippines, region on Luzon. Lucena, a highly urbanized ci ...
,
Bulacan
Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan (; ; ; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon Regions of the Philippines, region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on ...
,
Nueva Ecija,
Nueva Vizcaya,
Quirino, and
Isabela.
Maria Aurora is the only landlocked town in the province and yet, the most populous. It is the only province in Central Luzon that has no chartered cities.
Before 1979, Aurora was part of the province of Quezon. The province was named after
Aurora Aragon, the wife of
Manuel L. Quezon
Manuel Luis Quezon y Molina (, , , ; 19 August 1878 – 1 August 1944), also known by his initials MLQ, was a Filipino people, Filipino lawyer, statesman, soldier, and politician who was president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1 ...
, the president of the
Philippine Commonwealth, after whom the mother province was named.
History
Spanish colonial era
In 1572, the Spanish explorer
Juan de Salcedo became the first European to visit the region that would be known as Aurora while he was exploring the northern coast of
Luzon
Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...
. Salcedo reportedly visited the towns of
Casiguran,
Baler and
Infanta. Baler & Casiguran were part of La Provincia de La Pampanga, which also included
Pampanga,
Bulacan
Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan (; ; ; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon Regions of the Philippines, region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on ...
, and
Tarlac, and in 1591, the towns became part of Kalilayan, which included Nueva Ecija, until Kalilayan changed its name to Tayabas in 1749, taken from the
town of the same name.
[Baler During Spanish Occupation](_blank)
in Aurora.ph
In the early days of the
Spanish colonial period, Aurora was ecclesiastically linked to
Infanta, which today rests further south, in northern Quezon. The earliest missionaries in the province were the
Franciscan
The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...
s, who had established
missions in Baler and Casiguran in 1609.
Due to lack of available personnel, the region was given to the jurisdiction of the
Augustinians
Augustinians are members of several religious orders that follow the Rule of Saint Augustine, written about 400 A.D. by Augustine of Hippo. There are two distinct types of Augustinians in Catholic religious orders dating back to the 12th–13 ...
and
Recollects in 1658, but was returned to the
Friars Minor
The Order of Friars Minor (commonly called the Franciscans, the Franciscan Order, or the Seraphic Order; postnominal abbreviation OFM) is a mendicant Catholic religious order, founded in 1209 by Francis of Assisi. The order adheres to the t ...
in 1703. Other early missions included
Dipaculao, established in 1719, and Casiguran, in 1753.
In 1705, the Military Comandancia of Nueva Ecija was created and was governed by
Governor-General
Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...
Fausto Cruzat y Góngora. It included huge swathes of
Central Luzon
Central Luzon (; ; ; ; ), designated as Region III, is an administrative region in the Philippines. The region comprises seven provinces: Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga (with its capital, San Fernando City serving as the re ...
, the Contracosta towns, as well as the Kalilayan area and
Polillo Islands, however Nueva Ecija was still part of La Pampanga province at that time.
Contracosta was the Spanish colonial name for the towns on the east coast and included towns from
Mauban, Binangonan de Lampon, to El Principe.
Since Contracosta & Kalilayan were part of La Laguna province at that time before including them in Nueva Ecija, they became jointly ruled by La Pampanga & La Laguna provinces.
Contracosta and Tayabas area became jointly ruled by Tayabas and Pampanga when Tayabas became independent from La Laguna in 1754.
When
Rafael María de Aguilar y Ponce de León took over as Governor-General of the Philippines, he decreed the separation of the military district of Nueva Ecija from the province of Pampanga and became a regular province on April 25, 1801, including the town of Baler, acquired from Tayabas.
In 1818, Nueva Ecija annexed the towns of Palanan from Isabela, as well as Baler, Casiguran, Infanta (formerly called Binangonan de Lampon) and Polillo Islands from Tayabas, and Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, and part of Rizal.
In 1853, the new military district of Tayabas was separated from Nueva Ecija and included present-day Southern Quezon as well as present-day Aurora. In 1858, Binangonan de Lampon and the Polillo Islands were separated from Nueva Ecija to form part of Infanta.
Between 1855 and 1885, El Principe was established as its own Military Comandancia with its capital in Baler.
American colonial era
left, 350px,
left, 400px,
District of El Principe
The early history of Aurora is linked to Quezon province, of which it formed a part, and Nueva Ecija, under which the area was governed as the District of El Príncipe. In 1902, the district was separated from Nueva Ecija and transferred to the province of
Tayabas
Tayabas, officially the City of Tayabas (), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 112,65 ...
(now Quezon).
The provincial capital of Tayabas was already transferred from
Tayabas
Tayabas, officially the City of Tayabas (), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 112,65 ...
to
Lucena
Lucena (, American Spanish: , European Spanish: ), officially known as the City of Lucena (), is a highly urbanized city situated in the Calabarzon region (Region IV-A) of the Philippines. The city is the largest urban center and capital of ...
on March 12, 1901, a year before the transfer of El Príncipe. The northern area which is part of the modern Dilasag and area of modern Casiguran was part of Nueva Vizcaya and also transferred to Tayabas in 1905. In 1918, the area of modern Aurora north of Baler was transferred to the authority of Nueva Vizcaya, but returned to Tayabas in 1921 and in 1942, the entire present-day territory of Aurora was annexed from Tayabas to Nueva Ecija, and returned to Tayabas in 1945 until the time when Tayabas was renamed to ''Quezon'' in 1946.
This was named in honor of Manuel L. Quezon, who was the second
President of the Philippines
The president of the Philippines (, sometimes referred to as ) is the head of state, head of government and chief executive of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-ch ...
and elected governor of Tayabas in 1906 and assemblyman of
1st district of Tayabas in 1907 born and raised in Baler, formerly one of the towns of the province.
World War II
In 1942,
invading Japanese forces landed in the town of Casiguran. On February 19, 1945, to May 11, 1945,
Allied troops as well as
Philippine Commonwealth forces and recognized guerrilla units fought on the Battle of Casiguran during the return of American forces on Luzon on
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
Postwar era
During the postwar years, there were several attempts to make Aurora independent from the rest of Quezon Province. One obvious reason was the area's isolation from the rest of Quezon Province: there were no direct links to the rest of the province and much of the terrain was mountainous and heavily forested, which made the area relatively isolated, and its distance from Quezon's capital
Lucena
Lucena (, American Spanish: , European Spanish: ), officially known as the City of Lucena (), is a highly urbanized city situated in the Calabarzon region (Region IV-A) of the Philippines. The city is the largest urban center and capital of ...
. Independence from Quezon also meant that Aurora would belong in the
Central Luzon
Central Luzon (; ; ; ; ), designated as Region III, is an administrative region in the Philippines. The region comprises seven provinces: Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga (with its capital, San Fernando City serving as the re ...
region, in keeping with its precolonial history, rather than part of
Southern Luzon.
[ The Language Shift from the Middle and Upper Middle-Class Families in the Kapampangan Speaking Region](_blank)
/ref>
Aurora became a sub-province of Quezon
Quezon, officially the Province of Quezon () and historically known as Tayabas, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon Regions of the Philippines, region on Luzon. Lucena, a highly urbanized ci ...
in 1951 through '' Republic Act No. 648'' under the presidency of Elpidio Quirino
Elpidio Rivera Quirino (; November 16, 1890 – February 29, 1956) was a Philippine nationality law, Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 6th President of the Philippines from 1948 to 1953.
A lawyer by profession, Quirino entered p ...
, after whom its neighboring province was named.
In 1978, the Lieutenant Governor of the Sub-Province Atty. Luis S. Etcubañez filed a Parliamentary Bill for the establishment of Aurora at the Interim Batasang Pambansa
The Interim Batasang Pambansa ( English: Interim National Assembly) was the legislature of the Republic of the Philippines from its inauguration on June 12, 1978, to June 5, 1984. It served as a transitional legislative body mandated by the 1 ...
, leveraging his political ties with the various Assemblymen of Region IV. This led to a plebiscite in May 1979 to confirm the citizens of the Province's willingness to separate from Quezon Province, and the eventual establishment of the province through '' Batas Pambansa Blg. 7'' on November 21, 1978.
1968 Casiguran earthquake
On , the 1968 Casiguran earthquake, with a moment magnitude of 7.6 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (''Violent''), took place with an epicenter was in Casiguran. The quake generated a small non-destructive tsunami, but the majority of the 207 people killed during the quake were the result of the collapse of a six-story building in Manila.
During the Marcos dictatorship
The beginning months of the 1970s had marked a period of turmoil and change in the Philippines, as well as in Aurora. During his bid to be the first Philippine president to be re-elected for a second term, Ferdinand Marcos launched an unprecedented number of foreign debt-funded public works projects. This caused the Philippine economy to take a sudden downwards turn known as the 1969 Philippine balance of payments crisis, which led to a period of economic difficulty and a significant rise of social unrest.
With only a year left in his last constitutionally allowed term as president, Ferdinand Marcos placed the Philippines under Martial Law
Martial law is the replacement of civilian government by military rule and the suspension of civilian legal processes for military powers. Martial law can continue for a specified amount of time, or indefinitely, and standard civil liberties ...
in September 1972 and thus retained the position for fourteen more years. This period in Philippine history is remembered for the Marcos administration's record of human rights abuses
Human rights are universally recognized moral principles or norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both national and international laws. These rights are considered inherent and inalienable, meaning t ...
, particularly targeting political opponents, student activists, journalists, religious workers, farmers, and others who fought against the Marcos dictatorship.
One significant impact on the residents of Aurora, especially its farmers, was the administration's practice of hamletting to achieve military control of the area. After the September 1972 declaration, Marcos forces were ordered into the province to achieve a military presence. But the New People's Army (NPA) which was fighting them responded by establishing a presence of their own in Aurora's mountainous areas. Despite the fact that the residents generally resisted invitations to join the NPA, the dictatorship troops told the residents that they were not allowed into the fields between four in the afternoon and seven in the morning. This made farming very difficult because people had to work in the fields during the hottest parts of the day.
Things took a more violent turn in the town of Dinalungan during the early 1980s, after farmers organized a rally against a landowner who attempted to claim their farms, seeking help and support from the nuns at the Carmelite
The Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (; abbreviated OCarm), known as the Carmelites or sometimes by synecdoche known simply as Carmel, is a mendicant order in the Catholic Church for both men and women. Histo ...
mission that had been established there. However, the military accused the Carmelites of working with the NPA, and even hunted down the convent's caretaker and one of the church workers. Young men started disappearing from the farms, and rumors begun to spread that they had been victims of extrajudicial killings by Marcos' forces. Much of the male population of Dinalungan began to disappear altogether, with some believed to be victims of the extrajudicial killings, and the rest forced to join the NPA because of the circumstances. The unrest persisted until the town was finally declared "insurgency free" in October 2018.
Birth of the surf tourism industry
One of the positive things that did happen to Aurora during the 1970s was the development of the surf tourism industry after the helicopter attack and surfing sequences of the film ''Apocalypse Now
''Apocalypse Now'' is a 1979 American psychological epic war film produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The screenplay, co-written by Coppola, John Milius, and Michael Herr, is loosely inspired by the 1899 novella '' Heart of Darkn ...
'' were filmed at Baler in 1976–77. The exposure of locals to the art of surfing during the production of the movie is credited with having sparked the surfing
Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...
culture in Aurora and the Philippines.
Administrative assignment
Being originally part of the province of Quezon, Aurora was part of the Southern Tagalog Region (Region IV). Upon the issuance of Executive Order No. 103, dated May 17, 2002, by then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the province of Aurora was moved to Central Luzon (Region III), the geographical location of the province. The provinces south of Aurora were reformed as Calabarzon and Mimaropa, and Southern Tagalog was limited to being a cultural-geographic region. The total separation of Aurora from Quezon, and the transfer of Aurora to Central Luzon were the fulfillment of the wishes and prayers of the residents of the original Municipalities of Baler and Casiguran to be truly independent from Quezon Province for the first time and to reform the original La Pampanga since the Spanish occupation.
The transfer of Aurora to Central Luzon opened the access of Central Luzon to Pacific Ocean. Many residents and government leaders of Aurora objected to the change as Aurora maintains strong historical and cultural connections to the rest of Southern Tagalog, particularly Quezon Province, thus also of the memory of Manuel Quezon, and with that, Aurora residents self-identified with Quezon; but Aurora's transfer to Central Luzon means that geographically, the province is more accessible by land from Nueva Ecija and of course, San Fernando, Pampanga, the regional capital of Central Luzon.
Contemporary
On April 22, 2024, newly installed Governor Reynante A. Tolentino took his oath of office as governor before his brother, Dipaculao Mayor Danilo A. Tolentino. He replaced Atty. Christian Noveras, who was dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman along with his father, Vice Governor Gerardo Noveras, in December, 2023.
Geography
Aurora is a coastal province covering an area of in east-central Luzon. To the north, it is bordered by the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park of Isabela, to the west by the central range of the Sierra Madre which contains the Casecnan Protected Landscape and Aurora Memorial National Park, to the south by the Umiray River, and to the east by the Philippine Sea
The Philippine Sea is a List of seas#Marginal seas by ocean, marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean, Western Pacific Ocean east of the list of islands of the Philippines, Philippine Archipelago (hence the name) and the List of seas#Largest seas ...
which opens to the Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...
. The San Ildefonso Peninsula lies in the province's northern portion between the Philippine Sea and the Casiguran Sound.
Topography
The province covers a portion of the Sierra Madre mountain range. As such, the elevation is generally steep to very steep and only about 14% of the province's total area is flat.
Climate
Aurora's climate is classified as Tropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southeast Florida, United States ...
. It experiences significant rainfall throughout the year. Because the coastal province faces the Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...
, it is frequently visited by typhoons.
Administrative divisions
Aurora is politically subdivided into 8 municipalities
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
, all encompassed by a lone legislative district.
Dilasag and Casiguran form the northern part of the province, while Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, and Baler (the capital) make up the central portion. The southern half of the province consists of San Luis and Dingalan.
Barangays
The 8 municipalities of the province comprise a total of 151 barangay
The barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as ''barrio'', is the smallest Administrative divisions of the Philippines, administrative division in the Philippines. Named after the Precolonial barangay, precolonial po ...
s, with ''Suclayin'' in Baler as the most populous in 2010, and ''Dibalo'' in San Luis as the least.
Demographics
The population of Aurora in the 2020 census was 235,750 people, with a density of .
Based on the 2000 census survey, Tagalogs
The Tagalog people are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the Philippines, particularly the Metro Manila and Calabarzon regions and Marinduque province of southern Luzon, and comprise the majority in the provinces of Bulacan, Bataan, N ...
comprised of the total provincial population of 173,589, and about less than 1/3 of the population were Ilocano at . Other ethnic groups in the province were Kasiguranin at , Bicolano at , Kankanaey at , Bisaya at , Dumagat (Umiray) at , and Cebuano at .
On the 2010 census survey, Tagalogs numbered 91,219, Ilocanos 67,861, Bicolano 14,250, Kankanaey 4,494, Bisaya 4,786, Umiray Dumagat 1,267, and Cebuano 1,777.
There are also pockets of Bugkalots & Negrito
The term ''Negrito'' (; ) refers to several diverse ethnic groups who inhabit isolated parts of Southeast Asia and the Andaman Islands. Populations often described as Negrito include: the Andamanese peoples (including the Great Andamanese, th ...
s, called Dumagats. Most Dumagats are living in the hillsides or mountains. They are believed to have result from a fusion of Austronesian and Melanesian ancestries, and survive from fishing and hunting. There are three kinds of Dumagats in Aurora province, the Umiray Dumagat, Casiguran Dumagat, and the Palanan Dumagat; minor Dumagat groups are called Southern Alta or Alta Kabulowan, Northern Alta or Edimala, and Tagabulós. Bugkalots are the second tribe indigenous to Aurora, most of them live in Dipaculao & Maria Aurora.
Tagalogs, some originating from Palanan and Infanta, Quezon, came in to the area to trade by boat, some Tagalogs settled in Aurora (especially Baler) and married with the Aeta and Bugkalots. Kapampangans assimilated to the Tagalog settlers. The Spanish brought in Filipino acolytes from other areas of Luzon from 1609 to 1899. During this period, Baler can only be access by sea though the town saw increase migration from other parts of Luzon such as Laguna, Tayabas
Tayabas, officially the City of Tayabas (), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 112,65 ...
, and Bicol from the south.
The opening of the Baler-Bongabon Road allowed easier migration of people from Ilocos and Isabela areas from the north. The road also allowed Igorot people
The indigenous peoples of the Cordillera in northern Luzon, Philippines, often referred to by the exonym Igorot people, or more recently, as the Cordilleran peoples, are an ethnic group composed of nine main ethnolinguistic groups whose domains ...
and Batangueño Tagalogs to settle in Baler & other places of Aurora. The majority of Igorots settled Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, & Baler.
In 1896, a group of Ilocanos from Aringay, La Union
La Union (), officially the Province of La Union (; ; ; ; ; ), is a coastal province in the Philippines situated in the Ilocos Region on the island of Luzon. The province's capital, the San Fernando, La Union, City of San Fernando, is the most ...
came to settle in San Jose, now called Maria Aurora; in 1906, another group of Ilocanos arrived from La Union and Pangasinan
Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan (, ; ; ), is a coastal Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its capital is Lingayen, Pangasinan, Lingayen while San Carlos, Pangasi ...
. In the early 1920s, Ilocano settlers from Central Luzon settled a Bugkalot territory Dipaculao, which in turn was derived from the phrase ''Dipac naulaw'' or ''Naulaw ni Dipac'', the Ilocano for "Dipac got dizzy", idiomatically "Dipac is/got drunk", Dipac is the name of a Bugkalot chief; another group of Ilocano settlers arrived from La Union, Pangasinan, and other areas of Ilocos Region. The guerrilla movement during the Japanese occupation brought Novo Ecijanos (people from Nueva Ecija) to Baler; Novo Ecijanos include Tagalogs, Ilocanos, and Kapampangans, with quite large number of Pangasinenses.
The Balereños learned trade from the Batangueños and the Novo Ecijanos; where before they used to share what they have, now they would sell coconut to their neighbors. Other ethnic groups who came and stayed in Aurora include Christianized Gaddang and Isinai settlers who settled the surrounding lowlands of Baler Bay. These ethnic groups who lived for several centuries & left cultural influences & legacies made Aurora the melting pot of the Central Luzon, next to Tarlac & Nueva Ecija.
Languages
The Tagalog and Ilocano languages are spoken by their respective ethnic groups. The province primarily speaks a Tagalog dialect that is closely related to Tayabas Tagalog of Quezon with some Ilocano influences. In Baler, for example, the variety is called ''Tagalog-Baler (Balereño)''. The ''Balereño'' is also known for distinctive expressions like ''akkaw'', used to express surprise, wonder, disgust, and objection; it is also akin to the English term "Wow!" Other regional term expressions spoken in Baler are ''are (h)'', used to express a negative feeling of surprise; ''anin'', used to express regret or pity for a situation; and many other words are also spoken similarly to neighboring Quezon, like ''adyo'', meaning to climb, and ''puropur'', which pertain to rain with gusty wind. Ilocano is mostly spoken in northern areas of the province.
The working population is able to converse in English and in Filipino. Manuel L. Quezon, who was from Baler, was called the Father of the National Language for approving the recommendation of the Institute of National Language for Tagalog as the basis of the national language. Other languages spoken in Aurora are Kapampangan, and Pangasinan
Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan (, ; ; ), is a coastal Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its capital is Lingayen, Pangasinan, Lingayen while San Carlos, Pangasi ...
(in some areas of the province, most of which is in Baler) and Ga'dang & Isinai in surrounding lowlands of Baler Bay, & other languages native in Aurora are Casiguranin or Kasiguranin, spoken in Casiguran & neighboring areas Dilasag & Dinalungan where Casiguran Dumagat and Paranan Dumagat languages are also spoken, Umiray Dumagat spoken in San Luis and Dingalan, Southern Alta or Alta Kabulowan spoken in Dingalan, Northern Alta or Edimala spoken in Baler, Maria Aurora and San Luis, Tagabulós in Dingalan and San Luis, and Bugkalot spoken in Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, and Baler.Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino: Wika at Kultura - Tagabulós
/ref>
Religion
Catholicism
The people of Aurora are heavily Catholics (large majority being Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
by 87%) as a result of hundreds of years of Spanish colonization.
Others
Some other Christian believers are also present, which includes Members Church of God International (MCGI), Methodists, Aglipayan Church 2-3%, Baptist
Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
s, Born Again Christians, Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a Christian denomination that is an outgrowth of the Bible Student movement founded by Charles Taze Russell in the nineteenth century. The denomination is nontrinitarian, millenarian, and restorationist. Russell co-fou ...
, Iglesia ni Cristo
The (INC; ; ) is an independent Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, church founded in 1913 and registered by Felix Manalo, Félix Manalo in 1914 as a corporation sole, sole religious corporation ...
4% and Seventh-day Adventist while Muslims
Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
are also found which presence is traced to migration by some people from some parts of Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) is the List of islands of the Philippines, second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and List of islands by population, seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the ...
. Muslims
Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
, Anitists, animists, and atheists are also present in the province.
Economy
Corn, rice and other major agricultural crops are grown in Aurora, with a total of 13% of the provincial land area used for agriculture. It also has of rice plantation that averages every year.
Aurora Pacific Economic Zone
Casiguran is home to the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority or APECO a special economic zone
A special economic zone (SEZ) is an area in which the business and trade laws are different from the rest of the country. SEZs are located within a country's national borders, and their aims include increasing trade balance, employment, increas ...
located in this coastal town. Created in 2007 by virtue of '' Republic Act No. 9490'' through the efforts of Sen. Edgardo Angara and his son, Aurora Rep. Sonny Angara
Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Manalang Angara (; born July 15, 1972) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who has served as the 37th Secretary of Education (Philippines), secretary of education since 2024. He has concurrently served as chairman of the ...
, it is expected be a major transshipment hub going to the Pacific region. It aims to boost social, economic and industrial developments in Aurora and nearby provinces by generating jobs for the people, improving the quality of their living conditions, advocating an eco-friendly approach to industrialization and enhancing the potential of the community in productivity.
Culture
Aurora culture is a mixture of Tagalog and Ilocano, with some Kapampangan, Pangasinense, and other indigenous (mostly Aeta, Bugkalot, and Igorot) cultures within the province. A melting pot of culture, the province has a varied of festivals, traditions, and beliefs that constitute Aurora heritage, along with tangible heritage structures, scenes, and objects.
Gallery
File:Halls of Justice, Regional Trial Court in Baler, Aurora.jpg, ''Bulwagan ng Katarungan''
(RTC), Suklayin, Baler
File:Aurorapnpjf.jpg, Aurora Police Provincial Office, NPC, PNP, Baler
File:Tourismjf.jpg, Aurora Provincial Tourism Office (Suklayin)
File:Baler Bay aerial.JPG, Baler Bay
File:FvfMariaAurora7579 17.JPG, Bust of Maria Aurora
Notable people
* Sonny Angara
Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Manalang Angara (; born July 15, 1972) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who has served as the 37th Secretary of Education (Philippines), secretary of education since 2024. He has concurrently served as chairman of the ...
, former senator and current secretary of education
* Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, governor from 2004 to 2013
* Edgardo Angara, former senator
* Manuel L. Quezon
Manuel Luis Quezon y Molina (, , , ; 19 August 1878 – 1 August 1944), also known by his initials MLQ, was a Filipino people, Filipino lawyer, statesman, soldier, and politician who was president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1 ...
, first president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines
The Commonwealth of the Philippines (; ) was an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territory and Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), commonwealth of the United States that existed from 1935 to 1946. It was established following the ...
* Aurora Quezon, former first lady of the Philippines, wife of President Manuel L. Quezon
* Arvin Amatorio, attorney and politician, mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
of Bergenfield, New Jersey
* Reynante Tolentino, governor since 2024
See also
* Aurora Quezon
* Siege of Baler
* Sierra Madre mountain range
References
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
Provinces of the Philippines
Provinces of Central Luzon
States and territories established in 1979
1979 establishments in the Philippines
Former sub-provinces of the Philippines