Pampanga Day in the Philippines Date in the current year: December 11, 2025

Pampanga is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines, located on the northern shore of Manila Bay and bordered by the provinces of Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Bataan and Zambales. The capital of Pampanga, San Fernando, also serves as the regional center of Central Luzon.

Founded in 1571, Pampanga is the oldest province on the island of Luzon and one of the oldest provinces in the Philippines. Its name is derived from the Tagalog word pampáng, which means “riverbank”. The first natives encountered by the Spaniards lived along the banks of a river, so the colonizers named the river and the province after the native word for “riverbank”.

The province of Pampanga was officially created on December 11, 1571. At that time, it covered almost all of Central Luzon, including the present-day provinces of Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales and parts of Quezon, Rizal, and Metro Manila. The territory of Pampanga gradually diminished over the following centuries as new provinces were created. The present boundaries of Pampanga were established in 1873.

During the Philippine Revolution, Pampanga was one of the eight provinces placed under martial law for rebelling against Spain; these provinces are represented as eight rays of the sun on the national flag of the Philippines. It should be noted, however, that many locals remained loyal to Spain and fought against the Katipunan during the revolution. When the Philippine-American War broke out, many Kapampangans joined the American forces to avenge Spain’s defeat in the revolution and to continue their fight against the Katipunan.

After the defeat of the Philippines in the war and the establishment of the American administration, the capital of Pampanga was moved from Bácolor to San Fernando, which spurred the latter’s growth and development into one of the most important cities in the region. During World War II, Pampanga was occupied by Japanese forces from 1942 to 1945, but local guerrillas fought the Japanese throughout the occupation.

After the war, Pampanga was one of the provinces affected by the communist Hukbalahap rebellion against the Philippine government, which was suppressed in 1954. During the Martial Law era, Camp Olivas in San Fernando was designated as one of four provincial detention centers where Ferdinand Marcos sent activists who opposed his dictatorship.

Today, Pampanga is a developed province that relies on agriculture and fishing as its main sources of income. It is known as the Culinary Capital of the Philippines for its distinctive cuisine. The province also has another nickname, the Christmas Capital of the Philippines, which it earned thanks to the parols (ornamental Christmas lanterns) handmade by local artisans.

Pampanga Day was officially proclaimed by President Ferdinand Marcos in 1982. Its celebration usually lasts for several days (although only December 11 is a non-working holiday) and includes a thanksgiving mass, trade and job fairs, award ceremonies, dance and singing competitions, and other festive events and activities held throughout the province.