THE KAPAMPANGANS have a distinct identity and a common language, culture and history, and are the seventh largest of the eight major ethno-linguistic groups in the country. They have given the country heads of all branches of government (two Presidents of the Republic, one Senate President, and three Chief Justice of the Supreme Court) and produced the first Filipino Cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church, as well leaders in various fields of endeavor. Pampanga was the first province to be created in 1571. Kapampangans can claim one (arguably, two) rays of the sun in the flag, and have been represented in the Cabinet of each president since that of President Aguinaldo. Just recently, another Kapampangan, a Congresswoman was catapulted to Speakership.
The Kapampangan region has thriving economy, and will not require subsidies from the central government. In 2004 and 2005, Pampanga posted the highest export contributions to the Central Luzon region with an annual average export of US$3.1 billion out of the average annual total of US$4.9 billion for the entire Central Luzon. Moreover, it has an international airport, giving it direct access to foreign destinations, and also access to the sea at Macabebe, Masantol and Sasmuan.
The Kapampangan Region has a sufficiently large area and population to become a region or federal state. Kapampangan major areas are: Pampanga province, plus the highly urbanized city of Angeles, the Tarlac towns of Bamban, Capas and Concepcion, and the city Tarlac – together registered a population of 2,398,144 in year 2000. It would be even larger if historically Kapampangan areas, like enjoining areas of Bataan and Nueva Ecija where Kapampangan (language) is still spoken, are included. This is larger than that of Cordillera and Caraga regions (1,365,412 and 2,095,367 respectively, in year 2000) and nearly as large as that of the ARMM (2,412,159 in the same year). Its area (3,424.68 km2) is much bigger than that of Metro Manila (636 km2), a separate region and a proposed autonomous entity in a federal system
Out of the eight major language groups, only Kapampangan and Pangasinenses do not have regions of their own, and consequently, only the two have not been given separate states in the most proposals for federalization.
It is now the right time to call for a Kapampangan State separate from Central Luzon, in case the Philippines shift to a federal system, and is converted into a federal republic.
Angelus S. Gigante
Teacher III
Edilberto Ganzon
Elementary School
Angeles City Pampanga
