DEMOGRAPHY AND SETTLEMENT

 In the 2000 census of the National Statistics Office (NSO), San Fernando was composed of 34 barangays. In 2002, however, Barangay Pulung Bulu was created through Sangguniang Panlungsod Ordinance No. 2002-010. Thus in the 2005 Census conducted by the Local Government Unit (LGU) of San Fernando under the Oplan Ka-Barangay Pagtatala 2005, 35 barangays now comprises the City of San Fernando .

The City of San Fernando registered a total population of 265,073 based on the census conducted in 2005. This was up by 43,216 as compared to the 221,857 figure recorded in the May 2000 Census of Population and Housing (CPH) of the NSO. (Table 3-1 Population Distribution) The 2005 census also indicated a growth rate of 3.62 percent in the past five (5) years. Assuming this trend remains, the population of the City will double in 19 years. The high growth rate in population is accounted for not only by the natural increase in population but also due to in-migration on the account of the City's central location in the region.

There are extremes in the population distribution by barangays in the city. Population distribution by barangay shows that Barangays Bulaon, Dolores, San Agustin, San Jose, Sindalan, Del Pilar and Calulut are the most populated. The combined population of these seven Barangays makes up almost 50 percent of the city's total population. On the other hand, the population of each of the following barangays did not even registered one (1) percent of the total population: Lara, Sta. Teresita, Poblacion, Pandaras, Dela Paz Sur, Alasas, Magliman, Malpitic and San Felipe. As early as 1990, all barangays of San Fernando are already classified urban.

San Fernando has a land area of 67.74 square kilometers (sq.kms.). In 1970, the population density of San Fernando was recorded at 1,039 persons per square-kilometer (sq.km.). In 2005, after a period of 35 years, this has tripled at 3,913 person/sq.km. This reflects the increasing congestion in the city as it evolves into a highly urbanized area.

The proportion of persons 14 years and below consistently declined for the past 3 censal years, from 35.4 percent in 1995 to 33.6 in 2000 and 33.5 in 2005. In contrast, the working age population (15 to 64 years) showed a continuous declining trend in 2005 as it decreased from 62.8 (2000) to 62.6 in 2005. The 65 years and over bracket meanwhile still make up 3.6 percent in 2005. This shows that the city population is slowly ageing through the years.

For the last three censal years (NSO 1995 & 2000 and CPDO 2005), males have consistently outnumbered their female counterparts. The males numbered 97,516 in 1995, 111,798 in 2000 and 133,570 in 2005 while females were counted at 95,509; 110,059 and 131,503 respectively. However, over the years, the sex-ratio (number of males per 100 females) is slightiy decreasing, from 102.10 in 1995 to 101.58 in 2000, to 101.57 in 2005.

Survey results showed the highly educated manpower resources of the City. The 2005 census reveals that 22.11 percent of the household heads have college degrees and higher education e.g., masters; 45.86 percent have finished high school and or college undergraduates; 27.45 completed elementary level and high school undergraduates; and 4.53 percent with elementary schooling. Household heads that had no formal education accounted only around 0.04 percent.

EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

 The city continued to strengthen its role as the education center of the province. Academic institutions from elementary to tertiary levels are found throughout the City of San Fernando. As of 2005, there are 64 elementary, 15 secondary and 33 tertiary schools in San Fernando.

Elementary and Primary Schools
Of the 64 total elementary schools, 37 are public and 27 are privately-owned. In the last school year (SY 2004-2005), a total of 23,513 students were reported to be enrolled in public and 8,527 students in private elementary schools. The delivery of free elementary and high school is the mandate of the Department of Education (DepEd), however, the local school boards may initiate subsidized pre-school programs. The Local Government Unit of San Fernando is currently implementing subsidized pre-school programs in selected schools in the City.

Secondary Schools
There are seventeen (17) secondary schools throughout City of San Fernando, four (4) public and thirteen (13) which are privately owned. In the school year 2004-2005 there are about 11,868 enrolled in public and 5,058 in private secondary schools.

Tertiary Schools
There are 33 tertiary schools operating in the City of San Fernando, 9 are offering various college programs and 24 vocational courses.

Day Care Centers
There is a total of 43 Day Care Centers in the City as of 2005.


ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The City of San Fernando is strategically located at the heart of Central Luzon. One has to pass through the city to be able to go to any provinces from all directions, be it north in Tarlac and Pangasinan, west in Bataan and Zambales, east in Nueva Ecija and south in Bulacan on to Metro Manila. Thus, it has established its role as the regional growth center, the center of commerce and trade of the region. The province is also a vital component of the industrial corridor of the region, playing host to the Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ), a major investment anchor of the region. The commercial/business center of the city goes as far as the stretch of City of San Fernando proper to barangay Sindalan, about 8 kilometers in length and the Gapan¬San Fernando-Olongapo (GSO) Road from barangay Magliman to the Mexico boundary where the SM Department Store and Robinsons Department Store are located. Aside from being the provincial capital, it is also the Regional Government Center of Central Luzon, where the Regional Development Council III (RDC-III) has set aside a portion of land for the Regional Offices of national agencies operating in the region. This has been a major influence in the economic development of the city.

Trade and Industry Profile
On account of the strategic location, San Fernando has been the choice industrial location of business establishments. As of December 2005, City of San Fernando has a total of 5,822 registered business establishments, which include two (2) big shopping malls, 60 banks, 4 major bottling companies, and several manufacturing companies. Among the largest are SM City Pampanga, Robinsons Starmills, San Miguel Corporation, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Cosmos, Universal Robina Corporation, Laus Group of Companies and some local food processing companies which are now nationally gaining popularity namely Pampanga's Best and Tita's Special.

Other small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are garment factories, ceramics and lantern making. The lantern industry has made the City of San Fernando famous for its magnificent giant-lanterns, which have made the city a major tourist attraction particularly during the Christmas holiday season. With these flourishing economic activities and the increasing number of business establishments locating in the city, a major burden is placed on the local government unit to improve support facilities such as infrastructures, decongest traffic, efficient waste management to minimize the garbage problem, telecommunications and power supply, water and other essential urban services. This is in order to solidify and preserve the status of the city as one of the most competitive cities in the country.

The Angeles Industrial Park (AlP), formerly Holy Angel Industrial Park, is at the crossroads of City of San Fernando, Angeles City and Bacolor. It is the only industrial estate in this city. Although politically a part of Calibutbut, Bacolor, Pampanga, it is accessible only through the McArthur Highway in Telabastagan, City of San Fernando. Also, it is being served by the PLOT of City of San Fernando. At present, this Special Economic Zone has 32 hectares of developed land, and 7 factory buildings occupied by 5 investors. Investors are producing and exporting colored television sets, panel boards, and furniture. Raw land may be leased or brought from the developer at P25/sq.m./month.

The Primary Sector
Although City of San Fernando is urban in classification, 3,251 hectares or 48 percent of its land area is still being utilized or declared agricultural. Some lands though classified agricultural have become uneconomically viable for crop production due to frequent flooding. Other declared agricultural areas especially in the northern and western portions have increased in market value due to closeness to the commercial center. Hence farmers opted to sell their lands and shift to other occupation. Sugarcane and rice are still the dominant crops utilizing 44.17 percent and 25.83 percent of the total farm area, other crops being produced are cassava and vegetables.

The total area converted to fishpond consists of 38.23 hectares in year 2004. These are located in 15 barangays. The biggest is in Barangay Calulut which comprised 49.04 percent of the total area. A combined production worth P12.61 M tilapia was realized in the year 2004.

The farmland being utilized for livestock and poultry raising constitute 91.0565 hectares; 53.383 hectares for swine and 37.6735 hectares for poultry. There are 17 swine raisers registered in the City of San Fernando producing 8,644 heads with a value of P38, 177,663.00 for 2004. Registered poultry raisers numbered 32 with a total production value of P1.62 Billion annually based on a four cropping a year.

The Secondary Sector
The food processing industries of the city, specifically for tocino and longanisa products, have become known not only in the region but also nationwide. The Pampango tocino Iionganisa produced in the City of San Fernando has become a generic product. Thus, if all the manufacturers of these meat products unite, adopt a good package material and logo, showing City of San Fernando made products, their competitiveness will further improve. And with appropriate technology, they might even be able to export their products, either canned or in plastic containers, using little preservative as possible, but acceptable in the world market The prospects for the food processing industries are bright if the manufacturers as a group set up a more integrated backward and forward linkages for the whole food processing industry. Using locally available raw materials and targeting the export market to gain more sales and profit will definitely upgrade the industry in the long run. On beverage manufacturing, there are four (4) large bottling companies operating in the city producing various bottled products, from liquor and softdrinks. The companies are the San Miguel Corporation with its product lines of beer products like San Miguel Pale Pilsen, San Mig Lite, Red Horse. The Cosmos Bottling Corporation producing Pop Cola, Cosmos Sarsi, and Virgin. The Coca-Cola Bottled Philippines, Inc. manufacturer of Coke, Sprite, and Royal Tru Orange, and their lone competitor the Pepsi Cola Manufacturing Corporation manufacturer of the product lines Pepsi, Mirinda, and 7 -up. The beverage manufacturers take advantage of the quality manpower, central location, good tasting water and the availability of good infrastructure to move their products to the northern markets.

The lantern industry has made the City of San Fernando famous for its unique giant-lanterns, which are constantly attracting tourists. These are being paraded every Christmas. The lantern-making industry is the One Town One Product (OTOP) of the City of San Fernando. It is also the model OTOP for the province of Pampanga. One Town One Product - Philippines (OTOP - Philippines) is a priority program of Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to promote entrepreneurship and create jobs. Through OTOP, local chief executives of each city and municipality take lead in identifying, developing, and promoting a specific product or service which has a competitive advantage. OTOP-Philippines supports micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to manufacture, offer, and market distinctive products or services though the use of indigenous raw materials and local skills and talents. The lantern-making industry of the City of San Fernando is also the model OTOP for the province of Pampanga. Internationally, with the assistance of the city government, a group of lantern makers have already participated in the Lantern Festival in San Francisco, California, USA last December 4 - 11, 2005. The Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York has also signified intention to bring the giant lanterns to the United Nations/International Community in New York in 2006.

The Tertiary Sector
On account of its position as the center of commerce and trade, of the province and the region, the fast development of the service industry is a natural occurrence for the City of San Fernando. Thus, a large number of companies involve in banking, restaurants and fastfood chains, hotels warehousing and logistics services, and telecommunication services companies are laying the foundation of a burgeoning service industry. Blanking Institutions The city is one area in the country where all large banking and financial institutions can be found. Be it a universal bank, commercial bank, thrift bank, rural bank and even a cooperative bank or investment companies. There are a total of 60 banking institutions located in the city that serves the banking requirements of the business community. All types of loan facilities and windows for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are available. Financing assistance to the priority SMEs is extended via the SULONG (SME Unified Lending Opportunities for National Growth) Program of the national government . Among the countries largest banks, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company has 5 branches; Bank of the Philippine Islands has 7 branches; and Equitable PCI Bank has 4 branches in the city. The two (2) major government owned banks, the Development Bank of the Philippines (DPB) and Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) have their branches and regional offices in the city. These government banks cater to the requirements of the agriculture and agrarian sector, and also offered developmental loan facilities to Local Governments Units (LGUs) and Small and Medium Enterprise (SME). Universal banks comprised 53.33 percent of all banks (32 branches) and likewise more than half of the bank branches. Around 53.33 percent (32 branches) are located along the commercial area of barangay Dolores.

The popular delicacies that make the city and its restaurants widely known are the adobong kamaru (mole crickets) and betuteng tugak (stuffed frog) of Everybody's Cafe and the famous pancit luglug or palabok, to name a few. Kapampangan are known for their superb culinary expertise. The food ranges from the ordinary to the exotic like the heavenly but caloric tocino, longanisa, tapang damulag, murcon, embutido, kare-kare, sisig baboy, the lechon and its sarsa, bulang-Iang (pork cooked in guava juice) and lechon kawali. Being the food center of the province, with around 83 restaurants the City of San Fernando boasts of the best restaurants that cater to the gustatory tastes of people from all walks of life, particularly those of discerning palate. (see List of Restaurants in City of San Fernando, Pampanga: 2005). For a place for stay for local and foreign travelers and guests, whether doing business or for leisure, the city has 9 existing hotels. More hotels need to be established though.

The more requested training facility in the city is the Ephata Training Center, owned by the Archdiocese of San Fernando and managed by the Social Action Center of Pampanga. There are training rooms of various sizes, as well as dormitories for live in seminars/trainings. The City Government has a training center as well and is on the way to construct its own little theater and convention center in a 2 Has. Property along the Lazatin Blvd. For livelihood trainings, the city has its City of San Fernando Livelihood and Training Center that offers short-term training courses for the residents of the city to start their self employment income generating projects. For vocational and technical trainings, the Training Center facility of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is also located in the city.

Tycoons Henry Sy and John Gokongwei saw the economic potentials of the City of San Fernando when they both decided to pour huge investment and constructed ouijets of their flagship store, SM Department Store and Robinsons Department Store, one after the other in the city. It is a manifestation of the attractiveness of the city in terms of business growth, particularly of its strategic location and high skilled manpower. The City of San Fernando joins the big cities in the south outside of Metro Manila, which is Cebu City, Davao City, Iloilo City, and Cagayan De Oro City in hosting both big department stores. Likewise there are two existing public markets in the City of San Fernando, the old public market, which will be rehabilitated this year, is within the Poblacion area, and the San Fernando Public Market, which is located at barangay Del Pilar, a few meters from the Mc Arthur Highway. The old public market is open the whole day while the new public market has ,its busy hours from 3:00 am to 11:00 am. These two public markets serve as the core of trading in the city particularly the C and D market segment.

The SM City Pampanga and Robinsons Starmills are now the famous landmarks in the city being frequently visited for shopping, leisure and dining by shoppers not only from the province but Central Luzon. All major retail outlets and fastfood chain can be found in both department stores.

Another flourishing business undertaking in the City of San Fernando is car dealership, where almost all local car assemblers in the country, Toyota, Honda, Ford, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Hyundai, Chevrolet, Kia, and even BMW have dealership outiets in the city. The presence of so many banking institutions' consumer lending unit in the city, which is into auto and home loans, has further strengthened the viability of these businesses.

There are major tourism events in the city which also highlights its role as a tourism service center. Giant Lantern Festival (third week of December). The City of San Fernando is home to the world-renowned giant lanterns, brought about by the creativity and craftsmanship of the Fernandinos. The dynamic interplay of lights and color that precisely move with the rhythm of varied music, the magnitude of size and their intricate designs are what spectators get to marvel at as the giants of San Fernando are pitted against each other on festival night. No one can dispute the fact that the Giant Lantern Festival of San ,Fernando is the event the province of Pampanga is known for. And it is because of these giant lanterns and the San Fernando lantern-making industry that the City of San Fernando has been dubbed the "Christmas Capital of the Philippines."

Unlike the lanterns of the past year, contemporary giant lanterns have adopted to the present technology. Colored plastic replaced the traditional papel de hapon, Large steel barrels called rotors also substituted for hand-controlled switches to manipulate the lights. And lanterns have grown in size, approximately 20-feet today, and illuminated by about 3,500 to 5,000 light bulbs.

Holy Week in the City (Good Friday). These panatas are done on a Golgotha¬inspired hill in Barrio San Pedro Cutud, The "Via Cruzis" is one of the events in the City that never fails to attract local and foreign travelers and students of tradition and culture. This 50 year old street play which was written, directed and acted by local amateur actors has surpassed many challenges, including the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. It portrays the passion and death of Jesus Christ in an elaborate 2-hour drama that culminates in the actual crucifixion on wooden cross of penitents at noon time. In the evening tourists are treated to a show of elegant heir loom, carozas, and santos that are brought around the historic poblacion of the City, in Pampanga's most solemn Good Friday Procession.