Tarlac - History

History

Tarlac's name is a Hispanized derivation from a talahib weed called "Malatarlak". Tarlac was originally a part of the provinces of Pampanga and Pangasinan. It was the last Central Luzon province to be organized under the Spanish administration in 1874.

During the Philippine Revolution of 1896, Tarlac was one of the first eight provinces to rise in arms against Spain. It became the new seat of the first Philippine Republic in March 1899 when Emilio Aguinaldo abandoned the former capital, Malolos, Bulacan. This lasted only for a month, as the seat was moved to Nueva Ecija in Aguinaldo's attempt to elude the pursuing Americans.

On October 23, 1899, Gregorio Aglipay, military vicar general of the revolutionary forces, called the Filipino clergy to a conference in Paniqui. There, they drafted the constitution of the Philippine Independent Church. They called for the Filipinization of the clergy, which eventually led to a schism in the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines.

Tarlac was captured by American forces in November 1899. A civil government was established in the province in 1901.

During the World War II, Camp O'Donnell in Capas became the terminal point of the infamous "Bataan Death March", involving Filipino and American soldiers who surrendered in Bataan on April 9, 1942. The camp was so overcrowded that many allied prisoners who survived the grueling march died here of hunger and disease.

In the beginning of 1945, combined American & Filipino military forces with the recognized Aringay Command guerillas liberated Camp O'Donnell. The Raid at Capas resulted in the rescue of American, Filipino and other allied Prisoners of War.

On January 20, 1945 to August 15, 1945, Tarlac was recaptured by combined Filipino and American troops together with the recognized guerrilla fighters against the Japanese Imperial forces during the liberation.

In the early 1950s, Tarlac was the hotbed of the Hukbalahap, a local communist movement. It was suppressed at first but had resurgence in 1965.