Anao, Tarlac

History

The area where Anao is located was inhabited before 1800 by people from the Ilocos Region. In 1835, a group of immigrants from Paoay, Ilocos Norte reached the region and first settled near a creek on the bank where there were balete trees. These immigrants called their settlement Balete. The immigrants found the region where they settled to have many agricultural prospects and this attracted more immigrants who came from the north, especially from the town of Paoay.

The settlement expanded and later changed its name to "Barrio Anao" (deriving authentically from the Ilocano word danao which means creek and due to the anahao leaf that grows in various area they derive the name Anao). By that time, balete trees were extinguished and the barrio was adjacent in all directions by creeks.

Paniqui had a road extended towards the east to Anao. Paniqui claimed Anao as its barrio and the people of the barrio accepted the claim. Years went by and Anao expanded. In 1870, a petition was made and approved that Anao be made a municipality.

Geography

The smallest town in terms of land area in the whole of Tarlac, Anao covers a total land area of 23.87 km2. Anao is 41 km from Tarlac City and 165 km from Manila. Located in the north-eastern part of Tarlac, it is bound on the north by San Manuel, on the east by Nampicuan, on the south by Ramos, on the west by Paniqui, and Moncada.

Barangays

Anao is politically subdivided into 18 barangays, as shown below. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

• Baguindoc (Baguinloc)
• Bantog
• Campos
• Carmen
• Casili
• Don Ramon
• Hernando
• Poblacion
• Rizal
• San Francisco East
• San Francisco West
• San Jose North
• San Jose South
• San Juan
• San Roque
• Santo Domingo
• Sinense
• Suaverdez

Climate

| access-date = 5 May 2020 }}

Demographics

In the 2024 census, the population of Anao was 12,865 people, with a density of {{sigfig|12,865/23.87|2}} PD/km2.

Languages

Anao is predominantly an Ilocano-speaking town although most are fluent in Tagalog. Other languages like Kapampangan and Pangasinan are also spoken by most of the population.

Religion

Aglipayan and Roman Catholicism are two of the predominant religions in the municipality. Other groups having a large number of members in the municipality are the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Iglesia ni Cristo, and Protestantism.

Economy

Government

Past mayors

Tourism

The Saint John Nepomucene Parish Church of Anao can be found on the center of the town near the municipal hall. It belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tarlac.

The Ylang Ylang Festival is celebrated by the municipality every 16 March to take pride of their main local products, which are perfumes and essentials oils made from the ylang-ylang flower. The town has over 10,000 ylang-ylang trees, many of them lined on the local main road, which are harvested and highly valued for its perfume.

Education

The Anao Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.

Primary and elementary schools

• Anao Catholic School
• Bantog Elementary School
• Casili Elementary School
• Dagundon Elementary School
• Dolores Ongsiako Central Elementary School
• New Life Learning School of San Roque
• San Francisco Elementary School
• San Jose Elementary School

Secondary school

• Anao National High School

Higher educational institutions

• Centro Colegio de Tarlac
• Luzon Polytechnic College
• Paniqui Institute of Technology
• Saint Paul College of Technology
• St. Rose College Foundation
• Tarlac College of Agriculture

Gallery

File:AnaoChurchjf5298 05.JPG|Saint John Nepomucene Parish Church of Anao File:Anao,Tarlacjf5341 07.JPG|Ylang-ylang trees line all the streets File:Anao,Tarlacjf5273 01.JPG|Multi Purpose Covered Court File:Anao,Tarlacjf5226 08.JPG|Iglesia Filipina Independiente Church File:Anao,Tarlacjf5253 10.JPG|Anao Municipal Building File:Anao,Tarlacjf5207 07.JPG|Municipal Open Field File:Anao,Tarlacjf5216 09.JPG|Municipal Auditorium File:Welcome to bantog2.jpg|Barangay Bantog ARC File:05839jfOld Anao Tarlac Roads Highways Nampicuan Nueva Ecijafvf 31.JPG|Anao, Welcome ARC at Barangay San Francisco West

References

References

1. {{DILG detail
2. "History".
3. [[commons:Category:Saint John Nepomucene Parish Church of Anao. Category:Saint John Nepomucene Parish Church of Anao - Wikimedia Commons]]
4. [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/tarl0.htm Diocese of Tarlac, Philippines]
5. . (10 March 2019). ["This Week's Festivals: March 10-16, 2019"](https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1093930/this-weeks-festivals-march-10-16-2019). *Municipality of Anao*.
6. Fernandez, Rudy. (1 October 2009). "Tarlac's smallest town a big dot in global perfumery industry map". The Philippine Star.
7. (January 15, 2021). "Masterlist of Schools".