La Paz, Tarlac

History

The early history of La Paz needs to be clarified. Legends state that an old pueblo called "Cama Juan" was situated along the bank of the Chico River, bordering the province of Tarlac and Nueva Ecija. When the Chico River overflowed during a storm, a great flood swept the entire pueblo during the night. The flood is said to have devastated the area, claiming many lives.

This forced the inhabitants of "Cama Juan" to evacuate. The old site (Cama Juan) is known as "Balen Melakwan" or "Abandoned Town".

The inhabitants chose a field of evergreen grass and shrubbery on which to rebuild, which they named "Matayumtayum".

Towards the end of the nineteenth century, Francisco Macabulos and Captain Mariano Ignacio selected a more centrally located site for the future town to be known as La Paz. This existed only as a barrio of the town of Tarlac until 1892, when it was separated from the latter and rechristened in honor of its patron saint Nuestra Senora de La Paz y Buen Viaje. Its emergence as a new town gave its citizens a chance to run their own government with Martin Aquino as the first Governadorcillo.

La Paz was made the first seat of the revolutionary government of the province of Tarlac during the Spanish regime with Gen. Francisco Makabulos as its first provincial governor.

Geography

La Paz lies in the southeast portion of the province and is 141 km from Metro Manila, 17 km from the provincial capital of Tarlac City, and 33 km from Cabanatuan. It is bounded to the north by the town of Victoria, to the east by the Province of Nueva Ecija, to the south by the town of Concepcion, and to the west by Tarlac City.

The municipality has a total land area of 11433 ha which represents 2.34% of the entire provincial area. La Paz is politically subdivided into 18 barangays, of which barangays San Isidro and San Roque are considered as urban areas and the rest of the barangays are considered rural areas.

Economy

La Paz is home to Solaren Renewable Energy Solutions Corporation, a Department of Energy (DOE) and Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB)–accredited solar EPC contractor headquartered in the municipality.

Barangays

La Paz is politically subdivided into 21 barangays:

• Balanoy
• Bantog-Caricutan
• Caramutan
• Caut
• Comillas
• Dumarais
• Guevara
• Kapanikian
• La Purisima
• Lara
• Laungcupang
• Lomboy
• Macalong
• Matayumtayum
• Mayang
• Motrico
• Paludpud
• Rizal
• San Isidro (Poblacion)
• San Roque (Poblacion)
• Sierra

Climate

Demographics

In the 2024 census, the population of La Paz was 71,978 people, with a density of {{sigfig|71,978/114.33|2}} PD/km2.

Economy

Tourism

The feast of Nuestra De Seṅora De La Paz every January 23 to 24. Other tourism attractions in the town include Macabulos ancestral house, Nuestra Seṅora De La Paz Church, and Chico River Grill Station.

Transportation

The municipality has an approximate total road network of 78.863 km which are classified into four (4) categories, namely: national, provincial, municipal and barangay roads.

The barangay road network has an approximate length of 49.264 km. The roads are paved with either concrete, asphalt, gravel or dirt. The gravel and dirt roads have a total length of 42.794 km.

La Paz is the northern terminus of the Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) where it connects with Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway (TPLEx) and Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEx).

Several buses from Metro Manila going Nueva Ecija passes through the town via Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx).

Education

There are two schools district offices which govern all educational institutions within the municipality. They oversee the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools. These are La Paz North Schools District Office, and La Paz South Schools District Office.

Primary and elementary schools

• Balanoy Elementary School
• Bantog Elementary School
• Caramutan Elementary School
• Caut Elementary School
• Comillas Elementary School
• Dumarais Elementary School
• E.M. Castaneda Central School
• Great Eastern Institute
• Guevara Elementary School
• Guevara Ecumenical Christian School
• Kapanikian Elementary School
• La Paz Christian Academy
• La Purisima Elementary School
• Lara Primary School
• Laungcupang Elementary School
• Lomboy Elementary School
• Macalong Elementary School
• Matayumtayum Elementary School
• Mayang Elementary School
• Motrico Elementary School
• Paludpud Elementary School
• Rizal Multigrade
• San Isidro Central Elementary School
• Sierra Elementary School
• Uzziel Montessori School

Secondary schools

• Comillas High School
• Guevara National High School
• La Paz National High School

Points of interest

• (F-1790) Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje)http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Shrine_of_Our_Lady_of_Peace_and_Good_Voyage_of_La_Paz, La Paz 2314 Tarlac, Philippines https://archive.today/20130705190728/http://www.phlpost.gov.ph/web/tarlac/ (Titular: Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, Feast day, January 24; Former Parish Priest: Father Ramon Capuno https://web.archive.org/web/20120903135851/http://www.church.nfo.ph/list-of-parishes-of-the-roman-catholic-diocese-of-tarlac/ under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tarlachttp://pinoychurches.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/nuestra-senora-dela-paz-church-the-church-of-la-paz-la-paz-tarlac/; Pilgrims seek healing; http://www.philstar.com/sunday-life/540978/pilgrims-seek-healing-la-paz-tarlac http://wikimapia.org/8675474/tl/Shrine-of-Nuestra-Se%C3%B1ora-de-La-Paz-y-Buen-Viaje Vicariate of Immaculate Conception (Victoria, Tarlac) Vicar Forane: Father Vely Lapitan.LA PAZ: THE CORRIDOR OF UPCOMING MARKET GROWTH AND BOOM

Gallery

File:LaPaz,Tarlacjf7309 02.JPG|Highway File:LaPaz,Tarlacjf7308 07.JPG|Legislative building File:LaPaz,Tarlacjf7324 12.JPG|Public market File:LaPazChurchjf7549 15.JPG|La Paz Church Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage File:LaPaz,Tarlacjf7424 06.JPG|Park File:LaPaz,Tarlacjf7308 10.JPG|Town hall Facade

References

References

1. {{DILG detail
2. (2012). "Brief history of La Paz". Municipality of La Paz.
3. (2025). "Solaren Renewable Energy Solutions: Company Spotlight".
4. (January 15, 2021). "Masterlist of Schools".