Victoria, Tarlac

History

The establishment of Victoria as a community may be traced back in the mid-1800s when the Spanish regime started to expand north from Manila. It almost happened at the same time when Porac and Floridablanca (now part of Pampanga) and Tarlac (now Tarlac City) were formed. In the mid-1800s people started to settle around the swamp or wetland in search for a place where food is abundant. By 1849, houses and pockets of communities were deriving subsistence from the wetland. The biggest sitio was Namitinan, which became part of the earliest barrio, called San Vicente de Canarum, which was formed in 1852.

Not until the signing of the decree by the Spanish Governor General Manuel Crespo on March 28, 1855, that barrio San Vicente de Canarum was separated from Tarlac to form an independent pueblo named Victoria. The name was used to highlight the victorious battle of the faithful followers of Queen Isabela II of Spain over their European enemies.

Traces of its Spanish history may still be seen in the well preserved municipal building, several old houses depicting Spanish architecture and various edifices that were built more than a hundred years ago.

Town center fire

On December 13, 2024, around 6:00 in the evening, a fire erupted in a bakery near the town market. The fire lasted for an hour and burnt down an ancestral home. It required more firetrucks from Tarlac City to be put out. As of now, the cause of the fire is unknown and only one casualty has been recorded.

Geography

Victoria lies between 1"42’ north latitude and 120º35’ and 120"45 east longitude. It is bounded by Tarlac City to the southwest; the municipalities of Pura, Gerona, and La Paz to the northwest; and, the province of Nueva Ecija to the east. The municipality has a total land area of 11,150 hectares, of which a large portion is used for agricultural activities.

Victoria is 15 km from Tarlac City and 139 km from Manila.

Barangays

Victoria is politically subdivided into 26 barangays, as shown below.

• Baculong
• Balayang
• Balbaloto
• Bangar
• Bantog
• Batang-batang
• Bulo (Poblacion)
• Calibungan
• Canarem
• Cruz
• Lalapac
• Maluid
• Mangolago
• Masalasa
• Palac-palac
• San Agustin
• San Andres
• San Fernando (Poblacion)
• San Francisco
• San Gavino (Poblacion)
• San Jacinto
• San Nicolas (Poblacion)
• San Vicente (Poblacion)
• Santa Barbara (Poblacion)
• Santa Lucia (Poblacion)

Climate

| access-date = 5 May 2020 }}

Demographics

In the 2020 census, the population of Victoria, Tarlac, was 69,370 people, with a density of {{sigfig|69,370/111.51|2}} PD/km2.

Economy

Victoria Industrial Park

Victoria Industrial Park, established in 2024, is a Philippine special economic zone comprising 297 ha located in Barangay Baculong. It was created on July 4, 2024 by Proclamation No. 623 pursuant to Republic Act No. 7916 (the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995). The park will be evaluated by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) through engineering and feasibility studies.

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 Victoria East Schools District Office, and Victoria West Schools District Office.

Primary and elementary schools

• Balayang Elementary School
• Balbaloto Elementary School
• Bangar Elementary School
• Bantog Elementary School
• Batangbatang Elementary School
• Boaz Promise Land Academy
• Bulo Elementary School
• Cabuluan Elementary School
• Calibungan Elementary School
• Canarem Elementary School
• CC Smart Kidz School
• Cruz Elementary School
• Gabaldon Elementary School
• Immaculate Conception Parish Learning Center
• King David Victorius School
• Lalapac Elementary School
• Maluid Cabrera Elementary School
• Mangolago Elementary School
• Masalasa Elementary School
• Palacpalac Elementary School
• Rosebelle Academy
• San Agustin Elementary School
• San Andres Elementary School
• San Francisco Elementary School
• San Jacinto Elementary School
• Victoria Catholic School
• Victoria East Central School
• Victoria West Central School
• Victoria United Methodist Christian School

Secondary schools

• Balayang High School
• Calibungan High School
• Don Casimiro G. Tanedo Integrated School
• Makabulos Memorial High School
• Victoria National High School

References

References

1. {{DILG detail
2. "Masong TV was live. {{!}} By Masong TV {{!}} Facebook".
3. "PSGC Interactive: Municipality of Victoria, Tarlac". Philippine Statistics Authority.
4. (2024-07-07). "Marcos creates special economic zone in Victoria, Tarlac". Philippine News Agency.
5. (2024-07-06). "PBBM creates Special Economic Zone in Victoria, Tarlac".
6. (January 15, 2021). "Masterlist of Schools".