MAGALANG is a 1st class municipality of 27 barangays and located on the Northeastern side of the Province of Pampanga. It is basically an agricultural town that is now rapidly developed with the mushrooming of various establishments that see Magalang as an ideal community to live, invest and be happy.
Nestled at the foot of the fabled Mount Arayat, this once sleepy town is up on promoting it as another favorite tourism destination in the province with its heritage, cultural and ecotourism sites.
If one has not visited the town for some years now, a revisit would bring one in awe and amazement due to its new landscapes that describe Magalang as a well-improved, well-developed, liveable municipality inhabited by peace-loving, God-fearing Magaleños. For a bit of its history, the town was said to be formerly a part of its neighboring town Arayat until it was separated and given the status like of a municipality now by the Augustinians.
Talking about history, Magalang has a lot of remnants of the past including the only remaining Heliograph Towers in the country which are old structures built by the Spaniards in the 1800's that used to relay signals to warn Spanish soldiers of an impending attack by the advancing enemy. In 2016, the National Museum declared the Magalang Heliograph Towers as important cultural properties.
Magalang town has a lot of colonial residences, evidencing that there were quite a number of opulent residents even in the past during the Spanish and the American period. With the thrust of the municipal government of promoting further Magalang's heritage and rich culture, these houses now enjoy the recognition and protection of the local government.
The town is also home to the Pampanga State Agricultural University, the premier agricultural learning institution in the province and its neighboring provinces of Tarlac and Nueva Ecija.
Aside from these, the town is also known as the "Sweet Tamarind Capital" of the Philippines. This gives Magalang another identity for being known for its home-made candies and pastries which are now made into industries. For culinary, the town has a lot of excellent cooks, adding complement to the fact that kapampangans are experts when it comes to cooking good food.
On August 24, Magalang will be celebrating its town fiesta in honor of its patron saint, San Bartolome. The municipal government, headed by the ever dynamic and service-oriented mayor Maria Lourdes Paras Lacson, has lined-up events for the festivities including the Pyestang Camaru or cricket festival from August 21 to 24.
Other activities include: "pulaying camaru" (color run), float and institutional parade, "calutong camaru" (cooking competition), "dutdutan camaru" (tatoo competition and display), "camaru got talent", a basketball tournament, a night concert and others.
Camaru are mole crickets which are a popular and favorite delicacy in the province and which Magalang is abundant of these insects.
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