La Paz, Tarlac

Last updated
La Paz
Municipality of La Paz
LaPaz,Tarlacjf7308 03.JPG
Municipal Hall
Flag of La Paz, Tarlac.png
La Paz Tarlac.png
Motto: 
Alpas Lapaz
Anthem: Awit ng Lapaz (De Facto)
Ph locator tarlac la paz.png
Map of Tarlac with La Paz highlighted
OpenStreetMap
La Paz, Tarlac
Philippines location map (square).svg
Red pog.svg
La Paz
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 15°26′35″N120°43′44″E / 15.4431°N 120.7289°E / 15.4431; 120.7289
Country Philippines
Region Central Luzon
Province Tarlac
District 3rd district
Founded January 24, 1892
Barangays 21 (see Barangays)
Government
[1]
  Type Sangguniang Bayan
   Mayor Venustiano Dizon Jordan
   Vice Mayor Lorna R. Manalo
   Representative Noel L. Villanueva
   Electorate 45,521 voters (2025)
Area
[2]
  Total
114.33 km2 (44.14 sq mi)
Elevation
21 m (69 ft)
Highest elevation
35 m (115 ft)
Lowest elevation
14 m (46 ft)
Population
 (2024 census) [3]
  Total
71,978
  Density630/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
   Households
16,031
Economy
   Income class 2nd municipal income class
   Poverty incidence
15.08
% (2021) [4]
   Revenue 288.2 million (2022)
   Assets 612.1 million (2022)
   Expenditure 220.3 million (2022)
   Liabilities 1,079 million (2022)
Service provider
  ElectricityTarlac 2 Electric Cooperative (TARELCO 2)
Time zone UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
2314
PSGC
IDD : area code +63(0)45
Native languages Kapampangan
Tagalog
Ilocano

La Paz, officially the Municipality of La Paz (Kapampangan : Balen ning La Paz; Ilocano : Ili ti La Paz, Tagalog : Bayan ng La Paz), is a municipality in the province of Tarlac, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 68,952 people. [5]

Contents

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. [6]

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". [6]

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. [6]

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 kilometres (88 mi) from Metro Manila, 17 kilometres (11 mi) from the provincial capital of Tarlac City, and 33 kilometres (21 mi) 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 11,433 hectares (28,250 acres) 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. [7]

Barangays

La Paz is politically subdivided into 21 barangays:


Climate

Climate data for La Paz, Tarlac
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)28
(82)
30
(86)
31
(88)
33
(91)
33
(91)
31
(88)
30
(86)
29
(84)
29
(84)
30
(86)
30
(86)
29
(84)
30
(86)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)10
(50)
20
(68)
20
(68)
22
(72)
24
(75)
24
(75)
24
(75)
24
(75)
24
(75)
23
(73)
22
(72)
21
(70)
22
(71)
Average precipitation mm (inches)4
(0.2)
4
(0.2)
5
(0.2)
11
(0.4)
66
(2.6)
99
(3.9)
127
(5.0)
113
(4.4)
99
(3.9)
84
(3.3)
35
(1.4)
14
(0.6)
661
(26.1)
Average rainy days2.21.93.25.316.120.823.522.822.216.58.93.5146.9
Source: Meteoblue [8]

Demographics

Population census of La Paz
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 4,389    
1918 8,991+4.90%
1939 13,298+1.88%
1948 18,395+3.67%
1960 21,843+1.44%
1970 27,150+2.20%
1975 32,885+3.92%
1980 35,330+1.44%
1990 41,946+1.73%
1995 45,207+1.41%
2000 52,907+3.43%
2007 61,324+2.06%
2010 60,982−0.20%
2015 64,017+0.93%
2020 68,952+1.58%
2024 71,978+1.04%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]

In the 2020 census, the population of La Paz, Tarlac, was 68,952 people, [14] with a density of 600 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,600 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy

Poverty incidence of La Paz

10
20
30
40
2000
32.17
2003
22.56
2006
21.20
2009
17.02
2012
6.43
2015
16.61
2018
10.37
2021
15.08

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22]

Tourism

Remains of the site of the ancestral house of Gen. Francisco Macabulos Remains of Makabulos Ancestral House.jpg
Remains of the site of the ancestral house of Gen. Francisco Macabulos

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 kilometres (49.003 mi) 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 kilometres (30.611 mi). The roads are paved with either concrete, asphalt, gravel or dirt. The gravel and dirt roads have a total length of 42.794 kilometres (26.591 mi).

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).

Points of interest

References

  1. Municipality of La Paz | (DILG)
  2. "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN   0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  3. "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  4. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  5. "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 "Brief history of La Paz". Municipality of La Paz. 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-08-19. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
  7. "Solaren Renewable Energy Solutions: Company Spotlight". Asia Business Outlook. 2025. Retrieved 2025-08-25.
  8. "La Paz: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  9. "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  10. Census of Population (2015). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  11. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region III (Central Luzon)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office . Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  12. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
  13. "Province of". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  14. "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  15. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  16. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
  17. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
  18. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
  19. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
  20. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
  21. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  22. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.