Tarlac

In pre-Spanish and early Spanish times, the Tarlac province was a heavily forested area. The name Tarlac comes from a weed called Matarlak by the Aetas. The province was created from on May 28, 1873, from Pampanga from Pangasinan. Tarlac was one of the eight provinces placed under martial law for revolting against Spanish rule and briefly became the capital of the revolutionary government after Malolos was abandoned because of the advancing Americans. During World War II, Camp O'Donnell in Capas, Tarlac, became the final destination of thousands of sick, injured and starving American and Filipino troops in the infamous Death March. Tarlac was also a centre of operation for the Huks 1940 - 1950. The Huks were initially an anti-Japanese resistance movement but became a post-war communist insurgency.

Capas

The town of Capas lies in the southwest corner of Tarlac. It is the recommended tourist gateway to the Mount Pinatubo Trek. For thousands of American and Filipino troops who had surrendered to the Japanese at Bataan, Capas was also the final destination of the infamous Death March in WWII.

Capas Death March Monument

The Capas Death March Monument marks where the infamous World War II concentration camp once was. (June 2003)

Part of the monument portrays the inhumane cruelty that American and Filipino soldiers suffered at the hand of the Japanese. (June 2003)

Capas National Shrine and Camp O'Donnell

Capas National Shrine. This is where Camp O'Donnell stood. It was the final destination for those had actually survived the Death March from Bataan. (June 2003)

The Capas National Shrine also serves as the burial grounds for thousands of American and Filipino soldiers that died in World War II. (June 2003)

This monument lists the names of the Battling Bastards of Bataan who perished in the war. (June 2003)

A hut and two watch towers are some of the very little remains of what was once Camp O'Donnell. (June 2003)

Crow Valley

Aetas, the local inhabitants of the area around Crow Valley, the officially recommended tourist route to the crater lake of Mount Pinatubo. (June 2003)

The recommended route to the crater is to take a 4x4 from Santa Juliana, through Crow Valley to Sitio Dapili. From there, by foot into Botolan, Zambales. (June 2003)

City of Tarlac

The town of Tarlac was founded in 1788. It was originally part of the Pampanga province but transferred as part of the newly created Tarlac province in 1873. Tarlac became a city on April 18, 1998.

Ninoy Aquino Monument

A monument to Ninoy Aquino showing him in the last few seconds before his assassination in 1983. (November 2002)