History

Early Spanish explorers visited the area in 1572 but did not reduce the settlements into towns until 1588. In that year, Franciscans travelling up the Pacific coast from missions in present day Quezon established the towns of Baler and Casiguran. The settlements remained small and isolated and were ravaged by occasional Moro raids. Baler and Casiguran were burned to the ground by raiders in 1798, and part of the population carried off into slavery.

The Baler and Casiguran were administered as part of Tayabas until the province of Nueva Ecija was established in the early 19^th century. In 1856, the eastern coast of Nueva Ecija was created into a district called "El Principe".

During the Revolutionary period, the Baler Catholic Church became the site of the longest siege of Spanish forces by Filipino revolutionaries. Four officers and fifty men stood ground against Filipino besiegers from June 27, 1898 until June 2, 1899. This was the last pocket of resistance of the Spanish forces in the Philippines.

In 1902, the American government abolished the district of Principe and annexed it to the province of Tayabas. Aurora was organized a sub-province of Quezon on June 14, 1951 through the passage of Republic Act No. 648. In May 1979, the people of Aurora voted in favor of full provincehood. It officially became a province on August 13, 1979 through Batas Pambansa Bilang (National Law Number) 7.

People, Culture and the Arts

Aurora is about four hours from Nueva Ecija but it is remarkably different in pace and atmosphere from its western neighbor. Life in Aurora is unhurried and simple. There are no movie houses in the capital, nor is there a market or wharf. What Aurora offers is a quiet, uncomplicated rural charm that blends very well with the greatness of its history and natural beauty.

Throughout the town of Baler are silent markers to the great moments that occurred in this isolated outpost along the Pacific coast. Baler Church is a plain looking old church that bears witness to the gallantry of a small band of Spanish soldiers who held out against Revolutionary forces. These men, though enemies of the Revolution, won the admiration of Filipinos and President Emilio Aguinaldo for their courage in the face of superior force. There are also monuments that mark the birthplaces of President Manuel Quezon and Aurora Quezon.

To mark the birth of Aurora Quezon, after whom the province is named, the province holds a traditional theatrical performance called the Moro-Moro Zarzuela. The zarzuela is an interesting form of theater that incorporates drama and dance. The zarzuela is composed of several acts that revolved around the main theme of Muslim-Christian conflict. The moro-moro was once very popular throughout the provinces of Luzon and the Visayas and hark to the time when Christian towns suffered under incessant Moro raids. Each year, a different variation of the moro-moro is shown.

As actors mime the action between Muslim and Christian camps, a narrator provides the audience the running story and the dialogue. Most of the players are untrained actors and actresses who duel using real weapons.

Trade and Investments

As a province separated from the rest of Luzon by the mighty Sierra Madre mountain range, Aurora's strategy for development is to capitalize on its largely untapped rich natural resources through the introduction of value-added industries. More than seventy percent of the land area is still forested, while the remaining land is mostly dedicated to agriculture. The main products are copra, banana, rootcrops, coffee, black pepper and citrus. Aside from prime wood species such as narra, dau and tanguile, the province's forests are a rich source of sabutan, nipa, buri, pandan, bamboo, rattan, cogon and vines. Aurora has a population of 142,000 provide labor to man the province's agriculture, fishery and forestry-based industries.

Access to and from the province is currently provided by two roads that run from Nueva Ecija to Aurora. There are regular commuter buses to Cabanatuan City from either Baler or Dingalan. There are current efforts to open a new road to facilitate the flow of goods and services. The province is also accessible by air through four airstrips. Six municipal and private ports link the towns of the coast with each other. Power is provided by the Napocor, while water is sourced from surface bodies of water as well as from wells. Twenty-nine telecommunications facilities connect the province with the outside world.

Aurora's development lies heavily on developing its resource-based industries and providing added value to its products. Investing in food processing, in activities like cassava, gabi and ube driers and flour grinding mills, coffee, peanut processing and fish storage facilities can provide excess agricultural and marine production added storage life and value. Forest-based industries, like furniture making, handicraft manufacture and building components making, are attractive ventures, especially since the province is still richly endowed with forests. Aurora is also looking at improving the marketing of its unique products such as the sabutan hats and other gifts and houseware items. Tourism is also an industry that continues to present good possibilities. Baler is considered one of the best surfing sites in the country and the rugged beauty of the province include forest clad mountains, pristine beaches, untouched coral reefs, caves, springs and waterfalls. Aurora needs additional investments in building accommodations for tourists, provide services and other support facilities needed by the industry.

Development Initiative Highlights: