maria Aurora, Aurora

{{Infobox settlement

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Mariaaurorajf.JPG

| image_caption = Ma. Aurora Bridge

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| subdivision_type1 = Region

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| subdivision_type2 = Province

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| established_title = Founded

| established_date = July 21, 1949

| etymology =

| named_for = Maria Aurora "Baby" Quezon

| native_name =

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| subdivision_type3 = District

| subdivision_name3 = {{PH legislative district}}

| parts_type = Barangays

| parts_style = para

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| leader_title = Mayor

| leader_name = Ariel S. Bitong

| leader_title1 = Vice Mayor

| leader_name1 = Amado M. Geneta

| leader_title2 = Representative

| leader_name2 = Rommel Rico T. Angara

| leader_title3 = Municipal Council

| leader_name3 = {{PH Town Council

| 1 =

| 2=Enrico O. Cordova

| 3=Freddie B. Bitong

| 4=Erwin E. Tablang

| 5=Rhiza R. Silvestre

| 6=Loreto M. Nisperos

| 7=Rolando H. Aznar Jr.

| 8=Onasis Q. Ronquillo

| 9=Elizabeth L. Farin

}}

| leader_title4 = Electorate

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| demographics_type1 = Economy

| demographics1_title1 = {{PH wikidata|income_class_title}}

| demographics1_info1 = {{PH wikidata|income_class}}

| demographics1_title2 = Poverty incidence

| demographics1_info2 = {{PH wikidata|poverty_incidence}}% ({{PH wikidata|poverty_incidence_point_in_time}}){{PH wikidata|poverty_incidence_footnotes}}

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| demographics_type2 = Service provider

| demographics2_title1 = Electricity

| demographics2_info1 = {{PH electricity distribution | {{wikidata|label|raw}} }}

| demographics2_title2 = Water

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| blank1_name_sec1 = Native languages

| blank1_info_sec1 = {{PH wikidata|language}}

| blank2_name_sec1 = Crime index

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| blank1_name_sec2 = Major religions

| blank1_info_sec2 =

| blank2_name_sec2 = Feast date

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| blank3_name_sec2 = Catholic diocese

| blank3_info_sec2 =

| blank4_name_sec2 = Patron saint

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}}

Maria Aurora, officially the Municipality of Maria Aurora ({{langx|tl|Bayan ng Maria Aurora}}; {{langx|ilo|Ili ti Maria Aurora}}), is the only landlocked municipality in the province of Aurora, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 44,958 people.{{PH census|current}}

Despite being the only landlocked town of the province, it is the most populated municipality of Aurora. The Millennium Tree in Balete Park and the lush green landscape is Maria Aurora's main tourist asset.

The town was named after Maria Aurora "Baby" Aragon Quezon, the first daughter of Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon and First Lady Aurora Aragon Quezon. Maria Aurora, along with her mother Aurora, was ambushed and assassinated by elements of the Hukbalahap movement in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija.

History

The original settlers of the town now known as Maria Aurora were Bugkalot. These people are characterized as barbaric, wild and head hunters. They first established their settlement in an area known as “Egabong” (meaning muddy stream) and was considered at that time as “no man’s land”, since no Christian dared to enter the place for fear of beheading.

The arrival of a man from Liliw, Laguna named Jose Bitong who was considered as the first Christian adventurer/settler, changed the course of event when he married a young Bugkalot lady and later won the admiration and confidence of the Bugkalots. From then, he became one of their dynamic leaders and was respected by the Bugkalot Tribe and Christians as well. This opened the gate for the Spanish missionaries to settle in the area and converted the settlers into Catholicism.[https://www.scribd.com/document/39474116/Maria-Aurora Maria Aurora: Historical Background]

In 1771, the settlement was named and known as San Jose de Casecnan or San Jose de Casignan in honor of Jose Bitong and Casecnan River which the Spanish believed it flows near the settlement.

In 1896, a group of Ilocano settlers from Aringay, La Union came to stay in the town, which was part of District of El Príncipe, Nueva Ecija. In 1906, another group of Ilocanos arrived from La Union and Pangasinan.{{cite web|last1=Mesina|first1=Ilovita|title=Baler And Its People, The Aurorans|url=http://www.aurora.ph/baler-aurora-book/baler-and-its-people.html|website=Aurora.ph|access-date=21 February 2018}} Because of dominance of Ilocanos in Maria Aurora, Rang-ay Festival is celebrated, wherein rang-ay is an Ilocano word for progress. The word is distinctively chosen to confine the focus of celebration on the progressive vision of the people of Maria Aurora that are dominantly Ilocanos.

The municipality of Maria Aurora was established on July 21, 1949, through the Executive Order No. 246 out of various portions of the municipalities of Baler, then part of Quezon province.{{cite PH act|chamber=EO|number=246|title=Organizing Certain Portions of the Municipalities of Baler and Infanta, Quezon Province, into Independent Municipalities, Under the Names of Maria Aurora and General Nakar, Respectively|url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/1949/07jul/19490721-EO-0246-EQ.pdf|publisher=Official Gazette|accessdate=6 November 2016|date=21 July 1949}}

Through Presidential Proclamation No. 687, September 23, 2024 was declared a special working day in Maria Aurora, Aurora to celebrate the birth anniversary of the town's namesake, María Aurora "Baby" Quezon.{{cite PH act|chamber=PP|number=687|date=September 12, 2024|title=Declaring Monday, 23 September 2024, a Special Working Day in the Municipality of Maria Aurora, Province of Aurora|url=https://pco.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240912-PROC-687-FRM.pdf|accessdate=September 22, 2024|publisher=Presidential Communications Office}}

= Proposal for the Municipality of Dr. Juan C. Angara =

A separate municipality called Dr. Juan C. Angara is being proposed under Senate Bill No. 3132 and House Bill No. 6518.{{cite web|title=Fifteenth Congress; Senate Bill No. 3132; An Act Creating the Municipality of Dr. Juan C. Angara in the Province of Aurora |url=http://www.senate.gov.ph/lisdata/1283910850!.pdf |website=Senate of the Philippines |accessdate=6 November 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112900/http://www.senate.gov.ph/lisdata/1283910850%21.pdf |archivedate=4 March 2016 |date=23 February 2012 |url-status=dead }}{{cite PH act|chamber=HB|number=6518|date=2008|title=An Act Creating the Municipality of Dr. Juan C. Angara in the Province of Aurora|url=http://202.57.33.10/plis/data/1243411093!.pdf |access-date=6 November 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903065256/http://202.57.33.10/plis/data/1243411093%21.pdf |archivedate=3 September 2014 |url-status=dead }} Named after the father of former provincial governor Bella Angara and former Senator Edgardo Angara, the proposed municipality shall have a land area of {{convert|201.2|sqkm|sp=us}} and is composed of western barangays of Dianawan, Decoliat, Galintuja, San Juan, Suguit, Bazal, Pungio, Villa Aurora and Dialatnan. San Juan will serve as poblacion or the seat of government.

Geography

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of {{convert|426.19|km2|sp=us}}{{PSGC detail|area}} constituting {{percentage|426.19|3,147.32|2|pad=yes}} of the {{convert|3,147.32|km2|2|adj=mid|sp=us}} total area of Aurora.

Maria Aurora is the only non-coastal municipality of the province. It is bounded by Baler and Dipaculao on the east, San Luis on the south, Bongabon in the Province of Nueva Ecija on the west and Alfonso Castañeda in the Province of Nueva Vizcaya on the north-west; Maria Aurora is the only municipality of Aurora bordered by Nueva Vizcaya.

Maria Aurora is situated {{convert|13.54|km}} from the provincial capital Baler, and {{convert|254.85|km}} from the country's capital city of Manila.

=Barangays=

Maria Aurora is politically subdivided into 40 barangays, as shown in the matrix below.{{PSGC detail|nscb}} Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

{{PH brgy table lite|037707005| Barangay I (Poblacion) | 1356| 1260}}

{{PH brgy table lite|037707006| Barangay II (Poblacion) | 1930| 1874}}

{{PH brgy table lite|037707007| Barangay III (Poblacion) | 894| 873}}

{{PH brgy table lite|037707008| Barangay IV (Poblacion) | 2458| 2465}}

=Climate=

{{Weather box

| location = Maria Aurora, Aurora

| width = auto

| metric first = Yes

| single line = Yes

| Jan high C = 27

| Jan low C = 20

| Feb high C = 28

| Feb low C = 20

| Mar high C = 29

| Mar low C = 21

| Apr high C = 32

| Apr low C = 23

| May high C = 32

| May low C = 24

| Jun high C = 31

| Jun low C = 24

| Jul high C = 30

| Jul low C = 24

| Aug high C = 30

| Aug low C = 24

| Sep high C = 30

| Sep low C = 24

| Oct high C = 29

| Oct low C = 23

| Nov high C = 29

| Nov low C = 22

| Dec high C = 27

| Dec low C = 21

| Jan precipitation mm = 25

| Feb precipitation mm = 26

| Mar precipitation mm = 18

| Apr precipitation mm = 24

| May precipitation mm = 91

| Jun precipitation mm = 145

| Jul precipitation mm = 149

| Aug precipitation mm = 122

| Sep precipitation mm = 120

| Oct precipitation mm = 128

| Nov precipitation mm = 61

| Dec precipitation mm = 52

| Jan rain days = 7.7

| Feb rain days = 5.7

| Mar rain days = 6.8

| Apr rain days = 8.0

| May rain days = 18.2

| Jun rain days = 22.1

| Jul rain days = 24.3

| Aug rain days = 23.4

| Sep rain days = 22.7

| Oct rain days = 17.5

| Nov rain days = 10.0

| Dec rain days = 9.4

| source 1 = Meteoblue (modeled/calculated data, not measured locally)

{{cite web

| url = https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/forecast/modelclimate/maria-aurora_philippines_1700994

| title = Maria Aurora, Aurora: Average Temperatures and Rainfall

| publisher = Meteoblue

| accessdate = 27 December 2018}}

| date = 27 December 2018

}}

Demographics

{{Philippine Census

| align= left

| cols = 2

| title= Population census of {{PH wikidata|name}}

| 1903 =

| 1918 =

| 1939 =

| 1948 =

| 1960 = {{PH census population|1960}}

| 1970 = {{PH census population|1970}}

| 1975 = {{PH census population|1975}}

| 1980 = {{PH census population|1980}}

| 1990 = {{PH census population|1990}}

| 1995 = {{PH census population|1995}}

| 2000 = {{PH census population|2000}}

| 2007 = {{PH census population|2007}}

| 2010 = {{PH census population|2010}}

| 2015 = {{PH census population|2015}}

| 2020 = {{PH census population|2020}}

| 2025 =

| 2030 =

| footnote= Source: Philippine Statistics Authority{{PH census|2015}}{{PH census|2010}}{{PH census|2007}}{{LWUA population data}}

}}

In the 2020 census, Maria Aurora had a population of 44,958.{{PH census|current}} The population density was {{convert|{{sigfig|44,958/426.19|2}}|PD/km2|sp=us}}.

Economy

Government

=List of mayors=

Maria Aurora was administered by 12 mayors since its establishment in 1949.

Mayor Pedro C. Montero (Jul 21, 1949 – Dec 31, 1951)
Mayor Pedro S. Wenceslao (Jan 1, 1952 – Jun 21, 1958)
Mayor Brigido E. Collado (Jun 22, 1958 – Dec 31, 1959)
Mayor Leon B. Hulipas (Jan 1, 1960 – Dec 31, 1963)
Mayor Leonardo T. Ong (Jan 1, 1964 – Aug 15, 1977)
Mayor Juan R. Ortiz (Aug 16, 1977 – May 8, 1986)
OJC Adriano C. Bitong (May 9, 1986 – Dec 1, 1987)
OJC (LGO) Nepumuceno W. Gonzales (Dec 1, 1987 – Dec 15, 1987)
Sec. Lorenzo O. Mangaoang (Dec. 16, 1987 – Feb 2, 1988)
Mayor Adriano C. Bitong (Feb 3, 1988 – Jun 30, 1998)
Mayor Brigido M. Noval (Jun 30, 1998 – Jun 30, 2004)
Mayor Ariel S. Bitong (Jun 30, 2004 – Jun 30, 2013)
Mayor Amado M. Geneta (Jun 30, 2013 – Jun 30, 2022)
Mayor Ariel S. Bitong (Jun 30, 2022 – Present)

Transportation

File:Mariaaurorajf.JPG|date=January 20, 2011|accessdate=September 22, 2024}}]]

Maria Aurora can be accessed by road through two routes: the Canili–Pantabangan Road, which passes Nueva Ecija's northern towns and through Alfonso Castañeda, Nueva Vizcaya; and the Nueva Ecija–Aurora Road, built on the 1940s that traverses the Sierra Madre Mountains and passes through the towns of Baler and San Luis.

Today, the Canili–Pantabangan Road is much more commonly used, though it extends travel time for 1 hour, it is the safest route for vehicles. Originally, the Nueva Ecija–Aurora Road is the standard road for bus commuters, the shortest but the steep turns and unpaved roads makes it the most dangerous for heavy vehicles.

There are five bus lines that serve Maria Aurora's vicinity: Maria Aurora Express (PAPIN) (Cabanatuan–Dipaculao); D' Liner (Cabanatuan\Baguio - Maria Aurora, Casiguran; Genesis Bus Transport (Manila\Cabanatuan - Baler); - Aurora Bus Line (Cabanatuan - Baler) and Lizardo Transit (Baguio - Baler)

Healthcare

The Department of Health sustains health over the municipality. The municipality has 21 health centers and one provincial hospital, the Aurora Provincial Hospital located in barangay Buhangin in Baler, {{convert|30|km|sp=us}} south of the town.

Education

Maria Aurora has its education sustained by the Department of Education - Division of Aurora. The municipality has 38 public elementary and high schools with 1 central school (Maria Aurora Central School). Private institutions in the municipality include Mount Carmel School of Maria Aurora and Wesleyan University - Philippines (Aurora).

The Maria Aurora Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.{{Cite web |date=January 15, 2021 |title=Masterlist of Schools |url=https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/SY-2020-2021-Masterlist-of-Schools-Address-only-1-1.pdf |access-date=May 16, 2025 |website=Department of Education}}