The Grand Pampanga River
Posted By philippine evolution staff on May 25, 2017
philippine-evolution.com
PAMPANGA RIVER
Pampanga River, is the second largest river on the island of Luzon in the Philippines, next to Cagayan River, and the country’s fourth longest river. It is located in the Central Luzon region and traverses the provinces of Pampanga, Bulacan, and Nueva Ecija.
Its headwaters are located at the Sierra Madre and runs a south and southwesterly course for about 260 kilometers until it drains into Manila Bay.
The river’s basin covers an area of 10,540 km², including the allied basin of Guagua River. The basin is drained through the Pampanga River and via the Labangan Channel into the Manila Bay.
Its main tributaries are Peñaranda and the Coronel-Santor Rivers on the eastern side of the basin and the Rio Chico River from the northwest side. The Angat River joins the Pampanga River at Calumpit, Bulacan via the Bagbag River. Mount Arayat (elevation: 1,026) stands in the middle of the basin. Southeast of Mount Arayat and the Pampanga River is the Candaba Swamp, covering an area of some 250 km². absorbing most of the flood flows from the western slopes of a portion of the Sierra Madre and the overflowing of the Pampanga River via the Cabiao Floodway. This area is submerged during the rainy season but is relatively dry during summer. – Source
The Rio Grande de Pampanga or Pampanga River for short, was a major thoroughfare before roads were constructed and host to major prehistoric settlements along its pampangs. Hence the name Pampanga. It’s source is somewhere in the mountains of Nueva Ecija, flowing down to the Pampanga towns of Arayat, Candaba, San Luis, San Simon, Apalit, Macabebe and Masantol at the mouth of Manila Bay.
In the genteel and once elegant barrio of Sulipan in Apalit, there is a boat yard which rents out boats of different sizes from kayaks to two-story air-conditioned house boats for various purposes such as rest and recreation, sight-seeing and birdwatching or sports such as angling and kayaking. – Source
Apung Iru stands for the holy image of St. Peter, which is brought to its shrine in a fluvial procession. Carried in its “pagoda” amidst prayers, religious songs and water-fighting revelers. It is highlighted with a fluvial parade down the Pampanga River. It’s another unique custom in this tradition-filled country.
Celebrated every June 27-29 of every year, the feast of St. Peter is observed with a fluvial parade with gaily decorated motorboats and colorful bancas roving up and down the Pampanga River. The image of St. Peter, called Apung Iru by the locals, is carried through town to the river, where a lavish decorated pagoda mounted on a barge awaits. The image is placed on the pagoda and devotees dance and pray before it. The 3-day celebration honoring Apung Iru starts on June 27 and culminates on June 29 when the image is brought back to its shrine at Capalanagan. – Source
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