Floridablanca, Pampanga

Previously, the town was named San Jose de Calampaui, which is derived from Spanish for Saint Joseph, its patron saint. Floridablanca itself is derived from Spanish which translates to "white flower." However, there are two versions of the name's origin.^[5]

One version suggest that the town was named in honor of José María de Castillejo y Moñino, III conde of Floridablanca, (25 de Febrero de 1826 y falleció en 1892), who inherited the Condado de Floridablanca from the 2nd holder, his aunt Maria Vicenta Moñino y Pontejos, through his mother, Maria Ana. Maria Vicenta died in 1867 and thus Jose inherited the title; 1867 was also the year the town's name was changed from San Jose de Calampaui to Floridablanca. The rest of Maria Vicenta's titles devolved to her husband's family, the Marquesado de Miraflores whose present title holder today married the granddaughter of President Elpidio Quirino.

Jose Maria conquered the island of Menorca and helped create the Viceroyalty of La Plata or all the lands in present day Argentina and nearby. As a renowned statesman of the time, he helped Spain counterbalance its position between warring France and England. He also established the Compania de Filipinas in the South Seas that kept the Philippines connected to Spain through the maritime routes regularly passing to the upper stretches of Nuevo Mexico (a part of the Viceroyalty of Nueva Espana) down to the ports of Callao in Peru, where the Manila Galleon ships were known as the La Nao de Manila or the La Nao de China.

1867 was also the year when the de tallado image of San Jose Obrero and the de tallado Santo Nino accompanying it, was installed in the church of Saint Joseph the Worker church to signify the establishment of the new parroquia for the farm workers, separate from the old Spanish monastery of San Jose de Calampaui, and separate from the friars who owned all the lands from the foot of the mountains to the eastern boundaries of the nearly flat expanse that is Floridablanca.

Another version of a more credible origin suggests that the town was named after the white flowers of a pandacaqui plant (Tabernaemontana pandacaqui) that flourished in the area. Florida means "flower" and blanca means "fragrant".

Floridablanca was founded in 1823 as Hacienda de San Jose de Caumpaui at the site of a monastery. In 1867, it was renamed to Pueblo de Floridablanca.

In the 1920s, the Pampanga Sugar Mill was built at Del Carmen in the 1920s. The area was the site of military bases of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the Philippine Constabulary from 1942 to 1946. The Philippine Air Force established Basa Air Base at a former American military airfield in 1947.^[5]

In 1991, the Santo Nino enshrined in San Jose Obrero parish was stolen. Within two months or so, Mount Pinatubo erupted. Sand and ash and lahar fell into Floridablanca, killing hundreds and destroyed the rice paddies. Superstitions by the elders of the town exist that the theft of the statue resulted in such unimaginable disaster.

In 2024, the Santo Nino was rediscovered after almost 22 years. The Foronda family assisted in raising funds for its eventual return to San Jose Obrero parish.

Floridablanca is located on the western part of Pampanga along the Zambales Mountains and is bounded by the municipalities of Porac on the north, Lubao on the south, Guagua on the east, and Dinalupihan on the west. It is 40 kilometres (25 mi) from the city of San Fernando, 106 kilometres (66 mi) from Manila, 41 kilometres (25 mi) from Balanga, and 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Porac.

The town is at an elevation of 12 feet (3.7 m) above sea level. Floridablanca is north of Dinalupihan via Dinalupihan-Floridablanca Access Road at the Bataan-Pampanga boundary line.

With an area of 17,548 hectares (43,360 acres), it is the third largest municipality in the province, after Porac and Candaba.

In the 2020 census, the population of Floridablanca, Pampanga, was 135,542 people,^[3] with a density of 770 inhabitants per square kilometer or 2,000 inhabitants per square mile.

Poverty incidence of Floridablanca

Floridablanca is the second largest producer of rice in the province. It produces more than enough rice to meet its needs resulting in a surplus. In 1999, only 37.76% of its produce was used for its own rice requirement resulting in a surplus of 65.24% equivalent to 17,553 metric tons.

Aside from Basa Air Base, the town has cultural treasures and interesting points.

• 1887 San Jose Obrero Parish Church: the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando exercises jurisdiction over the Heritage Church.
• Bahay na Puti (Alvendia House): the Justice Carmelino Alvendia, Sr. ancestral mansion is owned, preserved and maintained by his family.
• Bale Kastila (Paguiruan): a heritage mansion from 1800's.