Maria Aurora, Aurora

Maria Aurora
—  Municipality  —
Maria Aurora's Municipal Public Market
Motto: Lusung kasama si bitong
Map of Aurora showing the location of Maria Aurora.
Maria Aurora Location in the Philippines
Coordinates: 15°47′N 121°28′E / 15.783°N 121.467°E / 15.783; 121.467Coordinates: 15°47′N 121°28′E / 15.783°N 121.467°E / 15.783; 121.467
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Luzon (Region III)
Province	Aurora
District	Lone District
Founded	July 21, 1949
Barangays	40
Government
- Mayor	Ariel S. Bitong
Population (2007)
- Total	35,289
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	3202
Income class	2nd class (Partially Urban)
Website	[1]

Maria Aurora is one of the eight municipalities comprising the province of Aurora. It is the only non-coastal municipality of the province. It is bounded by Baler and Dipaculao on the east, San Luis on the south, the Province of Nueva Ecija on the west and the Province of Nueva Vizcaya on the north west. With 35,289 people and 21,942 registered voters, Maria Aurora is the largest municipality in the province.The Millennium Tree in Balete Park and the lush green landscape sets as Maria Aurora's tourists asset.

History

The town was named after Maria Aurora 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 by elements of the Hukbalahap movement in Nueva Ecija. The municipality of Maria Aurora was formed on July 21, 1949 through the Presidential Decree No. 249 out of various portions of the municipalities of Baler and Infanta, both of which were part of Quezon Province.

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 - Peb 2, 1988
• Mayor Adriano C. Bitong - Peb 3, 1988 – Jun 30, 1998
• Mayor Brigido M. Noval - Jul 1, 1998 – Jun 30, 2004
• Mayor Ariel S. Bitong - Jul 1, 2004 – Present

Education, Health and Transportation

Education

Maria Aurora has its education sustained by the Department of Education - Division of Aurora, presently the municipality has 38 public elementary and high schools with 1 central school (Maria Aurora Central School). Private institutions are also present in the municipality some of them are the Wesleyan University- Philippines and Mount Carmel High School.

Health

The Department of Health sustains health in all over the municipality, the municipality has 21 health centers and one hospital that will sustain the medical needs of the whole town population. One provincial hospital serves also the municipality it is the Aurora Provincial Hospital located in Brgy. Buhangin, Baler, 30 kilometers south of the town.

Transportation

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 in 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 uncemented 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)

Barangays

The list below shows Maria Aurora's 40 barangays.

Alcala Bagtu Bangco Bannawag Barangay I (Pob.) Barangay II (Pob.) Barangay III (Pob.) Barangay IV (Pob.) Baubo Bayanihan Bazal Cabituculan East Cabituculan West Debucao

Decoliat Detailen Diaat Dialatman Diaman Dianawan Dikildit Dimanpudso Diome Estonilo Florida Galintuja Cadayacan

Malasin Ponglo Quirino Ramada San Joaquin San Jose San Leonardo Santa Lucia Santo Tomas Suguit Villa Aurora Wenceslao San Juan

External links

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 2000 Philippine Census Information