Santa Rita is a town in southwestern Pampanga, Philippines. It is a quiet agricultural town bypassed by the province's major highways.
Understand
[edit]Santa Rita was established in 1697, having been separated from Porac. Bypassed by major highways and notwithstanding damage caused by the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991, it has managed to retain a significant number of its colonial era houses.
Get in
[edit]Santa Rita is bypassed by the major highways of Pampanga. From Manila, take the San Fernando exit along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) leading to the Gapan-Olongapo Road, also known as Jose Abad Santos Avenue (JASA) From San Fernando, go west towards Guagua, then turn right at the junction with signage pointing to Santa Rita. A parallel road, Dalan Betis, also connects the town with Betis district of Guagua.
From San Fernando and Guagua, there are jeepneys servicing Santa Rita. Fares from Guagua cost P13. The town is also a stopover along the Porac-Guagua jeepney route. From Metro Manila, take a bus going to Zambales or Bataan and disembark along JASA at the junction in Guagua heading to Santa Rita.
Get around
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Downtown Santa Rita is compact and easily accessible on foot. Tricycles are the main form of transportation between barangays.
See
[edit]- 1 Santa Rita de Cascia Church (Santa Rita Church), Sunset Drive, San Jose. A Baroque church dating to the 18th century.
- 2 Villa Epifania (Guanzon Ancestral House), Gosioco Street, San Jose (across the street from Santa Rita Church). A 1930s Art Deco residence that is the first concrete structure in Santa Rita. It is a common location shoot for films, TV series and ghost-hunting expeditions.
- 3 Gosioco Ancestral Manor, Gosioco Street, San Vicente. The well-preserved ancestral residence of one of Santa Rita's most prominent families, built in 1841.
- 4 Pineda Ancestral House, Gosioco Street, San Jose (inside Santa Rita Catholic School). A residence built in 1917 that later became a school building.
- 5 Dominican Convent (Convento de la Sagrada Familia), Santa Rita-Porac Road, San Matias (inside the Dominican School). A Spanish-era religious building.
- 6 Carpio Ancestral House, C. Mariano Street, San Jose (beside Santa Rita Church). A colonial-era residence.
- 7 Maglalang Ancestral House, Gosioco Street, San Jose (beside Santa Rita Catholic School). A colonial-era residence.
Do
[edit]Buy
[edit]- 1 Santa Rita Public Market, Santa Rita-Porac Road corner C. Mariano Street, San Vicente.
Eat
[edit]A local delicacy is turrones de casoy, a nougat-like confection made from cashew nuts wrapped in an edible thin wafer that is often mistaken for wrapping paper and inadvertently thrown away.
- 1 Ocampo Lansang Delicacies, 368 Ocampo Street, San Jose, [email protected]. 7AM-6PM. A bakery selling native Kapampangan confectioneries. ₱80–250.
Drink
[edit]- 1 Salaria Coffee, Gosioco Street, San Vicente. 1PM-9PM Th-Su. A cafe inside the grounds of the Gosioco Manor. P125-175.
Sleep
[edit]Stay safe
[edit]A low-lying town, Santa Rita is highly susceptible to flooding during the rainy season.
Connect
[edit]Go next
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