Municipal Profile

Constraints

Natural Hazards (Flood Risk)

Flooding, caused by tropical cyclones that bring heavy rainfall, is a perennial problem in low-lying areas in Arayat. Flood prone areas in the municipality are those along the adjacent rivers and major tributaries that are unable to contain large amount of rainfall. The hazard is made even worse by the heavy siltation of waterways resulting in their limited capacity to handle heavy flash flood water flow from the rain catchment areas.

When the banks of rivers overflow, low lying barangays in Arayat such as Candating, Sto. Nino Tabuan, Cacutud, San Mateo and Cupang are affected. Damage to properties and loss of profit from agricultural activities are some of the problems encountered by the residents in those areas. A good environmental management plan is necessary to address the natural hazards and mitigate their impacts.

Improper Waste Disposal System

A common problem in Arayat is improper disposal of solid and liquid wastes, evidenced by the usual practice of throwing garbage in the rivers, that results in water pollution and water quality degradation. In addition, the number of Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) in the municipality currently falls short of the national standard prescribed by law (RA 9003), i.e., one MRF per barangay. The municipality also lacks a unified sewerage system in its urban area and its adjoining barangays.

Unplanned Development

The possible unplanned development and conversion of certain areas in Arayat can have damaging effects on water resources quality and land productivity. Since the municipality is agri-based, the preservation and proper management of lands and water should be given close attention. The municipality must protect its natural environment from unplanned and ecologically unsound development.

Inadequate inventories and assessments of air and water quality, mineral resources, and biodiversity

Due to lack of an environmental baseline database, including an inventory and assessment of the quality of air and water, minerals and flora and fauna, fully comprehending the current environmental state of the municipality is difficult, although the stakeholders gave a good assessment of the water resource quality. Proper environmental planning and management will be facilitated if the baseline information are available.

Potentials

Abundant Natural Resources

Arayat has many agricultural areas in Barangays Arenas, Baliti, Batasan, Buensuceso, Candating, Gatiawin, Guemasan, La Paz (Turu), Lacmit, Lacquios, Mangga-Cacutud, Mapalad, Palinlang, Paralaya, Plazang Luma, San Agustin Norte, San Agustin Sur, San Antonio, San Jose Mesulo, San Juan Bano, San Mateo, San Nicolas, San Roque Bitas, Cupang (Santa Lucia), Matamo (Santa Lucia), Santo Niño, Tabuan, Suclayin, Telapayong, and Kaledian (Camba) where forest lands are also found. Besides being endowed with fertile agricultural lands, the municipality is also home to Mount Arayat National Park, a twin-peak dormant stratovolcano mountain.

Good Air Quality

Air pollution is not much of a problem in the municipality since there is no major air pollutive industry operating in the locality. This is not to mention the fresh air coming from the mountain’s lush vegetation.

Constraints

Insufficient Baseline Data

There is a need to update the municipality’s data bank to establish empirical bases for the development plans of its various sectors (i.e., social, economic, environmental, infrastructure and institutional).

Inadequate number of capable technical managerial personnel

There is a need to augment the current workforce by hiring more personnel, such as a nutritionist, an environmental officer, an information technology officer, etc.). The local government should also enhance and develop the skills of its personnel through various management and technical training to enable them to adapt to the constantly changing environment (locally and globally).

IRA Dependency

The municipality of Arayat is a first class municipality that is dependent on its share of the national government’s Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA). This limitation is a big hindrance to development. Income generation can be improved if the local government will aggressively institute various fiscal management reform programs, such as: vigorous tax collection campaigns, fiscal incentives to induce local investments, cash flow management, etc.

Potentials

Government Administration

Majority of the plans and programs instituted by Honorable Mayor Emmanuel Alejandrino are fully supported by the Planning and Development Office and by the different division heads and barangay officials. The various NGOs and POs are also actively involved in the municipal planning processes through their representatives who are members of the Local Development Council. Given this support, the LGU’s implementation of its programs and realization of its plans can be easily achieved.

Partnerships

The local government of Arayat has so far displayed a willingness to enter into partnerships with national government agencies (implementation of national government programs), foreign-funding institutions (infrastructure development), and the academe and experts (creation of local development plans). Its openness to such mutual endeavors shows that the local government has been able to assess its weaknesses and at the same time has managed to find solutions to address such deficiencies.

Increase in Self-Reliance

Aside from updating its tax map and increasing its collection efficiency, the Local Finance Committee should come up with different means and strategies to increase the income of the LGU. Self-reliance must be a primary objective to sustain the growth and development of the municipality.

Constraints

Absence of Universities and Vocational Schools

There are no colleges/universities or leading vocational schools in Arayat. The value of educational institutions to meet the demand of development has to be underscored. Knowledge must be accessible to equip the municipality’s human resources and make them ready for technological and economic advancement. Arayat should therefore start considering the establishment of local schools.

Drop-out Rates and Repetition Rates

Although dropout and repetition rates have generally decreased, there are still schools in certain barangays that have not attained the best score. In AY 2015-2016, all barangays in Arayat District have percentages of repetition rates with Mapalad(8%), and Batasan(6.21%) and Tabuan(6.10%) having the highest repetition rates. For dropout rates, only 4 barangays have these rates in the East district, with Tabuan at the highest (1.50%). For Arayat West, all barangays have repetition rates with Plaza Luma and Mesulo having the highest (13.43% and 11.32% respectively). 7 barangays have dropout rates in the west district and Palinlang has the highest (1.84%).

Dropout and repetition rates are indicative of unsatisfactory performance either of students or teachers or even the education system itself; thus, schools have to do internal and external evaluation to address the problem.

Health Issues and Concerns

Considering the DOH standard ratio, the number of health stations and personnel in the public health system of Arayat needs to be improved to attain the national requirements. Based on the latest data provided by the Municipal Health Office (MHO), Arayat has 25 barangay health centers for 30 barangays– which is below the standard of 1 health center per barangay. In terms of personnel, the RHUs of Arayat only have 3 doctors, 4 nurses, 17 midwives, and 3 sanitary inspectors.

Sanitary disposal of human waste is also a consideration since it can be a factor in reducing disease and mortality. According to the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) report of the National Statistics Office (NSO), three (3) in five (5) households in the Philippines have a private flush toilet. Toilets that flush into a septic tank are much more common in urban areas than in rural areas where pit latrines are more common. Some people in Pampanga, including Arayat, still do not have an access to sanitary toilet facilities.

Understaffed Protective Services Offices

Lack of patrolling personnel is observed in Arayat if standard for protective services, namely at least 1 police officer to serve 1000 people, is taken into account. Arayat has 1 police officer for every 3,279 population.

The Arayat Fire Station employs 13 firefighters. The fire station utilizes two fire trucks. Similar to the situation of the police force in the municipality, the number of fire fighters is also inadequate.

Housing Backlog and ISF

There is a total of 1,797 informal settlers in the municipality. The barangays with the largest number of informal settlers are Cacutud (364), San Mateo (247), and Candating (154). This problem in the housing sector calls for immediate solution.

Congested Cemeteries

Public cemeteries (the Municipal Cemetery and Catholic Cemetery) are both congested. To allot more public lands for this particular need is quite urgent, considering those who cannot afford to buy lots in private cemeteries.

Potentials

Availability of land for social infrastructure

Vast tracts of land are underutilized in Arayat. Improvement of current social infrastructure, particularly housing and health services, should be easily realized because of these available lands. The need to have more public cemeteries can also be addressed by considering the potential use of these spaces.

Constraints

Congested Poblacion and Traffic

The increasing number of motor vehicles creates poor traffic movement in the municipality, particularly in the Poblacion area. Sidewalks and some parts of the roads are being utilized as temporary terminals and parking spaces for both private cars and public tricycles. Some portions of the National Road are being widened in order to ease traffic.

Motor vehicles are the main means of transportation in the municipality. Tricyles (motorcycle with a sidecar) are the most common mode of transportation in Arayat because of low fare charges and numerous routes they can serve. They are also convenient means for commuting short distances and feeder trips such as between residential area, municipal roads and adjacent barangays. There are over a thousand registered public motorcycles in Arayat. However, temporary tricycle terminals are situated alongside the commercial roads, thus causing traffic congestion especially during peak hours.

Poor Water Source Distribution System

According to the NHTS, there are a number of households who still do not have their own faucets or tube/piped wells. Households with shared faucets are 501, while those with shared tube or piped wells are 5546. Other sources for water include dug wells (136), spring, river, or stream (137), and collected rainfall (2).

Potentials

Well Maintained Roads

A huge percentage of roads in Arayat are made of concrete and are in good condition, thus providing ease in terms of mobility, a prerequisite for economic and social development. Good roads reflect proper management; they are a plus factor in the life of a community.

Constraints

Poverty Incidence

Poverty incidence is the proportion of population whose annual per capita income falls below the per annual per capita poverty threshold to the total number of population (NSCB).

The annual per capita poverty threshold of the province of Pampanga increased in a span of three years. Region III fared better than other regions in the Philippines by ranking third lowest (12%) in poverty incidence in a 2009 survey. The poverty incidence of Arayat is .3003%.

Potentials

Vast Agricultural Lands

Arayat has crop production as its main source of economic activities in the primary sector. Twenty eight (28) barangays in Arayat have contributed an average of 5,174 hectares land for irrigated rice production yielding an average of 793.37 metric tons of irrigated rice crops from 2011 to 2015. Other crops include corn and vegetables. The vast agricultural lands that sustain food production is one reason for Pampanga’s low poverty incidence.

Arayat, in particular, has many areas with fertile soil that produce crops abundantly. To supplement their production, farmers may consider the processing of their produce. This diversification could be the start of a new economic activity in Arayat.

Increased Trade, Industry & Services

The type of business or trade found in the municipality varies from retail trades, banks, and service such as recreational and personal services. At present, there are 1,117 business establishments registered in the municipality.

Arayat has the Minor Central Business District found in the Poblacion as its shopping and service area, with the market as the main feature, complemented by shops and offices as well as recreational and transportation facilities.

Presence of Potential Tourism Areas

With its popular and majestic mountain, Arayat can be a tourism hub of Pampanga. No less than then President Manuel L. Quezon promoted and developed Arayat by putting up recreational facilities, swimming pools, living quarters and nursery at the base of the mountain, which is now called the Mount Arayat National Park. It has earned recognition as the oldest National Park in the country.

Mt. Arayat is the famous landmark and symbol of the entire province of Pampanga. Its being associated with the rich culture and history of the Kapampangans makes it an object of interest among tourists.

Besides the mountain, there are other significant heritage structures such as—- that can be developed to serve as tourist destinations in Arayat.