San Fernando, municipality in the northern Philippines and capital of Pampanga Province, on central Luzon Island. An agricultural processing center, San Fernando is located on the southern edge of the Central Plain, the Philippines' major rice-producing region and an important sugar-producing area. Immediately to the north of San Fernando is scenic Mount Arayat, which rises abruptly from the Central Plain to an elevation of 1,026 m (3,366 ft). The town is located on a rail line and a major north-south highway. Both the railway and the highway run between Manila, 56 km (35 mi) to the south, and Dagupan, 120 km (75 mi) to the north. The highway continues to the cities of Angeles, Baguio, and the Ilocos coast. San Fernando is well known for religious festivals at Easter and Christmas. On Good Friday, believers reenact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and one or more volunteers is nailed to a cross. On the day before Christmas San Fernando holds a spectacular parade featuring large, paper-star lanterns called parols. Parols are found throughout the Philippines at Christmas, but they are especially elaborate and famous in San Fernando. San Fernando has a large Chinese population, many of them descended from Chinese who fled Manila, where they were persecuted during the 18th century. Population (1999) 216,867.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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