Porac after Pinatubo

Porac has been a farming town since the Spanish founded it in the 1590s. In the 20th century it became a commuter town for Angeles as the American base at Clark grew. Then, in 1991, the volcano next door erupted.

Ash and lahar

Part of Mount Pinatubo lies within Porac, and the town was hit hard by ashfall. Worse followed: lahar filled its main river, the Pasig-Potrero, and buried villages under volcanic mud.

Two Poracs

The town recovered. Displaced residents were resettled in planned communities. North of the Pasig-Potrero, the barangays have been swallowed by the growing urban area of Angeles. South of the river, including the town centre, Porac keeps a rural feel, with hilly roads unlike the flat rest of the province.

The volcano as a destination

Today the same mountain brings visitors: the crater lake, the lahar gullies, Tutulari Avatar Gorge and the falls of Miyamit and Darabulbul. Read our Pinatubo tips before you go.