MARIA

Maria Aurora is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Aurora, Philippines. It is the only land-locked municipality of the province. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 33,551 people in 6,751 households. 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.

Maria Aurora is politically subdivided into 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

BALETE TREE (MILLENNIUM TREE)

This tree in Barangay Quirino, Ma. Aurora is claimed to be the largest Banyan tree in Asia. Locally known as Balete tree, it is estimated to be about 600+ years old. The ground that its roots occupy is about 10 to 15 meters in diameter and it is possible for adult people to squeeze into the center of its root network. The tree is about 60 meters tall and, from one of the photos above, you can see that it dwarfs a truck parked beside it.

MARIA AURORA

Dimasalang Falls

Dimasalang is a sitio of Brgy. Dimotol, Ma. Aurora, Aurora. It is one of the Barangays along the Ma. Aurora – Pantabangan road and located halfway along the route, between Brgy. Dianawan and Galintuja. From the look of the place – logged-out and mostly secondary forests, you wouldn’t guess that the place shelters a series of waterfalls called Dimasalang. The terraced waterfalls is just a 30-minute walk from the road. Years ago, the local government decided to develop the place and a kilometer long concrete walkway was constructed. Along the path, they also put up concrete cottages for the would-be travelers to the place.