[3] It is a mainly agricultural and fishing community; industry includes casket manufacture, ceramics, and carpentry.

[5] The town's name is derived from Baliwag ("tardy" in Kapampangan) a reference to local habit of arriving late for Mass.

The town was the site of the bloody encounter between Filipino and American forces during Philippine Revolution known as the Battle of Santo Tomas.

The municipality of Santo Tomas, the smallest and youngest town in Pampanga, is at the heart of the province.

During the American rule (1898–1946), the elected mayor and local officials, including the appointed ones, hold office at the Municipal Town Hall.

[25] On July 23, 2012, incumbent mayor Joselito Naguit[26] filed his counter-affidavit to the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon on graft charges against him by former municipal administrator Rodelio Garcia.

The mayor said over the weekend that "the P9.5 million in cash advances he allegedly made for the months of May to November 2011 were all returned, accounted for to the last centavo and deposited in the municipal fund of Santo Tomas.

"[27] In March 2012, Mayor Naguit opened the LGU's approved project under the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) on February 29, 2011: "P 700, 000 Improvement and Concreting of Balangcas Road.

The 1767 St. Thomas the Apostle Parish Church (Santo Tomas, Pampanga) belongs to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando.

On February 14, 2004, the Parish Pastoral Center and Convent were blessed and inaugurated by Bishop Paciano Aniceto.