UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


                                  May 31, 2000
                                  ------------
                Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported)


                             FIRST COMMUNITY BANCORP
                             -----------------------
             (Exact Name of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)


                                   CALIFORNIA
                                   ----------
                 (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)


      00-30747                                           33-0885320
      --------                                           ----------
(Commission File Number)                       (IRS Employer Identification No.)


                                  6110 El Tordo
                        Rancho Santa Fe, California 92067
                        ---------------------------------
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices)(Zip Code)


                                 (858) 756-3023
                                 --------------
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code)


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ITEM 2.  MERGER WITH FIRST COMMUNITY BANK OF THE DESERT.

         First Community  Bancorp (the "Company")  serves as the holding company
for Rancho Santa Fe National Bank ("RSF").  First  Community  Bank of the Desert
("FCBD") was an independent  state chartered bank. On May 31, 2000, a subsidiary
of the Company  merged with and into FCBD  pursuant to an Agreement  and Plan of
Merger,  dated as of October 22, 1999, as amended (the "Merger  Agreement"),  by
and  between  the  Company,  RSF and FCBD,  (the  "Merger").  As a result of the
Merger, FCBD became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.

         Pursuant to the Merger Agreement,  each issued and outstanding share of
common stock of FCBD ("FCBD  Common  Stock")  prior to the Merger (other than as
provided in the Merger  Agreement)  was converted  into the right to receive 0.3
shares (the "Conversion Number") of common stock of the Company ("Company Common
Stock").  In addition,  each option and each  warrant to acquire  shares of FCBD
Common Stock outstanding  immediately prior to the Effective Time (as defined in
the Merger  Agreement)  was  converted  into an option to acquire  0.3 shares of
Company  Common  Stock.  Upon  consummation  of the Merger,  the Company  issued
approximately 1,392,873 shares of Company Common Stock to former holders of FCBD
Common Stock, and as a result, the former  shareholders of FCBD Common Stock own
shares  of  Company  Common  Stock  representing   approximately  35.9%  of  the
outstanding shares of Company Common Stock.

         The description of the Merger  Agreement  contained herein is qualified
in its  entirety by  reference  to the Merger  Agreement  which is  incorporated
herein as Exhibit 2.1.  After giving  effect to the Merger,  the total assets of
the Company and its  subsidiaries  increased to  approximately  $318.6  million,
total deposits  increased to approximately  $286.9 million and total shareholder
equity  increased  to  approximately  $26.8  million  as of March 31,  2000 on a
restated basis, before giving effect to merger costs and restructuring costs.

         As a part of the  Merger,  William  Powers,  the  President  and  Chief
Executive  Officer  of FCBD,  was  appointed  to the Board of  Directors  of the
Company.  A Press Release  announcing  consummation of the FCBD  acquisition was
issued on June 1, 2000,  a copy of which is attached  hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and
is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.

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ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA
             FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

     (A)  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BUSINESS ACQUIRED.

          Financial  statements for FCBD required by this item are  incorporated
     herein in their entirety by this reference to Exhibit 99.2 hereto.


     (B)  PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION.

          The  pro  forma  financial   information  required  by  this  item  is
     incorporated  herein in its  entirety  by this  reference  to Exhibit  99.3
     hereto.

     (C)  Exhibits.


     The following exhibits are filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K:

Exhibit
Number                                      Description
- ------                                      -----------

2.1       Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of October 22, 1999 among First
          Community Bancorp, Rancho Santa Fe National Bank and First Community
          Bank of the Desert (Exhibit 2.1 to First Community Bancorp's filing on
          form S-4, dated May 5, 2000, incorporated herein by reference).

23.1      Consent of KPMG LLP.

99.1      Press Release.

99.2      Audited Balance Sheets of First Community Bank of the Desert as of
          December 31, 1999 and 1998 and the related Statements of Operations,
          Changes in Stockholders' Equity and Cash Flows for each of the years
          in the three year period ended December 31, 1999 (Pages F-23 through
          F-41 of First Community Bancorp's filing on form S-4, dated May 5,
          2000, incorporated herein by reference).

99.3      Pro Forma Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2000 and December 31, 1999
          and pro forma income statements for the three months ending March 2000
          and March 1999 and pro forma income statements for each of the three
          years ended December 31, 1999.

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                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunder duly authorized.


Dated: June 9, 2000

                                           FIRST COMMUNITY BANCORP

                                           By:  /s/ Arnold C. Hahn
                                             ------------------------------
                                             Name:  Arnold C. Hahn
                                             Title: Executive Vice President and
                                                    Chief Financial Officer

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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit
Number                              Description
- ------                              -----------


2.1       Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of October 22, 1999 among First
          Community Bancorp, Rancho Santa Fe National Bank and First Community
          Bank of the Desert (Exhibit 2.1 to First Community Bancorp's filing on
          form S-4, dated May 5, 2000, incorporated herein by reference).

23.1      Consent of KPMG LLP.

99.1      Press Release.

99.2      Audited Balance Sheets of First Community Bank of the Desert as of
          December 31, 1999 and 1998 and the related Statements of Operations,
          Changes in Stockholders' Equity and Cash Flows for each of the years
          in the three year period ended December 31, 1999 (Pages F-23 through
          F-41 of First Community Bancorp's filing on form S-4, dated May 5,
          2000, incorporated herein by reference).

99.3      Pro Forma Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2000 and December 31, 1999
          and pro forma income statements for the three months ending March 2000
          and March 1999 and pro forma income statements for each of the three
          years ended December 31, 1999.



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