Zambales

This article is about the Philippine province. For other uses, see Zambales (disambiguation).

Zambales
Province
Provincial Capitol in Iba, decorated for the Mango Festival
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): Mango Capital of the Philippines, Chromite Capital of the Philippines, Wreck Diving Capital of the Philippines
Motto: Sulong Zambales! Arangkada Zambaleño
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 15°20′N 120°10′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Luzon (Region III)
Founded	1578
Capital	Iba
Government
• Type	Province of the Philippines
• Governor	Hermogenes Ebdane (Sulong Zambales Party)
• Vice Governor	Ramon G. Lacbain II (Sulong Zambales Party)
Area
• Total	3,830.83 km2 (1,479.09 sq mi)
Area rank	36th out of 80
Population (2010)
• Total	534,443
• Rank	37th out of 80
• Density	140/km2 (360/sq mi)
• Density rank	43rd out of 80
	Population (including Olongapo City): 755,621
Divisions
• Independent cities	1
• Component cities	0
• Municipalities	13
• Barangays	230 including independent cities: 247
• Districts	1st and 2nd districts of Zambales (shared with Olongapo City)
Demographics
• Ethnic groups	Tagalog (42%), Ilocano (28%), Sambal (27%), Others (3%)
• Languages	Tagalog, Ilocano, Sambal, Pangasinan, Kapampangan, English
Time zone	PHT (UTC+8)
ZIP code	2200 to 2213
Dialing code	47
ISO 3166 code	PH-ZMB
Website	www.zambalesnow.com

Zambales is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region in the island of Luzon. Its capital is Iba. Zambales borders Pangasinan to the north, Tarlac and Pampanga to the east, Bataan to the south and the South China Sea to the west. With a land area of 3,830.83 km², Zambales is the second largest among the seven provinces of Central Luzon. The province is noted for its mangoes, which are abundant from January to April.

Zambales does not have a functional airport - the closest airport is Clark International airport. Subic Bay International Airport, which is located in Cubi Point in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone is no longer functional for international or domestic flights.

The Freeport Zone (SBMA) is host to many tourist attractions which include casinos, beach resorts, parks, beachside huts and cottages and historical sites.

Etymology

The province's name came from the word zambal, which is a Hispanized term for Sambali. Zambal refers to the language spoken by the early Austronesian inhabitants of the place. A contending version states that the name was derived from the word samba, meaning worship, because the Spanish supposedly found the native inhabitants to be highly superstitious; worshiping the spirits of their ancestors.

History

The area now occupied by Zambales was first explored by the Spanish in 1572, led by Juan de Salcedo. Among the earliest towns founded were Subic (1572), Botolan (1572), Masinloc (1607), Iba (1611), and Santa Cruz (1612). Masinloc became the province's first capital. However, the capital was moved among the last three towns above during its history before settling in Iba, due to its strategic location. Seven of the province's original northern towns, which included Bolinao, Infanta and Alaminos were later transferred under the jurisdiction of Pangasinan because of their distance from the capital. The first civil governor of Zambales during the American era was Potenciano Lesaca from 1901-1903.

Zambales Day is celebrated every August 30.

Geography

Physical

Zambales lies on the western shores of Luzon island along the South China Sea. Its shoreline is ragged and features many coves and inlets. The Zambales Mountains in the eastern part of the province occupies about 60% of the total land area of Zambales. Subic Bay, at the southern end of the province, provides a natural harbor, and was the location of the U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay until its closure in 1992.

Several coves such as this in San Antonio feature the western coastline of the province.

The Zambales Mountains as viewed from San Antonio.

The summit and crater lake of Mount Pinatubo lies within Botolan municipality in Zambales, near the tripoint of Zambales, Pampanga, and Tarlac provinces. This volcano, once considered dormant, erupted violently in 1991. The former summit of the volcano was obliterated by the eruption and replaced by a 2.5 km (1.6 mi) wide caldera, within which Lake Pinatubo is situated. With an average depth of 800 m (2,600 ft), Lake Pinatubo is the deepest lake in the Philippines. The highest point of the caldera rim is 1,485 m (4,872 ft) above sea level, some 260 m (850 ft) lower than the pre-eruption summit. A vast portion of the Zambales province acquired desert-like features in 1991, after being buried by more than 20 feet (6.1 m) of lahar.

Climate

Zambales has two pronounced seasons: dry from October to June, and wet from July to September.

Administrative

Zambales is subdivided into 13 municipalities and 1 highly urbanized city, which are divided into two legislative districts. Olongapo City is a highly urbanized city and administers itself autonomously from the province. Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal) a Philippine-claimed EEZ, is a designated part of the province.

 †  Provincial capital

     Highly urbanized city

Seal	Municipality or city	Legislative district	Land area (km2)	Population (2010)	Pop. density (per km2)	No. of barangays	ZIP code	Income class	Location
	Botolan	2nd	735.28	54,434	74	31	2202	1st
	Cabangan	2nd	175.29	23,082	130	22	2203	4th
	Candelaria	2nd	333.59	25,020	75	16	2212	3rd
	Castillejos	1st	92.99	48,845	530	14	2208	1st
	Iba †	2nd	153.38	46,761	300	14	2201	1st
	Masinloc	2nd	331.50	44,342	130	13	2211	1st
	Olongapo City	1st	185.00	221,178	1,200	17	2200	1st
	Palauig	2nd	310.00	33,286	110	19	2210	3rd
	San Antonio	2nd	188.12	34,217	180	14	2206	2nd
	San Felipe	2nd	111.60	22,020	200	11	2204	4th
	San Marcelino	1st	416.86	31,879	76	18	2207	1st
	San Narciso	2nd	71.60	26,966	380	17	2205	4th
	Santa Cruz	2nd	438.46	53,867	120	25	2213	1st
	Subic	1st	287.16	89,724	310	16	2209	1st
	Zambales TotalA	1st - 2nd districts	3,830.83	751,621	197.24	247	2200 - 2213	2nd

^A All total figures include the independent city of Olongapo

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Barangays

The 13 municipalities and 1 city of the province comprise a total of 247 barangays, with Santa Rita in Olongapo City as the most populous in 2010, and Owaog-Nibloc in Botolan as the least. If cities are excluded, Calapacuan in Subic has the highest population as of 2010.

Further information: List of barangays in Zambales

Demographics

Population census of Zambales
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1990	369,665	—
1995	389,512	+0.98%
2000	433,542	+2.32%
2007	493,085	+1.79%
2010	534,443	+2.97%
Excluding Olongapo City Source: National Statistics Office

See also: Aeta, Sambal people, Tagalog people, Ilokano people and Kapampangan people

The Aetas of Mount Pinatubo were the earliest inhabitants of what is now the province of Zambales. They were later displaced by the Sambal, an Austronesian people after whom the province is named. Many Sambal still believe in superstitions and mysteries that have been handed down through the generations.

The Tagalogs, the Ilocanos, the Sambal, and the Kapampangans today constitute the four largest ethnic groups in Zambales; these identities may and do, however, overlap with one another due to intermarriage and other factors. Most of the people of southern Zambales are migrants from different parts of the country owing the influx of job opportunities brought on by the U.S Subic Naval Base (San Antonio and Subic) during the American regime of the country. Many people found jobs and permanently settled there. The presence of the Americans greatly influenced the inhabitants in the province, from their tastes in food, clothing, and style.

Respect for elders is still observed. Town fiestas honoring patron saints are practiced in each parish, and Zambaleños are very accommodating when it comes to feasts.

Religion

The people of Zambales are predominantly Roman Catholic with 80% composition in religious adherence while Aglipayan is a significant minority religious group like in most province in Northern and Central Luzon. The remaining proportions are divided with other Christian groups such as Born Again Christians, Iglesia Ni Cristo, United Methodist Church, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventist as well as Non Christians which is usually represented by Muslims.

Languages

Languages Spoken (2000)
Language			Number of speakers
Tagalog			164,000
Ilokano			119,000
Sambal			117,000

Main articles: Sambalic languages, Tagalog language, Ilokano language and Kapampangan language

Sambal, Tagalog, and Ilokano are the three main languages of Zambales. Ilokano has 115,337 native speakers, Sambal has 114,637, and Tagalog has 250,637 (plus 24,995 non-native speakers). 119,126 spoke other languages as their mother tongue, such as Kapampangan, including non-Philippine languages such as English. About 75 percent of the population speaks and understands English to varying degrees of fluency, and road signs are written in that language.

Education

There are a number of higher educational institutions in the province. The Ramon Magsaysay Technological University, the first state university in the province can be found in Iba. It has also satellite campuses in the municipalities of Sta. Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Botolan, San Marcelino, Castillejos, and in the city of Olongapo. St. Joseph College-Olongapo, a college run by the Roman Catholic Church can be found in Olongapo City. The Columban College, run by the Catholic Church can be found also in Olongapo. The Magsaysay Memorial College is also run by the Roman Catholic Church and can be found in San Narciso.

Economy

Tourism plays a large role in the economy of Zambales. Local and foreign tourist flock its many beaches creating many job opportunities and contributing to the economy. Most of the province is still agricultural but there are considerable industrial zones that provide jobs not just for residents of Zambales but also for neighboring provinces. Mining has recently been booming in Zambales where there is an abundant deposit of Nickel and other minerals.

Tourist attractions

Zambales has 173 kilometres (107 mi) of beaches, with coral reefs, dive spots, surfing areas, hotels and day-use beach huts. The province is approximately a 3 to 4 hour drive from Manila, depending on traffic.

• The "Fiesta Poon Bato" (literal translation is Feast of the Sacred Stone), held in January, is a religious festival that attracts over half a million people each year. The festival venerates Ina Poon Bato (literal translation is Mother of the Sacred Stone) also known as Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buen Viaje (Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage), the oldest known image of the Virgin Mary in Asia. The Barrio of Poon Bato located in the Botolan that is host to the image and the fiesta, was completely destroyed during the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption. The icon was saved and moved, along with the barrio inhabitants, to nearby Loob Bunga Resettlement Area.

• The "Mango Festival" is held in the provincial capital of Iba every April, and the "Domorokdok" (Sambal word for Dance) Festival is held each May in Botolan. These include street dancing, agricultural shows, competitions like sand castle building and "bikini open" beauty pageants.

• The Capones Island Lighthouse in Barrio Pundaquit, San Antonio, is home to a Spanish Light House built during the 1800s.

• Paynauwen Festival it is the local town Festival In Iba,Zambales. The word Paynauwen Means to Rest.. It Is usually Celebrated after Dinamulag Festival

• Singkamas Festival in San Marcelino

• Mapanuepe Lake in San Marcelino

• Potipot Island in Candelaria

• Ramon Magsaysay House in Castillejos

• Sagrada Familia Cave in Santa Cruz

• San Salvador island in Masinloc

• Hermana Menor and Hermana Mayor island in Santa Cruz

• Century Old Tree in San Felipe

• St.Augustine Cathedral in Iba

External links

• Zambales mango remains to be sweetest, says DA official
• Baluate Ng Sambal
• Olongapo city news archive