Zambales
Encyclopedia
Zambales is a province
of the Philippines
located in the Central Luzon
region
. Its capital is Iba
. Zambales borders Pangasinan
to the north, Tarlac
and Pampanga
to the east, and Bataan
to the south. The province lies between the South China Sea
and the Zambales Mountains
. With a land area of 3,700 km2, Zambales is the second largest among the seven provinces of Central Luzon. It has a population density of 170 people per square kilometer², one of the lowest in the country. The province is noted for its mangoes, which are abundant from January to April.
Zambales is served by the Subic Bay International Airport
, which is located in Cubi Point, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
, located in Bataan
province. Subic Bay Freeport Zone
is host to many tourist attractions which include casinos, beach resorts, parks, beachside huts and cottages and historical artifacts.
island, between the Zambales Mountains
and the South China Sea
. Its shoreline is very ragged, and features many coves and inlets. The mountain range on the eastern part of the province occupies about 60% of its total land area. Subic Bay, in the southernmost part of the province, provides a natural harbor, and was chosen as the location of an American naval base
. The peak of Mount Pinatubo
lies on the intersection of the boundaries between Zambales, Pampanga
, and Tarlac
. This volcano
, once considered dormant, erupted violently in 1991 its Caldera lies on the plains of Botolan, Zambales
, a vast portion of the province has acquired "desert like" features since being buried by more than 20 feet (6.1 m) of lahar.
in 1572, led by Juan de Salcedo
. Among the earliest towns founded were Masinloc
(1607), Iba
(1611), and Santa Cruz
(1612). Masinloc became the province's first capital. However, the capital was moved between among the three towns during its history before settling in Iba, due to its strategic location. The first civil governor of Zambales during the American era was the Honorable Potenciano Lesaca
from 1901-1903.
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.
Zambales Day is also celebrating during August 30.
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 Sambal, the Tagalogs
, the Ilocanos
, 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 to 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, from their tastes in food, clothing, and style.
Respect for elders is still importantly observed. Feast days of patron saints are still being practiced in the area, and hospitable Zambaleños are very accommodating when it comes to feasts.
. 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.
, and Ilocano are the three main languages of Zambales. Ilocano 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.
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 Mother 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 Mt. 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 in Barrio Pundaquit, San Antonio
, is home to a Spanish Light House built during the 1800s.
Provinces of the Philippines
The Provinces of the Philippines are the primary political and administrative divisions of the Philippines. There are 80 provinces at present, further subdivided into component cities and municipalities. The National Capital Region, as well as independent cities, are autonomous from any provincial...
of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
located in the Central Luzon
Central Luzon
Central Luzon , also known as Region III , is an administrative division or region of the Republic of the Philippines, primarily serve to organize the 7 provinces of the vast central plain of the island of Luzon , for administrative convenience...
region
Regions of the Philippines
In the Philippines, regions are administrative divisions that serve primarily to organize the provinces of the country for administrative convenience. Currently, the archipelagic republic of the Philippines is divided into 17 regions...
. Its capital is Iba
Iba, Zambales
Iba is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. It is the capital municipality of Zambales. According to the latest census, it has a population of 44,344 people in 7,260 households....
. Zambales borders Pangasinan
Pangasinan
Pangasinan is a province of the Republic of the Philippines. The provincial capital is Lingayen. Pangasinan is located on the west central and peripheral area of the island of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf, with the total land area being 5,368.82 square kilometers . According to the latest census,...
to the north, Tarlac
Tarlac
Tarlac is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Luzon Island. Its capital is Tarlac City. Tarlac borders Pampanga to the south, Nueva Ecija to the east, Pangasinan to the north, and Zambales to the west...
and Pampanga
Pampanga
Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Pampanga is bordered by the provinces of Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to the north, and Bulacan to the southeast...
to the east, and Bataan
Bataan
Bataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north...
to the south. The province lies between the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
and the Zambales Mountains
Zambales Mountains
The Zambales Mountains is a mountain range located on western Luzon island in the Philippines. The mountains separate Luzon's central plain from the South China Sea. Its most prominent section is known as the Tri-Cabusilan Mountain Range composed of Mt. Pinatubo, Mount Negron and Mount Cuadrado...
. With a land area of 3,700 km2, Zambales is the second largest among the seven provinces of Central Luzon. It has a population density of 170 people per square kilometer², one of the lowest in the country. The province is noted for its mangoes, which are abundant from January to April.
Zambales is served by the Subic Bay International Airport
Subic Bay International Airport
-Cargo airlines:As of October 2010, there are no cargo airlines operating in Subic Bay International Airport.FedEx Express closed its hub at Subic Bay on February 6, 2009, this was the first hub to be closed in FedEx's history...
, which is located in Cubi Point, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
Subic Bay Freeport Zone
Subic Bay Freeport Zone , which is known simply as Subic Bay, is the Philippines' first success case of a into a tax- and duty-free zone similar to Hong Kong and Singapore, operated and managed by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority or SBMA. It covers the fenced area of the former U.S...
, located in Bataan
Bataan
Bataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north...
province. Subic Bay Freeport Zone
Subic Bay Freeport Zone
Subic Bay Freeport Zone , which is known simply as Subic Bay, is the Philippines' first success case of a into a tax- and duty-free zone similar to Hong Kong and Singapore, operated and managed by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority or SBMA. It covers the fenced area of the former U.S...
is host to many tourist attractions which include casinos, beach resorts, parks, beachside huts and cottages and historical artifacts.
Climate
Zambales has two pronounced seasons: dry from October to June, and wet from July to September.Physical
Zambales lies on the western shores of LuzonLuzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
island, between the Zambales Mountains
Zambales Mountains
The Zambales Mountains is a mountain range located on western Luzon island in the Philippines. The mountains separate Luzon's central plain from the South China Sea. Its most prominent section is known as the Tri-Cabusilan Mountain Range composed of Mt. Pinatubo, Mount Negron and Mount Cuadrado...
and the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
. Its shoreline is very ragged, and features many coves and inlets. The mountain range on the eastern part of the province occupies about 60% of its total land area. Subic Bay, in the southernmost part of the province, provides a natural harbor, and was chosen as the location of an American naval base
U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay
U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay was a major ship-repair, supply, and rest and recreation facility of the United States Navy located in Zambales, Philippines. It was the largest U.S...
. The peak of Mount Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano located on the island of Luzon, near the tripoint of the Philippine provinces of Zambales, Tarlac, and Pampanga. It is located in the Tri-Cabusilan Mountain range separating the west coast of Luzon from the central plains, and is west of the dormant and...
lies on the intersection of the boundaries between Zambales, Pampanga
Pampanga
Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Pampanga is bordered by the provinces of Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to the north, and Bulacan to the southeast...
, and Tarlac
Tarlac
Tarlac is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Luzon Island. Its capital is Tarlac City. Tarlac borders Pampanga to the south, Nueva Ecija to the east, Pangasinan to the north, and Zambales to the west...
. This volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
, once considered dormant, erupted violently in 1991 its Caldera lies on the plains of Botolan, Zambales
Botolan, Zambales
Botolan is a 1st class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 51,675 people in 9,629 households.Botolan is the largest municipality in terms of land area in the province...
, a vast portion of the province has acquired "desert like" features since being buried by more than 20 feet (6.1 m) of lahar.
History
The area now occupied by Zambales was first explored by the SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 1572, led by Juan de Salcedo
Juan de Salcedo
Juan de Salcedo was a Spanish conquistador. He was born in Mexico in 1549 and he was the grandson of Miguel López de Legazpi and brother of Felipe de Salcedo. Salcedo was one of the soldiers who accompanied the Spanish colonization of the Philippines in 1565...
. Among the earliest towns founded were Masinloc
Masinloc, Zambales
Masinloc is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 40,603 people in 7,790 households.-Barangays:Masinloc is politically subdivided into 13 barangays.* Baloganon* Bamban...
(1607), Iba
Iba, Zambales
Iba is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. It is the capital municipality of Zambales. According to the latest census, it has a population of 44,344 people in 7,260 households....
(1611), and Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, Zambales
Santa Cruz is a 2nd class municipality located on the northern edge of the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 52,202 people in 9,754 households....
(1612). Masinloc became the province's first capital. However, the capital was moved between among the three towns during its history before settling in Iba, due to its strategic location. The first civil governor of Zambales during the American era was the Honorable Potenciano Lesaca
Potenciano Lesaca
Potenciano Lesaca was a Filipino politician and businessman who became the first civil governor of Zambales, a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. He served from 1901–1903, and was the first governor of the American era....
from 1901-1903.
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
Austronesian people
The Austronesian-speaking peoples are various populations in Oceania and Southeast Asia that speak languages of the Austronesian family. They include Taiwanese aborigines; the majority ethnic groups of East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, Madagascar, Micronesia, and Polynesia,...
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.
Zambales Day is also celebrating during August 30.
Demographics and culture
The Aetas of Mount PinatuboMount Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano located on the island of Luzon, near the tripoint of the Philippine provinces of Zambales, Tarlac, and Pampanga. It is located in the Tri-Cabusilan Mountain range separating the west coast of Luzon from the central plains, and is west of the dormant and...
were the earliest inhabitants of what is now the province of Zambales. They were later displaced by the Sambal
Sambal people
The Sambal are a Filipino ethnolinguistic group living primarily in the province of Zambales, the city of Olongapo, and the Pangasinense municipalities of Bolinao and Anda...
, an Austronesian people
Austronesian people
The Austronesian-speaking peoples are various populations in Oceania and Southeast Asia that speak languages of the Austronesian family. They include Taiwanese aborigines; the majority ethnic groups of East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, Madagascar, Micronesia, and Polynesia,...
after whom the province is named. Many Sambal still believe in superstitions and mysteries that have been handed down through the generations.
The Sambal, the Tagalogs
Tagalog people
The Tagalog people are an ethnic group in the Philippines. The name Tagalog comes from either the native term tagá-ilog, meaning 'people living along the river', or another native term, tagá-alog, meaning 'people living along the ford', a ford being a shallow part of a river or stream where people,...
, the Ilocanos
Ilocano people
The Ilocano or Ilokano people are the third largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group. Aside from being referred to as Ilocanos, from "i"-from, and "looc"-bay, they also refer to themselves as Samtoy, from the Ilocano phrase "sao mi ditoy", meaning 'our language here.' The word "Ilocano" came from...
, and the Kapampangans
Kapampangan people
The Kapampangans or Capampan͠gans are the sixth largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group, numbering about 2,890,000. The original Kapampangans may have descended from Austronesian-speaking immigrants to Luzon during the Iron Age.The province of Pampanga is traditional homeland of the Kapampangans...
today constitute the four largest ethnic groups
Ethnic groups in the Philippines
The Philippine islands are inhabited by number of different ethnic groups. The majority of the population is composed of ethnolinguistic groups whose languages are Austronesian in origin. Many of these groups converted to Christianity, and adopted many foreign elements of culture...
in Zambales; these identities may and do, however, overlap with one another due to intermarriage
Miscegenation
Miscegenation is the mixing of different racial groups through marriage, cohabitation, sexual relations, and procreation....
and other factors. Most of the people of southern Zambales are migrants from different parts of the country owing to the influx of job opportunities brought on by the U.S Subic Naval Base
U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay
U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay was a major ship-repair, supply, and rest and recreation facility of the United States Navy located in Zambales, Philippines. It was the largest U.S...
(San Antonio
San Antonio, Zambales
San Antonio is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Zambales in the Philippines. According to the latest Philippine census, it has a population of 32,494 people in 6,483 households in an area of 18,812 hectares...
and Subic
Subic, Zambales
Subic is a 1st class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 77,118 people in 13,882 households....
) during the American
History of the Philippines (1898-1946)
This article covers the history of the Philippines from 1898 to 1946. It spans the Spanish-American War which resulted in the United States acquiring sovereignty over the Philippines from Spain via the Treaty of Paris which ended that war, the Philippines as a U.S. territory and later as a U.S...
regime of the country. Many people found jobs and permanently settled there. The presence of the Americans greatly influenced the inhabitants, from their tastes in food, clothing, and style.
Respect for elders is still importantly observed. Feast days of patron saints are still being practiced in the area, and hospitable Zambaleños are very accommodating when it comes to feasts.
Municipalities
Zambales is subdivided into 13 municipalities and 1 cityCities of the Philippines
A city is a tier of local government in the Philippines. All Philippine cities are chartered cities, whose existence as corporate and administrative entities is governed by their own specific charters in addition to the Local Government Code of 1991, which specifies the administrative structure...
. Olongapo City
Olongapo City
The City of Olongapo is a highly urbanized city located in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 227,270 people in 50,300 households.-History:...
is a highly urbanized city and administers itself autonomously from the province. Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal
Scarborough Shoal
Scarborough Shoal or Scarborough Reef , more correctly described as a group of islands and reefs in an atoll shape than a shoal, is located between the Macclesfield Bank and Luzon, Philippines in the South China Sea. As with most of the landforms in this sea, the sovereignty of the area is disputed...
) a Philippine-claimed EEZ, is a designated part of the province.
- SubicSubic, ZambalesSubic is a 1st class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 77,118 people in 13,882 households....
- Castillejos
- San Marcelino
- San AntonioSan Antonio, ZambalesSan Antonio is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Zambales in the Philippines. According to the latest Philippine census, it has a population of 32,494 people in 6,483 households in an area of 18,812 hectares...
- San NarcisoSan Narciso, ZambalesSan Narciso is a 4th class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 24,856 people in 5,319 households.San Narciso is famous for its beaches that is suited for surfing...
- San FelipeSan Felipe, ZambalesSan Felipe is a 4th class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the 2007 Philippine census, it has a population of 21,322 people in 4,094 households.-Barangays:San Felipe is politically subdivided into 11 barangays....
- Cabangan
- Botolan
- IbaIba, ZambalesIba is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. It is the capital municipality of Zambales. According to the latest census, it has a population of 44,344 people in 7,260 households....
- Palauig
- Masinloc
- CandelariaCandelaria, ZambalesCandelaria is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 24,243 people in 4,321 households.Candelaria is approximately 42 km from the capital town of Iba...
- Santa CruzSanta Cruz, ZambalesSanta Cruz is a 2nd class municipality located on the northern edge of the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 52,202 people in 9,754 households....
Language
Sambal, TagalogTagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
, and Ilocano are the three main languages of Zambales. Ilocano has 115,337 native speakers, Sambal has 114,637, and Tagalog has 250,637 (plus 24,995 non-native speakers
Second language
A second language or L2 is any language learned after the first language or mother tongue. Some languages, often called auxiliary languages, are used primarily as second languages or lingua francas ....
). 119,126 spoke other languages as their mother tongue, such as Kapampangan
Kapampangan language
The Pampangan language, or Kapampangan , is one of the major languages of the Philippines. It is the language spoken in the province of Pampanga, the southern half of the province of Tarlac and the northern portion of the province of Bataan. Kapampangan is also understood in some barangays of...
, including non-Philippine languages
Philippine languages
The Philippine languages are a 1991 proposal by Robert Blust that all the languages of the Philippines and northern Sulawesi—except Sama–Bajaw and a few languages of Palawan—form a subfamily of Austronesian languages...
such as English
Philippine English
Philippine English is the variety of English used in the Philippines by the media and the vast majority of educated Filipinos. English is taught in schools as one of the two official languages of the country, the other being Filipino, a standardized version of Tagalog.English is used in education,...
. 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. There are also several colleges within the premises of SBMA.Tourist attractions
Zambales hosts 173 kilometers 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, though this can vary greatly with 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 Mother 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 Mt. 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 in Barrio Pundaquit, San Antonio
San Antonio, Zambales
San Antonio is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Zambales in the Philippines. According to the latest Philippine census, it has a population of 32,494 people in 6,483 households in an area of 18,812 hectares...
, is home to a Spanish Light House built during the 1800s.