:''For the mountain chain, see
Zambales Mountains. For the ethnic group, see
Sambal people.''
'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 km, Zambales is the second largest among the six 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 among the sweetest in the world. It is most abundant from January to April.
Zambales is served by the
Subic Bay International Airport, which is located in the municipality of
Subic, south of the provincial capital.
Subic Bay Freeport Zone is host to many tourist attractions which include casinos, beach resorts, parks, beachside huts and cottages and historical artifacts.
Demographics and culture
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 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[1] 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.
Language
Main articles: Sambal language,
Tagalog language,
Ilocano language,
Kapampangan language
Sambal,
Tagalog, and
Ilocano are the three main languages of Zambales. Ilocano has 115,337
native speakers, Sambal has 114,637, and Tagalog has 114,637 (plus 24,995
non-native speakers).
[2] 119,126 spoke other languages as their mother tongue, such as
Kapampangan, including non-
Philippine languages such as
English.
[3] About 75 percent of the population speaks and understands English to varying degrees of fluency, and
road signs are written in that language.
Economy
Geography
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
Luzon 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.
Political
Zambales is subdivided into 13
municipalities and 1
city.
Olongapo City is a highly urbanized city and administers itself autonomously from the province.
'City:'
★
Olongapo
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
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.
Tourist Attractions
Zambales has 173 kilometers of beautiful beaches owned by a hundred and one different private owners. Zambales enjoys being mothered by these private families who are Ilokano in origin; known for their penchant in neatness. Visitors and locals alike enjoy beaches with mountains in the backdrop, or beaches without mountains, beaches with fine black sand, or beaches with fine white sand. Others have coral reefs, some are dive spots, some have good surf, while other beaches offer nipa huts. Some beaches have hotels, while other beaches have airconditioned huts. Still other beaches do not have huts. The list goes on and on. What you can be guaranteed is that these beaches are pristine, and are only a 3 to 4 hour drive from Manila. The standard rule is that the farther the beaches are from Subic, the better and cleaner they become. Since the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991, Zambales has shown remarkable resilience to adversity. It has devoted itself to becoming a major tourist destination. Many resorts, which were damaged during Mt. Pinatubo's eruption, have been rebuilt "bigger and better."
Almost every type of accommodation can be found along the beautiful coastline. Major annual attractions include "Fiesta Poon Bato" in January. This is a religious festival that attracts over half a million people each year. Devotion to Ina Poon Bato (Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buen Viaje), the oldest known image of the Virgin Mother in Asia (as per Pigafeta's writings), is a must. The actual barrio of Poon Bato was completely destroyed during the Pinatubo eruption, but the icon was saved and moved to Danac Bunga in Botolan, where the Fiesta is held. Since Zambales mangos are the sweetest mangoes in the world (per the Guinness Book of World Records), the "Mango Festival" is held in the provincial capital of Iba every April. The "Domorokdok" festival is held each May in Botolan. These have all become major attractions that include street dancing, agricultural shows, competitions like sand castle building, "bikini open" beauty pageants, and much more.
Pundakit, in San Antonio, is also a site to behold. Nestled in the navel of the Zambales coastline, a Spanish Light House from the 1800s is found atop the "Islas de Punta Capones." This is reminiscent of places such as "Sierra Leone." Zambales is also home to the famous Crystal Beach surf in the quaint town of San Narciso. This surf spot is known as a "surfing paradise" closest to Manila. There you will find surf lessons, board rentals, as well as cozy accommodations.
See also
★
Super regions of the Philippines
References
1. http://www.world66.com/asia/southeastasia/philippines/iba/
2. http://www.visitzambales.com/newlayout/index.php?action=portfolio
3. ~
External links
★
Official Website of the Provincial Government
★
Subic Bay Zambales News
★
Rama International Beach Resort
★
Zambales Favorite Beach Resort
★
Properties for Sale or Lease
★ http://www.crystalbeach.com.ph - One of Zambales Resorts popular Beach
★ http://www.whiterock-beach-resort.com - Whiterock Resort Hotel
★ http://www.cafetolyo.8k.com Cafe Tolyo - A Restaurant, Bed & Breakfast in IBA
★ http://www.ihrra.8k.com - IBA Hotel Resort Restaurant Association
★
Executive Order No. 561: FORMATION OF THE "SUPER" REGIONS AND MANDATE OF THE SUPERREGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHAMPIONS
★
North Luzon Super Region: Potentials
★
North Luzon Super Region: Projects
العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
Español
