Balanga, Bataan

The word Balanga originates from the Kapampangan^{[citation needed]} word "balañga" (clay pot, or "banga" in Tagalog), which the town used to produce and which were among the best that can be found in the country.

Balanga was formerly a village of Abucay before it was established as a mission of the Dominican Order in the Provincial Charter of April 21, 1714, and later declared a vicariate on April 18, 1739, under the patronage of Saint Joseph. Upon the establishment of Bataan as a separate province in 1754, Balanga was made its capital by Governor-General Pedro Manuel de Arandía Santisteban due to its favorable location at the heart of the new territorial jurisdiction.

On December 30, 2000, Balanga was inaugurated as a city by virtue of Republic Act 8984 authored by Congressman Enrique "Tet" Garcia.^[5]

The city has extended its urban fringe to the west of Roman Superhighway, and a new growth center in Barangay Tuyo has been delineated in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. During the past years, the city saw a high record of residential growth. Consequently, with the expansion of the physical limits of the urban core, as well as the expected large increases in population, and the city's attractiveness to commercial and employment activities, the City Government of Balanga decided to undertake a Master Planning exercise and to propose various developmental projects that would establish Balanga as a well-planned community with quality and character that is innovative and special, although this is currently hindered by an unreliable electricity supply.^[6]

Balanga City is primarily a residential-agricultural city, with a rapidly growing commercial sector. It has a total land area of 11,163 hectares (27,580 acres), which comprises 8.13% of the total land area of Bataan. It is located at the eastern part of the province of Bataan and lies in the southwestern part of Central Luzon. It is bounded inland by the municipality of Abucay in the north, Pilar in the south, the municipalities of Bagac and Morong in the west and Manila Bay in the east. Balanga is 124 kilometres (77 mi) from Manila by land and about 31.2 nautical miles (57.8 km; 35.9 mi) by ferry to Manila.^[7]

Balanga is politically subdivided into 25 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

The population of Balanga in the 2020 census was 104,173 people,^[3] with a density of 930 inhabitants per square kilometre or 2,400 inhabitants per square mile.

Poverty incidence of Balanga

The City of Balanga has a total area of 5,698.99 hectares (14,082.5 acres) of land classified for agricultural use. 1,458.55 hectares (3,604.2 acres) of irrigated land, and 1,090.65 hectares (2,695.1 acres) upland, are utilized for crops production. In 2017, 8,144.42 metric tons (8,015.79 long tons; 8,977.69 short tons) of rice were produced.^[21]

The city classified 459 hectares (1,130 acres) of land to be utilized for aquaculture. It is composed of 148 hectares (370 acres) of coastal marine area, 276.6 hectares (683 acres) of brackish water fishpond and 34.4 hectares (85 acres) of freshwater fishpond. A total of 172 metric tons (169 long tons; 190 short tons) of marine products with an annual average of 5 metric tons (4.9 long tons; 5.5 short tons) per hectare are produced from freshwater fishponds with tilapia is the most common specie cultured. For brackish water fishponds, 968 metric tons (953 long tons; 1,067 short tons) are produced with an average of 3.5 metric tons (3.4 long tons; 3.9 short tons) per hectare. Some of the species cultured in brackish water are bangus (milkfish), sugpo, vannamei shrimp and alimango (mud crab).

Balanga is well known for its smoked and dried fish products under the One Town One Product (OTOP) program. For the year 2017, there are ninety-nine (99) fish processors in the city mostly located in villages of Tortugas, Sibacan, Puerto Rivas Ibaba and Villa Lina in Barangay Tenejero.^[21]

The City of Balanga, while still predominantly agricultural is currently experiencing an accelerated growth in commercial sector. As capital of Bataan, it is the prime commercial hub in the province. Business enterprises are mainly wholesale and retail, servicing, construction, insurance, financing and manufacturing. Retail and trading comprise the largest number of business establishments in this city. Several shopping centers are located in the city, notably SM City Bataan, Vista Mall Bataan, Waltermart Balanga, Capitol Square, Galeria Victoria, Center Plaza Mall, Recar Commercial Complex and Ocampo's Megastore. While Robinsons Place Balanga City's construction is expected to start.

In 2008, 80 hectares (200 acres) of the city's central district was declared as a "University Town" through City Ordinance No. 21, Series of 2008. It aims to encourage the development of Balanga as an emerging hub for start-ups and technology-related businesses in the Philippines.^[22]

The city is one of the twenty-five (25) emerging digital hubs identified by The Digital Cities 2025 program by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), and Leechiu Property Consultants, Inc. (LPC).^[23] It hosts several business process outsourcing (BPO) companies such as Genpact, Boston-based start-up Botkeeper, and Australia-based Yoonet.

To further improve its revenue generation capability, the City Government entered into several public–private partnership (PPP) projects, such as the Galeria Victoria, the Plaza Property which develops the city's main plaza, and the Capitol Square mall.

Pursuant to the Local government in the Philippines",^[24][25] the political seat of the municipal government is located at the City Hall. In the History of the Philippines (1521–1898), the Gobernadorcillo is the Chief Executive who holds office in the Presidencia. During the period of American rule (1898–1946) (History of the Philippines (1898-1946)), the elected Mayor and local officials, including the appointed ones, hold office at the Municipal Town or City Hall. The legislative and executive departments perform their functions in the Sangguniang Panglungsod (Session Hall) and the Regional and Metropolitan Trial Courts, respectively, and are located in the second floor of the City Hall and in the Halls of Justice.

• Mayor: Francis S. Garcia (National Unity)
• Vice Mayor: Vianca Lita V. Gozon (National Unity)
• Councilors:

The City administration envisions the City of Balanga as U-Town, a World Class University Town in 2020 (City Ordinance No. 21, Series of 2008, "Declaring the eighty point forty-two (80.42) hectares at the city's central district as University Town in the City of Balanga, Bataan").^[26]

Balanga listed a 'Record-Breaking' P6B Investments In 2012.Balanga City won the 1st Robredo ICT Awards.^[27]

• Balanga Wetland and Nature Park. In 2005, the 11-hectare Park, situated along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway in Barangay Tortugas was founded by Tet Garcia and the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, President Michael Lu. The site of the “Ibong Dayo” festival since December, 2010 became a community-based ecotourism zone per Republic Act 11365 or "Balanga Wetland and Nature Park Responsible Ecotourism Act" signed by Rodrigo Duterte on August 8, 2019.^[28][29][30]
• Plaza Major de Balanga - Poblacion
• Bataan Capitol Center - San Jose
• Bataan Tourism Park - Tenejero
• Doña Francisca Public Park - Doña Francisca

• Surrender of Bataan Site Marker - Talisay
• Bataan World War II Museum - Talisay

• Balanga Cathedral (Diocesan Shrine and Cathedral Parish of St. Joseph) -
• Divine Mercy Shrine of Diocese Balanga
• Santo Cristo Parish Church - Paterno Street, Cupang West
• San Roque Chapel - National Road, Tuyo
• The Risen Lord Chapel - Cuaderno Street, Doña Francisca
• Immaculate Conception Parish Church - Jose P. Rizal Street, Puerto Rivas Ibaba
• Residencia Sacerdotal-Guadalupe Chapel - Fiscal Camacho Street, Tenejero
• Poor Clare Monastery of the Holy Spirit- Upper Tuyo, Balanga City
• Virgen Milagrosa del Rosario College Seminary Chapel- Upper Tuyo, Balanga City
• Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Chapel- Bahay Puso Compound, Upper Tuyo, Balanga City

List of accredited transport cooperatives as of January 2021:^[31]

• Balanga-Orani Transport Service MultiPurpose Cooperative (BOTSMPC)
• Bataan Jeepney Operators and Drivers Transport Service Cooperative
• Bataan United Bus Transport Srvice Cooperative
• Marbalolo Transport Service Cooperative
• Roadline Transport Service Cooperative

Access to health services in the city is adequate with the presence of one government owned general hospital and four private hospitals.

• Bataan Doctors Hospital and Medical Center - Cuaderno Street, Brgy. Doña Francisca
• Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center (a DOH regional hospital^[32]) - Manahan Street, Brgy. Tenejero
• Isaac Catalina Medical Center - Calero Street, Brgy. Poblacion
• Centro Medico de Santisimo del Rosario - Roman Superhighway, Tenejero
• Saint Joseph Hospital and Medical Center - Don Manuel Banzon Avenue, Brgy. Poblacion - On December 15, 2023, the first A.I.-powered catheterization laboratory (CathLab) in the Central Luzon region was inaugurated in this hospital, enhancing the capability in treating vascular, cardiac, oncologic, and neurological (VCON) problems.^[33]
• Balanga Medical Center (formerly Bataan Women's Hospital) - Palmera Street, Brgy. San Jose
• Balanga Medical Center-Four Lanes (under construction) - National Road corner E. Garcia Sr. Avenue, Tuyo

The City of Balanga also has one City Health Office (CHO) and four (4) functional PhilHealth-accredited Rural Health Units (RHU). RHU 1 in San Jose houses the Basic Emergency Maternal and New Born Care Facility. While the Newborn Screening (NBS) facility is located in RHU 3 in Barangay Cupang Proper. RHU 4 in Barangay Tenejero is the newest, established in March 2017. These government-owned facilities provide free pre-natal, delivery and post natal services, family planning, women's health and safe motherhood counseling, control of diarrheal diseases, expanded program on immunization, control of acute respiratory illness, TB Dots clinic, diabetic clinic and STD AIDS social hygiene clinic. These are augmented by 22 smaller barangay health stations and one Dental Bus making health care more accessible to a greater number of the city residents. Numerous privately owned medical facilities can also be found all over the city. These include 19 medical and 19 dental clinics, 14 laboratory and diagnostic centers and 10 beauty and skin care facilities.^[34]

Being a Hall of Fame Awardee of the Department of Health's Red Orchid Award, the City of Balanga is strictly implementing the Smoke-Free Policy. Regular anti–smoking campaign for colleges, university and schools, and orientation on health ordinances are conducted regularly across the city. The Comprehensive No Smoking Ordinance of the City of Balanga prohibits the sale, distribution, usage, and promotion of all tobacco products and electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) also known as "vape", within the declared University Town area and within the three (3) kilometers radius of the city.

To ensure and expand the city's strong advocacy for 100% tobacco-free environment, the City Government launched the Tobacco-Free Generation (TFG) Campaign last December 2015. It is intended to secure the Millennials’ (those who were born from the year 2000 and onwards) commitment to not smoke. With this program, the City of Balanga was awarded with “World Health Recognition for Heath Cities Best Practice, Youth Engagement to Promote Tobacco Control” last August 29, 2016.^[34]

Balanga City is the educational center of the province of Bataan. It currently has one state-owned university and several private colleges offering Baccalauréat degrees in accountancy, business administration, entrepreneurship, computer science and information technology, teaching, engineering, architecture, and health.

Bataan Peninsula State University, a state-owned institution, has its two biggest campuses located in the city: the main campus in the capitol compound, and a satellite campus located in downtown area.

Tomas del Rosario College is one of the oldest private educational institutions in the city. It is located in the Capitol Drive in Barangay San Jose. The other private colleges in the city include Asia Pacific College of Advanced Studies, Eastwoods Professional College of Science and Technology (formerly SOFTNET College of Science and Technology), Bataan Heroes Memorial College, Microcity Computer College and St. Joseph's College.

Other higher educational institutions in the city of Balanga include: AMA Computer Learning Center, Philippine Women's University-CDCEC Bataan, Bataan Maritime Institute, and Proclesia International Incorporated.

The city hosts the biggest public secondary school in the province, Bataan National High School. Other public secondary schools present are Balanga City National Science High School, City of Balanga National High School and the Bataan Integrated School. While private secondary schools in the city include the high school departments of Asia Pacific College of Advanced Studies, Bataan Infant Jesus School, Bataan Montessori School, Inc., Tomas del Rosario College and St. Joseph Colleges of Balanga.

• Albert Garcia - 24th Governor of Bataan, former representative of Bataan's Second District, and former Mayor of Balanga.
• Cesar Banzon Bautista - was the 13th Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Kingdom and was the Secretary of Trade and Industry from 1996 to 1998.^[35]
• Chito Jaime - Filipino professional basketball player who plays for the Muntinlupa Cagers of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League and the Philippine Basketball Association.
• Elisse Joson - Filipina actress, endorser, model and businesswoman
• Janine Tugonon - Miss Universe 2012 1st runner-up
• Jose Enrique S. Garcia III - current representative of Bataan's Second District, and former Mayor of Balanga.
• Jose Acuzar - also known as "Jerry" Acuzar, is a prominent real estate businessman. He founded and owns New San Jose Builders, Inc, Manuel L. Quezon University in Quezon City, and the renowned heritage resort Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar. On July 29, 2022, newly elected President Bongbong Marcos appointed him as Secretary of Housing Settlements and Urban Development.^[36]
• Jose Isidro Camacho - economist who served as the Philippines' Secretary of Energy and later on as Secretary of Finance under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He is also a member of the Group of Experts of the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum, Singapore's Securities Industry Council, and the International Advisory Panel of the Securities Commission of Malaysia.
• Julian Banzon - Filipino biochemist and National Scientist of the Philippines.
• Leonila dela Fuente Dans - is a medical researcher and consultant. Her book, "Painless Evidence-Based Medicine", which she co-wrote with husband Dr. Antonio L. Dans and Dr. Maria Asuncion A. Silvestre, is a bestseller among rheumatologists. Her researches include “Randomized Controlled Trial and Cost Benefit Analysis-Zinc Implementation for Acute Diarrhea” for children less than five years old, and the “Utilization of Clinical Practice Guidelines in the Philippines.”^[37]
• Luz Magsaysay - wife of Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay and the seventh First Lady of the Philippines.
• Miguel Cuaderno Sr. - was the 17th Finance Secretary of the Philippines under Manuel Roxas and the first Governor of the Central Bank of the Philippines from 1949 to 1960. He was also a constitutionalist being one of the “Seven Wise Men” who drafted the 1935 Philippine Constitution.
• Norberto Gonzales - was the Secretary of National Defense (July 2, 2007 – August 7, 2007), and National Security Advisor (February 2005 – July 2, 2007)
• Orlando Banzon Vea - commonly known as Doy Vea in the tech sector, co-founded Smart Communications along with David Fernando in 1991. He has since moved to several positions, including chief executive officer, President and Director of PLDT Communications and Energy Ventures as well as CEO, President and Director of DigiTel (Sun Cellular).^[38]
• Oscar V. Cruz - was the Archbishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan
• Oscar Joson - was the youngest Filipino to receive the US Congressional Gold Medal for bravery and sacrifice of own life. He was a 14-year old Boy Scout who died in Balanga during the early days of World War II.^[39]
• Pedro Tuason - was the Solicitor General of the Philippines (1921), he also served as Justice Secretary during the administration of President Ramon Magsaysay.^[40]
• Romi Garduce - first Filipino to climb the Seven Summits.
• Teodoro Bacani Jr. - Bishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Novaliches.

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Balanga

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Balanga.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Balanga, Bataan.

• Official website
• Balanga City General Information
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information