Bataan

Province of Bataan
Provincial seal of Bataan
Map of the Philippines with Bataan highlighted
Region	Central Luzon (Region III)
Capital	Balanga City
Divisions
- Independent cities	0
- Component cities	1
- Municipalities	11
- Barangays	237
- Congressional     districts	1st and 2nd districts of Bataan
Population
- Total (2007)	662,153 (40th out of 80) including independent cities: 662,153 (43rd out of 80)
- Density	482.27/km² (8th out of 80) including independent cities: 482.27/km² (9th out of 80)
Area
- Total	1,372.98 km² (72nd out of 80) including independent cities: 1,372.98 km² (72nd out of 80)
Founded	1754
Spoken languages	Tagalog, Kapampangan, English
Governor	Enrique T. Garcia jr. (Lakas-CMD)

Bataan as seen from Manila Bay.

Bataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north. The peninsula faces South China Sea to the west and Subic Bay to the north-west, and encloses Manila Bay to the east.

The Battle of Bataan is famous in history as one of the last stands of American and Filipino soldiers before they were overwhelmed by the Japanese forces in World War II. The Bataan Death March was named for this province, where the infamous march started. This is also a location of Bataan Nuclear Power Plant located in Municipality of Morong .

Geography

Political

Bataan is politically subdivided into 11 municipalities and 1 component city.

City

• Balanga City

Municipalities

• Abucay
• Bagac
• Dinalupihan
• Hermosa
• Limay
• Mariveles
• Morong
• Orani
• Orion
• Pilar
• Samal

Physical

The Bataan Peninsula is a rocky extension of the Zambales Mountains, on Luzon in the Philippines. It separates the Manila Bay from the South China Sea. The peninsula features Mount Natib (1,253 m) in the north and the Mariveles Mountains in the south, which includes Mount Samat, the location of the historical marker for the Bataan Death March.

Mariveles, at the southern tip, can be reached through jet ferry plying the Mariveles-to-Manila route that has an approximate travel time of 40 minutes.

History

Early history

In 1574, Limahong, a Chinese pirate used Bataan as the launching point for his attempt to conquer Luzon, which was unsuccessful. In 1647, Dutch naval forces landed in country in an attempt to seize the islands from Spain. The Dutch massacred the people of Abucay in Bataan.

The province of Bataan was established in 1754 by Governor-General Pedro Manuel Arandia out of territories belonging to Pampanga and the corregimiento of Mariveles which, at the time, included Maragondon, Cavite across the Manila Bay.

World War II

March 1942: General view showing houses burning as the result of Japanese bombing raid in Bataan, the Philippine Islands.

Bataan featured prominently during World War II. Prior to the 1941 Japanese invasion, the US Army stored nearly 1,000,000 US gallons (3,800 m³) of gasoline here.

Shortly after the Japanese Army invaded the country in December 1941, the combined US and Filipino forces were being gradually overrun and General Douglas MacArthur moved his troops to the Bataan Peninsular in an attempt to hold out until a relief force could be sent from the US. Japanese forces started a siege of the peninsula on January 7, 1942, and launched an all-out assault on April 3. The majority of the American and Filipino forces surrendered on April 9 and were forced to march more than a hundred kilometers from Bataan to Tarlac, which became known as the Bataan Death March.

Tourist attractions

Historical places

• First Abucay Catholic Church (The 411-year old Church)
• Mount Samat - Shrine of Valor (Pilar, Bataan)
• Zero Kilometre Death March Marker (Mariveles)

Natural-made places of interest

• Dunsulan Falls
• Pasukulan Falls (Abucay, Bataan)
• Sibul Spring (Abucay, Bataan)

Balong Anito (mariveles, bataan)

Resorts

• Abucay County Resort (Abucay, Bataan)
• Annjoline's Resort (Orani, Bataan)
• Big Splash Resort (Orani, Bataan)
• Baranda Resort (Limay, Bataan)
• Bataan Greenhills Farm Resort (Inisay, Abucay, Bataan)
• Bataan White Corals Beach Resort (Morong, Bataan)
• Bay Spring Resort (Mariveles, Bataan)
• Benipres Beach Resort (Orion, Bataan)
• Coralview Beach Resort (Morong, Bataan)
• Castle's Beach Resort (Saysain, Bagac, Bataan)
• Farmlandia Resort (Hermosa, Bataan)
• Joyous Resort (Balanga, Bataan)[http:www.joyousresort.com]
• Lavinia Resort (Orani, Bataan)
• Montemar Beach Resort (Bagac,Bataan)
• Morong Star Beach Resort (Morong, Bataan)
• Paran Resort (Samal, Bataan)
• Peninzula de Bataan (Orani, Bataan)
• Raven Resort (Abucay, Bataan)
• Summer Sea Beach Resort (Morong, Bataan)
• Sunmoon Beach Resort (Bagac, Bataan)
• Villa Amanda Resort (Abucay, Bataan)
• Waterfront Beach Resort (Morong, Bataan)

People and culture

Famous people in Bataan

• Tomas Pinpin (Abucay)^[1] - the "Prince of Filipino Printers" or the "Patriarch of Filipino Printing." He learned the art of printing about the end of 1608 in the Dominican-owned printing press in Abucay. In Abucay, Father Blancas employed in 1609 young Pinpin as an apprentice at the printing shop and taught him the art of printing. Later, the main elementary school in Abucay was named after him, Tomas Pinpin Memorial Elementary School. His statue can be found in the quadrangle of this elementary school.
• Kerby Raymundo (Orion) - PBA multi-awarded player, power forward, member of the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants and the Philippines national basketball team.
• Romi Garduce (Balanga) - mountain climber who reached Mount Everest.
• Mel Tiangco (Pilar) - popular television newscaster and television host; head of GMA Kapuso foundation.
• [Glenn Bautista][1] - Multi-awarded visual artist from Orion, Bataan. About his art: "In time, it became clear that Glenn's art is not one for the academically conservative and tradition-bound. Rather, it extends an invitation to the adventurous, being avant-garde in a quite inconspicuous way. More so, it has made a lasting mark on figurative art in the country today for it has opened numerous options. It has also engaged in the lively, exciting and highly original synthesis. Bautista, at present, devotes much of his time giving free art lessons to children and adults in Paranaque City. Glenn was a nominee for the prestigious 2005 National Artist Award of the Philippines in the field of Visual Arts as a result of recommendations received from some civic and religious organizations where he has been involved with who are appreciative of his works and efforts." (Alice G. Guillermo)
• Dr.Rafael de Leon (Pilar) - The first Filipino who won the 100 meter dash, in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.
• Gary David (Dinalupihan) - Philippine Basketball Association Multi awarded Player, Mr Pure energy and The King of PBA!

Cayetano Arellano - The first Supreme Court Chief Justice of the Republic of the Philippines.

• Pocholo Gonzales (Mariveles) - popular youth advocate, broadcaster, motivational speaker, radio announcer, Events Organizer, Personal Branding Guru, TV producer, Voice Director and Voice Over Artist.

• Brian Lagason (Hermosa) - 1st Grand Champion of The Digital LG Quiz Show hosted by Paolo Bediones and Regine Tolentino which then aired on GMA7.

• Chad Peralta from Pinoy Dream Academy

See also

• Bataan Death March
• Bataan Nuclear Power Plant
• Bataan Peninsula
• Battle of Bataan
• Geography of the Philippines
• Provinces of the Philippines
• Bataan Provincial Expressway

Notes

External links

• Bataan Official Website
• Bataan - The Cradle Of Heroes
• inquirer.net, 3 dead, 30 hurt in Bataan road mishap
• GMA News, 3 killed in Bataan road mishap - 01/23/2008 (in Filipino)

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Coordinates: 14°40′N 120°25′E / 14.667°N 120.417°E / 14.667; 120.417