Zambales, officially the Province of Zambales ( fil, Lalawigan ng Zambales; ilo, Probinsia ti Zambales;

Pangasinan Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan ( pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Pangasinan, ; ilo, Probinsia ti Pangasinan; tl, Lalawigan ng Pangasinan), is a coastal province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its cap ...

: ''Luyag/Probinsia na Zambales''; xsb, Probinsya nin Zambales), is a

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions out ...

in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

located in the

Central Luzon Central Luzon ( pam, (Reyun ning) Kalibudtarang Luzon, pag, (Rehiyon na) Pegley na Luzon, tgl, (Rehiyon ng) Gitnang Luzon, ilo, (Rehion/Deppaar ti) Tengnga ti Luzon), designated as Region III, is an administrative region in the Philippines, ...

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...

. Its capital is Iba, which is located in the middle of the province. Zambales borders

to the north and northeast,

Tarlac Tarlac, officially the Province of Tarlac ( pam, Lalawigan ning Tarlac; pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Tarlac; ilo, Probinsia ti Tarlac; tgl, Lalawigan ng Tarlac; ), is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. It ...

to the east,

Pampanga Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga ( pam, Lalawigan ning Pampanga; tl, Lalawigan ng Pampanga ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac ...

to the southeast,

Bataan Bataan (), officially the Province of Bataan ( fil, Lalawigan ng Bataan ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Its capital is the city of Balanga while Mariveles is the largest town in the province. Occupying the enti ...

to the south and the

South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Ph ...

to the west. With a total land area of (including the independent city of

Olongapo Olongapo, officially the City of Olongapo ( fil, Lungsod ng Olongapo; ilo, Siudad ti Olongapo; xsb, Siyodad nin Olongapo), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Located in the province of Zambales ...

), Zambales is the second largest among the seven provinces of Central Luzon after Nueva Ecija. The province is noted for its

mangoes A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree ''Mangifera indica''. It is believed to have originated in the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South ...

, which are abundant from January to April. Zambales does not have a functional airport - the closest functional airport is the

Clark International Airport Clark International Airport ( pam, Pangyatung Sulapawan ning Clark; fil, Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Clark; ), known as Diosdado Macapagal International Airport from 2003 to 2012, is an international airport covering portions of the cities of ...

Angeles City , anthem = Himno ning Angeles (Angeles Hymn) , subdivision_type3 = District , subdivision_name3 = , established_title = Settled , established_date = 1796 , established_title1 = Chartere ...

in the neighbouring province of Pampanga. Subic Bay International Airport, which is located in

Cubi Point U.S. Naval Air Station Cubi Point was a United States Navy aerial facility located at the edge of Naval Base Subic Bay and abutting the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines. When the base closed, the air station became the Subic Bay International ...

(geographically located inside Morong,

) in the

Subic Bay Freeport Zone The Subic Special Economic and Freeport Zone, often shorterned as Subic Bay or Subic, is a special economic zone and freeport area covering portions of the city of Olongapo and the town of Subic in Zambales, and the towns of Morong and Herm ...

is no longer functional for domestic and international flights. The Freeport Zone ( SBFZ) is host to many tourist attractions which include casinos, parks, malls, beach-side huts, cottages and resorts, as well as historical sites.

Etymology

The province's name came from the word ''zambal'', which is a Hispanized term for ''Sambali''. Sambal refers to the

native language A first language, native tongue, native language, mother tongue or L1 is the first language or dialect that a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' or ''mother to ...

spoken by the early Austronesian inhabitants of the area. 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; worshipping the spirits of their ancestors. It could also originate from the word "

Zambo Zambo ( or ) or Sambu is a racial term historically used in the Spanish Empire to refer to people of mixed Indigenous and African ancestry. Occasionally in the 21st century, the term is used in the Americas to refer to persons who are of mixe ...

", a term used by the Iberian (Spanish and Portuguese) empires to distinguish people of African ethnicity/descent. The province is home to the

Aeta The Aeta (Ayta ), Agta, or Dumagat, are collective terms for several Filipino indigenous peoples who live in various parts of the island of Luzon in the Philippines. They are considered to be part of the Negrito ethnic groups and share common ...

s, the aboriginal people of the Philippines who share Afro-ethnic similarities.

History

Prior to colonization, the

Aeta people The Aeta (Ayta ), Agta, or Dumagat, are collective terms for several Filipino indigenous peoples who live in various parts of the island of Luzon in the Philippines. They are considered to be part of the Negrito ethnic groups and share comm ...

became the first human population who inhabited what is now Zambales. Due to Malay migration waves, the Tagalog people displaced the

Sambal people The Sambal people are a Filipino ethnolinguistic group living primarily in the province of Zambales and the Pangasinense municipalities of Bolinao and Anda. The term may also refer to the general inhabitants of Zambales. In 1950s, hundreds o ...

in southern Luzon, which led to the arrival of the

into present-day Zambales. The

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

first explored the area in 1572, led by

Juan de Salcedo Juan de Salcedo (; 1549 – March 11, 1576) was a Spanish- Novohispanic 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 accompa ...

. Off Cape Bolinao (now part of Pangasinan), he and his men liberated a Zambal chieftain and his followers from a Chinese pirate ship. This act gained the natives' goodwill. Shortly thereafter, the province was organized. Among the earliest towns founded were Subic (1572),

Botolan Botolan, officially the Municipality of Botolan, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 66,739 people. The municipality was founded by Spanish Governor-General Ju ...

(1572),

Masinloc Masinloc, officially the Municipality of Masinloc ( tl, Bayan ng Masinloc), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 54,529 people. Scarborough Shoal (under the nam ...

(1607), Iba (1611), and Santa Cruz (1612). During the Spanish period, a 1774 map was made, which clearly named Scarborough Shoals as ''Panacot Shoal'', a feature under complete sovereignty of Spanish Philippines, specifically of Zambales. The shoal's current name was chosen by Captain Philip D'Auvergne, whose

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Sou ...

East Indiaman East Indiaman was a general name for any sailing ship operating under charter or licence to any of the East India trading companies of the major European trading powers of the 17th through the 19th centuries. The term is used to refer to vesse ...

''Scarborough'' briefly grounded on one of the rocks on 12 September 1784, before sailing on to China. When the Philippines was granted independence in the 19th century and 20th century, Scarborough Shoal was passed by the colonial governments to the sovereign Republic of the Philippines.W. Gilbert (1804) ''A New Nautical Directory for the East-India and China Navigation ..'', pp.480=482. Masinloc became the province's first capital. However, the capital was moved among the last three towns above during its history before finally settling in Iba, due to its strategic location. Seven of the province's original northern towns, which included

Bolinao Bolinao, officially the Municipality of Bolinao ( pag, Baley na Bolinao; ilo, Ili ti Bolinao; tgl, Bayan ng Bolinao), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of ...

Infanta ''Infante'' (, ; f. ''infanta''), also anglicised as Infant or translated as Prince, is the title and rank given in the Iberian kingdoms of Spain (including the predecessor kingdoms of Aragon, Castile, Navarre, and León) and Portugal to th ...

, San Isidro, now

Burgos Burgos () is a city in Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the province of Burgos. Burgos is situated in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, on the confluence o ...

, Anda,

Bani Bani may refer to: Places Africa *Bani Department, a department in the Séno Province of Burkina Faso *Bani, Bani, Séno, Burkina Faso * Bani, Bourzanga, Bam, Burkina Faso *Bani, Gnagna, Burkina Faso * Bani, The Gambia *Bani River, a tributary ...

, Agno and Alaminos were later transferred under the jurisdiction of

because of their distance from the capital. The first civil governor of Zambales during the colonial American era was Potenciano Lesaca from 1901 to 1903. During the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, Zambales was one of the most militarized areas in the Philippines as majority of the people were against martial rule. Many opposition Sambals were detained, tortured, killed, electrocuted at the genitalia, or were listed as 'missing'. The province was one of the main supporters of the

People Power Revolution The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, was a series of popular demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a sustained campaign of c ...

in Manila, which topped the 21-year dictatorship and installed

Corazon Aquino Maria Corazon "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino (; ; January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was a Filipina politician who served as the 11th president of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992. She was the most prominent figure of the 1986 People ...

as president, bringing back democracy to the country. The province was heavily affected by the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo. Due to this, the economy of the province weakened for some time, but regained vitality a few years after the government ordered the revitalization of the province and established growth in its southern towns, which later became a significant economic zone in the country by 1995. The 2012

Scarborough Shoal standoff The Scarborough Shoal standoff refers to the tensions between the Republic of the Philippines and the People's Republic of China over the disputed Scarborough Shoal. Tensions began on April 8, 2012, after the attempted apprehension by the Phili ...

led to a situation where access to the shoal was restricted by the People's Republic of China. However, in 2016, following meetings between the Philippine president Duterte and his PRC counterparts, the PRC allowed Filipino fishermen to access the shoals for fishing. In 2018, it was revealed that for every 3,000 peso worth of fish catch by Sambal fisherfolks, China siphoned them in exchange for 'two bottles of mineral water' worth 20 pesos. The revelations led to public unrest against China and the Duterte-administered Philippine government. Filipino president

Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...

fired back against his fellow Filipinos, including those from Zambales, saying that China's acts were 'fine' as they were 'only barter'. On June 14, 2018, China's destruction of Scarborough Shoal's reefs surged to an extent which they became visible via Google Earth and Philippine satellites, as confirmed by the

University of the Philippines Diliman , image = University of The Philippines seal.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = Official Logo of UP Diliman , motto = Honor and Excellence , established = February 12, 194 ...

Geography

Zambales lies on the western shores of

Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...

island along the

. Its shoreline is rugged and features many coves and inlets. The

Zambales Mountains The Zambales Mountains is a mountain range 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 Cabusilan Mountain Range composed of Mount ...

in the eastern length of the province occupies about 60% of the total land area of Zambales.

Subic Bay Subic Bay is a bay on the west coast of the island of Luzon in the Philippines, about northwest of Manila Bay. An extension of the South China Sea, its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility, U.S. Naval Base Sub ...

, 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. The summit and

crater lake Crater Lake ( Klamath: ''Giiwas'') is a volcanic crater lake in south-central Oregon in the western United States. It is the main feature of Crater Lake National Park and is famous for its deep blue color and water clarity. The lake partly fill ...

Mount Pinatubo Mount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano in the Zambales Mountains, located on the tripoint boundary of the Philippine provinces of Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga, all in Central Luzon on the northern island of Luzon. Its eruptive histor ...

lies within

municipality in Zambales, near the

tripoint A tripoint, trijunction, triple point, or tri-border area is a geographical point at which the boundaries of three countries or subnational entities meet. There are 175 international tripoints as of 2020. Nearly half are situated in rivers, l ...

of Zambales,

and

provinces. This volcano, once considered dormant, erupted violently in June 1991. The former summit of the volcano was obliterated by the massive eruption and replaced by a wide

caldera A caldera ( ) is a large cauldron-like hollow that forms shortly after the emptying of a magma chamber in a volcano eruption. When large volumes of magma are erupted over a short time, structural support for the rock above the magma chamber is ...

, within which Lake Pinatubo is situated. With an average depth of , Lake Pinatubo is the deepest lake in the Philippines. The highest point of the caldera rim is above sea level, some 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 of

lahar A lahar (, from jv, ꦮ꧀ꦭꦲꦂ) is a violent type of mudflow or debris flow composed of a slurry of pyroclastic material, rocky debris and water. The material flows down from a volcano, typically along a river valley. Lahars are extr ...

Climate

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

Administrative divisions

Zambales comprises 13

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...

and 1

highly urbanized city A city ( fil, lungsod/siyudad) is one of the units of local government in the Philippines. All Philippine cities are chartered cities ( fil, nakakartang lungsod), whose existence as corporate and administrative entities is governed by their own ...

, which are divided into two

legislative districts An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger State (polity), state (a country, administrative region, ...

Olongapo City Olongapo, officially the City of Olongapo ( fil, Lungsod ng Olongapo; ilo, Siudad ti Olongapo; xsb, Siyodad nin Olongapo), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Located in the province of Zambale ...

is a highly urbanized city and administers itself autonomously from the province. Panatag Shoal (

Scarborough Shoal Scarborough Shoal, also known as Bajo de Masinloc (in Spanish), Panatag Shoal ( fil, Kulumpol ng Panatag, lit=serene cluster), Huangyan Island (Mandarin zh, c=黄岩岛, p=Huáng Yán Dǎo, l=yellow rock island), and Democracy Reef, are two ro ...

) a Philippine-claimed territory, is a designated part of the province.

Barangays

The 13 municipalities and 1 city of the province comprise a total of 247

barangay A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolita ...

s, with ''Santa Rita'' in

as the most populous in 2010, and ''Owaog-Nibloc'' in

as the least. If cities are excluded, ''Calapacuan'' in Subic has the highest population as of 2010.

Demographics

The population of Zambales in the 2020 census was 649,615 people, with a density of . When

is included for geographical purposes, the province's population is 909,932 people, with a density of .

Inhabitants

The Aetas of

were the earliest inhabitants of what is now the province of Zambales. They were later displaced by the

Sambal Sambal is an Indonesian chilli sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of a variety of chilli peppers with secondary ingredients, such as shrimp paste, garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an ...

, an

Austronesian people The Austronesian peoples, sometimes referred to as Austronesian-speaking peoples, are a large group of peoples in Taiwan, Maritime Southeast Asia, Micronesia, coastal New Guinea, Island Melanesia, Polynesia, and Madagascar that speak Au ...

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 Tagalog people ( tl, Mga Tagalog; Baybayin: ᜋᜅ ᜆᜄᜎᜓᜄ᜔) are the largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines, numbering at around 30 million. An Austronesian people, the Tagalog have a well developed society due to their cu ...

, the

Ilocanos The Ilocanos ( ilo, Tattao nga Iloko/), Ilokanos, or Iloko people are the third largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group and mostly reside within the Ilocos Region in the northwestern seaboard of Luzon, Philippines. The native language of the Ilo ...

, the

Kapampangans The Kapampangan people ( pam, Taung Kapampangan), Pampangueños or Pampangos, are the sixth largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines, numbering about 2,784,526 in 2010. They live mainly in the provinces of Pampanga, Bataan and Tarlac, as ...

, and the Pangasinans today constitute the five largest

ethnic groups An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...

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 ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_ ...

and Subic) during the

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

regime of the country. Many people found jobs and permanently settled there. The presence of the Americans greatly influenced the culture and way of life of the inhabitants.

Religion

The people of Zambales are predominantly

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

(78.22%). A sizeable portion of the population also belongs to the

Aglipayan Church , native_name_lang = fil , icon = Logo of the Philippine Independent Church (Aglipayan Church).svg , icon_width = 80px , icon_alt = Coat of arms of the Philippine Independent Church , image ...

(6.12%) and Iglesia ni Cristo (4.89%). The remaining are divided with other

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...

groups such as Born-again Christians,

United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelica ...

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved in ...

Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...

United Church of Christ in the Philippines The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (Tagalog: ''Ang Nagkaisang Iglesia ni Cristo sa Pilipinas''; Ilokano: ''Nagkaykaysa nga Iglesia Ni Cristo iti Filipinas'') is a Christian denomination in the Philippines. Established in its present f ...

as well as Non Christians which is usually represented by

Muslims Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

. Town fiestas honoring

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...

s are practiced in each

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or ...

Languages

Tagalog Tagalog may refer to: Language * Tagalog language, a language spoken in the Philippines ** Old Tagalog, an archaic form of the language ** Batangas Tagalog, a dialect of the language * Tagalog script, the writing system historically used for Taga ...

, 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). More than 119,126 spoke other languages as their parent tongue, such as Kapampangan and

, including non-

Philippine languages The Philippine languages or Philippinic are a proposed group by R. David Paul Zorc (1986) and Robert Blust (1991; 2005; 2019) that include all the languages of the Philippines and northern Sulawesi, Indonesia—except Sama–Bajaw (language ...

such as

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

and

Hokkien Chinese The Hokkien () variety of Chinese is a Southern Min language native to and originating from the Minnan region, where it is widely spoken in the south-eastern part of Fujian in southeastern mainland China. It is one of the national languages ...

. About 75 percent of the population speaks and understands English to varying degrees of fluency, and

road sign Traffic signs or road signs are signs erected at the side of or above roads to give instructions or provide information to road users. The earliest signs were simple wooden or stone milestones. Later, signs with directional arms were introduce ...

s are mostly written in that language.

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. Iba,Zambalesjf9268 05

Zambales is basically an agricultural province. The chief products are

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...

corn Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. The ...

vegetable Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the edible flower, flowers, ...

s, and

root crops Root vegetables are underground plant parts eaten by humans as food. Although botany distinguishes true roots (such as taproots and tuberous roots) from non-roots (such as bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and tubers, although some contain both hypocotyl ...

. Major industries include

farming Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peopl ...

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from fish stocking, stocked bodies of water such as fish pond, ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. ...

, and

mining Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the econom ...

Festivals and events

* Feast Day of Ina Poon Bato — January24. The Ina Poón Bató is a purportedly miraculous, syncretised image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Legend has it that before the arrival of the Spanish in the area sometime in the 17th century, local Aeta peoples had discovered a carved wooden statue on a large rock that they called Apo Apang ("Little Queen") and began worshipping the image. On the arrival of Recollect missionaries in 1607, the natives associated the statue with the Roman Catholic depictions of the Virgin Mary, and the image was subsequently Christianised as Ina Poón Bato ("Mother of the Lord Rock"). * Singkamas Festival and Town Fiesta — 3rd Week of February * Town Fiesta — * Pundakit Festival of the Arts — FebruaryJuly * Zambales Multi Sports Festival Senakulo — 3rd Week of March * Panagkakadua-an Festival - 1st Week of April * Good Friday — April * Foundation Day Celebration — April10 * Grand Fiesta — * The Dinamulag Festival "Zambales Mango Festival" — 3rd Tuesday of April The Dinamulag Festival also known as the Zambales Mango Festival is an annual festival held in the province of Zambales in the Philippines to celebrate or encourage bountiful harvest of the province's mangoes. The festival was first held in 1999. * Paynawen Festival — 3rd Week of April Paynauen ‘Duyan’ Festival is held every April 25 – May 1 in Iba, Zambales. It commemorates the provincial capital's founding anniversary (founded in 1611) traces its origin from a Zambal word which means rest or pahingahan – the ancient name of Iba before the Spanish conquistadores founded the village on the shore of the Bancal River in 1611. The festival features photo competition and exhibit, sand sculpture competition, skate boarding, 2-cock derby, carabao race, beauty pageant, kite flying, banca race, boxing tournament, street dancing / Duyan Parade, among other activities. * Marunggay Festival and Town Fiesta — Last Week of April * Domorokdok Festival — May4 * Laruk Laruk Festival — Last Week of October * Binabayani Festival and Town Fiesta — November30 The Binabayani Festival occurs every November in the city of Masinloc in Zambales. . A dance/play depicting the clash between the Spanish and the Natives of Masinloc or the triumph of Christianity over Paganism. The war dance starts with a procession in the afternoon of November 29 and opens in a mass on November 30. This annual religious festival is celebrated with day long activities in honor of San Andres, the patron saint of Masinloc. Binabayani is a war dance that portrays the battle between the Christian and the Aetas in the town of Masinloc. It is a word that means “bravery”. It is usually featured at the town plaza on the 30th day of November for the public to witness. * Kaligawan Ha Mayanan — * Olongapo Mardigras — Last Week of October

Education

There are a number of higher educational institutions in the province. The President Ramon Magsaysay State University (PRMSU), the first state university in the province can be found in Iba. It has also satellite campuses in the municipalities of Santa Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Botolan, San Marcelino, and Castillejos. 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.

Colleges and universities

* AIE College International ''(

)'' *

AMA Computer College AMA Computer University, also known as AMA University or simply AMA, is a private, nonsectarian, for-profit higher education institution in Quezon City, Philippines. AMA is currently the largest information technology and computer education sy ...

''(

)'' *

AMA Computer Learning Center AMA Computer University, also known as AMA University or simply AMA, is a private, nonsectarian, for-profit higher education institution in Quezon City, Philippines. AMA is currently the largest information technology and computer education sy ...

''(

)'' *

Asian Institute of Computer Studies The Asian Institute of Computer Studies (AICS) is a private and non-sectarian educational institution in the Philippines founded in 1996. Its academic offerings mainly focus on computer science, information and communications technology and bus ...

''(

)'' * Best Freeport Colleges Inc. ''(

)'' * Polytechnic College of Botolan ''(

)'' * Capstone Institute of Business and Arts ''(

)'' * Central Luzon College of Science and Technology ''(

)'' * College of Subic Montessori Subic Bay ''(

)'' * Collegio de Castillejos ''(

Castillejos Castillejos, officially the Municipality of Castillejos ( ilo, Ili ti Castillejos; tl, Bayan ng Castillejos), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 67,889 peopl ...

)'' * Columban College - Barreto Campus ''(

)'' * Columban College - Santa Cruz Campus ''( Santa Cruz)'' * Columban College - Main Campus ''(

)'' * Comteq Computer and Business College ''(

)'' * Don Bosco College of Zambales ''(

)'' * Don Luis Orin Junior College of Criminology, Inc. ''( Iba)'' * First EDT Learning Center, Inc. ''(

)'' * Freeport SBLC Inc. ''(

)'' * GIS Institute of Technology Phils Inc. ''(

San Marcelino San Marcelino, officially the Municipality of San Marcelino ( ilo, Ili ti San Marcelino; tgl, Bayan ng San Marcelino), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of ...

)'' * Global City Innovative College Subic ''(

)'' * Gordon College ''(

)'' * Holy Infant Jesus College''(

)'' * Hopeful Beginnings Institute ''( Iba)'' * Keystone Subic International Language Center ''(

)'' * Kolehiyo ng Subic ''( Subic)'' * Lorraine Technical School ''(

)'' *

Lyceum of Subic Bay The Lyceum of Subic Bay, Inc. (LSB) is a non-stock, non-profit college in the Philippines, was established in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in June 2003. History During the first year of its operation, the institution was registered in the S ...

''(

)'' * Magsaysay Memorial College ''( San Narciso)'' * Metro Subic Colleges ''(

)'' * Micro Asia College of Science and Technology ''( Santa Cruz)'' * Micro Asia College of Science and Technology ''( Iba)'' * Mondrian Aura College ''(

)'' * Network Computer and Business Colleges ''(

)'' * Northern Zambales College ''(

)'' * Philippine Merchants Marine Academy ''( San Narciso)'' * President Ramon Magsaysay State University - Candelaria ''( Candelaria)'' * President Ramon Magsaysay State University - Castillejos ''(

)'' * President Ramon Magsaysay State University - Main Campus ''( Iba)'' * President Ramon Magsaysay State University - Masinloc ''(

)'' * President Ramon Magsaysay State University - Western Luzon Agricultural College ''(

)'' * San Antonio Institute of Commerce and Technology ''(

)'' * Sand Valley Institute of Arts and Trades ''( Iba)'' * St. Benilde Center for Global Competence ''(

)'' * St. Joseph College ''(

)'' * St. Nicolas Systeq College ''(

Palauig Palauig, officially the Municipality of Palauig ( tl, Bayan ng Palauig), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 39,784 people. The municipality of Palauig is the ...

)'' * St. Theresa's College - ''(

)'' * STI College ''(

)'' * Subic Bay Foreign Language Center ''(

)'' * Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Law Enforcement Academy ''(

)'' * Subic Bay Colleges Inc. - ''( Iba)'' * Subic Institute of International Studies ''(

)'' * Technological College of San Felipe ''( San Felipe)'' * The Thomasites Center for International Studies ''(

)'' * University of the Philippines - Extension Program in Olongapo ''(

)'' * Virgen de los Remedios College ''(

)'' * Virgin de los Remedios College of Criminology ''( Iba)'' * Zambales Academy ''( San Narciso)'' * Zambales Lifesaving Inc. PCG Accredited Lifeguard training organization ''(

)'' ;President Ramon Magsaysay State University (PRMSU): The

President Ramon Magsaysay State University President Ramon Magsaysay State University, commonly referred to as PRMSU is a State university and college (Philippines), state university in Zambales established in 1910. The university is named after the province's greatest son and former Pres ...

, commonly referred to as PRMSU, is a state university/government-funded higher education institution in Iba, established in 1910. The university is named after former President

Ramon Magsaysay Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay Sr. (August 31, 1907 – March 17, 1957) was a Filipino statesman who served as the seventh president of the Philippines, from December 30, 1953, until his death in an aircraft disaster on March 17, 1957. An automo ...

, a native of the province. Its main campus is situated in the capital town of Iba, while satellite campuses are located in Santa Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Botolan, San Marcelino, and Castillejos. The university also offers nursing courses at the Mondriaan Aura College in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Business Administration at the Wesleyan College of Manila under a consortium program. ; Columban College, Olongapo: The Columban College, is a private-catholic educational institution in Zambales that was established in 1961. the college was founded by the missionaries from

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

under the

Missionary Society of St. Columban The Missionary Society of St. Columban ( la, Societas Sancti Columbani pro Missionibus ad Exteros) (abbreviated as S.S.C.M.E. or SSC), commonly known as the Columbans, is a missionary Catholic society of apostolic life of Pontifical Right foun ...

until they turn over the institution to the Diocese of Iba. the institution's main campus is situated at the heart of Olongapo City, other campuses situated at Bo. Barretto, Olongapo which focuses on the southern part of Zambales, and Santa Cruz, Zambales which focuses on the northern part of Zambales. they value Christian Character like any other Catholic Schools as a Christ-centered but competing institution. they offer academic programs within their reach.

Notable people

Gerald Anderson Gerald Randolph Opsima Anderson Jr. (born March 7, 1989) is a Filipino-American actor. He is managed and under contract to Star Magic, ABS-CBN's home based talent agency. Recognized as the "Action-Drama Prince" of Philippine industry, He is o ...

*Norman Balbuena a.k.a.

Boobay Norman Balbuena (born November 7, 1986), better known in his stage name Boobay, is a Filipino actor, comedian and television host. He is best known for appearing in several GMA News and Public Affairs shows (including ''Unang Hirit'') as a co-ho ...

Megan Young Megan Lynne Young (born February 27, 1990) is a Filipino-American actress, model, television presenter and beauty queen who won the Miss World Philippines 2013 title and was later crowned as Miss World 2013. She is the first Filipina to win t ...

* Elmer Borlongan * Rafael Corpus *

Hermogenes Ebdane Hermogenes "Jun" Edejer Ebdane, Jr. (born December 30, 1948) is a Filipino politician and retired police officer with the rank of Director General. He is the Governor of Zambales since 2019, previously held this position from 2010 until 2016. He ...

* Loi Ejercito * Richard J. Gordon * Luz Magsaysay *

Mitos Magsaysay Maria Milagros "Mitos" Habana-Magsaysay (born January 4, 1964), is a Filipino politician who served as Congresswoman of the 1st district of Zambales from 2004 to 2013, and was a senatorial candidate of the United Nationalist Alliance in the 201 ...

Ramon Magsaysay Jr. Ramon Banzon Magsaysay Jr. (born June 5, 1938) is a Filipino politician and businessman. He is the son of former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay. Early life and career Magsaysay Jr. was born in Manila to Ramon Magsaysay and Luz Banzon. H ...

Lou Diamond Phillips Louis Diamond Phillips ( born Upchurch; February 17, 1962) is a Filipino-American actor and film director. His breakthrough came when he starred as Ritchie Valens in the biographical drama film '' La Bamba'' (1987). For ''Stand and Deliver'' (19 ...

Isabel Rivas Marilou Yap Gumabao (; born December 20, 1958), professionally known as Isabel Rivas () is a Filipino actress and businesswoman. She is the younger sister of former actor Dennis Roldan. Career She was introduced as a sexy nymphet in Celso Ad. Ca ...

Dennis Roldan Mitchell Yap Gumabao Sr. (; born 8 December 1956), better known as Dennis Roldan, is a Filipino former actor, basketball player, businessman, and congressman. Career Basketball Before entering show business, he was a basketball player for Trini ...

* Ruben Torres *

Teodoro R. Yangco Teodoro "Theo" Rafael Arguelles Yangco (November 9, 1861 – April 20, 1939) was a Filipino businessman who served in a variety of public and civic offices and was considered to be the foremost Filipino philanthropist of his time. He served as the ...

Freddie Aguilar Ferdinand Pascual Aguilar (born February 5, 1953), better known as Freddie Aguilar or Ka Freddie Aguilar, is a Filipino folk musician. He is best known for his rendition of " Bayan Ko", which became the anthem of the opposition against the regi ...

* K Brosas *

Gladys Guevarra Gladys Guevarra-Navarrete (born February 22, 1977) is a Filipina actress, singer and comedienne, and a former housemate in '' Pinoy Big Brother''. Early life Gladys Guevarra is a comedian and voice impersonator who previously worked in GMA Ne ...

Wowie de Guzman Jeffrey Camangyan (born September 22, 1976), known professionally as Wowie de Guzman, is a Filipino dancer and a stage, film and TV actor. He was one of the top matinee idols from the 1990s. His break came as a member of dance group Universal Mo ...

* Kristofer Martin *

Blakdyak Blakdyak (July 25, 1969 – November 21, 2016) was a Filipino actor, comedian and reggae singer. He was known as "The King of Pinoy Reggae". Early life Blakdyak was born Joseph Amoto Formaran on July 25, 1969 in Olongapo City, Zambales. His A ...

Willie Miller William Ferguson Miller MBE (born 2 May 1955) is a Scottish former professional football player and manager, who made a club record 560 league appearances for Aberdeen. Sir Alex Ferguson described Miller as "the best penalty box defender in th ...

Topex Robinson Michael Christopher "Topex" Robinson (born December 25, 1974) is a Filipino professional basketball coach and former player who serves as the head coach of the De La Salle Green Archers of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UA ...

Arnel Pineda Arnel Campaner Pineda (born September 5, 1967) is a Filipino singer and songwriter. He came to prominence in the Philippines during the 1980s and internationally in 2007 as the lead singer of the American rock band Journey. Early life Arne ...

* Angelee delos Reyes *

Lauren Young Lauren Anne Young (born November 8, 1993), simply known as Lauren Young, is a Filipino-American actress, singer, and model. She is the younger sister of actress and Miss World 2013 Megan Young. Biography Career Young was one of the 20 new t ...

* Tom Rodriguez *

Angelu de Leon Maria Luisa Angela Martinez de Leon-Rivera (born August 22, 1979), better known as Angelu de Leon, is a Filipino actress and politician. Early and personal life Angelu de Leon is the youngest daughter of Luis and Flora de Leon. She attended S ...

Raikko Mateo Raikko Rain Mateo Gongora (born July 31, 2008), better known as Raikko Mateo, is a Filipino child actor who gained popularity as the lead star of the fantasy-drama ''Honesto ''Honesto'' is a 2013 Philippine family drama television series di ...

Ruby Rodriguez Ruby Rodriguez (born January 10, 1966) is a Filipino actress and one of the former hosts of the Philippine noontime variety show ''Eat Bulaga!''. Career Rodriguez originally started her career as a preschool teacher, later appearing in a rec ...

* Jay Washington * Rico Barrera *

Bea Alonzo Phylbert Angelli Ranollo Fagestrom (born October 17, 1987), professionally known as Bea Alonzo (), is a Filipino actress. Alonzo first gained recognition for the 2002 teleserye ''Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay''. She is best known for her portrayals ...

References

External links

* *
Baluate Ng Sambal

Olongapo city news archive] {{Authority control Zambales, Provinces of the Philippines States and territories established in 1578 1578 establishments in the Philippines