Bataan Fast Facts

Geography

Bataan, a peninsula and province,  is a rocky extension of the Zambales Mountains, on Luzon in the Philippines. located in the southwestern part of Central Luzon, between Manila Bay and West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). It is bounded on the north by the provinces of Zambales, and on the northeast side by the the province of Pampanga. It lies approximately at coordinates 120° 15' to 120° 40' latitude and 14° 20' to 14° 50' longitude. With land area of 137,298 hectares (1,372.98 km² / 530.11 sq.mi) and area rank of 72nd out of 80 provinces in the country.

Climate

The climate in Bataan is almost the same to its neighboring  provinces. The rainy season and dry season. The rainy season starts on the month of May and ends up around the month of October. The rest of the year is dry with occasional rains dispersed widely throughout the province. Occasional typhoons visit the area especially during the months of June to September.

Topography

The province of Bataan is a mountainous land mass, 80.9 percent is covering the whole area and dominated largely by uplands, hills and mountains. Only 19.1 percent are lowlands and plains, generally flat gently rising towards the hills. These areas comprise most of the agricultural portion of Bataan, found along the northern and eastern coasts facing Manila Bay. Eleven (11) municipalities and one (1) city of the province are located in-front of the coast line. 

The Mountains

The peninsula features Mount Natib with the height of 1,253 masl in the north and the Mariveles Mountains with 1,388 masl in the south, which includes Mount Samat with 505 masl, the location of 92 meters high memorial cross, a national shrine of "Dambana ng Kagitingan" or Shrine of Valor dedicated to the fallen Filipino and American fallen during World War II.

Rivers and Streams

The province is drained by numerous rivers and small streams with very few meanders radiating and sloping from the mountain groups down to the sea draining the whole area efficiently. There are more than one hundred rivers in the province which are very important not only for irrigation and domestic used but also for purposes of navigation and fishing.

Political Subdivision

Bataan consists of one (1) component city, eleven (11) municipalities and 237 barangays. This province is classified as a first class province in terms of its income and has two congressional districts. The City of Balanga, as the provincial capital and is about 124 kilometers from Manila.

Population

According to 2010 Census, the total population of Bataan was 687,482 as of May 1. 2010 and population rank of 40th out of 80 provinces in the Philippines. With density of 500/km² (1,300/sq mi), density rank 8th out of 80. In all city and municipalities of Bataan, Mariveles was the most populated town  with 112,707 followed by Dinalupihan with 97, 275 and town of bagac is the least populated with 25,568.

Language/Dialect

Tagalog is the major language constituting, 86 percent of the total population of the province of Bataan. Kapampangan came after with ten percent and the rest speaks Ilocano. English is utilized mainly as the means of bargaining in business.

Major Industries

Province of Bataan continues fundamentally an agricultural province despite of the very fast industrialization during the last ten years. This province is a major producer of banana, mango, rice and shellfish like mussels, crabs and tiger  prawns.  There are big industrial establishments in Bataan such as export processing zone, modern oil refinery, munition and carbon plants, pulp and paper mills, textile industries, and thermal plants. Mariveles is the place of an export processing zone that is the cause for heavy industry in Bataan. Brooms, ropes and shell craft are some of the home industries. Some of the hope giving livelihood programs are cattle and carabao fattening, hog rearing, and poultry industry, particularly broilers, ducks and egg production. Tinapa (smoked fish) is one of the livelihood products of the coastal towns in Bataan.

Water System

All municipalities in Bataan have their respective water supply system and other households uses deep well water system. The operation and maintenance of water supply facilities are under the responsibility and supervision of Local Water Districts, Barangay Water Supply Association (BWSA), Rural Water Supply Association (RWSA), and Barangay Councils. 

Electricity

Power supply is being handled by the National Power Corporation which is generated by Alstom Power, a 600 MW-capacity plant. The electricity is distributed locally by Peninsula Electric Cooperative (PENELCO) through National Transmission Corporation. Bataan is 100% energized.

Assuring prospective investors of a steady power supply, GN Power Co. Ltd., a company affiliated with Hydro Mac, a corporation owned by the Republic of China will start the clearing operation for its 600 MW-$822M coal-plant in Alas-asin, Mariveles, Bataan.