Botolan

Botolan, officially the Municipality of Botolan, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 57,707 people.[4]

Botolan
Municipality
Municipality of Botolan
Poblacion, Botolan
Seal
Map of Zambales with Botolan highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Botolan
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 15°17′23″N 120°01′28″E
CountryPhilippines
RegionCentral Luzon (Region III)
ProvinceZambales
District2nd district
Founded1572[1]
Barangays31 (see Barangays)
Government
 [2]
 • TypeSangguniang Bayan
 • MayorDoris 'Bing' M. Jeresano
 • Vice MayorDoris D. Ladines
 • CongressmanCheryl D. Montalla
 • Electorate41,981 voters (2019)
Area
 [3]
 • Total735.28 km2 (283.89 sq mi)
Elevation
14.1 m (46.3 ft)
Population
 (2015 census)[4]
 • Total57,707
 • Density78/km2 (200/sq mi)
 • Households
13,627
Economy
 • Income class1st municipal income class
 • Poverty incidence22.65% (2015)[5]
 • Revenue (₱)201,818,583.72 (2016)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
2202
PSGC
037101000
IDD : area code +63 (0)47
Climate typetropical monsoon climate
Native languagesBotolan language
Sambal
Ilocano
Tagalog
Abellen language
Mag-antsi language

The municipality was founded by Spanish Governor-General Juan de Salcedo in 1572.[1] Botolan is known for its larger Aeta population, wide gray sand beaches, and as the location of Mount Pinatubo.

Etymology

The name Botolan came from the a native variety of banana common in the area called "Boto-an". The word "Boto-an" is a Sambal word which combines the word botol which means Seeds and the locative prefix -an referring to a place with many seeded bananas.[6]

Geography

Located just south of the provincial capital of Iba, Botolan has the largest land area of the municipalities in Zambales.

Barangays

Botolan is politically subdivided into 31 barangays.[7]

  • Bancal
  • Bangan
  • Batonlapoc
  • Belbel
  • Beneg
  • Binuclutan
  • Burgos
  • Cabatuan
  • Capayawan
  • Carael
  • Danacbunga
  • Maguisguis
  • Malomboy
  • Mambog
  • Moraza
  • Nacolcol
  • Owaog-Nibloc
  • Paco (poblacion)
  • Palis
  • Panan
  • Parel
  • Paudpod
  • Poonbato
  • Porac
  • San Isidro
  • San Juan
  • San Miguel
  • Santiago
  • Tampo (poblacion)
  • Taugtog
  • Villar

Climate
Climate data for Botolan, Zambales
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 31
(88)		 32
(90)		 33
(91)		 34
(93)		 32
(90)		 31
(88)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 30
(86)		 31
(88)		 31
(88)		 31
(88)
Average low °C (°F) 20
(68)		 20
(68)		 21
(70)		 23
(73)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 24
(75)		 23
(73)		 22
(72)		 20
(68)		 23
(73)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 16
(0.6)		 18
(0.7)		 28
(1.1)		 51
(2.0)		 200
(7.9)		 253
(10.0)		 301
(11.9)		 293
(11.5)		 246
(9.7)		 171
(6.7)		 70
(2.8)		 28
(1.1)		 1,675
(66)
Average rainy days 6.2 7.1 10.4 15.5 24.4 26.4 28.2 27.5 26.2 23.6 15.9 8.7 220.1
Source: Meteoblue [8]

Demographics
Population census of Botolan
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 5,174—    
1918 8,814+3.62%
1939 11,817+1.41%
1948 11,535−0.27%
1960 16,417+2.98%
1970 23,848+3.80%
1975 27,307+2.75%
1980 27,125−0.13%
1990 35,604+2.76%
1995 41,084+2.72%
2000 46,602+2.74%
2007 51,675+1.44%
2010 54,434+1.91%
2015 57,707+1.12%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[4][9][10][11]

In the 2015 census, the population of Botolan was 57,707 people,[4] with a density of 78 inhabitants per square kilometre or 200 inhabitants per square mile.

Tourism
The beach at Barangay Beneg, looking south towards the Bucao River
The beach at Barangay Beneg, looking north towards Iba

The barangay of Binoclutan is the "Beach Capital" of Botolan, featuring several first class resorts. The area is a habitat of sea turtles, as is all of the Zambales coastline. Olive Ridley, Green turtles and Hawksbill turtles nest along the beaches of Botolan every year between September and January. A turtle hatchery located is located in Binoklutan. The area also has many other attractions, beach resorts, waterfalls, hiking paths, views of the lahar fields left by the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, and views of Mount Pinatubo itself.

The Fiesta Poon Bato, held January 23–24, is a religious festival that attracts up to 500,000 devotes. Features include cultural dancing from local Aeta tribes in the town plaza on the first night.

The Domorokdok Festival, held May 3–4, includes street parades, street dancing, a beauty pageant and displays of Botolan products and industries.

Ina Poon Bato

The Ina Poón Bató is a purportedly miraculous, syncretised image of the Blessed Virgin Mary.[12] 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")[13] 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").[12]

The image was canonically blessed by Pope John Paul II in 1985 at a ceremony in Vatican City.[14] After the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo destroyed the original village, the image (which was found intact and buried chest-deep in lahar)[15] and its shrine were moved to the nearby resettlement area of Loob-Bunga.[16] The feast of Ina Poón Bató is celebrated every late January, with devotees flocking to the original image inside a chapel belonging to the Aglipayan Church, and the 1976 replica enshrined in the Catholic chapel.[15]

Local government
Town hall of Botolan

Elected officials for 2019:

  • Mayor: Doris "Bing" Maniquiz Jeresano
  • Vice Mayor: Doris Daria Ladines

References
  1. "Municipalities". Zambales Now, Official Website of Zambales. Retrieved on 2012-05-24.
  2. "Municipality". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  3. "Province: Zambales". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  4. Census of Population (2015). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. PSA. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  5. "PSA releases the 2015 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Quezon City, Philippines. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  6. Valencia, Minda (2000). "Botolan and Its People in Botolan". Continuity and Change. Cesar Inc.
  7. "Philippine Standard Geographic Code listing for Botolan". National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved on 2007-12-09.
  8. "Botolan: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  9. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. NSO. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  10. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. NSO.
  11. "Province of Zambales". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  12. "Our Lady of Poon Bato". dacopofoundation.com. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
  13. "The Aetas' 'Apo Apang'". The Mandanao Daily Mirror. 21 January 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
  14. "The Story of Ina PoonBato". Ina Poon Bato "The Miraculous Blessed Mother". Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  15. Macatuno, Allan (24 March 2014). "Wooden Marian image draws devotees to Zambales". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  16. "Ina Poonbato Shrine". Botolan Official Website. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
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