Botolan

Botolan is a municipality in the province of Zambales in the Philippines. The town was founded by Spanish Governor-General Juan de Salcedo in 1572. According to the census of May 1, 2010, it has a population of 54,434 people and a 1st class Income classification (2007).

Botolan has the largest land area of the municipalities in Zambales. Located just south of the provincial capital of Iba, Botolan is known for its larger Aeta population, wide gray sand beaches, and as the location of Mount Pinatubo.

Barangays

Botolan is politically subdivided into 31 barangays.

Demographics

Tourism

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 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.

Zambales

Zambales is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region in the island of Luzon. Its capital is Iba. Zambales borders Pangasinan to the north, Tarlac and Pampanga to the east, Bataan to the south and the South China Sea to the west. With a land area of 3,830.83 km², Zambales is the second largest among the seven provinces of Central Luzon. The province is noted for its mangoes, which are abundant from January to April.

Zambales does not have a functional airport - the closest airport is Clark International airport. Subic Bay International Airport, which is located in Cubi Point in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone is no longer functional for international or domestic flights.

The Freeport Zone (SBMA) is host to many tourist attractions which include casinos, beach resorts, parks, beachside huts and cottages and historical sites.

Etymology

The province's name came from the word zambal, which is a Hispanized term for Sambali. Zambal refers to the language spoken by the early Austronesian inhabitants of the place. 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; worshiping the spirits of their ancestors.

Zambales (disambiguation)

Zambales may refer to: