Bamban

Not to be confused with Bambang.

Bamban
Municipality
Municipality of Bamban
Panoramic of Bamban
Seal
Map of Tarlac with Bamban highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Bamban Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 15°16′27″N120°34′01″E / 15.2742°N 120.5669°E / 15.2742; 120.5669
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Luzon
Province	Tarlac
District	3rd district
Founded	June 6, 1710
Barangays	15 (see Barangays)
Government   [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
•  Mayor	Alice L. Guo
•  Vice Mayor	Leonardo d.C Anunciacion
•  Representative	Noel N. Rivera
•  Municipal Council	Members Erano D. Timbang Johnny M. Sales Ernesto M. Salting Robin S. Mangiliman Jose C. Aguilar Jayson S. Galang Rainier Q. Rivera Mary Andrei S. Lacsamana
•  Electorate	45,008 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	251.98 km2 (97.29 sq mi)
Elevation	89 m (292 ft)
Highest elevation	265 m (869 ft)
Lowest elevation	48 m (157 ft)
Population  (2020 census) [3]
• Total	78,260
• Density	310/km2 (800/sq mi)
•  Households	17,695
Economy
•  Income class	2nd municipal income class
•  Poverty incidence	10.30 % (2018) [4]
•  Revenue	₱ 244.7 million (2020)
•  Assets	₱ 521.7 million (2020)
•  Expenditure	₱ 246.1 million (2020)
•  Liabilities	₱ 79.01 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Tarlac 2 Electric Cooperative (TARELCO 2)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	2317, 2023 (portions under Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone)
PSGC	036902000
IDD  :  area code	+63 (0)45
Native languages	Kapampangan Tagalog Ilocano
Website	bambantarlac.gov.ph

Bamban, officially the Municipality of Bamban (Kapampangan : Balen ning Bamban; Filipino : Bayan ng Bamban), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Tarlac, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 78,260 people. ^[3]

Etymology

The municipality derives its name from the bamban plants (Donax canniformis) that once dominated large areas of land along the river near the foothills. It was initially called cabambanan or mabamban, but was later called simply as bamban. ^[5]

History

Long before settlers came, the place which was to become the town of Bamban, was a vast track of wild land extending eastward; and on the west side, composed of foothills and mountains lush with vegetation and tall trees extending deep into the Zambales ranges. The thick forest and mountains were then inhabited by the Aetas (locally known as Baluga), and the Zambal, both of whom subsisted only on fishing and native or wild animals which abounded in the place. Occasionally, daring traders from Pampanga and the Tagalog province, braved the wilderness to go northward to Capas and Tarlac.

Before the advent of the Spanish era, small settlers came, attracted by the fertile land and the glittering silver of the river that cut through the mountain to spill down the flat land, making it fertile. The settlers started small clearings in the thick growth of bamban plants which covered vast portions of the land bordering the river a small distance from the foothills. Because of these plants, the place was eventually named Bamban.

Settlers upon settlers came to carve clearings in the land, and soon a small community was formed. About 1700, Augustinian Recollects came and established the Mission de Pueblos de Bamban. But the pueblo was then a part of Pampanga. In 1837, a new boundary line was established, thereby permanently making Bamban part of the province of Tarlac.

Official recognition as a town was sanctioned by the gobernadorcillo in the town of Tarlac. Don Martín Sibal was subsequently appointed head and commissioned with the rank of "Capitán". Among the first settlers were the Sibal, Lugtu, Dayrit, Macale, Vergara, Manipon, and de la Cruz clans.

Children on roof of a school in Bamban, that was buried by lahars during the 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.

During the revolution of 1896, Bamban was one of the first towns to take up arms against the Spaniards. Northwest of the town situated among the hills are remnants of strongholds built by brave bands of Bambanenses who joined Gen. Servilliano Aquino in the uprising in Tarlac. Up to this time, a portion of the foothills in the area is called "Batiawan" or look-out point. Many a brave son died in this movement for liberation.

When the Americans came in 1900, the small pueblo gradually grew into a teeming town. The Bamban Sugar Central was established and further gave impetus to its growth. Don Pablo Lagman was the first to be appointed presidente and Don Laureano Campo as vice-presidente under the American military government. Other prominent families then took over the helm of government. During the Commonwealth era, the Sibals, the Lumboys, the Santoses, the Punsalangs, to mention a few, enjoyed political power until the outbreak of World War II.

Bamban was like the legendary phoenix, which locals felt must be resurrected from its ashes. The whole población was devastated and burned during the liberation. Undaunted, the people returned from hiding and began rebuilding even while the campaign was raging deep in the mountains. Growth was fast because of proximity of Clark Air Base. But Bamban can not be the same again. The aftermath of the war was felt for a long time. Consequently, prominent families left the town for the city to establish big business and names for themselves.

The 1991 Mount Pinatubo volcanic eruption and the subsequent flow of lava and mud to the lowlands of Bamban forced residents to move out or to stay at the Dapdap Resettlement Area, which is on higher grounds.

Geography

The municipality of Bamban is the southernmost gateway of the melting pot province of Tarlac in the Central Plain of Luzon in the Philippines.

Being the southernmost town in the province, it has a common boundary with Mabalacat, Pampanga, and in the west, with Zambales. The boundary is defined by the Parua River, which is a source of irrigation water, food, and sand and gravel for infrastructure projects. The mountainous region situated in the western part comprises almost two-thirds of the total land area, which used to be within the US Military Reservations. Nestled in this part are the BLISS projects and to the north, the MAR settlement project, which when completely developed will be a source of livelihood and food supplies for Central Luzon.

Bamban is 99 kilometers (62 mi) from Manila and is 25 kilometers (16 mi) from the provincial capital, Tarlac City.

Barangays

Dolores Grotto view of the Bamban bridge and barangays

Bamban is politically subdivided into 15 barangays.  ^[6] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

• Anupul
• Banaba
• Bangcu
• Culubasa
• Dela Cruz
• La Paz
• Lourdes
• Malonzo
• San Nicolas (poblacion)
• San Pedro
• San Rafael
• San Roque
• San Vicente
• Santo Niño
• Lumang kalsada
• Virgen de los Remedios (Pacalcal)

Climate

Climate data for Bamban, Tarlac
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	30 (86)	31 (88)	33 (91)	35 (95)	33 (91)	31 (88)	30 (86)	29 (84)	29 (84)	30 (86)	31 (88)	30 (86)	31 (88)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	19 (66)	19 (66)	20 (68)	22 (72)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	22 (72)	21 (70)	20 (68)	22 (71)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	3 (0.1)	2 (0.1)	5 (0.2)	10 (0.4)	80 (3.1)	107 (4.2)	138 (5.4)	147 (5.8)	119 (4.7)	70 (2.8)	26 (1.0)	8 (0.3)	715 (28.1)
Average rainy days	2.0	1.7	2.7	4.6	16.1	20.8	24.0	23.0	21.4	15.5	8.0	3.2	143
Source: Meteoblue [7]

Demographics

Population census of Bamban

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1903 3,002 —     1918 4,846 +3.24% 1939 9,663 +3.34% 1948 11,553 +2.00% 1960 13,527 +1.32% 1970 18,474 +3.16% 1975 22,723 +4.24% 1980 26,072 +2.79%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1990 35,639 +3.18% 1995 37,115 +0.76% 2000 46,360 +4.88% 2007 61,644 +4.01% 2010 62,413 +0.45% 2015 69,466 +2.06% 2020 78,260 +2.37%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [8] [9] [10] [11]

In the 2020 census, the population of Bamban, Tarlac, was 78,260 people, ^[3] with a density of 310 inhabitants per square kilometer or 800 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy

Poverty Incidence of Bamban

2.5 5 7.5 10 12.5 15 2006 7.60 2009 10.60 2012 4.61 2015 12.56 2018 10.30 2021 13.47 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19]

Tourism

Santo Niño Parish Church

• At the center of the town is the heritage (F-1812) Santo Niño Parish Church of Bamban ^[20] (Vicariate of San Nicolas de Tolentino; Vicar Forane: Msgr. Francisco Tañedo ^{[21] [22] [23]}
  • Titular: Santo Niño, Feast, Last Saturday of January.
• Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes of Bamban at Dolores
• Bamban Caves and the Matayumtayum well was used by General Francisco Macabulos and his troops against the Spaniards and later on by Filipino guerrillas during the Second World War.

Gallery

• 
  Bamban municipal hall
• 
  Municipal library, town plaza and police station
• 
  Public market
• 
  Bamban Bridge
• 
  Highway

See also

• Dapdap High School
• List of bridges in the Philippines

References

1.   Municipality of Bamban | (DILG)
2. "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN   0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
3. Census of Population (2020). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 8 July 2021.
4. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
5. "History of Bamban". Official Website of Bamban Province of Tarlac. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
6. "Province: Tarlac". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 12 November 2016.
7. "Bamban: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
8. Census of Population (2015). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 20 June 2016.
9. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region III (Central Luzon)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office . 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. National Statistics Office.
11. "Province of Tarlac". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
12. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
13. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
14. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
15. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
16. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
17. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
18. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
19. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
20. "Category:Santo Niño Parish Church of Bamban - Wikimedia Commons". Commons.wikimedia.org. Retrieved 2019-10-16.
21. "List of Parishes of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tarlac | Philippine Churches". Archived from the original on 2012-09-03. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
22. "Tarlac churches | mga pahina ni msbolin". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
23. "Panoramio - Photo of Santo Nino Parish Church, Bamban, Tarlac". Archived from the original on 2016-10-25. Retrieved 2017-11-01.

External links

• Bamban Profile at PhilAtlas.com
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System
• Bamban, Tarlac history, folk lore, photos