ABOUT BATAAN PROVINCE

The province has an area of 1,372.98 square kilometers (530.11 sq mi) and covers the
entire Bataan Peninsula, a rocky extension of the Zambales Mountains jutting out into
the South China Sea, enclosing the Manila Bay. At the northern portion of the
peninsula are Mount Natib (elevation 1,253 meters (4,111 ft)) and its surrounding
mountains, separated from Mount Samat and the Mariveles Mountains in the south
by a pass.

Bataan is known for or famous for its tourist spots, foods, songs, folk dance, famous
artists, and many more. Bataan is also rich in natural wonders such as stunning
beaches, majestic mountains, and grandiose waterfalls. The local tourism and
government offices' effort to preserve Bataan's natural ecosystem has made it a rising
eco-tourism destination.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF BATAAN

Bataan was established in 1754 by Governor General Pedro Manuel Arandia out of
territories belonging to Pampanga and the corregimiento of Mariveles, which at the
time, included Maragondon in Cavite across the bay. The province had more than its
share of significant historical events. In 1647, Dutch Naval Forces attempting to invade
the country perpetrated the Abucay massacre in one of its towns. In the late 1700s,
the dreaded Chinese private Limahong used Lusong Point on the western side as the
landing place to launch his conquest of Luzon. In the Philippine Revolution of 1896,
Bataan joined the other provinces in Luzon, which revolted against Spanish rule.
However, it was during World War II that Bataan attained prominence that would find
its place in the annals of world history. Under heavy aircraft and artillery shelling from
the invading Japanese forces, the beleaguered Filipino–American troops valiantly
defended this last bastion until the “Fall of Bataan” on April 9, 1942.

SUMPTUOUS BATAAN DELICACIES

When it comes to food, the Philippines is always unique. Each province in the country
boasts of its own delicacies that everybody should love. First off is the province
of Bataan, which is very well known for the Death March popular during the World
War II era.

TINAPA
Cebu has its own ‘danggit’ when it comes to
dried fish, but Bataan has its own delicacy
named ‘tinapa’. This is very common as a
homecoming treat locally known as pasalubong.
The milkfish or ‘bangus’ is the top choice for
tinapa that comes in boneless and savory, ready
for that craving appetite. Tinapa can be sold at
the market of Balanga City. Danggit is also
available within Bataan to save you some time
when buying goods as a homecoming treat for your own family.

This can be compared to peanut butter, which is

also creamy, decadent, and yummy. This can be
used as an ingredient for ‘kare-kare’, which is a
local term for a dish cooked with curry. Cashew is
harvested in Bagac town which provides the main
ingredient of the butter. This should be perfect for
locals, foreigners, and balikbayans or returning
migrant local citizens.
 If you crave pancit, this is a good place to find their
own version, which is known as Pansit Palabok. This
can be found in Orani, Bataan. If you’re a fan of
spaghetti, forget about it for a while and taste this
extraordinary flavor that Orani is popular for.

Visiting Bataan should never be complete without

the taste of their own beef tapa that can be found
in Abucay. In comparison to all the tapas that you
have tasted, this is said to be the tastiest and
should provide a succulent and moist appearance
on top of an omelet enclosing a steamy mound of
rice. If you haven’t tasted this yet, you should
have already missed half of what you have come
for in the first place.

KASUOTAN
KASUOTANG CAMISA DE CHINO SA LAS
CASAS FILIPINAS DE ACUZAR, BAGAC,
BATAAN
SAYAW
The Quezon polka is performed in sets
of four pairs in a square formation. In
Bataan, the dance is called polka
tagala. In one figure of the dance, the
ladies kick their voluminous skirts
forward and backward to show off
their beautiful lace petticoats. In
Batangas, the dance was called polka
sa nayon, while in Mindoro it was
known as polka sala. Among the Visayans, the dance was called polka antigo, and in
Negros Occidental polka italiana.

TAO
On March 2, 1847, Cayetano L. Arellano, the first Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines under the
American Civil Government, was born in Orion, Bataan.

 He received his law degree from the University of Santo

Tomas in 1876 and served as foreign affairs minister in
President Emilio Aguinaldo’s government before he was
appointed head of the Supreme Court by the
Americans2. He served in the civil government from
1901 until his retirement on April 12, 1920, making him
the longest-serving Chief Justice.