Friday, March 11, 2011

Freedom at Last (January 30, 1945)





The Philippines was the last major conquest of Japan in the Pacific.[i]The guerrillas contributed greatly to the liberation of the Philippines. [ii]

All throughout the province today, the memory of that period remains. Its legacy to the generations of Filipinos who have lived and breathed freedom since the end of the Second World War is described in a marker that stands till today at the entrance to Bataan:

“The little mountainous peninsula of Bataan saved democracy and the whole world from the evil hands of the devil” – From a radio broadcast of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, January 5, 1945.”[iii]


[i] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 124

[ii] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 123

[iii] Fr. Wilfredo C. Paguio, Bataan Land of Valor, People of Peace, Jardi Press, 1997, p. 106


Gov. Enrique T. Garcia, Jr.




PERSONAL INFORMATION

Full name: Enrique Tuason Garcia, Jr.
Date of Birth: September 13, 1940
Place of Birth: Pasay City
Civil Status: Married
Name of Spouse: Victoria S. Garcia
Name of Children: Anna, Abet, Gila, Joet, Francis
Office Address: 2nd Floor Capitol Bldg., Capitol Drive, Balanga City, Bataan
Telephone Nos.: (047) -791-4759, 237-1066, 237-2413, 791-1784, 237-1058, 237-3488,791-7955
Telefax No.: (047) 237-2413

EDUCATION

Elementary:
Balanga Elementary School (1947-1953)
Secondary: Bataan High School(1953-1957)
Tertiary: De La Salle College - AB-Economics, AB-Accounting (1957-1963)
EMSI, New Jersey, USA - Linear Programming (1970)

Experience
Governor Bataan 2004-Present
Congressman 2nd District, Bataan 1995-2004
Governor Bataan 1992-1994
Congressman 2nd District, Bataan 1987-1992
Senior Partner Garcia, Lava & Associates 1983-1987
Executive Assistant Bureau of Internal Revenue 1980-1982
President VICGAR trading 1974-1979
Marketing Economist &
Resident Manager
ESSO Philippines, Inc. 1971-1973
Executive Trainee Humble Oil - Texas, USA 1970
Executive Trainee ESSO Standard Eastern, New York, USA 1969
Assistant Marketing
EconomicManager
ESSO Philippines, Inc. 1968
Senior Financial Analyst ESSO Philippines, Inc. 1967
Senior Auditor ESSO Philippines, Inc. 1965-1966


ACCOMPLISHMENTS
  1. Crusaded single-handedly against the Taiwanese Luzon Petrochemical Company and Shell Philippines that wanted to illegally and arbitrarily transfer the site of the country's petrochemical industry from Bataan to Batangas;

  2. Crusaded against the unconstitutional monopoly/cartel and overpricing of the Big 3 in the oil deregulation case;

  3. Crusading for the establishment of an Oil Exchange or OileEx that would allow oil refineries all over the world to participate in the public bidding for the supply of our country's total oil requirements from the lowest qualified bidder from more than 40 oil refineries all over the world.;

  4. Crusading to protect and preserve Bataan's ownership of BASECO properties legally acquired through auction sale for tax delinquencies against BASECO and PCGG;

  5. Succeeded in legislating the re-nationalization of the Bataan Provincial Hospital into a tertiary hospital, now known as Bataan General Hospital;

  6. Succeeded in converting Bataan National School of Arts and Trade (BNSAT), Bataan Colleges, and the Orani School for Filipino Craftsmen into a nationally funded Bataan Polytechnic State College (BPSC);

  7. Succeeded in converting the Municipality of Balanga into a component city;

  8. Succeeded in preventing the dumping in Bataan of millions of tons of rotting garbage from Metro Manila;

  9. Crusading for the immediate scrapping of the Value Added Tax (VAT), which is causing the government staggering revenue losses.




source: http://bataan.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=123

Cong. Albert S. Garcia





Personal Information

Name :
Albert Raymond Garcia
Date of Birth : February 1, 1970
Civil Status : Single
Gender : Male
Residence :
Bo. Campo, Tenejero, City of Balanga
Bataan
Tel. No. : (047) 237 - 2543

EDUCATION

College :
De La Salle University
College of Liberal Arts (1988 - 1991)
Degree/Units earned : AB Philosophy and Letters
Secondary : La Salle Greenhills (1984 - 1988)
Primary : Colegio De San Agustin (1977 - 1984)

COMMITTEES

Rules
Deputy Majority Leader
Appropriations

Member for the Majority
Bases Conversion
Member for the Majority
Basic Education and Culture
Member for the Majority
Health
Member for the Majority
Higher and Technical Education
Member for the Majority
Mount Pinatubo
Member for the Majority
National Defense and Security
Member for the Majority
Oversight
Member for the Majority
Public Works and Highways
Member for the Majority
Science and Technology
Member for the Majority
Youth and Sports Development,
Member for the Majority

SERVICE RECORD

Positions Held
Department / Office/ Company
Inclusive Dates
FROM
TO
Re-elected Congressman
House of Representative
July 1, 2007
present
Congressman
House of Representative
July 1, 2004
June 30, 2007
Re - Elected (Unopposed) City Mayor City of Balanga, Bataan July 1, 2001 June 30, 2004
City Mayor City of Balanga, Bataan December 30, 2000 June 30, 2001
Municipal Mayor Balanga, Bataan 2007 present
Chief of Staff Office of Cong. Enrique T. Garcia May 1998 Dec. 29, 2001
Senior Campaign Staff of Enrique T. Garcia 2nd District of Bataan Congressional Race 1995
Special Assistant to the Governor Office of the Governor Enrique T. Garcia 1992 1994
Senior Campaign Staff of Enrique T. Garcia Bataan Gubernatorial Race 1992
Account Executive Summer Job '91




source: http://bataan.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=147&Itemid=122

Cong. Herminia Roman






Personal Information

Representative
Bataan, 1st District
LAKAS-CMD
Term: 1
Age: 67
Date of Birth: 09 July 1940
Civil Status: M
Spouse: Atty. Antonio P. Roman
Other Profession: Businesswoman

Rm. N-416, House of Representatives, Quezon City
Phone: 931-5001 local 7375, 9315620
Chief of Staff: Ramon Ignatius C. Lazo

Committees

BASES CONVERSION
Vice Chairman

INTERPARLIAMENTARY RELATIONS AND DIPLOMACY
Vice Chairman

WOMEN AND GENDER EQUALITY
Vice Chairman

APPROPRIATIONS
Member for the Majority

ENERGY
Member for the Majority

FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Member for the Majority

OVERSEAS WORKERS AFFAIRS
Member for the Majority

OVERSIGHT
Member for the Majority

SMALL BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Member for the Majority

THE WELFARE OF CHILDREN
Member for the Majority

TOURISM
Member for the Majority

TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Member for the Majority

VETERANS AFFAIRS AND WELFARE
Member for the Majority

WOMEN AND GENDER EQUALITY
Member for the Majority



House Bills Sponsored/Authored

HB02851
AN ACT INCREASING THE PENSION OF FILIPINO WORLD WAR II VETERANS OR THEIR SURVIVING SPOUSES INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE OTHERWISE DISQUALIFIED ON ACCOUNT OF THE PENSION THEY ARE RECEIVING FROM OTHER GOVERNMENT FUNDS OR THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6948, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "AN ACT STANDARDIZING AND UPGRADING THE BENEFITS FOR MILITARY VETERANS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS"
Status: Pending with the Committee on NATIONAL DEFENSE AND SECURITY since 2007-10-11

HB03358
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE NUTRITION EDUCATION AND INFORMATION CAMPAIGN BY ESTABLISHING A NUTRI-BUS PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Status: Pending with the Committee on HEALTH since 2008-01-28

HR00257
RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY TO CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE UPGRADING AND ACTIVATION OF THE BATAAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT AS AN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION TO THE COUNTRY'S ENERGY PROBLEM
Status: Adopted Resolution (Pending with the committee on ENERGY since 2007-12-12)

Source: Secretary General's Office / Engineering Division / PRID


source: http://bataan.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=149&Itemid=120

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Behind The Enemy Lines (January 28, 1945)





The fall of Bataan and Corregidor in 1942 ended the organized Fil_american resistance to the Japanese invasion. But the resistance to the Japanese continued in the form of guerrilla warfare waged by former Filipino soldiers and a few Americans who did not surrender to the Japanese. The ranks of the guerrillas were strengthened when released Filipino prisoners of war, Filipino civilians who wanted to take revenge on the Japanese for their cruelty, and patriotic young men and women joined them.[i]

The guerrilla movement included many high-ranking officials of the Japanese-sponsored government who passed on vital information to the guerrillas about Japanese military plans and activities.[ii]

U.S. submarines supplied the guerrillas with arms and ammunition, communications equipment, food and medical supplies.[iii]


[i] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 123

[ii] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 123

[iii] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 123


Death March & The Prisoners of War





On that same day April 9, 1942, the Death March began. It was a trek of close to 80,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war that began in Mariveles, Bataan, down the dusty roads that cut through the eastern towns of the province, through Lubao and Guagua, and finally, San Fernando, Pampanga, from where they were transported by trains to the concentration camp in Capas, Tarlac.[i]

The 76,000 Filipino and American Soldiers who surrendered in Bataan underwent a terrible ordeal. They were forced by the Japanese to march a distance of more than 100 kilometers, under a broiling sun with little or no food and water. Thousands of Filipino and American prisoners of war died along the way, many of them brutally killed by Japanese guards. This was the infamous “Bataan death March” for which LT. Gen. Masaharu Homma, commander of the Japanese Imperial Forces in the Philippines, was found guilty of war crimes by an Allied military tribunal after the war and was sentenced to death by hanging.[ii]

Corregidor held out for a little while longer, but it, too, capitulated to the enemy on May 6, 1942. the Fall of Corregidor signalled the end of organized Fil-American resistance to the Japanese.[iii]

The Japanese invaded the Philippines, and for three-and-a-half years, they governed the country.[iv]


[i] Fr. Wilfredo C. Paguio, Bataan Land of Valor, People of Peace, Jardi Press, 1997, p. 106

[ii] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 119

[iii] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 119

[iv] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 117


Wednesday, March 9, 2011

The Fall of Bataan (April 9, 1942)





While the Japanese already controlled Manila and other Luzon areas, the Filipino and American troops could not stop the Japanese advances.

On the month of February the Fil-American soldiers seems to lose their direction, with no food, no armaments. They are starving to death…How they can survive?

On the eleventh of March, Mc. Arthur left the Philippines…with his very well-known line, “I shall return!”.

On April 3, 1942, Lt. Gen. Masaharu Homma, commander of the Japanese Imperial Forces, ordered his men to attack and finally defeat the Filipino-American troops.

On April 6, 1942 the bloody battle begins at Mt. Samat. Hungry, disease-ridden, low on ammunition and without any hope of relief, the defenders of Bataan had no choice but to surrender to the Japanese on April 9, 1942.[i]

With supplies running out, and the army outnumbered and decimated by disease and starvation, decided to surrender rather than massacred by the Japanese invaders. The Army of Bataan completely collapsed.

What Bataan witnessed in those times, that it became home to tens of thousands of men and boys, fiercely defending freedom and the fatherland, will forever be etched into its history. The province’s name has since then been syno-nymous to courage, heroism and valor. It describes the strength and pride of a people who would choose suffering and death to foreign domination. When the end of battle came, on April 9, 1942, the words that were uttered and that echoed down the years were “Bataan has fallen”.[ii]

[i] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 119

[ii] Fr. Wilfredo C. Paguio, Bataan Land of Valor, People of Peace, Jardi Press, 1997, pp.105-106

The Battle Begins (January 11, 1942)






The Road to War

World War II actually began in Europe on September 1, 1939 when Hitler invaded Poland. Great Britain and later, France, which had promised to defend Poland in case of attack, declared war on Germany.[i]

In Asia, the Japanese attack and invasion of China caused some tension between Japan and the United States. The U.S. was sharply critical of Japan's aggression in China. In 1939, the U.S. terminated its trade agreement with Japan. As a result, Japan could no longer buy most of the metals, machinery and other materials she needed for her war efforts.[ii]

When Japanese forces occupied French-Indo_china in July 1941, the Americans reacted by imposing an oil embargo on Japan and freezing all Japanese assets in the United States. In addition, the U.S. demanded that Japan withdraw her forces from China and Indo-China. In the face of these developments, Japan decided to go to war against the United States and Great Britain.[iii]

The Outbreak of War

Without any formal declaration of war, the Japanese launched a surprise air attack at the U.S. naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in the morning of December 7, 1941. Pear Harbor was the head-quarters and main base of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Caught unprepared, the U.S. suffered heavy losses.[iv]

The next day, December 8, President Roosevelt appeared before the U.S. Congress to ask for a declaration of war against Japan, describing as December 7 as "a date which will live in infamy." On December 11, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. The U.S. Congress immediately responded by declaring war on the two European allies of Japan.[v]

The War in the Philippines

On December 8, 1941, Japanese planes bombed Davao, Tuguegarao, Iba, Tarlac, and Pampanga where the U.S. had military bases. The air raids caught the Americans by surprise. On the following day Manila was bombed. Thereafter there were almost daily air raids in Manila and other places in the country.[vi]

As the year 1941 came to an end, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who was directing the American forces in the Far East from his base in Manila, moved into the Bataan Peninsula to set up the defense of the Philippines. All the men who could fight and all the youths who were willing to, withdrew from the city to Bataan, determined to hold on to this last ground where the flags of the Philippines and the United States could still fly free.[vii]

Bataan was ideal for defense. The province had a number of steep mountains and hills, thriving rivers, and was covered with thick jungle. The defenders - with a strength of about 83,000 men, chose an area between Mauban and Mabatang as their main line of resistance, and the second line, the rear battle position, lay across the road from Bagac and Orion.[viii]

Without aerial support and inadequately equipped, the Fil-American Forces retreated to the Bataan peninsula, there to make their last stand while waiting for promised reinforcement from America that never arrived.[ix]

Eventually, on January 11, 1942 at 11:30 pm at the Abucay line, the joint American and Filipino army were besieged by the ferocious Japanese invaders.

[i] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 117

[ii] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 117

[iii] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 117

[iv] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 117

[v] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 118

[vi] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 118

[vii] Fr. Wilfredo C. Paguio, Bataan Land of Valor, People of Peace, Jardi Press, 1997, pp.104-105

[viii] Fr. Wilfredo C. Paguio, Bataan Land of Valor, People of Peace, Jardi Press, 1997, pp.104-105

[ix] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 118-119

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

The American Period (1898-1946)




The revolt of the Filipinos against Spain at the close of the 19th century, after more than 300 years of subjugation, did not mean the end of foreign dominion over the Islands. The ousting of Castillian conquerors and administrators by the local insurrectos only meant turning over control to another fair-skinned race.

On May 1, 1898, Corregidor fell into the hands of the Americans. By the first days of the second week of the following month, Bataan was already taken for them by the insurrectos. Soon, on June 12, 1898, Philippine independence from Spain was proclaimed in Kawit, Cavite. But it was only on August 14, 1898, after the Battle of Manila, that Spain surrendered to the United States. On December 10, 1898, the Treaty of Paris was signed.

The first Philippine Republic (1899-1901) was inaugurated under the presidency of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. A son of Bataan, Tomas G. del Rosario, was the vice-president of those who framed its constitution at the Malolos Congress. It did not take long, however, for Filipinos to realize that they had another master – the Americans.

Still aflame with the heat of battle against the Spaniards, the same insurrectos who dared to challenge their foreign colonizers and won, launched the Philippine-American War.

The Filipinos put up a courageous fight. But only July 4, 1901. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was apprehended in Palanan, Isabela. This led US President Theodore Roosevelt to declare the rebellion ended.

An American governor was appointed for Bataan – Harry Gouldman (1901-1903). The first Filipino governor was Tomas G. del Rosario of Balanga (1903-1905). He was followed by: Lorenzo Zialcita of Orani (1905-1907); Pedro J. Rich of Samal (1907-1909); Mariano Rosauro of Balanga (1909-1912); and Maximino R. de los Reyes of Balanga (1912-1916).

The line of congressmen from the province is compared of the following: Jose Ma. Lerma of Pilar (1907-1909); Tomas G. del Rosario of Balanga (1909-1912); Pablo Tecson of Balanga (1912-1916); and Maximino de los Reyes of Balanga (1916-1922).

It was during the incumbency of Maximino R. de los Reyes that Limay, on January 1, 1917, became a town separated from Orion, due to a petition led by Domingo de Ocampo, Francisco Villafranca, Emilio Ambrocio, Jose del Rosario, Mariano de San Pedro and Victorino Calma. It was also de los Reyes who worked hard to stabilize the economy of the province so that it would not be reabsorbed by the province of Pampanga.

Other provincial governors were: Conrado Lerma of Pilar (1916-1918); Pedro J. Rich of Samal (1918-1919); Alberto Aquino of Samal (1919-1922); Manuel Aguinaldo of Pilar (1922-1925); Gregorio Quicho of Orion (1925-1931); and Sabino de Leon of Pilar (1931-1934). The representatives were: Antonio Llamas of Mariveles (1922-1925); Manuel Banzon of Balanga (1925-1928); Teodoro Camacho, Sr. of Balanga (1928-1931); and Fortunado de Leon of Orion (1931-1934).

The Philippine Commonwealth under President Manuel L. Quezon lasted from 1935 to 1946. This was, however, interrupted by the Japanese occupation of the country. Before the coming of the Japanes, the governors were: Alberto Aquino of Samal (1934-1937); Joaquin J. Linao of Morong (1937-1940); and Jose Manahan of Balanga (1940-1941). The congressmen were Teodoro Camacho, Sr. of Balanga (1934-1941) and Antonio G. Llamas of Mariveles (1941).

The Second Republic of the Philippines (1942-1945) refers to the puppet government headed by President Jose P. Laurel during the Japanese occupation of the Islands. The governors of Bataan then were Simeon Salonga (1942-1945) and Teodoro Camacho (1945-1946). The Japanese bowed out of the Islands with rumors of Yamashita’s treasure even as they left without even multering arigato or sayonara.

MacArthur returned and the United States granted independence to the Philippines on July 4, 1946. Among the many legacies of the Americans to Filipinos are democracy, press freedom, the English language, health care and the public school system.

To expand the public school system in the Philippines, the United States sent teachers, who came to be known as Thomasites, because they arrived on board the ship Thomas, which left San Franscisco on July 1901 and arrived on August 23, 1901.

Three Thomasites were assigned in Bataan: Frank A. Butts, in Abucay; C.H. Goddarch, in Mariveles; and Bessie Taylor, in Balanga.

Soon, native teachers were being trained. Night schools were established and provincial schools offered English courses. Summer institutes were opened from February 15 to March 30 of each year either in San Fernando (Pampanga) or Balanga. Scholars were sent to the United States to study, among whom was Pedro Tuazon of Balanga.

Orani opened its first American school on February 27, 1902, when Benito Pangilinan was superintendent of schools in the province. On June 1904, Balanga had a complete elementary school up to grades five and six. By 1916, Limay had a primary school. The establishment of schools was a priority project of Governor Alberto Aquino, especially in Morong, Dinalupihan, Orani and Mariveles.

Private schools were also founded. In 1925, Felisa Baens was said to have started a high school in Orani with Arcangel de la Fuente as its first teacher. In 1926, the Jose Rizal Institute was put up in Orion, and Later in Orani, by Francisco de la Rosa, Florentino Simeon and Alfredo Angeles.

In general, the American regime also greatly influenced the people. Instead of just eating pesang pating, lugaw na butete, ginisang pindangga or pinais na page, people began to develop a taste for oatmeal, hamburger and hot dog. In addition to the usual suka, patis and toyo, they began to use catsup, chew gums instead of buyo and smoke American cigarettes. Instead of just using higot, men started to use suspenders and belts. They began wearing polo shirts and sporting tennis shoes. Women shortened their dresses.

Poker and bridge took the place of monte and panguingue. Bowling, basketball, baseball and volleyball were introduced in lieu of sabong. The carnival became a part of every town fiesta. Zarzuelas and the moro-moro or comedias were presented with vaudeville. Movies were popularized. The old Chinese restaurants were glamorized into soda fountains. Cabarets with bellas, which later became synonimous with women of ill repute, sprouted in almost every municipality. The sounds of Charleston, boogie-woogie and fox trot predominated in these places, though always with due respect to the pabasa and cenaculo of Lent.

The byword of the time was, of course, “Victory Joe!”

1898 Revolution




It was the first of May 1898, at around five to six o’clock in the morning when thunders of cannon volleys interrupted the tranquil sleep of the people of Bataan. American forces were bombing Corregidor, just off the coast of Mariveles. In less than an hour, Spanish defenses on the island were destroyed and by the afternoon of that same day, six American officials, including a captain, landed on the island from their vessel, Zafiro. The island was surrended.

THE FALL OF MARIVELES

By the end of the month, everything was ready for the conquest of Bataan by the insrurrectos, who had no choice but to raise a rebellion. Otherwise, it was known later, the American forces threatened to bombard the whole province.

Mariveles, therefore, was taken on May 30. Protected by eight regiments under Lieutenant Pavon, the town was attacked at noon when the soldiers were taking lunch. Though unprepared, the soldiers fought bravely – fifty to one. The battle left 16 young Spanish soldiers dead or gravely wounded.

THE FALL OF ORION

Orion was also taken on the 30th. Around 6 o’clock in the morning of the 29th, the infantry stationed in the town split up to survey the town. One division under the Señor Guerra, went northwards in the direction of Pilar. The other, under First Lieutenant Gomez, went southwards towards Limay. Only seven soldiers, under Sgt. Navarro, were left in town.

Soon after the two columns of soldiers left, cannon shots were heard – Balanga came under fire. And in a moment, from the forest of Orion itself, appeared troops of insurrectos. However, they could not approach the church and convent because of the armed soldiers who had taken refuge there.

Organizing themselves, the insurrectos marched towards Limay where they encountered the troops of Lieutenant Gomez – 20 infantry men with two guardias civiles against no less than four thousand rebels. The battle lasted for five hours, until two in the afternoon when the soldiers had used up their ammunition.

Victoriously, the rebels hastened to town where they kept vigil through the night, asking the priests of the parish, Fathers Ulpiano Herrero and Julian Misol, to surrender. In the morning of the next day, May 30, moved by the threats of the rebels to burn down the church and convent, the priests came down from the tower of the church and with them descended the Spanish flag in the town.


THE FALL OF PILAR

In Pilar, trouble also began on May 29. Ten infantry men who sought shelter in the convent found themselves surrounded by men armed with bolos – mostly Aetas who had connived with the few insurrectos in the town to occupy it. Prepared for battle, the soldiers stayed on the first floor of the convent for it was of concrete materials while the second floor was only of wood. Here, they were attacked by a native who had taken his subo, thinking that with it he could kill all the Spaniards in the convent, without getting himself killed. But before he could even reach the convent door, he was felled with a gunshot.

However, the insurrectos were able to set the convent aflame, and the soldiers had to flee to the church located at the other side of the road. In the process, the parish priest, Fr. Francisco Garcia, was wounded in the nose and left arm. And, after having been attacked by another superstitious fanatic, they were able to close the church and climb to the tower. From there, they heard the sound of trumpets from the direction of Orion. Thinking that it was help, they were overjoyed. Later, however, from the tower, they understood and saw that it was but a cry for help from the troops of Sergeant Guerra in Orion, being massacred by the insurrectos.

Hungry and thirsty, Father Garcia and his companions waited for any aid from Balanga or from any other place until the next day, May 30, when, convinced that no help was coming and assured by Gregorio Paguio, the captain of the insurrectos, that they would be treated with respect, they ended Spanish sovereignty in Pilar by surrendering themselves.


THE FALL OF BAGAC AND MORONG

On a Monday, June 7, a surprise attack was made on the 25 infantrymen of Bagac, and all were killed. The same was planned for Morong but the infantrymen of the town readily perceived their plan. They defended the quarters of the town for several days until they ran out of food and ammunitions. They retreated to Subic where, after a heroic defense, they surrendered to the Americans on Isla Grande where they had taken refuge. Admiral Dewey, however, later handed them over to the government of Aguinaldo.

THE FALL OF BALANGA

By May 26, rumors of revolution already permeated the town of Balanga. The day after, a certain Pantaleon, a former capitan of the town, asked for a sung Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin for the failure of the plot of the Katipunan to kill all Spaniards. By the 28th, revolution already started in the town under the leadership of a certain Jaen, a strong though uneducated man. Later, afraid of the anger of his fellow rebels for having advanced the date of the revolution from May 31 to May 28, Jaen committed suicide. His troops tried unsuccessfully to occupy the military quarters of the town.

The Spaniards, who took refuge inside the convent, lasted till the 30th, when their food began to run out. By May 31, they realized that no help was coming from Orani. So Baquero, the military chief in Balanga, negotiated the terms of surrender with the head of the rebels of the town, a man named Cardenas.


THE FALL OF SAMAL

On May 29, Lieutenant Salazar of the Guardia Civil gave instructions for the parish priest of Samal to leave town. Early the next day, the same lieutenant, with 50 men under him, proceeded to Balanga to provide support, passing by Abucay to ask Father Govea to leave. Meanwhile, Don Lucas Francia, the commander of the Bataan-Zambales zone, awaited help from General Monet who was assigned in Pampanga.

Two days, later, 150 Macabebes came. Together with 70 other infantrymen and guardias civiles, they tried to proceed to Balanga. But like the troops of Lieutenant Salazar, they did not enter the town for fear of being trapped inside. Instead, they retreated to Samal. The next day, Francia was informed of the surrender of Balanga. Sending a small troop to Samal, which also later returned, Francia retreated to Pampanga together with the priests of Abucay, Samal, Orani and Hermosa. So that when Lt. Salazar sent him a messenger to ask for instructions, he had already left.

That night, the revolutionaries attacked the town of Samal with arms taken from the Peace of Biak-na-Bato, from the infantrymen of Pilar, Abucay and Balanga which had surrendered, and from the Americans. Lieutenant Salazar wanted to surrender but the Macabebes, hoping for help from Pampanga which had been promised by Francia, refused.

Meanwhile, the insurrectos, having surrounded the Church, were able to dig a hole on the left side of the church, into which they poured petroleum which they later set aflame, burning the main altar. This led the defenders of the town to agree to the surrender provided their lives be spared.

But, afterwards, the rebels decreed that the Macabebes were not included in the agreement since they were Filipinos who turned traitor to their motherland by fighting under the Spanish flag. To regain their freedom, the Macabebes were required to shout, “Muera España, viva Filipinas!” Refusing to do this, the Macabebes answered: “Pensais que vamos a ser como vosotros que ayer jurabais ser eternamente fieles a España para hoy matar a sus hijos u pisotear su bandera?...” Because of this, they were all massacred.

In their honor, Father Ulpiano Herrero wrote:

“Descanded en paz magnanimos hijos de Macabebe! Con vuestro glorioso sacrificio cerrasteis brillantissimamente el libro de la fidelidad de Filipinas a España; y en ese asqueroso monton de traiciones y bellanquerias contra la Patria que dio a los Filipinos religion y cultura, constituis el unico oasis en que, contemplando los sucesos del perfido levantamiento, se recrea la mente del observador, a quien enthusiasman los sublimes cuadros de historia.”

Monday, March 7, 2011

Bataan is Made A Province




After two centuries of Progress and development, Bataan was made a province in 1754, during the incumbency of governor General Don Pedro Manuel Arandia.

The new province included the towns of Orion, Pilar, Balanga, Abucay, Samal, Orani and Hermosa, which were under the administration of the Dominicans. Dinalupihan was also included. These towns were the parts of the province of Pampanga. Mariveles, with its barrios of Bagac and Morong, was also included in the province, thus abolishing the old district (corregimiento) of Mariveles. And Maragondon which originally belonged to this district, was incorporated into the province of Cavite.

As a province, Bataan was placed under its own Alcalde Mayor, assisted by a number of personnel. The economy of the province was taken over by its own Administrador de Hacienda Publica and its military defense units were placed in the hands of two units of Guardia Civil—one in Balanga and one in Dinalupihan under the command of two officers—and a station in Orion with its Cabo.

The People





The first Spanish who arrived in the province came upon two main races of people living in Bataan – the inhabitants of the mountains and those settled on the plains. The mountain people were the Negritoes or Aetas and the inhabitants of the plains were the natives.

Aside from these two main groups, however, there came the peninsular Spaniards, the Chinese, and the mestizos who were either Spaniards or Chinese born to parents married to native women.

The Aetas

The Negritoes or Aetas, at the time they were written about by Father Vicente Fernandez in 1886, numbered around 1,300 to 1,500 with the population tending to decrease rather than increase. They were described then as a miserable race with kinky hair and dark skin. Their origin, descent and language were not too well known, although others of their kin lived in Malacca, Sumatra, Java, Formosa, New Guinea and in a majority of the Philippine islands. Their language was similar to those in the towns and ranches near the mountains where they lived.

Father Vicente Fernandez reported that until his time, all the efforts to confine the Negritoes to life in community had been fruitless. Both threats and blandishments had been used. Houses had been built for them on sites near the mountains, but they always returned to their mountainous abode the moment they knew they were out of sight or the resources for their upkeep had been used up.

The Candidate

The greatest bulk of the lowlanders were the natives. They belonged to the pure Malay race, were of regular build, oval-faced, and with large eyes. However, although they are of Malay race, one could observe in their physiognomy some resemblances to the people of Ternate, perhaps because they had merged with or intermarried with the Mardicas of the opposite coast.

Most of them spoke Tagalog, but a considerable number of the population, especially in the beginning, spoke Pampango, which is no surprise since Bataan was fomerly a part of Pampanga province.

By the turn of the century, the following style of dress was in vogue. Men wore pantalones, camisa de coco which was either black or blue, a buri hat or salacot and a panuelo around their necks. Women sported short black camisa de coco which was usually de sinamay con rayas, a saya of black or of any other color, a tapiz over the saya, a pair of chinelas on their feet, a panuelo around the neck or head, plus a rosary or scapular hanging from their neck and resting on their breast. Special attires, as those of the Spaniards, were worn by ministers of justice and the principales of the town on special occasions.

To pass their time, men and women played panguingue. Men usually enjoyed monte and sabong. The old folk spent their time chewing tobacco and buyo while conversing on their staircases, windows, stores, plazas or streets. Among the young, carabao races were also popular. And the nights were passed with haranas or serenades.

They especially celebrated town fiestas, attended zarzuelas in which the people of Mabatang were experts and enjoyed the galleras.

The low-landers were easily satisfied. They were content with having just the necessities of life for the present, without care for the future. For cultivation, they preferred swampy farms which were easy to cultivate but were always productive. They had a characteristic aversion to holding public office and paying taxes. And as the angelus tolled the setting of the sun, they ended their days with prayers and a manifestation of respect for the old while closing their windows and locking their doors.

The Peninsular

Peninsular Spaniards were those who came from Spain to live in the Philippines. Those who had stayed long in the Philippines were called camagones at the end of the nineteenth century.

It is noted that in the second half of the last century, the number of peninsular Spaniards in Bataan was strangely small, and all of them were either employees in civil, economic and military administration or parish. Around that period, too, there were nine towns in which the pastors were the pastors were the only Spaniards.

It is likewise of interest that in the entire province, there was not a single peninsular Spaniard or foreigner, aside from the Chinese, who were involved in agriculture, commerce or industry.

The Chinese residents of the province were few in number, compared to those in the other provinces of the archipelago. They were estimated to have been only about 160 to 180, according to the census taken by the Government and Administration in the year 1885.

Almost all engaged in commerce. Some engaged in the alcohol industry and in the drying of fish for shipment to Manila and Pampanga. Only a small number was engaged in agriculture.

There were no rich Chinese. Due to the big number of mestizos who sought to emulate their parents and due to the proximity of the Manila markets to which they themselves brought their products, the Chinese had never been able to control commerce – not even retail stores.



Being thriftier, more active and more industrious, the Chinese of the last century in Bataan were not too well liked by the natives. Occasionally, an aggrieved native took revenge on a Chinese who had done him an injustice. In such occurrences, it difficult to uncover the perpetrators of the crimes for the natives did not volunteer information to investigate the deeds perpetrated on the Chinese.

Some of the Chinese married and settled permanently in the province to live with their families. But the majority were transients who came to try their fortune and traveled on from one province to the next.

The Mestizos

There were two main divisions of mestizos in Bataan --the Spanish-native mestizos and the Chinese-native mestizos.

The Spanish-native mestizos were greater in number than the peninsular Spaniards. However, they were of little influence and importance as majority of them belonged to the poorer class. But they had always tried to preserve their lineage in census lists due to privileges of exemption from tribute and due to the municipal services which they enjoyed as provided for by the law.

The Chinese-native mestizos were also of considerable number. As a matter of fact, their number ranked second to that of the natives. They were actually more than what appeared in parish lists, for the son or daughter of a native father and a Chinese mestiza mother was classified in records as a native. They were, in fact, very careful in having this noted in their baptismal records in order not to pay the higher rate of tribute imposed on Chinese mestizos, according to the ancient laws of the tribute.

This race was astonishingly prolific and it has left permanent traces of its characteristic traits both physical as well as moral. This is especially noticeable in the town of Balanga, where inhabitants strangely have white complexion and slanted eyes. Even most of their family names reflect a Chinese ancestry.

They were generally serious, generous, thrifty, clean and shrewd. They dedicated themselves to agriculture, commerce and industry. They were the truly powerful people in the province. They gave out money advances or loans to natives, with regular interests collectible at harvest time. Their women were usually more active then the men and possessed great talent in managing their business and making it grow. However, they had the vice of gambling, where they risked their fortune many times.

In general, the people of the province were docile, religious and loving to their superiors.



The Land Called Bataan





The province known as Vatan during the Madjapahit Empire, was already a progressive settlement long before 1571. The Spaniards who first set foot on the land reportedly came upon a population of about 2,000.

The province of Bataan lies on the western coast of the island of Luzon, with an area of over 137,297 square hectares or a total of 1,243 square kilometers. It is bounded on the north by the province of Zambales; on the northeast, by the province of Pampanga; on the east, by Manila Bay; on the west, where its coastline forms a semicircle, by the China Sea; and on the South, by the canal between the verdant mountains of Mariveles and the historical fort-island of Corregidor called Boca-Chica.

In its northern part are the towns of Dinalupihan and Hermosa; in its eastern part, Orani, Samal, Abucay, Balanga, Pilar, Orion and Cabcaben; in its southern tip, facing Corregidor, the town of Mariveles; and in its south-western part, Bagac and Morong.

Bataan is blessed with more mountains than plains with a mountain found in each town of the province. It is ringed by a mountain chain called the Zambales mountains because they are located in that province, beginning from the highlands above Subic. A series of uplands stretches from Bataan’s southern tip, the highest of which is a peak called Mariveles. Mariveles is about 5,118 feet high or 13,390 meters above sea level, broken only between Balanga and bagac by a more or less extensive flat valley. A second range of uplands and plateaus rises above Orani forming the Butilao peak, with an altitude of approximately 4,751 feet. Other mountains are the Morro de Orion, Samal, Balanga, Dinalupihan and Mt. Samat in Pilar.

There is a notable difference between the eastern section of the province, which faces the bay, and the western section towards the China Sea. The first is, to a great extent, flat with gentle slopes of rising lands which present a beautiful view; while the second is very irregular.

Having some 20 leagues of coastline, Bataan keeps within its bosom, in the town of Orion, two-cabalitas of quagmire called lupang puti (white soil) by the natives; and a smaller one in Ogon, Balanga.

In Mariveles, Saysain, Bagac and Morong, there are small bays good for fishing. In Mt. Malasimbo, north of Dinalupihan, there are wells of water with gallionella ferrugia.

There are two deep and long rivers in this province, namely, Talisay and the Almacenes. Talisay, originating from the Samal and Orani mountains and branching out into Pilar and Balanga, forms the dividing line between these two latter towns. The Almacenes, welling from the mountains of Hermosa and coursing through the plains stretching to Subic, a part of Zambales, runs through the town of Dinalupihan and ends in the town of Lubao in the province of Pampanga.

This river also branches out to form the Cola and Lumaen rivers in Hermosa, and the sweet-watered Orani River which has a depth of about two to three arm-lengths and which passes through Lalawigan to the sea. It is named Almacenes because it is found in the place where, in olden times, timber and palms were brought together after being gathered from surrounding areas, and made to form launches which carried different commodities to the capital.

Other rivers are the Ogong in Balanga; Palivas, Balayang and Salinas in Abucay; and the river Calaguiman which passes through the town proper of Samal and the barrio of Mabatang where there was a big canal.

The average temperature in the province at midday through the months of November until February is 27° and 30° from March through June. The rest of the year has the same temperature due to the continued rains during these months. The atmospheric pressure, according to the reduced barometer, is usually 76,100 and in times of storms, reads as low as 71,500. Relative humidity during the rainy season is 80.0 to 90.0 and during the dry season, 60 to 70. Thunderstorms are frequent. And it is observed that atmospheric changes correspond to the two periodical monsoons of the year which are often not in any manner intense. Though sometimes the southwest monsoon caused cholera and the northwest monsoon coupled with intermittent heat could lead to pneumonia.

As a whole, however, the climate is temperature and the air is widely reputed to be pure and healthy.

The soil of the province presents different aspects and characteristics. In Mariveles and Abucay, it is sandy, clayish and plain, while in Hermosa it is plain. The soil of Orion is plain and sandy, and in Morong it is clayish; in Mabatang it is rocky, sandy, hilly and clayish; in Dinalupihan, plain and hilly; and in Bagac, clayish and plain.

The two highest mountains – Mariveles and Butilao – are not volcanic. They have neither lave nor slag, which proves that when the water appeared on top of the soil, it penetrated to where matter was boiling in a confused mixture, and the peaks of these two mountains rose to their present form.

This theory, according to Señor Azaola and as recorded by Father Vicente Fernandez, who kept extensive writings on Bataan, is proven by an examination of these same mountains. In their upper levels are found successive arches or basins (catanques) of water from the highest summit to the plains. This is a clear sign that when the mountains rose because of the liquefaction of igneous substances, depressions in the mountain tops were created when they cooled off, and, filled with water from the atmosphere, they broke the dikes which held them, because of their own weight and their descent to the plains, they formed others which, in their turn, were dug up, either by earthquakes or by the pressure of the water which had accumulated there.

That the soil is pyrogenic and of igneous eruption is proven by the fact that no signs or traces of any mineral have ever been found and only sulphates of iron, pirita marcial which they call guslagusla, are seen in certain rocks. The deposits of iron, titanite or sand, which are found in certain streams in Limay where there is a layer two felt deep, corroborate this hypothesis. For it is known that this mineral is most plentiful in all volcanic countries and is an element in the formation of the rocks in lands of igneous origin.

Notwithtstanding this, however, there are, in the break between Bagac and Morong, spheres or balls of greenish and black basalt, covered with a crust of marly siliceous layers which the people used as grinders, as well as basalt tabulanes doubtless underlying the rocks, which is not unusual in these formations.

This theory establishes the sufficient fertility of the soil of this province for agriculture. Actually, the lowlands from the north to the south are good for farming. Agustin Cavada records that by the year 1876, the land already cultivated over the whole province was about 3,768 hectares which was clayish-siliceous (siliceo-arcilloso) and with a muddy siliceous sub-soil.

Apart from the fertility of the soil, irrigation was never much of a problem. Because the mountain chains, which span an area of 125,000 hectares and where the soil is clayish-siliceous with a calcarious clayish-siliceous sub-soil, are provided with slopes on the east and west due to which the rivers follow a short course falling almost perpendicularly from the mountains into Manila Bay on the east and into China Sea on the west. With little effort, these streams and rivulets that empty into the sea from the mountains, were exploited for irrigation and the production of sugar by means of hydraulic machines.

Floods, a constant threat to agriculture-based provinces, were not frequent here due to the permeability of the soil and the regularity with which the forests conserve and distribute the rainfall.

Aside from its suitability to agriculture, Bataan is also rich in other natural resources. Abundant in lumber, it grows several varieties of trees which are useful for both civil and naval constructions. It also abounds in deer, wild boar, wild cats, alligators and sawa which is a delicacy of the Negritoes. Birds like doves, bato-bato, kingfishers, balores, calaos, white and green parrots and the balinsasayaw nest in its forests.

Between Orani and Hermosa, there is a place called la mina where bolinas pequeñas were found. These were said to be actually hierro hydratado de hierro pisiforme which were used by the natives for painting carriages and which can be properly studied and tapped for purposes of progress and development.

In Orani itself, there was a lagoon descending to a plain of clay used for making earthen jars (pilones) for the manufacture of sugar. In Samal, there is a deposit of dead shells (capiz) which is hitherto scientifically unexplained.

At the mouth of Morong River in Mariveles, there are hot spring called Balong-Anito with alcalinic water. It is also from here that the famous marmoles blancos de Mariveles come. Out of these, the statue of King Charles IV in one of the main thoroughfares of Manila and the pavement of the old Santo Domingo Church were made.

In a barrio of this town called San Miguel, there was a quarry. From the rocks taken there were constructed the Manila railway, the monument of Magellan in the isthmus of Santo Domingo and the baptismal fount of Balanga. In a cave at Pantogan, Orion, there are stones as brilliant as gold, which are classified as antimonio. Also, here can be found jade, which is very precious for the Chinese. Father Morales records that history refers to a Portuguese adventurer who found diamonds in the bosoms of its mountains in about the year 1620.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Let's Do Business








Related Links;



Bataan Provincial Investment Promotion Plan (2008-2010)
Strategic Location of the Province
Proximity & Accessibility
Water & Power Utilities
Agricultural Produce
Cost of Doing Business
Investment Areas
Investment Priority Areas
Investment Incentives

Investment Generation Activities




Despite the absence of a Local Investment Incentives Code, Bataan was able to generate new investments and encourage existing industries to expand on their operations. Take the case of the Petron Bataan Refinery who infused another multi-million dollar investment on petrochemical feedstock facilities, the Petro Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Unit and Propylene Recovery Unit. Another one is the PNOC Alternative Fuels Corporation that will use Jatropha plants as source of biofuels, which is located inside the PNOC Petrochemical Park in Mariveles. The Ayala Land Corporation, developer of Anvaya Cove, the most complete leisure park in Asia which is located in Morong town. The operation of the new P650-million San Miguel Foods Incorporated, a producer of animal feeds where half of its production is intended for its own feed requirements bannered by SMC B-Meg Feed Mill, is another locator in Mariveles.

Governor Enrique T. Garcia Jr is the number one investment promotion officer of the Province. Middle of 2007, the Governor together with Congressman Abet Garcia, Mayor Joet Garcia and Mayor Jessie Concepcion were invited by the Chinese government to observe the operation of power plants in China. The China trip produced an agreement between Bataan and the Chinese Government to establish a 600 megawatt, $822-million clean coal-fired power plant in Mariveles. The project will be undertaken through GN Powers Corp., a power utility company affiliated with Hydro Mac, a corporation owned by the Republic of China.

This only shows that investors are not only after the fiscal or tax incentives an LGU can offer. They give more considerations on the location, the skilled manpower, availability of raw materials for their businesses, the peace and order situation, accessibility to airport and seaport facilities (Subic, Clark and Manila), infrastructure facilities, good road network, and the presence of multi-national industries that give credence to Bataan as a complete investment destination.

On the LGU side, Bataan implements the best streamlined procedure on the issuance of business permits and licenses. The nightmare of most businessmen in securing necessary business documents is now over with the presence of twelve (12) Business-One-Stop-Shops, ideal and traditional, province wide.

The Provincial government may also provide the following:

1. Support to maintain industrial peace and security;

2. Assistance in securing direct source of electric power, water supply, and telecommunication services;

3. Assist in site selection and facilitates negotiation for Road-Right–of- Way;

4. Assist in labor recruitment and arbitration;

5. Assistance in the negotiation of special rates for industries with a minimum load of at least 1000 kilowatts; and

6. Other assistance as the Provincial Government may provide.




Related Links:


Bataan Provincial Investment Promotion Plan (2008-2010)
Strategic Location of the Province
Proximity & Accessibility
Water & Power Utilities
Agricultural Produce
Cost of Doing Business
Investment Areas
Investment Priority Areas
Investment Incentives


Investment Priority Areas




1. Information and Communication Technology

· Business Process Outsourcing (legal & financial services, manpower, call centers)

· Manufacturing of IT and electronic products

· IT Research and Development

· Multi-media Industries

2. Healthcare and Wellness Products and Services

· Retirement Industry (care providers, nursing facilities, retirement village)

· Medical Tourism (services and facilities)

· Human Health and Wellness

3. Tourism

· Tourist Accommodation Facilities

· Nature Parks/Mountain Resorts

· Transportation Services

· Restaurants/food Outlets

· Other Tourism-related Services

4. Heavy Industries

· Power Plant Facilities

· Oil Refinery

· Oil Depot

· Petrochemical Industries

· Shipbuilding and Repair

5. Agriculture and Food Industries

· Agri-Business (Hybrid Seed Production, Mushroom Spawn Production Facility, Mobike Ice Maker for Fishery, Corn Mechanization Center, Goat Production Facility/Genetic Improvement)

· Food Processing

6. Manufacturing Industries

· Home Furnishings

· Gifts and Holiday Decors

7. Port Development and Operation

8. Waste Management Facilities

· Landfill

· Materials Recovery Facilities

· Recycling Facilities





Related Links:


Bataan Provincial Investment Promotion Plan (2008-2010)
Strategic Location of the Province
Proximity & Accessibility
Water & Power Utilities
Agricultural Produce
Cost of Doing Business
Investment Areas
Investment Incentives

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Water & Power Utilities




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.

Water

All municipalities in Bataan have their respective water supply 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.




Related Links;


Bataan Provincial Investment Promotion Plan (2008-2010)
Strategic Location of the Province
Proximity & Accessibility
Agricultural Produce
Cost of Doing Business
Investment Areas
Investment Priority Areas
Investment Incentives

Investment Incentives




Philippine Economic Zone Authority

PEZA incentives for Developers of Economic Zones include the following:

• Income Tax Holiday (ITH) or Exemption from Corporate Income Tax for four years;

• After the ITH, option to pay a special 5% Gross Income Tax, in lieu of all national and local taxes;

• Permanent resident status for foreign investors and immediate family members;

• Employment of foreign nationals;

• Incentives under the Build-Operate-Transfer Law; and

• Other incentives under Executive Order No. 226 (The Omnibus Investment Code of 1987 ), as may be determined by the PEZA Board

PEZA Incentives for Locator Companies such as export enterprises and I.T. companies are the following:

• Income Tax Holiday (ITH) or Exemption from Corporate Income Tax for four years, extendable to a maximum of eight years;

• After the ITH period, the option to pay a special 5% Tax on Gross Income, in lieu of all national and local taxes;

• Exemption from duties and taxes on imported capital equipment, spare parts, supplies, and raw materials.

• Domestic sales allowance of up to 30% of total sales;

• Exemption from wharfage dues and export taxes, imposts and fees;

• Additional deduction of 50% of the total cost of manpower training

• Permanent resident status for foreign investors and immediate family members;

• Employment of foreign nationals and dependents; and

• Other incentives under Executive Order 226 (Omnibus Investment Code of 1987), as may be determined by the PEZA Board.

Aside from these incentives, PEZA likewise registers 100% foreign-owned companies that are export-oriented companies.

· Board of Investments

The Board of Investments (BOI) is the lead agency of the government in the promotion of investment in the Philippines for high-priority projects catering to both the local and export markets. BOI’s mandate is spelled out in Executive Order No. (E.O.) No. 226, otherwise known as the Omnibus Investments Code 1987. Enterprises wishing to avail themselves of investment incentives under E.O. No. 226 need to register with the BOI.

Fiscal Incentives:

1. Income tax holiday. Newly registered pioneer projects are exempt from income taxes for six years from the start of commercial operations, and non-pioneer firms for four years from the start of commercial operations. The exemptions period may be extended for another year in each of the following cases:

-The project uses indigenous raw materials

-The project meets the BOI-prescribed ratio of capital equipment to number of workers

-The net foreign exchange savings or earnings amount to at least US$500,000 annually during the first three years of the project’s commercial operations.

Non-fiscal Incentives:
1. Simplification of customs procedures. Under E.O. 226, customs procedures for the importation of equipment, spare parts, raw materials and supplies, and the export of products by BOI-registered enterprises have been simplified by the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

2. Unrestricted use of consigned equipment. There are no restrictions on the use by BOI-registered enterprises of consigned equipment provided a re-export bond is posted. E.O. No. 226 provides further that if the consigned equipment and spare parts were imported tax- and duty-free, the re-export bond may be waived.

3. Employment of foreign nationals. Foreign nationals may be employed in supervisory, technical, or advisory positions within five years from a registered project’s registration, extendible for limited periods to be determined by the BOI. The positions of president, general manager, and treasurer of their equivalents, of foreign-owned registered firms may be retained by foreign nationals for a longer period.

· Local Government Units

Of the eleven (11) municipalities and one (1) city, Limay, Mariveles, and Dinalupihan do not have Investment Incentive Ordinance while the rest provide the following incentives to registered enterprises:

1. Exemption from payments of Mayor’s Permit, Building Permit, and other Licenses;

2. Exempted from paying Business Tax as provided for under Section 143 (a) Article 2, Book II R.A. 7160;

3. Based on guidelines as provided for in their respective Local Investment Incentives Code, exemptions from:

· Basic Real Property Tax

· Tax on Transfer of Real Property Ownership

· Franchise Tax

· Amusement Tax

· Other local taxes applicable



Related Links:


Bataan Provincial Investment Promotion Plan (2008-2010)
Strategic Location of the Province
Proximity & Accessibility
Water & Power Utilities
Agricultural Produce
Cost of Doing Business
Investment Areas
Investment Priority Areas

Investment Areas




1. PNOC Alternative Fuels Corporation Industrial Park

The PNOC AFC Industrial Park (formerly PPDC) is situated in a 530-hectare land between the municipalities of Limay and Mariveles. It is 135 kms. away from Manila by land and more or less an hour away across Manila Bay. At present, the complex houses the following companies: Philippine Resins Industries, Inc., NPC Alliance Corporation, and Phoenix Polypropylene Plant (formerly Petrocorp) that process petroleum by-products for rubber and plastic industries. Soon to start its initial operation is the PNOC Alternative Fuels Corporation registered with the Board of Investments with a pioneer status will use jatropha plants as source of biofuels.

2. Petron Bataan Refinery Complex

Petron Corp., the country’s top oil refiner inaugurated on April 09, 2008 the Philippines’ first petrochemical feedstock facilities at PBR Complex in Limay, Bataan. The Petro Fluidized Catalytic Cracking (PetroFCC) unit and Propylene Recovery Unit (PRU) are part of the company’s refinery Master Plan to further diversify and boost its position in the local petrochemical industry.

The PetroFCC, the first “cracking” unit of its kind in the world will convert black products (fuel oil) into higher value LPG, gasoline, diesel and yields high level propylene. The PRU further purifies the propylene to be used in making petrochemical products such as food packaging, appliances, suitcases, furniture, DVDs and even car parts. Petron Corp. has signed an agreement with Mitsui Co. Ltd. for a six-month supply of polymer-grade propylene.

3. PEZA-Bataan Economic Zone (BEZ)

The first and largest economic zone in the country was once the magnet of investments in the country. The established shipping port within the zone however would significantly serve the whole region as a strategic transshipment point.

There are 47 companies presently operating inside BEZ whose major exports include electronics, garments, textiles, fashion accessories, optical lenses, tennis balls, leather goods, sports bags and accessories, athletic shoes, and fiberglass products.

Plastic City Special Economic Zone

Under the administration of Bataan Economic Zone, Plastic City SEZ is located in a 25-hectare land at Barangay Alion, Mariveles, Bataan. It is about 2 kms. from the Petrochemical Industrial Complex, source of raw materials for its two (2) locators inside, Diversified Plastic Film Systems, and Modern Packaging Film Systems. Preferred industries are from light to heavy.

Mariveles Grain Terminal

Primarily to serve as main hub for handling, storing, and unloading of

grains within the terminal, industries identified for the Food city are flour milling, oil seed crushing/refining, starch production (corn and cassava), and feed compounding as core businesses. Downstream industries include pasta/noodle production, snack foods/biscuits and other varied food processing.

The terminal has the capacity to cater both the local and foreign grain producers with a handling discharge rate of 10,000 metric tons per day.

Support industries outside the Food City include backward linkages such as cattle-raising, corn-growing, fish/prawn farming and service industries.

4. Bataan Technological Park, Inc. (BTPI)

A 380-hectare site in Sabang, Morong, Bataan was once a UN High

Commission’s Refugee Processing Center. BTPI is ideal for world-class facilities for science-based and multi-use research and high technology development. A portion of the area is being geared towards research laboratory, modern agricultural training center and model farm.

Now under the management of Subic Bay Freeport Zone which is around 10 minutes away, BTPI stretches out to accommodate light and customized manufacturing industries.

5. Hermosa Special Economic Zone (HSEZ)

HSEZ would become a natural catch-basin of opportunities from existing industries in the W-Growth Corridor especially when the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway Project (SCTEP) becomes operational. This development would complement to the growth of the agricultural sector alongside manufacturing business where HSEZ promises to be a better alternative site for light industries.

Hermosa Ecozone Industrial Park (HEIP)

A world-class 165 hectares industrial estate inside HSEZ is strategically located alongside the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway making it just a few minutes away from Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Clark SEZ, and the rest of Central Luzon.

HEIP’s proximity to these transshipment hubs would greatly benefit its investors of the deep water port facilities (SBFZ) and international airports (Subic and Clark).

Subic-Hermosa Cyber City

Seated on a 96-hectare land (first phase only), it is intended for locators engaged in electronics, information technology, multi-media and other light industries. Its development includes factory buildings, industrial lots, commercial/residential buildings, office buildings, and shopping/entertainment complex. It is just a few meters away from Roman Superhighway.

6. Balanga BPO Center

Included in the list of “Next Wave Cities” of Information Technology in Central Luzon by the Department of Trade and Industry, the City of Balanga is gearing up to become the next ICT Hub in the region because of available infrastructure, presence of IT professionals and highly trainable manpower resources.

The City of Balanga is an hour away from the Mall of Asia, the latest ICT Hub in the country, via ferry services plying Manila-Port of Orion. Literally, “the city across the bay” since Manila Bay alone separates the two cities.

Located in the city commercial district, the Bataan Transport Mall is being developed as a BPO Center. The building is seated on a 4.6 has. land with a floor area of 11,340 square meters. The center is close to the proposed ICT Park of Balanga.




Related Links:


Bataan Provincial Investment Promotion Plan (2008-2010)
Strategic Location of the Province
Proximity & Accessibility
Water & Power Utilities
Agricultural Produce
Cost of Doing Business
Investment Priority Areas
Investment Incentives

 
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