Candelaria, Zambales

Candelaria is a third class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 25,020 people.

Candelaria is approximately 42 km (26 mi) from the capital town of Iba. It is nestled at the foot of the Zambales Mountains in the east and lies along coastline of the South China Sea in the west, with a total land area of 33,359 hectares (82,430 acres), making it the third-largest town in terms of land area in Zambales. This municipality is known for Uacon Lake, the cleanest lake in Central Luzon, and for its numerous beach resorts.

History

During the pre-Spanish era, Candelaria was unsettled forest land. It was then a sitio of Masinloc, one of the oldest towns of Zambales. Settlement by Sambal from other parts of Masinloc, who found Candelaria an ideal location to live, played an important role in how this sitio became a town separate from Masinloc in 1870.

The name of the town could have come from the name of the wife of the first Alcalde Mayor, who named the town after her as a birthday gift. There was also a story that the Spanish first saw many candles in this place and called it Candle-Area, a place of many candles; this story is anachronistic, however, as "Candle-Area" would have been an English rather than a Spanish name. It should also be noted that candelaria is also the Spanish word for Candlemas. As the years passed, it was customarily called Candelaria.

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.

Candelaria

Candelaria (or Candelária) may refer to:

People

Places

Argentina

Brazil

Chile

Colombia

Cuba