Candelaria, Zambales
Encyclopedia
Candelaria is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines
. According to the latest census, it has a population of 24,243 people in 4,321 households.
Candelaria is approximately 42 km (26 mi) from the capital town of Iba
. It is nestled at the foot of Zambales Range in the east and lies along coastline of the South China Sea
in the west, with a total land area of 437.6 km² (169.0 sq mi). Candelaria is the third-largest town in terms of land area in Zambales. This municipality is known for its Uacon Lake, the cleanest lake in Central Luzon
, and for its numerous beach resorts.
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.
s.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. According to the latest census, it has a population of 24,243 people in 4,321 households.
Candelaria is approximately 42 km (26 mi) from the capital town of Iba
Iba, Zambales
Iba is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. It is the capital municipality of Zambales. According to the latest census, it has a population of 44,344 people in 7,260 households....
. It is nestled at the foot of Zambales Range in the east and lies along coastline of the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
in the west, with a total land area of 437.6 km² (169.0 sq mi). Candelaria is the third-largest town in terms of land area in Zambales. This municipality is known for its Uacon Lake, the cleanest lake in Central Luzon
Central Luzon
Central Luzon , also known as Region III , is an administrative division or region of the Republic of the Philippines, primarily serve to organize the 7 provinces of the vast central plain of the island of Luzon , for administrative convenience...
, and for its numerous beach resorts.
History
During the pre-Spanish era, Candelaria was unsettled forest land. It was then a sitioSitio
A sitio in the Philippines is a territorial enclave that forms part of a barangay, the location of which may be distant from the center of the barangay itself....
of Masinloc
Masinloc, Zambales
Masinloc is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 40,603 people in 7,790 households.-Barangays:Masinloc is politically subdivided into 13 barangays.* Baloganon* Bamban...
, one of the oldest towns of Zambales. Settlement by Sambal
Sambal people
The Sambal are a Filipino ethnolinguistic group living primarily in the province of Zambales, the city of Olongapo, and the Pangasinense municipalities of Bolinao and Anda...
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
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
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
Philippine English
Philippine English is the variety of English used in the Philippines by the media and the vast majority of educated Filipinos. English is taught in schools as one of the two official languages of the country, the other being Filipino, a standardized version of Tagalog.English is used in education,...
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.
Barangays
Candelaria is politically subdivided into 16 barangayBarangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
s.
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