Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya

Bambang, officially the Municipality of Bambang (Gaddang: Ili na Bambang; Ilocano: Ili ti Bambang; Tagalog: Bayan ng Bambang), is a municipality in the province of Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines. According to the 2020 censusus, it has a population of 55,789 people.^[3]

Bambang
Municipality
Municipality of Bambang
Aerial view of Bambang
Flag Seal
Map of Nueva Vizcaya with Bambang highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Bambang Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 16°23′14″N 121°06′27″E
Country	Philippines
Region	Cagayan Valley
Province	Nueva Vizcaya
District	Lone district
Barangays	25 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Benjamin Ll. Cuaresma III
• Vice Mayor	Arnel Duldulao
• Electorate	34,457 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	345.00 km2 (133.21 sq mi)
Elevation	392 m (1,286 ft)
Highest elevation	771 m (2,530 ft)
Lowest elevation	305 m (1,001 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	55,789
• Density	160/km2 (420/sq mi)
• Households	14,470
Economy
• Income class	1st municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	7.70 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 365.8 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 688.4 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 271.1 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 112.2 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Nueva Vizcaya Electric Cooperative (NUVELCO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	3702
PSGC	0205004000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)78
Native languages	Gaddang Ilocano Isinai Tagalog

Etymology

The name "Bambang" is an Isinay word meaning "to dig". The municipality is known for its salt springs at the Salinas Natural Monument.

History

Bambang was originally inhabited by the Igorot and Panuypuyes (Aritao), the Ilongots (Dupax and Bambang), and the lgorot in the area west from the present native population of Dupax, Aritao, and Bambang came about by the inter-marriages of the tribes mentioned above and the merging of settlements by the Spanish. ^[5] Bambang itself was officially recognized as a town by the Spanish on July 5, 1747. Located initially in the present-day village of San Fernando, it was moved to its present location in 1777. According to the town's history, the warring Ilongots and Igorots buried their weapons nearby a pit ("bang-bang") to symbolize the end of their tribal feuds, and so birthed the name of the town Bambang.^[6][7]

In 1988, the town's mayor, Benjamin Cuaresma, was abducted and assassinated by the New People's Army on the eve of local elections. He was then succeed by his widow, Luisa Lloren Cuaresma,^[8] who went on to become governor and representative of Nueva Vizcaya.

Geography

Bambang is situated 16.20 kilometres (10.07 mi) from the provincial capital Bayombong, and 277.48 kilometres (172.42 mi) from the country's capital city of Manila.

Barangays

Bambang is politically subdivided into 25 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

• Abian
• Abinganan
• Aliaga
• Almaguer North
• Almaguer South
• Banggot (Urban)
• Barat
• Buag (Urban)
• Calaocan (Urban)
• Dullao
• Homestead (Urban)
• Indiana
• Mabuslo
• Macate
• Magsaysay Hill (Urban)
• Manamtam
• Mauan
• Pallas
• Salinas
• San Antonio North
• San Antonio South
• San Fernando
• San Leonardo
• Santo Domingo Proper (Tabangan)
• Santo Domingo West

Climate

Climate data for Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	25 (77)	28 (82)	30 (86)	31 (88)	30 (86)	29 (84)	28 (82)	28 (82)	28 (82)	29 (84)	28 (82)	27 (81)	28 (83)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	18 (64)	19 (66)	20 (68)	22 (72)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (73)	21 (70)	20 (68)	19 (66)	21 (70)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	21 (0.8)	28 (1.1)	34 (1.3)	58 (2.3)	160 (6.3)	179 (7.0)	226 (8.9)	225 (8.9)	215 (8.5)	168 (6.6)	59 (2.3)	32 (1.3)	1,405 (55.3)
Average rainy days	7.5	8.5	10.9	14.9	23.9	25.7	26.7	25.3	24.9	18.6	11.8	8.9	207.6
Source: Meteoblue[9]

Demographics

Population census of Bambang

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1903 2,033 —     1918 2,753 +2.04% 1939 8,545 +5.54% 1948 11,188 +3.04% 1960 15,592 +2.80% 1970 20,474 +2.76% 1975 23,073 +2.43% 1980 26,204 +2.58%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1990 33,663 +2.54% 1995 36,975 +1.77% 2000 41,393 +2.45% 2007 45,440 +1.29% 2010 47,657 +1.75% 2015 53,433 +2.20% 2020 55,789 +0.85%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[10][11][12][13]

Economy

Poverty incidence of Bambang

5 10 15 20 25 30 2000 22.47 2003 17.45 2006 10.80 2009 11.29 2012 10.34 2015 8.41 2018 8.23 2021 7.70 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]

Culture

Panggayjaya festival, which is celebrated from late April to May yearly. Part of its celebration is the annual Miss Panggayjaya (Bambang) and the counterpart Mister Bambang which started in 2016. Along with the celebration of its patron, Saint Catherine of Siena.

Tourism

On April 23, 2000, then President Joseph Ejercito Estrada issued a proclamation that declared Salinas Forest Reserve and Deer Refuge in the Municipality of Bambang, including two municipalities in the Province of Nueva Vizcaya, as a protected area pursuant to Republic Act No. 7589 and shall be known as Salinas Natural Monument. As of now, Salinas Natural Monument has yet to be developed as a tourist destination.^[22]

The Municipality of Bambang has a lot of tourist spots like the Salinas Salt Spring, Manamtam Salt Spring, Manamtam River, Laguerta Falls, Abian Falls, Pallas Cave, the Bambang Cross, and the Bambang Agri Tourism Learning Site.

Recently, the Municipality of Bambang successfully launched "Paskuhan sa Bambang."

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

Aerial view

Municipal hall

Bambang is part of the lone congressional district of the province of Nueva Vizcaya. It is governed by a mayor, designated as its local chief executive, and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and municipal councilors are elected directly in polls held every three years.

Elected officials

Members of the Municipal Council
(2022–2025)^[23]

Position	Name
Congressman	Luisa Ll. Cuaresma
Governor	Jose Gambito
Mayor	Benjamin Ll. Cuaresma III
Vice-Mayor	Arnel G. Duldulao
Councilors	Alexander Calulot Jr.
	Mark Joel P. Balgos
	Arnel G. Magdirila
	Aira Mae Viloria
	Leoncio P. Allas
	George F. Atabay
	Freddie Ramel
	Alejandro Pamittan

Former Mayors of Bambang

• Luisa Lloren Cuaresma: 1989–1998
• Dr. Pepito D. Balgos M.d.: 1998–2007
• Benjamin L.Cuaresma III: 2007–2010
• Atty. Flaviano D. Balgos, Jr.: 2010–2019
• Dr. Pepito D. Balgos M.d.: 2019–2022
• Benjamin L.Cuaresma III: 2022–Present

Education

Eastern Luzon College

The Schools Division of Nueva Vizcaya governs the town's public education system. The division office is a field office of the DepEd in Cagayan Valley region.^[24] There are two schools district offices which govern all the public and private elementary and high schools throughout the municipality. These are Bambang I District Office, and Bambang II District Office.^[25]

Primary and elementary schools

• Abian Elementary School
• Abinganan Elementary School
• Aliaga Annex Primary School
• Aliaga Elementary School
• Almaguer North Elementary School
• Almaguer South Elementary School
• Aurora Christian School Foundation
• Bambang Central School
• Bambang East Elementary School
• Bambang North Central School
• Bambang West Elementary School
• Barat Elementary School
• California Academy
• Camella SNV Montessori School
• Dullao Elementary School
• Indiana Elementary School
• Kiddie Kingdom International School
• Labni Elementary School
• Mabuslo Elementary School
• Macate Elementary School
• Mauan Elementary School
• Nangcalapan Primary School
• Pallas Elementary School
• Saint Catherine's School
• Salicpan Elementary School
• Salinas Elementary School
• San Antonio North Elementary School
• San Antonio South Elementary School
• San Fernando Elementary School
• San Leonardo Elementary School
• Sto. Nino Primary School

Secondary schools

• Bambang National High School
• King's College of the Philippines (formerly: Eastern Luzon Colleges)
• Saint Catherine's School
• Salinas High School
• Sto. Domingo Integrated School
• Philippine Science High School Cagayan Valley Campus

Higher educational institutions

• Advocates College
• King's College of the Philippines (formerly: Eastern Luzon Colleges)
• Nueva Vizcaya State University

Notable people

• Luisa Lloren Cuaresma, politician
• Marina Summers, drag performer
• Xyza Cruz Bacani, photographer
• Darren Espanto, actor

Gallery

• 
  Bambang Municipal Hall
• 
  Saint Catherine of Siena Parish Church
• 
  Bambang Gymnasium
• 
  Bambang (agriculture) Monument
• 
  Welcome Lion Monument

Fields, roads, mountain ranges panorama