Balanga, Bataan

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

The City of Balanga has a total area of 5,698.99 hectares (14,082.5 acres) of land classified for agricultural use. 1,458.55 hectares (3,604.2 acres) of irrigated land, and 1,090.65 hectares (2,695.1 acres) upland, are utilized for crops production. In 2017, 8,144.42 metric tons (8,015.79 long tons; 8,977.69 short tons) of rice were produced.[20]

The city classified 459 hectares (1,130 acres) of land to be utilized for aquaculture. It is composed of 148 hectares (370 acres) of coastal marine area, 276.6 hectares (683 acres) of brackish water fishpond and 34.4 hectares (85 acres) of freshwater fishpond. A total of 172 metric tons (169 long tons; 190 short tons) of marine products with an annual average of 5 metric tons (4.9 long tons; 5.5 short tons) per hectare are produced from freshwater fishponds with tilapia is the most common specie cultured. For brackish water fishponds, 968 metric tons (953 long tons; 1,067 short tons) are produced with an average of 3.5 metric tons (3.4 long tons; 3.9 short tons) per hectare. Some of the species cultured in brackish water are bangus (milkfish), sugpo, vannamei shrimp and alimango (mud crab).

Balanga is well-known for its smoked and dried fish products under the One Town One Product (OTOP) program. For the year 2017, there are ninety-nine (99) fish processors in the city mostly located in villages of Tortugas, Sibacan, Puerto Rivas Ibaba and Villa Lina in Barangay Tenejero.[21]

SM City Bataan

Vista Mall Bataan

All Day Supermarket in Balanga City before opening

The City of Balanga, while still predominantly agricultural is currently experiencing an accelerated growth in commercial sector. As capital of Bataan, it is the prime commercial hub in the province. Business enterprises are mainly wholesale and retail, servicing, construction, insurance, financing and manufacturing. Retail and trading comprise the largest number of business establishments in this city. Several shopping centers are located in the city, notably SM City Bataan, Vista Mall Bataan, Waltermart Balanga, Capitol Square, Galeria Victoria, Center Plaza Mall, Recar Commercial Complex and Ocampo's Megastore. While Robinsons Place Balanga City's construction is expected to start this 2022.

In 2008, 80 hectares (200 acres) of the city’s central district was declared as "University Town" through City Ordinance No. 21, Series of 2008. It aims to encourage the development of Balanga as an emerging hub for start-ups and technology-related businesses in the Philippines.[22]

Notable shopping malls and commercial centers include:

• SM City Bataan - Calero Street (Poblacion)
• Galeria Victoria - Paterno Street (Poblacion)
• WalterMart Balanga - Roman Superhighway (Tenejero)
• Vista Mall Bataan - Roman Superhighway (Cupang Proper)
• Capitol Square Mall - Capitol Drive (San Jose)
• Balanga City Public Market - Gen. Capinpin Street (San Jose)

The City is one of the twenty-five (25) emerging digital hubs identified by The Digital Cities 2025 program by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), and Leechiu Property Consultants, Inc. (LPC).[23] It hosts several business process outsourcing (BPO) companies such as Genpact, Boston-based start-up Botkeeper, and Australia-based Yoonet.

To further improve it's revenue generation capability, the City Government entered into several public–private partnership (PPP) projects, such as the Galeria Victoria, the Plaza Property which develops the city's main plaza, and the Capitol Square mall.

City Hall

Pursuant to the Local government in the Philippines",[24][25] the political seat of the municipal government is located at the City Hall. In the History of the Philippines (1521–1898), the Gobernadorcillo is the Chief Executive who holds office in the Presidencia. During the period of American rule (1898–1946) (History of the Philippines (1898-1946)), the elected Mayor and local officials, including the appointed ones, hold office at the Municipal Town or City Hall. The legislative and executive departments perform their functions in the Sangguniang Panglungsod (Session Hall) and the Regional and Metropolitan Trial Courts, respectively, and are located in the second floor of the City Hall and in the Halls of Justice.

• Mayor: Francis S. Garcia (National Unity)
• Vice Mayor: Vianca Lita V. Gozon (National Unity)
• Councilors:

The City administration envisions the City of Balanga as U-Town, a World Class University Town in 2020 (City Ordinance No. 21, Series of 2008, "Declaring the eighty point forty-two (80.42) hectares at the city's central district as University Town in the City of Balanga, Bataan").[26]

Balanga listed a 'Record-Breaking' P6B Investments In 2012. Balanga City won the 1st Robredo ICT Awards.[27]

Bataan Tourism Park

• Balanga Wetland Park[28] - Puerto Rivas Ibaba
• Plaza Major de Balanga - Poblacion
• Bataan Capitol Center - San Jose
• Bataan Tourism Park - Tenejero
• Doña Francisca Public Park - Doña Francisca

• Surrender of Bataan Site Marker - Talisay
• Bataan World War II Museum - Talisay

Balanga Cathedral

• Balanga Cathedral (Diocesan Shrine and Cathedral Parish of St. Joseph) -
• Divine Mercy Shrine of Diocese Balanga
• Santo Cristo Parish Church - Paterno Street, Cupang West
• San Roque Chapel - National Road, Tuyo
• The Risen Lord Chapel - Cuaderno Street, Doña Francisca
• Immaculate Conception Parish Church - Jose P. Rizal Street, Puerto Rivas Ibaba
• Residencia Sacerdotal-Guadalupe Chapel - Fiscal Camacho Street, Tenejero

Access to health services in the city is adequate with the presence of one government owned general hospital and four private hospitals.

Saint Joseph Hospital and Medical Center - Balanga

Isaac Catalina Medical Center

• Bataan Doctors Hospital and Medical Center - Cuaderno Street, Brgy. Doña Francisca
• Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center (a DOH regional hospital[29]) - Manahan Street, Brgy. Tenejero
• Isaac Catalina Medical Center - Calero Street, Brgy. Poblacion
• Centro Medico de Santisimo del Rosario - Roman Superhighway, Tenejero
• Saint Joseph Hospital and Medical Center - Don Manuel Banzon Avenue, Brgy. Poblacion
• Balanga Medical Center (formerly Bataan Women's Hospital) - Palmera Street, Brgy. San Jose
• Balanga Medical Center-Four Lanes (under construction) - National Road corner E. Garcia Sr. Avenue, Tuyo

The City of Balanga also has one City Health Office (CHO) and four (4) functional PhilHealth-accredited Rural Health Units (RHU). RHU 1 in San Jose houses the Basic Emergency Maternal and New Born Care Facility. While the Newborn Screening (NBS) facility is located in RHU 3 in Barangay Cupang Proper. RHU 4 in Barangay Tenejero is the newest, established in March 2017. These government-owned facilities provide free pre-natal, delivery and post natal services, family planning, women’s health and safe motherhood counseling, control of diarrheal diseases, expanded program on immunization, control of acute respiratory illness, TB Dots clinic, diabetic clinic and STD AIDS social hygiene clinic. These are augmented by 22 smaller barangay health stations and one Dental Bus making health care more accessible to a greater number of the city residents. Numerous privately-owned medical facilities can also be found all over the city. These include 19 medical and 19 dental clinics, 14 laboratory and diagnostic centers and 10 beauty and skin care facilities.[30]

Being a Hall of Fame Awardee of the Department of Health’s Red Orchid Award, the City of Balanga is strictly implementing the Smoke-Free Policy. Regular anti–smoking campaign for colleges, university and schools, and orientation on health ordinances are conducted regularly across the city. The Comprehensive No Smoking Ordinance of the City of Balanga prohibits the sale, distribution, usage, and promotion of all tobacco products and electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) also known as "vape", within the declared University Town area and within the three (3) kilometers radius of the city.

To ensure and expand the city’s strong advocacy for 100% tobacco-free environment, the City Government launched the Tobacco-Free Generation (TFG) Campaign last December 2015. It is intended to secure the Millennials’ (those who were born from the year 2000 and onwards) commitment to not smoke. With this program, the City of Balanga was awarded with “World Health Recognition for Heath Cities Best Practice, Youth Engagement to Promote Tobacco Control” last August 29, 2016.[31]

Balanga City is the educational center of the province of Bataan. It currently has one state-owned university and several private colleges offering Baccalauréat degrees in accountancy, business administration, entrepreneurship, computer science and information technology, teaching, engineering, architecture, and health.

Bataan Peninsula State University, a state-owned institution, has its two biggest campuses located in the city: the main campus in the capitol compound, and a satellite campus located in downtown area.

Tomas del Rosario College is one of the oldest private educational institutions in the city. It is located in the Capitol Drive in Barangay San Jose. The other private colleges in the city include Asia Pacific College of Advanced Studies, Eastwoods Professional College of Science and Technology (formerly SOFTNET College of Science and Technology), Bataan Heroes Memorial College, Microcity Computer College and St. Joseph's College.

Other higher educational institutions in the city of Balanga include: AMA Computer Learning Center, Philippine Women's University-CDCEC Bataan, Bataan Maritime Institute, and Proclesia International Incorporated.

The city hosts the biggest public secondary school in the province, Bataan National High School. Other public secondary schools present are Balanga City National Science High School, City of Balanga National High School and the Bataan Integrated School. While private secondary schools in the city include the high school departments of Asia Pacific College of Advanced Studies, Bataan Infant Jesus School, Bataan Montessori School, Inc., Tomas del Rosario College and St. Joseph Colleges of Balanga.