Mariveles

Mariveles, officially the Municipality of Mariveles ( tl, Bayan ng Mariveles), is a first class municipality in the province of Bataan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 149,879 people.

History

Founded as a ''pueblo'' by a Franciscan Friar in 1578, Mariveles, the "Village of Camaya" was part of the Corregimiento of Mariveles, including Bagac and Morong, Corregidor and Maragondon, Cavite. The name Mariveles comes from a shorting of "''maraming dilis''" (lit. "many anchovies"), which are found off the coast. With its natural cove, the port was used by ships from China and Spain to resupply.

The Superior Decree of July 1754 declared Mariveles' independence from Pampanga.

In the 19th century, the Americans established the first quarantine station in the old Spanish Leprosarium Hospital (now, the Mariveles Mental Ward).

Mariveles Bay was the site of Mariveles Naval Section Base, completed for the United States Asiatic Fleet on 22 July 1941, and was surrendered to the Imperial Japanese Army on 9 April 1942. The Mariveles Airfield, a dirt runway at the Section Base, was the starting point of the Bataan Death March.

Today the Bataan Economic Zone, has made the port of trading zone.Freeport Area of Bataan, and industry to the city. Agricultural is also a large part of the port export.

Geography

Mariveles is located around the Mariveles Bay, a large cove at the southern tip of the Bataan Peninsula. It adjacent to Manila Bay to the east, and the South China Sea to the west.

Mariveles is located about from Manila via the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Jose Abad Santos Avenue, and Roman Highway. It borders Bagac to the west and northwest, Limay to the north and northeast, and Manila Bay to the east.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of constituting of the total area of Bataan. Of this, about 69% consist of the pastureland, 19% of forestland, 6% agricultural lands and the remaining 6% for residential and industrial use.

Climate

Barangays

Mariveles is politically subdivided into 18 barangays.

Demographics

In the 2020 census, Mariveles had a population of 149,879. The population density was .

Mariveles is home to an Aeta community speaking a Sambalic language called Mariveleño.

Economy

The Freeport Area of Bataan (formerly known as Bataan Export Processing Zone from November 20, 1972, to June 30, 2010) is a industrial complex in Mariveles town that enjoys business advantages, including tax incentives, natural endowments, and leadership under Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) Chairman Emmanuel Pineda. It is the only freeport in the country with a 10.9 million cubic meter-capacity dam that delivers 14 million gallons of water every day. It is complemented by water treatment and sewerage treatment plants which employ a sustainable waste water solution.

Government

Pursuant to the Local government in the Philippines", the political seat of the municipal government is located at the Municipal Hall. In the History of the Philippines (1521–1898), the ''Gobernadorcillo'' is the Chief Executive who held office in the ''Presidencia''. During the American rule (1898–1946) ( History of the Philippines (1898-1946)), the elected Mayor and local officials, including the appointed ones held office at the Municipal Hall. The legislative and executive departments perform their functions in the Sangguniang Bayan (Session Hall) and Municipal Trial Court, respectively, and are located in the second floor of the Town Hall and in the adjacent building.

The Municipal Mayor as of the 2016 national and provincial elections, serving his first term in office is Ace Jello "AJ" C. Concepcion.

The Sangguniang Bayan Members are:
+ Chairman and Vice Mayor: Angelito S. Rubia
* Councilors: Jaja P. Castañeda, Harry F. Golocan, Tito Pancho S. Catipon, Victoriano C. Isip, Angelito M. Sunga, Emerson Reyes, Joey Carandang, Susan Murillo, and Arvin V. Zurita (Municipal ABC President).

Tourism

Mariveles' attractions, events and historical landmarks include:
* Mariveles Five Fingers: A series of coves that looks like five human fingers when viewed from the air.
* Mount Mariveles
* Km 0 marker of the Bataan Death March
* ''Lazareto de Mariveles'': A Quarantine station established by the Spanish government in the 1850s to check and sanitize cargoes and passengers entering Manila. The Americans, upon their conquest of the Philippines, used the same system in their ports. The ruins of the old facility can be found inside the Mariveles Mental Hospital compound in downtown Mariveles.
* Parish Church of Saint Nicholas Tolentine: The 1729 Parish Church of Saint Nicholas Tolentine (Cath.: 36,282 Titular: St. Nicholas Tolentine, Feast day, September 10, Vicariate of Saint Michael Archangel) belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Balanga (''Dioecesis Balangensis'') Suffragan of the Archdiocese of San Fernando, Pampanga. On September 9, 2005, Mariveles celebrated the 276th anniversary of Apo Kolas, the Patron Saint of Mariveles — San Nicolas de Tolentino, who arrived in this town through the Order of Augustinian Recoletos missionaries. Thus, the parish was founded in 1729 bearing the name of the saint. Bishop Ruperto Cruz Santos, bishop of the Diocese of Balanga, serves as parish priest of the parish church since June 5, 2020, with priests served under Santos' tenure as parish priest of the church are Rev. Fr. Robert Laracas, OSJ and Rev. Fr. Ponciano G. Balmes, OSJ (2020–2022), Rev. Fr. Marvin Gomez, OSJ, Rev. Fr. Gerald Cuenca, OSJ, Rev. Fr. Christopher Alday, OSJ, and Rev. Fr. Jay Quicho (2022–present).

Infrastructure

Transportation

Mariveles can be reached through jet ferry plying the Mariveles to Manila route that has an approximate travel time of 40 minutes.

Expressway

The Bataan Provincial Expressway