Candelaria, officially the Municipality of Candelaria, is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 30,263 people.

History

During the pre-Spanish era, the area of Candelaria was unsettled forest. The Spanish East Indies government made it a sitio of Masinloc, one of the oldest towns of Zambales. Sambal settlers from other parts of Masinloc, who found Candelaria an ideal location to live, played an important role in creating Candelaria as a separate town 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. Candelaria is also the Spanish word for Candlemas, and that the Virgin of Candelaria is a Marian title popular in the Hispanic world.

Geography

Candelaria is 118 km from Olongapo, 40 km from the capital town of Iba, 244 km from Manila. 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 33359 ha, 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.

Barangays

Candelaria is politically subdivided into 16 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Climate

Demographics

In the 2020 census, the population of Candelaria, Zambales, was 30,263 people, with a density of undefined PD/km2.

Economy