Balungao

Balungao
Municipality
Municipality of Balungao
Balungao Town Hall
Flag Seal
Map of Pangasinan with Balungao highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Balungao Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 15°54′N 120°42′E / 15.9°N 120.7°E / 15.9; 120.7
Country	Philippines
Region	Ilocos Region
Province	Pangasinan
District	6th district
Founded	March 19, 1815[1]
Named for	Mount Balungao
Barangays	21 (see Barangays)
Government  [2]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Maria Theresa R. Peralta
• Vice Mayor	Philipp D. Peralta
• Representative	Tyrone D. Agabas
• Municipal Council	Members Jose T. Peralta III Wilfredo N. Mina Marlon V. Guerzo Pastor S. Tabrilla Crisanto M. Luna Salvador M. Alejandro Joseph N. Pascua Roderick M. Soriano
• Electorate	20,935 voters (2022)
Area [3]
• Total	73.25 km2 (28.28 sq mi)
Elevation	50 m (160 ft)
Highest elevation	382 m (1,253 ft)
Lowest elevation	29 m (95 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[4]
• Total	30,004
• Density	410/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
• Households	7,908
Economy
• Income class	4th municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	15.67 % (2021)[5]
• Revenue	₱ 155.5 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 417.2 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 112.8 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 28.16 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Pangasinan 3 Electric Cooperative (PANELCO 3)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	2442
PSGC	015507000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)75
Native languages	Pangasinan Ilocano Tagalog

Balungao, officially the Municipality of Balungao (Pangasinan: Baley na Balungao; Ilocano: Ili ti Balungao; Tagalog: Bayan ng Balungao), is a municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 30,004 people.^[4]

The town of Balungao were first inhabited by nomadic people from the Ilocos region who found their way to the area through San Fabian, Pangasinan. They were farmers looking for places to settle down, engaging in agriculture to survive. Its origin is evident in the fact that Balungao is one of the Ilocano-speaking towns in the province where the primary language is the Pangasinense.^[1] Some Tagalogs from Bulacan & south Nueva Ecija even stayed for living.

Balungao was originally called Panaclaban and was a part of Cuyapo town in the adjacent province of Nueva Ecija until the latter part of 18th century. It was annexed to the town of Rosales, Pangasinan (then a town of Nueva Ecija) in the early part of 19th century because of its geographic location. It officially became an independent municipality in 1815,^[1] and it was transferred to Pangasinan along with Rosales.

On April 25, 1993, Balungao Mayor Jose C. Peralta was assassinated ^[why?] while he was attending Mass with his family at the local church.^[6]

The town is located in the south-eastern part of the province bordering the province of Nueva Ecija to the south. Balungao is 59 kilometres (37 mi) from Lingayen and 175 kilometres (109 mi) from Manila. Balungao is partially urban community with an area of 7,325 hectares (18,100 acres).^[7]

Balungao is politically subdivided into 20 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Poverty incidence of Balungao

Balungao, belonging to the sixth congressional district of the province of Pangasinan, 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 the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.

Mount Balungao (15°51′44.90″N 120°40′57.70″E / 15.8624722°N 120.6826944°E / 15.8624722; 120.6826944) is an extinct volcano, 382 metres (1,253 ft) ASL located in the municipality of Balungao. Its volcanic past is manifested by its physical profile and the presence of hot and cold springs. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) lists Mount Balungao as an inactive volcano.^[22]

Balungao opened its doors to adventure travel tourism with the opening of Balungao Hilltop Adventure (15°52′2″N 120°41′10″E / 15.86722°N 120.68611°E / 15.86722; 120.68611) on September 8, 2011. Located at the foot of Mount Balungao, the resort was constructed by the municipal government of Balungao and boasts the 2nd longest Zip-line in the Philippines (2011) at 600 metres (2,000 ft) long. The Balungao Hilltop Adventure also offers ATV or quad bike adventure, bungee trampoline, biking, mountain climbing, and the refurbished hot and cold spring swimming pools.

It originally started as the Mt. Balungao Hot and Cold Springs Resort under the administration of then Mayor Jose G. Peralta Jr. It was not until 2011, under the administration of the Mayor Philipp G. Peralta, that it was repackaged for adventure travelers.

Balungao Hilltop Adventure offers a Zip Line with a length 600 meters (2,000 ft) which could last from 15 seconds to a minute depending on your weight and your position when you are suspended at the Zip Line. It begins from a Hill, overlooking the valley passing through another hill down to the Balungao Hot and Cold Spring Resort. It is considered as the longest Zip line in Pangasinan^[23]

• San Aurelio National High School
• Rajal-Angayan National High School
• Balungao National High School
• Balungao Central High School
• Remnant International School
• San Leon National High School

• List of inactive volcanoes in the Philippines

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Balungao.

• Balungao Profile at PhilAtlas.com
• Municipal Profile at the National Competitiveness Council of the Philippines
• Balungao Pangasinan Official Website
• Balungao at the Pangasinan Government Website
• Local Governance Performance Management System
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information