French
Deutsch- Not to be confused with Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya.
Bamban is a town in southern Tarlac.
Understand
[edit | edit source]Situated on the eastern slopes of the Zambales mountain range and named after a species of shrub, Bamban used to be part of Pampanga province, resulting in a significant number of Kapampangan speakers and Aeta tribespeople in town. In 1874, it was transferred to the province of Tarlac.
A primarily agrarian town, Bamban also became a satellite town of Angeles City following the expansion of the US military presence at Clark Field during the 20th century. The town was devastated following the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, which forms its southwestern boundary with Zambales and Pampanga, and was rebuilt following recurring lahar flows. Its western areas are gradually being redeveloped into commercial centers as part of urbanization from neighboring Angeles and Mabalacat in Pampanga.
In 2024, Bamban gained international notoriety after it was found that its mayor, Alice Guo, was actually a Chinese national who faked her Filipino citizenship documents and was ultimately imprisoned on criminal charges following a raid on a cybercrime hub at the very back of the municipal hall whose operations she approved as mayor.
Get in
[edit | edit source]From Manila, take the Concepcion or Clark North exit of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). A toll-free option is to take the parallel MacArthur Highway which connects Central Luzon with the Ilocos Region and passes through the western edge of downtown Bamban. Rizal Avenue, the main thoroughfare in downtown Bamban, runs from a junction with MacArthur Highway in Barangay Lourdes, near Bamban Bridge, and runs north until it rejoins MacArthur Highway in Barangay Anupul, beside the new public market.
Bamban is served by jeepneys and minibuses from Angeles and Tarlac City. It is also along the Angeles-Capas jeepney route. Fares from Capas cost P20. There is also a separate jeepney route running between Angeles and Dapdap, a neighborhood to the west of downtown Bamban were locals displaced by the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991 were relocated.
Get around
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Tricycles are the main form of transportation between barangays. A solo trip usually costs P50.
See
[edit | edit source]- 1 Bamban World War II Museum, 6 Rizal Avenue, Lourdes (look for the green-painted gate near the Iglesia ni Cristo and knock), ☏ +63 963 086 1513, +63 998 454 8622, rhoniedelacruz@bambanmuseum.org, rhonie.bamban@yahoo.com.phMULTIPLE EMAIL. 9AM–4PM M-Th, 9:30AM-3:30PM F, 9:30AM-5PM Sa, 1:30PM-4PM Su. Bamban saw heavy fighting during World War II for control of the approaches to Clark Field. This small museum run by a former tour guide and head of the Bamban Historical Society within his bird-filled residence keeps artifacts from that period such as photographs, letters, weapons, costumes and other equipment. The museum also arranges tours of battlefields in town. Taking photographs of images, illustrations, and written exhibition material is prohibited as many of them are still awaiting formal publication by the museum in journals and other official media, but taking pictures of weapons and personal effects is allowed. P100.
- 2 Santo Niño Parish Church, Rizal Avenue, San Nicolas (beside Santo Niño Academy). Bamban's main Roman Catholic church, known in town for its distinctive spires and Gothic-inspired design.
- 3 Baofu Compound, Barangay Road, Anupul. This sprawling compound that was built at the back of the municipal hall as a self-sustaining business hub, complete with mid to high-rise buildings and condominiums commonly seen in Metro Manila and Angeles, has become the inadvertent poster image of Bamban after police raids in 2024 discovered the existence of criminal activities such as online extortion, fraud and unregulated gambling inside and ultimately led to the downfall of Alice Guo as mayor. While the complex has been abandoned and access is sealed off as the government ponders on what to do with it, it has become a destination for recent history buffs and urban explorers seeking to comprehend how such a vast enterprise managed to operate at all.
- 4 Bamban Bridge, MacArthur Highway, Lourdes. Connecting Bamban with Mabalacat in Pampanga, this 174 metres (571 ft) long bridge, built over a tributary of the Sacobia River, is commonly used as a photography and filming location for its distinctive concrete and steel arches.
- 5 Japanese Cave, Lourdes. A network of caves and tunnels on a hill that was used as a hideout by Japanese forces during World War II. Nearby is the town's official war memorial.
- 6 Grotto Of Our Lady Of Lourdes (Bamban Grotto, Lourdes Grotto), Lourdes (tell the jeepney driver to drop you off at Grotto). A hilltop Catholic shrine inspired by the original in Lourdes, France. It is accessible after an ascent of 100 steps.
- 7 Mount Pinatubo. The volcano is one of the biggest draws in the area, particularly its crater lake and the lunar landscapes created along its gullies following the 1991 eruptions.
- 8 Bamban Municipal Library, Rizal Avenue, San Nicolas (in front of Bamban Church), ☏ +63 918 502 1270, w_tuazon@yahoo.com. 8AM-5PM M-F. A library housed inside the colonial-era former municipal hall.
Do
[edit | edit source]Buy
[edit | edit source]- 1 Old Bamban Public Market, Rizal Avenue, San Nicolas.
- 2 New Bamban Public Market, MacArthur Highway, Anupul (beside the barangay hall).
Eat
[edit | edit source]Drink
[edit | edit source]Sleep
[edit | edit source]The nearest accommodations are in Clark in Pampanga.
- 1 Goshen Hotel and Resort, One Clark Boulevard North, Sitio Gumain, Lourdes, ☏ +63 915 776 9264, goshenresortandhotel@gmail.com. A resort complex with replicas of Greco-Roman structures such as the Colosseum.
Respect
[edit | edit source]Amid the controversy over Alice Guo, many residents would rather prefer their town be known for something else rather than her, the cybercrime hub, and jokes from outsiders about them electing a Chinese “spy”. At the same time, there are others who look fondly upon Guo for bringing about a change from the regular personalities that have governed the town, while many of her allies in local politics remain in office.
The indigenous Aeta communities still adhere to their precolonial customs and belief systems and are widely respected even by the non-Aeta resident population. As they are the most experienced in dealing with the natural settings of Bamban, you are expected to exercise maximum respect for their traditions and when visiting them.
Connect
[edit | edit source]The town's postal code is 3217.
Go next
[edit | edit source]| Routes through Bamban |
| Tarlac City ← Capas ← | N  S | → Angeles → San Fernando |