Town Profile

Morong, Bataan

1.0 BRIEF HISTORY

Morong was originally known as “Bayandati”, believed to the settlement located in

Nagbalayong. Due to the scarcity of land available for cultivation, residents migrated to
adjacent areas where wider lands can be found.

When the Spaniards arrived to this place in 1578 the residents were elusive and distant to
newcomers. The Spaniards observed that people called “Moros’ engaged in trade with the
residents, hence this place was called Moron.

Moron together with Bagac of Bataan up to Maragondon in Cavite became part of the
Corrigimento de Mariveles that was administered by the Franciscan friars. Pampanga annexed
the remaining towns of Bataan, which were then under the administration of the Dominicans.
Later in 1674, Governor General Manuel Arandia annexed Moron and eleven other
municipalities under the province of Bataan.

On June 10, 1955, Moron was renamed Morong by Bataan representative Jose R. Nuguid
by virtue of Republic Act No. 1249 which was enacted by the BatasanPambansa. The move was
made because the municipality’s former name was thought to mean “immature or
“unintelligent” person.

2.0 PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

2.1 Location

Morong lies in the northwestern part of Bataan. Dinalupihan and Subic Bay bound the
town to the north, to the south by Bagac, to the west by the South China Sea, and to the
east by towns of Orani, Samal and Abucay.

2.2 Accessibility

The town is about 52.5 kilometers away from Balanga, 16 kilometers from SBMA
Southgate, and 165 kilometers west of Manila. It is accessible by land linking the town to
Bagac, Balanga City and to the south via Gov. Linao National Road and to Subic Bay
Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and Olongapo City to the north via Sabang-Mabayo Road
(Morong Provincial Road) through the Zambales Highway.

Morong can be accessed by air via Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) located in SBMA.
It serves as an alternate airport to decongest NAIA.

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Morong, Bataan
There are two tertiary ports, the Sabang and Mabayo ports. Passengers and commodities
can be serviced via water through motorized boats.

2.3 Land Area

Morong, according to the Bureau of Lands, has a total land area of 21,910 hectares, which
makes it the second largest municipality in the province, next to Bagac. It represents
approximately 15% of the total land area of Bataan.

2.3.1 Breakdown of Area per Barangay

For planning purposes, the Municipality is using assumed boundaries to establish land
area per Barangay.

Barangay Area (has.)

Poblacion 424
Binaritan 944
Mabayo 974
Nagbalayong 9901
Sabang 1495
SBMA 8172

2.3.2 General Land Use

Land Uses Area (has.) % of Municipality’s

Total Area
Built-up Areas 443.30 2.02
Agriculture Use 3,455.37 15.77
Industrial Use 385.00 1.76
Agro-industrial Use 159.00 0.73
Forest Use 9,016.00 41.15
Special Use 279.13 1.27
SBMA 8,172.00 37.30
Total Land Area 21,910.00 100.00

2.4 Political Subdivision

The municipality is composed of five barangays namely Poblacion, Binaritan, Mabayo,

Nagbalayong and Sabang. The town proper is formed by Poblacion and part of Binaritan.

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2.5 Population

The municipality has a total population of 26,171 as of 2010 NSO census. This comprises
about 3.8% of the total population of the province of Bataan; making is the least populated
among the twelve municipalities.

2.5.1 Total and Household Population by Barangay

BARANGAY NO.OF HOUSEHOLD POPULATION

Poblacion 1052 5,105
Binaritan 1095 5,273
Mabayo 882 4,275
Nagbalayong 1149 5,680
Sabang 1182 5,838

MORONG 5360 26171

2.6 CLIMATE

Morong has two distinct climates, the wet season which starts from May to October and
the dry season which starts in November and lasts up to April.

2.7 TOPOGRAPHY

The municipality has a diverse and dynamic terrain from plateau and rolling hills and
flatlands, bordered by forests, grassland and sea, and enriched by the streams and rivers.

Its terrain is generally flat along the coastal corridor. Rolling terrain predominates in the
interior area as it approaches the mountains of Bataan.

2.8 ECONOMY

2.8.1 Marine/ Aquamarine

Inland Fishing
Area Covered Production Volume
Freshwater fishpond 15.42 has. 10.59 MT
Brackish fishpond 9.47 has. 46.32 MT
Deep-sea Fishing 447.11 MT

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* About 356 motorized and 118 non-motorized bancas are being used for fishing.

2.8.2 Agricultural and Forest Resources

Since a large part of the municipality is covered by forests, raw materials that may be
found in several parts of Morong include jungle vines, rattan, and bamboo, buho –
which can be used to manufacture baskets and other handicrafts and furniture both for
local and export market. Among the common variety of fruits/trees that grow in the
municipality are mangoes, guava, cashew, tamarind, santol, banana, jackfruit, coconut
and other local berries. Local timber trees common and available in the forest are
mahogany, acacia, tanguile, guijo, narra, and ipil-ipil, other forest resources include
cogon, honey, wild boar, deer, wild carabaos and other wild plants and animals which
are used by the local Aetas as sources of their livelihood.

2.9 MAJOR WATERWAYS

Alupag Creek Mauban Creek

BatalanRiver Matiko Creek
BayandatiRiver Minanga Creek
BisayRiver MorongRiver
Gantuan Creek Suluin Creek
Marucdoc Creek TawawaRiver

2.10 INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUPPORT FACILITIES

2.10.1 Road Network

Morong has a total road network of 123 kms with varying types of surfacing.

2.10.2 Transportation

Because of its distance, there are no major bus lines from the nearby provinces of
Zambales and Pampanga that ply the area. Access to the municipality is through the J.
Linao National Road which links the town to the provincial capital of Balanga. The access
to Morong-SBMA and vice versa is through the BTPI-SBMA road for private vehicles and
Sabang-Mabayo road for public utility vehicles. The major means of transportation to and
from this town to other municipalities are minibuses operated by the MORDOA, while
tricycles and jeepneys are available within the town proper and nearby barangays.

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Morong, Bataan

2.10.3 Communication

The main way of communication is thru the use of Cellular Phones internet system. There
are 5 cell sites operating in the municipality. A Postal Office is temporarily being serviced
by a staff from Balanga Post Office. At present there is no existing landline telephone
system within the municipality.

2.10.4 Power

Power distribution is administered by the PENELCO, supplied by the National Power

Corporation which operates three large power plants in the province, and which is all
connected to the Luzon grid.

Power Rates
Residential: minimum (1-12) P 46.62
Excess/kwh P .38853
Commercial: small (1-25) P 97.88
Medium (1-40) P 156.61
Excess/kwh P 3.8553

Industrial: minimum P 625.00

Demand charge P 25.00
Energy charge/kwh P 3.8553
Irrigation: minimum P 46.74
Excess/kHz P 3.8953
P

2.10.5 Water

Water distribution is administered by the Municipal Water District which services the
Poblacion area and some parts of Binaritan. Other barangays and sitios derive their
water from either private or public artesian wells. However, there are still some families
situated in the upland areas that get their water from natural springs in the
mountainous areas.

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Morong, Bataan

Water Rates: Residential (216 hh) Commercial

Minimum charge P 170.00 P 297.50
Additional charges/cu.m.
11-20 cu.m. P 11.60 P 30.80
21-30 P 18.60 P 32.55
31 and up P 20.30 P 35.52

System Facilities:
 Main 2deep well, 15Hp
 2 fire hydrants

2.10.6 Solid Waste Disposal

Two collection equipments are being utilized in collection of household and commercial
establishment solid wastes, dumped in the municipality’s temporary open dump site in
Mabayo. The present service area is four barangays covering around 60% of its
households

3.0 SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES

3.1 Education

Four (4) High Schools: Morong High School, Nagbalayong High School, Mabayo High
School and Saint James Parochial School

Nine(9) Elementary Schools: Morong Central, Binaritan, Nagbalayong, Sabang, Mabayo,

Kanawan, Sampaloc, Minanga, and Panibatuhan

Twelve (15) Day Care Centers supervised by MSWDO

Three (3) Private Pre-school Learning Centers

One (1) Private High School

One (1) Private Primary School

3.2 Health and Nutrition

One (1) Health Center

Four (5) Barangay Health Stations

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One (1) Private Dental Clinics
Three (3) Private Medical Clinic
Three (3) Drugstores

4.0 DOMINANT INDUSTRY SECTORS

Rice Farming
Fishing
Mango/Cashew Production
Tourism
Vinegar making from nipa palm nuts
Handicrafts