Balanga, the capital of Bataan, was
formerly a visita of Abucay before it was established as a mission of the Dominican
Order in the Provincial Chapter of April 21, 1714 and later declared a
vicariate on April 18, 1739, under the patronage of Saint Joseph. Upon the
establishment of Bataan as a separate province in 1754, Balanga was made its
capital by General Pedro Manuel Arandia due to its favorable location, at the
heart of the new territorial jurisdiction.
The word Balanga originates from the
Kapampangan word "balañga" (clay pot, or "banga" in
