# Pilar, Bataan

Pilar, officially the Municipality of Pilar (Tagalog: Bayan ng Pilar), is a municipality in the province of Bataan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 46,239 people.

## Etymology

The town was named in the honor of the image of the Our Lady of the Pillar, hence the town was called "Pilar".

## History

One of the oldest towns of Bataan, Pilar was previously part of Pampanga. Spaniards in the galleon landed in a sitio of Balanga and were greeted by the natives.

## Geography

Pilar is located in eastern part of Bataan Peninsula, bordering Balanga (the provincial capital) to the north, Orion to the south, Bagac to the west, and Manila Bay to the east. It is 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) from Balanga and 125 kilometres (78 mi) from Manila.
The Bataan Government Center and the historic Mount Samat National Shrine (Dambana ng Kagitingan) are both situated within the municipality in Barangays Diwa and Ala-uli, respectively.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 37.60 square kilometres (14.52 sq mi)  constituting 2.74% of the 1,372.98-square-kilometre- (530.11 sq mi) total area of Bataan.

### Climate

Climate data for Pilar, Bataan :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31 (88) | 32 (90) | 34 (93) | 35 (95) | 33 (91) | 31 (88) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 31 (88) | 31 (88) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19 (66) | 19 (66) | 20 (68) | 23 (73) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 24 (75) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 24 (75) | 23 (73) | 20 (68) | 23 (73) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 7 (0.3) | 8 (0.3) | 14 (0.6) | 26 (1.0) | 127 (5.0) | 210 (8.3) | 263 (10.4) | 272 (10.7) | 218 (8.6) | 114 (4.5) | 46 (1.8) | 21 (0.8) | 1,326 (52.3) |
| Average rainy days | 4.0 | 4.0 | 6.9 | 11.2 | 21.0 | 24.5 | 27.4 | 26.9 | 25.9 | 21.9 | 13.4 | 6.3 | 193.4 |
| Source: Meteoblue (modeled/calculated data, not measured locally) ||||||||||||||

### Barangays

Pilar is politically subdivided into 19 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
| PSGC | Barangay | Population | Population | Population | ±% p.a. | ±% p.a. |
| | | 2020 | 2020 | 2010 | | |
| 030811001 | Ala‑uli | 9.6% | 4,458 | 3,895 | ▴ | 1.36% |
| 030811003 | Bagumbayan | 3.1% | 1,427 | 1,370 | ▴ | 0.41% |
| 030811005 | Balut I | 2.5% | 1,151 | 1,259 | ▾ | −0.89% |
| 030811006 | Balut II | 2.7% | 1,260 | 1,311 | ▾ | −0.40% |
| 030811007 | Bantan Munti | 1.0% | 467 | 550 | ▾ | −1.62% |
| 030811009 | Burgos | 2.7% | 1,227 | 1,166 | ▴ | 0.51% |
| 030811011 | Del Rosario (Poblacion) | 4.0% | 1,847 | 1,886 | ▾ | −0.21% |
| 030811012 | Diwa | 5.4% | 2,491 | 2,253 | ▴ | 1.01% |
| 030811013 | Landing | 2.8% | 1,311 | 1,246 | ▴ | 0.51% |
| 030811014 | Liyang | 5.1% | 2,345 | 1,839 | ▴ | 2.46% |
| 030811016 | Nagwaling | 6.5% | 3,006 | 2,568 | ▴ | 1.59% |
| 030811019 | Panilao | 11.9% | 5,488 | 5,250 | ▴ | 0.44% |
| 030811020 | Pantingan | 3.1% | 1,442 | 1,282 | ▴ | 1.18% |
| 030811021 | Poblacion | 3.0% | 1,399 | 1,346 | ▴ | 0.39% |
| 030811022 | Rizal (Poblacion) | 1.8% | 847 | 1,082 | ▾ | −2.42% |
| 030811023 | Santa Rosa | 15.0% | 6,942 | 6,549 | ▴ | 0.58% |
| 030811025 | Wakas North | 2.4% | 1,109 | 1,501 | ▾ | −2.98% |
| 030811026 | Wakas South | 3.5% | 1,616 | 1,497 | ▴ | 0.77% |
| 030811027 | Wawa | 4.3% | 1,990 | 1,937 | ▴ | 0.27% |
| | Total | Total | 46,239 | 39,787 | ▴ | 1.51% |

## Demographics

| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1903 | 3,397 | — |
| 1918 | 4,138 | +1.32% |
| 1939 | 5,346 | +1.23% |
| 1948 | 5,805 | +0.92% |
| 1960 | 9,667 | +4.34% |
| 1970 | 14,087 | +3.83% |
| 1975 | 16,699 | +3.47% |
| 1980 | 18,549 | +2.12% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1990 | 25,244 | +3.13% |
| 1995 | 28,207 | +2.10% |
| 2000 | 32,368 | +2.99% |
| 2007 | 43,213 | +4.07% |
| 2010 | 39,787 | −2.96% |
| 2015 | 41,823 | +0.95% |
| 2020 | 46,239 | +1.99% |
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority :
In the 2020 census, Pilar had a population of 46,239. The population density was 1,200 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,100/sq mi).

## Economy

Poverty incidence of Pilar
* Lua error in Module:Chart at line 301: bad argument #7 to 'max' (number expected, got string).
* Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

## Government
### Local government

Pursuant to the Local Government Code of the Philippines", the political seat of the municipal government is located at the Municipal Hall. In the Spanish period, the Gobernadorcillo was the Chief Executive who held office in the Presidencia. During the American rule (1898–1946), the elected Mayor and local officials, including the appointed ones held office at the Municipal Hall. The legislative and executive departments perform their functions in the Sangguniang Bayan (Session Hall) and Municipal Trial Court, respectively, and are located in the Town Hall.

### Elected officials

Members of the Pilar Municipal Council (2022-2025) :
| Position | Name of official |
| District Representative (2nd Legislative District, Bataan) | Jose Enrique S. Garcia III |
| Municipal Mayor | Alice D. Pizarro |
| Municipal Vice Mayor | Marino Caguimbal |
| Municipal Councilors | Fatima Elisa E. Nalus |
| Municipal Councilors | Cecilia R. Garcia |
| Municipal Councilors | Rodelio A. Paguio |
| Municipal Councilors | Gerry S. Sanchez |
| Municipal Councilors | Edgardo Z. Lulu |
| Municipal Councilors | Cipriano P. Paguio |
| Municipal Councilors | Reno C. Gatdula |
| Municipal Councilors | Aurea L. Iguico |
Pilar, Bataan's elected officials are Mayor Alice D. Pizarro (National Unity) and Vice Mayor Marino Caguimbal (National Unity).
The eight Sangguniang Bayan Members led by the Vice Mayor hold office at the Pilar Sangguniang Bayan Session Hall.

## Tourism

Landmarks and festivals of Pilar include:
* Mount Samat Zipline — longest zipline in Luzon
* Veterans Park — located in Poblacion, Piazza Della Virgen del Pilar
* Mount Samat National Shrine — 92-metre-high (302 ft) War Memorial Cross some 555 metres (1,821 ft) above sea level.
* The Flaming Sword — located at Panilao, is a landmark depicting a hand holding a flaming sword up in the air, which symbolized the Filipino patriots' courage and gallantry as they face the adversary and threats to their democracy and freedom. The ESPADA was inaugurated on April 8, 1967.
* Dunsulan Falls
* Araw ng Kagitingan — celebrated every April 9

### Our Lady of the Pillar Parish Church

The 1801 Our Lady of the Pillar Parish Church (Nuestra Señora del Pilar Parish Church, belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Balanga (Dioecesis Balangensis) Part of the Ecclesiastical Province of San Fernando, Pampanga.

## Notable personalities

* Mel Tiangco — Barangay Santa Rosa - news Anchor of GMA7
* Manuel C. Herrera — lawyer, an instructor in the University of the Philippines

## Gallery

* The Flaming Sword Shrine
* Our Lady of the Pillar Parish Church
* Museo ng Kagitingan
* Health center
* Light house
* Port and bancas