Written by: Aiya Rodjel
If you’re interested in expanding your business, you should consider investing in the economy of Bataan. Located in central Luzon, its capital is Balanga City. However, Mariveles is the largest local government unit in the province. In the north, it is bordered by Zambales and Pampanga. On the other hand, in the west, you can find the West Philippine Sea (also known as the South China sea). In the northwest is Subic bay, while you can find Manila Bay to the east.
Bataan is famous for being the venue of the Battle of Bataan. It also has a lot of historical churches and wildlife destinations. A lot of people head to Bataan Philippines to learn more about the Philippines’ rich history. However, there’s more to Bataan than just a historical site.
In this article, we’ll delve into the business opportunities and products of Bataan. We’ll also talk about investing in the future as it embraces digital economies and different tools of technology.
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Economy of Bataan
Bataan serves as the industrial heartland of Central Luzon. It owes its position to the presence of several industries, as well as bustling tourism anchored on its natural resources and historical sites. It thrives on public-private partnership (PPP) projects to ensure that development in the province is sustainable.
Because it is surrounded by a lot of bodies of water, Bataan boasts of a robust fishery sector. From fresh fish to various fish products such as dried and smoked fish, the province thrives in fishing because of its strategic location. In addition to reaping the benefits of being surrounded by water bodies, the province is also active in water sustainability projects. These activities include coastal strategy development, beach cleanups, public-awareness campaigns, mangrove rehabilitation, and fish/turtle sanctuary establishment.
Hence, in addition to fisheries, there are also a lot of suitability companies that support marine life in the province. Bataan is proof that you can balance out a thriving fishery sector with social responsibility.
Bataan also has a strong agricultural sector as well. There’s more to Bataan farms than plowing the fields though. The province leads the way towards a modern, market-driven, and industrialized Philippine agriculture sector through technology.
There are a lot of model farms in the province that demonstrate the proof of concept of using modern technology. Technologies such as drip fertigation and precision agriculture help these farms in growing high-value vegetables during the dry season after rice in the wet season.
The province also invests a lot of effort in modernizing other farming methods to elevate its farmers. The livelihood enhancement for agricultural development (LEAD) loan helps local farmers afford farming equipment that would make their livelihoods so much easier and sustainable.
Famous products from Bataan
Because of its strong agriculture and farming sectors, Bataan thrives in selling marine food products and gourmet food products. Here are some food products you can buy from the province.
Enjoy natural young coconut flavor with buko pie
The Buko pie in Bataan is cheaper than that of Metro Manila and nearby provinces such as Laguna and Tagaytay. If we recall correctly, a whole pie costs only PHP150. If you’re looking to resell buko pie, buying them from the province would be a great idea.
A famous vendor in the province is Montey’s Buko Pie. What makes Montey’s Buko Pie so famous is that is not overly sweetened. Therefore, it brings out the natural young coconut flavor of the coconut. It also has a generous amount of coconut flesh, and it has a crispy crust. The crisp of the crust makes it such a pleasure to munch on. Plus, its custard has a soft, creamy, gelatinous texture. All these factors were put together to make Montey’s buko pie from the province so special.
Chew on cashew prunes
The province is rich in cashew nuts. This is why it’s known for developing cashew nuts-based products such as cashew prunes. These have a nice chewy texture, making them so addictive to snack on. It’s a great alternative to candies, which can be packed with a lot of preservatives. A pack of this sweet treat is priced at PHP100.
Enjoy purple yam flavor making with Ube de Leche Halaya
If you’re crazy about purple yam or ube, you should try the Ube de Leche Halaya from the province. What makes their ube stand out from others is its silky smooth creaminess. Just take note that this product doesn’t use preservatives. Therefore, a jar spoils pretty fast. This means you should be consuming them immediately.
Balance sweet and sour flavors with Tamarind balls
If you’re not fond of overly sweet candies, consider shopping for Tamarind balls. These snacks have a balanced taste of sweetness and sourness. This would cost you only PHP90 a box. There are also a lot of brands in the market, so feel free to try different ones.
Enjoy smoked fish with rice
There’s nothing like enjoying rice with smoked fish products such as Bangus and Tinapa. They’re Filipino kitchen staples that elevate the usual fried fish. Although these fish products are processed, they don’t have a very long shelf life. That’s why they should be consumed immediately.
Thriving tourism sector
Aside from offering fantastic food products, you can visit a lot of tourist spots in Bataan. From historical sites to pristine beaches, there are a lot of destinations for the family to enjoy.
Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar transports you back in time. Located in the municipality of Bagac, it’s a gorgeous destination to appreciate rich Philippine history. Established in 2010, it is known for the construction of original old houses across the Philippines.
The Shrine of Valor honors the sacrifice of Filipino and American soldiers during the Death March of Bataan. A lot of tourists from the USA frequent this spot because it honors their veterans. Afterward, you should take a visit to Bataan World War II Museum. This establishment contains a lot of war memorabilia and dioramas, particularly those from the world-renowned Bataan Death March.
A lot of locals and tourists venture to Corregidor Island to camp and go back in time. It’s important you pack the essentials when visiting because it doesn’t have a lot of stores.
If you want the family to appreciate mother nature, even more, you should not miss out on the Pawikan Conservation Center and Balanga Nature and Wetland Park. The former’s operation focuses on conservation efforts for marine life, especially baby turtles. As the latter’s name suggests, it is located in Balanga City. You’ll have a better appreciation of wildlife in the Philippines by paying this place a visit.
From exclusive luxury resorts to budget-friendly destinations you wouldn’t want to miss, Bataan has a lot of pristine beaches to choose from. Aside from buying fresh fish from locals, getting a massage is perfect and affordable in Bataan.
Welcoming digital economies outside of Metro Manila
While companies in Bataan are usually from the fishery and agricultural sector, Bataan is also embracing the world of technology. In fact, the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) is working to attract emerging digital economies through blockchain, distributed ledgers, and financial technology solutions.
Most technology countries in the country are concentrated in Metro Manila and other major cities in the country, Bataan is working to make sure it doesn’t get left behind. In turn, AFAB opened its doors for the registration of offshore Financial Technology (FinTech) companies using blockchain or other emerging technologies.
Business leaders recognize the promise of growth in technology. That’s why steps are being taken in order to balance out sustainability efforts with technological advancement. Hence, there is reason to believe that in the next few years, more industries will flourish in the area.
Setting up a business in Bataan
Given the traffic congestion and overpopulation of big city life, it’s only smart that big businesses look into branching out their services to accessible cities. Before you check out the online business directory, here are some advantages to setting up a company in Bataan:
Traveling to Bataan
The province of Bataan is easily accessible from the Metro through ferry rides and even car rides. That is why it’s also a driving factor of the economy. Given its proximity to the bigger cities, there are no flights to and from the Metro. However, that shouldn’t be a problem.
Driving to Mariveles city or even Balanga city would talk you about two and a half hours. This means you can head over for a day trip to source goods and align with your partners in the market for a day. You would still have time to go back to town. That’s what makes setting up a company there so enticing.
If you don’t want to bring a private vehicle, you can still travel by land. There are a lot of buses that can take you to the town market. The trip would take you about three hours, which is not so bad at all.
If you’re flying in from a faraway city, consider booking your flight to Clark, Pampanga, instead. Upon arrival, you can take a bus or taxi to Dau bus terminal. From there, you can ride a van or commonly known as a UV express to take you to the city.
If it’s imperative for you to close sales deals fast, consider traveling via a ferry boat. Board the Manila-Bataan Ferry Boat at the Esplanade-Seaside Terminal in SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. This would take you to Port Capinpin in Orion, a municipality in Bataan, in less than an hour. Take note, however, they only have three rides to Bataan a day. That’s why you need to check the ferry schedule in advance.
Traveling with town and city
If you choose not to bring your own private vehicle, you can still travel from town to town by renting a car or van. If you’re not in a hurry, you can save a lot of money by boarding jeepneys for longer distances, and tricycles for short trips. You just have to be careful as to where the jeepney is heading to. It’s easy to get lost if you don’t make sure you don’t board the right ones.
Low cost of investment
If your plan is to partner up with local manufacturers, farmers or fishermen, the good news is that you can save a lot of money. There are a lot of businesses in Mariveles, Bataan, and businesses in Balanga, Bataan that you can link up with.
Local products are cheap, especially when purchased in bulk. That’s why you can save a lot of money by taking the effort of networking with local suppliers. Real estate is cheaper in town as compared to larger cities. This means you can set up your own office in your town of choice without heavily investing in infrastructure. You can buy a house there so you don’t have to pass through Orion every time you need to replenish your supplies.
Bridging the gap in connectivity
Gone are the days wherein it can be extremely difficult to get a fast and reliable internet connection outside the city. As you set up your business, you need to stay connected to all your suppliers and customers. As the province shows great promise, we at Streamtech Fiber Internet have made it possible for you to exceed your limits as you explore the business opportunities in Bataan.
We offer high-speed, unlimited internet to homes and companies across the Philippines. We even connect our customers to their favorite television channels through our partnership with Planet Cable. On top of all these, we also offer packages to amplify your Streamtech fiber experience.
Our Extendifi WiFi Extender allows your entire office or household to enjoy Streamtech’s high-speed fiber connection. We can offer all of these and more at a price you can afford. Connect with our team to get started today. You can also visit our official Facebook page for more details.
