Iba , officially the Municipality of Iba (; ; ), is a municipality and capital of the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people.

The town is also known as the birthplace of Ramon Magsaysay, the 7th President of the Philippines.

Etymology

The municipality was named after the tree Phyllanthus acidus, which bears edible sour fruits. It is locally known as iba, a name which also applies to the similar kamias (Averrhoa bilimbi). The early inhabitants of the town are called Zambals. They were later joined by the Tagalogs and Ilocanos who migrated to the town, which resulted in the intermingling of customs and traditions. The Aeta people settled in the hinterlands and the majority of them dwelled in the Mount Pinatubo area. In 1860, the administration of the town was turned over to the Dominican priests until the civil government came to power. There are no available records as to when Paynauen was renamed Iba.

Geography

The municipality of Iba is bounded by the municipalities of Botolan to the south, Palauig to the north, the province of Tarlac to the east, and the South China Sea to the west. Like most of the municipalities in the province, Iba is geographically bound by the coast in the west with the Zambales Mountains in the eastern portion of the municipality.

As the capital of the province, it is second largest provincial capital in terms of land area in Central Luzon Region after Tarlac City.

Iba is from Olongapo and from Manila.

Barangays

Iba is politically subdivided into 14 barangays, as indicated below. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

There are 9 barangays which are considered urban (highlighted in bold) while the rest are considered rural.

  • Amungan
  • Bangantalinga
  • Dirita-Baloguen
  • Lipay-Dingin-Panibuatan
  • Palanginan
  • San Agustin
  • Santa Barbara
  • Santo Rosario
  • Zone 1 Poblacion
  • Zone 2 Poblacion
  • Zone 3 Poblacion
  • Zone 4 Poblacion
  • Zone 5 Poblacion
  • Zone 6 Poblacion

Climate

Iba has a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen climate classification Am). Iba's climate is no different from the other towns where rainy season begins from May and ends in October, while the dry season is from November to April. An average of of annual rainfall with a temperature of is observed during rainy season. The highest temperature recorded is while the lowest is .

Demographics

In the 2024 census, the population of Iba was 59,580 people, with a density of .

The population of Iba has become a mixture of different people over the last twenty years as opportunities in employment and business attracted people from Pangasinan, Bataan, and Batangas.

Languages

Originally, the population was composed of Sambal and Ilocano-speaking people. While Sambal and Ilocano are spoken by many of the population, Tagalog has become the common language spoken in Iba. Sambal residents have switched their language from Sambal to Ilocano and Tagalog.

;Paynauen Festival: A summer festival in Iba featuring local traditional arts and culture first celebrated in the 1980s, Paynauen Festival (also spelled as Paynawen) has become a yearly tradition and a tourist attraction lasting for about seven days. Paynauen's festivities include street dancing, singing competition, boxing events, sports events, sand castle building, carabao race, kite flying contests, Miss Paynauen competition, cooking contest, barangay booth displays, products display and sales, ballroom dancing, traditional parade, concerts and many others.

:The festival is held late April, during the summer season where thousands of visitors flock to Iba for beach activities. Led by the Iba Tourism Council, Paynauen is supported by the local government, different civic organizations, volunteers and the private business sector.

Transportation

thumb|Iba Field now Iba Airport in 1941

;By land: Iba is easily reached from Manila and Pangasinan by land transportation. It is from Rizal Park in Manila via North Luzon Expressway exiting in San Fernando, Pampanga to Olongapo. From Olongapo, Iba is away.

;By air: The town can be also reached by small aircraft using the Iba Airport, a small feeder airport with a runway located along the coast of Iba.

Healthcare

The provincial government administers the President Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital in Bargy. Palanginan to provide convenient medical services at a lower costs to the people of the Zambales. The hospital received a ₱50-million equipment upgrade in 2011 to better serve its patients.

The municipal government operates a Super Health Center in Brgy. Bangantalinga to improve the local healthcare system to provide adequate support in preventing diseases and early treatment of illnesses.

The Santa Cecilia Medical Center is a private institution offering one of the most complete and advance medical facilities in the province.

Saint Pio's Medical Center is also a large medical facility and a private institution located along Govic Highway in Brgy. Dirita.

Education

The Iba Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.

Primary and elementary schools

  • ADBSA Aeta School
  • Amungan Elementary School
  • Bangantalinga Elementary School
  • Dampay Elementary School
  • Dirita-Baloguen Elementary School
  • Divine World Academy
  • Dona Luisa Obieta Elementary School
  • Iba Christian Academy
  • Iba Ecumenical Learning Center
  • Iba Elementary School
  • Iba Kiddieland Montessori School
  • Lawak Elementary School
  • Libaba Elementary School
  • Lipay-Dingin Elementary School
  • Little Baguio Elementary School
  • Lucio Abrigo Memorial Learning Center
  • Lupang Pangako Resettlement School
  • Marciano Abela Elementary School
  • Paulo Abastillas Sr. Memorial School
  • Precious Jewels Bible Baptist Academy
  • St. Augustine's School
  • Sto. Rosario Elementary School

Secondary schools

  • Zambales National High School
  • Zambales National High School - Jesus F. Magsaysay High School (Annex)
  • Amungan National High School
  • Iba Montessori High School
  • Laboratory High School (PRMSU)
  • Micro Asia High School
  • Saint Agustine High School
  • San Agustin Integrated School
  • Sta. Barbara Integrated School
  • Dona Luisa Obieta Integrated School

Technical and vocational schools

  • All Asia Aviation Academy is a flying school offering flight and ground training located in Iba Airport between Brgy. LDP and Brgy. Sto. Rosario.
  • The provincial office of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in Zambales is located on Magsaysay Avenue. TESDA was established by the Philippine government to manage and supervise the vocational education and skills development of the country's human resources through training and scholarships.

Higher educational institution

  • Hopeful Beginnings Institute
  • Marasigan Technological College
  • Micro Asia College of Science and Technology
  • Northern Zambales College
  • Polytechnic College of Botolan
  • President Ramon Magsaysay State University (PRMSU), formerly Ramon Magsaysay Technological University (RMTU), is a government-funded higher education institution founded in 1910. The school was merged with two other colleges in the province in 1998 to become the present multi-campus university system. Its main campus is located in the center of Iba with satellite campuses located all over the province.
  • The American war film Apocalypse Now (shot in 1976; released in 1979) was about to be filmed by Francis Ford Coppola in Iba when Typhoon Olga (Didang) destroyed the sets constructed for production. The sets were recreated in Pagsanjan, Laguna and the beach scenes were filmed in Baler, Aurora.

Government

thumbnail|right|Town hall of Iba

Elected officials (2025-2028):

  • Mayor: Irenea Maniquiz-Biñan (Since June 30, 2022 - 2nd term)
  • Vice Mayor: Joan D. Ballesteros (Since June 30, 2022 - 2nd term)
  • Member's Sangguniang Bayan:
  • Margie Maniquiz Noveno (since June 30, 2019 - 3rd term)
  • Carl Eric B. Rico (Since June 30, 2025 - 1st term)
  • Edison E. Martinez (Since June 30, 2025 - 1st term)
  • Salvador R. Redondo (Since June 30, 2025 - 1st term)
  • Raedag A. Villamin Jr. (Since June 30, 2025 - 1st term)
  • Paulo A. Fortin (since June 30, 2025 - 1st term)
  • Edgar C. Payumo (Since June 30, 2022 - 2nd term)
  • Alire John T. Fallorin (Since June 30, 2022 - 2nd term)

Notable personalities

<!--NOTE: Only add people who have WP articles as per WP:Notability.-->

  • Ramon Magsaysay, former Philippine President

References

  • Official website of Iba, Zambales
  • [ Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
  • Local Governance Performance Management System - Iba, Zambales
  • Iba travel guide