After the successful completion of various infrastructure projects in 2024, the local government of Botolan, Zambales is setting its sights on over P200 million in new developments for 2025, aimed at sustaining the growth momentum of the first-class municipality.
Mayor Jun Omar Ebdane announced that the Botolan LGU will undertake four major construction projects this year, funded through a Land Bank financing facility. These include the construction of a P24.9-million municipal administrative building, a P15-million municipal motor pool, a P90-million municipal commercial building, and P70 million for commercial spaces at the New Taugtog Resettlement Area.



“These projects will stimulate economic growth, generate new revenues, provide additional office spaces for government services, and create new job opportunities,” Ebdane said in his State of the Municipality Address (SOMA).
In addition to these infrastructure developments, Ebdane revealed that the town government is acquiring four lots, totaling 10.7 hectares, at a cost of P26.97 million. These properties will house the new municipal motor pool, as well as facilities for the town’s fire and police stations, a Municipal Agri-Demo Center for agricultural programs, a materials recovery facility for improved waste management, and a new barangay government center at Eastern Nacolcol.
Ebdane also highlighted efforts to process land titles for government-owned properties such as the Polytechnic College of Botolan (PCB), which spans multiple privately-owned lots.
The mayor also reflected on the previous year’s achievements, including P41.8 million in infrastructure projects funded by the town’s 20% Development Fund, and P12 million for disaster preparedness initiatives. The LGU continued its scholarship programs, providing P8.5 million in grants for college students and P4.12 million for high school students.
Notably, in 2024, the municipality developed the first smart classroom in Zambales and, with assistance from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), extended internet access to remote Ayta villages via Star Link satellite technology.
Ebdane also noted several accolades received by the municipality last year, including national recognition through the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG), which earned the town P1.3 million, and the Anti-Drug Abuse Council Performance Award, which brought in P150,000. Botolan also won a “Gawad Timpukan” from the Department of the Interior and Local Government and was recognized for its “Gulayan sa Barangay” project, which topped the provincial High Value Crop Development Program competition.
As the largest municipality in Zambales, Botolan has a population of 66,739, and is the third-largest contributor to provincial revenue, with P494.2 million, according to the 2023 Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index. The town has 31 barangays and is poised for even greater development in the coming year.
– Taktikom News & Features