Limay is located at the south-eastern section of Bataan peninsula, and is about 140 kilometers by land from Manila (about three hours drive). It is located about 15 kilometers south of the provincial capital Balanga City, and may be accessed by land via the Roman Superhighway which runs through the major eastern towns of Bataan, as well as via the National Road, that passes through the interior of Bataan’s towns. The Limay coast may be seen from Manila, since it lies almost directly west across Manila Bay.

Limay’s prosperity and culture hies back to early Philippine history. Inextricably tied to the spread of the Catholic faith by the Dominican and Franciscan clergy, Limay came to be noticed in the late 1600s by the Spanish authorities when the Dominican missionaries began to source Limay’s limestone deposits to build cathedrals in Orion and Balanga.

Although rich in natural resources such as timber and limestone, Limay used to be a barrio of Orion town. Religious services were administered by the Dominicans and the Franciscan missionaries based in Orion. The Philippine revolution of 1898 was carried on by Limayan freedom fighters and facilitated the town’s transition into independence and into the American occupation after the war. Only did Limay become recognized as a town when American Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison issued an Executive Order proclaiming Limay as an independent municipality in January 1, 1917, makng Limay the last municipality to be created in Bataan province.

Commerce and economic development got another shot in the arm when the Cadwallader-Gibson Lumber Company started in 1913, employing not only Limayans, but others from nearby towns and from far away as the Visayas who came to work, boosting the population and its aggregate growth.

The Second World War impacted Limay as heavily as it did the rest of the province. With bloody battles taking place all around the province, Limay played host to the first medical hospital set up by the American and Filipino forces, which was run by the “Angels of Bataan”. Despite heavy fighting, American and Filipino nurses set up shop in a warehouse and converted it into a haven of healing and recovery in the midst of bloodshed. As town after town in Bataan fell to the Japanese onslaught, the defenders fell back until they finally succumbed to the advancing enemy. It was also in Limay, that after several months of courageous and heroic fighting, that Major General Edward P. King, tasked to oversee the Bataan defensive line, finally decided to capitulate to the Japanese forces. This took place in Barrio Lamao, after the last stand of the American and Filipino forces faltered along the banks of the Alangan River.

"First Class." The term is synonymous to the best. In terms of income classification, Limay is considered a first class municipality. Contributing to the fact are its industry locators from the petroleum, construction, power, manufacturing, and agricultural sectors. Professionals and other skilled workers flock to Limay boosting its employment rate. In order to maintain labor and employment beneficial to the municipality, the LGU’s Employment Services unit (or PESO) seeks to balance a 30/70 ratio to enable local residents to be gainfully employed compared to outside applicants.

Limay strives to maintain its lead in providing a conducive business environment for investors and locators by maintaining integrity and fairness in its dealings as well as by providing lucrative opportunities for business and industry expansion.

Limay strives to maintain its lead in providing a conducive business environment for investors and locators by maintaining integrity and fairness in its dealings as well as by providing lucrative opportunities for business and industry expansion.

The leadership of Limay seeks to further expand the “first class” status to not only its income, but also the quality of life of its citizens, by embarking on a five point key result agenda program, namely:

Live Life: improve Limayans’ standards of living, safety, health, economics, and character.

Loving Relationships: strengthening the ties that bind Limayans together, from married couples and parents with children, to all relationships held dear by its citizens.

Learning Opportunities: Providing Limayans with quality education and learning experiences not limited to the classroom.

Leading: developing leadership from the ground up by providing a solid character base of moral and spiritual values, as well as skills commensurate to the demands of leadership.

Legacy: establishing a culture of honor from the present generation which will in turn pass the legacy to the generation following. This legacy far outlasts any physical structure or monument one administration can ever build.

Limay occupies 10,362 hectares of varied terrain, ranging from coastal areas to plains to mountainous areas. Of this area, 66% are forest areas (2,143 hectares for watershed, 2,432 hectares timberland), 26% are designated agricultural lands (853.99 hectares), 6% occupied by industrial facilities, 2% built-up area, and 0.2% designated for aquaculture industries.* Another 263 hectares are also designated as a military reservation (the DND Arsenal). Limay’s residential and industrial areas occupy about 5,543 hectares as well.

Limay Population: 57,207 (2010 figures)

Population/Barangay (2010):

Municipal Officials:

Barangay Chairpersons:

Mariveles Mountain Complex. This mountain range stretching from Mariveles town reaches the municpality with Mount Limay (or Mt. Cayapo) – 393 meters higher than Mt. Samat in Pilar – and with Mount Tarak in the range enables trekkers to view the Limay panorama from the peak.

Judy’s Park (Limay Municipal Park). This esplanade along Manila Bay provides a venue of rest and recreation for Limayans, and a site for various outdoor activities. Named after the 1984 winner of the Miss Limay beauty pageant held in the area. With reatining walls and kiosks, the park is continually being developed for the benefit of the residents and visitors of LImay.

Tikip and Biga Waterfalls. Among the natural wonders of Limay are its waterfalls. Both Tikip in Upper Tundol and Biga in Alangan are 30-foot falls which are nestled deep in the Limay mountain range, inaccessible to all but foot traffic, making it an exciting hiking destination.

Peninsula Golf and Country Club. An 18-hole golf course located inside the Petron Bataan Refinery, complete with clubhouse and tennis courts. This is an exclusive course for members only, and is reputedly one of the more difficult courses in the country.

The municipal government of Limay continues to invest in the development of its infrastructure, constructing and rehabilitating its roads and bridges, while putting up facilities to raise the standard and quality of life of Limayans. Road networks are maintained to provide access to Limay’s barangays from the Roman superhighway and national roads.

The Limay public market and slaughterhouse are continuously being improved and serves Limay’s residents daily. The Limay Sports Complex and Tennis Court provides a venue for physical exercise for Limayans. However, it has recently been put into more purposeful and meaningful use as venues for more than just physical development. Mayor Ver Roque’s five key agendas of Living Life, Loving Relationships, Learning, Leading, and Leaving Legacy find their realization in events held at the complex, such as mass wedding ceremonies, PNP and Tanod appreciation & development events, Licensing and Registration events, and employment fairs to name a few.

Education is a top priority among the key result agendas of Limay’s LGU. The children of Limay enjoy free tuition in the municipality’s 14 public elementary and two high schools, not to mention supplemental assistance in school supplies, and uniforms. Students are also blessed with free transit to and from school serviced by the LGU’s buses during school days.

Mayor Ver believes that learning is a legacy that goes beyond the classroom.

For high school graduates, the Limay Polytechnic College also provides free tuition, after much needed restructuring to streamline efficiency of operations. Not only are the student population provided for by Limay, but its teaching force’s welfare, comprised of the National Teacher Board as well as the Local School Board, are looked after. Through subsidies and incentives, and continuous training, Limay’s teachers employ a sharp educational cutting edge.

Mayor Ver Roque believes that learning is also a legacy that goes beyond the classroom. This led to programs for development for Limayan students, such as career choice and life guidance seminars held for graduating classes, as well as parenting seminars for the children’s parents and guardians, in the effort to develop truly first-class citizens.