Olongapo city Built Up/Developed Area

Based on this table, it can be seen that as for built-up area, residential use accounts for 96.99% while Commercial use is 2.27%.

Actual Land Use

Classification	Area(has)	Percentage
Residential	2,433.25	96.99
Commercial	57.00	2.27
Industrial	0.23	0.010
Special	18.31	0.73
Others	1.52	0.09
Total	2,508.79	100

LAND USE CLASSIFICATION	AREA ( in hectare )	PERCENTAGE (in %)
Urban Area	2,508.79	13.56
Freeport	965.70	5.22
Forest /watershed	6,521.25	35.25
Disputed Area	6,850.75	37.03
Open Grassland	1,653.51	8.94
TOTAL	18,500.00	100.00

However in terms of land classification, 35% is forest area or watershed and there is a significant amount of 37% of land area falling under disputed area. The City’s forest area still dominates the existing land classification occupying about 6,850.75 hectares or 37% of the total land area of the city. These areas are mostly located in the outlying barangays of the city namely New Cabalan, Old Cabalan, Gordon Heights, Barretto and portion of Kalaklan and Sta. Rita. There are 1,729 hectares or 9.34% presently classified as Alienable and Disposable (A & D) based on the records of the CENRO.

Soil Type:

There are five(5) predominant types of soil in the city: Hydrosol, La Paz Fine Sandy Loam, Antipolo Clay, Mountain Soil Undifferentiated and Quingua Silt Loam. A full description of the relevant features of the abovementioned soil types are as follows:

a) Hydrosol - this miscellaneous land type is found in the coastal region bordering the China Sea. It consists of soils under water throughout the year where mangroves and nipa palms grow. It is found quite extensively in Olongapo, Masinloc, Candelaria and Sta. Cruz. It is also found in limited areas in Palauig, Iba and Subic. This type of land is at present being utilized as salt beds, fishponds and in the growing of nipa palms and mangroves.

b) La Paz Fine Sandy Loam - a typical profile of this is as follows:

Depth of Soil (cm) Characteristics

0-20. Surface soil, light brown, yellowish brown silt loam to fine sandy loam. Plenty of red to chocolate brown streaks in the lower surface soil. It is fine granular and moderately friable, slightly loose and porous. Boundaries between horizons are clear and smooth.

20-45. Subsoil, light brown, loose and slightly friable, heavier than the surface soil, poor in organic matter.

45-74. Light brown, loose, porous and friable fine sandy loam to fine sand with no gravel.

74-below. Grayish brown in color, medium sand to coarse sand loose and porous substratum.

The area is mostly level and is grown mainly to lowland rice.

c) Antipolo Clay (26) - this soil type includes the hills and mountains of Cabangan, San Felipe, San Antonio, Subic, Castillejos and Olongapo as well as the rolling areas, hills and mountain between the City of Olongapo and the Province of Bataan. It is not important agriculturally, being hilly and mountainous. Erosion on bare areas has advanced considerably forming big gullies. The rolling areas are utilized for the upland rice, corn and vegetables.

d) Mountain Soil Undifferentiated (45) - the soils of this type are called mountain soils undifferentiated, because of their relative geographical location, that is, inaccessibility to the soil survey party. These are the Zambales mountain ranges along the eastern part of the province having deep ravines, and with high peaks and rugged ridges.

e) Quingua Silt Loam - a typical profile of this soil type is as follows:

Depth of Soil (cm) Characteristics

0-20. Light brown, yellowish brown to brown silt loam to fine sandy loam surface soil with abundant red to chocolate brown streaks. It is loose and fine granular and easily worked at optimum moisture.

20-25. Subsoil, light brown, loose to slightly compact, heavier in texture than the surface soil, friable silty clay loam. The presence of heavier material is due to the beaching of the fine materials of the surface soil.

25-74. Light brown, loose and friable fine sandy loam to fine sand lower subsoil.

75 - below. Substratum, sand to coarse sand brownish yellow to brown.

This soil type is one of the highly priced agricultural lands in the province. It is devoted principally to lowland rice culture. Except in places near the rivers and creeks, this type is generally not irrigated and the crop depends on the rainwater during its growing period.

Population and Density

Based on the 2000 Census of Population conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO), Olongapo has a total population of 194,260 excluding transients with an annual growth rate of 1.68%. This would translate to a projected population of 207,647 for the year 2004.

Furthermore, the gross population density of the city is 11.22 persons per hectare, using the total land area of 18,500 hectares. Based on the participation rate of the barangays, Barangay Banicain is the most densely populated barangay with 538.86 persons per hectare at 13.20 hectares. While Barangay New Cabalan is the least dense barangay with 9.93 person per hectare at 1,955.57 hectares.

Considering the City’s built up area of 2,508.79 hectares, the net population density is 82.77 persons per hectare in the year 2004.

The 1.68% annual increase was perceived to be a conservative rating which was based on the 1995-2000 period. Observation shows that there was a steady influx of Southern small traders in the City and concentrations of its populace in various barangays.