Batangas, officially the Province of Batangas ( tl, Lalawigan ng Batangas ), is a first class province of the Philippines located in the southwestern part of
Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
in the
Calabarzon
Calabarzon (), formally known as the Southern Tagalog Mainland, is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region IV-A. The region comprises five provinces: Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, and Rizal; and one highly urban ...
region. Its capital is the city of
Batangas
Batangas, officially the Province of Batangas ( tl, Lalawigan ng Batangas ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Its capital is the city of Batangas, and is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and La ...
, and is bordered by the provinces of
Cavite
Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest ...
and
Laguna
Laguna (Italian and Spanish for lagoon) may refer to:
People
* Abe Laguna (born 1992), American DJ known as Ookay
* Andrés Laguna (1499–1559), Spanish physician, pharmacologist, and botanist
* Ana Laguna (born 1955), Spanish-Swedish ballet d ...
to the north, and
Quezon
Quezon, officially the Province of Quezon ( tl, Lalawigan ng Quezon), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon Regions of the Philippines, region on Luzon. Kalilayan was the first known name of th ...
to the east. Across the
Verde Island Passages to the south is the island of
Mindoro
Mindoro is the seventh largest and eighth-most populous island in the Philippines. With a total land area of 10,571 km2 ( 4,082 sq.mi ) and has a population of 1,408,454 as of 2020 census. It is located off the southwestern coast of Luz ...
and to the west lies the
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...
. Poetically, Batangas is often referred to by its ancient name, Kumintáng.
The province of Batangas was billed as the second richest province in the Philippines by the Commission on Audit by the year 2020. It has been the second richest province in the country for two consecutive years. In 2020, its provincial government posted a record high of ₱25.2 billion worth of assets, the largest in Calabarzon and the whole Luzon.
Batangas is one of the most popular tourist destinations near
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...
. It is home to the well-known
Taal Volcano, one of the
Decade Volcanoes
The Decade Volcanoes are 16 volcanoes identified by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI) as being worthy of particular study in light of their history of large, destructive volcanic eruption, ...
, and the small nearby town of
Taal which keeps ancestral houses, churches, and other architecture dating back to the 19th century. The province also has numerous beaches and diving spots including Anilao in
Mabini, Sombrero Island in
Tingloy
Tingloy, officially the Municipality of Tingloy ( tgl, Bayan ng Tingloy), is a 5th class municipality in the province of Batangas
Batangas, officially the Province of Batangas ( tl, Lalawigan ng Batangas ), is a province in the Philippine ...
, Ligpo Island and Sampaguita Beach in
Bauan
Bauan, officially the Municipality of Bauan ( tgl, Bayan ng Bauan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 90,819 people.
History
Religious attribution and mi ...
, Matabungkay in
Lian, Punta Fuego in
Nasugbu
Nasugbu, officially the Municipality of Nasugbu ( tgl, Bayan ng Nasugbu), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...
, the municipality of
Calatagan
Calatagan, officially the Municipality of Calatagan ( tgl, Bayan ng Calatagan), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 58,719 people.
Calatagan comprises the Ca ...
, and
Laiya in
San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John, may refer to:
Places Argentina
* San Juan Province, Argentina
* San Juan, Argentina, the capital of that province
* San Juan, Salta, a village in Iruya, Salta Province
* San Juan (Buenos Aires Underground), ...
. All of the marine waters of the province are part of the
Verde Island Passage
The Verde Island Passage is a strait that separates the islands of Luzon and Mindoro in the Philippines, connecting the South China Sea with the Tayabas Bay and the Sibuyan Sea beyond. Traditionally, the sea lane has been one of the busiest in ...
, the center of the world's marine biodiversity.
Batangas City has the second largest international seaport in the Philippines after Metro Manila. The identification of the city as an industrial growth center in the region and being the focal point of the Calabarzon program is seen in the increasing number of business establishments in the city's Central Business District (CBD) as well as numerous industries operating in the province's
industrial park
An industrial park (also known as industrial estate, trading estate) is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development. An industrial park can be thought of as a more "heavyweight" version of a business park or office park, ...
s.
Lipa City
Lipa (), officially the City of Lipa ( fil, Lungsod ng Lipa), is a 1st class component city in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 372,931 people.
It is the first city charter in the pro ...
has passed Batangas City as the most populous city in the province.
Etymology
The name Batangas is derived from the term ''batangan'', which has two definitions: a log found in the Calumpang River, and rafts used to fish in Taal Lake.
The Batangas dialect of Tagalog closely resembles the Old Tagalog spoken before the arrival of the Spanish. This is why the Summer Institute of Linguistics calls this province the center of the Tagalog language. The strong presence of Tagalog culture is evident to this day.
Batangas also has one of the highest literacy rates in the country at 96.5%, with men having a slightly higher literacy rate at 97.1% compared to women at 95.9%. The combined average literacy rate is 96%.
Historical precedents
The first recorded name of the province was ''Kumintáng'', whose political center was the present-day municipality (town) of
Taal, prior to moving to the municipality of
Balayan
Balayan, officially the Municipality of Balayan ( tgl, Bayan ng Balayan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 95,913 people.
The town is rich among the natu ...
. Balayan was considered the most progressive town of the region. An eruption of
Taal Volcano destroyed a significant portion of the town, causing residents to transfer to ''Bonbon'' (now
Taal), the name eventually encompassing the bounds of the modern province.
History
Early history
Large centers of population already thrived along the coasts and rivers of present-day Batangas.
Barangays
A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolitan ...
lined the
Pansipit River
The Pansipit River is a short river located in the Batangas province of the Philippines. The river is the sole drainage outlet of Taal Lake, which empties to Balayan Bay. The river stretches some passing along the municipalities of Agoncillo, ...
draining
Bombon Lake (now Taal), a major waterway. The area was a major site for the
Maritime Jade Road
Philippine jade Culture or Jade Artifacts, made from white and green nephrite and dating as far back as 2000–1500 BC, have been discovered at a number of archeological excavations in the Philippines since the 1930s. The artifacts have been b ...
, one of the most extensive sea-based trade networks of a single geological material in the prehistoric world, operating for ~3,000 years from ~2000 BCE to ~1000 CE. Trading relations with other Philippine peoples,
Borneo
Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and eas ...
,
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
,
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
, among others were maintained.
Archaeological findings and written accounts by the Spanish explorers in the mid-16th century show that pre-colonial
Tagalogs have long histories in complex, stratified societies with trade networks encompassing Southeast and East Asia. This was shown by certain jewelry, made from a chambered nautilus shell, where tiny holes were created by a drill-like tool. The ancient peoples of present-day Batangas were influenced by trade with
Indianized states and to a lesser degree China, as shown in many loanwords from
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
and unearthed
tradeware ceramics primarily from China and present-day
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
and
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
. A Buddhist image unearthed in Calatagan was reproduced in mould on a clay medallion in
bas-relief
Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...
. According to experts, the image in the pot strongly resembles the iconographic portrayal of
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...
in
Siam
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 mi ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, and
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
. The pot shows
Buddha Amithāba in the
tribhanga
Tribhaṅga or Tribunga is a standing body position or stance used in traditional Indian art and Indian classical dance forms like the Odissi, where the body bends in one direction at the knees, the other direction at the hips and then the othe ...
pose inside an oval nimbus. Scholars also noted that there is a strong
Mahāyānic orientation in the image, since the Boddhisattva
Avalokiteśvara
In Buddhism, Avalokiteśvara (Sanskrit: अवलोकितेश्वर, IPA: ) is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He has 108 avatars, one notable avatar being Padmapāṇi (lotus bearer). He is variably depicted, ...
was also depicted.
One of the major archaeological finds was in January 1941, where two crude stone figures were found in Palapat, also in Calatagan. They were later donated to the
National Museum
A national museum is a museum maintained and funded by a national government. In many countries it denotes a museum run by the central government, while other museums are run by regional or local governments. In other countries a much greater numb ...
. One of them was destroyed during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
Eighteen years later, a grave was excavated in nearby Punta Buaya. Pieces of brain coral were carved behind the heads of the 12 remains that were found. The site was named ''Likha'' (meaning "create"). The remains were accompanied by furniture that could be traced as early as the 14th century. Potteries, as well as bracelets, stoneware, and metal objects were also found in the area, suggesting that the people who lived there had extensive contact with people from as far as China.
The presence of dining utensils such as plates or "chalices" found with the remains also suggest that prehistoric Batangueños believed in the idea of life-after-death. Thus, the Batangueños, like their neighbors in other parts of Asia, have similar customs of burying furniture with the dead.
Like the nearby tribes, the Batangan or the early Batangueños were a non-aggressive people. Partly because most of the tribes in their immediate environment were related to them by blood. Some weapons Batangans used included the ''bakyang'' (bows and arrows), the ''bangkaw'' (spears), and the ''suwan'' (bolo).
Being highly superstitious, the use of ''agimat'' (amulet or talisman) showed that these people believed in the presence of higher beings and other things unseen. The natives believed that forces of nature were a manifestation these higher beings.
The term 'Tagalog' may have been derived from the word ''taga-ilog'' or "river dwellers" referring to the
Pasig River
The Pasig River ( fil, Ilog Pasig) is a water body in the Philippines that connects Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay. Stretching for , it bisects the Philippine capital of Manila and Metro Manila, its surrounding urban area into northern and souther ...
located further up north of the region. However, Wang Teh-Ming in his writings on Sino-Filipino relations points out that Batangas was the real center of the Tagalogs, which he then identified as ''Ma-yi'' or ''Ma-i''. According to the Chinese Imperial Annals,
Ma-yi had its center in the province and extends to as far as present-day
Cavite
Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest ...
,
Laguna
Laguna (Italian and Spanish for lagoon) may refer to:
People
* Abe Laguna (born 1992), American DJ known as Ookay
* Andrés Laguna (1499–1559), Spanish physician, pharmacologist, and botanist
* Ana Laguna (born 1955), Spanish-Swedish ballet d ...
,
Rizal
Rizal, officially the Province of Rizal ( fil, Lalawigan ng Rizal), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Its capital is the city of Antipolo. It is about east of Manila. The p ...
,
Quezon
Quezon, officially the Province of Quezon ( tl, Lalawigan ng Quezon), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon Regions of the Philippines, region on Luzon. Kalilayan was the first known name of th ...
,
Bataan
Bataan (), officially the Province of Bataan ( fil, Lalawigan ng Bataan ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Its capital is the city of Balanga while Mariveles is the largest town in the province. Occupying the entir ...
,
Bulacan
Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the Metr ...
,
Mindoro
Mindoro is the seventh largest and eighth-most populous island in the Philippines. With a total land area of 10,571 km2 ( 4,082 sq.mi ) and has a population of 1,408,454 as of 2020 census. It is located off the southwestern coast of Luz ...
,
Marinduque
Marinduque (; ), officially the Province of Marinduque, is an island province in the Philippines located in Southwestern Tagalog Region or Mimaropa, formerly designated as Region IV-B. Its capital is the municipality of Boac. Marinduque lies be ...
,
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija, officially the Province of Nueva Ecija ( tgl, Lalawigan ng Nueva Ecija , also ; ilo, Probinsia ti Nueva Ecija; pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Nueva Ecija; Kapampangan: ''Lalawigan/Probinsia ning Nueva Ecija''), is a landlocked province i ...
, some parts of
Zambales
Zambales, officially the Province of Zambales ( fil, Lalawigan ng Zambales; ilo, Probinsia ti Zambales; Pangasinan: ''Luyag/Probinsia na Zambales''; xsb, Probinsya nin Zambales), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon re ...
, and
Tarlac
Tarlac, officially the Province of Tarlac ( pam, Lalawigan ning Tarlac; pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Tarlac; ilo, Probinsia ti Tarlac; tgl, Lalawigan ng Tarlac; ), is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. It ...
. However, many historians interchangeably use the term Tagalog and Batangueño.
Henry Otley Beyer
Henry Otley Beyer (July 13, 1883 – December 31, 1966) was an American anthropologist, who spent most of his adult life in the Philippines teaching Philippine indigenous culture. A.V.H. Hartendorp called Beyer the "Dean of Philippine ethnolog ...
, an American archaeologist, also showed in his studies that the early Batangueños had a special affinity with the precious stone known as the jade. He named the Late Paleolithic Period of the Philippines as the ''Batangas Period'' in recognition of the multitude of jade found in the excavated caves in the province. Beyer identified that the jade-cult reached the province as early as 800 B.C. and lasted until 200 B.C.
Spanish colonial period
In 1570, Spanish generals
Martin de Goiti Martin may refer to:
Places
* Martin City (disambiguation)
* Martin County (disambiguation)
* Martin Township (disambiguation)
Antarctica
* Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land
* Port Martin, Adelie Land
* Point Martin, South Orkney Islands
Austral ...
and
Juan de Salcedo
Juan de Salcedo (; 1549 – March 11, 1576) was a Spanish-Novohispanic conquistador. He was born in Mexico in 1549 and he was the grandson of Miguel López de Legazpi and brother of Felipe de Salcedo. Salcedo was one of the soldiers who accompan ...
explored the coast of Batangas on their way to Manila and came upon a settlement at the mouth of
Pansipit River
The Pansipit River is a short river located in the Batangas province of the Philippines. The river is the sole drainage outlet of Taal Lake, which empties to Balayan Bay. The river stretches some passing along the municipalities of Agoncillo, ...
. In 1572, the town of
Taal was founded and its convent and stone church were constructed later.
Officially, the ''Province of Bonbon'' was founded by Spain in 1578, through Fr. Estaban Ortiz and Fr. Juan de Porras. It was named after the name that was given to it by the
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
natives who inhabited the area.
In 1581, the Spanish government abolished
Bonbon Province and created a new province which came to be known as
Balayan Province
Batangas, officially the Province of Batangas ( tl, Lalawigan ng Batangas ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Its capital is the city of Batangas, and is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and Lagun ...
. The new province was composed of the present provinces of Batangas,
Mindoro
Mindoro is the seventh largest and eighth-most populous island in the Philippines. With a total land area of 10,571 km2 ( 4,082 sq.mi ) and has a population of 1,408,454 as of 2020 census. It is located off the southwestern coast of Luz ...
,
Marinduque
Marinduque (; ), officially the Province of Marinduque, is an island province in the Philippines located in Southwestern Tagalog Region or Mimaropa, formerly designated as Region IV-B. Its capital is the municipality of Boac. Marinduque lies be ...
, southeast
Laguna
Laguna (Italian and Spanish for lagoon) may refer to:
People
* Abe Laguna (born 1992), American DJ known as Ookay
* Andrés Laguna (1499–1559), Spanish physician, pharmacologist, and botanist
* Ana Laguna (born 1955), Spanish-Swedish ballet d ...
, southeast
Quezon
Quezon, officially the Province of Quezon ( tl, Lalawigan ng Quezon), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon Regions of the Philippines, region on Luzon. Kalilayan was the first known name of th ...
, and
Camarines
Ambos Camarines ( es, ambos, meaning "both"; commonly known as Camarines), officially the Province of Ambos Camarines, was a historical province in the Philippines found on the northern end of the Bicol Peninsula. It now exists as two separate ...
. After the devastating eruption of Taal Volcano in 1754, the old town of ''Taal'', present day San Nicolas, was buried. The capital was eventually transferred to Batangas (now a city) for fear of further eruptions where it has remained to date.
In the same years that de Goiti and Salcedo visited the province, the
Franciscan
The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...
missionaries came to Taal, which later became the first Spanish settlement in Batangas and one of the earliest in the Philippines. In 1572, the
Augustinians
Augustinians are members of Christian religious orders that follow the Rule of Saint Augustine, written in about 400 AD by Augustine of Hippo. There are two distinct types of Augustinians in Catholic religious orders dating back to the 12th–13 ...
founded Taal in the place of ''Wawa'', now San Nicolas, and from there began preaching in Balayan and in all the big settlements around the lake of ''Bombon'' (Taal). The Augustinians, who were the first missionaries in the
diocese
In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...
, remained until the
revolution against Spain. Among the first missionaries were eminent men, which included Alfonso de Albuquerque, Diego Espinas, Juan de Montojo, and others.
During the first ten years, the whole region around the Lake of Bombon was completely Christianized. It was done through the preaching of men who had learned the first rudiments of the language of the people. At the same time, they started writing manuals of devotion in Tagalog, such as
novenas
A novena (from Latin: ''novem'', "nine") is an ancient tradition of devotional praying in Christianity, consisting of private or public prayers repeated for nine successive days or weeks. The nine days between the Feast of the Ascension and Pen ...
, and had written the first Tagalog grammar that served other missionaries who came.
Foundation of important
parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...
es followed throughout the years: 1572, the
Taal Parish was founded by the Augustinians; 1581, the Batangas Parish under Fray Diego Mexica; 1596,
Bauan
Bauan, officially the Municipality of Bauan ( tgl, Bayan ng Bauan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 90,819 people.
History
Religious attribution and mi ...
Parish administered by the Augustinian missionaries; 1605,
Lipa
Lipa or LIPA (Cyrillic: Липа) may refer to:
Acronym
*Liquid Isopropyl alcohol
*League for Independent Political Action, a former American progressive political organization
*Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, a performing arts school in ...
Parish under the Augustinian administration; 1774,
Balayan
Balayan, officially the Municipality of Balayan ( tgl, Bayan ng Balayan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 95,913 people.
The town is rich among the natu ...
Parish was founded; By the end of the 1700s, Batangas had 15,014 native families and 451
Spanish Filipino families;
[ESTADISMO DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS TOMO PRIMERO By Joaquín Martínez de Zúñiga (Original Spanish)](_blank)
/ref>[ESTADISMO DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS TOMO SEGUNDO By Joaquín Martínez de Zúñiga (Original Spanish)](_blank)
/ref> 1852
Nasugbu Parish
was established; and 1868, Lemery Parish too.
The town of Nasugbu
Nasugbu, officially the Municipality of Nasugbu ( tgl, Bayan ng Nasugbu), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...
became an important centre of trade during the Spanish occupation of the country. It was the site of the first recorded battle between two European Forces in Asia in Fortune Island, Nasugbu
Nasugbu, officially the Municipality of Nasugbu ( tgl, Bayan ng Nasugbu), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...
, Batangas. In the late part of the 20th century, the inhabitants of Fortune Island discovered a sunken galleon that contained materials sold in the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade
fil, Galyon ng Maynila
, english_name = Manila Galleon
, duration = From 1565 to 1815 (250 years)
, venue = Between Manila and Acapulco
, location = New Spain (Spanish Empire ...
.
Batangas was also among the first of the eight Philippine provinces to revolt against Spain and one of the provinces placed under Martial Law by Spanish Governor-General
Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
Ramon Blanco on August 30, 1896. This event was given distinction when Marcela Agoncillo
Doña Marcela Mariño de Agoncillo (née Mariño y Coronel; June 24, 1859 – May 30, 1946) was a Filipina who was the principal seamstress of the first and official flag of the Philippines, gaining her the title of "The Mother of the Philippine ...
, also a native of the province, made the Philippine Flag
The national flag of the Philippines ( tgl, Pambansang watawat ng Pilipinas; ilo, Nailian a bandera ti Filipinas; ceb, Nasudnong bandila ng Pilipinas; es, Bandera Nacional de Filipinas) is a horizontal List of flags by design#Bicolour, bicol ...
, which bears a sun with eight rays to represent these eight provinces.
American invasion era
When the Americans forbade the Philippine flag from being flown anywhere in the country, Batangas was one of the places where the revolutionaries chose to propagate their propaganda. Many, especially the revolutionary artists, chose Batangas as the place to perform their plays. In an incident recorded by Amelia Bonifacio in her diary, the performance of ''Tanikalang Ginto'' in the province led not only to the arrest of the company but all of the audience. Later, the play was banned from being shown anywhere in the country.
General Miguel Malvar
Miguel Malvar y Carpio (September 27, 1865 – October 13, 1911) was a Filipino general who served during the Philippine Revolution and, subsequently, during the Philippine–American War. He assumed command of the Philippine revolutionary force ...
is recognized as the last Filipino general to surrender to the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
in the Philippine–American War
The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
.
Japanese occupation era
After the attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Re ...
on December 7, 1941, the Japanese sent their planes to attack the Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
, launching major air raids throughout the country. The bombings resulted in the destruction of the Batangas Airport located in Batangas City
Batangas City, officially the City of Batangas ( fil, Lungsod ng Batangas), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 351,437 people.
Batangas City i ...
, of which nothing remains today. Batangas was also a scene of heavy fighting between the Philippine Army Air Corps
The Philippine Army Air Corps ( fil, Pulutong Himpapawid ng Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas; es, Cuerpo Aéreo del Ejercito Filipino) was created in 1935 as the air component of the Philippine Army. It was the predecessor of the Philippine Air F ...
and the Japanese A6M Zero Fighter Planes. The most notable air combat battle took place at the height of 3,700 metres (12,000 ft) on December 12, 1941, when 6 Filipino fighters led by Capt. Jesús Villamor engaged the numerically superior enemy of 54 Japanese bombers and fighter escorts which raided the Batangas Airfield. Capt. Jesús Villamor won the battle, suffering only one casualty, Lt. César Basa
César Fernando María Tianko Basa (21 June 1915 – 12 December 1941) was a Filipino military pilot who fought in World War II. He was one of the pioneer fighter pilots of the Philippine Army Air Corps, the forerunner of the Philippine Air For ...
who was able to bail out as his plane was shot down, only to be strafed by the Zeroes.
When Gen. Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...
ordered the overall retreat of the American-Filipino Forces to Bataan
Bataan (), officially the Province of Bataan ( fil, Lalawigan ng Bataan ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Its capital is the city of Balanga while Mariveles is the largest town in the province. Occupying the entir ...
in 1942, the province was ultimately abandoned and later came under direct Japanese occupation. During this time, the Imperial Japanese Army
The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...
committed many crimes against civilians including the massacre of 328 people in Bauan
Bauan, officially the Municipality of Bauan ( tgl, Bayan ng Bauan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 90,819 people.
History
Religious attribution and mi ...
, 320 in Taal, 300 in Cuenca, 107 in San Jose, and 39 in Lucero.
Liberation
As part of the Philippines Campaign (1944–45) Philippines campaign may refer to various military campaigns that have been fought in the Philippine Islands, including:
Spanish colonial period (1565–1898)
*Numerous revolts against Spain during the Spanish colonial period; see Philippine revol ...
, the province's liberation began on January 31, 1945, when elements of the 11th Airborne Division
The 11th Airborne Division ("Arctic Angels") is a United States Army airborne formation, first activated on 25 February 1943, during World War II. Consisting of one parachute and two glider infantry regiments, with supporting troops, the div ...
, part of the U.S. Eighth Army
The Eighth Army is a U.S. field army which is the commanding formation of all United States Army forces in South Korea. It commands U.S. and South Korean units and is headquartered at the Camp Humphreys,[Nasugbu, Batangas
Nasugbu, officially the Municipality of Nasugbu ( tgl, Bayan ng Nasugbu), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...]
. However, Batangas was not the main objective of the invasion force. Instead, most of its units headed north to capture Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
, and by March 3, the capital was completely secured.
Liberation of Batangas proper by American forces began in March 1945 by the 11th Airborne Division
The 11th Airborne Division ("Arctic Angels") is a United States Army airborne formation, first activated on 25 February 1943, during World War II. Consisting of one parachute and two glider infantry regiments, with supporting troops, the div ...
and the 158th Regimental Combat Team (RCT). The 158th, stationed in Nasugbu, was tasked to secure the shores and nearby towns of Balayan
Balayan, officially the Municipality of Balayan ( tgl, Bayan ng Balayan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 95,913 people.
The town is rich among the natu ...
and Batangas
Batangas, officially the Province of Batangas ( tl, Lalawigan ng Batangas ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Its capital is the city of Batangas, and is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and La ...
. The 11th Airborne, from the Tagaytay Ridge
Mount Sungay, also known as Mount Gonzales, is a mountain in the province of Cavite in the Philippines. Located in eastern Tagaytay, the inactive stratovolcano is the highest point in the province of Cavite, at .[Taal Lake
Taal Lake ( tl, Lawa ng Taal, ), formerly known as Bombón Lake, is a freshwater caldera lake in the province of Batangas, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The lake fills Taal Volcano, a large volcanic caldera formed by very large ...]
and open the Lipa corridor. By March 11 the 158th RCT had reached Batangas City
Batangas City, officially the City of Batangas ( fil, Lungsod ng Batangas), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 351,437 people.
Batangas City i ...
.[ In order to secure the two bays, the 158th needed to capture the entire Calumpang Peninsula near the town of Mabini, which was still held by some elements of the Japanese 2nd Surface Raiding Base Force. Fighting continued until March 16 when the whole peninsula was finally liberated.][
Afterwards, the 158th RCT turned northward to meet the Japanese Fuji Force defenses at Mt. Maculot in Cuenca on March 19. The 158th disengaged from the Japanese on March 23 and were relieved by the 11th Airborne's 187th Glider Infantry Regiment. Another 11th Airborne Division task force, the 188th Infantry was ordered to dispatch troops around Batangas City and its remaining frontiers.][ Meanwhile, the 11th Airborne's 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment had begun the opening of the Lipa corridor at Santo Tomas and Tanauan before being relieved by the 1st Cavalry Division and moving via Tagaytay to Bauan and San Jose.][
]
The last major offensive for the capture of the Lipa Corridor began when 188th Infantry Task Force from Batangas City left for Lipa
Lipa or LIPA (Cyrillic: Липа) may refer to:
Acronym
*Liquid Isopropyl alcohol
*League for Independent Political Action, a former American progressive political organization
*Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, a performing arts school in ...
on March 24.[ The same that day, the 187th Infantry Task Force launched an attack against the remaining Japanese positions in Mt. Maculot. Heavy fighting continued until April 17. The final capture of Mt. Maculot came by April 21.][
The 188th Infantry met stiff resistance from Fuji Force's 86th Airfield Battalion on March 26. To the north, the 1st Cavalry attacked the remaining Japanese defenses in the towns of Santo Tomas and Tanauan and succeeded in linking up with the advancing 187th and 188th task forces from the south.][ Lipa was captured by the 1st Cavalry on March 29. The final defeat of the Fuji Force came at Mt. Malepunyo at the hands of the 511th on May 2.
With the capture of Lipa and Mt. Malepunyo, organized resistance ended in the province. Some elements of the 188th Infantry Task Force were left to clear the Batangas mountains located southeast of the province from the remaining Japanese.][
Throughout the battle, recognized Filipino guerrilla fighters played an important key role in the advancement of the combined ]American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
and Philippine Commonwealth
The Commonwealth of the Philippines ( es, Commonwealth de Filipinas or ; tl, Komonwelt ng Pilipinas) was the administrative body that governed the Philippines from 1935 to 1946, aside from a period of exile in the Second World War from 1942 ...
troops, providing key roads and intelligence on the location of Japanese defenses and movements. The 11th Airborne and attached Filipino guerrillas had 390 casualties, of which 90 were killed. The Japanese, however, lost 1,490 men.[ By the end of April 1945, Batangas was liberated and fully secured under Allied control, thus ending all hostilities.
The movements of the military general headquarters and military camps of the Philippine Commonwealth Army happened from January 3, 1942, to June 30, 1946, and included the province of Batangas. During the engagements of the Anti-Japanese Imperial Military Operations in Manila, southern Luzon, Mindoro, and Palawan from 1942 to 1945, (including the provinces of Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Mindoro, and Palawan), units of the ]Philippine Constabulary
The Philippine Constabulary (PC; tl, Hukbóng Pamayapà ng Pilipinas, ''HPP''; es, Policía de Filipinas, ''PF'') was a gendarmerie-type police force of the Philippines from 1901 to 1991, and the predecessor to the Philippine National Po ...
, with the local guerrilla resistance joined with the U.S. liberation military forces against the Imperial Japanese armed forces.
Under the Southern Luzon Campaign, local Filipino soldiers of the 4th, 42nd, 43rd, 45th, and 46th Infantry Divisions of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and 4th Constabulary Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary joined the battle for the liberation of Batangas.
Philippine independence
After Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...
made his famous landing in the Island of Leyte
Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census.
Since the accessibility of land has be ...
, he came next to the town of Nasugbu
Nasugbu, officially the Municipality of Nasugbu ( tgl, Bayan ng Nasugbu), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...
to mark the liberation of Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
. This historic landing is remembered by the people of Batangas every last day of January, a holiday for the Nasugbugueños.
After the United States of America relinquished control of the Philippines, statesmen from Batangas featured prominently in the government. These include the legislators Felipe Agoncillo
Don Felipe Agoncillo y Encarnación (May 26, 1859 – September 29, 1941) was the Filipino lawyer representative to the negotiations in Paris that led to the Treaty of Paris (1898), ending the Spanish–American War and achieving him the t ...
, Galicano Apacible
Galicano Apacible Antonio y del Castillo (June 25, 1864 – March 22, 1949) was a Filipino physician and politician from Batangas. A cousin to José Rizal, he co-founded La Solidaridad and the Nacionalista Party.
He held the office of governor of ...
(who later became the Secretary of Agriculture), Ramon Diokno, Apolinario R. Apacible, Expedito Leviste, Gregorio Katigbak, Teodoro Kalaw
Teodoro Manguiat Kalaw (March 31, 1884 – December 4, 1940) was a Filipino scholar, legislator, and historian.
Early life
He was born in Lipa, Batangas on March 31, 1884. He was the third of four children of police chief Valerio Kalaw a ...
, Claro M. Recto
Claro Mayo Recto Jr. (born Claro Recto y Mayo; February 8, 1890 – October 2, 1960) was a Filipino politician, jurist, and poet. He is remembered for his nationalism, for "the impact of his patriotic convictions on modern political though ...
, and José Laurel, Jr.
Jose Bayani "Pepito" Hidalgo Laurel Jr. (August 27, 1912 – March 11, 1998), also known as Jose B. Laurel Jr., was a Filipino politician who was elected twice as speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines. A stalwart of the Nac ...
It is also notable that when President Manuel L. Quezon
Manuel Luis Quezon y Molina, (; 19 August 1878 – 1 August 1944), also known by his initials MLQ, was a Filipino lawyer, statesman, soldier and politician who served as president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 until his dea ...
left the Philippines during the Japanese Occupation, the Japanese government in the Philippines chose the Batangueño José Laurel, Sr. to be the president of the Japanese-sponsored Second Philippine Republic
The Second Philippine Republic, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines ( tl, Repúbliká ng Pilipinas; es, República de Filipinas; ja, フィリピン共和国, ''Firipin-kyōwakoku'') and also known as the Japanese-sponsored Phi ...
.
Under the Marcos Presidency
Batangueños were not spared the social and economic turmoil that began during the second term of President Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
, including his 1971 suspension of the writ of habeas corpus
''Habeas corpus'' (; from Medieval Latin, ) is a recourse in law through which a person can report an unlawful detention or imprisonment to a court and request that the court order the custodian of the person, usually a prison official, t ...
, his 1972 declaration of martial law, and his continued hold on power from the lifting of martial law in 1981 until his ouster under the People Power Revolution
The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, was a series of popular Demonstration (people), demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a ...
of 1986.
Prominent Batangueño Senator Jose W. Diokno was one of the first people Marcos imprisoned without charges, because according to then-Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile
Juan Valentin Furagganan Ponce Enrile Sr., (born Juanito Furagganan; February 14, 1924), also referred to by his initials JPE, or Manong Johnny, is a Filipino politician and lawyer known for his role in the administration of Philippine dicta ...
, the regime found it necessary to "emasculate the voices of the opposition."
In 1981, Marcos used his Presidential “power of eminent domain
Eminent domain (United States, Philippines), land acquisition (India, Malaysia, Singapore), compulsory purchase/acquisition (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, United Kingdom), resumption (Hong Kong, Uganda), resumption/compulsory acquisition (Austr ...
” to convert 167 hectares of agricultural lands in San Rafael, Calaca, for industrial use, paving the way for the construction of the Semirara Calaca power plant regardless of its health and environmental impact.
Among the later victims of the regime were student leaders Ismael Umali, Noel Clarete, and Aurelio Magpantay from Western Philippine Colleges in Batangas City
Batangas City, officially the City of Batangas ( fil, Lungsod ng Batangas), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 351,437 people.
Batangas City i ...
, who disappeared after a protest rally in March 1984, and whose mangled bodies were later discovered abandoned in nearby Cavite
Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest ...
province.
Contemporary
After the ouster of Ferdinand Marcos and the creation of the Fifth Philippine Republic
Fifth is the ordinal form of the number five.
Fifth or The Fifth may refer to:
* Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as in the expression "pleading the Fifth"
* Fifth column, a political term
* Fifth disease, a contagious rash that ...
, numerous Batanguenos took up prominent positions in government - most prominently Salvador Laurel
Salvador Roman Hidalgo Laurel (, November 18, 1928 – January 27, 2004), also known as Doy Laurel, was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the vice president of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992 under President Corazon Aquino and ...
, who became Vice President of the Philippines
The vice president of the Philippines ( fil, Pangalawang Pangulo ng Pilipinas, also referred to as ''Bise Presidente ng Pilipinas'') is the second-highest official in the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the first in the p ...
under the first Aquino administration, and Renato Corona
Renato Tereso Antonio Coronado Corona (October 15, 1948 – April 29, 2016) was a Filipino judge who was the 23rd chief justice of the Philippines from 2010 to 2012. He served as an associate justice after being appointed by President Gloria Ma ...
, who became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
The chief justice of the Philippines ( fil, Punong Mahistrado ng Pilipinas) presides over the Supreme Court of the Philippines and is the highest judicial officer of the government of the Philippines.
As of April 5, 2021, the position is curr ...
.
Geography
Batangas' landscape is largely of plains dotted by mountains, including one of the world's smallest volcanoes, Mt. Taal, with an elevation of , located in the middle of the Taal Lake
Taal Lake ( tl, Lawa ng Taal, ), formerly known as Bombón Lake, is a freshwater caldera lake in the province of Batangas, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The lake fills Taal Volcano, a large volcanic caldera formed by very large ...
. Other important peaks are Mount Macolod
Mount Macolod (other spelling: Maculot) is a dormant stratovolcano located in the municipality of Cuenca, Batangas in the Philippines. Popular with mountain climbers and campers, it is the main tourist attraction of Cuenca.
The mountain is sa ...
with an elevation of , Mt. Banoy with , Mt. Talamitam with , Mt. Pico de Loro with , Mt. Batulao with , Mt. Manabo with , and Mt. Daguldol with .
Batangas has several islands, including Tingloy
Tingloy, officially the Municipality of Tingloy ( tgl, Bayan ng Tingloy), is a 5th class municipality in the province of Batangas
Batangas, officially the Province of Batangas ( tl, Lalawigan ng Batangas ), is a province in the Philippine ...
, Verde Island
Verde Island is a volcanic island situated along the bodies of Isla Verde Passage, Verde Island Passage between the islands of Luzon and Mindoro, Philippines. It was in 1988 when a small village was connected to mains electricity through the eff ...
(''Isla Verde''), and Fortune Island of Nasugbu
Nasugbu, officially the Municipality of Nasugbu ( tgl, Bayan ng Nasugbu), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...
.
According to Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
, the ''largest island in a lake on an island'' is situated in Batangas (particularly at Vulcan Point in Crater Lake, which rests in the middle of Taal Island in Lake Taal
Taal Lake ( tl, Lawa ng Taal, ), formerly known as Bombón Lake, is a freshwater caldera lake in the province of Batangas, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The lake fills Taal Volcano, a large volcanic caldera formed by very large ...
, on the island of Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
).
Flora and fauna
The ''malabayabas'', or Philippine teak
''Tectona philippinensis'', also called Philippine teak, is a species of plant in the family Lamiaceae, formerly classified in the Verbenaceae. It is endemic to the Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially th ...
, is endemic to Batangas. The province is also home to the ''kabag'' ('' Haplonycteris fischeri''), one of the world's smallest fruit bats
In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering.
Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particula ...
. In the municipality of Nasugbu
Nasugbu, officially the Municipality of Nasugbu ( tgl, Bayan ng Nasugbu), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...
, wild deer still inhabit the remote areas of barangays Looc, Papaya, Bulihan, and Dayap.
In the second half of 2006, scientists from the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
discovered that the Coral Triangle
The Coral Triangle (CT) is a roughly triangular area in the tropical waters around the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste. This area contains at least 500 species of reef-building corals in ea ...
has its centre at the Isla Verde Passage
The Verde Island Passage is a strait that separates the islands of Luzon and Mindoro in the Philippines, connecting the South China Sea with the Tayabas Bay and the Sibuyan Sea beyond. Traditionally, the sea lane has been one of the busiest in ...
, a part of the province. According to the study made by American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
marine biologist
Marine biology is the scientific study of the biology of marine life, organisms in the sea. Given that in biology many scientific classification, phyla, family (biology), families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others th ...
Kent Carpenter, Batangas seas host more than half of the world's species of coral. It is also home to dolphins
A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (t ...
and once in a while, the passage of the world's biggest fish: the whale shark
The whale shark (''Rhincodon typus'') is a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of .McClain CR, Balk MA, Benfield MC, Branch TA, Chen C, Cosgrove J, D ...
or the ''butanding'', as the locals call it may be observed. The municipality of San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John, may refer to:
Places Argentina
* San Juan Province, Argentina
* San Juan, Argentina, the capital of that province
* San Juan, Salta, a village in Iruya, Salta Province
* San Juan (Buenos Aires Underground), ...
has a resident marine turtle
Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea), sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder Cryptodira. The seven existing species of sea turtles are the flatback, green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, ...
or ''pawikan''. Pawikans like the Olive ridley sea turtle
The olive ridley sea turtle (''Lepidochelys olivacea''), also known commonly as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Cheloniidae. The species is the second-smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in th ...
, leather back sea turtle, and green sea turtle
The green sea turtle (''Chelonia mydas''), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus ''Chelonia''. Its range exten ...
can be seen in Nasugbu up to the present.
Administrative divisions
Batangas comprises 29 municipalities
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
and 5 cities
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
. In land terms, Nasugbu
Nasugbu, officially the Municipality of Nasugbu ( tgl, Bayan ng Nasugbu), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...
is the largest municipality in Batangas with over 278.51km² while San Nicolas is the smallest municipality with 22.61 km². In population density, Taal is the most densely populated with over 2,066 people per km² but Lobo is the least densely populated with over 230 people per km².
Climate
Batangas falls under two climates: the tropical savanna climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry winter) and ''As'' (for a dry summer). The driest month has less than of p ...
(''As''/''Aw'') and the bordering tropical monsoon climate
An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ...
(''Am''), under the Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
. The same geographical divide is also labelled as Type I and Type III, respectively, under the PAGASA climate classification. Most of the province belongs to the tropical former, with well-defined dry and wet seasons, while parts lying to the east belong to the latter, with unpronounced dry and wet seasons influenced by the monsoons
A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...
. Batangas City
Batangas City, officially the City of Batangas ( fil, Lungsod ng Batangas), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 351,437 people.
Batangas City i ...
, the provincial capital, belongs to the tropical savanna climate, but is strongly influenced by the bordering monsoon climate, characterized by short dry seasons and longer wet seasons. Typhoons are a periodic occurrence especially during the southwest monsoon (''habagat'').
Demographics
The population of Batangas in the 2020 census was 2,908,494 people, with a density of .
Tagalogs
The Tagalog people ( tl, Mga Tagalog; Baybayin: ᜋᜅ ᜆᜄᜎᜓᜄ᜔) are the largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines, numbering at around 30 million. An Austronesian people, the Tagalog have a well developed society due to their cu ...
are the predominant people in Batangas, being the native settlers in the province, distantly followed by Bicolanos
The Bicolano people or the Bikolanos ( Bikol: ''Mga Bikolnon'') are the fourth-largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group. Males are usually referred to as ''Bicolano'', and ''Bicolana'' is used for females. Their native region is commonly referred ...
, Visayans
Visayans (Visayan: ''mga Bisaya''; ) or Visayan people are a Philippine ethnolinguistic group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, the southernmost islands of Luzon and a significant portion of Mindanao. When taken as a single ethnic group, ...
, Kapampangans
The Kapampangan people ( pam, Taung Kapampangan), Pampangueños or Pampangos, are the sixth largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines, numbering about 2,784,526 in 2010. They live mainly in the provinces of Pampanga, Bataan and Tarlac, as ...
, Pangasinenses, and Ilocanos
The Ilocanos ( ilo, Tattao nga Iloko/), Ilokanos, or Iloko people are the third largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group and mostly reside within the Ilocos Region in the northwestern seaboard of Luzon, Philippines. The native language of the Ilo ...
, as well as Maguindanaons, Maranaos, Tausugs and other ethnolinguistic groups from Mindanao.
Batangas also has one of the highest literacy
Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, huma ...
rates in the country at 96.5%, with males having a slightly higher literacy
Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, huma ...
rate at 97.1% than females with 95.9%. Combined average literacy rate is 96%.
Language
The dialect of Tagalog spoken in the province closely resembles the Old Tagalog
Old Tagalog, also known as Old Filipino ( tl, Lumang Tagalog; Baybayin: pre-virama: , post-virama rus kudlit ; post-virama amudpod ), is the earliest form of the Tagalog language during the Classical period. It is the primary language of pre- ...
spoken before the arrival of the Spanish. Hence, the Summer Institute of Linguistics
SIL International (formerly known as the Summer Institute of Linguistics) is an evangelical Christian non-profit organization whose main purpose is to study, develop and document languages, especially those that are lesser-known, in order to ex ...
br>
called this province the heartland of the Tagalog language
Tagalog (, ; ; '' Baybayin'': ) is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by the ethnic Tagalog people, who make up a quarter of the population of the Philippines, and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, ...
. A strong presence of the Tagalog culture is visible up to the present day. Many educated Batangueños speak a version of Tagalog from the Spanish colonial era but with English terms, as in modern Filipino or standard Tagalog, because of mass media and modern versions of the Tagalog Bible.
Linguistically, Batangueños are also known for their unique affectation of often placing the particles ''eh'' or ''ga'' (equivalent to the particle ''ba'' in Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
), usually as a marker of stress on the sentence, at the end of their spoken sentences or speech; for example: "Ay, oo nga, eh!" ("Aye, yes, indeed!"). Some even prolong the particle 'eh' into 'ala eh', though this has no meaning in itself.
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
is widely understood in the province. Spanish is also understood to some extent, especially by older-generation people in the towns of Nasugbu
Nasugbu, officially the Municipality of Nasugbu ( tgl, Bayan ng Nasugbu), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...
, Taal, and Lemery, which still have Spanish-speaking minorities. Bicolano
Bikol or Bicol usually refers to:
*Bicol Region, the administrative region in the Philippines
Bikol or Bicol may also refer to:
Languages and people
*Bikol languages, the languages spoken in the Bicol region in the Philippines
**Albay Bikol lang ...
, Kapampangan Kapampangan, Capampañgan or Pampangan may refer to:
*Kapampangan people of the Philippines
*Kapampangan language
Kapampangan or Pampangan is an Austronesian language, and one of the eight major languages of the Philippines. It is the primary ...
, Ilocano, Visayan
Visayans (Visayan: ''mga Bisaya''; ) or Visayan people are a Philippine ethnolinguistic group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, the southernmost islands of Luzon and a significant portion of Mindanao. When taken as a single ethnic group, ...
, Maguindanaon, Maranao
The Maranao people (Maranao: mәranaw Filipino: ''Maranaw''), also spelled Meranao, Maranaw, and Mëranaw, is the term used by the Philippine government to refer to the southern indigenous people who are the "people of the lake", a predomin ...
and Tausug are also spoken by a minority due to the influx of migrants from the Bicol Region
Bicol, known formally as the Bicol Region or colloquially as Bicolandia ( bcl, Rehiyon kan Bikol; Rinconada Bikol: ''Rehiyon ka Bikol''; Waray Sorsogon, Masbateño: ''Rehiyon san Bikol''; tl, Rehiyon ng Bikol), is an administrative region of ...
, Ilocos Region
Ilocos Region ( ilo, Rehion/Deppaar ti Ilocos; pag, Sagor na Baybay na Luzon/Rehiyon Uno; tl, Rehiyon ng Ilocos) is an administrative region of the Philippines, designated as Region I, occupying the northwestern section of Luzon and part of ...
, Cordillera Administrative Region
The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR; ilo, Rehion/Deppaar Administratibo ti Kordiliera; fil, Rehiyong Pampangasiwaan ng Cordillera), also known as the Cordillera Region and Cordillera (), is an administrative region in the Philippines, ...
, Cagayan Valley
Cagayan Valley ( ilo, Tanap ti Cagayan; fil, Lambak ng Cagayan), is an administrative region in the Philippines, located in the northeastern section of Luzon Island. It is composed of five Philippine provinces: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nue ...
, Central Luzon
Central Luzon ( pam, (Reyun ning) Kalibudtarang Luzon, pag, (Rehiyon na) Pegley na Luzon, tgl, (Rehiyon ng) Gitnang Luzon, ilo, (Rehion/Deppaar ti) Tengnga ti Luzon), designated as Region III, is an administrative region in the Philippines, ...
, Visayas
The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands (Bisayan languages, Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; tl, Kabisayaan ), are one of the three Island groups of the Philippines, principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao ...
and Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
.
Religion
Catholicism
The majority of Batangas' population are religiously affiliated with Roman Catholicism
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
, and Iglesia Filipina Independiente.
Others
Other groups include Members Church of God International, Members Church of God International (MCGI), Iglesia ni Cristo, and Evangelicalism in the Philippines, evangelicalism. Other major religions include Islam, Buddhism, Seventh-day Adventist Church, Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide, Protestantism in the Philippines, Protestantism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Economy
The province of Batangas was billed as the second richest province in the Philippines by the Commission on Audit by year 2020. It has been the second richest province in the country for two consecutive years. In 2020, its provincial government posted a record high of ₱25.2 billion worth of assets, the largest in Calabarzon and the whole Luzon.
Products
Batangas is known for its butterfly knives, locally known as ''balisong (knife), balisong'', with its manufacture also becoming an industry in the province.
Agriculture and fisheries
Pineapples are also common in Batangas. Aside from the fruit, the leaves are also useful such that an industry has been created from it. Pineapple leaves fibers are processed to form a silk-like fabric known as piña, from which the barong tagalog, the national costume of the Philippines is made.
Livestock as an industry also thrives in Batangas. The term ''bakang Batangas'' (literally "Batangas cow") is associated with the country's best species of cattle, and are widely sought throughout the country. Cattle raising is widely practiced in Batangas such that every Saturday is an auction day in the municipalities of San Juan, Bauan and Padre Garcia.
Fishing plays a very important part of the economy of the province. Although the tuna industry in the country is centered in General Santos, Batangas is also known for the smaller species of the said fish. The locals even have their own names for it. Some of them are bigeye tuna (''tambakol''), yellowfin tuna (''berberabe''), ''tambakulis'', Pacific bluefin tuna (''tulingan''), bullet tuna (''bonito'') and another species also called ''bonito'' but actually Gymnosarda unicolor. There is also an important industry for the wahoo (''tanigi'').
Aside from the South China Sea, Taal Lake
Taal Lake ( tl, Lawa ng Taal, ), formerly known as Bombón Lake, is a freshwater caldera lake in the province of Batangas, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The lake fills Taal Volcano, a large volcanic caldera formed by very large ...
also provides a source of freshwater fishes to the country. The lake is home to ''Sardinella tawilis'' or simply ''tawilis'', a species of freshwater sardine that is endemic to the lake. Taal Lake also provides farmed ''Chanos chanos'' or ''bangus''. There is also a good volume of ''Oreochromis niloticus niloticus'' and ''Oreochromis aureus'', both locally called ''tilapia''. It is ecologically important to note that neither ''bangus'' nor ''tilapia'' are native to the lake, and are considered an invasive species.
Sugar is also a major industry. After Hacienda Luisita, the country's former largest sugar producer, was broken-up for land reform, the municipality of Nasugbu
Nasugbu, officially the Municipality of Nasugbu ( tgl, Bayan ng Nasugbu), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...
has been the home of the current largest sugar producing company, the Central Azucarera de Don Pedro. Rice cakes and sweets are also a strong industry.
Some towns (those adjacent to Laguna
Laguna (Italian and Spanish for lagoon) may refer to:
People
* Abe Laguna (born 1992), American DJ known as Ookay
* Andrés Laguna (1499–1559), Spanish physician, pharmacologist, and botanist
* Ana Laguna (born 1955), Spanish-Swedish ballet d ...
) have a prosperous bamboo based industry, where several houses and furniture are made of bamboo. Natives say that food cooked in bamboo has an added scent and flavor. ''Labong'', or bamboo shoots, is cooked with coconut milk or with other ingredients to make a Batangas delicacy.
Industries
Batangas houses 5 industrial parks registered under the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), which are concentrated along the route of STAR Tollway and Jose P. Laurel Highway. The largest of those industrial parks are LIMA Technology Center, a commercial and industrial zone oriented to tech companies at Lipa and Malvar, and the First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP), with over at Santo Tomas and Tanauan, and Light Industry and Science Park IV (LISP IV), a live-work community with 170-hectare industrial area located at the heart of Malvar, Batangas.
Batangas City and the nearby municipalities of San Pascual, Bauan, and Mabini also have large-scale industrial activity connected with their seaside location, including power generation, oil and gas processing and transhipment, and ship repairs.
Government
With the provinces in the island of Panay, Ilocos Sur and Pampanga, Batangas was one of the earliest provinces established by the Spaniards who settled in the country. It was headed by Martin de Goiti Martin may refer to:
Places
* Martin City (disambiguation)
* Martin County (disambiguation)
* Martin Township (disambiguation)
Antarctica
* Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land
* Port Martin, Adelie Land
* Point Martin, South Orkney Islands
Austral ...
and since then has become one of the most important regions of the Philippines. Batangas first came to be known as ''Bonbon''. It was named after Taal Lake
Taal Lake ( tl, Lawa ng Taal, ), formerly known as Bombón Lake, is a freshwater caldera lake in the province of Batangas, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The lake fills Taal Volcano, a large volcanic caldera formed by very large ...
, which was also originally called Bonbon. Some of the earliest settlements in Batangas were established in the vicinity of Taal Lake
Taal Lake ( tl, Lawa ng Taal, ), formerly known as Bombón Lake, is a freshwater caldera lake in the province of Batangas, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The lake fills Taal Volcano, a large volcanic caldera formed by very large ...
. In 1534, Batangas became the first practically organized province in Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
. Balayan
Balayan, officially the Municipality of Balayan ( tgl, Bayan ng Balayan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 95,913 people.
The town is rich among the natu ...
was the capital of the province for 135 years from 1597 to 1732. In 1732, it was moved to Taal, then the flourishing and most progressive town in the province, it wasn't until 1754 that the capital was destroyed by the Great Taal Eruption of 1754. It was in 1889 that the capital was moved to the present, Batangas City
Batangas City, officially the City of Batangas ( fil, Lungsod ng Batangas), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 351,437 people.
Batangas City i ...
.
Batangas has been called by some Philippine historians as the "Cradle of Noble Heroes", citing the notable number of people from it who were declared Philippine national heroes and those who became leaders of the country. Among them are Teodoro M. Kalaw, Apolinario Mabini, José Laurel, Jr., Jose Laurel, and Felipe Agoncillo
Don Felipe Agoncillo y Encarnación (May 26, 1859 – September 29, 1941) was the Filipino lawyer representative to the negotiations in Paris that led to the Treaty of Paris (1898), ending the Spanish–American War and achieving him the t ...
.
Incumbent officials
* Governor: Hermilando Mandanas, Hermilando I. Mandanas (PDP–Laban)
* Vice Governor: Mark Leviste, Jose Antonio S. Leviste II (PDP–Laban)
* Batangas Provincial Board, Board Members:
Representatives
* Elected Representatives
** Batangas's 1st congressional district, 1st District: Eric Buhain, Joseph Eric R. Buhain (Nacionalista Party, NP)
** Batangas's 2nd congressional district, 2nd District: Gerville R. Luistro (Lakas-CMD, Lakas)
** Batangas's 3rd congressional district, 3rd District: Ma. Theresa V. Collantes (Nationalist People's Coalition, NPC)
** Batangas's 4th congressional district, 4th District: Lianda B. Bolilia (Nacionalista Party, NP/One Batangas)
** Batangas's 5th congressional district, 5th District (Lone District of Batangas City): Mario Vittorio A. Mariño (Nacionalista Party, NP/One Batangas)
** Batangas's 6th congressional district, 6th District (Lone District of Lipa City): Ralph Recto, Ralph G. Recto (Nacionalista Party, NP/One Batangas)
List of former governors
Infrastructure
Transportation
Roads
Batangas has a total of of national roads, mostly paved. The Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR Tollway, officially numbered E2), Maharlika Highway (N1 and Pan-Philippine Highway, AH26) and Jose P. Laurel Highway (N4) forms the highway backbone of the province, and a network of secondary and tertiary national roads links most of the municipalities. The provincial government maintains a network of provincial roads to supplement the national roads and connect municipalities and barangays not connected directly to the main highway network.
Batangas Laguna Tayabas Bus Company Incorporated (BLTBCo.) is one of the oldest bus transport companies in the Philippines has routes within Southern Tagalog region. The company has historical roots in Batangas and has been founded in 1918. At present, the routes have been incorporated with Del Monte Land Transport Bus Company (DLTBCo).
The Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas (CTBEX) is a proposed expressway from the municipality of Silang, Cavite up to the town of Nasugbu
Nasugbu, officially the Municipality of Nasugbu ( tgl, Bayan ng Nasugbu), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...
. CTBEX is to connect with the Cavite–Laguna Expressway (CALAEX). Once opened, this will provide motorists a faster route to the resort towns of Nasugbu
Nasugbu, officially the Municipality of Nasugbu ( tgl, Bayan ng Nasugbu), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...
, Lian and Calatagan, Batangas, Calatagan in the western part of the province.
Water transport
Batangas Port in Batangas City
Batangas City, officially the City of Batangas ( fil, Lungsod ng Batangas), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 351,437 people.
Batangas City i ...
is the principal port for ferry access to Mindoro, Tablas, Romblon, and other islands. Montenegro Lines is the largest of a number of passenger shipping companies operating out of Batangas. Condensate tankers offload at Batangas in sizeable quantity. Batangas Port is expanded in 2008 to house facilities for container ships.
Being an entry point to the rest of the archipelago, Batangas has roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) ferry connections with Mindoro
Mindoro is the seventh largest and eighth-most populous island in the Philippines. With a total land area of 10,571 km2 ( 4,082 sq.mi ) and has a population of 1,408,454 as of 2020 census. It is located off the southwestern coast of Luz ...
and Visayas. The western portion of the Nautical Highway starts at Batangas, and connects with Calapan, Oriental Mindoro. Batangas Port serves as another principal port, along with the Manila International Port for inter-island and international cargo shipping, as well as interisland passenger shipping.
Electricity
Electric power in Batangas is mostly Electric power distribution, distributed by Utility cooperative, electric cooperatives, namely the Batangas I Electric Cooperative (BATELEC-I) and Batangas II Electric Cooperative (BATELEC-II). The former serves the western part of Batangas, like Nasugbu
Nasugbu, officially the Municipality of Nasugbu ( tgl, Bayan ng Nasugbu), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...
, Calatagan, Batangas, Calatagan, Balayan, Batangas, Balayan, Lemery, and Taal, while the latter serves the eastern part, like Lipa, Batangas, Lipa, Tanauan, Talisay, San Jose, and Rosario. The municipalities of Bauan and Ibaan, and LIMA Technology Center are served by local utility companies. Santo Tomas, Batangas, Santo Tomas, the First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP) in Tanauan, Batangas, Tanauan, San Pascual, Batangas, San Pascual and Batangas City
Batangas City, officially the City of Batangas ( fil, Lungsod ng Batangas), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 351,437 people.
Batangas City i ...
, however, are served by the Metro Manila-based electric company, Meralco. Some large industrial customers are supplied by the 69,000 volt grid, operated by National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), BATELEC-II, and Meralco.
Batangas houses three power plants that provide the bulk of power used in Luzon. Power plants include the 600-megawatt (MW) Calaca Coal Fired Power Plant in Calaca, the 500 MW, 1000 MW, and 414 MW San Lorenzo-Santa Rita-San Gabriel Combined Cycle Power Plant, and the 1251 MW Ilijan Power Plant, both in Batangas City. The Calaca Power Plant is originally built with nameplate capacity of 600 MW, is being expanded to generate 1300 MW, with an addition of 2x350 MW (700 MW) capacity in a second power plant, constructed under an agreement between Semirara Mining and Meralco.
Most power plants in Batangas, however, use fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas, and are the subjects of environmental grievances because of their effects on ecosystems. One power plant to be built at Mabacong, Batangas City, is facing opposition from environmentalists and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lipa, owing to its effect on residents and the aquatic ecosystem on Verde Island Passage
The Verde Island Passage is a strait that separates the islands of Luzon and Mindoro in the Philippines, connecting the South China Sea with the Tayabas Bay and the Sibuyan Sea beyond. Traditionally, the sea lane has been one of the busiest in ...
.
Culture
Way of life
Maria Kalaw Katigbak, a Filipino people, Filipino historian, was quoted to call the Batangueños the ''Hybrid- Tagalogs''. One particular custom in the Batangas culture is the so-called ''Matanda sa Dugo'' (lit. ''older by blood'') practice wherein one expresses respect not because of age but because of consanguinity. During the early times, the custom of having very large families were very common. Thus, a particular person's uncle could be of the same age, or even younger than himself. Because of the custom, the older person would still address the younger one with an honorary title such as ''tiyo''/''tio'' or simply ''kuya'' if they can no longer establish the actual relationship or add the honorific ''ho'' / ''po'' in their sentences when addressing the younger instead of the other way around. This often draws confusion from the other provinces who are not accustomed to such practices. This practice exists until today.
Batangueños are very "regionalistic". When one learns that another in the room is also from Batangas, the two would be together until the end of the event. In workplace settings, a Batangueno may also express preference for another Batangueno as long as the workplace regulations allow. Thus, the running joke on the ''Batangas Mafia''.
Batangueños are also known for high-toned conversations that seemingly sound like a heating argument to non-Batangueños but in fact, they are not always the case, as they are just normal conversations.
They also tend to live in a large extended family. It has been observed that a piece of land remains undivided until the family connection becomes too difficult to establish actual blood relations. Marriages between relatives of the fifth generation is still restrained in the Batangan culture even if Philippines, Philippine laws allow it.
Batangueños have been known for their religious practices, where devotees of the Catholic religion perform rituals such as dances (subli) and chants (luwa/lua) to express their faith. One of these is the ritual called ''Pasión''/''Pasyon'' based on the passion of Jesus Christ in which religious chants are recited during the Lenten season. In May, the people of Bauan
Bauan, officially the Municipality of Bauan ( tgl, Bayan ng Bauan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 90,819 people.
History
Religious attribution and mi ...
and Alitagtag celebrate the feast day of the ''Mahal na Poon ng Santa Cruz'' (lit. Lord of the Holy Cross), a ritual dance called the Subli is made to honor the Poon. In the town of Taal, they celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of Caysasay and Martin of Tours, San Martin de Tours a two-day celebration where a procession begins from the shrine of the Virgin going towards the Pansipit River
The Pansipit River is a short river located in the Batangas province of the Philippines. The river is the sole drainage outlet of Taal Lake, which empties to Balayan Bay. The river stretches some passing along the municipalities of Agoncillo, ...
from which the fluvial procession and another procession towards the Basilica are made in honor of the Virgin Mary. Fiestas in other towns usually start in the month of May and last up to the first day of June, usually the plaza near the church becomes the center of activities.
Mythology and literature
Scholars also identified that the ancient Batangueños, like the rest of the Tagalog tribe, worship the Supreme Creator, known as Bathala. Lesser gods like Mayari, the goddess of the moon and her honorary brother Apolake, god of the sun, were also present. Dambana practices are also present in the province.
For literature, Padre Vicente Garcia came to be known when he wrote an essay to defend José Rizal's Noli Me Tangere (novel), Noli Me Tangere.
In 2004, the province of Batangas gave Domingo Landicho (familiarly called Inggo by Batangueños) who was born in the province the ''Dangal ng Batangas'' (Pride of Batangas) Award for being the "Peoples' Poet".
Music
Musicologists identified Batangas as the origin of the ''kumintang'', an ancient war song, which later evolved to become the signature of Filipino love songs the ''kundiman''. From the ancient kumintang, another vocal music emerged, identified as the ''awit''. The ''huluna'', a psalm-like lullaby, is also famous in some towns, especially Bauan.
During the Lent, Lenten Season, the Christian passion-narrative, called ''Pasyon'' by the natives, is expected in every corners of the province. In fact according to scholars, the very first printed version of the pasyon was authored by a layman from Rosario, Batangas, Rosario named Gaspar Aquino de Belen. Although de Belen's version was printed in 1702, it is still debated whether there were earlier versions.
Debates may also be done while singing. Batangueños are known for the ''duplo'' (a sung debate where each line of the verse must be octosyllabic) and the ''karagatan'' (a sung debate where each line of the verse must be dodecasyllabic.) The latter, whose literal meaning is "ocean", got its name from the opening lines. Always, the karagatan is opened by saying some verses that alludes the depth of the sea and comparing it to the difficulty of joining the debate. And as mentioned above, the debate must be sung.
Batangas is also the origin of the ''balitao''. Aside from being a form of vocal music, the ''balitao'' is also a form of dance music. Together with the ''subli'', it is the most famous form of dance native to Batangas.
Architecture and sculpture
As shown in its ancient churches, Batangas is home to some of the best preserved colonial architectures in the country, especially evident in the municipality of Taal.
Though not as popular as the carving industry of Paete, Taal is still known for the sculptures engraved in furniture. Sometimes, altar tables coming from Taal were called the "friars' choice".
According to Milagros Covarubias-Jamir, another Filipino scholar, the furniture that came from Taal during the colonial times was comparable to equivalent quality furniture from China. The build of the furniture was so exquisite, nails of glues were never used. Still, the Batangueños knew how to maximize the use of hardwoods. As a result, furniture made about a hundred years ago are still found in many old churches and houses even today.
Cuisine
*Bulalo
*Lomi, Lomi Batangas
*Goto (food), Goto
*Philippine adobo, Aobo sa dilaw
*Longaniza, Longganisang Taal
*Tapa (Filipino cuisine), Tapang Taal
*Sinaing na tulingan
*Taghilaw
*Sinigang, Sinigang na maliputo
*Dinuguan, Sinunggaok or sampene
*Bagoong, Bagoong Balayan
*Tinapa ng Lemery
*Pupor (Batangas Chicharon bulaklak, chicharon)
*Tamales ng Ibaan
*Suman (food), Sumang magkayakap ng Tanauan
*Kalamay kapit
*Nilupak
*Kapeng barako
*Tsokolate, Tsokolate tablea (tsokolate eh and tsokolate ah
*Jaggery, Panutsa
*Murkon (Batangas Embutido (Filipino cuisine), embutido)
Museums
* Museo ng Katipunan: Barangay Bulaklakan, Lipa
* Apolinario Mabini Shrine: Marcela Agoncillo Historical Landmark, Barangay zone 4, Taal, Batangas
* Museo ni Miguel Malvar
Miguel Malvar y Carpio (September 27, 1865 – October 13, 1911) was a Filipino general who served during the Philippine Revolution and, subsequently, during the Philippine–American War. He assumed command of the Philippine revolutionary force ...
: Gov. Malvar St, Poblacion 1, Santo Tomas, Batangas
* Museo ng Batangas at Aklatang Panlalawigan: includes the Dr. Jose P. Laurel Library, Tanauan, Batangas
Notable people
National heroes and patriots
* Apolinario Mabini — Filipino revolutionary
* Miguel Malvar
Miguel Malvar y Carpio (September 27, 1865 – October 13, 1911) was a Filipino general who served during the Philippine Revolution and, subsequently, during the Philippine–American War. He assumed command of the Philippine revolutionary force ...
— Filipino general who served during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–American War
The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
* Felipe Agoncillo
Don Felipe Agoncillo y Encarnación (May 26, 1859 – September 29, 1941) was the Filipino lawyer representative to the negotiations in Paris that led to the Treaty of Paris (1898), ending the Spanish–American War and achieving him the t ...
— the Filipino lawyer representative to the negotiations in Paris that led to the Treaty of Paris (1898)
* Marcela Agoncillo
Doña Marcela Mariño de Agoncillo (née Mariño y Coronel; June 24, 1859 – May 30, 1946) was a Filipina who was the principal seamstress of the first and official flag of the Philippines, gaining her the title of "The Mother of the Philippine ...
— the principal seamstress of the first and official flag of the Philippines
* Galicano Apacible
Galicano Apacible Antonio y del Castillo (June 25, 1864 – March 22, 1949) was a Filipino physician and politician from Batangas. A cousin to José Rizal, he co-founded La Solidaridad and the Nacionalista Party.
He held the office of governor of ...
— co-founder of La Solidaridad
* Ananias Diokno — Filipino general during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War
* Juan Cailles — Filipino general during the Philippine-American War
* Gliceria Marella de Villavicencio — heroine of the Revolution, "Godmother of the Revolutionary Forces"
* Clemencia López — Filipina feminist, and suffragist
* Maria Orosa — Filipina food technologist, pharmaceutical chemist, and war heroine
* Teodoro Kalaw
Teodoro Manguiat Kalaw (March 31, 1884 – December 4, 1940) was a Filipino scholar, legislator, and historian.
Early life
He was born in Lipa, Batangas on March 31, 1884. He was the third of four children of police chief Valerio Kalaw a ...
— Filipino scholar, legislator, and historian
* Claro M. Recto
Claro Mayo Recto Jr. (born Claro Recto y Mayo; February 8, 1890 – October 2, 1960) was a Filipino politician, jurist, and poet. He is remembered for his nationalism, for "the impact of his patriotic convictions on modern political though ...
— statesman, jurist, poet.
Politics and Government
* José P. Laurel — President of the Second Philippine Republic
The Second Philippine Republic, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines ( tl, Repúbliká ng Pilipinas; es, República de Filipinas; ja, フィリピン共和国, ''Firipin-kyōwakoku'') and also known as the Japanese-sponsored Phi ...
, a Japanese-sponsored government during World War II
* Salvador Laurel
Salvador Roman Hidalgo Laurel (, November 18, 1928 – January 27, 2004), also known as Doy Laurel, was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the vice president of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992 under President Corazon Aquino and ...
— 8th Vice President of the Philippines
The vice president of the Philippines ( fil, Pangalawang Pangulo ng Pilipinas, also referred to as ''Bise Presidente ng Pilipinas'') is the second-highest official in the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the first in the p ...
* Jose Laurel Jr. — 9th Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, and Member of the Philippine Constitutional Commission of 1986.
* Manuel Araullo, 3rd Chief Justice of the Philippines, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
* Querube Makalintal, 11th Chief Justice of the Philippines, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, 14th Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
* Ramon Aquino, 15th Chief Justice of the Philippines, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
* Ramón Diokno, 63rd Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines and former senator.
* Cecilia Muñoz-Palma - Filipino jurist and the first woman Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
* Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez — 147th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
* Cancio Garcia — 156th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
* Rosmari Carandang — 181st Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
* Antonio de las Alas - former senator and 3rd Secretary of Finance (Philippines), Secretary of the Department of Finance.
* Sotero Laurel — former senator
* Ralph Recto — Senate of the Philippines, Senator of the Philippines
*Vilma Santos – former House of Representatives of the Philippines, House Representative of the Legislative districts of Batangas#6th District, 6th district of Batangas, 22nd Governor of Batangas, and film actress
* Domingo F. Panganiban — 36th Secretary of Agriculture (Philippines), Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, former Lead Convenor National Poverty Commission (NAPC).
*Renato de Villa — 20th Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and 18th Secretary of National Defense (Philippines), Secretary of the Department of National Defense
* Eduardo Ermita — 22nd Secretary of National Defense (Philippines), Secretary of the Department of National Defense, and former Executive Secretary (Philippines), Executive Secretary
* Leandro Mendoza — 35th Secretary of Transportation (Philippines), Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications, former Executive Secretary (Philippines), Executive Secretary, and 8th Chief of the Philippine National Police
* Benjamin Diokno — 5th Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and 6th Secretary of Budget and Management (Philippines), Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management
* Efren L. Abu - 35th Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
* Noel Clement — 52nd Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
* Rommel Sandoval Philippine Army captain and Armed Forces of the Philippines Medal of Valor, Medal of Valor recipient
Arts and Sciences
* Leonor Orosa-Goquingco — National Artist of the Philippines for Dance
* Bienvenido Lumbera — National Artist of the Philippines for Literature
* Gregorio Y. Zara — National Scientist of the Philippines for Engineering and Inventions
* Teodoro Agoncillo — National Scientist of the Philippines for Philippine History
* Deogracias Villadolid — biologist
* Anastacio Caedo — Filipino sculptor
* Lito Mayo — graphic artist, print-maker, avant-garde poet, social activist, sculptor.
Religion
* Alfredo Obviar — Filipino people, Filipino Venerable; Roman Catholic Diocese of Lucena, Bishop Emeritus of Lucena.
* Vicente García — Filipino people, Filipino priest, hero and a defender of Jose Rizal, Jose P. Rizal.
* Armin Luistro, La Salle Brothers in the Philippines, FSC — 28th Superior General of the De La Salle Brothers, Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, 36th Secretary of Education (Philippines), Secretary of the Department of Education.
* Gaudencio Rosales - Filipino Cardinal who has served as the 31st Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila, Archbishop of Manila, 6th Roman Catholic Archbishop of Lipa, Archbishop of Lipa, and 2nd Roman Catholic Diocese of Malaybalay, Bishop of Malaybalay.
* Ramon Arguelles — Filipino Roman Catholic Archbishop; Roman Catholic Archbishop of Lipa, Archbishop Emeritus of Lipa
* Reynaldo G. Evangelista - Filipino Roman Catholic Bishop who is currently the Roman Catholic Diocese of Imus, Bishop of Imus. He was a former Roman Catholic Diocese of Boac, Bishop of Boac.
* Marcelino Antonio Maralit - Filipino Roman Catholic Bishop who is currently the Bishop of Boac.
* Fernando Suarez — Filipino Catholic priest who performs faith healing.
Sports, Popular Culture and Entertainment
* Arsenio Laurel - champion race car driver from the Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. He was the first two-time winner of the Macau Grand Prix, winning it consecutively in 1962 and 1963.
* Nora Daza Filipinos, Filipina veteran gourmet chef, restaurateur, socio-civic leader, television host.
* Ai-Ai delas Alas — actress, comedian, singer and TV host
* Simon Ibarra actor
* Charlie Dizon - actress, model
* Ogie Alcasid — singer-songwriter, television presenter, comedian, parodist, and actor
* TJ Trinidad actor, singer and model
* Leo Martinez — actor, comedian and director
* Zanjoe Marudo — actor and model
* Jade Lopez Filipina actress, dramatic artist
* Jason Gainza — actor, impersonator
* Joshua Garcia — actor, model and endorser
* Alyssa Valdez – volleyball player and former member of collegiate varsity volleyball team of Ateneo de Manila University in both indoor and beach volleyball.
* Kim Fajardo – volleyball athlete, and former team captain of the De La Salle University women's volleyball team.
* Jovit Baldivino — singer and grand champion of Pilipinas Got Talent, Pilipinas Got Talent: Season 1
*Perfecto de Castro — musician and YouTuber, former guitarist of Rivermaya from 1994-1995
*Francis Reyes — musician and radio announcer, guitarist of The Dawn (band), the Dawn, former station manager of now-defunct DWNU, NU107.5 FM
*Darius Semaña — musician, lead guitarist of Parokya ni Edgar
References
External links
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Official Website of the Provincial Government of Batangas
{{Authority control
Batangas,
Provinces of the Philippines
Provinces of Calabarzon
States and territories established in 1581
1581 establishments in the Philippines