Laguna province

Laguna, officially the Province of Laguna ( fil, Lalawigan ng Laguna), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Its capital is Santa Cruz while its largest city is the City of Calamba and the province is situated southeast of Metro Manila, south of the province of Rizal, west of Quezon, north of Batangas and east of Cavite. Laguna hugs the southern shores of Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the country. As of the 2020 census, the province's total population is 3,382,193. It is the seventh richest province in the country.

Laguna is notable as the birthplace of José Rizal, the country's ''de facto'' national hero. It has numerous natural and cultural attractions such as Pagsanjan Falls, the University of the Philippines Los Baños and the University of the Philippines Open University in Los Baños, the hot spring resorts of Calamba on the slopes of Mount Makiling, Pila historic town plaza, Taytay Falls in Majayjay, the wood carvings and ''papier-mâché'' created by the people of Paete, the annual ''Sampaguita Festival'' in San Pedro, the ''turumba'' of Pakil, the ''tsinelas'' footwear from Liliw, the ''Pandan Festival'' of Luisiana, the Seven Lakes of San Pablo, and the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery in Nagcarlan.

Laguna is part of Greater Manila Area along with Cavite, Rizal, and Bulacan.

History

Pre-Hispanic era

Pre-Hispanic settlement in the area can be dated to prehistoric times, as evidenced in the names of towns such as Pila, Laguna, whose name can be traced to the straight mounds of dirt that form the boundaries of the rice paddy, or ''Pilapil''. The written history of the province of Laguna, (Lagoon in Spanish) and that of the Southern Tagalog region, dates to 900 AD. The Laguna Copperplate Inscription is the oldest known written document found in the Philippines. It notes that its subject was released from a debt to the King of Tondo.

A prominent figure during the time of pre-Hispanic contact is Gat Pangil, a powerful native ruler in the area. The towns of Bay, Pangil and Pakil were reputed to have once been a part of his domain, although accounts vary about his identity.

16th century

The Province of Laguna, which was formerly called ''La Laguna'' and ''La Provincia de la Laguna de Bay'', was named after Laguna de Bay, the body of water that forms its northern boundary. Laguna de Bay, in turn, was named after the town of Bay, the first provincial capital. Captain Juan de Salcedo with a band of one hundred Spanish-Mexican soldiers conquered the province and its surrounding regions for Spain in 1571. The province of La Laguna comprised the modern province of Laguna, as well as parts of what are now known as Rizal and Quezon provinces.

In 1577, Spanish Franciscan missionaries arrived in Manila, and in 1578 they started evangelizing Laguna, Morong (now Rizal), Tayabas (now Quezon) and the Bicol Peninsula as part of the colonizing effort. Juan de Plasencia and Diego de Oropesa were the earliest Franciscans sent to these places. From 1580, the towns of Bay, Caliraya, Majayjay, Nagcarlan, Liliw, Pila, Santa Cruz, Lumban, Pangil and Siniloan were founded. During the time of Governor-General Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas, the province of La Laguna was divided into the following encomiendas:
*Mirabago - Currently the areas surrounding, Liliw, and Nagcarlan.
*Tabuco - Currently the areas surrounding San Pedro, Biñan, Santa Rosa, Cabuyao, and Calamba.
*Taitay - Currently Taytay, Rizal.
*Bay - The area surrounding Bay, Laguna, and Los Baños, Laguna.
*Pila - The area that is now Pila, Victoria, Pililla, and Jalajala, Rizal
*Mahaihai - Currently the area around Majayjay, Magdalena, and Luisiana
*Lumbang - The largest encomienda, containing what is now known as Lumban, Santa Cruz, Paete, Pakil, Cavinti, and Pagsanjan.
*Tayaval - Tayabas, now known as Quezon province.
*Panguil - Now Pangil.
*Sinaloa - The area surrounding Siniloan, Famy and Mabitac.
*Morong - Currently the areas surrounding Morong, including the town of Santa Maria, formerly known as Caboan.
*Nayun - Nayum, currently Tiaong, Quezon.

By 1591, there were approximately 48,400 people living in the province.

17th and 18th century

Laguna was the site of multiple engagements during the Sangley Rebellion, made up of Chinese-Filipino mestizos. In 1603, Antonio de Morga relates how the Chinese rebels scattered to three divisions, one of which went to the mountains of San Pablo. Captain Don Luys de Velasco, aided by Spanish and Filipino forces, was successful in pursuing the rebels. Eventually the Chinese were able to kill Luys de Velasco and ten of his men, before securing themselves in San Pablo while waiting for reinforcement from the mainland. On October 20, 1603, Governor-General Pedro Bravo de Acuña then sent Captain Cristoval de Axqueta Menchaca to pursue and crush the rebellion and was successful after twenty days of fighting.

Around this time the hot springs of Los Baños and San Pablo were known to the Spanish, and a hospital was built in the area. By 1622, the hospital was notable enough to be mentioned by the Archbishop of Manila at the time, Miguel García Serrano in his letter to King Philip IV.

In 1639, a second rebellion involving the Chinese occurred, and the rebels fortified themselves in the highlands of Cavinti and Lumban before surrendering in Pagsanjan a year later.

In 1670, a delimitation of borders were made between Lucban, Majayjay and Cavite. The most populous town at that time, Bay, was capital of the province until 1688, when the seat of the provincial government was moved to Pagsanján. Pagsanján would be the provincial seat until 1858 when it was moved once again to Santa Cruz. In 1754, the Province of Laguna and Tayabas were divided, with the Malinao River separating the towns of Majayjay and Lucban.

In 1678, Fray Hernando Cabrera founded San Pablo de los Montes (now San Pablo City) and built a wooden church and convent considered as the best and finest in the province.

Fighting extended to Laguna during the British occupation of Manila between the years of 1762–64. A detachment of British troops under Captain Thomas Backhouse entered the province in search of the silver cargo of the galleon ''Filipina'' while Francisco de San Juan led a band of volunteers that fought them in several engagements in and around the then provincial capital of Pagsanjan. Backhouse plundered the town and burned its newly reconstructed church but San Juan succeeded in escaping with the precious hoard to Pampanga where the treasure greatly bolstered the defense effort of Governor-General Simón de Anda y Salazar. For his actions, San Juan was made a brigade commander and ''alcalde mayor'' of Tayabas (now Quezon) province.

19th century

A major event in Laguna occurred in 1840, when religious intolerance led the people of Majayjay, Nagcarlan, Bay, and Biñan to join the revolt of Hermano Pule (Apolinario de la Cruz) of Lucban, Tayabas. This revolt was eventually crushed by Governor-General Marcelino de Oraá Lecumberri.

As part of political restructuring during the 19th century, the municipalities of Morong, Pililla, Tanay, Baras, Binangonan, Jalajala, Angono and Cardona were separated from Laguna and re-organized to the province Politico-Militar Distrito de Morong. In 1858, the provincial capital was once again moved from Pagsanjan to Santa Cruz, where it stands until today.

In 1861, José Rizal was born in Calamba to Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso. Rizal would become one of the leading members of the Propaganda Movement, who advocated political reforms for the colony. Rizal would go on to write two novels, '' Noli Me Tángere'' and '' El filibusterismo'', which in part fueled additional anti-colonial sentiment, contributing to the eventual Philippine Revolution. In 1896, thousands of inhabitants, especially of Bay, Los Baños, Nagcarlan, Magdalena, Santa Cruz, and Pagsanjan had joined the revolutionary Katipunan. Rizal was executed on December 30, 1896, on charges of rebellion. Today, Rizal is recognized as a national hero of the Philippines.

Laguna was one of the eight provinces to rise in revolt against the Spanish misrule led by Generals Paciano Rizal in Calamba, Severino Taiño in Pagsanjan, Agueda Kahabagan in Calauan, and Miguel Malvar in Batangas. One of the early engagements of the revolution was the Battle of Sambat, in Pagsanjan. Katipuneros from Laguna, led by Severino Taiño, took the city of Pagsanjan and attempted to use it as a starting point towards the liberation of the province, but was quelled by forces led by Basilio Augustín.

The defeat in Sambat meant the end of large-scale organized revolt in Laguna, the ''Malungingnging'' chapter of the Katipunan failing to replicate the relative success of the revolution in Cavite. The revolutionaries resorted to hit-and-run and guerrilla tactics against the Spanish, lasting until the Pact of Biak-na-Bato on December 14 to 15, 1897. It was only after the execution of Jose Rizal that the revolution flared up again, culminating in the Battle of Calamba in May 1898, and the surrender of the last Spanish garrison in Laguna in Santa Cruz, on August 31 of the same year.

Laguna actively supported the First Philippine Republic proclaimed at Malolos on January 23, 1899. Its two delegates to the Malolos Congress were Don Higino Benítez and Don Graciano Cordero, both natives of Pagsanján.

Philippine–American War

Upon the outbreak of the Philippine–American War, Generals Juan Cailles and Paciano Rizal led the defense of Laguna during the war's early stages. The Battle of Mabitac was fought in defense of the town of Mabitac and was won by Filipino forces. However, forces led by Henry W. Lawton fought and won in Santa Cruz, Pagsanjan, and Paete, effectively securing the province for American forces. Resistance still occurred during this time. One of the province's folk hero during the continuing engagements was Teodoro Asedillo, who was considered a bandit by American forces.

American occupation

By the end of the war, the entire country was occupied by American forces and was taken as a colony. The Taft Commission was established to govern the Philippines during the interim period, which appointed Juan Cailles as the provincial governor of Laguna. Act No. 83, or the Provincial Government Act, established a civilian government under American occupation. During this time, roads were built, schools were established, and in 1917, the Manila Railroad Company extended its line to Laguna as far as Pagsanjan.

In 1903, the town of Muntinlupa became part of La Laguna and was annexed to the town of Biñan, but was later returned to the province of Rizal in 1905.

World War II

During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines (1942–1945), Laguna was a center of Filipino resistance despite the presence of Makapili collaborators.

Marking's Guerrillas raided the Cine Lumban in Laguna in June 1942 in an attempt to free the 115 American POWs. Only one American was rescued, Corporal George Lightman of the 3rd Pursuit Squadron, because the ranking American captain ordered his men to stay where they were. The Japanese executed 10 American prisoners in retribution.

The establishment of the military general headquarters and military camp bases of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the Philippine Constabulary is a military unit organization was founded on January 3, 1942, to June 30, 1946, in the province of Laguna, and aided of the local military regular units of the Philippine Commonwealth Army 4th and 42nd Infantry Division and the Philippine Constabulary 4th Constabulary Regiment. Started the engagements of the Anti-Japanese Military Operations in Southern Luzon, Mindoro and Palawan from 1942 to 1945 against the Japanese Imperial forces.

Beginning in 1945, attacks by the Filipino soldiers of the 4th, 42nd, 43rd, 45th, 46th and 47th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, 4th Constabulary Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary and the recognized guerrillas against Japanese forces in Laguna increased in anticipation of the Liberation of the Philippines by joint Filipino & American forces.

Recent history

The International Rice Research Institute was established in 1960, during the presidency of Carlos P. Garcia, and a site in Los Baños was selected to be its headquarters. By 1962 during the presidency of Diosdado Macapagal, IRRI had begun research to develop the new high yield “Miracle Rice” (IR8) variety. Enhanced by the extensive use of chemical fertilizers, IR8 would serve as the foundation for the brief success of the Philippine Government's Masagana 99 agricultural program during the 1970s, although the program would fail in the 1980s mostly because of the Marcos administration's credit scheme did not work.

The social unrest which arose when Ferdinand Marcos' debt-driven campaign spending led to the 1969 Philippine balance of payments crisis spread beyond the capital and also triggered protests by students in Laguna, especially UP Los Baños. When martial law was declared in September 1972, Marcos cracked down on any form of criticism or activism, leading to the arrest of many of Laguna citizens. Among those who experienced arrest and torture during martial law were Dr. Aloysius Baes, while among those who became desaparecidos were Tish Ladlad, Cristina Catalla, Gerardo "Gerry" Faustino, Rizalina Ilagan, Ramon Jasul, Professor Jessica Sales, and Philippine Council for Agricultural Research and Resource Development artist-illustrator Manuel Ontong. Among those confirmed to have been martyred for their beliefs were Modesto "Bong" Sison, and Manuel Bautista. Camp Vicente Lim in the Canlubang district of Calamba was among the many sites where prisons were put up to contain detainees who dared to criticize the Marcos administration.

Laguna has been the victim of perennial flooding along the south and eastern coasts of Laguna de Bay due to the 1977 cancellation of the Parañaque spillway project. The spillway had been the second part of a plan to reduce flooding on the lakeshore towns of Metro Manila in the 1970s, but the various economic crises of the 1970s led to a lack of budget, which meant that only the Manggahan Floodway in Rizal Province was built. The Floodway drew waters away from the Metro Manila lakeshore towns, but dumped them on to the lake. The cancellation of the Parañaque spillway meant that there was no way for the water levels of the lake to be reduced in turn. Within the first year of Manggahan Floodway's completion in 1986, Laguna was hit by an unusual large flood which lasted for 2 months and resulted in high mortality and morbidity rates due to gastroenteritis and other water-borne diseases.S.E. Jorgensen and R.A. Vollenweider, ''Guidelines of Lake Management, Volume 1 - Principles of Lake Management'', International Lake Environment Committee
Online version
)

Geography

Laguna covers a total area of occupying the northcentral section of the Calabarzon region in Luzon. The province is situated southeast of Metro Manila, south of Rizal province, west of Quezon, north of Batangas and east of Cavite. Laguna is the third largest province in the Calabarzon region and the 63rd largest in the entire country. The municipalities of Cavinti and the city of San Pablo have the largest land areas with and , respectively. The municipality of Victoria has the smallest land area with .

Laguna lies on the southern shores of Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the country. The land near Laguna de Bay can be considered to be narrow and flat, while become more rugged going further inland towards the mountainous areas of Sierra Madre, Mount Makiling, and Mount Banahaw.

Laguna is home to 24 mountains, most of which are inactive volcanoes. The highest peak in Laguna is Mt. Banahaw, with an elevation of . Banahaw, unlike most other volcanoes in Laguna, is an active complex stratovolcano, which last erupted in 1843. Banahaw is located in the boundary of Laguna and Quezon and is home to multiple hot springs. Laguna is also home to the Laguna Volcanic Field, which can be found near San Pablo. The Laguna Volcanic Field is composed of over 200 dormant and monogenetic maars, crater lakes, scoria cones and stratovolcanoes, the tallest of which is Mount Makiling at in elevation.

San Pablo itself is known for its seven crater lakes, the largest of which is Lake Sampaloc. Apart from the Laguna de Bay and the Seven Lakes of San Pablo, there are also two reservoir lakes that can be found in Laguna, the Lake Caliraya and Lumot Lake. These two man-made lakes were formed by the creation of the Caliraya Dam and the Lumot Dam.

Due to its proximity to Laguna de Bay, Laguna is home to a large number of its tributaries. One of the most famous rivers in Laguna is the Bumbungan River, also known as the Pagsanjan River, named after the town of Pagsanjan and its falls. The Pagsanjan Falls lie at the end of the river. The Pagsanjan Falls are a three-drop waterfall with a longest drop of .

Laguna has of alienable and disposable agricultural land, mostly found near the low-lying areas. Around , or 23.44% of Laguna's total land area is forest land, situated near Mount Makiling and further south towards Quezon."Province Profile"
. Provincial Government of Laguna. Laguna has an estimated of forest cover, ranking it third in the region.

Climate

The province is relatively dry from November to April and wet during the rest of the year for a small portion near the southern boundary. The other parts, west of Santa Cruz municipality, experience a dry season from November to April and rainy season during the rest of the year. The eastern and southernmost portions do not have distinct season, with rainfall more evenly distributed throughout the year. Laguna is classified under the Köppen climate classification as predominantly having a Tropical monsoon climate, mostly centered around the areas of Calamba to Calauan. The area stretching from Biñan to Cabuyao is classified as having a Tropical savanna climate, while the area from Luisiana to Pangil has a tropical rainforest climate.

Administrative divisions

Laguna comprises 24 municipalities and 6 cities. The provincial capital of Laguna is Santa Cruz. As of the 2020 census, there are 3,382,193 people in the province.

Demographics

The population of Laguna in the 2020 census was 3,382,193 people, with a density of . Calamba is the most populous city in Laguna, accounting for 16% of the provincial population with 539,671 inhabitants, while Famy is the smallest municipality in Laguna with a total population of 16,791. In terms of population density, San Pedro has the largest with a density of , while Cavinti is the smallest with a density of . Most of the people in Laguna live in the cities of San Pedro, Biñan, Santa Rosa, Cabuyao, Calamba and San Pablo accounting to 68.85% of the population of the province. Laguna is the 3rd most populous province in the Philippines and also the 3rd densest. Laguna has a median age of 24.9 years.

Being in the middle of the Southern Tagalog Region, almost all people in Laguna speak Tagalog, with 99.2% of the population being fluent in it. There is a minority of people fluent in Ilocano, Bicolano and Waray. A significant portion of the workforce in Laguna can read and speak English and Filipino. In 2000, literacy in Laguna was at 96.22%.

Religion

Laguna was historically one of the first provinces in the Philippines to have been visited by Christian missionaries. Today, the province, like the rest of the country, is predominantly Christian, with most being a part of the Roman Catholic Church. The Diocese of San Pablo is the only Roman Catholic diocese in Laguna. Other Christian denominations present in Laguna are the Philippine Independent Church, the Iglesia ni Cristo, Baptists, Ang Dating Daan and other Mainline Protestants. Most non-Christians in Laguna practice Islam, Anitism, animism, or atheism.

Economy

Present-day Laguna shows a thriving economy. With a population of 3,382,193 (2020 census), and a total area of of land, Laguna produces millions of pesos worth of coconuts, rice, sugar, citrus fruits, lanzones and other products. Tourists flock to its beauty spots, especially Pagsanjan Falls, Calamba and Los Baños hot springs, Mount Makiling, Caliraya Lake and many others. Levels of development vary. The towns near Metro Manila have become industrialized whereas the inner towns continue to engage in agricultural production or pursue agri-based industries and cottage and small-scale industries. In 2015, Laguna was reported to have an equity of PHP 4.474 billion, the second highest in the region behind Cavite.

Laguna is labeled as the ''Detroit of the Philippines'' because of the presence of major vehicle manufacturers in the city of Santa Rosa. It is also considered as the ''Silicon Valley of the Philippines'' because of the vast number of electronic and semi-conductor companies operating in the province. Laguna is also the ''Resort Capital of the Philippines'' for it houses more than 700 hot spring resorts in the areas of Calamba and Los Baños."Laguna, pangunahing lugar na puntahan, tirahan, at pangalakalan"
. Philippine Information Agency.

Natural resources

The main natural resources of Laguna are in its agriculture and fisheries, owing to its position near the Laguna de Bay and the surrounding lowlands.

There are about forty rivers in Laguna with a total area of almost . The Laguna de Bay has an approximate area of broken down into of land and of lake proper with shoreline. The shores of Laguna de Bay provide fishing grounds capable of producing of fish, or roughly two-thirds of the fresh water fish requirements of Metro Manila.

Laguna has an estimated of underground water. At least seven principal water basins in the province with a total of drainage area and level area provide an estimated total run-off annually. There are two major watershed reserves in Laguna, the Malabanban Cabunsod Watershed Forest Reserve in San Pablo, and the Caliraya-Lumot River Watershed Forest Reserve, which spans the municipalities of Paete, Cavinti, Kalayaan, and Lumban. Overall, these two watersheds span an area of .

Laguna has a relatively small mining industry compared to the other provinces in the region, with only 11 non-metallic mines registered in the region, and only 8 of which are operating. These mines are found in Santa Cruz, Magdalena, Siniloan, Lumban, and San Pablo. A total of are used for mining purposes. Aggregates make up the largest amount in Laguna's mineral industry, with a value of . Overall, Laguna's mining economy contributes 8.87% to the region's total mining economy.

Agricultural activities

Laguna has of alienable and disposable agricultural land. About or 23.44% of Laguna's total land area is forest land. In 2002, there were 38,445 farms in Laguna. The top five crops produced in Laguna are rice, maize, coconuts, mangoes, and bananas. Other crops grown in the province include Robusta coffee, pineapple, lanzones, rambutan, and sugarcane. Calamba was once the site of a sugar cane mill, although the decline of the sugar industry during the 1970s and 1980s resulted in its eventual shutdown.

Rice farming is an important part of Laguna's agriculture, with approximately of land used for cultivating of rice. Los Baños is also the site of multiple research institutions specializing in rice, such as the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB) and the Southeast Asian Regional center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), among others.

Laguna de Bay, with a surface area of , is the province's main fishing ground producing of fish. Carp and tilapia fingerlings are also being grown in inland ponds and freshwater fish pens. There are a total of 457 operators utilizing an area of for fish pens and fish cages. Aside from the Laguna de Bay, approximately 12% of the area in the Seven Lakes of San Pablo is being used for aquaculture.

Industry and commerce

Laguna is home to twenty-one economic zones as registered under the Philippine Economic Zone Authority. Most of these economic zones are located in Santa Rosa, Biñan, and Calamba. The largest economic zone in Laguna is the Laguna Technopark, located in Santa Rosa and Biñan, with an area of . Laguna is home to a large automotive industry, with Toyota Motor Philippines, Nissan Motor Philippines, Honda Philippines Incorporated, and Mitsubishi Motors Philippines industry, with companies such as IBM and Convergys establishing offices in Santa Rosa. PEZA lists 4 IT parks and 1 IT Center in Laguna.
Business districts and shopping malls continues to arise bringing opportunities and attractive places to dine and relax.

Infrastructure

Road network

Laguna has a total of of national roads, all paved. Daang Maharlika ( Route 1, AH26), Calamba–Pagsanjan Road (Route 66) and Manila East Road (Route 601, Route 602, Route 603), and Bay–Calauan–San Pablo Road (Route 67), form the highway network backbone, and secondary and tertiary national roads interconnect most municipalities, with Magdalena only connected by provincial road. Provincial roads serves as a supplement to the national roads, and connects barangays and municipalities not connected to the main network. The highway network is interconnected with nearby provinces and Metro Manila.

The South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) passes through Laguna. The Cavite–Laguna Expressway begins in Mamplasan, Biñan and aims to connect the province with Cavite. A public-private partnership initiative of the national government include plans to build a circumferential road along Laguna de Bay shoreline, the Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike (or C-6 Extension), from San Pedro to Siniloan. Some of the proposed road networks include the Calamba–Los Baños Expressway

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