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 ...

Verde Island Passages 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 ...

Lian Lian may refer to: Fiction * Gao Lian (''Water Margin''), a character in the ''Water Margin'' series of novels *Lian the Great (, ''Dalian''), a figure in Chinese mythology *Jia Lian, a character in the novel ''Dream of the Red Chamber'' People ...

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 ...

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), ...

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 ...

ooms Ooms is a Dutch-language surname, derived from the word ''oom'', meaning uncle. An alternative origin may be the given name "Omaar".arrival of the Spaniards in the Philippines, large centers of population already thrived in Batangas. Native settlements 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, ...

, a major waterway. Batangas 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. The province had been trading with the

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 ...

since Yuan Dynasty until the first phase of Ming Dynasty in the 13th and 15th century. Inhabitants of the province were also trading with

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

and India. The Philippines ancestors were Buddhists and Hindus, but far from India and intermixed with animistic beliefs. Archaeological findings show that before the settlement of the Spaniards in the country, the Tagalogs, ', had attained a semblance of high civilization. This was shown by certain jewelry, made from a chambered nautilus' shell, where tiny holes were created by a drill-like tool. The Ancient Batangueños were influenced by India as shown in the origin of most languages from Sanskrit and certain ancient potteries. A Buddhist image was reproduced in mould on a clay medallion in bas-relief from the municipality of Calatagan. According to experts, the image in the pot strongly resembles the iconographic portrayal of Buddha in Siam, India, and Nepal. The pot shows

Buddha Amithaba 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 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 Mahayanic orientation in the image, since the Boddhisattva Avalokitesvara was also depicted. One of the major archaeological finds was in January 1941, where two crude stone figures were found in Palapat in the municipality of 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. 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 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 Tagalog tribe, 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 Cavite,

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, Bataan, Bulacan, Mindoro,

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, some parts of Zambales, and Tarlac. However, many historians interchangeably use the term Tagalog and Batangueño. Henry Otley Beyer, 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 colonization

In 1570, Spanish generals Martin de Goiti and Juan de Salcedo explored the coast of Batangas on their way to Manila and came upon a Malay 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 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 ...

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,

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 ...

, 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 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, 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, and had written the first Tagalog grammar that served other missionaries who came. Foundation of important parishes followed throughout the years: 1572, the Taal Parish was founded by the Augustinians; 1581, the Batangas Parish under Fray Diego Mexica; 1596, Bauan 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 Parish was founded; 1852
Nasugbu Parish
and 1868, Lemery Parish. 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 period

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 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

After the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the Japanese sent their planes to attack the Philippines, launching major air raids throughout the country. The bombings resulted in the destruction of the Batangas Airport located in Batangas City, of which nothing remains today. Batangas was also a scene of heavy fighting between the Philippine Army Air Corps 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 Jesus ( AD 30 or 33) was a Jewish preacher and religious leader who most Christians believe to be the incarnation of God and Muslims believe was a prophet. Jesus may also refer to: People Religious figures * Elymas Bar-Jesus, a Jew in the ''Ac ...

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 in 1942, the province was ultimately abandoned and later came under direct Japanese occupation. During this time, the Imperial Japanese Army committed many crimes against civilians including the massacre of 328 people in Bauan, 320 in Taal, 300 in Cuenca, 107 in San Jose, and 39 in Lucero.

Liberation

As part of the Philippines Campaign (1944–45), 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. However, Batangas was not the main objective of the invasion force. Instead, most of its units headed north to capture Manila, 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 The 158th Infantry Regiment ("Bushmasters") is an infantry unit of the Arizona National Guard. The regiment has served abroad in World War I, World War II and Afghanistan. In 1967 then Governor of Arizona Jack Williams signed into law that 3 ...

(RCT). The 158th, stationed in Nasugbu, was tasked to secure the shores and nearby towns of Balayan and Batangas. The 11th Airborne, from the Tagaytay Ridge, would attack the Japanese defenses north of Taal Lake and open the Lipa corridor. By March 11 the 158th RCT had reached Batangas City. 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 The 188th Glider Infantry Regiment was a regiment in the United States Army that was active during World War II. It was a part of the 11th Airborne Division during its entire existence. The 188th Infantry Regiment was constituted on 12 Novemb ...

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. Lipa After Bombardment

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 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, 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.

Post-war period

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, 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. This historic landing is remembered by the people of Batangas every last day of January, a holiday for the Nasugbugueños. Batangas Prov seal final

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, Galicano Apacible (who later became the Secretary of Agriculture), Ramon Diokno, Apolinario R. Apacible,

Expedito Leviste Expedito Malvar Leviste (April 19, 1928–September 6, 1999) was a member of the congress of the Philippines from the province of Batangas and a member of the Philippine delegation to the United Nations. He served with the Philippine delegation to ...

, Gregorio Katigbak, Teodoro Kalaw, Claro M. Recto, 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. as the '' de jure'' President of the Puppet Republic.

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, 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 of 1986. Prominent Batangueño Senator

Jose W. Diokno Jose Wright Diokno (February 26, 1922 – February 27, 1987), also known as "''Ka Pepe''", was a Filipino nationalist, lawyer, and politician. Regarded as the "Father of Human Rights Advocacy in the Philippines", he served as Senator of the ...

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” 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, who disappeared after a protest rally in March 1984, and whose mangled bodies were later discovered abandoned in nearby Cavite province.

Recent history

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, who became Vice President of the Philippines under the first Aquino administration, and Renato Corona, who became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

Geography

Taal_Volcano_Island_(Tagaytay,_Cavite)(2018-02-01)

Batangas is a combination of plains and mountains, including one of the world's smallest volcanoes, Mt. Taal, with an elevation of , located in the middle of the Taal Lake. 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,

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, 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).

Administrative divisions

Batangas comprises 29 municipalities and 5 cities.

Climate

Batangas falls under two climates: the tropical savanna climate (''As''/''Aw'') and the bordering tropical monsoon climate (''Am''), under the Köppen climate classification. Most of the province belongs to the tropical savanna climate, with well-defined dry and wet seasons. Parts of Batangas lying to the east have unpronounced dry and wet seasons, influenced by the monsoon. Batangas City, 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, Kapampangans, Pangasinans 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 ...

. Batangas also has one of the highest literacy rates in the country at 96.5%, with males having a slightly higher literacy 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 spoken before the arrival of the Spanish. Hence, the Summer Institute of Linguisticsbr>
called this province the heartland of the Tagalog language. 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), 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 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, and Visayan are also spoken by a minority due to the influx of migrants from the Bicol Region, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Central Philippines.

Religion

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 ...

, Iglesia Filipina Independiente, Iglesia ni Cristo, and

evangelicalism Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being " born again", in which an individual exper ...

. Other major religions include

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

, Buddhism,

Seventh-day Adventist Church The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...

,

Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide (JILCW), or more commonly known as Jesus Is Lord Church (JIL), is a Christian megachurch based in the Philippines. It describes itself as a Full Gospel, Christ-centred, and Bible-based church, with 5 million memb ...

, Protestantism,

Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved in ...

, 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'', 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. In the municipality of Taal, pineapple leaves are processed to form a kind of cloth known as ''jusi'' (pronounced 'hu-si), from which the '' Barong Tagalog'', the national costume of the Philippines is made. Livestock as an industry is also thriving in Batangas. Cattle from Batangas are widely sought throughout the country. The term ''bakang Batangas'' (literally "Batangas cow") is associated with the country's best species of cattle. 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 General Santos, officially the City of General Santos,; hil, Dakbanwa sang Heneral Santos; Maguindanao language, Maguindanao: ''Ingud nu Heneral Santos''; Blaan language, Blaan: ''Banwe Dadiangas''; Tboli language, Tboli: ''Benwu Dadiangas'' ...

, 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 The Pacific bluefin tuna (''Thunnus orientalis'') is a predatory species of tuna found widely in the northern Pacific Ocean, but it is migratory and also recorded as a visitor to the south Pacific. In the past it was often included in '' T. thyn ...

(''tulingan''), bullet tuna (''bonito'') and another species also called ''bonito'' but actually

Gymnosarda unicolor The dogtooth tuna ''Gymnosarda unicolor'', also known as white tuna, is a species of pelagic marine fish which belongs to the family Scombridae. Description The dogtooth tuna can reach a length of in males and a weight of .Collette, B.B. and C. ...

. There is also an important industry for the wahoo (''tanigi''). Aside from the South China Sea, Taal Lake also provides a source of

freshwater fish Freshwater fish are those that spend some or all of their lives in fresh water, such as rivers and lakes, with a salinity of less than 1.05%. These environments differ from marine conditions in many ways, especially the difference in levels of s ...

es 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 The blue tilapia (''Oreochromis aureus'') is a species of tilapia, a fish in the family Cichlidae. Native to Northern and Western Africa, and the Middle East, through introductions it is now also established elsewhere, including parts of the U ...

'', both locally called ''tilapia''. It is ecologically important to note that neither ''bangus'' nor ''tilapia'' are native to the lake. Thus they are considered an

invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...

to the lake. 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 First Philippine Industrial Park, established in 1996, comprises 349 hectares located in the cities of Tanauan and Santo Tomas in the province of Batangas, Philippines. It currently has 67 occupants, including 37 Japanese firms and approximately 30 ...

(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

Batangas Provincial Capitol, Batangas City (6-27-2008)

With the provinces in the island of

Panay Panay is the sixth-largest and fourth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of and has a total population of 4,542,926 as of 2020 census. Panay comprises 4.4 percent of the entire population of the country. The City o ...

, 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 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, which was also originally called Bonbon. Some of the earliest settlements in Batangas were established in the vicinity of Taal Lake. In 1534, Batangas became the first practically organized province in Luzon. Balayan 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 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, Jose Laurel, and Felipe Agoncillo.

Incumbent officials

* Governor: Hermilando I. Mandanas (

PDP–Laban Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (), abbreviated as PDP–Laban, is a democratic socialist List of political parties in the Philippines, political party in the Philippines founded in 1982. It was part of the country's ruling party al ...

) * Vice Governor: Jose Antonio S. Leviste II (

PDP–Laban Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (), abbreviated as PDP–Laban, is a democratic socialist List of political parties in the Philippines, political party in the Philippines founded in 1982. It was part of the country's ruling party al ...

) *

Board Members A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervise the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organiza ...

:

Representatives

* Elected Representatives **

1st District The Innere Stadt (; Central Bavarian: ''Innare Stod'') is the 1st municipal district of Vienna () located in the center of the Austrian capital. The Innere Stadt is the old town of Vienna. Until the city boundaries were expanded in 1850, the Inn ...

: Joseph Eric R. Buhain ( NP) ** 2nd District: Gerville R. Luistro ( Lakas) ** 3rd District: Ma. Theresa V. Collantes ( NPC) **

4th District Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...

: Lianda B. Bolilia ( NP/One Batangas) ** 5th District (Lone District of Batangas City): Mario Vittorio A. Mariño ( NP/One Batangas) ** 6th District (Lone District of Lipa City): Ralph G. Recto ( 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 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 Lian may refer to: Fiction * Gao Lian (''Water Margin''), a character in the ''Water Margin'' series of novels *Lian the Great (, ''Dalian''), a figure in Chinese mythology *Jia Lian, a character in the novel ''Dream of the Red Chamber'' People ...

and Calatagan in the western part of the province.

Water transport

Batangas Port The Batangas International Port or locally known as the Batangas Pier, is a seaport in Barangay Santa Clara, Batangas City primarily serving the Calabarzon, Calabarzon region of the Philippines. The seaport covers an area of about 150 hectares. ...

in Batangas City 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 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 distributed by

electric cooperatives Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by ...

, 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, Balayan, Lemery, and Taal, while the latter serves the eastern part, like

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 ...

, Tanauan, Talisay, San Jose, and Rosario. The municipalities of Bauan and Ibaan, and LIMA Technology Center are served by local utility companies. Santo Tomas, the

First Philippine Industrial Park First Philippine Industrial Park, established in 1996, comprises 349 hectares located in the cities of Tanauan and Santo Tomas in the province of Batangas, Philippines. It currently has 67 occupants, including 37 Japanese firms and approximately 30 ...

(FPIP) in Tanauan, San Pascual and Batangas City, 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.

Culture

Way of life

Maria Kalaw Katigbak Maria Villanueva Katigbak ( Kalaw; February 14, 1912 – December 10, 1992) was a Filipina politician, journalist and beauty queen. She served as a Senator of the Philippines from 1961 to 1967 during the Fifth Congress. Early life and educatio ...

, a 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''. 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 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 Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke ...

season. In May, the people of Bauan and

Alitagtag Alitagtag, officially the Municipality of Alitagtag ( tgl, Bayan ng Alitagtag), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 26,819 people. Geography According to ...

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 Our Lady of Caysasay ( es, Nuestra Señora de Caysasay) is a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay in Taal, Batangas in the Philippines. The image, which depicts the Immaculate Conceptio ...

and 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 In Kapampangan mythology, Mayari is the goddess of the moon and ruler of the world during nighttime. In Tagalog mythology According to Hiligaynon anthropologist F. Landa Jocano—in "Notes on Philippine Divinities" (1968)—the ancient Tagalog ...

, 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 José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (, ; June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) was a Filipino nationalist, writer and polymath active at the end of the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. He is considered the national he ...

's Noli Me Tangere. In 2004, the province of Batangas gave

Domingo Landicho Domingo Goan Landicho (also called "Domeng"; 4 August 1939 – 29 July 2021), was a Philippine writer and academic. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in journalism degrees from the Lyceum of the Philippines, and an MA in edu ...

(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 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 Rosario () is the largest city in the central provinces of Argentina, Argentine province of Santa Fe Province, Santa Fe. The city is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the west bank of the Paraná River. Rosario is the third-most populous ci ...

named

Gaspar Aquino de Belen Gaspar is a given and/or surname of French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish origin, cognate to Casper (given name) or Casper (surname). It is a name of biblical origin, per Saint Gaspar, one of the wise men mentioned in the Bible. Notable p ...

. 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. The Balitao, together with the ''Subli'' 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 Laguna, Batangas is still known for the sculptures engraved in furniture. Sometimes, altar tables coming from Batangas were called the "friars' choice". According to Milagros Covarubias-Jamir, another Filipino scholar, the furniture that came from Batangas 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.

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

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 the ...

, is endemic to Batangas. The province is also home to the ''kabag'' (''

Haplonycteris fischeri The Fischer's pygmy fruit bat or Philippine pygmy fruit bat (''Haplonycteris fischeri'')named after Arthur Frederick Fischer is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Haplonycteris''. It is endemic to t ...

''), one of the world's smallest fruit bats. 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 barangay Looc, Papaya, Bulihan, and Dayap. In the second half of 2006, scientists from the United States discovered that the

Sulu Sulu (), officially the Province of Sulu (Tausug language, Tausūg: ''Wilāya sin Lupa' Sūg''; tl, Lalawigan ng Sulu), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines in the Sulu Archipelago and part of the Bangsamoro, Bangsamor ...

-

Sulawesi Sulawesi (), also known as Celebes (), is an island in Indonesia. One of the four Greater Sunda Islands, and the world's eleventh-largest island, it is situated east of Borneo, west of the Maluku Islands, and south of Mindanao and the Sulu Ar ...

Triangle 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 the

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 Dr. Kent Carpenter, Batangas' seas host more than half of the world's species of coral. It is also home to dolphins and once in a while, the passage of the world's biggest fish: the whale shark 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 or ''pawikan''. Pawikans like the Olive Ridley sea turtle, leather back sea turtle, and green sea turtle can be seen in Nasugbu up to the present.

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 — 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 — co-founder of

La Solidaridad ''La Solidaridad'' (The Solidarity) was an organization created in Spain on December 13, 1888. Composed of Filipino liberals exiled in 1872 and students attending Europe's universities, the organization aimed to increase Spanish awareness of th ...

* Ananias Diokno — Filipino general in the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War * Juan Cailles — Filipino general in the Philippine-American War *

Gliceria Marella de Villavicencio Doña Gliceria Legaspi Marella de Villavicencio (May 15, 1852 – September 28, 1929), also known as Aling Eralian, is acknowledged as one of the famous Filipinos who gave her own wealth, time, knowledge and effort to help the Revolutionaries du ...

— heroine of the Revolution, "Godmother of the Revolutionary Forces" *

Clemencia López Clemencia López y Castelo (November 23, 1872 – June 4, 1963) was a Filipina activist involved in the movement for Independence Day (Philippines), Philippine independence. López was born into a wealthy Filipinos, Filipino family, and many of h ...

— Filipina feminist, and suffragist *

Maria Orosa Maria may refer to: People * Mary, mother of Jesus * Maria (given name), a popular given name in many languages Place names Extraterrestrial *170 Maria, a Main belt S-type asteroid discovered in 1877 *Lunar maria (plural of ''mare''), large, da ...

— Filipina food technologist, pharmaceutical chemist, and war heroine * Teodoro Kalaw — Filipino scholar, legislator, and historian * Claro M. Recto — statesman, jurist, poet

Politics and Government

*

José P. Laurel José Paciano Laurel y García (; March 9, 1891 – November 6, 1959) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, and judge, who served as the president of the Japanese-occupied Second Philippine Republic, a puppet state during World War II, from 1943 ...

— President of the Second Philippine Republic, a Japanese puppet state during World War II * Salvador Laurel — 8th Vice President of the Philippines * Jose Laurel Jr. — 9th Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, and Member of the

Philippine Constitutional Commission of 1986 The Philippine Constitutional Commission of 1986 was the Constitutional convention (political meeting), constitutional convention tasked with drafting the 1987 Constitution, present iteration of the Constitution of the Philippines in 1986. Sessio ...

. *

Manuel Araullo Manuel Gonzales Araullo (born Manuel Araullo y Gonzales; 1 January 1853 – 26 July 1924) was the third Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He served from November 1, 1921 until his death on July 26, 1924. Araullo earned ...

, 3rd Chief Justice of the

Supreme Court of the Philippines The Supreme Court ( fil, Kataas-taasang Hukuman; colloquially referred to as the ''Korte Suprema'' lso used in formal writing is the highest court in the Philippines. The Supreme Court was established by the Second Philippine Commission on Ju ...

* Querube Makalintal, 11th Chief Justice of the

Supreme Court of the Philippines The Supreme Court ( fil, Kataas-taasang Hukuman; colloquially referred to as the ''Korte Suprema'' lso used in formal writing is the highest court in the Philippines. The Supreme Court was established by the Second Philippine Commission on Ju ...

, 14th Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines * Ramon Aquino, 15th Chief Justice of the

Supreme Court of the Philippines The Supreme Court ( fil, Kataas-taasang Hukuman; colloquially referred to as the ''Korte Suprema'' lso used in formal writing is the highest court in the Philippines. The Supreme Court was established by the Second Philippine Commission on Ju ...

* Ramón Diokno, 63rd Associate Justice of the

Supreme Court of the Philippines The Supreme Court ( fil, Kataas-taasang Hukuman; colloquially referred to as the ''Korte Suprema'' lso used in formal writing is the highest court in the Philippines. The Supreme Court was established by the Second Philippine Commission on Ju ...

and former senator. * Cecilia Muñoz-Palma - Filipino jurist and the first woman Associate Justice of the

Supreme Court of the Philippines The Supreme Court ( fil, Kataas-taasang Hukuman; colloquially referred to as the ''Korte Suprema'' lso used in formal writing is the highest court in the Philippines. The Supreme Court was established by the Second Philippine Commission on Ju ...

. *

Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez (born February 28, 1938) is a Filipino jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 2000 to 2008. She was the last appointment to the Court made by President Joseph Estrada. Pr ...

— 147th Associate Justice of the

Supreme Court of the Philippines The Supreme Court ( fil, Kataas-taasang Hukuman; colloquially referred to as the ''Korte Suprema'' lso used in formal writing is the highest court in the Philippines. The Supreme Court was established by the Second Philippine Commission on Ju ...

. *

Cancio Garcia Cancio C. Garcia (October 20, 1937 – October 15, 2013) was a Filipino lawyer and jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He was appointed to the Court on October 6, 2004, by President Gloria Macapagal A ...

— 156th Associate Justice of the

Supreme Court of the Philippines The Supreme Court ( fil, Kataas-taasang Hukuman; colloquially referred to as the ''Korte Suprema'' lso used in formal writing is the highest court in the Philippines. The Supreme Court was established by the Second Philippine Commission on Ju ...

. *

Rosmari Carandang Rosmari Declaro Carandang (born January 9, 1952) is a former associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. She was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to replace then-Justice Teresita de Castro. Education A college scholar fo ...

— 181st Associate Justice of the

Supreme Court of the Philippines The Supreme Court ( fil, Kataas-taasang Hukuman; colloquially referred to as the ''Korte Suprema'' lso used in formal writing is the highest court in the Philippines. The Supreme Court was established by the Second Philippine Commission on Ju ...

. * Antonio de las Alas - former senator and 3rd Secretary of the Department of Finance. *

Sotero Laurel Sotero Cosme "Teroy" Hidalgo Laurel II (September 27, 1918 – September 16, 2009) was a Filipino politician and educator who served as a Senator from 1987 until 1992, including a period as President pro tempore from 1990 until 1991. Laurel w ...

— former senator * Ralph Recto — Senator of the Philippines * Vilma Santos – incumbent House Representative of the 6th district of Batangas, 22nd

Governor of Batangas The governor of Batangas ( fil, Punong Lalawigan ng Batangas) is the local chief executive of the Philippine province of Batangas. The governor holds office at the Batangas Provincial Capitol in Batangas City and its residence is at the People's ...

, and film actress * Renato de Villa — 20th Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and 18th Secretary of the Department of National Defense *

Eduardo Ermita Eduardo R. Ermita (born July 13, 1935) is a former Executive Secretary (Philippines), Executive Secretary of the Philippines and former spokesperson for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Ermita took his Defense Resource Management Course at the Na ...

— 22nd Secretary of the Department of National Defense, and former

Executive Secretary Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the organization. The term is derived ...

* Leandro Mendoza — 35th Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications, former

Executive Secretary Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the organization. The term is derived ...

, and 8th

Chief of the Philippine National Police The Chief of the Philippine National Police (abbreviated as C, PNP; Filipino: ''Hepe ng Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas'') is the head of the Philippines' national police body, the Philippine National Police (PNP). The position is invariably held b ...

* Benjamin Diokno — 5th Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and 6th Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management * Noel Clement — 52nd Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines *

Domingo F. Panganiban Domingo Flores Panganiban, also known as Ding Panganiban, (born August 9, 1939) is a Filipino government official and former basketball consultant, team manager and coach. Early life and education Panganiban was born on August 9, 1939, in Tanaua ...

— Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Lead Convenor National Poverty Commission (NAPC)

Arts and Sciences

*

Leonor Orosa-Goquingco Leonor Orosa Goquingco (24 July 1917 – 15 July 2005) was a Filipino national artist in creative dance, who was also known for breaking tradition within dance. She played the piano, drew art, designed scenery and costumes, sculpted, acted, direct ...

— National Artist of the Philippines for Dance * Bienvenido Lumbera — National Artist of the Philippines for Literature *

Gregorio Y. Zara Gregorio Ynciong Zara (8 March 1902 – 15 October 1978) was a Filipino engineer, physicist, a National Scientist, and inventor. He was known as the father of videoconferencing for having invented the first two-way videophone. He was also on ...

— National Scientist of the Philippines for Engineering and Inventions * Teodoro Agoncillo — National Scientist of the Philippines for Philippine History *

Deogracias Villadolid Deogracias Villamin Villadolid is a Filipino biologist who specializes in fisheries science. He is known for introducing formal fisheries education in the Philippines as well as for pioneering tilapia aquaculture in the country. Early life and ed ...

— biologist * Anastacio Caedo — Filipino sculptor *

Lito Mayo Manolito Tolentino Mayo (December 17, 1954 – May 4, 1983) was a Filipino graphic artist, printmaker, avantgarde poet, sculptor, and art professor. His prolific career was brief – it lasted only a decade, as he died at the age of 28. He was o ...

— graphic artist, print-maker, avantegarde poet, social activist, sculptor

Religion

* Alfredo Obviar — Filipino Venerable; Bishop Emeritus of Lucena. *

Vicente García Fr. Vicente García y Teodoro ( : 1817–1899) was a Filipino priest, hero and a defender of Dr. Jose P. Rizal. Padre Garcia was born in the village of Maugat, formerly a part of Rosario and presently a barangay of Padre Garcia, on April 5 ...

— Filipino priest, hero and a defender of Dr. Jose P. Rizal. * Armin Luistro, FSC — 28th Superior General of the

Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools french: Frères des Écoles Chrétiennes , image = Signum Fidei.jpg , image_size = 175px , caption = , abbreviation = FSC , nickname = Lasallians , named_after = , formation ...

, 36th Secretary of the Department of Education *

Gaudencio Rosales Gaudencio Borbón Rosales (born August 10, 1932) is a Roman Catholic Cardinal who was Archbishop of Manila, succeeding Jaime Sin in 2003, and succeeded by Luis Antonio Tagle in 2011. Being the Metropolitan of the ecclesiastical province of Ma ...

- Filipino Cardinal who has served as the 31st Archbishop of Manila, 6th Archbishop of Lipa, Batangas and 2nd Bishop of Malaybalay, Bukidnon. * Ramon Arguelles — Filipino Roman Catholic Archbishop; Archbishop Emeritus of Lipa *

Reynaldo G. Evangelista Reynaldo Gonda Evangelista OFS (born May 8, 1960) is a Filipino prelate and a professed member of the Franciscan Order who is the current bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Imus appointed by Pope Francis on April 8, 2013, his first appoi ...

- Filipino Roman Catholic Bishop who is currently the Bishop of Imus. He was a former Bishop of Boac, Marinqudue. * Marcelino Antonio Maralit - Filipino Roman Catholic Bishop who is currently the Bishop of Boac, Marinqudue. *

Fernando Suarez Fernando Suarez (7 February 1967 – 4 February 2020) was a Filipino Catholic priest who performed faith healing in the Philippines and abroad. He grew up in the Philippines and spent much of his life working in the Philippines. In 1995 he lef ...

— Filipino Catholic priest who performs faith healing.

Sports Culinary and Entertainment

*

Arsenio Laurel Arsenio "Dodjie" Hidalgo Laurel (December 14, 1931 – November 19, 1967) was a champion race car driver from the Philippines. He was the first two-time winner of the Macau Grand Prix, winning it consecutively in 1962 and 1963. Early life ...

- champion

race car Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. Auto racing has existed since the invention of the automobile. Races of various sorts were organi ...

driver from the Philippines. He was the first two-time winner of the Macau Grand Prix, winning it consecutively in 1962 and 1963. *

Ai-Ai delas Alas Martina Eileen Hernandez delas Alas-Sibayan (born November 11, 1964), known professionally as Ai-Ai delas Alas, is a Filipino actress and comedian. She is widely regarded as the country's "Queen of Comedy" for her comedic talent and best know ...

— actress, comedian, singer and TV host * Simon Ibarra actor *

Charlie Dizon April Rose Dizon Matienzo (born April 12, 1996), better known by her screen name Charlie Dizon, is a Filipino actress, model and singer. Career Dizon made her acting debut in 2017 in the film ''Finally Found Someone'', it was followed by a ...

- actress, model * Ogie Alcasid — singer-songwriter, television presenter, comedian,

parodist A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its subj ...

, and actor * TJ Trinidad actor, singer and model * Leo Martinez — actor, comedian and director *

Zanjoe Marudo Zanjoe Acuesta Marudo (born July 23, 1982) is a Filipino actor and model. He began his career after finishing as the 4th Big Placer of '' Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Edition 1'' (2006). Since then he has starred in the TV series' ''Lovers in P ...

— actor and model * Jade Lopez Filipina actress, dramatic artist * Jason Gainza — actor, impersonator *

Joshua Garcia Joshua Espineli Garcia (; born October 7, 1997) is a Filipino actor, dancer, and commercial model. He began his professional acting career in 2015 after being part of the reality show '' Pinoy Big Brother: All In'' as a contestant. He rose to p ...

— actor, model and endorser *

Alyssa Valdez Alyssa Caymo Valdez (; born June 29, 1993) is a Filipino volleyball player who currently plays for the Creamline Cool Smashers. She was a member of the collegiate varsity women's volleyball team of Ateneo de Manila University in both indoor and ...

– volleyball player and former member of collegiate varsity volleyball team of Ateneo de Manila University in both indoor and beach volleyball. *

Kim Fajardo Kim Alano Fajardo (born September 30, 1993) is a Filipino volleyball athlete. She was the team captain of the De La Salle University women's volleyball team for Season 78 and 79. Career Fajardo first played volleyball when she was in Grade 2. ...

– volleyball athlete, and former team captain of the De La Salle University women's volleyball team. *

Nora Daza Nora Guanzon Villanueva-Daza (December 2, 1928 – September 13, 2013), popularly known as Chef Nora Daza, was the Philippines' first culinary icon, a Filipinos, Filipino veteran gourmet chef, restaurateur, socio-civic leader, television host and ...

culinary arts. *

Jovit Baldivino Jovit Lasin Baldivino (October 16, 1993 – December 9, 2022) was a Filipino singer and actor. He was the first winner of the reality talent competition show ''Pilipinas Got Talent'' in 2010. Early life Jovit Baldivino came from a poor fami ...

— singer and grand champion of Pilipinas Got Talent: Season 1

References

External links

* * *
Official Website of the Provincial Government of Batangas
{{Authority control Provinces of the Philippines States and territories established in 1581 1581 establishments in the Philippines

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