Santo Tomas, officially the City of Santo Tomas ('' fil, Lungsod ng Santo Tomas''), is a 1st class

component city A city ( fil, lungsod/siyudad) is one of the units of local government in the Philippines. All Philippine cities are chartered cities ( fil, nakakartang lungsod), whose existence as corporate and administrative entities is governed by their own ...

in the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...

Batangas Batangas, officially the Province of Batangas ( tl, Lalawigan ng Batangas ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Its capital is the city of Batangas, and is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and La ...

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 218,500 people. With the continuous expansion of

Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...

, the city is now part of Manila's conurbation which reaches Lipa in its southernmost part. It borders the cities of Calamba to the north, Los Baños to the north-east, Alaminos to the east, Tanauan and

Malvar Malvar, officially the Municipality of Malvar ( tgl, Bayan ng Malvar), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. The municipality was named after General Miguel Malvar, one of the last Filipino generals to surrend ...

to the west, and Lipa to the south. Santo Tomas is the hometown of Philippine Revolution and

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 ...

hero

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 ...

, the last Filipino General to surrender to the Americans. On September 7, 2019, the Republic Act 11086, or the City Charter of Santo Tomas, was ratified on a plebiscite by the electorate of Santo Tomas. The patron saint of Santo Tomas is Saint Thomas Aquinas, patron of

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

schools whose feast day is celebrated every March 7.

History

Santo Tomas was founded in 1666, with Manuel Melo as its first head. Originally, it was composed of a large ''poblacion''. When the Spanish friars arrived, their first and foremost objective was to construct a church near the river to satisfy their inclination for water. Thus, the present site of a Roman Catholic church was chosen near the San Juan River. As years went by, more houses were built around the church. This became the center of the ''poblacion''. Other groups of houses were scattered all over the area. They were given such odd names as "Kabaong", because of coffin-shaped stones along the road; "Putol" because the trail was cut short by

Mount Makiling Mount Makiling (also known as Mount Maquiling), is an inactive stratovolcano located in the provinces of Laguna and Batangas on the island of Luzon, Philippines. The mountain rises to an elevation of above mean sea level and is the highest fe ...

; "Aptayin", because "apta" of fine shrimps were found in the brook; "Biga", because biga trees abounded there; and "Camballao", as in "kambal" (twin) because twin rivers divided the place. These different unit groups comprised the barrios of the town. The natives were by nature God-fearing, peaceful and obedient. Colonial officials did not much have difficulty enforcing decrees and orders. One such irrevocable decree was to change the original names of the ''barrios'' to the names of saints in the Catholic calendar and to place each them under its ''patrotonio''; the former "Pook" and "Aptayin" were joined and called San Bartolome, "Kabaong" was changed to San Vicente, "Biga" to Santa Anastacia, and "Camballao" to San Isidro Sur and San Isidro Norte. The whole town was given the name of ''Santo Tomas de Aquino'', after a

saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...

of the

Dominican Order The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is a Catholic mendicant order of Pontifical Right for men founded in Toulouse, France, by the Spanish priest, saint and mystic Dominic of Cal ...

to where most of the first friars belonged. As time went by, more barrios were added to the list each with an assumed name of a saint. From the year 1666, the head of the town had different titles, variously known as ''captain'' from 1666 to 1782, ''alcalde'' from 1783 to 1788, ''gobernadorcillo'' from 1789 to 1821, ''presidente local'' from 1822 to 1899, ''presidente municipal'' from 1900 to 1930, and ''mayor'' from 1931 to present.

Cityhood

In 2015, Nelson P. Collantes, the then representative of Batangas's 3rd District, proposed a House bill to convert Santo Tomas into a component city. After few years, with a unanimous vote of 19–0, the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

approved a bill for the municipality's conversion into a city on March 19, 2018. On October 5, 2018,

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...

signed Republic Act No. 11086 or "An Act Converting the Municipality of Santo Tomas in the Province of Batangas into a Component City to be known as the City of Santo Tomas." It is the first municipality to be converted into a city under the

Duterte administration Rodrigo Duterte became the 16th President of the Philippines on June 30, 2016, succeeding Benigno Aquino III. He was the first president from Mindanao, the first president to have worked in all three branches of government, and the oldest t ...

, effectively ratified on September 7, 2019.

Geography

Santo Tomas is located at . It is situated at the foot of

and is south of

Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...

and from

Batangas City Batangas City, officially the City of Batangas ( fil, Lungsod ng Batangas), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 351,437 people. Batangas City i ...

. According to the

Philippine Statistics Authority The Philippine Statistics Authority (Filipino: ''Pangasiwaan ng Estadistika ng Pilipinas''), abbreviated as PSA, is the central statistical authority of the Philippine government that ''collects, compiles, analyzes and publishes statistical inf ...

, the component city has a land area of constituting of the total area of Batangas.

Barangays

Santo Tomas is politically subdivided into 30

barangay A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolitan ...

s. Most of the barangays were named after saints.

Climate

Demographics

In the 2020 census, Santo Tomas had a population of 218,500. The population density was .

Economy

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 ...

which is owned by the

Lopez Group of Companies Lopez Holdings Corporation (formerly Benpres Holdings Corporation until July 5, 2010) is a Filipino conglomerate founded by the brothers Eugenio Lopez, Sr. and Fernando Lopez, Sr. It has substantial holdings in the public service and utilities ...

is located in the city. Most of the city is residential with a lot of farmland. There are also some developed subdivisions along the city like the San Antonio Heights in Barangay San Antonio which was developed by Avida Land, a division of

Ayala Land Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) is a real estate firm based in the Philippines. It is a subsidiary of Ayala Corporation. It began as a division of Ayala Corporation until it was spun off and incorporated in 1988. It became publicly listed in the Phi ...

, Camella Homes, and Terrazza de Santo Tomas in Barangay San Roque which was developed by Ovialand. The city is well known for an entire strip of ''

bulalo ''Bulalô'' is a beef dish from the Philippines. It is a light colored soup that is made by cooking beef shanks and bone marrow until the collagen and fat has been melted into the clear broth. It typically includes leafy vegetables (like pech ...

'' (bone marrow soup) restaurants and to a hospital named Saint Cabrini Medical Center which is located inside the city center. Aside from various real estate development in the city, Santo Tomas also has a popular lifestyle and commercial complex in the locality. The AGOJO-Lifestyle Strip located in the Central Business District (CBD) along Maharlika Highway houses various restaurants, coffee shops, salons, clothing boutiques, videoke bars, fitness gym, and automotive services. Popular restaurants and coffee shops include both international brands and home grown establishments. AllHome Santo Tomas and Liana's Junction Santo Tomas are known shopping destinations that operate in the city. SM City Santo Tomas, a future

SM Supermall SM Supermalls, also simply known as SM, owned by SM Prime, is a chain of shopping malls in the Philippines that as of November 18, 2022 has #Exiting malls, 82 malls located across the country and #Future malls, 20 more scheduled to be opened for ...

, is under construction along Maharlika Highway.

Transportation

Roads

The

Pan-Philippine Highway The Pan-Philippine Highway, also known as the Maharlika Highway ( tl, Daang Maharlika; ceb, Dalang Halangdon), is a network of roads, expressways, bridges, and ferry services that connect the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao in t ...

or Maharlika Highway connects the city with Calamba, the rest of Laguna, with the highway reaching as far as

Bicol Region Bicol, known formally as the Bicol Region or colloquially as Bicolandia ( bcl, Rehiyon kan Bikol; Rinconada Bikol: ''Rehiyon ka Bikol''; Waray Sorsogon, Masbateño: ''Rehiyon san Bikol''; tl, Rehiyon ng Bikol), is an administrative region of ...

. The

Southern Tagalog Arterial Road The Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), commonly known as the STAR Tollway, is a two-to-four-lane controlled-access toll expressway in the province of Batangas in the Philippines. It is operated by STAR Infrastructure Development Corporati ...

(STAR Tollway) and

South Luzon Expressway The South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), signed as E2 of the Philippine expressway network and R-3 of the Metro Manila arterial road network, is a limited-access toll expressway that connects Metro Manila to the provinces in the Calabarzon region ...

start at the city connects the city with

and

, respectively. The

Jose P. Laurel Highway Jose P. Laurel Highway is a , two-to-six lane, major highway running within the province of Batangas. The highway forms part of National Route 4 (N4) of the Philippine highway network. It is also known as Manila–Batangas Diversion Road in Santo T ...

connects the city with

Tanauan City Tanauan, officially the City of Tanauan ( fil, Lungsod ng Tanauan), is a 2nd class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 cens ...

, Lipa and Batangas City.

Public transport

Jeepney Jeepneys (), sometimes called jeeps (), are minibus-like public utility vehicles, serving as the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They are known for their crowded seating and kitsch decorations, which have become ...

s (Filipino: "dyip") connect the city with Calamba to the north, Tanauan to the south, and San Pablo to the east. Buses from Manila to Batangas City,

Lucena Lucena, officially the City of Lucena ( fil, Lungsod ng Lucena), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Calabarzon region of the Philippines. It is the capital city of the province of Quezon where it is geographically situated but, in t ...

, or Bicol serve the city.

UV Express UV Express (formerly known as FX, Metered Taxi, and GT Express) is a license to operate utility vehicles, particularly vans, as an alternative mode of public transportation in the Philippines. The term also refers to the vehicles themselves. This ...

service also connects Santo Tomas with San Pablo,

Santa Rosa Santa Rosa is the Italian, Portuguese and Spanish name for Saint Rose. Santa Rosa may also refer to: Places Argentina *Santa Rosa, Mendoza, a city * Santa Rosa, Tinogasta, Catamarca * Santa Rosa, Valle Viejo, Catamarca * Santa Rosa, La Pampa * S ...

, Lipa, and

Dasmariñas Dasmariñas (colloquially shortened to Dasma), officially the City of Dasmariñas ( fil, Lungsod ng Dasmariñas), is a 1st class component city in the province of Cavite, Philippines. With a land area of and a population of 703,141 people acc ...

Tricycles A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to trike, is a human-powered (or gasoline or electric motor powered or assisted, or gravity powered) three-wheeled vehicle. Some tricycles, such as cycle rickshaws (for passenger transport) and freight trikes ...

provide transportation within the barangays.

Government

* Mayor: Arth Jhun A. Marasigan * Vice Mayor: Catherine J. Perez * Councilors: * Ross Allan D. Maligaya * Leovino M. Villegas * Raquel M. Maloles-Salazar * Danilo P. Mabilangan * Arlene F. Magboo * Arturo U. Pecaña * Gerardo M. Malijan * Helengrace P. Navarro * Victor O. Bathan * Adrian C. Carpio * ABC president: Ladislao M. Malijan * SK Federation President: Kirby S. Palla

Education

Universities

The

Polytechnic University of the Philippines , mottoeng = ''Light of the Nation'' , type = Public coeducational research higher education institution , established = October 19, 1904 , closed = , religious_affiliation = ...

has one

campus A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a college campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls, student centers or dining halls, and park-like se ...

in Santo Tomas. It is a constituent branch of the PUP System and the only institution of higher learning in Santo Tomas that serves the city and neighboring cities.

High schools

The city has 4 public high schools. * San Jose National High School * San Pedro National High School * Santa Clara National High School * Santa Anastacia-San Rafael National High School

Public schools

There are 28 public elementary schools within Santo Tomas.

Santo Tomas North District

A. Zone 1 * Santo Tomas North Central School * San Roque Elementary School * Santa Cruz Elementary School B. Zone 2 * San Antonio Elementary School * Santiago Elementary School * Santa Anastacia Elementary School C. Zone 3 * Doña Tiburcia Carpio Malvar Elementary School * San Bartolome Elementary School * San Vicente Elementary School

Santo Tomas South District

A. Zone 4 * Santo Tomas South Central School (formerly San Pedro Elementary School) * San Francisco Elementary School * San Isidro Elementary School * Santa Elena Elementary School * Santa Maria Elementary School B. Zone 5 * San Agustin Elementary School * San Bartolome Elementary School * San Felix Elementary School * San Jose Elementary School * San Juan Elementary School * San Pablo Elementary School * Santa Ana Elementary School C. Zone 6 * San Fernando Elementary School * San Joaquin Elementary School * San Luis Elementary School * Santa Clara Elementary School * Santa Teresita Elementary School

Private schools

There are 18 private schools within the Santo Tomas. * Almond Academy Foundation Inc. * AMS Learning School * Blue Isle Integrated School * Clareville School * Elyon Academia Foundation, Inc. * Greenville Academy of Santa Clara * His Care Learning Center of Santa Maria * Hope Christian Academy of Santo Tomas * Kids for Jesus Academy Inc. * Maranatha Christian Academy of Santo Tomas * Maranatha Christian Academy of Blue Isle * Mother Barbara Micarelli School * Nikiesha's Interactive Camp Child Development Center Inc. * Pedagogia Children's School (Santo Tomas) * San Bartolome Adventist Elementary School * Saint Thomas Academy * Saint Thomas Montessori Learning Center * The Golden Child Literacy Place

Mythology

Philippine mythology Philippine mythology is the body of stories and epics originating from, and part of, the indigenous Philippine folk religions, which include various ethnic faiths distinct from one another. Philippine mythology is incorporated from various ...

, the homeland of the

anggitay The Anggitay is a creature with the upper body of a female human and the lower body and legs of a horse from waist down. They were the Philippine counterpart to the centauride, the female centaurs. They are also believed to be the female counte ...

s is believed to be somewhere in Santo Tomas, Batangas. The anggitays are creatures resembling centaurs but have a single horn on the forehead and are generally female.

References

External links

* * Philippine Standard Geographic Code
Santo Tomas, Batangas Wordpress
{{Authority control 1666 establishments in the Philippines Component cities in the Philippines Cities in Batangas