Laurel, Batangas

Laurel, officially the Municipality of Laurel (), is a municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 43,210 people.

Laurel was previously a part of Talisay, its current neighbor town, until 1969.

Etymology

The town's present name is derived from Miguel Laurel, known as the first notable Laurel in the Philippines and a longtime patriarch of the place and José P. Laurel, a former president and a native of Tanauan, Batangas.

History

Laurel traces its origin to a remote barrio called ''Bugain'' (derived from ''buga'', a black cinder formed from fly ashes during Taal Volcano eruption), which was part of Talisay that was established in 1869. Located by the Tanauan Bay, the present-day municipality was also the first location of Tanauan's municipal seat (''poblacion'') until 1754, when it was transferred to the present-day barangay Sala in Tanauan as a result of the Taal Volcano eruption that year. In 1903, the barrio became part of Tanauan when Talisay was merged with the former by virtue of Act No. 708. A year later, it was transferred to Taal by virtue of Act No. 1244, before it was eventually returned to the reestablished municipality of Talisay. After the 1911 Taal Volcano eruption, population grew at the area with agricultural cultivation as the locals' primary livelihood. The area was later called ''Nayon ng Bayuyungan'' (derived from bayong) or simply as ''Bayuyungan'' and was designated as the center of the area that consisted it and nearby barrios.

Locals led by Jose Macaraig, Placido Amo (vice mayor of Talisay), and Severino Amo signed a petition to create an independent town out of barrio Bayuyungan and adjacent barrios. It was first endorsed to Senator Maria Kalaw Katigbak, who in turn presented it to President Diosdado Macapagal. It was also presented to the Talisay municipal government, who in turn forwarded it to Batangas Governor Feliciano Leviste. The Batangas Provincial Board then endorsed the petition as a resolution to Batangas 3rd district Representative José B. Laurel Jr. and finally through House Bill No. 17628.

On June 21, 1969, the barrios of Bayuyungan, Ticub, Balakilong, Bugaan, Berinayan, As-is, San Gabriel, and Buso-buso were officially separated from Talisay and constituted into a new and separate municipality of Laurel, by virtue of Republic Act No. 5689; Bayuyungan became the present-day ''poblacion''. The first set of officials acted on November 8, 1971, with Placido Amo as Mayor.

Geography

Laurel is located at .

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of constituting of the total area of Batangas.

Laurel is from Batangas City and from Manila.

Barangays

Laurel is politically subdivided into 21 barangays, as shown in the matrix below. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Climate

Demographics

In the 2020 census, Laurel had a population of 43,210. The population density was .

Economy

* ''Fishing'' – Laurel's main economical source is fish culture in Taal Lake where most of local residents base their trade.
* ''Farming'' – Small rice paddies on the foothills of Taal canyon ridge provide for ricefields to farmers.
* ''Real estate'' – The town's vast land resource provide ideal location for real estate developers such as Megaworld and Fil-Estate which are mostly based in Metro Manila. Among the major real estate subdivisions located in Barangay San Gregorio are Canyon Woods and Twin Lakes.

Government

Local government

Like other municipalities in the Philippines, Laurel is governed by a mayor and vice mayor who are elected to three-year terms. The mayor is the executive head who leads the municipal's departments in the execution of municipal ordinances and in the delivery of public services. The vice mayor heads a legislative council that is composed of 10 members: 8 elected councilors and 2 ''ex officio'' office held by the ABC President as the barangay sector representative and by the SK Federation President. The council is in charge of creating the minucipal's policies in the form of ordinances and resolutions.

Mayoralty Election Results

2025: Incumbent Lyndon Bruce is running for reelection. His opponent is former mayor Randy James Amo.

2022: Then-incumbent Joan Amo ran for reelection and lost. She faced off businessman and neophyte politician Lyndon Bruce.

2019: Then-incumbent Randy James Amo was term-limited and ran for Board Member (lost). His party nominated his wife, Joan Amo. She faced then-incumbent Vice Mayor Felimon Austria and businessman Roderick Natanauan.

≥u

2016: Then-incumbent Randy James Amo ran for reelection and won. He ran against businessman Roderick Natanauan and then-incumbent Municipal Councilor Vincent Endaya.

2013: Then-incumbent Mayor Randy James Amo ran for reelection. He faced off against former Mayor Atty. Natalio Panganiban.

2010: Then-incumbent John Benedict Panganiban ran for reelection against then-incumbent Vice Mayor Randy James Amo (won) and Aristotle Parilla.

Gallery

File:Laurel,Hall,Batangasjf8714 07.JPG, Laurel Municipal Hall
File:Laurel,Hall,Church,Batangasjf8785 21.JPG, Laurel Police Station
File:Laurel,Batangasjf8862 06.JPG, Street in Poblacion Laurel
File:Laurel,Batangasjf8862 25.JPG, Laurel welcome arch
File:LaurelChurchjf8811 35.JPG, Laurel Church
The Vineyard Shopping Village at Twin Lakes, Tagaytay, Philippines.jpg, Twin Lakes shopping village

References

External links

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*Philippine Standard Geographic Code

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laurel, Batangas
Municipalities of Batangas
Populated places on Taal Lake
1969 establishments in the Philippines