Mataasnakahoy, officially the Municipality of Mataasnakahoy (), is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

in the

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

Batangas Batangas, officially the Province of Batangas ( ), is a first class province of the Philippines located in the southwestern part of Luzon in the Calabarzon region. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 2,908,494 people, making ...

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 30,621 people.

Etymology

Although the town's name is written as one word, it comes from the

Tagalog Tagalog may refer to: Language * Tagalog language, a language spoken in the Philippines ** Old Tagalog, an archaic form of the language ** Batangas Tagalog, a dialect of the language * Tagalog script, the writing system historically used for Tagal ...

phrase ''mataás na kahoy'', which means "tall tree." It is explained in a May 1953 documented written by a commission composed of the town's schoolteachers. According to them, the name "''mataas na kahoy''" dates from 1862, when the Capitan Municipal of Lipa first decided to establishment the settlement in that particular place as a barrio of Lipa. The head of the settlement recalled a tall tree - literally "''mataas na kahoy''" - which was in their settlement, and named the new barrio after it. According to a folklore, the tall tree was also associated with a fruit that cured an old woman of her illness.

History

Mataasnakahoy is originally a barrio of

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 i ...

. Its present-day barangay Lumang Lipa () the second seat of Lipa from 1724, following the

Taal Volcano Taal Volcano (; ) is a large caldera filled by Taal Lake in the Philippines. Located in the province of Batangas about south of Manila, the volcano is the second most List of active volcanoes in the Philippines, active volcano in the country ...

eruption, until 1754, when it was relocated to Balete. Mataasnakahoy was created as a municipality through Executive Order No. 308 signed by acting

Governor-General of the Philippines The governor-general of the Philippines (; ; ) was the title of the Executive (government), government executive during the colonial period of the Philippines, first by History of the Philippines (1521–1898), the Spanish in Mexico City and l ...

George C. Butte George Charles Butte (May 9, 1877 – January 18, 1940) was an American attorney, U.S. Army officer, educator, jurist, and Republican politician who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He was also a candidate ...

on March 27, 1931. The establishment took effect on January 2, 1932.“History and Cultural Life of the Poblacion (Mataasnakahoy),” 1953, online at the

National Library of the Philippines The National Library of the Philippines ( or , abbreviated NLP, ) is the Philippines' official national library, repository of information on cultural heritage and other literary resources. It is located in the district of Ermita, Manila, Ermit ...

Digital Collections. During the

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the

Empire of Japan The Empire of Japan, also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the Japanese nation state that existed from the Meiji Restoration on January 3, 1868, until the Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947. From Japan–Kor ...

expanded the Lipa Air Base just a kilometer away from Mataasnakahoy's ''poblacion''. The Japanese Air Corps occupied the area, burned many homes in the town, and massacred numerous male residents. After the war, the town was rapidly rehabilitated.

Geography

According to the

Philippine Statistics Authority The Philippine Statistics Authority (; PSA) is the central statistical authority of the Philippine government that collects, compiles, analyzes, and publishes statistical information on economic, social, demographic, political affairs, and gene ...

, the municipality has a land area of constituting of the total area of Batangas. Mataasnakahoy has 16

barangay The barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as ''barrio'', is the smallest Administrative divisions of the Philippines, administrative division in the Philippines. Named after the Precolonial barangay, precolonial po ...

s and its total land area is . It is bounded by Balete and

Lipa City Lipa (), officially the City of Lipa (), is a 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 with a charter in the province and one of five ...

with

Taal Lake Taal Lake (, ), formerly known as Bombón Lake, is a fresh water Volcanic crater lake, caldera lake in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Batangas, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The lake fills Taal Volcano, a large volc ...

on its western edge. The town is known for its cool climate due to its high elevation of .

Barangays

Mataasnakahoy is politically subdivided into 16

s, as indicated in the matrix below. Each barangay consists of

purok A ''purok'' () is an informal division within a barangay in the Philippines. While not officially considered a local government unit (LGU), a ''purok'' often serves as a unit for delivering services and administration within a barangay. ''Pur ...

s and some have

sitios A ''sitio'' (Spanish language, Spanish for "site") in the Philippines is a territorial enclave that forms part of a barangay. Typically rural, a ''sitios location is usually far from the center of the barangay itself and could be its own bar ...

Climate

Demographics

In the 2020 census, Mataasnakahoy had a population of 30,621. The population density was .

Religion

The townsfolk are predominantly

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

, with minorities belonging to other religious groups like the

Iglesia ni Cristo The (INC; ; ) is an independent Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, church founded in 1913 and registered by Felix Manalo, Félix Manalo in 1914 as a corporation sole, sole religious corporation ...

United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant Christian denomination, denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was ...

, Baptist denominations,

Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses is a Christian denomination that is an outgrowth of the Bible Student movement founded by Charles Taze Russell in the nineteenth century. The denomination is nontrinitarian, millenarian, and restorationist. Russell co-fou ...

Jesus is Lord Church 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 over one millio ...

and

Members Church of God International The Members Church of God International (), abbreviated as MCGI, is an international Christian religious organization with headquarters in the Philippines. It is popularly known in the Philippines as ''Ang Dating Daan'' (; abbreviated as AD ...

Economy

Its economy is primarily agricultural with

coffee Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially a ...

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (biology), family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, ...

and

banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large treelike herbaceous flowering plants in the genus '' Musa''. In some countries, cooking bananas are called plantains, distinguishing the ...

as the major crops. Fish culture, with

milkfish The milkfish (''Chanos chanos'') is a widespread species of ray-finned fish found throughout the Indo-Pacific. It is the sole living species in the family Chanidae, and the only living member of the genus ''Chanos''. The repeating scientific na ...

and

tilapia Tilapia ( ) is the common name for nearly a hundred species of cichlid fish from the coelotilapine, coptodonine, heterotilapine, oreochromine, pelmatolapiine, and tilapiine tribes (formerly all were "Tilapiini"), with the economically mos ...

being the major culture species, is also practiced in the coastal

s of Nangkaan, Lumang Lipa and Kinalaglagan.

Piggery Intensive pig farming, also known as pig factory farming, is the primary method of pig production, in which grower pigs are housed indoors in group-housing or straw-lined sheds in establishments also known as piggeries, whilst pregnant sows a ...

and

poultry Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of harvesting animal products such as meat, Eggs as food, eggs or feathers. The practice of animal husbandry, raising poultry is known as poultry farming. These birds are most typ ...

farms from backyard to large scale operation represent a big part of the town's economy. Supporting the town's agribusiness are two feed mills namely, MAGICORP and AICOM. Several banks (Mataasnakahoy Rural Bank, Lipa Development Bank, Savings and Loan Association of Mataasnakahoy) serve the townspeople. Small businesses like stores and groceries abound and the town center has a

flea market A flea market (or swap meet) is a type of street market that provides space for vendors to sell previously owned (secondhand) goods. This type of market is often seasonal. However, in recent years there has been the development of 'formal' ...

(''talipapa'' or ''tiangge'') where fresh fish,

meat Meat is animal Tissue (biology), tissue, often muscle, that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted and farmed other animals for meat since prehistory. The Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of vertebrates, including chickens, sheep, ...

and

vegetables Vegetables are edible parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. This original meaning is still commonly used, and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including flowers, fruits, ...

are available daily and a pharmacy, Generika Drugstore. Several small

garment Clothing (also known as clothes, garments, dress, apparel, or attire) is any item worn on a human human body, body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin s ...

factories partly fuel the town's business activity.

Telephone A telephone, colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that enables two or more users to conduct a conversation when they are too far apart to be easily heard directly. A telephone converts sound, typically and most ...

service and

internet The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...

access are available.

Residential development

Residential subdivisions (Victomar, Crisanta Homes, Immaculate Conception Village, Sinforosa and Monte Vista, among others) have started real estate development in the town.

Gawad Kalinga Gawad Kalinga (GK) ("to give care" in Tagalog language, Tagalog) is a Philippine non-governmental organization known officially as the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation. It describes itself as a "poverty alleviation and nation-buildi ...

, a free house and lot project for the poor sponsored by the religious organization

Couples for Christ The Couples for Christ (CFC) is an international Catholic lay ecclesial movement whose goal is to renew and strengthen Christian values. It is one of 123 International Associations of the Faithful. The organization is linked to the Vatican ...

, is also established in Barangay Bubuyan.

Government

Elected officials

Municipal council (2019-2022): *Mayor: Janet Magpantay Ilagan *Vice Mayor: Jay Manalo Ilagan *Councilors: **Joseph S. Calinisan, Sr. **Carmelita V. Acemiro **Herwin D. Del Mundo **Merlyn M. Caraan-Laqui **Karen Joy A. Laqui **Lemuel V. De Ocampo **Angelito L. Subol

List of mayors

Transportation

The town is easily accessible via

though passenger

jeepneys A jeepney (), or simply a jeep (), is a type of public utility vehicle (PUV) that serves as the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. Known for its crowded seating and kitsch decorations, it is a cultural icon of the ...

plying the route from dawn (3:00 AM) till night (9:00 PM). It is also accessible via the national road through a

concrete road Concrete is a composite material composed of aggregate bound together with a fluid cement that cures to a solid over time. It is the second-most-used substance (after water), the most–widely used building material, and the most-manufacture ...

along the southern boundary of

Basilio Fernando Air Base Basilio Fernando Air Base, or simply Fernando Air Base (formerly known as Lipa Air Base) is the site of the Philippine Air Force's (PAF) pilot training and education facilities located in the city of Lipa, Batangas, Philippines. It is named af ...

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, ...

are available for going around town and the innermost

Tourism

Several resorts operate in different

s and the town is starting to be known for these resorts. Shercon Resort, the first one which ventured in this line of business, is located in Barangay San Sebastian. Subsequently, El Madero in Barangay II and Galilee Place (Barangay San Sebastian), La Virginia in Barangay Manggahan started operation, Eco Hotel and Honey Bee Farm at Barangay Bayorbor before the arc of Barangay Nangkaan.

Fiesta and religious celebrations

Mataasnakahoy celebrates its town fiesta every January 3. The series of activities leading to the celebration starts several days before the actual fiesta and this would consist of sporting events, singing contests, street dancing competitions and the likes. The actual feast would be observed with food (not to mention, alcoholic drinks) in almost every household. The celebration is almost a sort of annual reunion among relatives and friends. Marching bands, usually hired or sponsored by the barangay officials, go all over the town with their music adding to the already reverberating songs and sounds from rented

videoke is a type of interactive entertainment system usually offered in Nightclub, nightclubs and bars, where people Singing, sing along to pre-recorded accompaniment using a microphone. Its musical content is an instrumental rendition of a well-kno ...

machines of some households. The celebration is usually concluded by a variety show in the town plaza with invited performers and popular names in the show business and this would usually last till early morning of the next day. The town also celebrates various religious feasts with mass and processions. The

Holy Week Holy Week () commemorates the seven days leading up to Easter. It begins with the commemoration of Triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, marks the betrayal of Jesus on Spy Wednesday (Holy Wednes ...

(week before

Easter Sunday Easter, also called Pascha (Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek language, Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, de ...

) is observed solemnly by the townsfolks. Religious families usually sponsor a "pabasa" which relates the passion of the Christ in hymns (in agonizing and melodramatic tempo) usually with loudspeakers. Several processions are also conducted within this week. Easter Sunday concludes this celebration.

All Saint's Day All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, the Feast of All Saints, the Feast of All Hallows, the Solemnity of All Saints, and Hallowmas, is a Christian solemnity celebrated in honour of all the saints of the Church, whether they are know ...

(November 1) is observed by throngs of people going to cemetery to visit the burial site of the departed relatives. Flowers, candles and prayers are brought to each burial site by the living relatives who are sometimes even coming from far places. The feast of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception (December 8), the town's patron saint, is also a well observed celebration. There is usually a mass and a procession around town with elaborate fireworks. There will also be food in the church for the religious and the parishioners. As is everywhere in the Philippines, the town celebrates a very long

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...

Season. This starts with the elaborate Christmas decorations being displayed as early as November 2 and lasting until early January. There will be lanterns, posters, Santa Claus, Christmas trees, Christmas lights and any decor imaginable helping to boost the festive atmosphere. On Christmas Day (December 25), kids will be going around asking for their godparents' and relatives' blessings which can also be interpreted as asking for Christmas gifts.

Education

The town is home to several secondary schools: La Purisima Concepcion Academy (Barangay II), Holy Trinity School of Padre Garcia, Bats., Mataasnakahoy Branch Inc. (Barangay IV), Mataasnakahoy National High School (Barangay IV), Bayorbor National High School (Bayorbor), Mataasnakahoy Senior High School (Bayorbor) and Mother Chiara Biagiotti School (Santol).

Notable personalities

*Gen.

Efren L. Abu Efren or Efrén is a given name. Notable people with the name include: *Efrén Echeverría (born 1932), musician guitarist, composer, and compiler from Paraguay *Efrén Pérez Rivera (born 1929), former college professor and noted Puerto Rican envi ...

- former

Chief of Staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supportin ...

of the

Armed Forces of the Philippines The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) () are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Philippine Army, Army, the Philippine Air Force, Air Force, and the Philippine Navy, Navy (including the P ...

Aga Muhlach Ariel Aquino Muhlach"Aga Muchlach biography"
''IMDB''. Retrieved June 13, 2014. (; born August ...

- actor *

Darius Semaña Darius Gerard Laluna Semaña (born June 30, 1973) is a Filipino musician. He is the lead guitarist of the band Parokya ni Edgar and is the oldest member of the group. Biography Semaña grew up in Mataasnakahoy, Batangas and attended Fine Arts ...

- musician, lead guitarist of the band Parokya ni Edgar

References

External links

Mataasnakahoy official website
*

Philippine Standard Geographic Code The Philippine Standard Geographic Code (PSGC) is a systematic classification and coding for geographic areas in the Philippines. It classifies areas based on the country's four levels of administrative divisions: regions, provinces, municipalities ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mataasnakahoy, Batangas 1932 establishments in the Philippines Municipalities of Batangas Political divisions established by Philippine executive order Populated places established in 1932 Populated places on Taal Lake