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Rosario, officially the Municipality of Rosario (), 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 ...
of
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 128,352 people. Rosario is considered as among the interior municipalities of the Batangas Bay region, comprising eleven municipalities and two cities whose catchment areas drain into
Batangas Bay Batangas Bay is a semi-enclosed body of water situated in the province of Batangas in Luzon island in the Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southea ...
. The town is also dubbed as "The Rice Granary of Batangas".


History

This town of Rosario was founded by
Augustinian friars The Order of Saint Augustine (), abbreviated OSA, is a mendicant religious order of the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1244 by bringing together several eremitical groups in the Tuscany region who were following the Rule of Saint Augustine ...
in 1687. Don Nicolas Morales served as its first town head as ''
gobernadorcillo The (, literally "little governor") was a municipal judge or governor in the Captaincy General of the Philippines, Philippines during the History of the Philippines (1565–1898), Spanish colonial period, who carried out in a town the combined ...
''. It originated from the community of the early Christians on the southeastern coast of Batangas (within the vicinity of present-day Lobo). The Moro or pirate raids forced the inhabitants of the settlement to the safety of the ravine and forest on the north-west bank of Kansahayan River—in Hilerang Kawayan—now a barangay in the municipality of
Taysan Taysan, officially the Municipality of Taysan (), is a municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 40,146 people. Etymology Taysan may have derived its name from the following Ta ...
called Pinagbayanan (). Here the settlement was relocated and was named Rosario. However, at the height of the Moro Wars in the second half of the 18th century, the vicious Moro raids reached Hilerang Kawayan. In one of their forays the Parish Priest is said to be among those slain. This town was further moved by the Dominican priests and headed farther north holding a
novena A novena (from , "nine") is an ancient tradition of devotional praying in Christianity, consisting of private or public prayers repeated for nine successive days or weeks. The nine days between the Feast of the Ascension and Pentecost, when the ...
and praying the
rosary The Rosary (; , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), formally known as the Psalter of Jesus and Mary (Latin: Psalterium Jesu et Mariae), also known as the Dominican Rosary (as distinct from other forms of rosary such as the ...
in the process of their flight. On the 9th night of the novena, the fleeing inhabitants reached the river bank of Tubig ng Bayan (, a river originating from
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 ...
). Here they finally settled. Living in peace and prosperity, the grateful town's people erected a stone church south of the river bank in honor of their benefactress, the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. The town was named ''Santo Rosario''. Rosario remained in this location for a long time until 1902. Santo Rosario was razed to the ground during the
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War, known alternatively as the Philippine Insurrection, Filipino–American War, or Tagalog Insurgency, emerged following the conclusion of the Spanish–American War in December 1898 when the United States annexed th ...
. In the early American military occupation of Santo Rosario, a cavalry officer, Captain Daniel H. Boughton, came upon the big spring at the foot of Tombol Hill. He decided to relocate the town west of the spring, where Rosario's population center is now. Official records show that on June 9, 1902, a council of prominent citizens of the town met under a mango tree beside Tombol Spring. On the spot they formally organized the municipal government of Rosario. The following assumed the first key positions of the town government: * Geronimo Carandang (''Presidente'') * Diego Rosales (''Bise Presidente'') * Luis Greñas (''Secretario'') * Leon Magtibay (''Tesorero'') A wealthy landowner, Don Antonino Luancing donated for the town's public buildings and plaza. Tubig ng Bayan became Lumang Bayan () until it became the municipal seat of Padre Garcia in 1949. Local historians were not unanimous as the exact date of the founding of this town. Certainly it was among those organized by the ecclesiastical authorities after the creation of Batangas as a province in 1581. During the final years of Spanish rule, under the Recollect priests, Rosario served as the center of civilization in this part of Batangas. It was then originally comprised the whole parts of the municipalities of Lobo (separated on September 27, 1871), Taysan (formerly
Barrio ''Barrio'' () is a Spanish language, Spanish word that means "Quarter (urban subdivision), quarter" or "neighborhood". In the modern Spanish language, it is generally defined as each area of a city delimited by functional (e.g. residential, comm ...
Mercedes separated in 1919),
San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John (disambiguation), Saint John, most commonly refers to: * San Juan, Puerto Rico * San Juan, Argentina * San Juan, Metro Manila, a highly urbanized city in the Philippines San Juan may also refer to: Places Arge ...
de Bocboc (formerly Barrio Bolboc separated on December 12, 1848), and the entire municipality of Padre Garcia. It was in this town that General Malvar agreed to make peace with General Bell of the American Forces on the 16th of April, 1902, marking the end of the Philippine-American War.


Geography

Rosario is located at . It is from
Batangas City Batangas, sometimes called Batangas City and officially called the City of Batangas (), is a 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 ...
and from
Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
. 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.


Climate


Barangays

Rosario is politically subdivided into 48
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, as shown 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 ...
. Malaya was formerly known as ''Munting Tubig''.


Clusters

For purposes of community organization and effective delivery of social development projects, the Office for Sustainable Development under supervision of the Office of the Municipal Mayor in 1995, divided the 48 barangays into 8 barangay clusters with 6 member barangays each. This system was patterned after the resolutions traditionally passed by the
Sangguniang Bayan The Sangguniang Bayan () is the local legislative branch of the municipal governments in the Philippines. It is responsible for passing ordinances and resolutions for the administration of a municipality. Its powers are defined by the Local Go ...
as part of its organizational plan following the general elections when new members are elected into office for a new term. Consequently, the barangay cluster arrangement was adopted and served as the framework for
land use Land use is an umbrella term to describe what happens on a parcel of land. It concerns the benefits derived from using the land, and also the land management actions that humans carry out there. The following categories are used for land use: fo ...
development strategies enunciated under the ''Comprehensive Land Use Plan of Rosario, Batangas for Planning Period 2000–2010 (CLUP)''.


Demographics

In the 2020 census, Rosario had a population of 128,352. The population density was .


Language

Tagalog is the dominant language in Rosario and use
code-switching In linguistics, code-switching or language alternation occurs when a speaker alternates between two or more languages, or language varieties, in the context of a single conversation or situation. These alternations are generally intended to ...
in
Taglish Taglish or Englog is code-switching and/or code-mixing in the use of Tagalog and English, the most common languages of the Philippines. The words ''Taglish'' and ''Englog'' are portmanteaus of the words ''Tagalog'' and ''English''. The ear ...
being the common way of speaking of the
Filipinos Filipinos () are citizens or people identified with the country of the Philippines. Filipinos come from various Austronesian peoples, all typically speaking Filipino language, Filipino, Philippine English, English, or other Philippine language ...
. Like anywhere in Batangas, and some parts of nearby provinces, a
dialect A dialect is a Variety (linguistics), variety of language spoken by a particular group of people. This may include dominant and standard language, standardized varieties as well as Vernacular language, vernacular, unwritten, or non-standardize ...
of the Tagalog language called Batangan or Batangueño is the primary casual
vernacular Vernacular is the ordinary, informal, spoken language, spoken form of language, particularly when perceptual dialectology, perceived as having lower social status or less Prestige (sociolinguistics), prestige than standard language, which is mor ...
language.
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...
is used as the language of business and education. This is similar to
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...
, once widely spoken and also used as the primary
formal Formal, formality, informal or informality imply the complying with, or not complying with, some set of requirements ( forms, in Ancient Greek). They may refer to: Dress code and events * Formal wear, attire for formal events * Semi-formal atti ...
medium of instruction A medium of instruction (plural: media of instruction, or mediums of instruction) is a language used in teaching. It may or may not be the official language of the country or territory. If the first language of students is different from the offic ...
in schools during the colonial era.


Religion

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 ...
, Rosario has two parishes: the Our Lady of the Rosary Parish and Holy Family Parish run by
Oblates of Saint Joseph The Oblates of Saint Joseph (; abbreviated OSJ) is a Catholic religious institute founded on 14 March 1878 by St. Joseph Marello and dedicated to Saint Joseph. The institute has provinces or delegations in Italy, the Philippines, the United Stat ...
under the
Archdiocese of Lipa The Archdiocese of Lipa (; ; ) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines comprising the civil province of Batangas. Its cathedral is the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Sebastian located i ...
. Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Aglipayan Church), on January 19, 1909 the first Aglipayan mass in Rosario was celebrated by
Bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
Gregorio Aglipay Gregorio Aglipay Cruz y Labayán (; Filipino language, Filipino: ''Gregorio Labayan Aglipay Cruz''; pronounced ; May 5, 1860 – September 1, 1940) was a Filipino former Roman Catholic (term), Roman Catholic Priesthood (Catholic Church), priest ...
himself.
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 ...
, with locales in ''barangays'': Alupay, Bagong Pook Sitio Cupi, Bulihan, Colongan, Mabato, Malaya, Mayuro, Namunga, San Carlos, San Isidro, and San Roque. Victory Rosario, the 126th Victory Church in the Philippines and 7th in the Province of Batangas located in Poblacion A. Other
Christian denomination A Christian denomination is a distinct Religion, religious body within Christianity that comprises all Church (congregation), church congregations of the same kind, identifiable by traits such as a name, particular history, organization, leadersh ...
s include: Jesus the Anointed One, Jesus Miracle Crusade International Ministry, Jesus is Alive, Grace of Almighty God Community, Saved by Grace Ministries,
United Church of Christ in the Philippines The United Church of Christ in the Philippines ( Tagalog: ''Ang Nagkaisang Iglesia ni Cristo sa Pilipinas''; Ilokano: ''Nagkaykaysa nga Iglesia Ni Cristo iti Filipinas'') is a mainline Protestant denomination in the Philippines. Established i ...
,
Seventh-day Adventist Church The Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) 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 Sa ...
,
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 ...
,
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...
, Lutheran Church in the Philippines,
Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association The Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association, Inc. (PBMA) is a non-sectarian and non-profit charitable religious fraternal organization for men and women in the Philippines founded by Ruben Edera Ecleo Sr. (December 9, 1934 – December 2 ...
,
Baptists Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
, and
Iglesia Evangelica Metodista en las Islas Filipinas The Evangelical Methodist Church in the Philippine Islands (, IEMELIF) is a Methodist Christian denomination. Founded on 28 February 1909 by Bishop Nicolás Zamora, it is recognised in the Philippines as the first indigenous Evangelical Protestant ...
. 6% of the population consists of other religious affiliations including
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
while the rest are all Roman Catholics.


Indigenous people

After the
1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines' Luzon Volcanic Arc was the second-largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century, behind only the 1912 eruption of Novarupta in Alaska. Eruptive activity began on April 2 as a series of p ...
, an
Aeta Aeta (Ayta ), Agta and Dumagat, are collective terms for several indigenous peoples who live in various parts of Luzon islands in the Philippines. They are included in the wider Negrito grouping of the Philippines and the rest of Southeast A ...
Tribal Community has been inhabiting in Barangay Puting Kahoy.


Economy


Agriculture

Rice is the major agricultural crop, naming Rosario the "Rice Granary of Batangas". Other crops include corn, coconut, mango, banana, and other fruits and vegetables. A significant number of households in Rosario actively participate in small-scale agricultural enterprises. These ventures encompass various activities, including backyard operations focused on livestock. Alongside these individual efforts, commercial livestock farms also play a role in the agricultural landscape of Rosario.


Commerce

Due to strategic location, and the separation of Lipa City to become a lone congressional district, Rosario has since become a center of commerce in 4th district of Batangas. Rosario hosts some supermarket chains which compete with local mini-marts. High-end home improvement suppliers such as the Maquiling Builders Depot in Barangay Namunga and CitiHardware in Barangay San Jose are rising within the municipality. Fast food restaurants mostly prefer Rosario for their first store within the 4th district along with Seattle's Best's very first drive thru in the Philippines, found in Barangay Namunga.


Industries

Industrial establishments in the municipality are mostly agri-based, while the Puyat Steel Corporation is an
ISO 9002 The ISO 9000 family is a set of international standards for quality management systems. It was developed in March 1987 by International Organization for Standardization. The goal of these standards is to help organizations ensure that they meet ...
-certified galvanizing plant manufacturing world-class iron sheets. International Pipe Industries Corporation, also an ISO-certified, manufactures high quality spiral welded steel pipes and fittings with one of its facilities located in Barangay Masaya.


Education

Padre Vicente Garcia Memorial Academy, also known as The Academy or by its acronym PVGMA, is a private, non-sectarian institution offering
basic education According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED), basic education comprises the two stages primary education and secondary education, lower secondary education. Universal basic education Basic education featured heavi ...
from junior high school to senior high school. It is the first and oldest high school in Rosario established in 1946. Saint Joseph College is a Catholic institution offering both basic and
higher education Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...
founded in 1956. The Leon Manigbas Elementary School (LMES) is a government primary school located in San Jose, Rosario, Batangas, Philippines. The "school code" is 107578. As of 2020, the principal is Ella Castillo, and the school colors are Blue and Yellow. Leon Manigbas Elementary School was established in 1993 and has existed for 27 years as of 2020.
The Sto. Niño Formation and Science School
also known as SNFSS is a private educational institution located in Rosario, Batangas. Established in 1984, the school offers programs from Kindergarten and Elementary to Junior and Senior High School. It also provides Night Classes for Junior and Senior High School students and operates an Open High School Program exclusively for high school learners. These initiatives aim to support underprivileged students and those requiring flexible educational opportunities.
Batangas State University Batangas State University, The National Engineering University (; BatStateU The NEU) is a State university and college (Philippines), state university in the province of Batangas, Philippines. Established in 1903 as a training school, Batangas S ...
Jose B. Zuño Campus is an extension campus of the Batangas State University or BSU in Rosario located in Barangay Namunga. Housed within the campus are the College of Teacher Education, College of Industrial Technology, and College of Accountancy, Business, Economics and International Hospitality Management.


Government


Elected officials

The current set of municipal officials were elected during the 2022 General Elections; their term is set to expire in 2025.


Judiciary

Rosario has a regional trial court (RTC) Branch 87 recognized by the
Supreme Court of the Philippines The Supreme Court (; colloquially referred to as the ' (also used in formal writing), is the highest court in the Philippines. It was established by the Taft Commission on June 11, 1901, through the enactment of Act No. 136, which abolished th ...
. Creation of four additional RTC branches was approved by the Senate Committee and forwarded to the
plenary Plenary is an adjective related to the noun plenum carrying a general connotation of fullness. Plenary may also refer to: *Plenary session or meeting, the part of a conference when all members of all parties are in attendance **Plenary speaker, ...
.


Social Welfare

Regional Haven for Women and Girls of DSWD Region IV-A is in Rosario.


Transportation


Road networks

N435 is a
national secondary road A national secondary road () is a category of road in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. These roads form an important part of the national route network but are secondary to the main arterial routes which are classified as national primary roads. Nat ...
that passes the town proper. The Lipa-Rosario Road segment of N435 northward gives access to municipality of Padre Garcia, Lipa City, and
Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila ( ), commonly shortened to Metro Manila and formally the National Capital Region (NCR; ), is the capital region and largest List of metropolitan areas in the Philippines, metropolitan area of the Philippines. Located ...
; while the Rosario-Ibaan Road segment of N435 westward gives access to municipality of
Ibaan Ibaan, officially the Municipality of Ibaan (), is a municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 58,507 people. Temperature is ...
,
Batangas City Batangas, sometimes called Batangas City and officially called the City of Batangas (), is a 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 ...
, and also Metro Manila via STAR Tollway. Intersecting eastward is Gualberto Avenue that gives access to the municipality of San Juan,
Lucena City Lucena (, American Spanish: , European Spanish: ), officially known as the City of Lucena (), is a highly urbanized city situated in the Calabarzon region (Region IV-A) of the Philippines. The city is the largest urban center and capital of Q ...
, and all the way to
Bicol Region The Bicol Region, designated as Region V, is an administrative region of the Philippines. It comprises six Provinces of the Philippines, provinces, four on the Bicol Peninsula (the luzon#Southeastern Luzon, southeastern end of Luzon): Albay, Ca ...
. Referred to as ''kalye mayor'', it is the main thoroughfare within the ''poblacion'' and part of N422. Completing the intersection southward is G. Carandang Street giving access to the municipalities of Taysan and Lobo.


Public transport

There are
jeepney A jeepney (), or simply a jeep (), is a type of Public transport, public utility vehicle (PUV) that serves as the most popular means of Transportation in the Philippines, public transportation in the Philippines. Known for its crowded seating ...
s bound for Batangas City and Lipa City on a regular basis. Jeepneys not from a terminal plying from Lipa City to San Juan, Batangas also pass by Rosario via the Gualberto Avenue. Buses from Batangas City to Lucena and buses from San Juan, Batangas to
Ayala Malls Manila Bay Ayala Malls Manila Bay (formerly Ayala Malls Bay Area) is a large shopping mall in Metro Manila, developed by Ayala Malls, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ayala Corporation. Opened on September 26, 2019, it is the first and only Ayala Mall in Para� ...
/LRT-Buendia/ PITX, and
Turbina ''Turbine'' () is a 1941 Czech historical drama film directed by Otakar Vávra and starring František Smolík, Lída Baarová and Vlasta Matulová. It is based on a novel by Karel Matěj Čapek-Chod. Synopsis The film takes place in the 1 ...
/ BGC/
Cubao Cubao may refer to: * Cubao, Quezon City, a district of Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines ** Araneta Center–Cubao station (LRT) on Line 2 ** Araneta Center–Cubao station (MRT) on Line 3 ** Cubao Cathedral The Immaculate Conceptio ...
also pass by Gualberto Avenue. Like many other towns and cities in the Philippines,
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 common means of transportation within the municipality. Modern jeepneys bound for SM Lipa Grand Terminal also exist.


Sea and Air

Since it is a landlocked municipality, there are no
seaport A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manc ...
s in Rosario. The nearest access through the sea is via the
Batangas International 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 region of the Philippines. The seaport covers an area of about 150 hectares. It wa ...
which is around 27 kilometers away. There are also no
airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial Aviation, air transport. They usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surf ...
s in Rosario. For
domestic Domestic may refer to: In the home * Anything relating to the human home or family ** A domestic animal, one that has undergone domestication ** A domestic appliance, or home appliance ** A domestic partnership ** Domestic science, sometimes cal ...
and
international flight An international flight is a form of commercial flight within civil aviation where the Takeoff, departure and the arrival take place in different Country, countries. Regular international passenger air service began in August 1919 with a flight ...
s, people need to go to
Ninoy Aquino International Airport Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA ; ; ), also known as Manila International Airport (MIA), is the main international airport serving Metro Manila in the Philippines. Located between the cities of Pasay and Parañaque, about south of ...
which is around 99 kilometers away.


Utilities


Electricity

BATELEC II (Batangas II Electric Cooperative, Inc.) provides electric power to the locality. The Rosario branch is home to Batelec II Area II, which has jurisdiction over the towns of San Juan, Lobo, Taysan, and Padre Garcia.


Water

The Rosario Water District is a local government entity responsible for supplying and distributing water within the municipality. PrimeWater, a private water service provider, partners with local water districts like Rosario to enhance water services through a public-private partnership model. In this partnership, the water district retains ultimate authority over water supply regulations and community needs, while PrimeWater operates according to the district's guidelines and standards.


Telecommunications

Originally, Digitel was the sole telecommunications provider in Rosario until it was absorbed into
PLDT PLDT, Inc., formerly known as the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (), is a Philippine telecommunications, internet and digital service company. PLDT is one of the Philippine's major telecommunications providers, along with Globe Te ...
. Currently, Rosario is served by
Globe A globe is a spherical Earth, spherical Model#Physical model, model of Earth, of some other astronomical object, celestial body, or of the celestial sphere. Globes serve purposes similar to maps, but, unlike maps, they do not distort the surface ...
and PLDT.


Culture


Cuisine

''
Sinukmani ''Biko'', also spelled ''bico'', is a sweet rice cake from the Philippines. It is made of coconut milk, brown sugar, and sticky rice. It is usually topped with ''latik'' (either or both the coconut curds or the syrupy caramel-like variant). It ...
'' aptly represents the town as its main ingredients: rice, coconut, and sugar are also the main products of Rosario; which is why Sinukmani Festival is celebrated annually during the founding anniversary of the municipality. ''
Kalamay ''Kalamay'' (also spelled ''calamay'', literally "sugar") is a sticky sweet delicacy that is popular in many regions of the Philippines. It is made of coconut milk, brown sugar, and ground glutinous rice. It can also be flavored with margarine, ...
'' is not just a popular snack in Rosario but also a vital part of traditional Batangas wedding or ''baysanan'' along with ''suman''. ''Kalamay'' is usually offered on the latter part of ''baysanan'' called ''dapit''. The sticky rice cake symbolizes strong attachment of the couple to each other and to each other's family. ''Suman'' on the other hand is given during the ''sabugan,'' a part of ''baysanan'' within the wedding reception. The ''ninongs'' and ''ninangs'' or the principal sponsors and even some relatives and friends are called to give cash gifts or ''sabog''. In exchange'','' they receive ''suman'' in a manner that it is seemingly being sold to them''.'' Principal sponsors get to receive a basket of goodies with the ''suman'' in it plus primal cuts of meat collectively called ''sabit''. Like any other town in Batangas, other famous delicacies in Rosario includes: * ''
Lomi Lomi or pancit Lor mee, lomi (Hokkien ) is a Culture of the Philippines, Filipino dish made with a variety of thick fresh egg noodles of about a quarter of an inch in diameter, soaked in lye water to give it more texture. Because of its popula ...
'', a Filipino noodle dish originated in the nearby city of Lipa. Authentic Batangas ''lomi'' uses
cassava ''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava, manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America, from Brazil, Paraguay and parts of the Andes. Although ...
starch giving it a thick, glossy, and slimy soup different from other lomi that uses cornstarch. Original Batangas ''lomi'' is only topped with '' kikiam'', meatballs, and pork liver. You could be creative by including boiled eggs (can be chicken or quail), '' chicharon'' and other fried meat but strictly no vegetables unlike the variety of ''lomi'' proliferating outside of Batangas * ''Goto'', in other areas of the Philippines, it is a rice porridge. Gotong Batangas on the other hand is a thin soup dish with beef tripes and other innards. It is accompanied by a mixture of fish sauce, ''
calamansi Calamansi (''Citrus'' × ''microcarpa''), also known as calamondin, Philippine lime, or Philippine lemon, is a citrus hybrid cultivated predominantly in the Philippines. It is native to the Philippines, parts of Indonesia (Borneo, Sumatra, and ...
'', chopped onions, and chili as condiments and could be served with rice separately * ''
Kaldereta Kaldereta or caldereta is a goat meat stew from the 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 cons ...
ng kambing'', a goat stew dish which is a specialty due to the abundance of goats in Rosario and nearby municipalities. '' Papaitan'' and ''champeni'' are also popular dishes in the area which are cooked using the innards of the same goat that was prepared for kaldereta * ''Pupor'', a kind of ''chicharon'' in Batangas fried in its own pork fat similar to the ''pitichan'' of
Pampanga Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga (; ; ), is a province in Central Luzon in the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac to the north, Nueva Ecija to the northeast, Bulacan to the east, ...
, ''pinakupsan'' of the
Visayas The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands (Bisayan languages, Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; Filipino language, Filipino: ''Kabisayaan'' ), are one of the three Island groups of the Philippines, principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, a ...
or ''tulapo'' particularly in
Iloilo Iloilo ( ; ), officially the Province of Iloilo (; ; ; ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital and largest city is Iloilo City, the regional center of Western Visayas and politically independen ...
* '' Tulingan'', though Rosario is a landlocked municipality, Batangas mostly consists of coastal towns like the nearby San Juan and Lobo where they can have access to this fish, popularly braised to perfection. A common practice is frying the braised fish the next day if there are any leftovers making it more flavorful then what's left with the fried fish can be cooked in coconut milk for another day.
Batangueño 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 ...
s are jokingly said to be venting anger on the ''tulingan'' because of this. * ''Buchi-buchi'', deep fried sweetened cassava known as ''balinghoy''. In Batangas, it is coated in orange wrapper which at first looks like another snack in the Philippines called ''
kwek-kwek ''Tokneneng'' (or ''tukneneng'') is a tempura-like Filipino street food made by deep-frying hard-boiled chicken or duck eggs covered in orange batter. A popular variation of ''tokneneng'' is ''kwek kwek''. ''Kwek-kwek'' is traditionally ma ...
'' if you are not familiar with the food. It is also different from '' buchi'' made from glutinous rice and coated with sesame seeds. * '' Panutsa'', Batangas version of a sweet delicacy made by crystallizing brown sugar mixed with peanuts. Outside Batangas, the term is referred to the ''
muscovado Muscovado is a type of partially refined to unrefined sugar with a strong molasses content and flavour, and dark brown in colour. It is technically considered either a non-centrifugal cane sugar or a centrifuged, partially refined sugar accord ...
'' variant; but in Batangas, that variant is called ''
sangkaka Panela () or rapadura (Portuguese pronunciation: ) is an unrefined whole cane sugar, typical of Latin America. It is a solid form of sucrose derived from the boiling and evaporation of sugarcane juice. Panela is known by other names in Lati ...
''. * ''
Kapeng barako ''Kapeng barako'' (), also known as Barako coffee or Batangas coffee, is a coffee varietal grown in the Philippines, particularly in the provinces of Batangas and Cavite. It belongs to the species ''Coffea liberica.'' The term is also used to ...
'', a type of coffee grown mainly in Batangas. It is associated with
machismo Machismo (; ; ; ) is the sense of being " manly" and self-reliant, a concept associated with "a strong sense of masculine pride: an exaggerated masculinity". Machismo is a term originating in the early 1940s and 1950s and its use more wi ...
due to its high caffeine content and strong flavor thus calling it ''barako'' which means "
stud Stud may refer to: Animals * Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding ** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred Arts and entertainment * Stud (band), a British progressive rock group * The Stud (bar), a gay bar in San Francisco * ...
". In line with this, the ''barako'' coffee is one of the symbols of bravery in Batangas along with the '' balisong'', and the Batangueños themselves.


Penitensyahan

Traditions observed during Holy Week in Rosario include pilgrimage to the Grotto and the ascent to Tombol Hill.
Good Friday Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday, or Friday of the Passion of the Lord, is a solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary (Golgotha). It is observed during ...
starts early in the morning with ''Penitensyahan'', a notable procession in Rosario which includes ''higantes''. A more traditional long procession is held at night that features images of Jesus, Mama Mary, and various saints. On
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 ...
, ''Salubong'' and ''Pagbati'' is performed in front of the parish church. ''Pagbati in Rosario'' is traditionally composed of three young ladies dancing to the tune of a local brass band. They are dressed in white on the actual Easter Sunday dance early in the morning, and clad in a more colorful dress on the Black Saturday rehearsal dance held in the evening. It is accompanied by waving a flag with grace, making sure it would not fall or roll up.


Tourism

Rosario is a landlocked municipality setting itself apart from its coastal neighbors renowned for their picturesque beaches. Despite its lack of coastal attractions and historical sites—stemming from the town's multiple relocations throughout its storied past—Rosario boasts a rich heritage as one of the oldest towns in Batangas. Founded on resilience and adaptability, Rosario invites visitors to explore its unique narrative, transcending the conventional tourist destinations associated with coastal towns. While the town may not showcase traditional heritage sites due to its historical relocations, it compensates with an array of lesser-known yet equally captivating tourist spots.


Tombol Hill

At the foot of the hill is a grotto and on top of it is a statue of Risen Christ.


Other attractions

* Naambon Falls *
Batangas Racing Circuit Batangas Racing Circuit is a permanent circuit in Barrio Maligaya, Rosario, Batangas, Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in t ...
* Sunchamp Agri-Tourism Park * Villa Crisanta Garden Resort and Pavilion * Balai Ising Garden Resort * Tan Ville Garden Resort


Notable personalities

* Jovencito Zuño, Chief State Prosecutor *
Angelina Tan Angelina "Helen" de Luna Tan, (born October 1, 1971) is a Filipina physician and politician who serves as governor of Quezon since 2022. She is the first woman to hold the office. Previously from 2013 to 2022, she served as a three-term represe ...
, incumbent Governor of Quezon Province *
Oscar Gozos Oscar Gozos (born September 12, 1950) is a Filipino politician who last served as Mayor of Lipa City, Batangas from 2007 to 2010. Education He was salutatorian when he finished his elementary in Our Lady of Rosary Academy in Lipa City, Batanga ...
, Lipa City Mayor from 2007-2010 *
Ryan Agoncillo Kristoffer Lou "Ryan" Gonzales Agoncillo (; born April 10, 1979) is a Filipino actor, model, host, musician, and photographer. Career Modelling and hosting Agoncillo started as a model at the age of 15, beginning as one of the early Penshoppe's ...
, actor, model, host, musician, and photographer. His roots trace back to the Agoncillos in Rosario *
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 Lasin Baldivino was born on Oc ...
, Pilipinas Got Talent Season 1 winner , Born: October 16, 1993, Rosario, Philippines Died: December 9, 2022 (age 29 years), Batangas, Philippines * Jose Romulo,
Premiere A premiere, also spelled première, (from , ) is the debut (first public presentation) of a work, i.e. play, film, dance, musical composition, or even a performer in that work. History Raymond F. Betts attributes the introduction of the ...
actor born Romulo Alib Zuño in Rosario and was a former police officer of the town * Fr. Vicente Garcia, Filipino priest during the Spanish colonial period and defender of Dr. Jose Rizal. Technically, he was from Rosario, specifically from one of its ''
barrio ''Barrio'' () is a Spanish language, Spanish word that means "Quarter (urban subdivision), quarter" or "neighborhood". In the modern Spanish language, it is generally defined as each area of a city delimited by functional (e.g. residential, comm ...
s'' at the time, Maugat, which is now part of the municipality of Padre Garcia, named after him *
Gaspar Aquino de Belen Gaspar is a given name, given and/or surname of French, German, Portuguese language, Portuguese, and Spanish language, Spanish origin, cognate to Casper (given name) or Casper (surname). It is a name of christian origin, per Saint Gaspar, one of ...
, poet and translator who wrote the first ''
pasyon The ''Pasyón'' () is a Philippine epic narrative of the life of Jesus Christ, focused on his Passion, Death, and Resurrection. In stanzas of five lines of eight syllables each, the standard elements of epic poetry are interwoven with a colourfu ...
'' in Tagalog


Sister cities

*
Iloilo City Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo (; ; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Western Visayas Regions of the Philippines, region of the Philippines, located on the southeastern coast of th ...
,
Iloilo Iloilo ( ; ), officially the Province of Iloilo (; ; ; ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital and largest city is Iloilo City, the regional center of Western Visayas and politically independen ...


References


External links

*
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 ...
{{Authority control Municipalities of Batangas