Borongan, is a component city and the provincial capital of the province of Eastern Samar, Philippines. Its cityhood was settled by the Supreme Court of the Philippines when it decided with finality on April 12, 2007 the constitutionality of its city charter, Republic Act 9394, which conferred upon and elevated the status of the municipality of Borongan into a component city of the province of Eastern Samar.
Geography
The City of Borongan is located along the middle coastal part of the province of Eastern Samar. The city center itself is situated along the northern banks of the Lo-om River and is set back a little distance away from the shoreline of Borongan Bay. The province itself comprises a part of the Eastern Visayas region (Region VIII) of the Republic of the Philippines.
The city is bounded on the north by the municipality of San Julian, in the south by the municipality of Maydolong, in the west by the Samar municipalities of Hinabangan, Calbiga, Pinabacdao and Basey, and in the east by the Pacific Ocean.
The city's territory includes the islands of Ando, Monbon, and Divinubo in Borongan Bay.
History
Its development into a town, and eventually into a city, is traced back to the early 1600 out of the scattered hamlets located on the banks of the adjacent Guiborongani (Borongan or Sabang) River and Lo-om River. Guiborongani was the larger settlement and was later on called Borongan because of the heavy fog that usually covered the place. The name Borongan was taken from the local word "borong", which in the Waray-Waray language means "fog". The people inhabiting the eastern coast of Samar were originally called "Ibabao" during the pre-Spanish period.According to Meranau, Borongan is a common name of green Banana,located in the surrounding of Lake Lanao.
As early as 1595, or 74 years after Ferdinand Magellan's landing in Homonhon (now an island barangay of Guiuan, Eastern Samar) Spanish Jesuit missionary priests from mission centers in Leyte began to evangelize the southern portion of the island of Samar. The first evangelical mission was established in Tinago, Western Samar and gradually expanded to Catubig. In 1614 Palapag was selected as the mission center of the Ibabao region or the north-eastern coast of the island; from this mission center in turn was the eastern coast of Samar subsequently evangelized. The missionaries proselytized to the inhabitants in the faith, raised stone churches, and protected the people from the Muslim predatory/piratical raids from the south. This is probably the reason why the town itself was established some distance away from the shoreline and built on a hill overlooking the northern banks of the Lo-om River. In fact, the old Catholic church convent has its own self-contained water supply: a deep dugout well lined with big blocks of ancient hewn stones located underneath the convent building itself. The major settlements then were Borongan, Bacod/Jubasan/Paric (now Dolores), Tubig (Taft), Sulat, Libas/Nonoc (now San Julian), Butag (now Guiuan) and Balangiga.
The development of Borongan was greatly influenced by the religious missions of the Jesuits during the period 1604–1768, and the Franciscans from 1768 to 1868. Borongan was established as a pueblo on September 8, 1619. On this date, the Commandancia and the Very Reverend Father Superior of the Jesuits from Palapag, a town of Northern Samar, went to Ibabao to install the first priest of Borongan, Fr. Manuel Martinez, who served up to 1627.
At the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution in 1898, Borongan was the site of an uprising led by the Pulahanes. The first public municipal officials were Sr. Magno Abenis, President, and Sr. Andres Hipe, Vice-President, who held office from 1899 to 1903. After the Japanese occupation in 1941-1945, the town was henceforth led by a mayor and a vice-mayor. Hilarion Basada and Ignacio Brozas were the first mayor and vice-mayor, respectively, from 1945 to 1947.
Borongan was legally constituted as a capital town when Eastern Samar was created as a separate province under Republic Act No. 4221 which was enacted on June 19, 1965. Its first municipal mayor as the capital town of Eastern Samar was Luis Capito.
On June 21, 2007, Borongan became the first city in Eastern Samar. However, it subsequently lost its cityhood, along with 15 other cities, after the Supreme Court of the Philippines granted a petition filed by the League of Cities of the Philippines, and declared the cityhood law (RA 9394) which granted the town its city status, unconstitutional. The said 16 cities, the court ruled, did not meet the requirements for cityhood.
On December 10, 2008, Borongan and the other 15 cities affected by the Supreme Court declaration filed a motion for reconsideration of its decision. More than a year later, on December 22, 2009, acting on said appeal, the Court reversed its earlier ruling as it ruled that "at the end of the day, the passage of the amendatory law (regarding the criteria for cityhood as set by Congress) is no different from the enactment of a law, i.e., the cityhood laws specifically exempting a particular political subdivision from the criteria earlier mentioned. Congress, in enacting the exempting law/s, effectively decreased the already codified indicators. As a consequence, the cityhood status of Borongan was effectively restored.
But on August 24, 2010, in a 16-page resolution, the Supreme Court reinstated its November 18, 2008 decision striking down the Cityhood Laws reverting Borongan into a municipality once again.
In a subsequent development, however, the Supreme Court in its en banc decision dated February 15, 2011, reverted to its December 22, 2009 ruling, declaring the aforesaid Cityhood Laws as constitutional and restoring thereby the cityhood status of Borongan resolving that "To justify a court in pronouncing a legislative act unconstitutional, or a provision of a state constitution to be in contravention of the Constitution x x x, the case must be so clear to be free from doubt, and the conflict of the statute with the constitution must be irreconcilable, because it is but a decent respect to the wisdom, the integrity, and the patriotism of the legislative body by which any law is passed to presume in favor of its validity until the contrary is shown beyond reasonable doubt. Therefore, in no doubtful case will the judiciary pronounce a legislative act to be contrary to the constitution. To doubt the constitutionality of a law is to resolve the doubt in favor of its validity."
In the latest iteration of the so-called Cityhood Cases with which it had become popularly known and of which Borongan City was one of the principal respondents, the Supreme Court of the Philippines in its en banc ruling dated April 12, 2011 promulgated during one of its summer sessions in Baguio City resolved that: “We should not ever lose sight of the fact that the 16 cities covered by the Cityhood Laws not only had conversion bills pending during the 11th Congress, but have also complied with the requirements of the LGC prescribed prior to its amendment by R.A. No. 9009. Congress undeniably gave these cities all the considerations that justice and fair play demanded. Hence, this Court should do no less by stamping its imprimatur to the clear and unmistakable legislative intent and by duly recognizing the certain collective wisdom of Congress. WHEREFORE, the Ad Cautelam Motion for Reconsideration (of the Decision dated 15 February 2011) is denied with finality. SO ORDERED.” affirming with finality the cityhood status of Borongan.
Population
According to the 2007 census conducted by the CBMS, Borongan had a total population of 59,354 people in 10,699 households. This rose to 64,457 people in the 2010 census.
The common language is Waray-Waray, and a huge majority are also literate in both English and Filipino. Boronganons are predominantly Roman Catholic, but it also has other small Christian as well as minority religious sects.
Livelyhood
Borongan's main product is copra. It has lively commercial activity throughout the year not only catering to the needs of the local city populace but serving as well as the central business hub of the entire province of Eastern Samar. Many families rely on coastal and deep-sea fishing as well as lowland and upland farming as means of livelihood. Others have spouses, children, parents or other relatives working in Manila or in other places within the Philippines or abroad either as professionals, contract workers or domestic helpers who regularly remit part of their earnings to their families back home. The single biggest employer of its local populace is the government.
Commercial activity
Borongan City has a wet market located a little upstream and beside the northern bank of the Lo-om River in the Puray district of Brgy. H (Tarusan) selling the usual foodstuffs like rice & corn grains, dried & fresh fish (either caught locally or brought in frozen from Catbalogan City or Guiuan as well as other nearby towns), pork, beef, chicken, carabeef, preserved meats, vegetables, fruits, condiments & spices, rootcrops, native cakes and the like. The place also sells locally-made and beautiful native basketware. It also has the largest and the only shopping mall in Eastern Samar. It opened in 2005 for business operations and is located along the national highway in Brgy. Songco at the northern fringe of the city. Appliance stores, mini-groceries and 'sari-sari' stores also abound throughout the length and breadth of the city selling items ranging from basic necessities to supplies for recreational and entertainment activities. Several hardware stores also operate catering to the needs of the city's construction industry. The city has numerous restaurants and eateries offering local cuisine randomly located throughout the city limits while nightspots can be found mostly along the length of Baybay Blvd. at the eastern edge of the city immediately abutting the shoreline of Borongan Bay. Major and new oil companies have their own oil refueling stations within the city limits selling engine lubricants, kerosene as well as regular, unleaded and premium gasoline and diesel fuels.
Transportation
The City of Borongan can be reached from Manila or Tacloban primarily by means of land or sea transport. The Borongan Airport is already minimally serviceable.
The Port of Borongan is classified as a national port and can accommodate medium-draft sea vessels, linking the town with the other coastal and riverine towns of the province as well as major coastal cities of Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas and Bicol regions. Access to and from the outlying inhabited offshore islands of Borongan Bay is either through motorized as well as sail- or oar-driven outrigger bancas.
Bus transport, airconditioned and ordinary, is the dominant means of public land conveyance to Borongan City from Manila (and vice versa) passing overland through the Pan-Philippine Highway (Maharlika Highway) through southern Luzon, a short roll on, roll off 1-hour boat ride across the San Bernardino Strait from Matnog, Sorsogon to Allen, Northern Samar, then southwards to Catbalogan City, Western Samar, east across the mountainous and forested geographical spine of the island, then southwards again from the town of Taft until finally entry into the city on the eastern coast of Samar. There are also ordinary mini-buses and air-conditioned shuttle vans from Tacloban City going to Borongan City (and vice versa). Another route from Tacloban City is through the Pan-Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway on a west-to-east-to-north course that traverses the southern coastal fringe of the island of Samar crossing the San Juanico Bridge from Tacloban City turning right at the junction southwards to Basey and then Marabut, Samar then eastward across the provincial boundary to Lawa-an in Eastern Samar passing by the famous municipality of Balangiga, turning left at the junction past Quinapondan town northward to the municipality of Gen. MacArthur and onwards to Borongan City itself. The main forms of public mass transport in and around the city are motorized tricycles, motorcycles, passenger jeepneys, multicabs and bicycles. There is no taxicab service available within the city.
Communication
Landline telephone, cellular phone as well as internet (both landline and wireless) connections are available within the city limits and up to a certain limited distance from the city proper. Cable television is also available to city subscribers as well as to inhabitants up to a certain limited distance from the city proper. The city has a government-run FM radio station although it operates only on limited broadcast time at certain hours of the day.
Electric power
Main electric power supply to the city is through an interconnection with the Leyte electric power grid that comes from the electricity generated by the Tongonan geothermal power plant located in the adjacent island of Leyte. The distribution of the power supply within the city and the entire province of Eastern Samar is operated and managed by the local electric cooperative.
Education
Borongan City has many elementary schools, high schools, colleges and a lone university. It has the highest literacy rate among the municipalities in the whole province of Eastern Samar.
Bayawan, officially the City of Bayawan , is a first class component city in the 3rd Congressional District of the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. At the 2010 census, it had a population of 114,074 people.
Bayawan is located about 100 kilometres (62 mi) from the provincial capital Dumaguete City and near the provincial border with Negros Occidental. It is a coastal city with a land area of 69,908 hectares (172,750 acres), the largest in the province. Mabinay bounds it to the north, Tanjay City and Bais City to the east, Sta. Catalina to the southeast and Basay to the west and it also shares a boundary with Kabankalan City of Negros Occidental on the northwest.
Bayawan used to be known as New Tolong, and only had its modern name starting 1952.
Bayawan City has two distinct climate seasons: the dry season, well pronounced in the months of January to May; and the wet season, in the months of June to December.
Bayawan became a chartered city in December 2000. It boasts its distinction as a "Character City" (International Association of Character Cities) and a pioneer "Healthy City" (DOH certified) in the Philippines. Recently, the Asian Institute of Management recognized the city as "one of the Top 10 Best Cities to Live In in the Philippines (Small Cities Category)" under its Competitive Cities Survey 2007.
History
It was in 1751 when the Spanish friars first established their settlement. 116 years later, Tolong Nuevo (Bayawan’s former name) had existed as early as 1868 as part of Tolong Viejo (now the Municipality of Sta. Catalina). It was not until 1872 when she was formally organized as a pueblo.
In 1953, the name Tolong Nuevo was changed to Bayawan, by virtue of Republic Act 694 as approved by the 3rd congress of the Philippines, consigning the name “Tolong” into obscurity and deep oblivion soon slowly to be forgotten by the succeeding generations.
Bayawan, after meeting all of its requirements for its cityhood, became a city in December 23, 2000 via plebiscite that was set by the COMELEC.
Geography
Bayawan City has a land area of 699.08 km², one of the largest in the Visayas. This accounts for 13% of the province's land area. Mabinay bounds it to the north, Santa Catalina to the east, Tanjay City to the southeast, Basay to the west, and it also shares a boundary with Kabankalan City of Negros Occidental on the northwest. The coastline is 15 km west to east, with 7 coastal barangays.
Bayawan City is subdivided into three development zones:
The urban area constitutes only 2.3% (15.73 km²) of the city's total area and contains the main institutional, commercial and central business district of the city. It functions as the main economic hub, while economic growth nodes are established in strategically located barangays in the hinterlands.
The sub-urban area is about 14.7% (102.6 km²) of the total area and is set to contain the agro-industrial zones, industrial zones and human settlements. The existing industrial activity (lime plant), the establishment of saw mills, and the identified industrial zones in the area show the natural pattern of development. Residential zones are considered in the sub-urban area to provide settlements for the people in the commercial center and in the industrial zones.
The rural area accounts for 83.1% of the total land area and is basically agricultural. However, some barangays are identified to contain a high level of commerce, trade and agro-processing industry being the economic growth nodes of the city. These growth nodes are singled out due to their strategic geographic location while other rural barangays are mainly agricultural production areas.
Economy
Bayawan is more of the rural setting than urbanized with only 2.25% of its total land area as urban area. The city is basically agricultural and its economy sits on an agricultural platform. Revenues from land farming, livestock production, aqua-culture activities and marine fishing are a major income contribution of the City. In 2000, the assessment of City Agriculture Office (CAO) indicated that agricultural production was valued at Php 2.3 Billion; 91.4% of which came from crop production, 7.9% from livestock production, and 0.7% from fisheries.
On a general scale, the City is not yet self-sufficient since its local revenue is only 12% of the total revenue and 88% comes from its Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) (Year 2000 Data).
The City however has several investment opportunities especially in the field of agro-industry and processing as well as in the processing of marine products. The vast agricultural resources and the LGU’s thrust on agricultural development opens avenues of investing in feed mills, palm oil mills, rice mills, corn mills, storage and other farming and post harvest facilities and equipment. Besides agri-industries, the trading and auction markets are already well established in the hinterland barangays especially in Dawis and Kalumboyan. Moreover, the fishery industry and aqua-culture also offers wide business opportunities especially in the establishment of the proposed fishing port.
Another window for investors is in the transportation system. With the opening of the Bayawan-Kabankalan Road Network, more transport facilities will be required. The City is already recognized as a transport hub in South Negros, and will be enhanced further with improvement of the road network. Along with this, various other business opportunities may just come out and be needed in the near future.
Current employment in the City is considered very poor since there are still very limited employment opportunities. Mostly, the people in the city are engaged in self-employment activities such as farming, fishing, trading or buying & selling activities. Resident professionals in the City are in abundance however they are most often forced to migrate seeking employment opportunities. The City of Bayawan however is expected to reduce if not reverse this trend. In the two-year period of City, investor’s influx has been noticeably positive. As investors come in, the employment status should improve.
Education
Bayawan City has three college schools, the Negros Oriental State University (formerly NONAS), Bayawan College and Southern Tech College. The high schools include the private school St. Augustine Academy and the public school Bayawan National High School. Bayawan City Science and Technology Education Center is a recently opened high school and elementary school for gifted students. Public elementary schools are also scattered to serve the barangays that are located in rural areas. Nursery education is provided by day-care centers located in each urban barangay.
Environment
Bayawan has one of the most barren mountains in the province. The Department of Environment & Natural Resources (DENR) have classified that 72.7% and 27.3% (198.05 km²) of the total land area of Bayawan as A&D (alienable and disposable) and as forestlands respectively. However, recent assessment of land use utilization shows that only 17.8% of the total land area is used as forestlands. From these, it can be deduced that a large portion of the land area supposedly classified as forestlands are cultivated and unsuitably used. This situation can be attributed to the improper settling and farming practices of the people in the hinterlands. There are uncontrolled and unmonitored conversions of classified forestlands through slash and burn practices, then cultivation by the people in all parts of the upland barangays. The more unfortunate part of the situation is that these lands have or in the process of application for land titles (ownership).
The haphazard conversion and cultivation of the forestlands and denudation of the forest cover have resulted to the perennial problem of flooding in both upland and lowland barangays during rainy season. Its adverse effects include the severe siltation of the three rivers in the city and loss of soil fertility in the hinterlands due to soil erosion and landslides. In addition, some springs has become intermittent (no water flowing during dry season) because of the destruction of their watersheds.
In terms of sanitary sewerage and solid waste disposal, only the urban barangays have established sewerage in the city, however, the system drains directly into the rivers or directly into the sea without wastewater treatment. Other households utilize backyard septic tanks for their wastewater disposal. Solid wastes are collected by the LGU in the urban barangays and dumped into an open dumpsite in Barangay Banga. In anticipation for more solid wastes in the future as development spins in the city, a new dumping site was acquired in Barangay Nangka.
Infrastructure
The main infrastructure of the city is concentrated in the city proper, although various dams for agricultural purposes have be constructed to improve irrigation in the farm lands. The connecting road to Kabankalan City is also nearing completion. The 2.5 kilometers long boulevard fronting the beachfront in the city proper is among the longest in the province, and has become a major local venue as well as a tourist attraction.
Batac is a city in the province of Ilocos Norte, Philippines. It is located in the northwest corner of Luzonisland, about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from the eastern shores of the South China Sea. The municipalities of Banna, Currimao, Paoay, Pinili, Sarrat, Marcos and San Nicolas form its boundaries. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 53,542.
Batac is known as the "Home of Great Leaders", as it is the hometown of many significant figures in the history of the Philippines. Among them is the former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos. It is also the birthplace of Gregorio Aglipay, the founder of the Philippine Independent Church, better known as the Aglipayan Church, and Gen. Artemio Ricarte, the "Father of the Philippine Army". Batac is well known for being the home of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), a high-degree-granting university that has several branches throughout the province.
History
Batac was founded by the Augustinians in 1587 under the patronage of the Immaculate Conception. It is the second oldest town established by the Augustinians in the province of Ilocos Norte. Hence, in 1987, Batac reached its 4th centennial.
Batac was officially organized into a ministry on January 5, 1586. The first priest assigned to cathecize the natives of tile community was Fr. Esteban Marin, an Augustinian who probably arrived in Batac in 1585. Paoay and Dinglas (Dingras) were then the visitas of Batac.
Folk history states that there were two villages in Batac during the early part of tile foundation of the town, one was an Itneg community which occupied sitio Nangalisan and a Christian community occupying San Jose.
The first site of tile poblacion was in San Jose, which is now called Barangay Palpalicong. It is said that the ethnic minority groups of Bangui and Nueva Era are the pre-Spanish descendants of early inhabitants of Batac.
The Augustinians considered the people of Batac more civilized than tile other tribes, because they were better than the other "Indios" in personal cleanliness.
Origin of the city
The word Batac, in a local dialect translates as "pull". More loosely, it refers to "the people's pulling their efforts together."
Batac has an interesting colloquial origin of its name. According to a legend, set in pre-settlement Batac, a man fell into a deep hole while he was digging for the root crop "camangeg". He struggled to get out but could not despite his best efforts. He cried for help but nobody was around. He waited for hours and had given up hope of being saved. Fortunately, two men from the neighboring town of Paoay happened to pass by. They heard the man shouting and traced it to where he was trapped. Upon seeing him, they heard the man said "Bataquennac! Bataquennac!" The two men did not understand until the man explained that he was saying, "Pull me up! Pull me up!" They did just that. When the two men reached their hometown, they told their story to their friends. Since then, the town has been called "Batac," which is derived from the word "bataquennac."
Cityhood
During the 11th Congress (1998–2001), Congress enacted into law 33 bills converting 33 municipalities into cities. However, Congress did not act on a further 24 bills converting 24 other municipalities into cities.
During the 12th Congress (2001–2004), Congress enacted into law Republic Act No. 9009 (RA 9009), which took effect on 30 June 2001. RA 9009 amended Section 450 of the Local Government Code by increasing the annual income requirement for conversion of a municipality into a city from ₱20 million to ₱100 million. The rationale for the amendment was to restrain, in the words of Senator Aquilino Pimentel, "the mad rush" of municipalities to convert into cities solely to secure a larger share in the Internal Revenue Allotment despite the fact that they are incapable of fiscal independence.
After the effectivity of RA 9009, the House of Representatives of the 12th Congress adopted Joint Resolution No. 29, which sought to exempt from the ₱100 million income requirement in RA 9009 the 24 municipalities whose cityhood bills were not approved in the 11th Congress. However, the 12th Congress ended without the Senate having approved Joint Resolution No. 29.
During the 13th Congress (2004–2007), the House of Representatives re-adopted former Joint Resolution No. 29 as Joint Resolution No. 1 and forwarded it to the Senate for approval. However, the Senate again failed to approve the Joint Resolution. Following the suggestion of Senator Aquilino Pimentel (Senate President), 16 municipalities filed, through their respective sponsors, individual cityhood bills.[4] The 16 cityhood bills each contained a common provision exempting it from the ₱100 million income requirement of RA 9009 –
"Exemption from Republic Act No. 9009. — The City of x x x shall be exempted from the income requirement prescribed under Republic Act No. 9009."
On 22 December 2006, the House of Representatives approved the cityhood bills. The Senate also approved the cityhood bills in February 2007, except that of Naga, Cebu which was passed on 7 June 2007. These cityhood bills lapsed into law on various dates from March to July 2007 after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo failed to sign them.
Republic Act 9407, the law that converted the Municipality of Batac into a component city in the Province of Ilocos Norte, to be known as Batac City, was overwhelmingly ratified by the people in a plebiscite conducted on June 23, 2007.The point of law at issue in 2007 was whether there had been a breach of Section 10, Article X of the 1987 Constitution, which provides –
No province, city, municipality, or barangay shall be created, divided, merged, abolished or its boundary substantially altered, except in accordance with the criteria established in the local government code and subject to approval by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite in the political units directly affected.
– and in each case the established criteria were far from met.
In November 2008, Batac lost its cityhood, along with 15 other cities,[4] after the Supreme Court of the Philippines granted a petition filed by the League of Cities of the Philippines, and declared unconstitutional the cityhood law (RA 9407) which had allowed the town to acquire its city status. The Supreme Court ruled that they did not pass the requirements for cityhood.
On 10 December 2008, the 16 cities affected acting together filed a motion for reconsideration with the Supreme Court. More than a year later, on 22 December 2009, acting on said appeal, the Court reversed its earlier ruling as it ruled that "at the end of the day, the passage of the amendatory law" (regarding the criteria for cityhood as set by Congress) "is no different from the enactment of a law, i.e., the cityhood laws specifically exempting a particular political subdivision from the criteria earlier mentioned. Congress, in enacting the exempting law/s, effectively decreased the already codified indicators. Accordingly cityhood status was restored.
But on 27 August 2010, the 16 cities lost their city status again, after the Supreme Court voted 7-6, with two justices not taking part, to reinstate the 2008 decision declaring as "unconstitutional" the Republic Acts that converted the 16 municipalities into cities. A previous law required towns aspiring to become cities to earn at least ₱100 million annually, which none of the 16 did.
On 15 February 2011, the Supreme Court made another volte-face and upheld for the third time the cityhood of 16 towns in the Philippines.
And on 12 April 2011, a Supreme Court en banc ruling delivered in Baguio City, promulgated and resolved that:
We should not ever lose sight of the fact that the 16 cities covered by the Cityhood Laws not only had conversion bills pending during the 11th Congress, but have also complied with the requirements of the LGC prescribed prior to its amendment by R.A. No. 9009. Congress undeniably gave these cities all the considerations that justice and fair play demanded. Hence, this Court should do no less by stamping its imprimatur to the clear and unmistakable legislative intent and by duly recognizing the certain collective wisdom of Congress. WHEREFORE, the Ad Cautelam Motion for Reconsideration (of the Decision dated 15 February 2011) is denied with finality.
So affirming the finality of the constitutionality of the 16 cityhood laws.
On 28 June 2011 the Supreme Court directed the Clerk of Court to issue forthwith the entry of judgment on the cityhood case of 16 municipalities. Sealing with "the finality of the resolution upholding the constitutionality of the 16 Cityhood Laws absolutely warrants the respondents' "Motion for Entry of Judgment", the SC ruled."
This entry of judgment ended the cityhood battle of the 16 cities in the Philippines.
NB The income classification limits have been revised more than once since RA9009.
Source: Income Classification for Provinces, Cities and Municipalities
Economy
The Batac City Public Market touted as one of the biggest in the region offers a wide array of goods - freshly picked local vegetables and fruits, handicrafts, tincrafts, pottery, native delicacies, chicharon, longganisa, wet market treats and many others. The Delicia Center, located adjacent to the City Public Market, contains RTW shops, banks, appliance stores, farm supplies, pharmacies, groceries, a lottery outlet and many more. The Delicia Center and the City Public Market form part of the commercial district of Batac City.
With the presence of the Central Bank of the Philippines Cash Unit in the Batac City Government Center, financial institutions continue to spawn - Philippine National Bank, RCBC, Metrobank, Land Bank, BPI, Bank of Commerce, BDO and other local banks. Proof that Batac City is offering a good business climate to investors.
The Plaza Maestro Complex, one of the most modern shopping centers in the province caters to the needs of the new generation, offering two of the country's top fast food chains (Jollibee and Chowking), several boutique shops, a drugstore and a photo shop, among others. A stone's throw away from the commercial complex are bakeshops and a local pizza house.
There are two 7 - Eleven branches in Batac. One is located at the centro and the other is located at the Batac crossing.
Education
Batac National High School (BNHS) is the most popular high school in the city. It has three campuses: Poblacion, Bungon and Payao.
The Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) is a comprehensive institution of higher learning in the Ilocos Region. MMSU's root anchored deep, its foundation is strong, and its beginnings all proven historical turning points as far back as the early 1900s.
The city has one Catholic School, The Immaculate Conception Academy. It was named after Immaculate Conception, the patron saint of the city. It is under the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS). It was founded in 1963. It is located beside the Immaculate Conception Parish.
Tourism
The Marcos Museum and Mausoleum lies in the heart of the city. The Mausoleum is where the glass-entombed, preserved corpse of Former President Ferdinand E. Marcos is found. The Museum holds the memorabilia of the late President, from his stint in the Armed Forces down to his presidency. Other notable sons of Batac include Gen. Artemio Ricarte, the Father of the Philippine Army and Msgr. Gregorio Aglipay, the founder of the Philippine Independent Church. Monuments and shrines of these heroes had been erected and named after them.
The Batac Riverside Empanadaan is a showcase of the most famous product of Batac and a hallmark of tourism promotion. A home of Batac's array of products, gift shops, food stalls offering mouth watering treats like empanada, miki, longganisa, pusit, barbecue and others. Declared by a feng shui practitioner as a very good location to do business in the area, now serves as a "mini pueblo" or a mini-mall where people converge, eat, dine, shop and while the time away.
When it comes to Empanada, Batac offers the best. With a distinct taste truly its own, it is made of a savory filling of grated green papaya, mongo, chopped Ilocano Sausage (longganisa) and egg. The dough that serves as its thin and crisp wrapper is made of rice flour. Batac Empanada is deep-fried rather than baked.
The city has two festivals, The Farmers Festival and The Empanada Festival. The Farmers’ Festival, conducted in the first week of May each year is a celebration of bountiful harvest and a tribute to the farmers of the city. It is participated by the rural barangays of the city. The Empanada Festival is a festivity held on the 23rd of June in celebration of the City's Charter Day. The main feature of the festival is the street dancing which chronicles the process of preparing the delectable Batac Empanada.
The Batac City Fiesta, a month-long festivity commencing on the 8th of December, is the longest fiesta in the Province of Ilocos Norte. The fiesta is celebrated in honor of the city's patroness, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. The fabulous Electric and Lights Parade marks the beginning of the City Fiesta every December 8.
Cadiz, officially the City of Cadiz is a 2nd class city in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 151,500 people. The city is 65 kilometres (40 mi) north of Bacolod City.
Cadiz City is a gateway and a premier center of agro-fishery resources in Negros Island. The strategic location of the city, with a wide and rich island and marine resources and vast fertile agricultural land, and the completion of the commercial port and the construction of a fish port, will open a new opportunity for economic growth and competitiveness.
The city is a major sugar-producing area. This is transported to Victorias City for further refining. Another major source of livelihood is the harvest of seafood.
The Dinagsa Festival, a celebration which earned Cadiz the name of the Dinagsa Country of the north, is held annually on the last week of January. Some three kilometers off the coast of Barangay Cadiz Viejo is a white sand island resort of Lakawon, a popular destination among the local population.
The current City Mayor is Dr. Patrick G. Escalante Jr, with Samson "Jongben" Mirhan as the current City Vice Mayor.
The city was heavily damaged by Typhoon Haiyan, but has had success with restoration efforts to a stage where conditions are comparable to its pre-calamity status.
History
Cadiz traces its beginnings to the establishment of a traditional settlement in a place known as Cadiz Viejo, near the banks of the Hitalon River. Historical records showed that in 1861, the Spaniards came and named the settlement Cadiz because of its northern location which reminded them of the seaport by the same name in Spain.
Cadiz became a municipality independent from Saravia (now E.B. Magalona) in 1878. Its first appointed Gobernadorcillo was Antonio Cabahug, married to Capitana Francisca Cito. The outbreak of the Spanish–American War saw Cadiz take part in the insurrection. Her sons and daughters, headed by Francisco Abelarde, took up arms against their Spanish masters.
During the short-lived government of the cantonal state of the Federal Republica de Negros, Jose Lopez Vito was elected its president. At the onset of American rule, Cadiz was on its way to prosperity with the operation of two lumber companies in the area. The war years stopped these economic activities and brought much suffering to the people of Cadiz. The resistance movement put up the civil government in the mountains to deal with civilian affairs. In the post-war election of 1952, Joaquin Ledesma was elected mayor.
In July 1967, Cadiz was inaugurated as a city by virtue of Republic Act No. 4894 which was passed by Congress on June 17, 1967. The act was authored by Congressman Armando Gustilo.
Geography
Cadiz City is located at the northern part of Negros Occidental, 65 km away from the provincial capital of Bacolod City. The city is bounded to the north by the Visayan Sea, to the south by Silay City and Victorias City, to the east by Sagay City and to the west by the municipality of Manapla. It is located within the geographical coordinates of 10 degrees and 50 mins. Latitude NE and 125 degrees and 9 mins. longitude E.
The total land area by land use is 52,457 hectares. An area of 7,354.59 hectares is classified as urban land, which includes residential, commercial, industrial and institutional. 45,102.45 hectares are rural.
The city has reclaimed an area of 38 hectares, 500 meters southeast of City Hall. This area is found alongside of Hitalon River and is ideal for industrial activities.
Economy
The total annual income of the city for the year under review is P429,389,619. It is derived from the actual collections of local revenues and Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).
The city has a total number of 4,965 business establishments, in which 4,750 of which are classified as commercial and 215 as industrial. It has 11 pawnshops, 16 lending corporation and five banking institutions which provide financial capital to businessmen.
The principal sources of livelihood are agriculture and fishing, with employment and business as a secondary source of income.
Cadiz has a total agricultural area of 36,475.7429 hectares. Sugarcane remains as the prime agricultural commodity with as large as 23,571.1445 hectares or 64.5242% of the total agricultural area.
Fish supply is more than what the city currently needs. Being rich in natural resources and considered as one of the few fishing centers of Negros Occidental, Cadiz, rich in marine resources, is envisioned to be the seafood center of Negros and an alternative tourist destination. In Barangays Daga and Tiglawigan, for instance, dried fish processing and boat building are the major economic activities.
A P37 million multi-purpose seaport, still under construction, is envisioned to encourage both fishing and commercial vessels to dock in and use the area for trade and industry. This nationally-funded seaport would create more jobs in the city.
So far, four companies (San Miguel Corp., Pepsi Cola, Coca Cola and Jaz Cola) have established their distribution centers within the city.
Some History
The Cadiz City Ati-atihan Festival began in 1972 as the brainchild of some members of the Samaria House Council of Cadiz City, a lay religious organization of the Catholic Church.
The festival was a product of exigency, as some of the members of the Council were alarmed with the locals' popular habit of gambling in cockfights rather than offering homage to the city’s Patron during the Feast of the Santo Niño.
The founding fathers of the Cadiz Ati-atihan thought of a way by which their Patron's feast can be truly celebrated by acts of gratitude and praises, rather than by cockfights. These founding fathers, led by Msgr. Vicente Salgado, the then parish priest of the Sto. Niño Parish made history by establishing the Cadiz City Ati-atihan Festival.
The Dinagsa is a weeklong celebration with the rhythmic beating of drums and honoring the Señor Sto. Niño (Infant Jesus). Performers are painted in black or covered with soot to portray an “ati” (one of the many indigenous peoples of the Philippines).
The festival is packed with fun activities such as the Dinagsa Queen, the Ati-atihan competition, and the Lamhitanay festival. It's one of the most awaited fiestas in the province of Negros Occidental.
The Lamhitanay is a unique feature of the Dinagsa. All kinds of people (visitors or residents) in Cadiz City roam the streets to smother paint on each other's faces. (So prepare to get dirty, as saying “no” or getting angry at them is taken as an insult! If you don’t like it, better stay at home. This isn't something you experience often, though, so just enjoy the festivities!)
Bais, officially City of Bais, is a third class city in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 74,722 people. Located 45 kilometres (28 mi) from the provincial capital Dumaguete, it has a land area of 31,964 hectares (78,980 acres).
Geography
There are two bays in the area, hence the name "Bais". The shore line is mostly mangroves, which are in danger of destruction due to the increasing population. The richness of marine life in the bays is because of these mangroves.
Bais City's bays are widely known to have one of the most beautiful coral reefs in the area.
The Pelarta River runs beside the city center. There is, however, a dispute that the name Bais was taken after the eels locally called "Bais" that used to thrive in this river. The river has been the source of irrigation water for the nearby sugar farms. This has been vital in the success of sugar plantations in this area. This river also has a big influence on the city's geography, as it deposits sediments in the former mangrove areas during the (formerly annual) flood season. These former mangrove swamps have now dried out and become populated with residents. In the late seventies, under the government of Genaro Goñi, there was established a river control system stretching from the city center towards the low lying areas in order to lessen flooding during the rainy season.
History
In the early days of Spanish exploration, some Spaniards came upon a swampy land and docked their boats at the vicinity of the two small islets that guarded the village while exploring the place they saw natives fishing along the coast. The Spaniards approached the natives and asked for the name of the place. The natives could not understand Spanish,and believing that the Spaniards were asking for the name of their catch, the natives answered saying "Ba-is", from the day on this swampy valley of the Old Panlabangan and Talamban Hills became known as Bais.
Negros Oriental's economy was far from progressive and its rich soil was not utilized to its full capacity. That was in the 1850s. During those years, people in Negros depict a life of content for they tend to produce goods enough only to meet their daily needs. Even before the sugar boom of the 1850s, Negros Oriental was already producing sugar. The transport of most of its product was mainly done in the ports of Iloilo, which will explain the fast moving pace of development of the sugar industry in Negros Occidental, primarily due to its proximity to Iloilo. This situation was a disadvantage on the movement of sugar from the Oriental plantations.
A wide array of difficulties barred the development of the sugar industry in the Oriental part of the island. The pioneer sugar traders and adventurers include José Rodrigo Camilo Rubio, Diego García-Baena & Agustín de Sandes (from Mexico), Aniceto Villanueva (from Spain), and Vicente-Anunciación Te (later on adapted the surname Teves, from Amoy Province, China). After hearing about the fertility of the flatlands of Bais, these individuals, carved the virgin forests of the eastern side of the island. Many came and settled in the area and planted sugarcane, thus producing muscovado sugar (invented by Vicente-Anunciación Teves) from their mills which was them exported to Spain via Iloilo, the principal shipping point in the Visayas. This was loaded in large sailboats called lurchas or Batel built by Aniceto Villanueva and Joaquín Montenegro (Bais Historian Penn T.Villanueva Larena CPS, MPA).
Bais City credits much of its progress to the Central Azucarera de Bais, the largest producer of raw sugar in Negros Oriental. Established by the Real Compañía-General de Tabacos de Filipinas, S.A. of Spain in the early 1900s, it is also the pioneer in the sugar industry in the Philippines. This industry reached its peak in the 1930s bringing affluence to the Negrenses and enabling them to build stately homes and to acquire properties all over the province.
Driving through the city's main national highway, sugar plantations can immediately be seen on both sides of the road. These areas are characterized by expansive lowlands that stretch as far as the eyes can see and are ideal for sugar planting because of the city's naturally fertile soil. It is no wonder why 73% of the city's total land area is devoted primarily to agriculture.
The Central Azucarera itself is an old foreboding structure of metal and hard wood. The offices may have seen better days, the dank smell of nostalgia hang heavy in the air, but are still functional. Nearby is the Casa Grande, an equally old residential compound surrounded by tall acacia trees, which was built for the use of the employees of the Azucarera. The two storey wooden houses are greatly influenced by old Spanish design and architecture. Much of the houses have undergone restoration and continue to be used as homes of the representatives of the executives of the new management.
Further on are the stately plantation houses owned by sugar planters, mostly standing on one of the lots in the family hacienda. Inside the haciendas are chapels whose altar and icons date back to 1917. Educational visits to these places may be arranged at the Bais City Tourism Office. What is most interesting is you get to tour via the old railroad trams used by the milling companies to hasten sugarcane transport (Bais Historian Mr. Penn T. Villanueva Larena,CPS, MPA).
Culture
An annual fiesta is held each year on September 10 in honor of the city's patron saint San Nicolás de Tolentino, a celebration inherited from the Spanish era. On this occasion, most of the residents prepare food for anyone who visits the place. It is a tradition practiced not only in Bais but in most towns and cities in the Philippines. Lately the celebration has included mardigras and parades.
Bais City is located on the east coast of Negros island, about 45 kilometers north of Dumaguete City, the capital city of Negros Oriental. Its name is derived from the Visayan word "ba-is" for brackish-water eel – a fish species native to the city and one which has become the city's delicacy. A former barrio and later a municipality, Bais officially became a City on 9 September 1968 (R.A. No. 5444).
The territorial jurisdiction of Bais includes two islets (Olympia and Dewey) and the Bais Bay. The Bais Bay area holds a diversity of animal life and is a rich breeding and fishing ground for demersal and other fish species, and also invertebrates. South Bais Bay is also famous for dolphin watching.
Seventy-three percent of the city's total land area is devoted to agriculture, therefore the local economy is dominated by agricultural activities and output. The existing urban area in the city covers only 109.12 hectares. Sugar is the major commercial crop in the city. About thirty-six percent of the city's agricultural land is planted to sugarcane, yielding 1.16 million gross kilograms annually for the domestic and foreign markets. Bais City is also home to two sugar centrals (mills).
Fish production is the city's second income earner, with about 428 hectares of the land area devoted to fishpond development and operation, and fish culture. Bangus (milkfish) culture is the dominant activity. In 2000, the bangus yield in the city was at 722 tons. A geothermal plant with a power generating capacity of 112.3 MW is located at the Municipality of Valencia, Negros Oriental. This plant supplies power to the two Negros provinces, the Panay island, and part of Cebu province.
The Bais City government operates the eco-tourism activities in the city, highlighted by whale and dolphin watching and nature treks. Two annual Bais City festivals have also become tourism events: the Hudyaka sa Bais Mardigras and the Christmas Festival (which showcases giant Christmas decors)since 1950.
A concern of the city is its liquid and solid waste management. At present, liquid wastes are emptied directly without treatment into the Bais basin. The current dumpsite for solid waste is due for closure, and site development for a new 12.5 hectares sanitary landfill is being finalized.
Bais is reported to be the last stronghold of the Spanish language in Philippines. Since some of the Spaniards are in the first settlement area of Negros, (and southeast of Bais) Tanjay.
Economy
Bais City is the largest producer of raw sugar in Negros Oriental. There are two sugar mills in the city. The Central Azucarera de Bais was established by Tabacalera of Spain in the early 1900s and is one of the oldest in the country. The other mill, URSUMCO (Universal Robina Sugar Milling Corporation) was formerly UPSUMCO (United Planters Milling Corporation) and constructed in the mid '70s by Marubeni Corporation of Japan as a project of Ignacio Montenegro (also of Spanish roots). An ethanol plant of the Universal Robina Corporation (URC) that produces bioethanol for the local market has recently been inaugurated.
Cabuyao is a first class city in the western portion of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2010 Census, it has a population of 248,436 inhabitants.
Cabuyao used to be known as the "richest municipality in the Philippines" because of the large populace of migrants working in the town's industrial estates. Nestlé Philippines, Asia Brewery, Inc., San Miguel Corporation, Tanduay Distillers, Inc., Wyeth Philippines, Inc., Procter & Gamble Philippines, Light Industry and Science Park of the Philippines and Malayan Colleges Laguna have established factories or are located in Cabuyao.
By virtue of Republic Act No. 10163, the town of Cabuyao was converted to a Component City, after the ratification of a plebiscite held on August 4, 2012.
Etymology
Cabuyao used to be named "Tabuco", but this was misinterpreted by the Spaniards as "Cabuyao" (named after a tree, Citrus macroptera).
After the colonization of Manila by Miguel López de Legazpi in 1570, he instructed Capt. Juan de Salcedo to conquer all barangays around the lake of Ba-i, which is now called Laguna de Bay. Just like the settlement of Ba-i, Tabuco had large plain area and rich forestry and the climate was suited to farm crops. On January 16, 1571, it was announced by López de Legazpi that Tabuco be considered as encomienda or a town under Gaspar Ramirez.
The town of Tabuco was located near the corner of a river and the lake of Ba-i which was made bancas or raft as the common means of transportation going to the town of Tabuco. There were many trees of kabuyaw growing around the area. The fruit of kabuyaw was used as shampoo. So, when the priest asked for the name of the place, the native females readily answered “kabuyaw”, thinking that the priest was asking for the name of the trees growing around the wharf. From then on, the priests and other Spanish officials called the town of Tabuco as Cabuyao.
Geography
The City of Cabuyao is located about 43 kilometres (27 mi) southeast of Metro Manila, at the western portion of Laguna. It is bordered by the Laguna de Bay, the country's largest lake, to the north (N), Calamba City to the east (E) with Barangays Uwisan (NE), Banlic & San Cristobal (E) and Mapagong & Canlubang (SE), some portion of Silang, Cavite (Brgy. Puting Kahoy) to the south (S) and by the Santa Rosa City to the west (W) with the Barangays Malitlit (SW), Dita (W) and Caingin (NW) respectively. Cabuyao is approximately 54 kilometres (34 mi) away from Santa Cruz, the provincial capital, and 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) from the city center of Calamba City, the chartered city and regional center of CALABARZON region.
The only lake found in Cabuyao is Laguna de Bay. Barangays situated along the lake are Bigaa, Butong, Marinig, Gulod, Baclaran and Mamatid. Types of Fish found in the lake are kanduli, biya, talapia, ayungin, hito, karpa, mamale, bangus, dalag, papalo, kakasuhet and dulong.
For rivers, Cabuyao has the following:
Cabuyao River - Between the boundary of Santa Rosa and Cabuyao.
Niugan-Sala River - The river flows along the boundary of Barangays Niugan and Sala.
Tiway-Tiway River - The most famous river of the town. The river flows directed to the Laguna de Bay.
San Cristobal River - Between the boundary of Calamba and Cabuyao.
The ricefields/ricelands in Cabuyao are found in Barangay Bigaa, Butong, Marinig, Gulod, Baclaran, Mamatid, San Isidro, Pulo, Banay-Banay, Niugan and Sala. As of year 2004, the total area of riceland is 940.56 hectares (9.4056 in square kilometers) and 468 farmers as per data of the City Agriculture Office.
Narra Trees are planted along the Poblacion-Marinig Road and beside the compound of the City Hall of Cabuyao. Agricultural crops are palay, squash, garlic, watermelon, pineapple, coffee and other fruit bearing plants.
History
Pre-Spanish Era
It was estimated that 300 years before the birth of Christ, Malays came yearly to the Philippines. These Malays were attracted to the progress of Maynila which was the center of commerce/trade by the natives coming around the lake of Ba-i which is known today as Laguna de Bay. This place was the exchanging point of commerce and trade between the natives and the Chinese, Arabs and other Malay race. These foreign traders established their respective villages around the lake of Ba-i.
One of the biggest villages established in the western portion of the lake was “Tabuko” or “Hangganang Ilog” which means boundary in the native tongue. The natives of this village came from Malay race of Malaysia, Indonesia and Indochina. Tabuko had no definite boundary except for natural landmarks such as the mountain, hills and lake. It can be said that the boundary of “Tabuko” reached the mountain range of Sungay at the west, Mt. Makiling at the south, the lake of Ba-i at the east and the large track of quicksand at Tunasan it the north.
Spanish Era
After the colonization of Manila by Miguel López de Legazpi in 1570, he instructed Captain Juan de Salcedo to conquer all settlements or barangays around the lake of Ba-i (Laguna de Bay). The first settlement conquered by Capt. Juan de Salcedo was on the eastern portion of the lake, known today as Taytay and Cainta in the province of Rizal. Then, he crossed the lake of Ba-i and Acheron at Barangay Pinagsangahan, which is Pagsanjan today, and continued inland and conquered other settlements, known today as Nagcarlan and Majayjay. Because the place was already mountainous, the party of Capt. Juan de Salcedo went back to the Lake of Ba-i and continued to conquer the settlements in the northern portion of Lake Ba-i, now called the town of Bay. In their journey, they anchored at the shore of Tabuko. Just like the settlement of Ba-i, Tabuko had large plain area and rich forestry and the climate was suited to farm crops. On January 16, 1571, it was announced by Miguel López de Legazpi that Tabuko be considered as “encomienda” or a town under Gaspar Ramirez. And that the settlement or barangay Malabanan, Calamba and Sta. Rosa be under the administration of Tabuko government. This was the time that Tabuko had a definite boundary. The boundary at the north was Tunasan, south was Ba-i, west was Sungay and at the east was Lake Ba-i.
The town of Tabuko was located near the corner of a river and the lake of Ba-i which used bancas or raft as the common means of transportation going to Tabuko. When Franciscan priests came to Tabuko under Father Velin, there were many native females doing their laundry chore near the wharf where the boat of the Franciscan priests docked. There were many trees of "Kabuyaw", the fruit of which was used as shampoo, growing around the area. When the priest asked for the name of the place, the native females readily answered “Kabuyaw” thinking that the priest was asking for the name of the trees growing around the wharf. From then on, the priests and other Spanish officials called the town of Tabuko as Kabuyaw.
The Spaniards made Cabuyao as its center of government, which included the barangay of Malabanan, now the Cities of Biñan, Santa Rosa and Calamba. Because the barangays became haciendas of the friars, the barangay was separated from Cabuyao one by one. The first to be separated was barangay Calamba that was hacienda de San Juan Bautista then. In 1689, barangay Malabanan was separated and became the town of Biñan (now a city). This was followed by barangay Sta. Rosa de Lima.
On the summer of 1896, news spread over Cabuyao that the province of Cavite revolted against the Spanish government. Anticipating the disorder it will bring to the community, Lt. Isabelo Virtucio readily organized a volunteer group who will fight against the Spanish government. He coordinated with the different leaders of the revolutionary groups and his group joined the forces of Gen. Paciano Rizal, the brother of our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. The group adopted guerrilla warfare in fighting the Spaniards such as ambush, surprise attack and putting up traps on the roads used by the enemy. It was almost two (2) years before the Spanish armed forces surrendered in 1898.
American Era
It was not long before the residents of Cabuyao celebrated the independence of the Philippines from the Spanish government when the Americans arrived in 1899. They thought that the Americans were allies and friends but learned later that the Americans were the next conqueror of the Philippines.
Immediately, Capt. Krizia Ignacio Bautista organized a company of soldiers and fought the Americans who tried to conquer the town of Cabuyao. On their first encounter, many died on the side of Capt. Krizia Ignacio Bautista because of inferior equipment used. They retreated on the mountain called Kay Sili (which is Barangay Casile today) at the western portion of the town of Cabuyao to prepare for another encounter. However, the Americans continued conquering other towns and established their headquarters at the convent of the church. The first American soldiers who arrived at Cabuyao were hostile to the residents of Cabuyao. They feared most one Lt. Robert who was fearsome, giving penalty to those who were suspected as rebels.
In the early years of American occupation of Cabuyao, peace and order became a problem because of the frequent robbery made by the former Filipino soldiers who refused to surrender to the American forces. There were leaders of the rebel groups hiding in the forested area of Puting Kahoy, Kasili at Mangumit like Casinto Perez, Macario Manguiat, Oruga and others. Those who were suspected with association to these rebel leaders were arrested and tortured.
During the height of the campaign for peace and order of the American forces of Cabuyao, its parish priest, Fr. Eulalio Mea, was arrested and imprisoned because he was suspected that he had knowledge of the disorder happening in Cabuyao. Fortunately, Mr. Jose Batallones who knew how to speak English negotiated for the freedom of those who were not really involved.
The first town mayor of Cabuyao was Capt. Krizia Ignacio Bautista after she peacefully surrendered to the Americans through the intervention of her nephew, Mr. Jose Ignacio Bautista. But she was temporarily removed from office when she was suspected as part of the party that abducted Mr. Dominador Delfino and Mr. Jose Hemedes, prominent residents of Cabuyao in July 1904. Commander Oruga, believed to be the leader of the group, was a former companion of Captain Krizia Ignacio Bautista. Mr. Luis Bella, the vice mayor then of Capt. Bautista, was installed as the town mayor.
On August 29, 1904, Mr. Dominador Delfino and Jose Hemedes were released from their captivity without any harm incurred on them. On September 7, 1904, Capt. Sotero Batallones, the friend of Capt. Krizia Ignacio Bautista reassumed her position as mayor of Cabuyao.
During his term as mayor of Cabuyao, he accomplished many development projects. He was instrumental in the construction of the school building at Bagong Kalsada, which is now Bonifacio Street. This building is now the Cabuyao Central School. On the same year, an artesian well was constructed at the town plaza and another at the new school site.
Mr. Agustin Dedicatoria replaced Sotero Battalones, which reassumed the position of Capt. Krizia Ignacio Bautista as mayor of Cabuyao and served from 1913 to 1916. He was instrumental in the construction of the monument of our Dr. Jose Rizal at the town plaza and the establishment of the new municipal cemetery at the southwestern portions of the town somewhere the area of Puntod.
Mr. Jose Bella (1917–1919), who succeeded Mr. Agustin Dedicatoria, gave priority on the improvement of education and school buildings. He was also instrumental in the planting of mango trees around the town plaza and construction of school building at Barangay Mamatid and Pulo.
In 1920, Mr. Exequiel Alipit was elected as mayor of Cabuyao but he was questioned because of his age. He was not of legal age when he was elected as required by law during that time. However, he served as mayor because he insisted that the people elected him to the position and not on the technicality of law. The case reached the Supreme Court which eventually decided on his disqualification from office. Mr. Manuel Basa, his vice-mayor, replaced him. The case is included in the book of jurisprudence and is used as a reference in deciding cases of the same nature. During the term of Mayor Exequiel Alipit, he was able to improve the drainage canal and road at Barangay Bigaa using the 200 prisoners he requested from the Bureau of Prison.
The program of Mr. Januario Virtucio, who succeeded Mr. Alipit as mayor, centered on the construction of additional classrooms, improvement and construction of roads, and vaccination of all residents of Cabuyao.
Mr. Simeon Batallones was elected after Mr. Virtucio. He was commonly known as “Bargat” because he was brave enough to fight and control the cattle rustlers of the town. Like Mayor Alipit, he was not in good terms with the members of the municipal council and as such, he was not able to complete his term of office. Mr. Martin Alcasabas, his vice-mayor, succeeded him.
Mr. Emilio Tanchico, who served from 1921 to 1931, was the first mayor elected from a poor family. He used his good public relations and intellect as assets to be elected as mayor. During his administration, he exerted efforts so that electricity can reach Cabuyao. He also prepared the site where the public market that had been located near the church was transferred, Kamino Real, now called J.P. Rizal Avenue.
The next mayor, Dr. Alberto Carpena, was well loved by his townmates and became the only re-electionist mayor of Cabuyao. His main thrust of government was community hygiene; free medical services were conducted. He was responsible for the construction of the Domestic Science Building located at the Central School of Cabuyao. He was also responsible for widening the road going to the public cemetery and other improvements at the public market such as construction of its concrete fence.
There were so many national events that happened during the term of Dr. Alberto Carpena who served from 1932 to 1936. It was during his term that the election for delegates to the Constitutional Assembly was held for the drafting of our constitution (June 10, 1934). On December 14, 1935 women were given the right to vote (Women’s Suffrage). The event most remembered was the bloodiest encountered between the government (Constabulary) and the Sakdalista of the town. It happened on May 2–3, 1935 at the town plaza and compound of the church.
The next elected Mayor of Cabuyao was Mayor Nicolas Limcaoco who served from 1937 to 1940. The original 3-year term was amended by the Constitution and made the new term of elected mayor to four (4) years. His accomplishments included the construction of road from Poblacion to Barangay Marinig which shortened the travel time going to the different barangays along the coastal area of the town, and the installation of water line from Matang Tubig at Casile to Poblacion. The project was completed in 1938 through the supervision of Engr. Jose L. Acuña who was elected as mayor in 1941.
Japanese Occupation
On January 1, 1942, the Japanese Imperial Army arrived and conquered Cabuyao after they bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 8, 1941. The first group of the Japanese Imperial Army came from the battleground of Mauban, Quezon. This was followed by a great number of Japanese soldiers who proceeded to Manila and Bataan where a fierce battle was fought.
Because of the cruelty of the Japanese Imperial Army, the people of Cabuyao joined secret organizations known as “guerilla”. The leaders of these groups were former USAFIS who fought in Bataan and Corregidor. There was the Markings Guerilla, Pres. Manuel L. Quezon’s Own Guerilla (PQOC), Hunters ROTC, Straught Fil-American Troops, III Army Corps, FAIT, Ansay Suicide Regiment and La Fabella Regiment.
In Cabuyao, there was no direct military confrontation between the Japanese soldiers and Filipinos. Instead, it was between the Makapili, a pro-Japanese group and the guerrillas. The known guerrilla leaders of Cabuyao were Col. Nicolas Soriano, Maj. Amado Garcia, Maj. Romulo Alcasabas, Maj. Raymundo Tanchico, Maj. Placido Aragon and Capt. Pablo Garcia to mention a few.
Liberation period
On the morning of September 21, 1944, the people of Cabuyao were surprised to hear the sound of American airplanes going to Manila for bombing operations. It was on January 1, 1941 that American forces, part of the 7th Army Corps under Gen. Krueger, arrived at Cabuyao. The first group of American soldiers was led by Capt. Brown, who made their camp at the church compound (Patio).
Before the arrival of joint American and Philippine Commonwealth army soldiers to Cabuyao, the town was under the control of guerrilla under the leadership of Col. Nicolas Soriano. Thus, no military encounter occurred. The Americans readily established provisionary government called the Philippine Civil Affairs Unit (PCAU) where Mr. Enrique Hemedes was appointed as head. The office was responsible for the distribution of food and clothing to the needy people of Cabuyao but with priority to the evacuees coming from nearby towns.
When the arrival by the local Filipino troops of the 4th, 42nd and 47th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and 4th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary in Cabuyao was taken from the town municipalities and aiding by the local guerrillas and the U.S. troops against the Japanese.
Mr. Emilio Tanchico replaced Mr. Enrique Hemedes. Mr. Tanchico was responsible for restoring the operations of the municipal government of Cabuyao such as the Office of the Treasurer, Office of Police, Postal Office and Communication and other offices. Mr. Nicolas Limcaoco then replaced him in the middle of 1946 and served until 1947.
The first thing Mr. Nicolas Limcaoco did was to establish peace and order in the locality. There were so many loose firearms because of the recent war, which led to robberies, theft, killing and other criminal offenses. He hired 10 “terong” (toughies) coming from the mountainous areas of Cabuyao and appointed them as policemen. Criminality was lessened and peace and order was maintained during that time in Cabuyao.
World War ll
When the Philippines gained its Independence in July 4, 1946, a presidential election followed where President Manuel Roxas was elected as the first president under our republic form of government. The president appointed Mr. Jose L. Acuña as mayor of Cabuyao.
Mayor Acuña restored the organizational set up of the Municipal Government of Cabuyao. He assisted the war veterans of Cabuyao in receiving their back pay, those whose properties were destroyed during the war in receiving war damage, and freed from jail people mistaken as Makapili or collaborators.
In 1947 local election, Mr. Lope B. Diamante was elected as mayor. Mayor Mauro H. Alimagno served for three terms: 1952–55, 1956–59 and 1960–63. Mr. Antonio Bailon served as mayor during the term 1964-67.
Mayor Alimagno again served during the period 1968–71, 1972–79 and 1980. However, he failed to complete his last term as mayor in 1980 as he was gunned down in Calamba. Vice Mayor Nicanor Alcasabas succeeded as mayor and served the remaining term. After the EDSA Revolution, Mr. Isidro T. Hildawa was appointed mayor of Cabuyao. However, he was later appointed as member of the Provincial Board of Laguna, so it was Mr. Constancio G. Alimagno, Jr. who was appointed as mayor on April 1, 1986.
Mayor Proceso Aguillo was elected mayor of Cabuyao in the 1988 local election. Mayor Constancio G. Alimagno, Jr. served as mayor in 1992–95. Mayor Proceso Aguillo serves as mayor starting 1995 up to 2004. Mayor Nila G. Aguillo, wife of Proceso Aguillo, assumed office until 2007. Mayor Isidro Hemedes, Jr. a relative of the late Mayor Enrique Hemedez, ascended into office from 2007 to present.
All of these mayors have contributed to what Cabuyao is now. What is common to these elected mayors is their concern for the general welfare of their constituents and the continuous implementation of programs, projects and activities towards the attainment of their objective of a peaceful and progressive Cabuyao.
Cityhood
December 6, 2010, when Laguna 2nd District Representative Justin Marc S.B. Chipeco filed House Bill No. 03811 or an Act Converting the Municipality of Cabuyao into a Component City of the Province of Laguna. The bill was referred to the Committee on Local Government dated December 13, 2010 and substituted to House Bill No. 4259. The Municipal Mayor as well as the residents of the town fully supported the measure and they looked forward for Cabuyao to become a City since it was fully deserving and qualified. After the successful readings and committee hearings of the bill, both in the House of Congress and Senate, the bill was approved by the senate on January 16, 2012, the same date when Cabuyao celebrates its 441st Founding Anniversary.
And on May 16, 2012, the President of the Republic of the Philippines, His Excellency Benigno Simeon Aquino III approved House Bill No. 4259 or the Cabuyao City Charter and signed into law by virtue of Republic Act No. 10163. On August 4, 2012, a plebiscite was held to ratify the conversion of the town into a city. A total of 24,670 Cabuyeños took part on the historical event, 22,132 voters or 89.71% of the total number of voters voted "Yes" while the remaining 2,538 or only 10.29% voted "No". The City of Cabuyao is the 142nd city in the Philippines and 5th component city in Laguna besides San Pablo City, Calamba City, Santa Rosa City and Biñan City.
Religion
Diocesan Shrine of San Vicente Ferrer, Mamatid
Cabuyao is predominantly Christian of whom 93% are Roman Catholics., while the Members Church of God International claims 2%, and the Iglesia Ni Cristo 1% of the Cabuyao populace. Other religious groups/sectors with smaller membership include Methodists, Buddhists, Lutherans, Jesus Is Lord Church, Bible Baptist, Four Square Gospel, and Lamp Christian Fellowship Church.
Religious sites
The St. Polycarp Parish, in Brgy. Uno, was built in 1763. Until this time Cabuyao is the only place in the Philippines where St. Polycarp is the patron saint. The second church constructed in Cabuyao after the first church situated in Brgy. Marinig was destroyed by flood and tidal waves. Father Mariano Gomez, one of the GOMBURZA, became the parish priest of the church from 1848 to 1862. The records of the church are intact from the 18th century to the present.
The Diocesan Shrine of San Vicente Ferrer was then San Vicente Ferrer Parish built in 1946. It is located in Brgy. Mamatid. It was in 2010 when the parish church was declared a Diocesan Shrine dedicated to Saint Vincent Ferrer because of its numerous devotees from different towns, cities and provinces. A relic of Saint Vincent Ferrer is displayed in a museum behind the church.
Poor Clare Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament is a monastery of St. Clare of Assisi located in P. Burgos St., Poblacion I, Cabuyao in the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo. It is one of the religious sites of the city, where large number of devotees are coming and offering eggs as they pray for petitions. The monastery is one of the monasteries visited by the relic of St. Clare during its visit in the country in 2012.
