Batangas

This article is about the Philippine province. For its capital city, seeBatangas City.For other uses, seeBatangas (disambiguation).

Batangas
Province
Province of Batangas
From left-to-right, top-to-bottom: Batangas Provincial Capitol;Taal Volcano;Taal Basilica;Agoncillo–Mariño House;Malabrigo Point Lighthouse;view fromMount Batulao
Flag Seal
Nicknames: Land of Rolling Hills and Wide Shore Lands. Lalawigan ng mga Magigiting
Motto: "Rich Batangas!"
Anthem: Himno ng Batangan (Batangas Hymn)
Location in the Philippines
OpenStreetMap
Coordinates:13°50′N121°00′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Calabarzon
Founded	December 8, 1581
Capital	Batangas City
Largest city	Lipa
Government
• Type	Sangguniang Panlalawigan
•Governor	Hermilando I. Mandanas (PDP–Laban)
•Vice Governor	Jose Antonio S. Leviste II (PDP–Laban)
• Legislature	Batangas Provincial Board
Area
• Total	3,119.75 km2(1,204.54 sq mi)
• Rank	44th out of 81
Highest elevation (Mount Makiling)	1,090 m (3,580 ft)
Population (2020 census)
• Total	2,908,494
• Rank	7th out of 81
• Density	930/km2(2,400/sq mi)
• Rank	6th out of 81
Divisions
•Independent cities	0
•Component cities	5 Batangas City Calaca Lipa Santo Tomas Tanauan
•Municipalities	29 Agoncillo Alitagtag Balayan Balete Bauan Calatagan Cuenca Ibaan Laurel Lemery Lian Lobo Mabini Malvar Mataasnakahoy Nasugbu Padre Garcia Rosario San Jose San Juan San Luis San Nicolas San Pascual Santa Teresita Taal Talisay Taysan Tingloy Tuy
•Barangays	1,078
•Districts	Legislative districts of Batangas
Demographics
•Ethnic groups	Tagalog(99%) Others(1%)
Time zone	UTC+8(PHT)
ZIP code	4200–4234
IDD : area code	+63 (0)43
ISO 3166 code	PH-BTG
Spoken languages	Tagalog (Batangueño dialect) English
Patron Saint	Our Lady of Caysasay
Website	www.batangas.gov.ph

Batangas,officially theProvince of Batangas(Tagalog:Lalawigan ng BatangasIPA:[bɐˈtaŋgas]), is a first class province of the Philippines located in the southwestern part ofLuzonin theCalabarzonregion. Its capital is the city ofBatangas,and is bordered by the provinces ofCaviteandLagunato the north, andQuezonto the east. Across theVerde Island Passagesto the south is the island ofMindoroand to the west lies theSouth China Sea.Poetically, Batangas is often referred to by its ancient name, Kumintáng.

The province of Batangas was billed as the second richest province in the Philippines by the Commission on Audit by the year 2020. It has been the second richest province in the country for two consecutive years. In 2020, its provincial government posted a record high of ₱25.2 billion worth of assets, the largest in Calabarzon and the whole Luzon.

Batangas is one of the most popular tourist destinations nearMetro Manila.It is home to the well-knownTaal Volcano,one of theDecade Volcanoes,and the small nearby town ofTaalwhich keeps ancestral houses, churches, and other architecture dating back to the 19th century. The province also has numerous beaches and diving spots including Anilao inMabini,Sombrero Island inTingloy,Ligpo Island and Sampaguita Beach inBauan,Matabungkay inLian,Punta Fuego inNasugbu,the municipality ofCalatagan,andLaiyainSan Juan.All of the marine waters of the province are part of theVerde Island Passage,the center of the world's marine biodiversity.

Batangas City has the second largest international seaport in the Philippines after Metro Manila. The identification of the city as an industrial growth center in the region and being the focal point of the Calabarzon program is seen in the increasing number of business establishments in the city's Central Business District (CBD) as well as numerous industries operating in the province'sindustrial parks.Lipa Cityhas passed Batangas City as the most populous city in the province.

Etymology

The name Batangas is derived from the termbatangan,which has two definitions: a log found in the Calumpang River, and rafts used to fish in Taal Lake.

The Batangas dialect of Tagalog closely resembles the Old Tagalog spoken before the arrival of the Spanish. This is why the Summer Institute of Linguistics calls this province the center of the Tagalog language. The strong presence of Tagalog culture is evident to this day.

Batangas also has one of the highest literacy rates in the country at 96.5%, with men having a slightly higher literacy rate at 97.1% compared to women at 95.9%. The combined average literacy rate is 96%.

Historical precedents

"Kumintang" redirects here. For the Taiwanese political party, seeKuomintang.

The first recorded name of the province wasKumintáng,whose political center was the present-day municipality (town) ofTaal,prior to moving to the municipality ofBalayan.Balayan was considered the most progressive town of the region. An eruption ofTaal Volcanodestroyed a significant portion of the town, causing residents to transfer toBonbon(nowTaal), the name eventually encompassing the bounds of the modern province.

History

Early history

Large centers of population already thrived along the coasts and rivers of present-day Batangas.Barangayslined thePansipit RiverdrainingBombon Lake(now Taal), a major waterway. The area was a major site for theMaritime Jade Road,one of the most extensive sea-based trade networks of a single geological material in the prehistoric world, operating for ~3,000 years from ~2000 BCE to ~1000 CE.Trading relations with other Philippine peoples,Borneo,Chinese,Japanese,among others were maintained.

Archaeological findings and written accounts by the Spanish explorers in the mid-16th century show that pre-colonialTagalogshave long histories in complex, stratified societies with trade networks encompassing Southeast and East Asia. This was shown by certain jewelry, made from a chambered nautilus shell, where tiny holes were created by a drill-like tool. The ancient peoples of present-day Batangas were influenced by trade withIndianized statesand to a lesser degree China, as shown in many loanwords fromSanskritand unearthedtradeware ceramicsprimarily from China and present-dayVietnamandThailand.A Buddhist image unearthed in Calatagan was reproduced in mould on a clay medallion inbas-relief.According to experts, the image in the pot strongly resembles the iconographic portrayal ofBuddhainSiam,India,andNepal.The pot showsBuddha Amithābain thetribhangapose inside an oval nimbus. Scholars also noted that there is a strongMahāyānicorientation in the image, since the BoddhisattvaAvalokiteśvarawas also depicted.

One of the major archaeological finds was in January 1941, where two crude stone figures were found in Palapat, also in Calatagan. They were later donated to theNational Museum.One of them was destroyed duringWorld War II.

Eighteen years later, a grave was excavated in nearby Punta Buaya. Pieces of brain coral were carved behind the heads of the 12 remains that were found. The site was namedLikha(meaning "create" ). The remains were accompanied by furniture that could be traced as early as the 14th century. Potteries, as well as bracelets, stoneware, and metal objects were also found in the area, suggesting that the people who lived there had extensive contact with people from as far as China.

The presence of dining utensils such as plates or "chalices" found with the remains also suggest that prehistoric Batangueños believed in the idea of life-after-death. Thus, the Batangueños, like their neighbors in other parts of Asia, have similar customs of burying furniture with the dead.

Like the nearby tribes, the Batangan or the early Batangueños were a non-aggressive people. Partly because most of the tribes in their immediate environment were related to them by blood. Some weapons Batangans used included thebakyang(bows and arrows), thebangkaw(spears), and thesuwan(bolo).

Being highly superstitious, the use ofagimat(amulet or talisman) showed that these people believed in the presence of higher beings and other things unseen. The natives believed that forces of nature were a manifestation these higher beings.

The term 'Tagalog' may have been derived from the wordtaga-ilogor "river dwellers" referring to thePasig Riverlocated further up north of the region. However, Wang Teh-Ming in his writings on Sino-Filipino relations points out that Batangas was the real center of the Tagalogs, which he then identified asMa-yiorMa-i.According to the Chinese Imperial Annals,Ma-yihad its center in the province and extends to as far as present-dayCavite,Laguna,Rizal,Quezon,Bataan,Bulacan,Mindoro,Marinduque,Nueva Ecija,some parts ofZambales,andTarlac.However, many historians interchangeably use the term Tagalog and Batangueño.

Henry Otley Beyer,an American archaeologist, also showed in his studies that the early Batangueños had a special affinity with the precious stone known as the jade. He named the Late Paleolithic Period of the Philippines as theBatangas Periodin recognition of the multitude of jade found in the excavated caves in the province. Beyer identified that the jade-cult reached the province as early as 800 B.C. and lasted until 200 B.C.

Spanish colonial period

In 1570, Spanish generalsMartin de GoitiandJuan de Salcedoexplored the coast of Batangas on their way to Manila and came upon a settlement at the mouth ofPansipit River.In 1572, the town ofTaalwas founded and its convent and stone church were constructed later.

Officially, theProvince of Bonbonwas founded by Spain in 1578, through Fr. Estaban Ortiz and Fr. Juan de Porras. It was named after the name that was given to it by theMuslimnatives who inhabited the area.

In 1581, the Spanish government abolishedBonbon Provinceand created a new province which came to be known asBalayan Province.The new province was composed of the present provinces of Batangas,Mindoro,Marinduque,southeastLaguna,southeastQuezon,andCamarines.After the devastating eruption of Taal Volcano in 1754, the old town ofTaal,present day San Nicolas, was buried. The capital was eventually transferred to Batangas (now a city) for fear of further eruptions where it has remained to date.

In the same years that de Goiti and Salcedo visited the province, theFranciscanmissionaries came to Taal, which later became the first Spanish settlement in Batangas and one of the earliest in the Philippines. In 1572, theAugustiniansfounded Taal in the place ofWawa,now San Nicolas, and from there began preaching in Balayan and in all the big settlements around the lake ofBombon(Taal). The Augustinians, who were the first missionaries in thediocese,remained until therevolution against Spain.Among the first missionaries were eminent men, which included Alfonso de Albuquerque, Diego Espinas, Juan de Montojo, and others.

During the first ten years, the whole region around the Lake of Bombon was completely Christianized. It was done through the preaching of men who had learned the first rudiments of the language of the people. At the same time, they started writing manuals of devotion in Tagalog, such asnovenas,and had written the first Tagalog grammar that served other missionaries who came.

Foundation of importantparishesfollowed throughout the years: 1572, theTaalParish was founded by the Augustinians; 1581, the Batangas Parish under Fray Diego Mexica; 1596,BauanParish administered by the Augustinian missionaries; 1605,LipaParish under the Augustinian administration; 1774,BalayanParish was founded; By the end of the 1700s, Batangas had 15,014 native families and 451Spanish Filipino families;1852,Nasugbu Parishwas established; and 1868,LemeryParish too.

The town ofNasugbubecame an important centre of trade during the Spanish occupation of the country. It was the site of the first recorded battle between two European Forces in Asia inFortune Island,Nasugbu,Batangas. In the late part of the 20th century, the inhabitants of Fortune Island discovered a sunken galleon that contained materials sold in theManila-Acapulco Galleon Trade.

Batangas was also among the first of the eight Philippine provinces to revolt against Spain and one of the provinces placed under Martial Law by SpanishGovernor-GeneralRamon Blancoon August 30, 1896. This event was given distinction whenMarcela Agoncillo,also a native of the province, made thePhilippine Flag,which bears a sun with eight rays to represent these eight provinces.

American invasion era

Map of Batangas in 1918

When the Americans forbade the Philippine flag from being flown anywhere in the country, Batangas was one of the places where the revolutionaries chose to propagate their propaganda. Many, especially the revolutionary artists, chose Batangas as the place to perform their plays. In an incident recorded by Amelia Bonifacio in her diary, the performance ofTanikalang Gintoin the province led not only to the arrest of the company but all of the audience. Later, the play was banned from being shown anywhere in the country.

GeneralMiguel Malvaris recognized as the last Filipino general to surrender to theUnited Statesin thePhilippine–American War.

Japanese occupation era

After the attack onPearl Harboron December 7, 1941, the Japanese sent their planes to attack thePhilippines,launching major air raids throughout the country. The bombings resulted in the destruction of the Batangas Airport located inBatangas City,of which nothing remains today.Batangas was also a scene of heavy fighting between thePhilippine Army Air Corpsand theJapanese A6M Zero Fighter Planes.The most notable air combat battle took place at the height of 3,700 metres (12,000 ft) on December 12, 1941, when 6 Filipino fighters led by Capt.Jesús Villamorengaged the numerically superior enemy of 54 Japanese bombers and fighter escorts which raided the Batangas Airfield. Capt. Jesús Villamor won the battle, suffering only one casualty, Lt.César Basawho was able to bail out as his plane was shot down, only to be strafed by the Zeroes.

WhenGen. Douglas MacArthurordered the overall retreat of the American-Filipino Forces toBataanin 1942, the province was ultimately abandoned and later came under direct Japanese occupation. During this time, theImperial Japanese Armycommitted manycrimes against civiliansincluding the massacre of 328 people inBauan,320 inTaal,300 inCuenca,107 inSan Jose,and 39 in Lucero.

Liberation

XIV Corps of 158th RCT, 11th Airborne Division and 1st Cavalry Division campaign in Batangas and nearby province.

As part of thePhilippines Campaign (1944–45),the province's liberation began on January 31, 1945, when elements of the11th Airborne Division,part of theU.S. Eighth Armywent ashore atNasugbu, Batangas.However, Batangas was not the main objective of the invasion force. Instead, most of its units headed north to captureManila,and by March 3, the capital was completely secured.

Liberation of Batangas proper by American forces began in March 1945 by the11th Airborne Divisionand the158th Regimental Combat Team(RCT).The 158th, stationed in Nasugbu, was tasked to secure the shores and nearby towns ofBalayanandBatangas.The 11th Airborne, from theTagaytay Ridge,would attack the Japanese defenses north ofTaal Lakeand open the Lipa corridor. By March 11 the 158th RCT had reachedBatangas City.In order to secure the two bays, the 158th needed to capture the entire Calumpang Peninsula near the town ofMabini,which was still held by some elements of the Japanese 2nd Surface Raiding Base Force. Fighting continued until March 16 when the whole peninsula was finally liberated.

Afterwards, the 158th RCT turned northward to meet the Japanese Fuji Force defenses at Mt. Maculot inCuencaon March 19. The 158th disengaged from the Japanese on March 23 and were relieved by the 11th Airborne's187th Glider Infantry Regiment.Another 11th Airborne Division task force, the188th Infantrywas ordered to dispatch troops around Batangas City and its remaining frontiers.Meanwhile, the 11th Airborne's511th Parachute Infantry Regimenthad begun the opening of the Lipa corridor at Santo Tomas and Tanauan before being relieved by the1st Cavalry Divisionand moving via Tagaytay to Bauan and San Jose.

Lipa after being Liberated by the Allied Forces

The last major offensive for the capture of the Lipa Corridor began when 188th Infantry Task Force from Batangas City left forLipaon March 24.The same that day, the 187th Infantry Task Force launched an attack against the remaining Japanese positions in Mt. Maculot. Heavy fighting continued until April 17. The final capture of Mt. Maculot came by April 21.

The 188th Infantry met stiff resistance from Fuji Force's 86th Airfield Battalion on March 26. To the north, the 1st Cavalry attacked the remaining Japanese defenses in the towns of Santo Tomas and Tanauan and succeeded in linking up with the advancing 187th and 188th task forces from the south.Lipa was captured by the 1st Cavalry on March 29. The final defeat of the Fuji Force came atMt. Malepunyoat the hands of the 511th on May 2.

With the capture of Lipa and Mt. Malepunyo, organized resistance ended in the province. Some elements of the 188th Infantry Task Force were left to clear the Batangas mountains located southeast of the province from the remaining Japanese.

Throughout the battle, recognized Filipino guerrilla fighters played an important key role in the advancement of the combinedAmericanandPhilippine Commonwealthtroops, providing key roads and intelligence on the location of Japanese defenses and movements. The 11th Airborne and attached Filipino guerrillas had 390 casualties, of which 90 were killed. The Japanese, however, lost 1,490 men.By the end of April 1945, Batangas was liberated and fully secured under Allied control, thus ending all hostilities.

The movements of the military general headquarters and military camps of the Philippine Commonwealth Army happened from January 3, 1942, to June 30, 1946, and included the province of Batangas. During the engagements of the Anti-Japanese Imperial Military Operations in Manila, southern Luzon, Mindoro, and Palawan from 1942 to 1945, (including the provinces of Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Mindoro, and Palawan), units of thePhilippine Constabulary,with the local guerrilla resistance joined with the U.S. liberation military forces against the Imperial Japanese armed forces.

Under the Southern Luzon Campaign, local Filipino soldiers of the 4th, 42nd, 43rd, 45th, and 46th Infantry Divisions of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and 4th Constabulary Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary joined the battle for the liberation of Batangas.

Philippine independence

AfterDouglas MacArthurmade his famous landing in the Island ofLeyte,he came next to the town ofNasugbuto mark the liberation ofLuzon.This historic landing is remembered by the people of Batangas every last day of January, a holiday for the Nasugbugueños.

Former official seal of Batangas Province, designed and in use since 1950. It was replaced in 2009 during Vilma Santos's tenure as governor.

After the United States of America relinquished control of the Philippines, statesmen from Batangas featured prominently in the government. These include the legislatorsFelipe Agoncillo,Galicano Apacible(who later became the Secretary of Agriculture),Ramon Diokno,Apolinario R. Apacible,Expedito Leviste,Gregorio Katigbak,Teodoro Kalaw,Claro M. Recto,andJosé Laurel, Jr.

It is also notable that when PresidentManuel L. Quezonleft the Philippines during the Japanese Occupation, the Japanese government in the Philippines chose the BatangueñoJosé Laurel, Sr.to be the president of the Japanese-sponsoredSecond Philippine Republic.

Under the Marcos Presidency

Batangueños were not spared the social and economic turmoil that began during the second term of PresidentFerdinand Marcos,including his 1971 suspension of the writ ofhabeas corpus,his 1972 declaration of martial law, and his continued hold on power from the lifting of martial law in 1981 until his ouster under thePeople Power Revolutionof 1986.

Prominent Batangueño SenatorJose W. Dioknowas one of the first people Marcos imprisoned without charges,because according to then-Defense SecretaryJuan Ponce Enrile,the regime found it necessary to "emasculate the voices of the opposition."

In 1981, Marcos used his Presidential “power ofeminent domain”to convert 167 hectares of agricultural lands in San Rafael, Calaca, for industrial use, paving the way for the construction of the Semirara Calaca power plant regardless of its health and environmental impact.

Among the later victims of the regime were student leaders Ismael Umali, Noel Clarete, and Aurelio Magpantay fromWestern Philippine CollegesinBatangas City,who disappeared after a protest rally in March 1984, and whose mangled bodies were later discovered abandoned in nearbyCaviteprovince.

Contemporary

After the ouster of Ferdinand Marcos and the creation of theFifth Philippine Republic,numerous Batanguenos took up prominent positions in government - most prominentlySalvador Laurel,who becameVice President of the Philippinesunder the first Aquino administration, andRenato Corona,who becameChief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

Geography

Political division

Taal Volcano

Batangas' landscape is largely of plains dotted by mountains, including one of the world's smallest volcanoes,Mt. Taal,with an elevation of 600 metres (2,000 ft), located in the middle of theTaal Lake.Other important peaks areMount Macolodwith an elevation of 830 metres (2,720 ft),Mt. Banoywith 960 metres (3,150 ft), Mt. Talamitam with 700 metres (2,300 ft),Mt. Pico de Lorowith 664 metres (2,178 ft),Mt. Batulaowith 693 metres (2,274 ft), Mt. Manabo with 830 metres (2,720 ft), and Mt. Daguldol with 672 metres (2,205 ft).

Batangas has several islands, includingTingloy,Verde Island(Isla Verde), andFortune IslandofNasugbu.

According toGuinness World Records,thelargest island in a lake on an islandis situated in Batangas (particularly at Vulcan Point in Crater Lake, which rests in the middle ofTaal IslandinLake Taal,on the island ofLuzon).

Flora and fauna

Themalabayabas,orPhilippine teak,is endemic to Batangas. The province is also home to thekabag(Haplonycteris fischeri), one of the world's smallestfruit bats.In the municipality ofNasugbu,wild deer still inhabit the remote areas of barangays Looc, Papaya, Bulihan, and Dayap.

In the second half of 2006, scientists from theUnited Statesdiscovered that theCoral Trianglehas its centre at theIsla Verde Passage,a part of the province. According to the study made byAmericanmarine biologistKent Carpenter,Batangas seas host more than half of the world's species of coral. It is also home todolphinsand once in a while, the passage of the world's biggest fish: thewhale sharkor thebutanding,as the locals call it may be observed. The municipality ofSan Juanhas a residentmarine turtleorpawikan.Pawikans like theOlive ridley sea turtle,leather back sea turtle,andgreen sea turtlecan be seen in Nasugbu up to the present.

Administrative divisions

Batangas comprises 29municipalitiesand 5cities.In land terms,Nasugbuis the largest municipality in Batangas with over 278.51km² whileSan Nicolasis the smallest municipality with 22.61 km². In population density,Taalis the most densely populated with over 2,066 people per km² butLobois the least densely populated with over 230 people per km².

• †Provincial capital and component city
• ∗Component city
• Municipality

Cityormunicipality		District	Population			±% p.a.	Area		Density		Barangay	Coordinates[A]
			(2020)		(2015)		km2	sq mi	/km2	/sq mi
Agoncillo		3rd	1.3%	39,101	38,059	0.52%	49.96	19.29	780	2,000	21	13°56′05″N120°55′43″E
Alitagtag		3rd	0.9%	26,819	25,300	1.12%	24.76	9.56	1,100	2,800	19	13°51′55″N121°00′17″E
Balayan		1st	3.3%	95,913	90,699	1.07%	108.73	41.98	880	2,300	48	13°57′01″N120°44′00″E
Balete		3rd	0.8%	24,055	22,661	1.14%	25.00	9.65	960	2,500	13	14°01′00″N121°05′59″E
Batangas City	†	Lone	12.1%	351,437	329,874	0.45%	282.96	109.25	1,200	3,100	105	13°45′22″N121°03′28″E
Bauan		2nd	3.1%	90,819	91,297	−0.10%	53.31	20.58	1,700	4,400	40	13°47′33″N121°00′27″E
Calaca	∗	1st	3.0%	87,361	81,859	1.22%	114.58	44.24	760	2,000	40	13°55′49″N120°48′46″E
Calatagan		1st	2.0%	58,719	56,449	0.75%	101.50	39.19	580	1,500	25	13°49′58″N120°37′56″E
Cuenca		3rd	1.2%	36,235	32,783	1.92%	58.18	22.46	620	1,600	21	13°54′05″N121°02′57″E
Ibaan		4th	2.0%	58,507	52,970	1.91%	68.99	26.64	850	2,200	26	13°49′11″N121°08′09″E
Laurel		3rd	1.5%	43,210	39,444	1.75%	71.29	27.53	610	1,600	21	14°03′01″N120°56′00″E
Lemery		1st	3.2%	93,186	93,157	0.01%	109.80	42.39	850	2,200	46	13°53′01″N120°54′48″E
Lian		1st	1.9%	56,280	52,660	1.27%	76.80	29.65	730	1,900	19	14°02′09″N120°39′12″E
Lipa	∗	Lone	12.8%	372,931	332,386	2.22%	209.40	80.85	1,800	4,700	72	13°56′29″N121°09′51″E
Lobo		2nd	1.4%	40,736	41,504	−0.35%	175.03	67.58	230	600	26	13°38′50″N121°12′36″E
Mabini		2nd	1.7%	50,858	46,211	1.84%	44.47	17.17	1,100	2,800	34	13°44′51″N120°56′28″E
Malvar		3rd	2.2%	64,379	56,270	2.60%	33.00	12.74	2,000	5,200	15	14°03′15″N121°09′17″E
Mataasnakahoy		3rd	1.1%	30,621	29,187	0.92%	19.66	7.59	1,600	4,100	16	13°57′45″N121°06′49″E
Nasugbu		1st	4.7%	136,524	134,113	0.34%	278.51	107.53	490	1,300	42	14°04′24″N120°37′56″E
Padre Garcia		4th	1.8%	51,853	48,302	0.50%	41.51	16.03	1,200	3,100	18	13°52′40″N121°12′42″E
Rosario		4th	4.4%	128,352	116,764	1.82%	226.88	87.60	570	1,500	48	13°50′39″N121°12′13″E
San Jose		4th	2.7%	79,868	76,971	0.71%	53.29	20.58	1,500	3,900	33	13°52′49″N121°06′07″E
San Juan		4th	3.9%	114,068	108,585	0.94%	273.40	105.56	420	1,100	42	13°49′29″N121°23′46″E
San Luis		2nd	1.2%	36,172	33,149	1.68%	42.56	16.43	850	2,200	26	13°51′31″N120°54′59″E
San Nicolas		3rd	0.8%	23,908	22,623	1.06%	22.61	8.73	1,100	2,800	18	13°55′49″N120°57′08″E
San Pascual		2nd	2.4%	69,009	65,424	1.02%	50.70	19.58	1,400	3,600	29	13°47′04″N121°01′49″E
Santa Teresita		3rd	0.7%	21,559	21,127	0.39%	16.30	6.29	1,300	3,400	17	13°52′11″N120°58′37″E
Santo Tomas	∗	3rd	7.5%	218,500	179,844	3.78%	95.41	36.84	2,300	6,000	30	14°06′24″N121°09′42″E
Taal		1st	2.1%	61,460	56,327	1.67%	29.76	11.49	2,100	5,400	42	13°52′49″N120°55′26″E
Talisay		3rd	1.6%	46,238	45,301	0.39%	28.20	10.89	1,600	4,100	21	14°05′40″N121°01′19″E
Tanauan	∗	3rd	6.7%	193,936	173,366	2.16%	107.16	41.37	1,800	4,700	48	14°05′07″N121°09′10″E
Taysan		4th	1.4%	40,146	38,007	1.05%	93.62	36.15	430	1,100	20	13°47′48″N121°11′19″E
Tingloy		2nd	0.7%	19,215	17,919	1.34%	33.07	12.77	580	1,500	15	13°39′33″N120°52′24″E
Tuy		1st	1.6%	46,519	43,743	1.18%	94.65	36.54	490	1,300	22	14°01′19″N120°43′48″E
Total				2,908,494	2,694,335	1.47%	3,115.05	1,202.73	930	2,400	1,078	(seeGeoGroup box)
^Coordinates mark thecity/town center,and are sortable bylatitude.

Climate

Batangas falls under two climates: thetropical savanna climate(As/Aw) and the borderingtropical monsoon climate(Am), under theKöppen climate classification.The same geographical divide is also labelled as Type I and Type III, respectively, under thePAGASA climate classification.Most of the province belongs to the tropical former, with well-defineddryandwet seasons,while parts lying to the east belong to the latter, with unpronounced dry and wet seasons influenced by themonsoons.Batangas City,the provincial capital, belongs to the tropical savanna climate, but is strongly influenced by the bordering monsoon climate, characterized by short dry seasons and longer wet seasons. Typhoons are a periodic occurrence especially during the southwest monsoon (habagat).

Demographics

Population census of Batangas

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1903 257,715 — 1918 340,199 +1.87% 1939 442,034 +1.25% 1948 510,224 +1.61% 1960 681,414 +2.44%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1970 926,308 +3.11% 1975 1,032,009 +2.19% 1980 1,174,201 +2.61% 1990 1,476,783 +2.32% 1995 1,658,567 +2.20%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 2000 1,905,348 +3.02% 2007 2,245,869 +2.29% 2010 2,377,395 +2.09% 2015 2,694,335 +2.41% 2020 2,908,494 +1.52%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

The population of Batangas in the 2020 census was 2,908,494 people,with a density of 930 inhabitants per square kilometer or 2,400 inhabitants per square mile.

Tagalogsare the predominant people in Batangas, being the native settlers in the province, distantly followed byBicolanos,Visayans,Kapampangans,Pangasinenses,andIlocanos,as well asMaguindanaons,Maranaos,Tausugsand otherethnolinguistic groups from Mindanao.

Batangas also has one of the highestliteracyrates in the country at 96.5%, with males having a slightly higherliteracyrate at 97.1% than females with 95.9%. Combined average literacy rate is 96%.

Language

Main article:Batangas Tagalog

Thedialect of Tagalogspoken in the province closely resembles theOld Tagalogspoken before the arrival of the Spanish. Hence, theSummer Institute of Linguistics[1]called this province the heartland of theTagalog language.A strong presence of theTagalogculture is visible up to the present day. Many educated Batangueños speak a version of Tagalog from the Spanish colonial era but with English terms, as in modern Filipino or standard Tagalog, because of mass media and modern versions of the Tagalog Bible.

Linguistically, Batangueños are also known for their unique affectation of often placing the particlesehorga(equivalent to the particlebainFilipino), usually as a marker of stress on the sentence, at the end of their spoken sentences or speech; for example: "Ay, oo nga, eh!" ( "Aye, yes, indeed!" ). Some even prolong the particle 'eh' into 'ala eh', though this has no meaning in itself.

Englishis widely understood in the province. Spanish is also understood to some extent, especially by older-generation people in the towns ofNasugbu,Taal,andLemery,which still have Spanish-speaking minorities.Bicolano,Kapampangan,Ilocano,Visayan,Maguindanaon,MaranaoandTausugare also spoken by a minority due to the influx of migrants from theBicol Region,Ilocos Region,Cordillera Administrative Region,Cagayan Valley,Central Luzon,VisayasandMindanao.

Religion

Main article:Religion in the Philippines

Catholicism

The majority of Batangas' population are religiously affiliated withRoman Catholicism,andIglesia Filipina Independiente.

Others

Other groups includeMembers Church of God International (MCGI),Iglesia ni Cristo,andevangelicalism.Other major religions includeIslam,Buddhism,Seventh-day Adventist Church,Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide,Protestantism,Jehovah's Witnesses,andthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Batangas

5 10 15 20 25 30 2006 14.41 2009 17.08 2012 19.04 2015 22.32 2018 11.43 2021 4.30 Source:Philippine Statistics Authority

The province of Batangas was billed as the second richest province in the Philippines by the Commission on Audit by year 2020. It has been the second richest province in the country for two consecutive years. In 2020, its provincial government posted a record high of ₱25.2 billion worth of assets, the largest in Calabarzon and the whole Luzon.

Products

Batangas is known for its butterfly knives, locally known asbalisong,with its manufacture also becoming an industry in the province.

Agriculture and fisheries

Pineapplesare also common in Batangas. Aside from the fruit, the leaves are also useful such that an industry has been created from it. Pineapple leaves fibers are processed to form a silk-like fabric known aspiña,from which thebarong tagalog,the national costume of the Philippines is made.

Livestock as an industry also thrives in Batangas. The termbakang Batangas(literally "Batangas cow" ) is associated with the country's best species of cattle, and are widely sought throughout the country. Cattle raising is widely practiced in Batangas such that every Saturday is an auction day in the municipalities of San Juan, Bauan and Padre Garcia.

Fishing plays a very important part of the economy of the province. Although thetunaindustry in the country is centered inGeneral Santos,Batangas is also known for the smaller species of the said fish. The locals even have their own names for it. Some of them arebigeye tuna(tambakol),yellowfin tuna(berberabe),tambakulis,Pacific bluefin tuna(tulingan),bullet tuna(bonito) and another species also calledbonitobut actuallyGymnosarda unicolor.There is also an important industry for thewahoo(tanigi).

Aside from the South China Sea,Taal Lakealso provides a source offreshwater fishesto the country. The lake is home toSardinella tawilisor simplytawilis,a species of freshwater sardine that is endemic to the lake. Taal Lake also provides farmedChanos chanosorbangus.There is also a good volume ofOreochromis niloticus niloticusandOreochromis aureus,both locally calledtilapia.It is ecologically important to note that neitherbangusnortilapiaare native to the lake, and are considered aninvasive species.

Sugar is also a major industry. AfterHacienda Luisita,the country's former largest sugar producer, was broken-up for land reform, the municipality ofNasugbuhas been the home of the current largest sugar producing company, the Central Azucarera de Don Pedro.Rice cakesand sweets are also a strong industry.

Some towns (those adjacent toLaguna) have a prosperous bamboo based industry, where several houses and furniture are made of bamboo. Natives say that food cooked in bamboo has an added scent and flavor.Labong,orbamboo shoots,is cooked withcoconut milkor with other ingredients to make a Batangas delicacy.

Industries

Batangas houses 5 industrial parks registered under thePhilippine Economic Zone Authority(PEZA), which are concentrated along the route ofSTAR TollwayandJose P. Laurel Highway.The largest of those industrial parks are LIMA Technology Center, a 500-hectare (1,200-acre) commercial and industrial zone oriented to tech companies at Lipa and Malvar, and theFirst Philippine Industrial Park(FPIP), with over 350 hectares (860 acres) at Santo Tomas and Tanauan, and Light Industry and Science Park IV (LISP IV), a live-work community with 170-hectare industrial area located at the heart of Malvar, Batangas.

Batangas City and the nearby municipalities of San Pascual, Bauan, and Mabini also have large-scale industrial activity connected with their seaside location, including power generation, oil and gas processing and transhipment, and ship repairs.

Government

Governor
Hermilando Mandanas

Vice Governor
Mark Leviste

The Provincial Capitol of Batangas

With the provinces in the island ofPanay,Ilocos SurandPampanga,Batangas was one of the earliest provinces established by the Spaniards who settled in the country. It was headed byMartin de Goitiand since then has become one of the most important regions of the Philippines. Batangas first came to be known asBonbon.It was named afterTaal Lake,which was also originally called Bonbon. Some of the earliest settlements in Batangas were established in the vicinity ofTaal Lake.In 1534, Batangas became the first practically organized province inLuzon.Balayanwas the capital of the province for 135 years from 1597 to 1732. In 1732, it was moved toTaal,then the flourishing and most progressive town in the province, it wasn't until 1754 that the capital was destroyed by the Great Taal Eruption of 1754. It was in 1889 that the capital was moved to the present,Batangas City.

Batangas has been called by some Philippine historians as the "Cradle of Noble Heroes", citing the notable number of people from it who were declared Philippine national heroes and those who became leaders of the country. Among them are Teodoro M. Kalaw,Apolinario Mabini,Jose Laurel,andFelipe Agoncillo.

Incumbent officials

• Governor:Hermilando I. Mandanas(PDP–Laban)
• Vice Governor:Jose Antonio S. Leviste II(PDP–Laban)
• Board Members:

Representation	Name	Name
First District	Carlo Roman G. Rosales (NP/One Batangas)	Armie Marie C. Bausas (NP/One Batangas)
Second District	Arlina B. Magboo (Aksyon/One Batangas)	Wilson Leonardo T. Rivera (NP/One Batangas)
Third District	Alfredo C. Corona (NPC/One Batangas)	Rodolfo M. Balba (NP/One Batangas)
Fourth District	Jonas Patrick M. Gozos (NP/One Batangas)	Jesus H. De Veyra (NP/One Batangas)
Fifth District (Batangas City)	Ma. Claudette U. Ambida-Alday (NP/One Batangas)	Arthur G. Blanco (NP/One Batangas)
Sixth District (Lipa City)	Lydio A. Lopez, Jr (NP/One Batangas)	Aries Emmanuel D. Mendoza (NP/One Batangas)
Philippine Councilors League President	Melvin V. Vidal	Padre Garcia
Liga ng Mga Barangay President	Fernando R. Rocafort	City of Lipa
Sangguniang Kabataan Provincial Federation President	Voltaire Aedrian P. Pua	City of Lipa

Representatives

Main article:Legislative districts of Batangas

From top to bottom:1st district to 6th district

• Elected Representatives
  • 1st District:Joseph Eric R. Buhain(NP)
  • 2nd District:Gerville R. Luistro (Lakas)
  • 3rd District:Ma. Theresa V. Collantes (NPC)
  • 4th District:Lianda B. Bolilia (NP/One Batangas)
  • 5th District (Lone District of Batangas City):Mario Vittorio A. Mariño (NP/One Batangas)
  • 6th District (Lone District of Lipa City):Ralph G. Recto(NP/One Batangas)

List of former governors

Main article:Governor of Batangas

Infrastructure

Transportation

Roads

STAR Tollway in Tanauan. Since 2010, STAR Tollway has been interconnected with theSouth Luzon ExpresswaytoMetro Manila

Batangas has a total of 556 kilometers (345 mi) of national roads, mostly paved.TheSouthern Tagalog Arterial Road(STAR Tollway, officially numbered E2), Maharlika Highway (N1 andAH26) and Jose P. Laurel Highway (N4) forms the highway backbone of the province, and a network of secondary and tertiary national roads links most of the municipalities. The provincial government maintains a network of provincial roads to supplement the national roads and connect municipalities and barangays not connected directly to the main highway network.

Batangas Laguna Tayabas Bus Company Incorporated (BLTBCo.) is one of the oldest bus transport companies in the Philippines has routes within Southern Tagalog region. The company has historical roots in Batangas and has been founded in 1918. At present, the routes have been incorporated with Del Monte Land Transport Bus Company (DLTBCo).

The Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas (CTBEX) is a proposed expressway from the municipality ofSilang, Caviteup to the town ofNasugbu.CTBEX is to connect with theCavite–Laguna Expressway(CALAEX). Once opened, this will provide motorists a faster route to the resort towns ofNasugbu,LianandCalataganin the western part of the province.

Water transport

Batangas Port, the starting point of the western route of theWestern Nautical Highwayand also a principal port.

Batangas PortinBatangas Cityis the principal port for ferry access to Mindoro, Tablas, Romblon, and other islands. Montenegro Lines is the largest of a number of passenger shipping companies operating out of Batangas. Condensate tankers offload at Batangas in sizeable quantity. Batangas Port is expanded in 2008 to house facilities for container ships.

Being an entry point to the rest of the archipelago, Batangas hasroll-on/roll-off(RoRo) ferry connections withMindoroand Visayas. The western portion of the Nautical Highway starts at Batangas, and connects withCalapan,Oriental Mindoro.Batangas Port serves as another principal port, along with the Manila International Port for inter-island and international cargo shipping, as well as interisland passenger shipping.

Electricity

Poles of the Batangas II Electric Cooperative in Lipa. Batangas II Electric Cooperative is one of three major power distribution utilities in Batangas, along with Batangas I Electric Cooperative andMeralco.

Electric power in Batangas is mostlydistributedbyelectric cooperatives,namely the Batangas I Electric Cooperative (BATELEC-I) and Batangas II Electric Cooperative (BATELEC-II). The former serves the western part of Batangas, likeNasugbu,Calatagan,Balayan,Lemery,andTaal,while the latter serves the eastern part, likeLipa,Tanauan, Talisay, San Jose, and Rosario. The municipalities of Bauan and Ibaan, and LIMA Technology Center are served by local utility companies.Santo Tomas,theFirst Philippine Industrial Park(FPIP) inTanauan,San PascualandBatangas City,however, are served by the Metro Manila-based electric company,Meralco.Some large industrial customers are supplied by the 69,000 volt grid, operated byNational Grid Corporation of the Philippines(NGCP), BATELEC-II, and Meralco.

Batangas houses three power plants that provide the bulk of power used in Luzon. Power plants include the 600-megawatt (MW) Calaca Coal Fired Power Plant in Calaca, the 500 MW, 1000 MW, and 414 MW San Lorenzo-Santa Rita-San Gabriel Combined Cycle Power Plant,and the 1251 MW Ilijan Power Plant, both in Batangas City. The Calaca Power Plant is originally built withnameplate capacityof 600 MW, is being expanded to generate 1300 MW, with an addition of 2x350 MW (700 MW) capacity in a second power plant, constructed under an agreement between Semirara Mining and Meralco.

Most power plants in Batangas, however, use fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas, and are the subjects of environmental grievances because of their effects on ecosystems. One power plant to be built at Mabacong, Batangas City, is facing opposition from environmentalists and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lipa, owing to its effect on residents and the aquatic ecosystem onVerde Island Passage.

Culture

Way of life

Maria Kalaw Katigbak,aFilipinohistorian,was quoted to call the Batangueños theHybrid-Tagalogs.One particular custom in the Batangas culture is the so-calledMatanda sa Dugo(lit.older by blood) practice wherein one expresses respect not because of age but because ofconsanguinity.During the early times, the custom of having very large families were very common. Thus, a particular person's uncle could be of the same age, or even younger than himself. Because of the custom, the older person would still address the younger one with an honorary title such astiyo/tioor simplykuyaif they can no longer establish the actual relationship or add the honorificho/poin their sentences when addressing the younger instead of the other way around. This often draws confusion from the other provinces who are not accustomed to such practices. This practice exists until today.

Batangueños are very "regionalistic". When one learns that another in the room is also from Batangas, the two would be together until the end of the event. In workplace settings, a Batangueno may also express preference for another Batangueno as long as the workplace regulations allow. Thus, the running joke on theBatangasMafia.

Batangueños are also known for high-toned conversations that seemingly sound like a heating argument to non-Batangueños but in fact, they are not always the case, as they are just normal conversations.

They also tend to live in a large extended family. It has been observed that a piece of land remains undivided until the family connection becomes too difficult to establish actual blood relations. Marriages between relatives of the fifth generation is still restrained in the Batangan culture even ifPhilippinelaws allow it.

Batangueños have been known for their religious practices, where devotees of the Catholic religion perform rituals such as dances (subli) and chants (luwa/lua) to express their faith. One of these is the ritual calledPasión/Pasyonbased on the passion of Jesus Christ in which religious chants are recited during theLentenseason. In May, the people ofBauanandAlitagtagcelebrate the feast day of theMahal na Poon ng Santa Cruz(lit. Lord of the Holy Cross), a ritual dance called the Subli is made to honor the Poon. In the town of Taal, they celebrate the feast day ofOur Lady of CaysasayandSan Martin de Toursa two-day celebration where a procession begins from the shrine of the Virgin going towards thePansipit Riverfrom which the fluvial procession and another procession towards the Basilica are made in honor of the Virgin Mary. Fiestas in other towns usually start in the month of May and last up to the first day of June, usually the plaza near the church becomes the center of activities.

Mythology and literature

Scholars also identified that the ancient Batangueños, like the rest of the Tagalog tribe, worship the Supreme Creator, known asBathala.Lesser gods likeMayari,the goddess of the moon and her honorary brother Apolake, god of the sun, were also present.Dambanapractices are also present in the province.

For literature,Padre Vicente Garciacame to be known when he wrote an essay to defendJosé Rizal'sNoli Me Tangere.

In 2004, the province of Batangas gaveDomingo Landicho(familiarly called Inggo by Batangueños) who was born in the province theDangal ng Batangas(Pride of Batangas) Award for being the "Peoples' Poet".

Music

Further information:Filipino Traditional Music

Musicologists identified Batangas as the origin of thekumintang,an ancient war song, which later evolved to become the signature of Filipino love songs thekundiman.From the ancient kumintang, another vocal music emerged, identified as theawit.Thehuluna,a psalm-like lullaby, is also famous in some towns, especially Bauan.

During theLenten Season,the Christian passion-narrative, calledPasyonby the natives, is expected in every corners of the province. In fact according to scholars, the very first printed version of thepasyonwas authored by a layman fromRosarionamedGaspar Aquino de Belen.Although de Belen's version was printed in 1702, it is still debated whether there were earlier versions.

Debates may also be done while singing. Batangueños are known for theduplo(a sung debate where each line of the verse must be octosyllabic) and thekaragatan(a sung debate where each line of the verse must be dodecasyllabic.) The latter, whose literal meaning is "ocean", got its name from the opening lines. Always, the karagatan is opened by saying some verses that alludes the depth of the sea and comparing it to the difficulty of joining the debate. And as mentioned above, the debate must be sung.

Batangas is also the origin of thebalitao.Aside from being a form of vocal music, thebalitaois also a form of dance music. Together with thesubli,it is the most famous form of dance native to Batangas.

Architecture and sculpture

Basilica de San Martin in Taal

As shown in its ancient churches, Batangas is home to some of the best preserved colonial architectures in the country, especially evident in the municipality of Taal.

Though not as popular as the carving industry ofPaete,Taal is still known for the sculptures engraved in furniture. Sometimes, altar tables coming from Taal were called the "friars' choice".

According to Milagros Covarubias-Jamir, another Filipino scholar, the furniture that came from Taal during the colonial times was comparable to equivalent quality furniture from China.The build of the furniture was so exquisite, nails of glues were never used. Still, the Batangueños knew how to maximize the use of hardwoods. As a result, furniture made about a hundred years ago are still found in many old churches and houses even today.

Cuisine

• Bulalo
• Lomi Batangas
• Goto
• Aobo sa dilaw
• Longganisang Taal
• Tapang Taal
• Sinaing na tulingan
• Taghilaw
• Sinigang na maliputo
• Sinunggaokor sampene
• Bagoong Balayan
• Tinapang Lemery
• Pupor (Batangaschicharon)
• Tamales ng Ibaan
• Sumang magkayakapng Tanauan
• Kalamay kapit
• Nilupak
• Kapeng barako
• Tsokolate tablea(tsokolate eh and tsokolate ah
• Panutsa
• Murkon (Batangasembutido)

Museums

• Museo ng Katipunan:Barangay Bulaklakan, Lipa
• Apolinario MabiniShrine:Marcela Agoncillo Historical Landmark, Barangay zone 4, Taal, Batangas
• Museo niMiguel Malvar:Gov. Malvar St, Poblacion 1, Santo Tomas, Batangas
• Museo ng Batangas at Aklatang Panlalawigan:includes the Dr. Jose P. Laurel Library, Tanauan, Batangas

Notable people

National heroes and patriots

• Apolinario Mabini— Filipino revolutionary
• Miguel Malvar— Filipino general who served during thePhilippine Revolutionand thePhilippine–American War
• Felipe Agoncillo— the Filipino lawyer representative to the negotiations in Paris that led to theTreaty of Paris (1898)
• Marcela Agoncillo— the principal seamstress of the first and officialflag of the Philippines
• Galicano Apacible— co-founder ofLa Solidaridad
• Ananias Diokno— Filipino general during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War
• Juan Cailles— Filipino general during the Philippine-American War
• Gliceria Marella de Villavicencio— heroine of the Revolution, "Godmother of the Revolutionary Forces"
• Clemencia López— Filipina feminist, and suffragist
• Maria Orosa— Filipina food technologist, pharmaceutical chemist, and war heroine
• Teodoro Kalaw— Filipino scholar, legislator, and historian
• Claro M. Recto— statesman, jurist, poet.

Politics and Government

• José P. Laurel— President of theSecond Philippine Republic,a Japanese-sponsored government during World War II
• Salvador Laurel— 8thVice President of the Philippines
• Jose Laurel Jr.— 9thSpeaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines,and Member of thePhilippine Constitutional Commission of 1986.
• Manuel Araullo,3rdChief Justiceof theSupreme Court of the Philippines
• Querube Makalintal,11thChief Justiceof theSupreme Court of the Philippines,14thSpeaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
• Ramon Aquino,15thChief Justiceof theSupreme Court of the Philippines
• Ramón Diokno,63rdAssociate Justiceof theSupreme Court of the Philippinesand former senator.
• Cecilia Muñoz-Palma- Filipino jurist and the first womanAssociate Justiceof theSupreme Court of the Philippines.
• Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez— 147thAssociate Justiceof theSupreme Court of the Philippines.
• Cancio Garcia— 156thAssociate Justiceof theSupreme Court of the Philippines.
• Rosmari Carandang— 181stAssociate Justiceof theSupreme Court of the Philippines.
• Antonio de las Alas- former senator and 3rdSecretary of the Department of Finance.
• Sotero Laurel— former senator
• Ralph Recto—Senator of the Philippines
• Vilma Santos– formerHouse Representativeof the6th districtof Batangas, 22ndGovernor of Batangas,and film actress
• Domingo F. Panganiban— 36thSecretary of the Department of Agriculture,former Lead Convenor National Poverty Commission (NAPC).
• Renato de Villa— 20thChief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,and 18thSecretary of the Department of National Defense
• Eduardo Ermita— 22ndSecretary of the Department of National Defense,and formerExecutive Secretary
• Leandro Mendoza— 35thSecretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications,formerExecutive Secretary,and 8thChief of the Philippine National Police
• Benjamin Diokno— 5thGovernor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas,and 6thSecretary of the Department of Budget and Management
• Efren L. Abu - 35thChief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
• Noel Clement— 52ndChief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
• Rommel Sandoval–Philippine Armycaptain andMedal of Valorrecipient

Arts and Sciences

• Leonor Orosa-Goquingco—National Artist of the Philippinesfor Dance
• Bienvenido Lumbera—National Artist of the Philippinesfor Literature
• Gregorio Y. Zara—National Scientist of the Philippinesfor Engineering and Inventions
• Teodoro Agoncillo—National Scientist of the Philippinesfor Philippine History
• Deogracias Villadolid— biologist
• Anastacio Caedo— Filipino sculptor
• Lito Mayo— graphic artist, print-maker, avant-garde poet, social activist, sculptor.

Religion

• Alfredo Obviar—FilipinoVenerable;Bishop Emeritus of Lucena.
• Vicente García—Filipinopriest,hero and a defender ofJose P. Rizal.
• Armin Luistro,FSC— 28th Superior General of theInstitute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools,36thSecretary of the Department of Education.
• Gaudencio Rosales- Filipino Cardinal who has served as the 31stArchbishop of Manila,6thArchbishop of Lipa,and 2ndBishop of Malaybalay.
• Ramon Arguelles— Filipino Roman Catholic Archbishop;Archbishop Emeritus of Lipa
• Reynaldo G. Evangelista- Filipino Roman Catholic Bishop who is currently theBishop of Imus.He was a formerBishop of Boac.
• Marcelino Antonio Maralit- Filipino Roman Catholic Bishop who is currently the Bishop of Boac.
• Fernando Suarez— Filipino Catholic priest who performsfaith healing.

Sports, Popular Culture and Entertainment

• Arsenio Laurel- championrace cardriver from thePhilippines.He was the first two-time winner of theMacau Grand Prix,winning it consecutively in 1962 and 1963.
• Nora Daza–Filipinaveterangourmetchef,restaurateur,socio-civic leader, television host.
• Ai-Ai delas Alas— actress, comedian, singer and TV host
• Simon Ibarra– actor
• Charlie Dizon- actress, model
• Ogie Alcasid— singer-songwriter, television presenter, comedian,parodist,and actor
• TJ Trinidad– actor, singer and model
• Leo Martinez— actor, comedian and director
• Zanjoe Marudo— actor and model,Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Edition 14th placer
• Jade Lopez– Filipina actress, dramatic artist
• Jason Gainza— actor, impersonator
• Joshua Garcia— actor, model and endorser
• Alyssa Valdez– volleyball player and former member of collegiate varsity volleyball team ofAteneo de Manila Universityin both indoor and beach volleyball.
• Kim Fajardo– volleyball athlete, and former team captain of theDe La Salle Universitywomen's volleyball team.
• Jovit Baldivino— singer and grand champion ofPilipinas Got Talent: Season 1
• Perfecto de Castro— musician and YouTuber, former guitarist ofRivermayafrom 1994-1995
• Francis Reyes— musician and radio announcer, guitarist ofthe Dawn,former station manager of now-defunctNU107.5 FM
• Darius Semaña— musician, lead guitarist ofParokya ni Edgar
• Maloi Ricalde - singer, member of pop group Bini

External links

• Media related toBatangasat Wikimedia Commons
• Batangastravel guide from Wikivoyage
• Geographic data related toBatangasatOpenStreetMap
• Official Website of the Provincial Government of Batangas