Batangas City

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Coordinates: 13°45′25.96″N 121°3′29.2″E / 13.7572111°N 121.058111°E / 13.7572111; 121.058111

Batangas City Lungsod Batangas
The Batangas Port Terminal
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): "Industrial Port of CALABARZON"
Motto: "Eto Batangueño Disiplinado"
Map of Batangas showing the location of Batangas City
Country	Philippines
Region	Region IV-A CALABARZON
Province	Batangas
Congressional District	2nd
Barangays	105
Founded	1581
Cityhood	July 23, 1969
Government
- Mayor	Eduardo B. Dimacuha
- Vice Mayor	Jose Virgilio Y. Tolentino
- Councilors	Luisa F. Macaraig Carmela H. Atienza Nestor E. Dimacuha Julian B. Villena Ricardo A. Ambida Renato C. Cruz Eloisa Angela D. Portugal Manuel S. Aclan Gerardo A. Dela Roca Mario Vittorio A. Mariño
- ABC President	Vilma A. Dimacuha
- SK Federation President	Khristian Rafael S. Montalbo
Area
- Total	282.96 km2 (109.3 sq mi)
Elevation	10 m (34 ft)
Population (2007)
- Total	295, 231
- Density	1,042.11/km2 (2,699.1/sq mi)
- Demonym	Batangueño (male) Batangueña (female)
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	4200
Area code(s)	43
Income Class	First Class
Classification	Component City; Partially Urban
Website	www.batangascity.gov.ph

Batangas City (Filipino: Lungsod Batangas) is a city in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 295,231 people in 50,223 households.

It is the capital and largest city in Batangas province. Batangas City is an important seaport and trade center for the province, which is a sugar-growing region. Silk and cotton fabrics and coconut oil are manufactured in the city. The city is also the largest seaport in the CALABARZON region.

Batangas City is a major recreational, religious, commercial, industrial and educational center in the Batangas Province, as shown with the presence in the city of educational institutions (such as Saint Bridget College, Batangas State University, University of Batangas, Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas, Immaculate Heart of Mary Learning Center and School of Values, STI Colleges, Golden Gate Colleges , Colegio ng Lungsod ng Batangas and the Westmead International School). Religious centers includes the Monte Maria Shrine, Most Holy Trinity Parish, Basilica of Immaculate Conception Parish, Iglesia ni Kristo and the Batangas City's Protestant Church. Recretional centers includes the SM City Batangas, Bay City Mall, Citimart, etc. as well as the numerous hotels (such as Hotel Pontefino, Days Hotel, The Alpa Hotel and Restaurant, Batangas Country Club and Quinio Hotel).

Eduardo B. Dimacuha is the current city mayor (2004-2010).

[edit] History

[edit] Foreign Rule

The first Spanish missionaries arrived in Batangas City since 1572. Finally on 1581 Spanish authorities governing the Philippines created a pueblo in the area which included the hill (now Hilltop) where the present Provincial Capitol of Batangas stands after the formal end of the Coumintang Kingdom. The town was named "Batangan" because huge logs, locally called "batang", abounded in the place. The Spanish government appointed Don Agustin Casilao as Batangan's first gobernadorcillo. Said title of "little governor" as head of the pueblo or municipio was replaced in 1894 by "capital municipal." It is not clear who succeeded Casilao nor is it known whether there were subsequent appointments of capital municipal. Don Agustin Casilao is sometimes referred to as Agustino or Augustino in some sources. By 1870, its barangays were Balagtas, Bilogo, Bolbok, Bukal, Catandala, Konde, De La Paz, Kumintang Ibaba, Matuko, Mapagong, Paharang Kanluran, Pairang, Pinamucan, Patulo, Sampaga, San Agapito, San Isidro ang Talahib.

At the coming of the Americans in early 1900s local civil government of Batangas was set up. It took effect on July 4, 1901 with Jose Villanueva elected as "Municipal President." His term expired in 1903. Subsequent elections installed the following as municipal presidents: Juan Palacios, 1904-1905; Jose Arguelles, 1906; Marcelo Llana, 1907; Sisenando Ferriols, 1908-1909; Ventura Tolentino, 1910-1914; Julian Rosales, 1915; Juan Gutierrez, 1916-1919; Julian Rosales, 1920-1922; Juan Buenafe, 1923-1930; Perfecto Condez, 1931-1937; Juan Buenafe, 1938-1940. In 1941 the title "Municipal President" was changed to "Municipal Mayor." Pedro Berberabe was elected first municipal mayor.

Batangas City was severely damaged due to the Japanese A6M Zero bombardment which totally destroyed the Batangas Airport located in Brgy. Alangilan on December 12, 1941.^[1] On October 14, 1943, municipal councilor Roman L. Perez was appointed Mayor by the Japanese after the inauguration of the Second Republic of the Philippines. Liberation begun when 158th Regimental Combat Team (or 158th RCT) under the command of the US 6th Army reached Poblacion, Batangas City by March 11 during the Philippines Liberation Campaign of 1944–45 ^[2]. By the end of April the same that year, some elements of the 188th Infantry Task Force of the 11th Infantry Division was left to clear the barangays east and mountains south of the city as the main Allied Force continued their drived towards the Quezon Province ^[3]. Throughout the battle, recognized Filipino Guerrilla fighters played an important key role in the advancement of the combined American and Philippine Commonwealth troops, providing key roads and information for the Japanese location of defenses and movements. Hostilities ended as the war came closer to the end.

[edit] Independence and onwards

After the Liberation, Pres. Manuel Roxas issued his reappointment. Mayor Perez ran and won in 1944,^{[citation needed]} the first post-War elections in the country. In November 1949 he was killed by an unknown assassin. Vice Mayor Atilano Magadia succeeded the late Mayor Perez. He served until 1951. Mayor Macario Chavez was elected in 1951. His four-year term ended in 1955.

People voted Pedro S. Tolentino overwhelmingly as mayor in 1956. He was reelected three times. It was during his fourth term (mid 1969) that Congress approved the Charter, a milestone event which made him the first city mayor of Batangas.

Other succeeding mayors followed like Mayor Macario M.Mendoza, 1974-1979; Alfredo M. Borbon, 1979-1980, Conrado C. Berberabe, 1980-1986; Jose M. Atienza, 1986-1987; Mario M. Perez, 1987, Eduardo B. Dimacuha, 1988-1998, Angelito D. Dimacuha, 1998-2001 and again Eduardo B. Dimacuha, 2001-2010.

Meanwhile, on January 19, 2008, Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo opened Phase II project of the Batangas City International Container Port (with turn-over to the Philippine Ports Authority). She also inspected a major road project in Southern Tagalog. She then inspected the P1.5-billion Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), Stage II-Phase 1 connecting Lipa (19.74 kilometers and Batangas and the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) road widening, expansion and the STAR toll way development projects in Batangas.^[4]

[edit] Barangays

Batangas City is politically subdivided into 105 barangays.

[edit] Trivia

Basilica Immaculada Conception Parish is one of the oldest structure ever built in Batangas City.

In Squaresoft's Front Mission 3, Batangas is partially destroyed by a stolen copy of the M.I.D.A.S. experimental warhead dropped on an invading fleet from the air.

[edit] Sister Cities

The following are Batangas City's sister cities:

• - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
• - Cologne, Germany,
• - Guadalajara, Mexico,
• - Barcelona, Spain,

[edit] Media Networks

[edit] Television

• ConAmor Broadcasting Systems: Channel 6
• ABS-CBN: Channel 10
• Q: Channel 26
• GMA: Channel 12
• Studio 23: Channel 36

[edit] FM Radio

• 99.1 Spirit FM
• GV 99.9
• 104.7 Bay Radio

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] External links

The Batangas Seaport Terminal

• Official Website of the Local Government of Batangas City
• Batangas Now-Portal with links to Batangas City Hotels, Historical Buildings etc.
• Wikitravel: Batangas Travel Guide
• Azneita Project in Brgy. Sampaga, Batangas City
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 1995 Philippine Census Information
• 2000 Philippine Census Information
• 2007 Philippine Census Information