Batangas (Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Batangas IPA: [bɐˈtaŋgɐs]) is a province in the Philippines located

in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Its capital is the city of Batangas, and is bordered by the

provinces of Cavite and Laguna to the north, and Quezon to the east. Across the Verde Island
Passages to the south is the island of Mindoro and to the west lies the South China Sea. Poetically,
Batangas is often referred to by its ancient name Kumintáng.
Batangas is one of the most popular tourist destinations near Metro Manila. It is home to the well-
known Taal Volcano, one of the Decade Volcanoes, and Taal Heritage town, a small town that has
ancestral houses and structures dating back to the 19th century. The province also has numerous
beaches and diving spots including Anilao in Mabini, Sombrero Island in Tingloy, Ligpo Island and
Sampaguita Beach in Bauan, Matabungkay in Lian, Punta Fuego in Nasugbu, Calatagan and Laiya
in San Juan. All of the marine waters of the province are part of the Verde Island Passage, the
center of the center of 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's industrial
parks.

Contents

 1Etymology
 2History
o 2.1Archaic epoch
o 2.2Spanish colonization
o 2.3American period
o 2.4Japanese occupation
o 2.5Post-war period
o 2.6Under the Marcos Dictatorship
o 2.7Recent history
 3Geography
o 3.1Administrative divisions
o 3.2Climate
 4Demographics
o 4.1Language
o 4.2Religion
 5Economy
o 5.1Products
o 5.2Agriculture and fisheries
o 5.3Industries
 6Government
o 6.1Incumbent officials
o 6.2List of former governors
 7Infrastructure
o 7.1Transportation
o 7.2Electricity
 8Culture
 o 8.1Way of life
o 8.2Mythology and literature
o 8.3Music
o 8.4Architecture and sculpture
o 8.5Museums
 9Flora and fauna
 10Notable people
 11Gallery
 12References
 13External links

Etymology[edit]
"Kumintang" redirects here. For the Chinese political party, see Kuomintang.
The first recorded name of the province was Kumintáng, whose political center was the present-day
municipality (town) of Taal, prior moving to municipality of Balayan. Balayan was considered the
most progressive town of the region. An eruption of Taal Volcano destroyed a significant portion of
the town, causing residents to transfer to Bonbon (now Taal), the name eventually encompassing
the bounds of the modern province.
The modern name of "Batangas" is derived from Spanish batangas, meaning "outrigger [booms]".[3] It
is derived Tagalog batangan which refers to a type of tough mangrove wood used in building the
large rounded beams (also called batangan) across the traditional outriggers (katig) of
Filipino bangka boats.[4][5]

History[edit]
Archaic epoch[edit]
Long before the arrival of the Spaniards in the Philippines, large centers of population already
thrived in Batangas. Native settlements lined the Pansipit River, a major waterway. The province had
been trading with the Chinese since Yuan Dynasty until the first phase of Ming Dynasty in the 13th
and 15th century. Inhabitants of the province were also trading with Japan and India. The Philippines
ancestors were Buddhists and Hindus, but far from India and intermixed with animistic beliefs.
Archaeological findings show that before the settlement of the Spaniards in the country,
the Tagalogs, especially the Batangueños, had attained a semblance of high civilization. This was
shown by certain jewelry, made from a chambered nautilus' shell, where tiny holes were created by
a drill-like tool. The Ancient Batangueños were influenced by India as shown in the origin of most
languages from Sanskrit and certain ancient potteries. A Buddhist image was reproduced in mould
on a clay medallion in bas-relief from the municipality of Calatagan. According to experts, the image
in the pot strongly resembles the iconographic portrayal of Buddha in Siam, India, and Nepal. The
pot shows Buddha Amithaba in the tribhanga[6] pose inside an oval nimbus. Scholars also noted that
there is a strong Mahayanic orientation in the image, since the Boddhisattva Avalokitesvara was also
depicted.[7]

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One of the major archaeological finds was in January 1941, where two crude stone figures were
found in Palapat in the municipality of Calatagan. They were later donated to the National Museum.
One of them was destroyed during World 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 named Likha (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 the bakyang (bows and arrows), the bangkaw (spears), and
the suwan (bolo).
Being highly superstitious, the use of agimat (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 word taga-ilog or "river dwellers" referring to
the Pasig River located 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 Tagalog tribe, which he
then identified as Ma-yi or Ma-i. According to the Chinese Imperial Annals, Ma-yi had its center in
the province and extends to as far
as Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Quezon, Bataan, Bulacan, Mindoro, Marinduque, Nueva Ecija, some parts
of Zambales, and Tarlac. 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 the Batangas Period in 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 colonization[edit]
In 1570, Spanish generals Martin de Goiti and Juan de Salcedo explored the coast of Batangas on
their way to Manila and came upon a Malay settlement at the mouth of Pansipit River. In 1572, the
town of Taal was founded and its convent and stone church were constructed later.
Officially, the Province of Bonbon was 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 the Muslim natives who
inhabited the area.
In 1581, the Spanish government abolished Bonbon Province and created a new province which
came to be known as Balayan Province. The new province was composed of the present provinces
of Batangas, Mindoro, Marinduque, southeast Laguna, and Camarines. After the devastating
eruption of Taal Volcano in 1754, the old town of Taal, 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, the Franciscan missionaries came
to Taal, which later became the first Spanish settlement in Batangas and one of the earliest in the
Philippines. In 1572, the Augustinians founded Taal in the place of Wawa, now San Nicolas, and
from there began preaching in Balayan and in all the big settlements around the lake
of Bombon (Taal). The Augustinians, who were the first missionaries in the diocese, remained until
the revolution 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
as novenas, and had written the first Tagalog grammar that served other missionaries who came.
Foundation of important parishes followed throughout the years: 1572, the Taal Parish was founded
by the Augustinians; 1581, the Batangas Parish under Fray Diego Mexica; 1596, Bauan Parish
administered by the Augustinian missionaries; 1605, Lipa Parish under the Augustinian
administration; 1774, Balayan Parish was founded; 1852, Nasugbu Parish; and
1868, Lemery Parish.
The town of Nasugbu became 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 in Fortune
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 the Manila-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 Spanish Governor-General Ramon Blanco on August
30, 1896. This event was given distinction when Marcela Agoncillo, also a native of the province,
made the Philippine Flag, which bears a sun with eight rays to represent these eight provinces.

American period[edit]

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 of Tanikalang Ginto in 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.
General Miguel Malvar is recognized as the last Filipino general to surrender to the United States in
the Philippine–American War.

Japanese occupation[edit]
After the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the Japanese sent their planes to attack
the Philippines, launching major air raids throughout the country. The bombings resulted in the
destruction of the Batangas Airport located in Batangas City, of which nothing remains today.
[8]
 Batangas was also a scene of heavy fighting between the Philippine Army Air Corps and
the Japanese A6M Zero Fighter Planes. The most notable air combat battle took place at height of
3,700 metres (12,000 ft) on December 12, 1941 when 6 Filipino fighters led by Capt. Jesús
Villamor engaged 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 Basa who was able to bail out on a parachute as his plane was shot down only to be
strafed by machine-gun fire from the A6M Zeroes.[9]
When Gen. Douglas MacArthur ordered the overall retreat of the American-Filipino Forces
to Bataan in 1942, the province was ultimately abandoned and later came under direct Japanese
occupation. During this time, the Imperial Japanese Army committed many crimes against
civilians including the massacre of 328 people in Bauan, 320 in Taal, 300 in Cuenca, 107 in San
Jose, and 39 in Lucero.[10]
Liberation[edit]

Battle of Batangas

Part of World War II

Date January 31 to August 15, 1945

Location Batangas
Result Allied Victory

Belligerents

 United States  Empire of Japan

  Commonwealth of the   Second Philippine

Philippines Republic

Strength

362,000 Filipino troops 156,000 Japanese troops

30,000 Batangueño guerrillas

65,000 American troops

Casualties and losses

Filipino troops Japanese troops

4,500 killed 40,000 killed

14,000 wounded 12,000 wounded

Batangueño guerrillas 3,000 captured

700 killed

2,140 wounded

American troops

2,000 killed

10,200 wounded
 XIV Corps of 158th RCT, 11th Airborne Division and 1st Cavalry Division campaign in Batangas and nearby
province.

As part of the Philippines Campaign (1944–45), the province's liberation began on January 31, 1945,
when elements of the 11th Airborne Division under the U.S. Eighth Army went ashore on the
beaches of Nasugbu, Batangas.[11] However, Batangas was not the main objective of the invasion
force. Instead, most of its units headed north to capture Manila and by March 3, the capital was
completely secured.
Liberation of Batangas proper by American forces began in March 1945 under the 11th Airborne
Division and the 158th Regimental Combat Team (or 158th RCT).[12] The 158th Regimental Combat
Team stationed in Nasugbu was tasked to secure the shores and nearby towns
of Balayan and Batangas. The 11th Airborne Division from the Tagaytay Ridge would attack the
Japanese defenses north of Taal Lake and open the Lipa corridor. By March 11 the 158th RCT had
reached Batangas City.[12] In order to secure the two bays, 158th RCT needed to capture the entire
Calumpang Peninsula near the town of Mabini, 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 captured.[12]
Afterwards, the 158th RCT turned northward to meet the Japanese Fuji Force defenses at Mt.
Maculot in Cuenca on March 19. The 158th RCT disengaged the Japanese on March 23 and were
relieved by the 11th Airborne's 187th Glider Infantry Regiment. Another 11th Airborne Division task
force, the 188th Infantry was ordered to dispatch troops around Batangas City and its remaining
frontiers.[12] Meanwhile, the 11th Airborne Division's 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment had begun
the opening of the Lipa corridor at Santo Tomas and Tanauan before being relieved by the 1st
Cavalry Division and moving via Tagaytay to Bauan and San Jose.[12]

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 for Lipa on March 24.[12] 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.[12]
The 188th Infantry Task Force met stiff resistance from Fuji Force's 86t