City of Calamba

City Profile

DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

Historical Background

In the early days, Calamba was just a part of Tabuco, now known as Cabuyao.  On August 28, 1742,
Calamba became a pueblo, separating it from Cabuyao. Progress set in and since then development
started to flood in continuously.   Calamba became a component city on April 21, 2001 by virtue of
Republic Act 9024.  According to a legend, the word “Calamba” was taken from the phrase “kalan-
banga”.  Kalan-banga was an earthen jar being carried by a young woman whom a Guardia Civil
stopped to ask for the name of the place.  Mistakenly thinking that she was being asked what she
was carrying, she answered “kalan-banga”.  Later on, Kalambanga was shortened to Calamba.

Geographic Location and Topography

Calamba is bounded in the east by Laguna de Bay, in the north by Cabuyao, in the south by Los
Baños and in the west by Sto. Tomas and Tanauan in Batangas.  Only 54 kilometers away from
Metro Manila, the city is a haven for industries, hence the influx of migrants.   Considered as the
heart of CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) due to the numerous number of
companies housed in its area, Calamba is the premier industrial hub outside of Metro Manila.

Legal basis of creation / date of approval : Governatorial Decree/August 28, 1742

Became a Component City

By virtue of Republic Act 9024 signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on March 5,
2001 and strengthened by a plebiscite held on April 21, 2001. 
Total Land Area : 14, 480 has.  
Urban Expansion Area : 8,526.7 has.  
Number of Barangays : 54 [Urban 37/Rural 17]
 
Total Population (May 1,2010 NSO) : 389,377
Total Number of Households (2007 NSO) : 77,473  
Registered Voters (as of May 2010) : 223,241  
Major Religious Denominations
- Roman Catholic : 89.72%  
- Islam : 0.26%  
- Iglesia Ni Cristo : 3.14%
- Protestant : 3.43%  
- Others : 3.45%
Basic Facilities  
- Hospitals :6   
- Clinics : 111
- Diagnostic Centers :9  
- Public Market :2
- Communications
      : Cellular phones : Globe, Smart, SunCellular
      : Landline : PLDT, Digitel, SunCellular
      : Postal Service : Philippine Postal Corporation
- Recreational Facilities :3
- Transportation : 23
- Power Supply : Meralco, Napocor
- Water Supply : Calamba Water District
Number of Educational Institutions
- Technical & Vocational Schools : 16
- Universities & Colleges : 17
- Highschool (Public/Private) : 21/39
- Elementary (Public/Private) : 51/69
Land Uses (in hectares) 
Classification Area
Urban Redevelopment Area : 2,080
Growth Management Area 1 : 4,199
Growth Management Area 2 : 2,460
Upland Conservation Area : 3,401.22
Forest Buffer Zone/Area : 333
Making Forest Reservation Area : 579.78
Agricultural Development Area : 1,427
Shoreland Area
TOTAL : 14,480 has.

ECONOMIC DATA

Annual Income : Php 2.59 Billion (2015)

: Php 2.2 Billion (2014)
 : Php 1.95 Billion (2013)
: Php 1.7 Billion (2012)
Income Class : First Class Component City
Major Income Sources
- Manufacturing : Industrial Companies
- Agriculture : Rice, Corn, Vegetables, Rootcrops
- Services : Manpower, Metal Craft
- Tourism : Hot Spring Resorts, Wonder Island, Rizal Shrine...
Tourist Destinations : Tallest Rizal Monument
: Hotsprings
: Wonder Island
: Rizal Shrine
: Industrial Parks
: Clay Pot "Banga"
: etc....
Special Events/Festivals : April 21  -  Ctiy Hood Anniversary/Banga Festival
: June 12-19 - Buhayani Festival
: June 12 - Independence Day
: June 19 - Rizal Day/Rizal's Birth Anniversary
: June 24 - Feast of St. John the Baptist/Basaan Festival
: August 28 - Town Foundation of Calamba
: Month of December - Paskuhan sa Calamba
: December 30 - Rizal's Death Anniversary
Sister Cities : Litomerice, Czech Republic 
: Walnut City, California, USA  
: Wilhelmsfeld, Germany  
: Guri, South Korea  
: Geumcheon-gu, South Korea

POLITICAL DATA

Seat of Government  - New City Hall Bldg., Brgy. Real, City of Calamba
The City of Calamba belongs to the Second District of Laguna
Number of Voting Precints - Clustered (as of Aug. 2013) = 723

 
City Profile

CITYHOOD OF CALAMBA
    April 21, 2001 was the day that changed the course of history of Calamba. After over seven years of
waiting,  Calamba became the second component city

of the Province of Laguna by virtue of Republic Act No. 9024, “An Act Converting the Municipality of
Calamba, Province of Laguna into a Component City to be known as the City of Calamba.” R.A. 9024 was
signed into law by Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on March 5, 2001 at the
Malacañang Palace. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) then set the plebiscite for Calamba’s
cityhood on April 21, 2001, three weeks before the local elections.

Events leading to Cityhood

     As early as 1994, the town’s Sangguniang Bayan approved Resolution No. 60, Series of 1994
requesting the Senate of the Philippines thru its president and the House of the Representatives thru its
speaker to co-sponsor a bill for Calamba’s conversion into a city. It was only after two years that another
resolution, Resolution No. 115 was passed requesting then Honorable Congressman Joaquin M. Chipeco
Jr, now Calamba City Mayor to co-sponsor a bill for Calamba’s cityhood and requesting the Sangguniang
Panlalawigan for their comments and recommendations regarding the matter. Another two years passed
before House Bill No. 986 and Senate bill Nos. 1630 and 1791 were filed in the House of Representatives
by Congressman Chipeco and Senate of the Philippines by Senators Franklin M. Drilon and Sergio
Osmeña, III, respectively.

     It was only in the year 2000 that the motion for Calamba’s cityhood was fast tracked. Then Mayor and
now City Vice-Mayor Severino J. Lajara requested favorable endorsement of House Bill No. 986 from the
Sangguniang Panlalawigan on January 3, 2000. The Sangguniang Bayan also endorsed House Bill No.
986 and Senate Bill Nos. 1630 and 1791 and also requested favorable endorsement from the
Sangguniang Panlalawigan on the same month. A month passed and Mayor Lajara sent a follow-up letter
to then Vice-Governor Teresita “Ningning” Lazaro on updates regarding the matter.

     On March 8, the House Committee on Local Government approved House Bill No. 986 on 2 nd reading
at a hearing held at Hotel Rembrandt, Quezon City, MM.  The same House Committee conducted a
public hearing on House Bill No. 986 at the Calamba Elementary School (Central II) gymnasium on March
23, approving the House Bill in principle. House Bill 986 was deliberated in April by the House of
Representatives in plenary session and approved as House Bill No. 10661, which was then filed with the
Senate of the Philippines in June.

      The year 2001 came and brought about approval on 2 nd reading of Senate Bill Nos. 1630 and 1791
and House Bill No. 10661 in a hearing held on February 5 at the Ambrocio Padilla Hall, Senate of the
Philippines. Three days later, February 8, Senate Bill Nos. 1630 and 1791 and House Bill No. 10661 was
deliberated in Plenary Session and was approved as Republic Act No. 9024.

     Calamba’s dream of becoming a city was slowly becoming a reality when Her Excellency, then
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law Republic Act No. 9024 “An Act Converting the
Municipality of Calamba, Province of Laguna into a Component City to be known as the City of Calamba”
on March 5, 2001. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) then set the plebiscite on April 21, 2001.

 Publications and Campaign

     The campaign for Calamba’s cityhood was intensive and widespread. Numerous posters, billboards
and streamers encouraging Calambeños to go out and vote in the coming April 21 plebiscite for
Calamba’s cityhood were placed in strategic locations around the municipality. Barangay patrol services
equipped with loud speakers were also utilized to spread information. Since the plebiscite coincided with
the summer season and the implementation of the Special Program for the Employment of the Students
(SPES), the said participants were also employed to hand-out flyers in all barangays. The City Planning
and Development Office, then the Municipal Planning and Development Office, has produced brochures,
both in English and Filipino, outlining the benefits and advantages of becoming a city. One set was
distributed during the Public Hearing held at the Central II gymnasium on March 23, 2000. Another set of
brochures along with a comic strip geared towards persuading Calambeños to vote “YES” to Calamba’s
cityhood, was distributed in all the barangays of Calamba. From March 30 to April 19, two teams of
representatives from various departments of the municipal government conducted information education
campaigns in all the fifty-four (54) barangays. Presenters from each team talked about the requirements,
process, benefits and advantages of cityhood and how Calambeños can help in making this dream a
reality. An open forum, where residents can voice out their opinions and questions, followed the
presentation. Most of the questions centered on possible changes in taxation and delivery of basic
services. Calambeños reacted positively to Calamba’s impending cityhood and expressed their
wholehearted support in this endeavor.

 Plebiscite Results

     A vast majority of Calambeños took part in the historic plebiscite, which determined the destiny of
Rizal’s hometown. Of the total fifteen thousand fifty-six (15,056) Calambeños who voted, only three
thousand four hundred thirteen (3,413) or 22.67% vote “No”. The remaining 77.33% voted “Yes” to
Calamba’s conversion into a component city.