Tanauan, officially the City of Tanauan, is a 1st class component city in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 193,936 people. It is incorporated as a city under Republic Act No. 9005, signed on February 2, 2001, and ratified on March 10, 2001. The city is part of Mega Manila resulting from the continuous expansion of Metro Manila. It shares its borders with Calamba, Laguna, to the north, Tagaytay City, Cavite, to the northwest, Talisay to the west, Santo Tomas City to the east, and the towns of Balete and Malvar to the south. It borders on Taal Lake to the west. The town is known for the Old Tanauan Church Ruins, the most important archaeological site in the municipality where human remains from the colonial era have been unearthed. Among those born in Tanauan are revolutionary former Prime Minister Apolinario Mabini and former President José P. Laurel.

Etymology

The name "Tanauan" may have come from: Like most Batangueños,Tanauan residents also pronounce the city's name as Tan-awan, in Batangas Tagalog dialect, despite the spelling. It is also spelled as Tanawan.

History

Tanauan was founded by the Augustinians in 1584 on the northwestern bay of Taal Lake (formerly Bombon Lake), called Tanauan Bay. Lookout towers were associated with 16th and 17th century churches to forewarn of Moro raids. "Old Tanauan" (Tagalog: Lumang Tanauan) included such lookout tower and associated sapao (built-up structures in the water). The 1754 eruption of Taal Volcano forced the town inhabitants to initially move to Sala. Subsequently, both towns moved again later that year to Tanauan's current location, in which Sala is now a barrio. Tanaueños have displayed characteristics of personal independence and nationalism since early history. The town is called the cradle of noble heroes due to its contribution to the revolutionary movement of its sons Apolinario Mabini, the brains of Katipunan, and later by the statesman José P. Laurel. Also, three Tanaueños served as governors of Batangas, namely: José P. Laurel V, Modesto Castillo and Nicolas Gonzales. From 1903 to 1906, during the American occupation, it was consolidated with the municipality of Talisay and became the seat of the municipal government. In 1904, the barrios of Balaquilong (Balakilong), Bayuyungan, Binirayan (Berinayan), Bugaan, and San Gabriel were ceded to Taal by virtue of Act No. 1244; these barrios would eventually be returned to Talisay and later form the present-day Laurel. Recent events include the assassination of its former mayor, Cesar V. Platon, by NPA rebels on May 7, 2001, as he was running for the governorship of Batangas. This happened in Tuy a few days before the election. On July 2, 2018, then-mayor Antonio Halili, noted for public humiliation campaigns against criminals and drug pushers, was shot and killed during the flag raising ceremony at the city hall at age 72.

Cityhood

The Congress approved Batangas 3rd District Representative Jose Macario Laurel IV's bill and a Senate counterpart measure to convert the municipality of Tanauan into a city on December 19, 2000. Republic Act No. 9005, known as "The Charter of the City of Tanauan," was signed into law on February 2, 2001 by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. On March 10, 2001, a Saturday, the charter was approved by a referendum in Tanauan that drew 8,890 or 16% of the 55,453 registered voters. Two ballots were either spoiled or blank. The "yes" had it over the "no" by a landslide, 7,026 to 1,961. According to cityhood advocates, quoted in reports reaching Batangas on Sunday, the turnout, despite being two times better than previous conversion-to-city exercises, was still only 16%.

Geography

It is situated 64 km south of Manila and 41 km north of Batangas City.

Climate

Demographics

Barangays

Tanauan City is politically subdivided into 48 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Religion

Roman Catholicism is the most dominant and visible religion in Tanauan. St. John the Evangelist is its patron, and its main church is the St. John the Evangelist Parish, also known as the Tanauan Church. La Consolacion College Tanauan (formerly Our Lady of Fatima Academy, 1948), run by the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation, is the first Catholic school in the city. Other Catholic schools include Our Lady of Assumption Montessori School and Daughters of Mary Immaculate School (lay-operated). First Asia Institute is converting from a non-sectarian school to a Catholic (Christian) school. Iglesia ni Cristo, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), Islam and other religious groups are also present in the city.

Economy

Tanauan is known as an agricultural trading center of Calabarzon. Agricultural products from Calabarzon and as far as the Mimaropa and Bicol regions are delivered here before it reaches public markets in Metro Manila. Aside from being an important agricultural center, Tanauan is also one of the Philippines' major industrial centers nowadays hosting industrial parks, which are home to various multinational companies and tourism facilities.

Panaderia Pantoja

The original 68-year old Pantoja Bakery started in 1950. Celinda Laurel Dimayuga (Tanauan) and Aurelio Maningat Pantoja (Balayan) used a "pugon" (clay brick oven). Spouses Arturo Dimayuga Pantoia and Marilyn Gonzales managed the bakery and mechanized it in 1970. Located in Sixto Castillo Street, Barangay Poblacion 2, Tanauan City, the iconic bakery is famous for traditional Filipino breads and biscuits, like pandesal, paborita biscuits and square, crisp jacobina crafted from paper-thin sheets of dough.

Tourism

JCastles Theme Park

The first-biggest immersive theme park in the Philippines located in Brgy. Gonzales.

Transportation

Public transport

Jeepneys serve the city and the nearby municipalities and barangays. Tricycles provide transportation on the barangays. Buses connect the city with Metro Manila and Batangas City.

Roads

The Southern Tagalog Arterial Road passes at the central part of the city. The expressway connects the city with the rest of Batangas. Jose P. Laurel Highway connects the city to Santo Tomas and to the Pan-Philippine Highway on the north and with Malvar, Lipa, San Jose, and Batangas City to the south. Another highway links Tanauan with Talisay and Tagaytay. A 7.8 km service road on both sides of STAR Tollway will connect the northeastern barangays of Tanauan to the southeastern barangays of the city Aside from the STAR Tollway, national roads like the Jose P. Laurel Highway (Route 4) and Tanauan–Talisay Road (Route 421) serves also the city. The city also maintains roads that connects the rural barangays of the city.

Education

Among the tertiary educational establishments in Tanauan is the First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities, La Consolacion College, Christian College of Tanauan, Nova Schola, the STI Academic Center, the DMMC Institute of Health Sciences, and the Tanauan Institute. The Tanauan Institute is the oldest private education institution in the city having been established in 1924. The Sapphire International Aviation Academy which caters to aspiring aircraft pilots is also located within the city at the Barradas Airstrip. There are 9 private and 16 public high schools, and 27 private and 44 public elementary schools. Those schools are overseen by the City Schools Division of Tanauan.

Government

Local government

The current seat of government of the city is the New Tanauan City Hall located at Laurel Hill in Barangay Natatas. Inaugurated in 2017, it succeeded the old municipal hall in Barangay 2 in the city proper.

Elected Officials

Heads of government

• Estanislao Gonzales (1870–1884) • Jose B. Gonzales (1885–1886) • Ruperto Laurel (1887–1888) • Sixto Gonzales Castillo (1892–1898) • Pedro M. Carandang (1899–1900) • Juan Gonzales Suizo (1900–1902) • Florentino Laurena (1902) • Valentin Dimayuga (1902–1903) • Florentino Collantes (1903–1904) • Prospero Dimayuga (1904–1905) • Pantaleon Gonzales (1905–1906) • Francisco Oñate (1906–1907) • Fulgencio Platon (1907–1908) • Nicolas Gonzales Sr. (1908–1912) • Crispin Garcia (1912–1916) • George Collantes (1916–1922) • Fulgencio Platon (1922–1925) • Florentino Laurena (1925–1928) • Antonio Dimayuga (1928–1937) • Felix Ebron (1937) • Alfredo Magpantay (1937–1942) • Nicolas Gonzales (1942–1943) • Jose M. Corona (1943–1945) • George Collantes (1946–1951) • Pedro B. Gonzales (1951–1967) • Jaime Banjo Laurel (1968–1970) • Sebastian Carandang (1970–1971) • Francisco E. Lirio (1971–1980) • Sotero Olfato (1980–1987) • Pedro Tipa (1987–1988) • Sotero Olfato (1988–1992) • Antonio C. Halili (1992) • Cesar V. Platon (1992–2001) • Alfredo C. Corona (2001–2006) • Sonia L. Torres-Aquino (2006–2013) • Antonio C. Halili (2013–2018) • Jhoanna Corona-Villamor (2018–2019) • Mary Angeline Halili (2019–2022) • Nelson "Sonny" Collantes (2022–present)

Notable personalities

Gallery