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Major Hubs 5 Major Destinations
Manila and Its Spokes
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Cebu and its Spokes
Laoag / Baguio and its Spokes
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Davao and its Spokes
Clark/Subic and its Spokes |
Others and its Spokes
Sta. Cruz /
Laguna
THE PROVINCE AT A GLANCE
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Laguna might just as well be dubbed as the "Resort Province
of the Philippines" because of the abundance of hot springs,
lakes and waterfalls. This is attributable to the fact that
Laguna is the only province with ground water that flows at
300 million gallons a day. Indeed, so much water abounds.
With Southeast Asia's largest fresh-water lake, the Laguna
de Bay, plus innumerable springs, the seven lakes of San
Pablo, the famous Pagsanjan Falls and the regular blessings
of rain showers, Laguna stays lush throughout the year.
For vegetation needs water, it is no surprise that Laguna
stays green whatever season. Thus, it can likewise aptly be
called the "Garden Province". Fragrant sampaguitas, and
delicate orchids are grown in this province all year-round.
Meanwhile, August to September is harvest season in the
lanzones plantations all over the province. Laguna has much
to offer, having been successfully able to preserve most of
its rustic beauty and appeal despite the level of
industrialization that it has achieved. It managed to blend
the best of both the agricultural and industrial worlds.
With its proximity to Manila, Laguna easily lures the city
dwellers who wish to "escape" from the chaos of the concrete
and asphalt jungle. It offers a convenient alternative for
those who want to relax without going too far. It is a one
and a half to two hours drive from Manila.
BRIEF HISTORY
The province of Laguna was named after Laguna de Bay, the
body of water that forms the province's northern boundary.
In turn, Laguna de Bay was named after the town of bay which
was the first provincial capital. This province along with
its surrounding regions were conquered for Spain by Capt.
Juan de Salcedo in 1571 and seven years hence, the
Franciscan friars started the Christianization of the
province.
Laguna became a bloody battleground several times. The first
instance was the Chinese revolt in 1603 and then again in
1639. The British invasion in 1762-1764, saw thousands of
Filipinos fighting in defense of the province. This battle
led by Captain Thomas Backhouse met resistance from the band
of Filipino volunteers led by Francisco de San Juan of
Pagsanjan.
The first Filipino uprising against the Spanish misrule was
led by Hirmano Pule in 1840. Filipino resentment against the
Spaniards was aggravated by the execution of Dr. Jose Rizal
and thus, by 1896, thousands of patriotic inhabitants of the
province had joined the revolutionary Katipunan.
Laguna was one of the first eight provinces to rise in
revolt against the Spanish rule. The ill-equipped Filipino
forces, led by Gen, Paciano Rizal of Calamba, Gen. Severino
Taino of Pagsanjan, Gen, Aueda Kagabagan of Calauan, and
Gen. Miguel Malvar of Batangas, fought the Spanish enemies
until they won on August 31,1898 with the surrender of the
last Spanish garrison in Sta, Cruz.
On January 23,1899, Laguna expressed its full support to the
First Philippine Republic which was declared in Malolos,
Bulacan. Two natives of Pagsanjan namely, Don Higino Benitez
Abad, Don Graciano Cordero, were there to witness and
participate in this historic event. The eruption of the
Filipino-American war in 1899-1901 saw Generals Juan Cailles
and Paciano Rizal leading the defense of Laguna until
surrender was inevitable. Under the American Flag, Cailles
was named the Filipino Governor of Laguna.
After the war, Laguna progressed rapidly in peace. Schools
were established, various public services were instituted
and roads were built. In 1917, the Manila Railroad Company
extended its line to Laguna as far as Pagsanjan. With the
onset of the Japanese occupation, Laguna was the center of
resistance despite the presence of some "Makipili" traitors.
Today, Laguna is a thriving province. Its fertile lands
produce millions of pesos worth of coconuts, rice, sugar,
citrus fruits, lanzones, and other agricultural products.
Its tourist spots also attract a multitude of both foreign
and domestic tourists.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES
By and large, Laguna's economy is still based on
agriculture. However, in the recent years, agricultural
development has been complemented by the proliferation of
light to medium scale industries. Before 1973, the
processing of agricultural products and making light
handicrafts were the major manufacturing activities in
Laguna. Today, textile spinning, weaving and finishing,
chemical, automotive parts, ceramics, wood and paper
products industries have been established. It is foreseen
that more factories will be put up in Laguna in the near
future.
HOW TO GET THERE
Via South Superhighway, Laguna is 1-2 hours drive from
Manila
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