| Laguna Province |
Index for Laguna |
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Information AboutLaguna Province |
Laguna is notable for being the birthplace of José Rizal , the country's national hero. Laguna is also famous among tourists for the Pagsanjan Falls , Pila, Laguna Town Plaza, the wood carvings created by the people of Paete and Pakil , the hot spring resorts in Los Baños on the slopes of Mt. Makiling , and Hidden Valley Springs in Calauan . People and culture Economy
There are about forty rivers in Laguna with a total area of almost 0.5 square kilometres. In the forests of Mount Makiling and in the waters of Laguna de Bay are an abundance of flora and fauna. The Laguna de Bay has an approximate area of 3800 km&2 broken down into 2900 km&2 of land and 900 km&2 of lake proper with 220 km shoreline. Laguna's greatest natural resource is water. It has an estimated 300 million US gallons (1,100,000 m³) of underground water, capable of generating energy for Laguna's expanding power needs. At least seven principal water basins in the province with a total of 5,773 km&2 drainage area and 1,316 km&2 level area provide an estimated 9.238 km³ total run-off annually.
Non-bank financial institutions provide supplementary financial services to Laguna residents and businesses. A total of 394 offices have been set up by lending investors, pawnshops, financial companies, nonstock savings and loan associations, and investment houses with quasi-banking functions.
US$1.5 billion (1996) Geography Political Laguna is subdivided into 27 Municipalities and 3 Cities . Cities Municipalities
Physical Laguna lies on the southern shores of Laguna De Bay , the largest lake in the country. On the southern border of the province are Mt. Makiling and Mt. Banahaw , both are long dormant volcanoes, but still sources of geothermal energy. Mt. Makiling is popular for the numerous hot spring resorts that are found on its slopes. Pagsanjan Falls , is a popular waterfall that tumbles down a deep gorge in the hills. The eastern portion of Laguna straddles the southernmost portions of the Sierra Madre mountain range. Climate The province is relatively dry from November to April and wet during the rest of the year for a small portion near the southern boundary. The other parts, west of Santa Cruz municipality, experience a dry season from November to April and rainy season during the rest of the year. The eastern and southern most portions do not have distinct season, with rainfall more evenly distributed throughout the year. Tourist attractions Historical:
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History The Province of Laguna was named after Laguna De Bay , the body of water that forms its northern boundary. Laguna de Bay, in turn, was named after the town of Bay (''Laguna de Bay'' is Spanish which means "Lake of Bay"), the first provincial capital. Captain Juan De Salcedo with a band of one hundred Spanish-Mexican soldiers and many Bisayan allies conquered the province and its surrounding regions for Spain in 1571 . Seven years later, two Franciscan friars started the work of Christianization. n 1577 , the Franciscan missionaries arrived in Manila , and in 1578 they started evangelizing Laguna, Rizal , Tayabas (now Quezon ) and the Bicol Peninsula . Fathers Juan de Placencia and Diego de Orepesa were the earliest Franciscans sent to these places. From 1580 , the towns of Bay, Caliraya, Majayjay, Nagcarlan, Liliw, Pila, Santa Cruz, Lumban, Pangil and Siniloan were founded. In 1678 , Fray Hernando Cabrera founded San Pablo de los Montes (now San Pablo City) and built a wooden church and convent considered as the best and finest in the province. In 1670 , delimitation of borders were made between Lucban, Majayjay and Cavite. The populous town at that time was Bay, the capital of the province until 1688 , when the seat of the provincial government was moved to Pagsanjan, and later, in 1858 , to Santa Cruz. In 1754 , the Province of Laguna and Tayabas were divided, with the Malinao River separating the towns of Majayjay and Lucban. The province became a bloody battle ground for the Chinese during the two instances that they rose in revolt against Spain. In 1603's, the Chinese made their last stand in the mountains of San Pablo, and in 1639, they fortified themselves in the highlands of Cavinti and Lumban, surrendering in Pagsanjan a year later. The loyalty of the people of Laguna to the crown was tested during the British invasion (1762-1764) when thousands of Filipinos rallied to its defense. When a detachment of British troops under Captain Thomas Backhouse entered the province in search of the silver cargo of the galleon Filipino, Francisco de San Juan of Pagsanjan led a band of volunteers that fought them in several engagements in and around the town which was then the provincial capital (1688-1858). Captain Backhouse plundered the town and burned its newly reconstructed church but San Juan succeeded in escaping with the precious hoard to Pampanga where the treasure greatly bolstered the defense effort of Simon Anda. For his heroism, San Juan was made a brigade commander and alcalde mayor of Tayabas (now Quezon) province. If Filipino loyalty gradually degenerated into bitter hostility, it was the fault of the Spaniards themselves, including the clergy. They perpetrated such grave abuses that the resentment of the Filipinos was fanned into a rising flood of nationalism. In 1840 for instance, religious intolerance led the people of Majayjay, Nagcarlan, Bay, and Biñan to join the revolt of Hermano Pule (Apolinario de la Cruz) of Lucban, Tayabas. Laguna was also exposed to the aspirations of its most famous son, Dr. Jose Rizal, who was born in Calamba. The persecution of Dr. Jose Rizal and his parents toward the end of the century further aggravated the situation, so that by 1896, thousands of patriotic inhabitants, especially of Bay, Los Baños, Nagcarlan, Magdalena, Santa Cruz, and Pagsanjan had joined the revolutionary Katipunan. Laguna was one of the eight provinces to rise in revolt against the Spanish misrule led by Generals Paciano Rizal of Calamba, Severino Taino of Pagsanjan, Agueda Kahabagan (woman general) of Calauan, and Miguel Malvar of Batangas. The ill-equipped Filipino forces fought the well-armed enemy until on August 31, 1898, when the last Spanish garrison surrendered to the victorious patriots in Santa Cruz. The province was cleared of Spaniards.There had been only one respite, the Pact of Biac-na-Bato on December 14 to 15, 1897. Laguna actively supported the first Philippine Republic proclaimed at Malolos on January 23, 1899. Her two delegates to the Malolos Congress, Don Higino Benitez and Don Graciano Cordero, were natives of Pagsanjan. Upon the outbreak of the Filipino-American War (1899-1901), General Juan Cailles and General Paciano Rizal led the defense of Laguna until June 30, 1901, when surrender became inevitable. Cailles became the first Filipino Governor of Laguna under the American flag. The Province of Laguna progressed rapidly in peace. Roads were built, schools were established, and in 1917, the Manila Railroad Company extended its line to Laguna as far as Pagsanjan. During the Japanese occupation (1942-1945), Laguna was a center of resistance despite the presence of Makapili traitors. Present-day Laguna shows a thriving economy. Peopled by 1,734,618 (1997 estimated population) industrious citizens and possessing a total area of 1760 km&2 of land, Laguna produces millions of pesos worth of coconuts, rice, sugar, citrus fruits, lanzones and other products. Tourists flock to its beauty spots, especially Pagsanjan Falls, Los Baños Hot Springs, Makiling National Park, Caliraya Lake and many others. Levels of development vary. The towns near Metro Manila have become industrialized whereas the inner towns continue to engage in agricultural production or pursue agri-based industries and cottage and small-scale industries. Laguna was one of the first sites of the Philippine Revolution . Calamba City is the birthplace of José Rizal , the country's national hero. External links
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