Tanauan, Batangas-The Daily Ledger

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.

Tanauan, Batangas

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.

Tanauan, Batangas

Among those born in Tanauan are revolutionary former Prime Minister Apolinario Mabini and former President José P. Laurel.

Tanauan, Batangas

Etymology

The name "Tanauan" may have come from: the Tagalog word tanaw, which means "to look through [the window]," as it was the site of a lookout tower that provides a view of the Pansipit River on the other side of Taal Lake and of the surrounding lands; or tanawa, a shrub that flourished in the area and on the shoreline of Taal Lake, according to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.

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. Then 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 assassinated during the flag raising ceremony at the city hall.

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%.