# Laurel, Batangas

Laurel, officially the Municipality of Laurel (Tagalog: Bayan ng Laurel), is a municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 43,210 people.
Laurel is previously part of Talisay, its current neighbor town, until 1969.

## Etymology

The town's present name is derived from Miguel Laurel, known as the first notable Laurel in the Philippines and a longtime patriarch of the place and José P. Laurel, a former president and a native of Tanauan, Batangas.

## History

Laurel traces its origin to a remote barrio called Bugain (derived from buga, a black cinder formed from fly ashes during Taal Volcano eruption), which was part of Talisay that was established in 1869. Located by the Tanauan Bay, the present-day municipality was also the first location of Tanauan's municipal seat (poblacion) until 1754, when it was transferred to the present-day barangay Sala in Tanauan as a result of the Taal Volcano eruption that year. In 1903, the barrio became part of Tanauan when Talisay was merged with the former by virtue of Act No. 708. A year later, it was transferred to Taal by virtue of Act No. 1244, before it was eventually returned to the reestablished municipality of Talisay. After the 1911 Taal Volcano eruption, population grew at the area with agricultural cultivation as the locals' primary livelihood. The area was later called Nayon ng Bayuyungan (derived from bayong) or simply as Bayuyungan and was designated as the center of the area that consisted it and nearby barrios.
Locals led by Jose Macaraig, Placido Amo (vice mayor of Talisay), and Severino Amo signed a petition to create an independent town out of barrio Bayuyungan and adjacent barrios. It was first endorsed to Senator Maria Kalaw Katigbak, who in turn presented it to President Diosdado Macapagal. It was also presented to the Talisay municipal government, who in turn forwarded it to Batangas Governor Feliciano Leviste. The Batangas Provincial Board then endorsed the petition as a resolution to Batangas 3rd district Representative José B. Laurel Jr. and finally through House Bill No. 17628.
On June 21, 1969, the barrios of Bayuyungan, Ticub, Balakilong, Bugaan, Berinayan, As-is, San Gabriel, and Buso-buso were officially separated from Talisay and constituted into a new and separate municipality of Laurel, by virtue of Republic Act No. 5689; Bayuyungan became the present-day poblacion. The first set of officials acted on November 8, 1971, with Placido Amo as Mayor.

## Geography

Laurel is located at 14°03′N 120°54′E﻿ / ﻿14.05°N 120.9°E﻿ / 14.05; 120.9.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 71.29 square kilometers (27.53 sq mi)  constituting 2.29% of the 3,119.75-square-kilometer (1,204.54 sq mi) total area of Batangas.
Laurel is 70 kilometers (43 mi) from Batangas City and 93 kilometers (58 mi) from Manila.

### Barangays

Laurel is politically subdivided into 21 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
| PSGC | Barangay | Population | Population | Population | ±% p.a. | ±% p.a. |
| | | 2020 | 2020 | 2010 | | |
| 041011001 | As‑Is | 5.4% | 2,354 | 2,133 | ▴ | 0.99% |
| 041011002 | Balakilong | 9.5% | 4,118 | 3,974 | ▴ | 0.36% |
| 041011004 | Berinayan | 4.6% | 2,008 | 1,613 | ▴ | 2.21% |
| 041011006 | Bugaan East | 4.7% | 2,028 | 1,811 | ▴ | 1.14% |
| 041011007 | Bugaan West | 5.5% | 2,374 | 2,290 | ▴ | 0.36% |
| 041011008 | Buso‑buso | 6.2% | 2,692 | 2,445 | ▴ | 0.97% |
| 041011010 | Dayap Itaas | 1.7% | 752 | 494 | ▴ | 4.29% |
| 041011011 | Gulod | 6.4% | 2,746 | 2,501 | ▴ | 0.94% |
| 041011012 | J. Leviste | 5.4% | 2,351 | 1,884 | ▴ | 2.24% |
| 041011013 | Molinete | 3.4% | 1,480 | 1,442 | ▴ | 0.26% |
| 041011014 | Niyugan | 2.8% | 1,219 | 1,252 | ▾ | −0.27% |
| 041011015 | Paliparan | 2.1% | 887 | 760 | ▴ | 1.56% |
| 041011016 | Barangay 1 (Poblacion) | 1.3% | 570 | 507 | ▴ | 1.18% |
| 041011017 | Barangay 2 (Poblacion) | 3.3% | 1,438 | 1,265 | ▴ | 1.29% |
| 041011018 | Barangay 3 (Poblacion) | 1.5% | 663 | 759 | ▾ | −1.34% |
| 041011019 | Barangay 4 (Poblacion) | 1.4% | 610 | 593 | ▴ | 0.28% |
| 041011020 | Barangay 5 (Poblacion) | 1.8% | 790 | 674 | ▴ | 1.60% |
| 041011021 | San Gabriel | 5.9% | 2,559 | 2,340 | ▴ | 0.90% |
| 041011022 | San Gregorio | 7.9% | 3,433 | 2,931 | ▴ | 1.59% |
| 041011023 | Santa Maria | 5.1% | 2,217 | 1,986 | ▴ | 1.11% |
| 041011024 | Ticub | 5.0% | 2,155 | 2,020 | ▴ | 0.65% |
| | Total | Total | 43,210 | 35,674 | ▴ | 1.93% |

### Climate

Climate data for Ibaan, Batangas :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28 (82) | 29 (84) | 31 (88) | 32 (90) | 31 (88) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 28 (82) | 29 (85) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19 (66) | 19 (66) | 20 (68) | 22 (72) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 23 (73) | 21 (70) | 20 (68) | 22 (72) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 11 (0.4) | 13 (0.5) | 14 (0.6) | 32 (1.3) | 101 (4.0) | 142 (5.6) | 208 (8.2) | 187 (7.4) | 175 (6.9) | 131 (5.2) | 68 (2.7) | 39 (1.5) | 1,121 (44.3) |
| Average rainy days | 5.2 | 5.0 | 7.4 | 11.5 | 19.8 | 23.5 | 27.0 | 25.9 | 25.2 | 23.2 | 15.5 | 8.3 | 197.5 |
| Source: Meteoblue ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

In the 2020 census, Laurel had a population of 43,210. The population density was 610 inhabitants per square kilometer (1,600/sq mi).

## Economy

Poverty incidence of Laurel
* 10
* 20
* 30
* 40
* 2006 14.80
* 2009 21.75
* 2012 31.29
* 2015 25.67
* 2018 13.13
* 2021 6.86
* Source: Philippine Statistics Authority
* Fishing – Laurel's main economical source is fish culture in Taal Lake where most of local residents base their trade.
* Farming – Small rice paddies on the foothills of Taal canyon ridge provide for ricefields to farmers.
* Real estate – The town's vast land resource provide ideal location for real estate developers such as Megaworld and Fil-Estate which are mostly based in Metro Manila. Among the major real estate subdivisions located in Barangay San Gregorio are Canyon Woods and Twin Lakes.

## Government
### Local government

Like other municipalities in the Philippines, Laurel is governed by a mayor and vice mayor who are elected to three-year terms. The mayor is the executive head who leads the municipal's departments in the execution of municipal ordinances and in the delivery of public services. The vice mayor heads a legislative council that is composed of 10 members: 8 elected councilors and 2 ex officio office held by the ABC President as the barangay sector representative and by the SK Federation President. The council is in charge of creating the minucipal's policies in the form of ordinances and resolutions.
House of Representatives (Batangas-3rd district) :
| Rep. Ma. Theresa V. Collantes (NPC) ||
| Batangas Provincial Board (3rd District) ||
| BM Fred Corona (NPC) | BM Rudy Balba (NP) |
| Local Government of Laurel (2022–2025) ||
| Mayor ||
| Hon. Lyndon Bruce (PRP) ||
| Vice Mayor ||
| Hon. Aries Parilla (PRP) ||
| Sangguniang Bayan Members ||
| Hon. Sylvia Austria (PRP) | Hon. Vincent Endaya (Ind.) |
| Hon. Angelito Rodriguez (PRP) | Hon. Norvic Garcia (PRP) |
| Hon. Francisco Endozo (PRP) | Hon. Liezl De Castro (PRP) |
| Hon. Iris Joyce Agojo (NPC) | Hon. Regina Landicho (NPC) |
| LNB President ||
| Hon. Rufino Dirain (Bugaan West) ||
| SK Federation President ||
| Hon. Godwin Harold G. Lamano (Buso-buso) ||

### Mayoralty Election Results

2022: Then-incumbent Joan Amo ran for reelection and lost. She faced off businessman and neophyte politician Lyndon Bruce.
Laurel mayoralty elections :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | PRP | Lyndon Bruce | 13,711 | 57.77% |
| | NPC | Joan Amo | 10,021 | 42.23% |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 3,690 | 15.54% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 23,732 | 100% |
| | PRP gain from NPC | PRP gain from NPC | PRP gain from NPC | PRP gain from NPC |
2019: Then-incumbent Randy James Amo was term-limited and ran for Board Member (lost). His party nominated his wife, Joan Amo. She faced then-incumbent Vice Mayor Felimon Austria and businessman Roderick Natanauan.
≥u
Laurel mayoralty elections :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | PDP–Laban | Joan Amo | 10,737 | 52.56 |
| | Independent | Roderick Natanuan | 7,369 | 36.07 |
| | Nacionalista | Felimon Austria | 2,321 | 11.36 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 3,368 | 16.67% |
| Valid ballots | Valid ballots | Valid ballots | 20,427 | 98.07% |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 403 | 1.93% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 20,830 | 100% |
| | PDP–Laban hold | PDP–Laban hold | PDP–Laban hold | PDP–Laban hold |
2016: Then-incumbent Randy James Amo ran for reelection and won. He ran against businessman Roderick Natanauan and then-incumbent Municipal Councilor Vincent Endaya.
Laurel mayoralty elections :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Randy James Amo | 10,743 | 54.8% |
| | NPC | Roderick Natanauan | 8,338 | 42.5% |
| | PDP–Laban | Vincent Endaya | 528 | 2.7% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
2013: Then-incumbent Mayor Randy James Amo ran for reelection. He faced off against former Mayor Atty. Natalio Panganiban.
Laurel mayoralty election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Randy James Amo | 10,529 | 61.62 |
| | UNA | Natalio Panganiban | 6,559 | 38.38 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 17,479 | 100.00 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
2010: Then-incumbent John Benedict Panganiban ran for reelection against then-incumbent Vice Mayor Randy James Amo (won) and Aristotle Parilla.
Laurel mayoralty elections :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | 'Randy James Amo' | 5,993 | |
| | Nacionalista | John Benedict Panganiban | 5,495 | |
| | PMP | Aristotle Parilla | 3,143 | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | | |
| | Liberal gain from Nacionalista | Liberal gain from Nacionalista | Liberal gain from Nacionalista | Liberal gain from Nacionalista |
Former Municipal Mayors :
| No. | Name | Term of Office |
| 1 | Placido Amo | 1969-1986 |
| 2 | Natalio Panganiban | 1986-1988 |
| (1) | Placido Amo | 1988-1992 |
| 3 | Joven de Grano | 1992-1995 |
| (2) | Natalio Panganiban | 1995-2004 |
| 4 | John Benedict Panganiban | 2004-2010 |
| 5 | Randy James Amo | 2010-2019 |
| 6 | Joan Amo | 2019-2022 |

## Gallery

* Laurel Municipal Hall
* Laurel Police Station
* Street in Poblacion Laurel
* Laurel welcome arch
* Laurel Church
* Twin Lakes shopping village