Rosario, Batangas

Rosario, officially the Municipality of Rosario (Tagalog: Bayan ng Rosario), is a municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 128,352 people.
Rosario is considered among the interior municipalities of the Batangas Bay region, comprising eleven municipalities and two cities whose catchment areas drain into Batangas Bay. The town is also dubbed as "The Rice Granary of Batangas".
This town of Rosario was founded by Augustinian friars in 1687. Don Nicolas Morales served as its first town head as gobernadorcillo. It originated from the community of the early Christians on the southeastern coast of Batangas (within the vicinity of present-day Lobo).
The Moro or pirate raids forced the inhabitants of the settlement to the safety of the ravine and forest on the north-west bank of Kansahayan River—in Hilerang Kawayan—now a barangay in the municipality of Taysan called Pinagbayanan (transl. place that used to be a town or settlement). Here the settlement was relocated and was named Rosario. However, at the height of the Moro Wars in the second half of the 18th century, the vicious Moro raids reached Hilerang Kawayan. In one of their forays the Parish Priest is said to be among those slain.
This town was further moved by the Dominican priests and headed farther north holding a novena and praying the rosary in the process of their flight. On the 9th night of the novena, the fleeing inhabitants reached the river bank of Tubig ng Bayan (lit. 'Water of Town', a river originating from Lipa). Here they finally settled. Living in peace and prosperity, the grateful town's people erected a stone church south of the river bank in honor of their benefactress, the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. The town was named Santo Rosario. Rosario remained in this location for a long time until 1902.
Santo Rosario was razed to the ground during the Philippine–American War. In the early American military occupation of Santo Rosario, a cavalry officer, Captain Daniel H. Boughton, came upon the big spring at the foot of Tombol Hill. He decided to relocate the town west of the spring, where Rosario's population center is now.
Official records show that on June 9, 1902, a council of prominent citizens of the town met under a mango tree beside Tombol Spring. On the spot they formally organized the municipal government of Rosario. The following assumed the first key positions of the town government:
A wealthy landowner, Don Antonino Luancing donated for the town's public buildings and plaza. Tubig ng Bayan became Lumang Bayan (lit. 'Old Town') until it became the municipal seat of Padre Garcia in 1949.
Local historians were not unanimous as the exact date of the founding of this town. Certainly it was among those organized by the ecclesiastical authorities after the creation of Batangas as a province in 1581. During the final years of Spanish rule, under the Recollect priests, Rosario served as the center of civilization in this part of Batangas. It was then originally comprised the whole parts of the municipalities of Lobo (separated on September 27, 1871), Taysan (formerly Barrio Mercedes separated in 1919), San Juan de Bocboc (formerly Barrio Bolboc separated on December 12, 1848), and the entire municipality of Padre Garcia.
It was in this town that General Malvar agreed to make peace with General Bell of the American Forces on the 16th of April, 1902, marking the end of the Philippine-American War.
Rosario is located at 13°50′46″N 121°12′22″E﻿ / ﻿13.846°N 121.206°E﻿ / 13.846; 121.206. It is 23 kilometres (14 mi) from Batangas City and 128 kilometres (80 mi) from Manila.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 226.88 square kilometres (87.60 sq mi) constituting 7.27% of the 3,119.75-square-kilometre- (1,204.54 sq mi) total area of Batangas.
Rosario is politically subdivided into 48 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Malaya was formerly known as Munting Tubig.
For purposes of community organization and effective delivery of social development projects, the Office for Sustainable Development under supervision of the Office of the Municipal Mayor in 1995, divided the 48 barangays into 8 barangay clusters with 6 member barangays each.
This system was patterned after the resolutions traditionally passed by the Sangguniang Bayan as part of its organizational plan following the general elections when new members are elected into office for a new term.
Consequently, the barangay cluster arrangement was adopted and served as the framework for land use development strategies enunciated under the Comprehensive Land Use Plan of Rosario, Batangas for Planning Period 2000–2010 (CLUP).
In the 2020 census, Rosario had a population of 128,352. The population density was 570 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,500/sq mi).
Tagalog is the dominant language in Rosario and use code-switching in Taglish being the common way of speaking of the Filipinos. Like anywhere in Batangas, and some parts of nearby provinces, a dialect of the Tagalog language called Batangan or Batangueño is the primary casual vernacular language. English is used as the language of business and education. This is similar to Spanish, once widely spoken and also used as the primary formal medium of instruction in schools during the colonial era.
Roman Catholic, Rosario has two parishes: the Our Lady of the Rosary Parish and Holy Family Parish run by Oblates of Saint Joseph under the Archdiocese of Lipa.
Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Aglipayan Church), on January 19, 1909 the first Aglipayan mass in Rosario was celebrated by Bishop Gregorio Aglipay himself.
Iglesia ni Cristo, with locales in barangays: Alupay, Bagong Pook Sitio Cupi, Bulihan, Colongan, Mabato, Malaya, Mayuro, Namunga, San Carlos, San Isidro, and San Roque.
Victory Rosario, the 126th Victory Church in the Philippines and 7th in the Province of Batangas located in Poblacion A.
Other Christian denominations include: Jesus the Anointed One, Jesus Miracle Crusade International Ministry, Jesus is Alive, Grace of Almighty God Community, Saved by Grace Ministries, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, Seventh-day Adventist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Lutheran Church in the Philippines, Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association, Baptists, and Iglesia Evangelica Metodista en las Islas Filipinas.
6% of the population consists of other religious affiliations including Islam while the rest are all Roman Catholics.
After the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, an Aeta Tribal Community has been inhabiting in Barangay Puting Kahoy.
Poverty incidence of Rosario
Rice is the major agricultural crop, naming Rosario the "Rice Granary of Batangas". Other crops include corn, coconut, mango, banana, and other fruits and vegetables. A significant number of households in Rosario actively participate in small-scale agricultural enterprises. These ventures encompass various activities, including backyard operations focused on livestock. Alongside these individual efforts, commercial livestock farms also play a role in the agricultural landscape of Rosario.
Due to strategic location, and the separation of Lipa City to become a lone congressional district, Rosario has since become a center of commerce in 4th district of Batangas. Rosario hosts some supermarket chains which compete with local mini-marts. High-end home improvement suppliers such as the Maquiling Builders Depot in Barangay Namunga and CitiHardware in Barangay San Jose are rising within the municipality. Fast food restaurants mostly prefer Rosario for their first store within the 4th district along with Seattle's Best's very first drive thru in the Philippines, found in Barangay Namunga.
Industrial establishments in the municipality are mostly agri-based, while the Puyat Steel Corporation is an ISO 9002-certified galvanizing plant manufacturing world-class iron sheets. International Pipe Industries Corporation, also an ISO-certified, manufactures high quality spiral welded steel pipes and fittings with one of its facilities located in Barangay Masaya.
Padre Vicente Garcia Memorial Academy, also known as The Academy or by its acronym PVGMA, is a private, non-sectarian institution offering basic education from junior high school to senior high school. It is the first and oldest high school in Rosario established in 1946.
Saint Joseph College is a Catholic institution offering both basic and higher education founded in 1956.
The Leon Manigbas Elementary School (LMES) is a government primary school located in San Jose, Rosario, Batangas, Philippines. The "school code" is 107578. As of 2020, the principal is Ella Castillo, and the school colors are Blue and Yellow. Leon Manigbas Elementary School was established in 1993 and has existed for 27 years as of 2020.
The Sto. Niño Formation and Science School also known as SNFSS is a private educational institution located in Rosario, Batangas. Established in 1984, the school offers programs from Kindergarten and Elementary to Junior and Senior High School. It also provides Night Classes for Junior and Senior High School students and operates an Open High School Program exclusively for high school learners. These initiatives aim to support underprivileged students and those requiring flexible educational opportunities.
Batangas State University Jose B. Zuño Campus is an extension campus of the Batangas State University or BSU in Rosario located in Barangay Namunga. Housed within the campus are the College of Teacher Education, College of Industrial Technology, and College of Accountancy, Business, Economics and International Hospitality Management.
The current set of municipal officials were elected during the 2022 General Elections; their term is set to expire in 2025.
Rosario has a regional trial court (RTC) Branch 87 recognized by the Supreme Court of the Philippines. Creation of four additional RTC branches was approved by the Senate Committee and forwarded to the plenary.
Regional Haven for Women and Girls of DSWD Region IV-A is in Rosario.
N435 is a national secondary road that passes the town proper. The Lipa-Rosario Road segment of N435 northward gives access to municipality of Padre Garcia, Lipa City, and Metro Manila; while the Rosario-Ibaan Road segment of N435 westward gives access to municipality of Ibaan, Batangas City, and also Metro Manila via STAR Tollway. Intersecting eastward is Gualberto Avenue that gives access to the municipality of San Juan, Lucena City, and all the way to Bicol Region. Referred to as kalye mayor, it is the main thoroughfare within the poblacion and part of N422. Completing the intersection southward is G. Carandang Street giving access to the municipalities of Taysan and Lobo.
There are jeepneys bound for Batangas City and Lipa City on a regular basis. Jeepneys not from a terminal plying from Lipa City to San Juan, Batangas also pass by Rosario via the Gualberto Avenue. Buses from Batangas City to Lucena and buses from San Juan, Batangas to Ayala Malls Manila Bay/LRT-Buendia/PITX, and Turbina/BGC/Cubao also pass by Gualberto Avenue. Like many other towns and cities in the Philippines, tricycles are common means of transportation within the municipality. Modern jeepneys bound for SM Lipa Grand Terminal also exist.
Since it is a landlocked municipality, there are no seaports in Rosario. The nearest access through the sea is via the Batangas International Port which is around 27 kilometers away. There are also no airports in Rosario. For domestic and international flights, people need to go to Ninoy Aquino International Airport which is around 99 kilometers away.
BATELEC II (Batangas II Electric Cooperative, Inc.) provides electric power to the locality. The Rosario branch is home to Batelec II Area II, which has jurisdiction over the towns of San Juan, Lobo, Taysan, and Padre Garcia.
The Rosario Water District is a local government entity responsible for supplying and distributing water within the municipality. PrimeWater, a private water service provider, partners with local water districts like Rosario to enhance water services through a public-private partnership model. In this partnership, the water district retains ultimate authority over water supply regulations and community needs, while PrimeWater operates according to the district's guidelines and standards.
Originally, Digitel was the sole telecommunications provider in Rosario until it was absorbed into PLDT. Currently, Rosario is served by Globe and PLDT.
Sinukmani aptly represents the town as its main ingredients: rice, coconut, and sugar are also the main products of Rosario; which is why Sinukmani Festival is celebrated annually during the founding anniversary of the municipality.
Kalamay is not just a popular snack in Rosario but also a vital part of traditional Batangas wedding or baysanan along with suman. Kalamay is usually offered on the latter part of baysanan called dapit. The sticky rice cake symbolizes strong attachment of the couple to each other and to each other's family. Suman on the other hand is given during the sabugan, a part of baysanan within the wedding reception. The ninongs and ninangs or the principal sponsors and even some relatives and friends are called to give cash gifts or sabog. In exchange, they receive suman in a manner that it is seemingly being sold to them. Principal sponsors get to receive a basket of goodies with the suman in it plus primal cuts of meat collectively called sabit.
Like any other town in Batangas, other famous delicacies in Rosario includes:
Traditions observed during Holy Week in Rosario include pilgrimage to the Grotto and the ascent to Tombol Hill. Good Friday starts early in the morning with Penitensyahan, a notable procession in Rosario which includes higantes. A more traditional long procession is held at night that features images of Jesus, Mama Mary, and various saints. On Easter Sunday, Salubong and Pagbati is performed in front of the parish church. Pagbati in Rosario is traditionally composed of three young ladies dancing to the tune of a local brass band. They are dressed in white on the actual Easter Sunday dance early in the morning, and clad in a more colorful dress on the Black Saturday rehearsal dance held in the evening. It is accompanied by waving a flag with grace, making sure it would not fall or roll up.
Rosario is a landlocked municipality setting itself apart from its coastal neighbors renowned for their picturesque beaches. Despite its lack of coastal attractions and historical sites—stemming from the town's multiple relocations throughout its storied past—Rosario boasts a rich heritage as one of the oldest towns in Batangas.
Founded on resilience and adaptability, Rosario invites visitors to explore its unique narrative, transcending the conventional tourist destinations associated with coastal towns. While the town may not showcase traditional heritage sites due to its historical relocations, it compensates with an array of lesser-known yet equally captivating tourist spots.
At the foot of the hill is a grotto and on top of it is a statue of Risen Christ.