Tanauan, Batangas

Tanauan, officially theCity of Tanauan(Filipino:Lungsod ng Tanauan), is acomponent cityin theprovinceofBatangas,Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 193,936 people.
It is incorporated as a city underRepublic ActNo. 9005, signed on February 2, 2001, and ratified on March 10, 2001.
Among those born in Tanauan are revolutionary former Prime MinisterApolinario Mabiniand formerPresidentJosé P. Laurel.
The name "Tanauan" may have come from:
Like most Batangueños,Tanauan residents also pronounce the city's name asTan-awan, inBatangas Tagalogdialect, despite the spelling. It is also spelled asTanawan.
Tanauan was founded by theAugustiniansin 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 ofMororaids. "Old Tanauan" (Tagalog:Lumang Tanauan) included such lookout tower and associatedsapao(built-up structures in the water). The 1754 eruption ofTaal Volcanoforced the town inhabitants to initially move to Sala. Subsequently, both towns moved again later that year to Tanauan's current location, in which Sala is now abarrio.
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 theAmerican occupation, it was consolidated with the municipality ofTalisayand became the seat of the municipal government.In 1904, the barrios of Balaquilong (Balakilong), Bayuyungan, Binirayan (Berinayan), Bugaan, and San Gabriel were ceded toTaalby virtue of Act No. 1244;these barrios would eventually be returned to Talisay and later form the present-dayLaurel.
Recent events include the assassination of its former mayor, Cesar V. Platon, byNPA rebelson May 7, 2001, as he was running for the governorship of Batangas. This happened inTuya few days before the election.On July 2, 2018, then-mayorAntonio Halili, noted forpublic humiliationcampaigns against criminals and drug pushers, wasshot and killed during the flag raising ceremony at the city hallat age 72.
TheCongressapproved 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 PresidentGloria 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%.
Tanauan is situated 64 kilometers (40 mi) south ofManilaand 41 kilometers (25 mi) north ofBatangas City. The city is part ofMega Manilaresulting from the continuous expansion ofMetro Manila. It shares its borders withCalamba,Laguna, to the north,Tagaytay City,Cavite, to the northwest,Talisayto the west,Santo Tomas Cityto the east, and the towns ofBaleteandMalvarto the south. It borders onTaal Laketo the west. The town is known for theOld Tanauan Church Ruins, the most important archaeological site in the municipality where human remains from the colonial era have been unearthed.
Tanauan City is politically subdivided into 48barangays.Each barangay consists ofpuroksand some havesitios.
Roman Catholicismis the most dominant and visible religion in Tanauan. St.John the Evangelistis its patron, and its main church is the St. John the Evangelist Parish, also known as theTanauan Church. La Consolacion College Tanauan (formerly Our Lady of Fatima Academy, 1948), run by the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation, is the first Catholic school in the city. Other Catholic schools include Our Lady of Assumption Montessori School and Daughters of Mary Immaculate School (lay-operated). First Asia Institute is converting from a non-sectarian school to a Catholic (Christian) school.
Iglesia ni Cristo,Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints),Islamand other religious groups are also present in the city.
Poverty incidence of Tanauan
Tanauan is known as an agricultural trading center of Calabarzon. Agricultural products from Calabarzon and as far as theMimaropaandBicolregions are delivered here before it reaches public markets inMetro Manila. Aside from being an important agricultural center, Tanauan is also one of the Philippines' major industrial centers nowadays hosting industrial parks, which are home to various multinational companies and tourism facilities.
The original 68-year old Pantoja Bakery started in 1950. Celinda Laurel Dimayuga (Tanauan) and Aurelio Maningat Pantoja (Balayan) used a"pugon"(clay brick oven). Spouses Arturo Dimayuga Pantoia and Marilyn Gonzales managed the bakery and mechanized it in 1970. Located in Sixto Castillo Street, Barangay Poblacion 2, Tanauan City, the iconic bakery is famous for traditional Filipino breads and biscuits, likepandesal,paboritabiscuits and square, crispjacobinacrafted from paper-thin sheets of dough.
The first-biggest immersive theme park in the Philippines located in Brgy. Gonzales.
Jeepneys serve the city and the nearby municipalities and barangays. Tricycles provide transportation on the barangays. Buses connect the city with Metro Manila and Batangas City.
TheSouthern Tagalog Arterial Roadpasses at the central part of the city. The expressway connects the city with the rest of Batangas.Jose P. Laurel Highwayconnects the city to Santo Tomas and to thePan-Philippine Highwayon the north and with Malvar, Lipa,San Jose, and Batangas City to the south. Another highway links Tanauan withTalisayandTagaytay. A 7.8-kilometer (4.8 mi) service road on both sides of STAR Tollway will connect the northeastern barangays of Tanauan to the southeastern barangays of the city
Aside from the STAR Tollway, national roads like the Jose P. Laurel Highway (Route 4) and Tanauan–Talisay Road (Route 421) serves also the city. The city also maintains roads that connects the rural barangays of the city.
Among the tertiary educational establishments in Tanauan is theFirst Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities, La Consolacion College, Christian College of Tanauan, Nova Schola, the STI Academic Center, the DMMC Institute of Health Sciences, and the Tanauan Institute. The Tanauan Institute is the oldest private education institution in the city having been established in 1924. The Sapphire International Aviation Academy which caters to aspiring aircraft pilots is also located within the city at the Barradas Airstrip.
There are 9 private and 16 public high schools, and 27 private and 44 public elementary schools. Those schools are overseen by the City Schools Division of Tanauan.
The current seat of government of the city is the New Tanauan City Hall located at Laurel Hill in Barangay Natatas. Inaugurated in 
2017, it succeeded the old municipal hall in Barangay 2 in the city proper.