Taal, Batangas


Taal, officially the Municipality of Taal, is a municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the, it had a population of.
It is famous for its old ancestral houses, one particular ancestral house where Marcela Coronel Mariño de Agoncillo grew up in Taal, Batangas built in the 1770s by her grandparents, Don Andres Sauza Mariño and Doña Eugenia Diokno Mariño. The poblacion is designated as a National Historical Landmark. It is also known as the balisong and barong tagalog capital of the Philippines. The town is home to hundreds of heritage structures dating from the Spanish colonial period. Scholars have been pushing for its inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Etymology

The name "Taal" may have come from:
  • The archaic Tagalog word taal, possibly meaning pure or unadulterated;
  • The Tagalog word taad, which refers to sugarcane cutting used in planting;
  • A wild palm tree called tal-an or taal-an or possibly after the tala palm, hence the name tala-an meaning “the place where the “tala grows”; and
  • The ipil tree, which is also known as taal in some areas of the Philippines.

History

The town of Taal was founded by Augustinian friars in 1572. In 1575, the town transferred later to the edge of Domingo Lake in 1575. In 1732, it became the provincial capital of Batangas. In 1754, Taal Volcano erupted, endangering the town of Taal which stood at present-day San Nicolas. Threatened by the new danger, the townspeople, together with the Augustinian Francisco Benchucillo, sought refuge in the sanctuary of Caysasay. The provincial capital was also transferred to the then-town of Batangas in the same year.

Territorial changes

Taal used to encompass a much more extensive area. In 1596, the former barrio of Bauan was established as a parish, effectively separating it from Taal.
Following the 1754 Taal Volcano eruption, the northern shoreline of Taal Lake that was previously part of Tanauan were annexed to Taal as Tanauan transferred from the lake's northwestern Tanauan Bay to Sala, its present-day barangay. It later became part of Talisay upon its establishment in 1869.
In 1861, the southern parts of Taal were separated to form the new municipality of San Luis. A year later, the northern and western parts of Taal were also separated to form the municipality of Lemery, which also consists the present-day Agoncillo.
In 1903, San Luis and Lemery were returned to Taal; San Luis's poblacion was reverted to its old name Balibago. In 1904, the western Tanauan barrios of Balaquilong, Bayuyungan, Binirayan, Bugaan, and San Gabriel were annexed to Taal by virtue of Act No. 1244; these barrios would eventually be returned to Talisay and become barangays of present-day Laurel. Lemery and San Luis were once again separated from Taal and reconstituted as independent municipalities in 1906 and in 1918, respectively.
In 1955, the northern barrios of San Nicolas, Gipit, Bangin, Pansipit, Calangay, Sinturisan, Talang, Abilo, Balete, Bancora, Saimsim, Maabud, Mulawin, Tambo, Calumala, Alasas, Calawit, and Pulangbato were separated from Taal to form the new municipality of San Nicolas. In 1961, the eastern barrios of Sambat, Sinipian, Bihis, Calayaan, Irukan and Cutang Cawayan were separated from Taal to form the new municipality of Santa Teresita.

Geography

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of constituting of the total area of Batangas.
It covers an area of and is drained by Pansipit River down into Balayan Bay. Pansipit is one of the major ecological highways that allow migration of two fish species: maliputo, and muslo which are unique to Lake Taal. Adult fish migrate to the sea from Taal Lake via Pansipit River and Palanas River in Lemery. The tawilis is a freshwater sardine also endemic to Taal Lake.

Climate

Taal has two seasons: dry from November to April, and wet during the rest of the year. The lowest minimum temperature does not drop below while the highest maximum temperature of occurs from March to July of each year.

Barangays

Taal is politically subdivided into 42 barangays, as shown in the matrix below. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Demographics

In the 2024 census, Taal had a population of 61,559 people. The population density was.
The first census in 1903 recorded a total population of 17,525. The 2007 population was 51,459 growing at 2.44% annually over the previous 7 years, with 7,961 households. By 2010, the population slightly increased to 51,503.

Cultural events

  • The EL PASUBAT Festival, celebrated annually during the month of April, is the conglomeration of the trademarks of Taal. "EL PASUBAT" stands for Empanada, Longganisa, Panutsa, Suman, Balisong, barong tagalog, Tapa, Tamales, Tawilis, Tulingan — the delicacies and crafts that Taal is known for.
  • The Feast of St. Martin of Tours is held November 11 every year. Celebrations are in the form of prayer, hymns, declamation, flower offerings and big religious processions. Most families celebrate with food and drinks for visitors thereafter.
  • The Feast of Our Lady of Caysasay, the well-known miraculous image of the Immaculate Conception, is celebrated every December 8. A joint town fiesta celebrated on December 9 honoring both Our Lady of Caysasay and Saint Martin of Tours.
  • Lua is a traditional declamation in the vernacular recited by a maiden to honor the Virgin Mary or a boy in praise of a male saint like Saint Martin of Tours. In the procession, young girls and ladies in their pretty gowns make up the hila, so called because they are supposed to pull the cord of lights originating from the Virgin's karosa bedecked with flowers.

Local products and delicacies

Since the Spanish period, the people of Taal lived by farming and commerce. The main produce are cotton, cacao and sugar which are made through the use of crude sugar mill called trapeche. Weaving and embroidery of barong and camisa made from piña are popular home industries. Local embroidery businesses later expanded their products to include curtains, piano covers, pillowcases, tablecloth, table napkins and bed covers, adding more fame already earned by Taal embroidery.
Other products produced in the town are balisong and various food treats such as the panocha and suman salehiya, tapa and the local longganisa, all of which are available at the public market. Popular Taal dishes include adobo sa dilaw and sinaing na tulingan.

Education

The Taal Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.

Primary and elementary schools

  • Aguedo Lota Asinas Memorial Elementary School
  • Antonio Bonsol Elementary School
  • Apacay Elementary School
  • Balisong Elementary School
  • Blessed Elena Kindergarten School
  • Buli Elementary School
  • Butong Elementary School
  • Carmino Biscocho Memorial Elementary School
  • Casa de San Domenico Learning Center
  • Cultihan-Bolbok Elementary School
  • Governor Vicente Noble Memorial Elementary School
  • Halang Elementary School
  • Isabelo Baleros Memorial Elementary School
  • Latag Elementary School
  • Luntal Elementary School
  • Our Lady of Caysasay Academy
  • Southampton E.D.G.E. Montessori School
  • St. Martin Montessori
  • Taal Central School
  • Tulo Elementary School

Secondary schools

Higher educational institution

  • Rizal College of Taal

Notable personalities

Philippine Revolution

Modern era