Los Baños, Laguna


Los Baños, officially the Municipality of Los Baños, colloquially 'Elbi' or simply LB, is a municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the, it has a population of people.
It was declared as the Special Science and Nature City of the Philippines through Presidential Proclamation No. 349. The proclamation, however, does not convert the municipality to a city or give it corporate powers that are accorded to other cities.

Etymology

Los Baños is derived from Spanish for "the baths", also referring to the hot springs. It was named as such in 1589 when Fr. Pedro Bautista built public baths in the present-day town.

History

Spanish colonial era

This town of Los Baños takes its name from the thermal baths that exist within its territory. Formerly, Barrio "Maynit" was a visita called 'San Nicolás de Tolentino', belonging to the town of Bay when it was under the administration of the Discalced Augustinian Friars.
In 1590, a Franciscan Priest, Fray Pedro Bautista y Blasquez, which is now a saint came to Maynit and discovered the medicinal properties of the hot spring on the said area and later on Franciscan Friars built a hospital dedicated to "Nuestra Señora de Aguas Santas" near the spring.
A public deed granted by the notary Don Luis Vela on September 17, 1613 which ceded the administration of said visita and area from Agustinian Discaled Friars to the Apostolic Province of San Gregorio From that date, it remained as servants of the aforementioned hospital under their administration, not becoming a formal town until the year 1640 when Don Juan Castañeda was appointed the first captain or gobernadorcillo.
The town did not have its own parish church from 1613 to 1627 and used the hospital’s chapel dedicated to Nuestra Señora de Aguas Santas. The chapel enthroned the image of Nuestra Señora de Aguas Santas, Santo Cristo and Nuestra Señora de la Purificacion y Candelaria
In 1727, a fire destroyed the hospital and its chapel. A temporary church made of bamboo and nipa palm was built beside the hospital under the same patronage but was later also destroyed by fire.
A stone church was constructed under Fr. Domingo Mateo in 1790 but its roof remained made of nipa palm. Fr. Manuel Amat renovated the church, replaced the nipa roof with tiles. He also built the bell tower with two bells. He Constructed the sacristy and painted the church interior and renovated under the same administration in 1842.
In 1849, Rev. Fr. Juan Carrillo facilitated the construction of a road through Mount Lalacay by blasting through solid rock to connect Los Baños to Bay and Calamba.
In summary, Los Baños’ identity has always been tied to its thermal springs and hospital ministry which served as its foundation for settlement. Despite multiple destructions by fire, the town rebuilt its religious and civic infrastructure with significant contributions from the Franciscans. Its strategic location near Mount Maquiling and Laguna de Bay made it rich in natural resources fostering its development. The local population remained modest in size during the Spanish colonial period.

American invasion era

In 1909, the University of the Philippines College of Agriculture was established.
The UPCA became a Japanese prisoner of war camp for nationals of the Allied countries, a target of Kempetai punitive measures, and the headquarters of a secret organization of guerrillas. On February 23, 1945, US forces of the First Battalion, 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the Eleventh Airborne Division led a combined amphibious and airborne raid against the prison camp, rescuing over 2,000 Allied nationals. They killed the 250-man Japanese garrison. In order to force the prisoners to leave behind their belongings and speed up the evacuation before the Japanese could send reinforcements, US forces and Filipino guerrillas burned the camp. Only Baker Hall, the university gymnasium until 2010, remained intact. General Yamashita, the most famous World War 2 General of the Japanese, was tried and executed for war crimes in Los Baños, Laguna.

Philippine independence

In 1959, the 10th World Scout Jamboree was held in Los Baños, with the theme "Building Tomorrow Today" with an attendance of 12,203 Scouts.
The International Rice Research Institute was established in 1960 during the administration of President Carlos P. Garcia, and soon after President Diosdado Macapagal had started his term, IRRI had begun work on the development of the new “Miracle Rice” (IR8) variety, which would later increase Philippine rice production significantly.

Martial law era (1965-1986)

The social unrest which arose when Ferdinand Marcos' debt-driven campaign spending led to the 1969 Philippine [balance of payments crisis ] spread beyond the capital and also triggered protests by students in UP Los Baños, most prominently in the form of a 13-day strike which saw barricades established at the UPLB Gate and Los Baños Highway Junction areas. This unrest coincided with another issue, which was the call for the UP College of Agriculture to become independent from the University of the Philippines in Diliman.
When martial law was declared in September 1972, Marcos cracked down on any form of criticism or activism, leading to the arrest of many of Los Baños residents. Among those who experienced arrest and torture during martial law were the UPLB Institute of Chemistry's Dr. Aloysius Baes, while among those who became desaparecidos were Tish Ladlad, Cristina Catalla, Gerardo "Gerry" Faustino, Rizalina Ilagan, UPLB Professor Jessica Sales, and PCARRD artist-illustrator Manny Ontong. Among those confirmed to have been martyred for their beliefs was Manuel Bautista, the student leader who had spearheaded the establishment of UPLB's Textbook Exchange and Rental Center.
In 1979, the evolution and development of academic excellence in Los Baños moved the people of Los Baños to request president Marcos to declare the municipality as "A Special University Zone", granted on June 15, 1982, by virtue of letter of instruction No. 883.
Los Baños was further declared as an "Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences Community" on March 17, 1982, by virtue of Executive Order No. 784.

Post-EDSA revolution era

On August 7, 2000, Los Baños was declared a Special Science and Nature City of the Philippines by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 349. It was signed by then-President Joseph Estrada. The Proclamation is in recognition of the town's important contribution in country. The municipality has remained as the country's hub of science and nature with the presence of national and international research institutions collaborating towards the advancement of science research.

21st century

The 6th Flora Malesiana, a triennial gathering of people with botanical expertise regarding "Malesia", was held from September 20 to 24, 2004. It provided a forum for Flora Malesiana members and encouraged publications on Malesian plants.
During the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, Los Baños played host to the aquatics events, with the newly built Trace Aquatic Center at serving as the venue.
The headquarters of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was opened on August 8, 2006. It leased office spaces until late 2010s from the DENR-, located at the College of Forestry, University of the Philippines Los Baños until it moved to its newly built own buildings at a parcel of land near the University Health Service towards the late 2010s/early 2020s, which coincided with a foundation anniversary celebrations of the organization. The Philippines assumed the Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2006 and played host to the 12th ASEAN and East Asia Summits.
In January 2007, the 5th ASEAN Inter-Club Age-Group Swimming Championships was held in the Trace Aqua Sports Center.
Los Baños also plays host to the UAAP, as the Trace Aquatics Center has served as the venue for the league's swimming competitions since UAAP Season 70 until UAAP Season 76.
Currently, Los Baños is probably the densest habitat of academicians in South East Asia. Although it is a small town, it has contributed widely through scientific achievements and contributions locally and worldwide particularly on agriculture.
On December 3, 2020, firing from outside the perimeter walls, its incumbent mayor Caesar P. Perez was assassinated inside the municipal office premises by an armed assailant, with a former opposition councilor suspected to be the mastermind.

Geography

Los Baños is nestled between two of Southern Luzon's most dominant geographical features – Mount Makiling to the south and south-west and Laguna de Bay to the north. In fact, Laguna de Bay's southernmost tip is at Barangay Bambang, and Barangay Bagong Silang is already halfway up Mount Makiling. Both the mountain and the lake are volcanic features – Makiling being a potentially active volcano whose geothermal activities gave birth to the hot springs after which the town was named, and Laguna de Bay being the filled-in caldera of a massive prehistoric volcano.
Another notable geological feature is Tadlac Lake, a maar lake whose almost perfectly round shape and uncharted waters have led some locals to call it "the enchanted lake". Others call it "alligator lake", a reminder that it served as the last bastion of Laguna de Bay's once-plentiful crocodile population, which has since been wiped out and is now just another legendary part of Philippine history.
It has a total land area of and is bordered on the south and south-west by Mount Makiling and Santo Tomas in Batangas, on the north by Laguna de Bay, on the north-west by Calamba and on the east by the town of Bay. The town is located southeast of Manila and is easily accessible via the South Luzon Expressway along with Manila South Road and Calamba–Pagsanjan Road.
The municipality lies on the northern slopes of the long dormant volcano Mount Makiling and is known among tourists for its hot spring resorts.

Rivers

The town of Los Baños is crossed by five rivers or creeks:
  • The Dampalit river, which is named after an edible herb, dampalit, which often grows near river shores, originates on the north face of Mt. Makiling east of the Philippine High School for the Arts, and feeds into Laguna lake at the boundary of Barangays Lalakay and Bambang.
  • The Saran creek, whose headwaters begin somewhere near the municipal dumpsite, flows through Barangay Anos near the municipal cemetery, and feeds into the lake at Barangay Malinta.
  • The Pele creek, named after the pili tree, flows through the west side of Barangay Batong Malake and has its mouth at the boundary of Barangays Malinta and Mayondon.
  • The Molawin River, most familiar to UPLB students because it flows through the UPLB campus and the Makiling Botanic Gardens, is named after the Molave tree.
  • The Maitim river, whose name means "black", flows through the easternmost portions of Los Baños, marking the town's boundary with its neighboring town of Bay. The Molawin and Maitim rivers merge just a few meters before feeding into Laguna de Bay at the shore of Barangay Maahas.

Climate

Los Baños has a tropical monsoon climate.

Barangays

Los Baños is politically subdivided into 14 barangays, as indicated below and in the image herein. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
  • Anos
  • Bagong Silang
  • Bambang
  • Batong Malake
  • Baybayin
  • Bayog
  • Lalakay
  • Maahas
  • Malinta
  • Mayondon
  • Putho-Tuntungin
  • San Antonio
  • Tadlac
  • Timugan

Demographics

In the 2024 census, the population of Los Baños was 117,030 people, with a density of.

Government

Local government

Like other LGUs in the Philippines, the town holds election every three years, which will cover from Mayor, Vice Mayor, and up to the councilors.

Tourism

Aside from its importance in academics, science and research, Los Baños is a well-known tourist destination. Because of the town's proximity to Metro Manila, Los Baños's hot spring resorts are frequent weekend or summer getaways for residents of the vast metropolis and tourists from primarily the National Capital Region and other places in the Philippines, and abroad. Tourists who visit Los Baños also come to the several native delicacies stores in the town to buy the town's famous buko pie as well as a home-grown brand of chocolate cake. Currently, it is Laguna's richest municipality in terms of assets amounting to as of 2017.

Education

The Los Baños 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.
There are 16 daycare schools in Los Baños, managed by DSWD and local government.

Primary and elementary schools

  • Bagong Silang Elementary School
  • Bayog Elementary School
  • Bernaldo N. Calara Elementary School
  • Christian School International
  • Hasik Bagong Buhay Christian School
  • Joy in Learning School
  • Lalakay Elementary School
  • Liceo de Los Baños
  • Liceo de Los Baños
  • Lopez Elementary School
  • Los Baños Central Elementary School
  • Los Baños Faith Christian School
  • Malinta Elementary School
  • Maquiling School
  • Maranatha Elementary School
  • Mayondon Elementary School
  • Morning Star Montessori School Inc.
  • Saint Anthony School-LB
  • San Antonio Elementary School
  • South Hill School
  • Tadlac Elementary School
  • The Learning Place International
  • Tuntungin Elementary School

Secondary schools

  • Los Baños National High School
  • Los Baños National High School – Poblacion
  • Tuntungin-Putho Integrated National High School
  • University of the Philippines Rural High School

Higher educational institutions

Los Baños also hosts two constituent universities of the University of the Philippines System: the University of the Philippines Los Baños and University of the Philippines Open University, along with other foreign and local and international research centers, such as the International Rice Research Institute, the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity, the Philippine Rice Research Institute, Philippine Carabao Center, and the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization-Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture at UPLB making the town a temporary home for tens of thousands of both local and foreign undergraduate and graduate students, researchers and support staff.
  • Colegio De Los Baños
  • Laguna State Polytechnic University
  • Trace College
  • University of the Philippines Los Baños
  • University of the Philippines Open University

Notable people

Sister cities