Lipa City is situated in the highlands of Central Batangas province in the Philippines. The original settlers were descended from Malay migrants dating back to the first wave of immigration from the Malay Peninsula over many centuries ago, and immigration from other parts of the world.

 

                        

BASILICA OF SAN SEBASTIAN 

Geographical/Cultural Information

Location:	Longitude 13 Degrees 56 Minutes North
		Latitude 121 Degrees 10 Minutes East
		86 Km. From Manila	
Land Area:      24,765.93 Hectares
	
	
Topography:	 Irregular rolling plateaus of slightly 
		gradient and undulating higher
		gradients in the eastern and western
		fringes or mountains and lake 
		boundaries and creek embankments.
 
		
Elevation :		1,025 Feet Above Sea Level
			
			
Climate :		Tropical with uneven annual rainfall. 
			Highest recorded temp. was 35.7 deg.
			Lowest recorded temp. was 16.4 deg.
			Dry season from January to May.
			Wet season from June to December.
			
			
Soil :		Series consisting of decomposed 
			volcanic tuff materials that makes the
			land fertile.
			
			
Ethnicity :		Predominantly Malay Stock
			Mestizos (Spanish, Chinese, other)
			Minority groups (Chinese, Indians and
			Expatriates)
			
			
Dialects :		Tagalog (Batangueño Dialect)
			Various Native Filipino dialects
			English (Generally understood)
 
The city is located in Region IV in the heart of Batangas Province. Bounded by the municipality of Sto. Tomas in the Northeast; San Pablo and San Antonio in the East; Padre Garcia, Rosario in the Southeast; Ibaan and San Jose in the Southwest; Cuenca and Mataas Na Kahoy in the West; Balete and Malvar in the Northwest.
Lipa City is situated in the highlands of Central Batangas province in the Philippines. The original settlers were descended from Malay migrants dating back to the first wave of immigration from the Malay Peninsula over many centuries ago, and immigration from other parts of the world.

The Lipa City Hall, government building. Today Lipa City is a booming city with a dynamic economy. With a population of over 300,000 people, the city is expanding outward with massive land development projects.

 
 
                              
   				Mt. Malarayat Golf & Country Club


General information about Batangas Province:

Capital: Batangas City
Area: 3 165,8 sq km
Population: ca 1 700 000
Cities: Batangas and Lipa
Number of Towns: 32

The land:
Some 50% of the province´s terrain is generally rolling, the rest are mountainous and hilly.Mt. Makulot rises 1145 meteres in the central part.Taal Lake and Volcano, although usually viewd from Tagaytay in Cavite, is in Batangas. In fact, the entire province is said to be once the base of a huge volcano which erupted violently and Taal Lake used to be its crater. The present volcano, the smalles active one in the world, is sometimes referred to as a volcano within a volcano.The irregular coastline is dotted with coves, peninsulas and bays.The Maricaban and Verde Islands in the Verde Island Passage belong to the province.Batangas has two disitinct seasons: dry from November to April and wet the rest of the year.

A brief history:
The discovery of ancient graves and sites containing Chinese pottery in Calatagan established the fact that the Philippines traded with is neighboring Asian nations long before the coming of the Spaniards in the 16th century.In 1570, Martin de Goite and Juan de Salcedo expored the coast of Batangas and cameupon a Malay settlement at the mouth of Taal River. The town of Taal was founded in 1572.The province was organized in 1581. It was composed of what is now Batangas, the islandsof Mindoro and Marinduque, and the southeastern portion of Laguna. It was then called Bombon or Balayan with the capital at the town of Balayan. By the begiining of the 17th century, Mindoro and Marinduque were made into a separate province.In 1732, the capital was transferred to Taal and the province was named after it.Again in 1754, the capital was moved to Batangas and the province asumed its present name.The province was one of the first eight provinces that revolted against Spain. It has since then been known as the home of heroes and patriots. Apolinario Mabini, the "Sublime Paralvtic" and "Brains of the Revolution", was from Tanauan. Marcela Agoncillo, who sewd the Filipino flag hoisted during the proclamation of Philippine independence in Kawit, Cavite, on June 12, 1898, was from Taal. Miguel Malvar, the las Filipino Genral to surrender to the Americans, was born in Santo Tomas. Jose P. Laurel, the president of the Japanese-backed Philippine Republic during World War II, was from Tanauan too.

The people:
Batangas is one of the principal seats of Tagalog culture.The people speak the language with a distinct accent. Batangueños are renowned for their industriousness as traders. Many commercial center in the country often have establishment owned by people of Batangas descent.

Commerce and industy:
Agriculture is the main economic activity in Batangas.The major crops, in terms of area planted, are palay, sugarcane, coconut and coffe or cacao.The province is also a major supplier of cattle to Metro Manila.The coast provides rich fishing grounds. Taal Lake is also a major fish source wherethe tasty maliputo and tawilis are caught.

Getting there and away:
There is many buses going from Manila to Batangas daily  about every 30 minutes.One of them is going through Cavite Province and the other one is going through Laguna Province