April 21, 2001. The day Rizal’s Calamba became a first class component city of Laguna Province by virtue of RA-9024.The author of this law is now the third-termer City Mayor – the Honorable Joaquin M. Chipeco, Jr. (2004-2013).
June 19, 2011. The Filipino nation celebrates the 150th birth anniversary of Calamba’s greatest contribution to Philippine history – Dr. Jose P. Rizal. On this day the tallest Jose Rizal Monument will be unveiled by His Excellency Benigno Aquino III.
The people of Calamba takes pride this destiny. As a proud Calambeño this septuagenarian wonders what this cradle town of Rizal’s was then.
Via the internet, the present city logo reveals two significant years embossed in the official seal of the City of Calamba; over two centuries apart. 1742, since Calamba officially became a municipality August 28,1742, having been a part of the town of Cabuyao (formerly Tabuco) in the early Spanish conquest; and 2001, when the town became a city April 21 in plebiscite in the new millennium.
Within this seal the silhouette of the hidden profile of the portrait of the greatest Malayan hero, the pride of Calamba, stares the scrutinizers at the face.
What was Calamba then? Page 3 of a historical adventure on the centennial freedom trail, “On the Trail to Freedom,” provides a glimpse.
“Calamba in the 19th century was a sleepy agricultural town that lay in the shadow of the fabled Mount Makiling. A small town of only about 500 hectares of sloping hills and fertile plains on the southern shores of Laguna de Bay, it yielded bountiful harvest. It was in this idyllic setting that doctor, writer, artist, and National Hero Jose Rizal was raised.
“. . . But life in the shadow of Mount Makiling was not all pleasure and ease. For all its natural beauty and abundance, the town was frequently marred by epidemics of typhoid, cholera and malaria. Overshadowed by the larger and more prosperous town of Biñan, the province’s rice granary, the farmers of Calamba had to work harder to turn a profit. Hence, the townsfolk of Calamba grew to be a hardy people used to difficult toil.”
Today, this city by the shoreline of Laguna bay up to the upland territorial boundaries of Batangas and Cavite province has a total land area of 14,480 hectares. Two main rivers traverse Rizal’s cradle town. San Juan River originating from Batangas bisects the city proper about 100 meters north of Rizal Shrine. San Cristobal coming from Cavite passes through the northern part of the city. The recent population count is 360,281 inhabitants in 58,466 households.
In the advent of industrialization part of its agricultural land has been conveniently converted into housing subdivisions, commercial areas, and industrial parks. Now it has nine industrial estates within its jurisdiction and three prestigious shopping malls. Rizal’s Calamba is also the site of the international standard Canlubang Golf and Country Club, venue of many Philippine open.
Calamba has the highest annual income within CALABARZON growth area based on 2009 COA audit after about a decade as a city. Already in the city planning and development drawing board are the following projects: 1) Calamba Commercial Institutional and Recreational Complex, across the city hall, where the 20-feet Rizal monument will be unveiled; 2) Regional Center of Calabarzon at Brgy. Mapagong; and 3) Calamba Science High School.
The cradle town of the great Malayan hero boasts of abundant mineral hot springs in its resorts, lodges and water pools, particularly in Barangay Pansol. Pansol is considered the bedrock of natural hot springs in the Philippines.
The resorts and spas hereabouts are frequent host to visitors. Transients come and go and find relief from backbreaking business pressures and nerve-wracking activities. People from all walks in life and wanting to relax even for just a day come in groups. The therapeutic effect of mineral hot springs on one’s nerves and muscles plus the majestic view of Mt. Makiling and magnificent scenery surrounding the Laguna lake are reasons enough to consider Calamba regular summer destination.
No wonder since early this millennium the City of Calamba is known as the Resort Capital of the Philippines. In this city by the bay, lodes of natural hot spring mineral waters are free-flowing in abounding swimming pools, spas and resorts. Lodes are steamed by the volcanic bedrock of the legendary Maria Makiling. It has 651 registered resort establishments located mostly in barangay Bukal, Pansol, and Bagong Kalsada.
Water is undoubtedly one of the prime natural resources of Calamba then and now. The very reason it is considered the Resort Capital of the Philippines.
Yet, in celebrating Calamba City’s foundation day this April, the Chairman of the Committee on Natural Resources, Environment Protection and Waste Management - incumbent City Councilor Luis Vergel G. Baroro - is wary of the water crisis that hit metro-manila midyear of last year.
He believes Calamba’s water resources must be protected, preserved, and developed, all the more. We should not be contented with what we have now. We must prepare for the uncertain future in the face of global warming and climate change in particular, Baroro adds.
Baroro says potable water supply from Calamba Water District utilities is still not available to many barangays of Calamba. He proposes therefore a resolution pursuant to RA 6716 of 1989 – the “little-known law” that provides for the construction of water wells, rain water collectors, development of springs and rehabilitation of existing water wells in all of the country’s barangays. There are natural springs and water wells in Calamba still to be tapped and developed as alternative source of potable drinking water.
Pro-active legislation is well emphasized by His Excellency President Benigno Aquino III when he signed recently the water governance declaration submitted to him during the “World Water Day” celebration March 22, 2011, Baroro concludes.
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