Stories Behind the Names of Batangas’ Cities and Towns Part II

Nasugbu, the Municipal Hall.

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Nasugbu

Spaniards wanted to know the name of the place and asked a woman who was cooking rice. Since she spoke no Spanish, she thought they were referring to the rice. She told them, “Nasubo na ang kanin.” (The rice is boiling or simmering.) (Wikipedia)

Padre Garcia

The municipality is named after a friend of Jose Rizal named Padre Vicente Garcia, who was from the village in the town named Maugat. Garcia was one of the defenders of Jose Rizal’s immortal novel Noli Me Tangere. (Padre Garcia official web site)

San Juan

Formerly a village called Bolbok and part of the Municipality of Rosario, San Juan became a separate town in itself in 1848 named after its patron saint San Juan de Nepomuceno. (San Juan official web site)

San Jose

Erstwhile known as San Jose de Malaquing Tubig and formerly part of the Municipality of Bauan, San Jose is likely named after its patron saint St. Joseph the Patriarch. (Wikipedia)

San Luis

Formerly known as Balibago, a village of Taal, San Luis was named after the saint (St. Louis) whose feast day it was when the new municipality formally separated from Taal. (Wow Batangas)

The lakeside promenade in San Nicolas.

San Nicolas

Formerly part of Taal, San Nicolas became a distinct municipality in 1955 and likely named in honour of its patron San Nicolas de Tolentino. (Wikipedia)

San Pascual

San Pascual used to be known as ‘Lagnas’ and was part of the Municipality of Bauan. It became a separate municipality in 1969 and is likely named in honour of its patron San Pascual Baylon. (Wikipedia)

Sta. Teresita

Sta. Teresita became a distinct municipality in 1961 composed of villages erstwhile part of Taal, San Luis and San Nicolas. It was named after its patroness St. Therese of the Child Jesus. (Wow Batangas)

Sto. Tomas

Founded as early as 1666, Batangas’ northernmost geopolitical unit is also its oldest. The municipality is likely named after its patron St. Thomas Aquinas. (Wikipedia)

Rosario

Refugees fleeing Moro raids of settlements along the Lobo River founded a settlement north in what is now Padre Garcia and built a church in honour of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. The town from which the settlement grew was named Sto. Rosario. The town center was later moved to what is now Poblacion Rosario and the municipality became known by its present name. (Wikipedia)

The iconic Basilica of St. Martin in Taal.

Taal

The name ‘Taal’ is believed to have meant native, real or true in the language of the original Malay settlers. Some of the town’s elders also think it is possible the town’s name was derived from ‘tal-an,’ which were wild palms that used to line the Pansipit River. There are those, however, who believe the town’s name was derived from ‘ta-ad,’ a Batangueño word referring to sugar cane points. (Taal Heritage Town)

Talisay

When Talisay was merely a village of Taal, the Spanish government assigned a priest to attend to people’s religiosity. A temporary church was built in the middle of the village. When a large bell arrived, there was nowhere to place it; so the priest asked the locals to hang it on a large talisay tree close to the church. Consequently, when churchgoers were asked where they were headed, they would respond, “Sa may talisay” (to where the talisay is) and later simply “sa talisay’ (to talisay). (Batangas Provincial Government web site)

Tanauan

It is believed the city’s name is derived from the Tagalog word ‘tanaw’ (to look or see) in the historical context of Agustinian friars looking out from a watchtower to see if boats approaching from Pansipit River were traders or pirates. (Wikipedia)

Taysan

Formerly a village of the municipality of Rosario, Taysan became a distinct municipality in 1919. Folklore has it that its name was likely derived from the Tagalog word ‘atisan’ (loosely, where the atis or sugar apple grew) or ‘tiisan’ (a place for ‘tiis’ or suffering.) (Wow Batangas)

Tingloy

Wikipedia says that the island municipality’s name was derived according to folklore from a plant called ‘tinghoy,’ which ironically does not grow abundantly in the island anymore. This is the first time I am hearing about this plant or the word for that matter. Curiously, Tagalog Dictionary defines it as “an oil lamp with a wick.”

Tuy

Formerly part of Balayan, Tuy became a town of its own in 1866. Its name was given by the former Batangas Governor Don Salvador Ellio to remind him of his birthplace Tui, a town in the Galician district of Spain. (Wikipedia)

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