Nagcarlan

Nagcarlan ([nɐgkɐɾˈlan]), officially termed as the "Municipality of Nagcarlan" (Tagalog: Bayan ng Nagcarlan), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 64,866 people.^[4]

Nagcarlan
Municipality
Municipality of Nagcarlan
Mount San Cristobal and Nagcarlan Town Proper
Flag Seal
Anthem: Martsa ng Nagcarlan
Map of Laguna with Nagcarlan highlighted
OpenStreetMaNagcap .
Nagcarlan Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 14°08′11″N 121°24′59″E
Country	Philippines
Region	Calabarzon
Province	Laguna
District	3rd district
Founded	August 24, 1583[1]
Barangays	52 (see Barangays)
Government  [2]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Elmor V. Vita (Nacionalista)
• Vice Mayor	Rexon V. Arevalo (Aksyon)
• Representative	Loreto S. Amante (Lakas)
• Municipal Council	Members Teddy P. Coroza Robert M. Tajaran Laurence M. Sombilla Ron-Erwin D. Esquivel Generoso J. Comendador Brigido P. Araneta Christmas B. Osuna Lauro H. Dizon
• Electorate	45,866 voters (2022)
Area [3]
• Total	78.10 km2 (30.15 sq mi)
Elevation	333 m (1,093 ft)
Highest elevation	2,167 m (7,110 ft)
Lowest elevation	5 m (16 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[4]
• Total	64,866
• Density	830/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
• Households	16,796
Demonym	Nagcarlangin
Economy
• Income class	2nd municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	5.27 % (2021)[5]
• Revenue	₱ 216 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 456.5 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 210.5 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 111.1 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Manila Electric Company (Meralco)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	4002
PSGC	043417000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)49
Native languages	Tagalog

Etymology

According to the origin, the name Nagcarlan came from the name of a famous rich and generous woman named Ana Kalang or Ana Panalangin, who was a native woman who was known for her golden salakot and cane which she always carried when walking around town. She was well-respected by the townfolk not just for her wealth, but also for the help she extended to those in need. One day, a Spaniard came to her house and upon looking out of the window; he saw branches swaying and hitting one another, and so he asked what was going on. Ana Kalang answered and said "nagkakalang sila". The word was repeatedly mispronounced by the Spaniards until it became Nagcarlan, which is now the name of the town.

History

Spanish colonial era

Before the Spanish conquest of the area, it was headed by Gat Lakilaw. Christianity was propagated to the area in 1578 through Fr. Juan de Plasencia and Fr. Diego Oropesa, both missionaries of Franciscan Order. The area became a formal town in 1583 under Fr. Tomas de Miranda, who brought and successfully cultivated in Nagcarlan the first wheat seeds ever on our country's soil. The very first Gobernadorcillo was Gaspar Cahupa, a Nagcarleno who served until 1687. The first stone church was built in 1752 by Fr. Cristobal Torres. While the town is already known as Nagcanlang even before the Spaniards came (as evidenced in the 1572 narrative of Juan Masolong, First Christian of Liliw, Laguna), it was Fr. Torres who officially and formally named it Nagcarlan at that time, to honor and recognize the contributions of an influential and respected tribe woman leader named Ana Kalang (baptized as Ana Panalangin). The name Nagcarlan consistently appeared in the Spanish encomienda system during that period as one of the official name of the town. In 1851, Fr. Vicente Velloc, a Franciscan Missionary built the Underground Cemetery, the first of its kind in the Philippines. According to Historical records, this is where the historic Biac-Na-Bato pact was planned by Pedro Paterno and General Severino Taino in 1897. It was also in Nagcarlan, where the Brain of the Katipunan, General Emilio Jacinto, coming from Majayjay and wounded, was captured.

The Legend of the Hidden Tunnel of Nagcarlan

Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery

Nagcarlan was first colonized in 1571 by Juan de Salcedo, grandson of Miguel López de Legazpi. It was founded by Franciscan priests Juan de Plasencia and Diego Oropesa in 1578. The church of Nagcarlan was first built from light materials such as nipa and wood in 1583 under the chaplaincy of its first priest, Father Tomas de Miranda who also pioneered the cultivation of wheat in the country and was dedicated to Saint Bartholomew.Fr. Vicente Velloc supervised the establishment of a cemetery in Nagcarlan in 1845 below Mt. San Cristobal. Unlike the traditional Spanish cemeteries at that time, Fr. Velloc decided to build it away from the town's center. The cemetery is planned to serve as a public resting place for the people of the town while the underground chamber below the chapel of the cemetery will only house remains of Spanish friars and prominent people. It was built together with the construction of the expanded St. Bartholomew Parish Church and rectory. The cemetery is built with a chapel where funeral masses were held and directly below it is an underground crypt. Pilgrims flock to the Nagcarlan Church to pray before the images of St. Bartholomew and San Diego de Alcala known for their miraculous healing. However, there is also one interesting belief among the locals about a hidden tunnel which is referred to as "the Jewel of Nagcarlan." The stories about the existence of a "hidden tunnel of the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery" circulated and never ceased to depart from the minds of the believers.

This legend has been passed from generations after generations of Nagcarleños about the hidden tunnel somewhere in the very heart of Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery that is believed to be connected behind the church's Altar. Stories unendingly chronicled that the Franciscan Father Vicente Belloc who supposedly had the first hand knowledge of the secret tunnel, protectively carried the secret of the underground tunnel to his grave. To this date, many in Nagcarlan still believe and adhere to the "hearsays" that if one can locate "the Jewel of Nagcarlan", "the Hidden Tunnel of Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery that connects below the Altar of Nagcarlan Catholic Church, he might also be tracking his way up to the summit of the Legendary Mount Banahaw.

Geography

Nagcarlan is 52 kilometers (32 mi) from Santa Cruz and 97 kilometers (60 mi) from Manila.

The town is home to the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery, one of the most important cemeteries in the Philippines which has been declared as a National Historical Landmark by virtue of Presidential Decree no. 260, dated August 1, 1973 with amendments by Administrative Order 1505, dated June 11, 1978. Since the declaration, no more burials were allowed in the cemetery. It underwent renovations before it was again opened to the public during the unveiling of the marker on November 24, 1981. The oldest tomb is dated 1887 while the last interment was in 1982 when it was formally declared as a National Historical Landmark.

Barangays

Nagcarlan is politically subdivided into 52 barangays. ^[6] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios

• Abo
• Alibungbungan
• Alumbrado
• Balayong
• Balimbing
• Balinacon
• Bambang
• Banago
• Banca-banca
• Bangcuro
• Banilad
• Bayaquitos
• Buboy
• Buenavista
• Buhanginan
• Bukal
• Bunga
• Cabuyew
• Calumpang
• Kanluran Kabubuhayan
• Silangan Kabubuhayan
• Labangan
• Lawaguin
• Kanluran Lazaan
• Silangan Lazaan
• Lagulo
• Maiit
• Malaya
• Malinao
• Manaol
• Maravilla
• Nagcalbang
• Poblacion I (Poblacion)
• Poblacion II (Poblacion)
• Poblacion III (Poblacion)
• Oples
• Palayan
• Palina
• Sabang
• San Francisco
• Sibulan
• Silangan Napapatid
• Silangan Ilaya
• Sinipian
• Santa Lucia
• Sulsuguin
• Talahib
• Talangan
• Taytay
• Tipacan
• Wakat
• Yukos

Climate

Climate data for Nagcarlan, Laguna
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	26 (79)	27 (81)	29 (84)	31 (88)	30 (86)	29 (84)	28 (82)	28 (82)	28 (82)	28 (82)	27 (81)	26 (79)	28 (83)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	19 (66)	19 (66)	20 (68)	21 (70)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (73)	22 (72)	21 (70)	20 (68)	21 (70)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	52 (2.0)	35 (1.4)	27 (1.1)	27 (1.1)	82 (3.2)	124 (4.9)	163 (6.4)	144 (5.7)	145 (5.7)	141 (5.6)	100 (3.9)	102 (4.0)	1,142 (45)
Average rainy days	12.0	8.1	8.8	9.7	17.9	22.6	26.2	24.5	24.6	22.0	16.7	14.9	208
Source: Meteoblue[7]

Distances

Based on the great-circle distance (the shortest distance between two points over the surface of the Earth), the cities closest to Nagcarlan are San Pablo, Tayabas, Calamba, Tanauan, Lucena, and Lipa. The nearest municipalities are Liliw, Rizal, Majayjay, Magdalena, Calauan, and Luisiana. Its distance from the national capital is 68.58 kilometers (42.61 miles). The following list delineates such distance measurements.

Nearest towns

• Liliw, Laguna, 2.65 kilometers (1.65 miles) to the East‑Southeast (S76°E)Rizal, Laguna, 3.25 kilometers (2.02 miles) to the Southwest (S40°W)Majayjay, Laguna, 6.53 kilometers (4.06 miles) to the East (N81°E) Magdalena, Laguna, 7.21 kilometers (4.48 miles) to the North‑Northeast (N14°E) Calauan, Laguna, 10.55 kilometers (6.56 miles) to the West (N83°W) Luisiana, Laguna, 11.74 kilometers (7.29 miles) to the East‑Northeast (N63°E)

Nearest cities

• San Pablo, Laguna, 11.95 kilometers (7.43 miles) to the Southwest (S52°W) Tayabas, Quezon, 22.86 kilometers (14.20 miles) to the East‑Southeast (S58°E) Calamba, Laguna, 28.09 kilometers (17.45 miles) to the West‑Northwest (N73°W) Tanauan, Batangas, 28.63 kilometers (17.79 miles) to the West‑Southwest (S79°W)Lucena, 31.02 kilometers (19.27 miles) to the Southeast (S44°E) Lipa, Batangas, 34.44 kilometers (21.40 miles) to the Southwest (S51°W)

From national capital

• Distance from Manila: 68.58 kilometers (42.61 miles) to the Northwest (N43°W)

Demographics

Population census of Nagcarlan

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	10,212	—
1918	14,854	+2.53%
1939	14,762	−0.03%
1948	15,335	+0.42%
1960	18,227	+1.45%
1970	25,057	+3.23%
1975	27,493	+1.88%
1980	30,637	+2.19%
1990	37,696	+2.10%
1995	43,679	+2.80%
2000	48,727	+2.37%
2007	57,070	+2.20%
2010	59,726	+1.67%
2015	63,057	+1.04%
2020	64,866	+0.56%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[8][9][10][11]

In the 2020 census, the population of Nagcarlan, Laguna, was 64,866 people,^[4] with a density of 830 inhabitants per square kilometre or 2,100 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy

Nagcarlan poblacion

Poverty incidence of Nagcarlan

2.5 5 7.5 10 12.5 15 2006 9.40 2009 7.27 2012 10.04 2015 5.60 2018 2.37 2021 5.27 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]

Election

Nagcarlan Presidencia, the seat of the municipal government

2022

2022 Nagcarlan local election
Party		Candidates	Running Mate					Votes	%
			Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nacionalista	Elmor Vita		Aksyon	Rexon Arevalo (Incumbent)	25,357	68.64	21,974	57.78
	PDP–Laban	Lourdes Arcasetas (Incumbent)		PDP–Laban	Evelyn Sotoya	11,587	31.36	16,055	42.22
Total votes						36,944	100.00	38,029	100.00
Winner : Nacionalista, Aksyon

2019

2019 Nagcarlan local election
Party		Candidates	Running Mate					Votes	%
			Party		Candidates	Votes	%
	Nacionalista	Lourdes "Ody" Arcasetas		Nacionalista	Felipe Arcigal III	12,041	38.53	17,781	54.78
	PDP–Laban	Amie Malabag-Hernandez		PDP–Laban	Rexon Arevalo	13,171	42.14	10,897	33.58
				Independent	Cecille Plantilla	3,946	12.63
	Lakas–CMD	Manolo Cura		Lakas–CMD	Neri Monteza	2,094	6.70	3,777	11.64
Total votes						32,455	100.00	31,252	100.00
Winner : Nacionalista, PDP–Laban

Transportation

Tricycles and jeepneys are one of the popular modes of transportation in Nagcarlan, Laguna.

Tourism

Spanish-era San Bartolome Apostol Parish Church

Nagcarlan offers natural and cultural attractions for visitors: rivers, waterfalls, lakes and hills for outdoor activities; Spanish colonial sites for historical exploration; and restaurants serving local and international cuisine for gastronomic experiences.

Along Rizal Avenue, leading from the market to the municipio still stands many old Art Deco buildings built during the 1920s to the 1930s. The presence of many narrow three-story buildings where the ground floors are rented out to commercial establishments in Nagcarlan is an indication that the town may have played the role of the central trading center early in the previous century.

There are also many natural attractions within Nagcarlan. The little known Bunga Falls is a favorite getaway among the locals, while the hidden Yambo Lake can be accessed through the back roads going to Calauan. The "baby" mountains can be climbed in a day, the assistance of a local guide is usually required, as the trails are usually covered with vegetation. Another interesting attraction is the San Bartolome Apostol Church. Located on an elevated ground overlooking the rest of the town, the 18th century church built by the Franciscans has an elegant stone and red clay façade with an imposing belltower on the right and an attractive convent on the left. The parish officials still allow visitors to climb up to the top of the belltower to see where Anne Curtis shot most of her scenes in the famous TV series Kampanerang Kuba.^{[citation needed]}

Nagcarlan's best known attraction is Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery. This one of its kind cemetery in the Philippines, where there are 240 niches laying above ground and 36 niches underground. Members of the town's elite were buried underground below the funeral chapel. It is said that the underground cemetery was used by the Katipuneros to hold their secret meetings.

Notable personalities

• Efren V. Esmilla – Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia^[20]
• Esteban Baldivia - actor and comedian
• Alice Doria-Gamilla – composer
• Jak Roberto - actor, model and singer

References

1. "Nana Nena ng Kawit". July 21, 2014.
2.  Municipality of Nagcarlan | (DILG)
3. "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
4. Census of Population (2020). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
5. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
6. "Province: Laguna". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
7. "Nagcarlan: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
8. Census of Population (2015). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
9. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
10. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
11. "Province of Laguna". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
12. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
13. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. November 29, 2005.
14. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. March 23, 2009.
15. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. August 3, 2012.
16. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. May 31, 2016.
17. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. July 10, 2019.
18. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. December 15, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
19. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
20. "Pope Francis Names New Auxiliary Bishops of Philadelphia". Retrieved December 8, 2023.

External links

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System