Mataasnakahoy, officially the Municipality of Mataasnakahoy (Tagalog: Bayan ng Mataasnakahoy), is a municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 30,621 people.[3]
Etymology
Although the town's name is written as one word, it comes from the Tagalog phrase mataás na kahoy, which means "tall tree."[5][6] It is explained in a May 1953 documented written by a commission composed of the town's schoolteachers.[7] According to them, the name "mataas na kahoy" dates from 1862, when the Capitan Municipal of Lipa first decided to establishment the settlement in that particular place as a barrio of Lipa. The head of the settlement recalled a tall tree - literally "mataas na kahoy" - which was in their settlement, and named the new barrio after it. According to a folklore, the tall tree was also associated with a fruit that cured an old woman of her illness.[7]
History
Mataasnakahoy is originally a barrio of Lipa. Its present-day barangay Lumang Lipa (lit. transl. Old Lipa) was the second seat of Lipa in the 17th century before it was moved to Balete.[8]
During the World War II, the Empire of Japan expanded the Lipa Air Base just a kilometer away from Mataasnakahoy's poblacion. The Japanese air corps occupied, burned many homes in the town, and massacred numerous male residents. After the War, the town was rapidly rehabilitated.[7]
Geography
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 22.10 square kilometers (8.53 sq mi)[10] constituting 0.71% of the 3,119.75-square-kilometer (1,204.54 sq mi) total area of Batangas.
Mataasnakahoy has 16 barangays and its total land area is 22.10 square kilometers (8.53 sq mi). It is bounded by Balete and Lipa City with Taal Lake on its western edge. The town is known for its cool climate due to its high elevation of 379 meters (1,243 ft).
Barangays
Mataasnakahoy is politically subdivided into 16 barangays.[11] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Its economy is primarily agricultural with coffee, coconut and banana as the major crops. Fish culture, with milkfish and tilapia being the major culture species, is also practiced in the coastal barangays of Nangkaan, Lumang Lipa and Kinalaglagan. Piggery and poultry farms from backyard to large scale operation represent a big part of the town's economy. Supporting the town's agribusiness are two feed mills namely, MAGICORP and AICOM.
Several banks (Mataasnakahoy Rural Bank, Lipa Development Bank, Savings and Loan Association of Mataasnakahoy) serve the townspeople. Small businesses like stores and groceries abound and the town center has a flea market (talipapa or tiangge) where fresh fish, meat and vegetables are available daily and a pharmacy, Generika Drugstore. Several small garment factories partly fuel the town's business activity. Telephone service and internet access are available.
Residential development
Residential subdivisions (Victomar, Crisanta Homes, Immaculate Conception Village, Sinforosa and Monte Vista, among others) have started real estate development in the town. Gawad Kalinga, a free house and lot project for the poor sponsored by the religious organization Couples for Christ, is also established in Barangay Bubuyan.
The town is easily accessible via Lipa City though passenger jeepneys plying the route from dawn (3:00 AM) till night (9:00 PM). It is also accessible via the national road through a two-kilometer (1.2 mi) concrete road along the southern boundary of Basilio Fernando Air Base. Tricycles are available for going around town and the innermost barangays.
Tourism
Several resorts operate in different barangays and the town is starting to be known for these resorts. Shercon Resort, the first one which ventured in this line of business, is located in Barangay San Sebastian. Subsequently, El Madero in Barangay II and Galilee Place (Barangay San Sebastian), La Virginia in Barangay Manggahan started operation, Eco Hotel and Honey Bee Farm at Barangay Bayorbor before the arc of Barangay Nangkaan.
Fiesta and religious celebrations
Mataasnakahoy celebrates its town fiesta every January 3. The series of activities leading to the celebration starts several days before the actual fiesta and this would consist of sporting events, singing contests, street dancing competitions and the likes. The actual feast would be observed with food (not to mention, alcoholic drinks) in almost every household. The celebration is almost a sort of annual reunion among relatives and friends. Marching bands, usually hired or sponsored by the barangay officials, go all over the town with their music adding to the already reverberating songs and sounds from rented videoke machines of some households. The celebration is usually concluded by a variety show in the town plaza with invited performers and popular names in the show business and this would usually last till early morning of the next day.
The town also celebrates various religious feasts with mass and processions. The Holy Week (week before Easter Sunday) is observed solemnly by the townsfolks. Religious families usually sponsor a "pabasa" which relates the passion of the Christ in hymns (in agonizing and melodramatic tempo) usually with loudspeakers. Several processions are also conducted within this week. Easter Sunday concludes this celebration.
All Saint's Day (November 1) is observed by throngs of people going to cemetery to visit the burial site of the departed relatives. Flowers, candles and prayers are brought to each burial site by the living relatives who are sometimes even coming from far places.
The feast of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception (December 8), the town's patron saint, is also a well observed celebration. There is usually a mass and a procession around town with elaborate fireworks. There will also be food in the church for the religious and the parishioners.
As is everywhere in the Philippines, the town celebrates a very long Christmas Season. This starts with the elaborate Christmas decorations being displayed as early as November 2 and lasting until early January. There will be lanterns, posters, Santa Claus, Christmas trees, Christmas lights and any decor imaginable helping to boost the festive atmosphere. On Christmas Day (December 25), kids will be going around asking for their godparents' and relatives' blessings which can also be interpreted as asking for Christmas gifts.
Education
A school building in town
The town is home to several secondary schools: La Purisima Concepcion Academy (Barangay II), Holy Trinity School of Padre Garcia, Bats., Mataasnakahoy Branch Inc. (Barangay IV), Mataasnakahoy National High School (Barangay IV), Bayorbor National High School (Bayorbor), Mataasnakahoy Senior High School (Bayorbor) and Mother Chiara Biagiotti School (Santol).
^"Mataasnakahoy, Batangas History". WOWBatangas.com - Ang Official Website ng Batangueño. August 24, 2012. Archived from the original on December 6, 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
^Hargrove, Thomas (1991). The Mysteries of Taal: A Philippine volcano and lake, her sea life and lost towns. Manila: Bookmark Publishing. pp. 13, 33–55. ISBN9715690467.
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