“Golden Bell City”
Cabuyao City was known before as the “Richest Municipality in the Philippines”. This was due to the fact of the large imigrants who work in the city. There are also lots of industrial estates in the city which include Nestle Philippines, Asia Brewery, Inc., San Miguel Corporation, Tanduay Distillers, Inc., Wyeth Philippines, Inc., Procter and Gamble Philippines, Light Industry and Science Park of the Philippines and Malayan Colleges.
After the colonization of Manila by Miguel López de Legazpi in 1570, he instructed Captain Juan de Salcedo to conquer all settlements or barangays around the lake of Ba-i (Laguna de Bay). The first settlement conquered by Capt. Juan de Salcedo was on the eastern portion of the lake, known today as Taytay and Cainta in the province of Rizal. Then, he crossed the lake of Ba-i and Acheron at Barangay Pinagsangahan, which is Pagsanjan today, and continued inland and conquered other settlements, known today as Nagcarlan and Majayjay. Because the place was already mountainous, the party of Capt. Juan de Salcedo went back to the Lake of Ba-i and continued to conquer the settlements in the northern portion of Lake Ba-i, now called the town of Bay. In their journey, they anchored at the shore of Tabuko. Just like the settlement of Ba-i, Tabuko had large plain area and rich forestry and the climate was suited to farm crops. On January 16, 1571, it was announced by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi that Tabuko be considered as “encomienda” or a town under Gaspar Ramirez. And that the settlement or barangay Malabanan, Calamba and Sta. Rosa be under the administration of Tabuko government. This was the time that Tabuko had a definite boundary. The boundary at the north was Tunasan, south was Ba-i, west was Sungay and at the east was Lake Ba-i.
The town of Tabuko was located near the corner of a river and the lake of Ba-i which used bancas or raft as the common means of transportation going to Tabuko. When Franciscan priests came to Tabuko under Father Velin, there were many native females doing their laundry chore near the wharf where the boat of the Franciscan priests docked. There were many trees of “Kabuyaw”, the fruit of which was used as shampoo, growing around the area. When the priest asked for the name of the place, the native females readily answered “Kabuyaw” thinking that the priest was asking for the name of the trees growing around the wharf. From then on, the priests and other Spanish officials called the town of Tabuko as Kabuyaw.
Population/ Language/ Area
According to the 2010 population census, Cabuyao City has a total population of 248,436. It has a total land area of 43.30 km2 (16.72 sq mi).
The City of Cabuyao is located about 43 kilometres (27 mi) southeast of Metro Manila, at the western portion of Laguna. It is bordered by the Laguna de Bay, the country’s largest lake, to the north (N), Calamba City to the east (E) with Barangays Uwisan (NE), Banlic & San Cristobal (E) and Mapagong & Canlubang (SE), some portion of Silang, Cavite (Brgy. Puting Kahoy) to the south (S) and by the Santa Rosa City to the west (W) with the Barangays Malitlit (SW), Dita (W) and Caingin (NW) respectively. Cabuyao is approximately 54 kilometres (34 mi) away from Santa Cruz, the provincial capital, and 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) from the city center of Calamba City, the chartered city and regional center of CALABARZON region.
- Batingaw Festival – A festivity commemorating the legendary Kampanang Ginto which Cabuyao is known.The celebration always starts with the simultaneous ringing of church bells, which Cabuyeños believe that it brings good agricultural harvest.
- Cabuyao Day – It consists a week long celebration starting from a Parade of Floats of each barangay, in which the decorations of each float feature and showcase the way of living of the community of each barangay of Cabuyao. Followed by Street Dancing Competition at the City Proper, in which all College and High Schools compete for the said competition. The celebration also includes different amateur shows like Orchestra, Music Band and Celebrity shows at the City Plaza.