Calauan, Laguna
Laguna is the third largest province of Region IV-A CALABARZON, Laguna is known
as the Birthplace of Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines. Also known in their tourist
spots, Laguna has a 24 municipalities and 6 cities one of them is Calauan.
Calauan Laguna has 17 Barangay with population of 80, 453. The term kalawang, which
means rust, was used to name the town. According to legend, the town received its name when
the Spanish began building of the Municipal Church and water seeped in through the foundation
holes drilled into the ground. Calauan was given to the water because it was dark and rusty in
appearance (Kalawang). Calauan is famous for its Pineapple Festival, which takes place every
May 15th “Sweetest Pineapple” and having a plaza that depicts a giant pineapple fruit to
symbolizes the best material or fruit that a Calauan people can provide to visitors. Isidore the
Laborer, also known as San Isidro Labrador in Spanish, is the patron saint of Calauan. And one
of the historical heritage of Calauan is the San Isidro de Labrador church built in 1960 Spanish
heritage church. An old man discovered a stone cross in the 1800s. The locals, who were
superstitious, decided to hold a mass at the cross's location. During the celebration of the mass,
yellowish water rose up from the precise spot where the cross was positioned, surprising
everyone. This strange occurrence prompted the locals to construct a chapel on the site
furthermore, according to legend, the altar was built directly on the location where the water had
gushed out. In Calauan there’s many place that you can visit just like, Hidden Valley Spring
resort that you can unwind the private resort main feature are the waterfalls and natural springs,
it also possesses a virgin forest and century old trees, that makes the Hidden Valley Springs
blends with a natural jungle scenery, also the Calauan Town Plaza you will see that the Labrador
parish church and the giant pineapple monument the Plaza is the land mark of Calauan it has a
tree and bench that you can relax, the true beauty of Calauan Plaza may see in the evening
because of the beautiful lightings in the area. Also one of them is the Isdaan Floating restaurant
located in Brangay Bangyas, A floating restaurant that take customers into a different world.
though Isdaan Floating Restaurant is a Thailand inspired place, with all those larger than life
statues of Buddhas, little monks and mermaids, they still managed to incorporate a touch of
Filipino culture through their food. There are many different types of native customs in Calauan.
The first was a street dance organized by the students of Liceo De Calauan in the first month of
the year, they will dance at different parts of the Calauan area that represents different festivals.
Next is Pinya festival It features cultural presentation and exhibit performances, mardi gras,
street dancing, pineapple float parade, pineapple and native products decor contest, aims to
promote pineapple and other agricultural products of Calauan. We have also different festival of
barangays in Calauan compared in Pinya festival it is more simple celebration. In religion 50 %
of them is Iglesia ni Cristo, Born again Christian and majority of 50% of Catholic according to
Philatlas.org, the people of Calauan is participating in Holy week in every second week of April
it reminds Christians of God's sacrifice of his son, and also God's love for his people. Christians
can learn much about Jesus through the last week of his life so that many local people
celebrating that occasion.
In this research I realized that there are many places here in Calauan that I want to
visit and I never visited I am almost 19 years here but only now did I know the true history of
Calauan. There are many tourist spots here in Calauan included the tourists spots I said above. I
know that there are still location or places, costumes here in Calauan that I didn’t know and I
didn’t say in this research but this is the some and most common in Calauan, Visit Calauan to
feel free, explore and unwind.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calauan
https://www.flickr.com/photos/11541098@N06/9181583217
http://geejaytravellog.blogspot.com/2013/08/isdaan-floating-restaurant-calauan-laguna.html
