Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Bay, Laguna

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Country
  
District
  
2nd district of Laguna

Barangays
  
15

Province
  
Founded
  
16th-century

Area code
  
49

Bay, Laguna httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Region
  
CALABARZON (Region IV-A)

Weather
  
26°C, Wind N at 3 km/h, 84% Humidity

Neighborhoods
  
Puypuy, Dila, Jubileeville, Santo Domingo, Maitim

Points of interest
  
Forest Club Eco Resort, Royal Palm Leisure Park, Maspeth Family Resort

Bay, informally known as Bae (pronounced as Ba-eh) is a first class municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 62,143 inhabitants. The Patron of Bay is Saint Augustine of Hippo celebrating his Feast Day during August 28. As of 2011 COA Report, it is the third richest municipality in Laguna after Santa Cruz and Los Baños having PhP 110,877,000.00 of income, making it a first class municipality.

Contents

Map of Bay, Laguna, Philippines

History and legend

Bay is one of the oldest towns in Laguna province, and was the province's first capital. Its original territory covered the areas that are now known as Los Baños, Calauan, Alaminos and San Pablo (in addition to its current territory). The Spaniards pronounced the name of the town "Bah-ee" while the natives called it "Bah-eh." Either way, the similarity in spelling has led to the misconception that the town was named after Laguna de Bay. Instead, the Spaniards named the lake after this ancient Tagalog community.

In the old Tagalog language the name Bay derives from the same phonetic roots as "baybay" (shore) and as "babae" (woman) and "babaylan" (priestess). The name can thus be thought of either as a reference to the shore of the lake, or to a great lady. In the case of the latter, it has been suggested that the great lady might be the same as Maria Makiling, as her mountain was within the scope of Bay's original territory.

A more recent legend of Bay's origin says that the name Bay was derived from Datu Pangil's three daughters. After they were baptized, they were named Maria Basilisa, Maria Angela, and Maria Elena. The first letters of Basilisa, Angela, Elena were taken together and read Bae. Over a period of time, Bae became Bay.

The powerful Gat Pangil was Datu of this already thriving community in 1571 when 18-year-old Spanish Capitan Juan de Salcedo landed with Augustinian missionaries Alfonso de Alvarado and Diego Espinar came to claim the territories for Spain. It was salcedo who took the name of the town and named the lake after it – Laguna de Bay (the Lake of [the town of] Bay). Eventually, the Spanish came to call the whole province "La Provincia de la Laguna de Bay."

In 1581, San Antonio de Bay became the capital of the Province of Laguna de Bay and remained so until 1688 when the capital was moved to Pagsanjan.

Development and Progress of the town

In late 2015, citizens of Bay saw that there has been a lot of progress in the town. This includes:

Jollibee Bay Highway (December 2015)

New Bay Public Market (December 2016)

Celebrity Commercial Center (Undergoing construction)

Petron Bay

Laguna Science National High School in Barangay Maitim, Bay, Laguna (since 2008)

Road Widening along National Road (Undergoing construction)

University of Perpetual Help (Soon to Rise)

Proposed Mang Inasal and Puregold Supermarket

Proposed Bay Arch by Municipality councilor Architect Dan Lanceras

Barangays

Bay is politically subdivided into 15 barangays.

Bitin

This barangay is in the boundary of Batangas Province and Laguna Province. The word "bitin" is the Tagalog translation of the English word "short." Bitin is also known for its contribution on Philippines Geothermal Power resources.

Calo

History of Barangay Calo in the Spanish era were native Filipino people leave in the jungle, Barangay Calo is known in there bird Kalaw barangay Calo is a place where people often see this Kalaw bird and it is pronounce by the Spanish authorities as Calo.

Dila

Its name came from Tagalog word dila means tongue because it is look like in the map of bay as tongue and it is the end eastern part of Bay. This is the barangay where the first Jollibee in Bay was built, the "Jollibee Bay Highway".

Maitim

History of barangay Maitim was from Spanish era. The land and soil of this barangay is colored black, hence people called it "maitim" (Tagalog word for black).

Masaya

The Barangay name Masaya means happy. Masaya was part of Tranca and Puypuy during the early times; the upper part from the railway was part of Tranca, while the lower part toward the town was part of Puypuy. When the railroad was built in the early half of the twentieth century, a train station was built in Masaya making it the center of commerce in the upland of Bay, catering five barangays. Grocery stores, dress shops, hardwares and sari-sari stores sprouted surrounding the train station where people shopped their primary needs, making it a festive place. When somebody was leaving home to go to the place and another person asked "Where are you going?", he/she answered "to masaya" and barangay Masaya was born.

Paciano Rizal

Name after the eldest brother of Dr. José Rizal, the national hero of the Philppines. It is told that Paciano Rizal lived here and had a farm in this barangay formerly Barrio Mainit.

Puypuy

History of Barangay Puypuy it was told that a big meteor fall in this Barangay and native people here told to the Spanish authorities that there is a fire falling (meteors) but in a native Tagalog word "apoy" means fire. The Spanish authorities pronounced as Puypuy that is why people in the Spanish colony times called it Puypuy and became a barangay of Bay.

In 2010, jars estimated by experts to date as far back as 800 B.C were found in Puypuy. University of the Philippines anthropologist Dr. Bonifacio Comandante, who headed the team who helped unearth the finds, suggested that the find indicates that "there was a community here and they used the pots and jars for jar-burial", essentially confirming a human presence in Barangay Puypuy as early as 800 B.C.

San Antonio

Named after St. Anthony.

This is where the original and first church of the town situated. Old folks says that the church submerged on the lake (Laguna Lake) when a Super Typhoon hit the town causing massive flooding within the town area.

San Isidro

Named after St. Isidore Labrador.

The patron of the barangay is St. Isidore the Labrador, the patron of farmworkers known for his piety toward the poor and animals.

His Feast Day is on May 15.

Santa Cruz

Named after the Holy Cross.

Santo Domingo

Name after St. Dominic.

Named after Don Domingo Ordoveza, who once owned a large part of what is then sitio Tabon. The name was given by Donato Ople who served as a long time school principal in the town of Bay.

The patron of the barangay is St. Isidore the Labrador, the patron of farmworkers known for his piety toward the poor and animals.

His Feast Day is on May 15.

The barangay also celebrates annual foundation day and tilapia festival in honor to its well-known tilapia cultivation within the area.

It is one of the fast-growing economy barangays on Bay. The land area is almost covered with commercial buildings and subdivisions that contribute to the income growth of the barangay alone.

San Agustin (Pob)

Named after St. Agustin.

One of the barangays that make up the towns proper.

This is where the St. Augustine of Hippo Parish and town's Municipal Hall are situated. It is also one of the busiest barangays since a lot of convenience stores can be found here and it is near to the town's new public market, "Pamilihang Bayan ng Bay".

This is the home of the Tenorio's Bakery, widely famous for their Monay Bay (Monay Bae).

San Nicolas (Pob)

Named after St. Nicolas

One of the barangay that makes up the towns proper.

Tagumpay

Formerly a part of Brgy. San Antonio but when it became independent, it became a separated barangay.

English Translation: Victory/Success/Prosperity/Triumph. Maybe there's a story why the barangay was named Tagumpay.

Both Tagumpay and San Antonio share the same Patron saint, Saint Anthony. This also applies for the feast days for both barangays share the same patron saint.

This is the northernmost barangay of Bay. Tagumpay is one of the barangays in Bay which does not have a High School

Demographics

As of 2015, Bay has a population of 62,143 which comprises 2.0% of the total population of the whole province of Laguna.

References

Bay, Laguna Wikipedia