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Cruz,
Laguna 4009; Tel: (049) 808-1101 / Fax: (049) 808-1024 / Email:
lag-gov@mozcom.com
*Vision Statement: "By the year 2004, Laguna
is among the modernized agro-industrial economies, where majority
of the populace belong to the middle-income groups and enjoy the
basic comforts of life such as housing, education, socio-cultural
and recreational facilities…
Foremost, it is a province where the love and fear of God are the
major philosophical virtues upheld by many."
*
Location: Located 30 kilometers from the City of Manila,
is the first province south of the Metro Manila area. It is bounded
on the north by Laguna de Bay and the province of Rizal, on the
northeast by the Sierra Madre Mountain range, on the east by Quezon
Province, on the south by Batangas, and on the west by Cavite. Laguna's
proximity to Metro Manila makes it a strategic site for domestic
and International business. The Ninoy Aquino International Airport
is a 1-1/2 hour drive from Calamba's industrial estates. The Manila
International Seaport is 2 hours away. Laguna is also within commuting
distance from Makati, the country's main business and financial
center.
Laguna is easily accessible to the agricultural provinces of Batangas
and Quezon. It has ready access to the resource-rich provinces of
Marinduque, Mindoro, Palawan, and Romblon through the Batangas and
Quezon ports. The completion of the Batangas Port (a world-class
international container and passenger port) will further enhance
Laguna's strategic location.
*
Climate: The province is relatively dry from November to
April and wet during the rest of the year for a small portion near
the southern boundary. The other parts, west of Santa Cruz municipality,
experience a dry season from November to April and rainy season
during the rest of the year. The eastern and southern most portions
do not have distinct season, with rainfall more evenly distributed
throughout the year.
*Terrain:
Laguna's terrain consists mainly of narrow plains extending along
eastern, southern and western shores of Laguna de Bay. A few elevated
portions are found on the northwestern part. On its southwestern
part is the legendary Mt. Makiling.
*
Land Area: Laguna has a total area of 175,973 hectares
(or about 1,759.7 square kms.), the third largest province in Region
IV.
*
Political Districts & Population: Laguna has 28 municipalities
and two cities and a total of 674 barangays or barrios. The province
is divided into four political districts.
Table
1
* Natural Resources: Laguna
is endowed with abundant natural resources. Its forests are filled
with bamboo, rattan, and soft hardwood. Its wide fields and vast
forests are ideal for growing rice, coconuts, vegetables, tropical
fruits, orchids, and other ornamental flowers and exotic plants.
The province is also rich in mineral resources such as clay, jasper
and basalt glass.
There are about forty rivers in Laguna with a total area of almost
50 hectares. In the forests of Mount Makiling and in the waters
of Laguna de Bay are an abundance of flora and fauna. The Laguna
de Bay has an approximate area of 380,000 hectares broken down into
290,000 hectares of land and 90,000 hectares of lake proper with
220-km shoreline.
Laguna's greatest natural resource is water. It has an estimated
300 million gallons of underground water, capable of generating
energy for Laguna's expanding power needs. At least seven principal
water basins in the province with a total of 5,773 square kilometer
drainage area and 1,316 square kilometer level area provide an estimated
9,238 million cubic meters total run-off annually.
*
Agricultural Activities: Crop Production, Livestock and
Poultry Production, Fishing
*
Education: For school year 2002-2003, Laguna's 365 public
elementary and 61 public high schools teach to 318,832 students.
350 private elementary schools and 144 secondary schools are also
present in various towns and cities of the province. Laguna has
36 institutions of higher learning. The most prominent of these
is the University of the Philippines in Los Baños (UPLB),
best known for its College of Agriculture.
*
Languages: English and Tagalog
*
Literacy Rate: 98% (1994 census NSO-DECS)
*
Health Services: Lagunenses are served by 9 public and
269 private hospitals and clinics. These hospitals provide primary,
secondary, and tertiary services consisting of the standard medical
and auxiliary services.
*
Labor Force: The working household population 15 years
and over has grown to 224,380 in 2000. Some 137,560 or 61.31 percent
are in the labor force. Some 124,040 or 90.17 percent, of those
in the labor force are actually employed, while 13,520 or 9.83 percent,
are unemployed.
Table2
*
Roads & Bridges: The province of Laguna has a total
of 252.25 kilometers of provincial road. There are also 76 provincial
bridges combining for a length of 1081.55 meters. In addition to
these, there are also national roads and bridges to augment these
provincial roads and bridges. National roads stretch to a total
of 527.67 kilometers while the bridges total to 1522.7 meters.
*
How to get there: There are two points of entry to Laguna
from Manila. Via the southern route, the South Expressway is the
main artery to exit through San Pedro, Biñan, Santa Rosa,
Cabuyao and Calamba. Major bus companies ply the generally developed
and well-maintained provincial road from Metro Manila. JAM Transit,
HM Transit, Green Star Transit terminals can be found along EDSA
and at Buendia, Pasay City. Via the eastern route, pass through
the towns of Antipolo or Tanay, Rizal to reach the 4th district
or upland towns of the province. This route gives motorists a panoramic
view of Laguna Lake and its environs along a picturesque highway.
From EDSA-Mandaluyong, take a bus going to Tanay, Rizal, and then
take a jeepney to Siniloan, Laguna.
*
Industrial Estates: Seventeen industrial estates are now
operating in Laguna. They are developed and managed by joint ventures
between local and foreign partners. These estates are:
Carmelray Industrial Park I; Calamba; 46 has.
Carmelray Industrial Park II; Calamba; 145 has.
Filinvest Special Zone; Calamba; 250 has.
Laguna Automotive Park; Sta. Rosa; 50 has.
Laguna International Industrial Park; Binan; 32 has.
Laguna Techno Park I; Sta. Rosa-Binan; 71 has.
Laguna Techno Park II; Sta. Rosa-Binan; 68 has.
Laguna Techno Park III; Sta. Rosa-Binan; 89 has.
Light Industry & Science Park I; Cabuyao; 67 has.
Light Industry & Science Park Ii; Calamba; 64 has.
Liip Calamba Industrial Community/Calamba Premiere; Calamba; 66
has.
Prince Cabuyao Special Economic Zone; Cabuyao; 26 has.
Silangan Industrial Park; Calamba; 197 has.
Southwood Ecocentrum Tourism Estate; Binan; 71 has.
Terelay Industrial Park; Cabuyao-Calamba
Toyota Sta. Rosa Special Zone; Sta. Rosa; 25 has.
White Lily Industrial Park I; Calamba; 145 has.
*
Investment Opportunities: Ecotourism enterprises; Convention
centers; Coconut inter-cropping; Forest Trees, Cutflowers &
ornamentals; Fruit & vegetable processing; Herbal medicines;Herbal
essences; Gifts and housewares; Metalcraft (Industrial equipment,
Engines, Surgical instruments, Agricultural machinery, tools); Service
Facilities (Packaging, Warehousing, Trucking services, dryers);
Electronics (Consumer electronics, Telecommunications, Computers
& peripherals, Semi-conductors); and Garments and footwear;
Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Tourism.
*
Financial Institutions: Banking institutions maintain an
extensive branch network in Laguna. Commercial banks, savings and
mortgage banks, private development banks, stock savings and loan
associations, and rural banks operated a total of 267 branches in
the province.
Non-bank financial institutions provide supplementary financial
services to Laguna residents and businesses. A total of 394 offices
have been set up by lending investors, pawnshops, financial companies,
nonstock savings and loan associations, and investment houses with
quasi-banking functions.
*
Exports: US$7.0 Billion (1997) out of total Philippine
exports of $25 Billion
US$1.5 billion (1996)
* Tourist Attractions:
Historical: Rizal Shrine, Calamba City;Homma–Yamashita
Shrine, Los Baños; Japanese Garden, Caliraya, Cavinti; Underground
Cemetery, Nagcarlan; The Battle of Mabitac Mural, Mabitac.
Cultural: National Arts Center, UP Los Baños
Natural: Mount Makiling, Los Baños; Crocodile
Lake, Los Baños; Seven Lakes, San Pablo City; Dalatiwan River,
Botocan, Majayjay; Pagsanjan Falls, Cavinti ; Buruwisan Falls, Siniloan
Man-Made: Boy Scouts of the Philippines Camp, UP
Los Baños; Valesol Haven, U.P. Los Baños; Lake Caliraya,
Lumban & Cavinti; Hot Spring Resorts, Los Baños &
Calamba ; Enchanted Kingdom, Santa Rosa; Barong Makers, Lumban;
Paete’s Woodcarving, Paete
Religious: St. Gregory Church (Majayjay Catholic
Church); St. James The Apostle Church (Paete Church); San Pedro
De Alcantara Church (Pakil Church); Our Lady Of Candelaria (Mabitac
Church)
Educational: University Of The Philippines –
LOS BAÑOS (UPLB); Philippine High School for the Arts, Los
Baños; Museum Of Natural History, Los Baños; University
of the Philippines Botanical Garden, U. P. Los Baños; Makiling
Rainforest Park / Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve, U.P. Los Baños;
Kamalig Gallery, Paete; Aera Museum (Escudero Private Museum), San
Pablo City; The Coca-Cola Pavilion, CCBPI Plant, Santa Rosa ; Riceworld
Museum International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Los Baños;
Museum of the Wildlife Collections Of Dr. Dioscoro Rabor, Los Baños;
Entomology Museum, Institute of Biological Sciences Bldg., U.P.
Los Banos
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