Ibaan

Ibaan, officially the Municipality of Ibaan, is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 58,507 people.

It is a predominantly Roman Catholic community, with small percentages of Protestants and members of the Iglesia ni Cristo. Tagalog is the local language in the Batangueño dialect; however, English is included in its educational curriculum and is often used in official dealings and transactions.

Temperature is moderate both in its rainy and dry seasons, conducive to farming, agricultural and livestock production, which are the most common occupations. There are fewer farmers each year as residents switch to hog-raising, which provides better income.

Ibaan is known as the home of the "kulambo" (mosquito net), as its production and trading has become one of the most profitable businesses in the locality. Ibaan is also known for its tamales that are wrapped in banana leaves.

The town celebrates its foundation day every February 11, with a simple festival called "Les Kuhliembo Festival", featuring their products: tamales, kulambo, habi, liempo, and tubo (sugar cane).

Etymology
Ibaan is derived from a Tagalog word which means "the town where Iba flourishes." According to historians, the present-day municipality was greatly forested with Iba trees (Averrhoa bilimbi).

History
Ibaan is originally a barrio part of the then-town of Batangas. Its present-day barangay Matala was the first municipal seat (poblacion) of Batangas beginning in 1780. Ibaan was established as a distinct town on February 11, 1832, separating it from the then-town of Batangas.

Geography
Ibaan is located at °N, °W. It is 13 km from Batangas City and 118 km from Manila. It is bounded on the northwest by San Jose, the northeast by Lipa City, the east by Rosario, the southeast by Taysan, and the southwest by Batangas City. It has a land area of 68.99 km2 at an altitude of 124 m above sea level.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 68.99 km2 constituting NaN% of the 3,119.75 km2 total area of Batangas.

Barangays
Ibaan is politically subdivided into 26 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Bungahan was constituted as a barrio in 1956.

Demographics
In the 2020 census, Ibaan had a population of 58,507. The population density was undefined PD/km2.

Religion
Ibaan is home to the Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of Saint James the Greater, the seat of the Roman Catholicism in Ibaan and the oldest church in town.

The indigenous Iglesia ni Cristo has several locales in the town, including the chapels in Coliat and Matala.

Economy
Ibaan main products include tamales, kulambo (mosquito net), lomi, panutsa (sweet peanut), and sugarcane.

Festivals
Ibaan celebrates civic and national holidays. The Ibaan Foundation Day is celebrated every December to commemorate the city's founding. Each barangay also has its own festivity guided by their patron saint. The town is host to the Feast of Saint James, held every 25 July, which draws hundreds of Catholic devotees. Another religious feasts held in Ibaan was the Procession Feast of Holy week. Non-religious holidays include the New Year's Day, National Heroes' Day, Bonifacio Day, and Rizal Day.

Sports
Most barangays have a makeshift basketball court, with court markings drawn on the roads. Larger barangays have covered courts where interbarangay leagues are held every summer (April to May).

The town has several well-known sports venues, such as the Bro. Medrano Plaza and Recto Gymnasium, the home of the now defunct Ibaan Basketball Team. The Bro. Medrano Plaza, which houses the basketball and volleyball courts, had hosted several multi-sport events and games.

Other well-known sports facilities include the Recto Gym, operated by the local government, and the Fr. Guido Colletti Gym, a private venue owned by Saint James Academy.

Education
Elementary schools and high schools include:


 * Dr. Juan A. Pastor Memorial National High School
 * Maximo T. Hernandez Memorial National High School
 * Bungahan Elementary School
 * Balanga Elementary School
 * Coliat Elementary School
 * Ibaan Central School
 * Lucsuhin Elementary School
 * Mabalor-Catandala Elementary School
 * Malainin Elementary School
 * Munting Tubig Elementary School (Gregorio Sison Memorial Elementary School)
 * Palindan Elementary School
 * Quilo Elementary School
 * Sabang Elementary school
 * San Agustin Elementary School
 * Santo Niño Elementary School
 * Talaibon Elementary School
 * Tulay-Calamias Elementary School

Ibaan has private schools, mostly Catholic or Christian:


 * Acts Christian Academy
 * Ibaan Nazareth School
 * Marfeben Academy
 * Our Lady of Grace Formation School
 * Ibaan Saint James Academy, Inc.
 * St. Jude Science and Technological School of Ibaan, Inc.