Laurel, Batangas

Laurel, officially the Municipality of Laurel, is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 43,210 people.

Laurel is previously part of Talisay, its current neighbor town, until 1969.

Etymology
The town's present name is derived from Miguel Laurel, known as the first notable Laurel in the Philippines and a longtime patriarch of the place and José P. Laurel, a former president and a native of Tanauan, Batangas.

History
Laurel traces its origin to a remote barrio called Bugain (derived from buga, a black cinder formed from fly ashes during Taal Volcano eruption), which was part of Talisay that was established in 1869. Located by the Tanauan Bay, the present-day municipality was also the first location of Tanauan's municipal seat (poblacion) until 1754, when it was transferred to the present-day barangay Sala in Tanauan as a result of the Taal Volcano eruption that year. In 1903, the barrio became part of Tanauan when Talisay was merged with the former by virtue of Act No. 708. A year later, it was transferred to Taal by virtue of Act No. 1244, before it was eventually returned to the reestablished municipality of Talisay. After the 1911 Taal Volcano eruption, population grew at the area with agricultural cultivation as the locals' primary livelihood. The area was later called Nayon ng Bayuyungan (derived from bayong) or simply as Bayuyungan and was designated as the center of the area that consisted it and nearby barrios.

Locals led by Jose Macaraig, Placido Amo (vice mayor of Talisay), and Severino Amo signed a petition to create an independent town out of barrio Bayuyungan and adjacent barrios. It was first endorsed to Senator Maria Kalaw Katigbak, who in turn presented it to President Diosdado Macapagal. It was also presented to the Talisay municipal government, who in turn forwarded it to Batangas Governor Feliciano Leviste. The Batangas Provincial Board then endorsed the petition as a resolution to Batangas 3rd district Representative José B. Laurel Jr. and finally through House Bill No. 17628.

On June 21, 1969, the barrios of Bayuyungan, Ticub, Balakilong, Bugaan, Berinayan, As-is, San Gabriel, and Buso-buso were officially separated from Talisay and constituted into a new and separate municipality of Laurel, by virtue of Republic Act No. 5689; Bayuyungan became the present-day poblacion. The first set of officials acted on November 8, 1971, with Placido Amo as Mayor.

Geography
Laurel is located at °N, °W.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 71.29 km2 constituting NaN% of the 3,119.75 km2 total area of Batangas.

Laurel is 70 km from Batangas City and 93 km from Manila.

Barangays
Laurel is politically subdivided into 21 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Demographics
In the 2020 census, Laurel had a population of 43,210. The population density was undefined PD/km2.

Economy

 * Fishing – Laurel's main economical source is fish culture in Taal Lake where most of local residents base their trade.
 * Farming – Small rice paddies on the foothills of Taal canyon ridge provide for ricefields to farmers.
 * Real estate – The town's vast land resource provide ideal location for real estate developers such as Megaworld and Fil-Estate which are mostly based in Metro Manila. Among the major real estate subdivisions located in Barangay San Gregorio are Canyon Woods and Twin Lakes.

Local government
Like other municipalities in the Philippines, Laurel is governed by a mayor and vice mayor who are elected to three-year terms. The mayor is the executive head who leads the municipal's departments in the execution of municipal ordinances and in the delivery of public services. The vice mayor heads a legislative council that is composed of 10 members: 8 elected councilors and 2 ex officio office held by the ABC President as the barangay sector representative and by the SK Federation President. The council is in charge of creating the minucipal's policies in the form of ordinances and resolutions.

Mayoralty Election Results
2022: Then-incumbent Joan Amo ran for reelection and lost. She faced off businessman and neophyte politician Lyndon Bruce.

2019: Then-incumbent Randy James Amo was term-limited and ran for Board Member (lost). His party nominated his wife, Joan Amo. She faced then-incumbent Vice Mayor Felimon Austria and businessman Roderick Natanauan.

2016: Then-incumbent Randy James Amo ran for reelection and won. He ran against businessman Roderick Natanauan and then-incumbent Municipal Councilor Vincent Endaya.

2013: Then-incumbent Mayor Randy James Amo ran for reelection. He faced off against former Mayor Atty. Natalio Panganiban.

2010: Then-incumbent John Benedict Panganiban ran for reelection against then-incumbent Vice Mayor Randy James Amo (won) and Aristotle Parilla.