REGIONAL DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
In this ever-changing and challenging times, we need to be resilient and take advantage of what is currently available in achieving our goals and commitments.
Despite the current pandemic, we will pursue to build and effectively drive LGUs’ fiscal capacities to generate own revenues, reaffirms the agency’s policies on good governance and local fiscal autonomy, which are both critical and strategic in the achievement of local economic growth.
We will continue to provide technical assistance and respond to the demands of time and rigors of service; enhance the local treasury and assessment operations of our LGUs within a culture of “constant innovation, ceaseless learning, and untiring reinvigoration”.
Greetings from BLGF IV-A (CALABARZON)!!!
BLGF Regional Director and Staff
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PROFILE OF THE REGION
POLITICAL SUBDIVISION
CALABARZON and MIMAROPA were previously combined together as Southern Tagalog, until they were separated in 2002 by virtue of an Executive Order No. 246, dated October 28, 2003, and designated Calamba City as the regional center of CALABARZON.
CALABARZON is one of the regions of the Philippines. It is also designated as Region IV-A and its regional capital is Calamba City in Laguna. The region is composed of five provinces, namely: CAvite,LAguna, BAtangas, Rizal, and QueZON; the region’s name is formed from the names of these provinces.
Region IV-A is located east and south of Metro Manila. It is bounded on the east by the Philippine Sea and Bicol Region, on the south by Verde Island Passage, and on the west by Luzon Sea. Its topography is mostly rolling hills with small scattered plains. Parts of Sierra Madre Mountains extend to the province of Rizal and Northern Quezon. There are also mountains in the Bondoc Peninsula of the southern part of Quezon.
CALABARZON has four climate types as delineated by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
Type I – climate is characterized by two pronounced seasons, dry from November to April and wet during the rest of the year. This type is observed in both the lowlands and highlands of the region.
Type II – climate can be classified that No dry season w/ a very pronounced rainfall from November – April & Wet during rest of the year.
Type III – climate as observed relatively dry from November to April and wet during the rest of the year. These seasons are not very pronounced as compared to Type I climate.
Type IV – climate, rainfall is more or less distributed through out the year.
Tagalog (pronounced /t?’g??l?g/ in English)[4] is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest.[5] It is the first language of the Philippines Region IV-A (CALABARZON).
HISTORY
The word Tagalog derived from tagailog, from taga- meaning “native of” and ilog meaning “river.” Thus, it means “river dweller.” Very little is known about the history of the language.
OFFICIAL STATUS
Tagalog was declared the official language by the first constitution in the Philippines, the Constitution of Biak-na-Bato in 1897.
In 1935, the Philippine constitution designated English and Spanish as official languages, but mandated the development and adoption of a common national language based on one of the existing native languages. After study and deliberation, the National Language Institute, a committee composed of seven members who represented various regions in the Philippines, chose Tagalog as the basis for the evolution and adoption of the national language of the Philippines. President Manuel L. Quezon then, on December 30, 1937, proclaimed the selection of the Tagalog language to be used as the basis for the evolution and adoption of the national language of the Philippines. In 1939 President Quezon renamed the proposed Tagalog-based national language as wikang pambansa (national language). In 1959, the language was further renamed as “Pilipino”.
The 1973 constitution designated the Tagalog-based “Pilipino”, along with English, as an official language and mandated the development and formal adoption of a common national language to be known as Filipino. The 1987 constitution designated Filipino as the national language, mandating that as it evolves, it shall be further developed and enriched on the basis of existing Philippine and other languages. However, in practice, Filipino is simply Tagalog.
DATE ACTIVITIES/FESTIVALS PROVINCE/MUNICIPALITY/CITY JANUARY January 7-16 Sublian Festival Batangas City January 11-15 San Pablo Coco Festival San Pablo City January 18 Sikhayan Festival Sta. Rosa City January 17-31 Kawayan Festival Magdalena, Laguna Salibanda Festival Paete, Laguna 3rd Sunday of January Sto. Nino Festival Alabat, Quezon January 29 Candle Festival Candelaria, Quezon FEBRUARY February 4 Atimonan Day Atimonan, Quezon 2nd Week of February Pahimis Festival Amadeo, Cavite February 10-20 HAMAKA Festival Taytay, Rizal 2nd Sunday of February Feast of San Geronimo Morong, Rizal February 17 Taguimanok Festival Padre Burgos, Quezon February 18 Coco Lilay Festival Unisan, Quezon February 18-22 Sampaguita Festival San Pedro, Laguna Last Week of Feb – March 7 Mahaguyog Festival Sto. Tomas, Batangas MARCH 2nd Sat of March Sikaran Festival Baras, Rizal March 29 Araw ng Binangonan Binangonan, Rizal APRIL April 1-9 Kesong Puti Festival Sta. Cruz,Laguna April 3 Luisiana Day Luisiana, Laguna April 6-7 Tawilis Festival Agoncillo, Batangas April 10-17 LA LAGUNA Festival Province of Laguna April 13 Hambujan Festival Dolores, Quezon April 23 Yamang Dagat Festival Mabini, Batangas April 24-27 Banana Festival San Francisco, Quezon April 27 Balas Festival Lian, Batangas April 28-30 El Pasubat Festival Taal, Batangas April 29-30 Barong Tagalog Festival Lumban, Laguna April 30 Anahaw Festival Lopez, Quezon MAY May 1 Pabitin Festival Balete, Batangas Tromba Festival Baras, Rizal Naikgikan Festival Naic, Cavite May 2 Sublian Festival Bauan, Batangas First Week of May Ang Tipulo Festival Antipolo City May 15 Piyesta ng Tinapay Cuenca, Batangas Mayohan sa Tayabas Tayabas City Pahiyas sa Lucban Lucban, Quezon Bagakay “Agawan” sa Sariaya Sariaya, Quezon Pabitin Festival Catanauan, Quezon Coconut Festival Alabat, Quezon May 16 Pastulan Festival San Pascual, Batangas May 25 Alimango Festival Calauag, Quezon May 28 – June 12 Kalayaan Festival Kawit, Cavite Last Sat & Sunday of May Bangkero Festival Pagsanjan, Laguna Last Sunday of May Grand La Paz Agoncillo, Batangas May (Month Long) SantaCruzan Festival Provincial Wide JUNE June 9 Sinukmani Festival Rosario, Batangas June 22 Foundation Day of Real Real, Quezon June 23 Lubid-Lubid Festival Tiaong, Quezon June 24 Parada ng Lechon Balayan, Batangas REGADA Festival Cavite City Feast of San Antonio de Padua Pila, Laguna JULY Second Week of July Maubanog Festival Mauban, Quezon July 22-29 Pinya Festival Pililla, Rizal AUGUST August 9 Malipunto Festival San Nicolas, Batangas August 12 Kambingan Festival Tuy, Batangas August 14 Sigpawan Festival Lemery, Batangas August 19 Lucban Day Lucban, Quezon Quezon Day Celebration Prov. Gov’t of Quezon Kalikayan Festival Lucena City SEPTEMBER September 7 Kawayan Festival Maragondon, Cavite September 9 Kakanin Festival San Mateo, Rizal September 10 Bancaton Festival San Nicolas, Batangas September 23 Lomi Festival Lipa City, Batangas September 27 Anihan Festival Lobo, Batangas High Tide of September Penafrancia Festival Gumaca, Quezon OCTOBER October 4 Malagkit Festival San Antonio, Quezon October 6 Sapao-An Festival Cardona, Rizal 1st Friday of October Eggstravaganza Festival San Jose, Batangas October 17-21 Binalayan Festival Binangonan, Rizal NOVEMBER November 4-30 Higantes Festival Angono, Rizal Whole Month of Nov. Belen Festival Sariaya, Quezon DECEMBER December 1 Kabakahan Festival Padre Garcia, Batangas Bibingka Festival Cainta, Rizal December 1-8 Calacatchara Festival Calaca, Batangas Ala-Eh Festival Prov’l Gov’t of Batangas December 2 Mardi Gras Nasugbu, Batangas December 12 Lambayon Festival San Juan, Batangas 2nd Week of December Alfonso Day Alfonso, Cavite December 24 Maytinis Festival Kawit, Cavite 
CALABARZON is the most populous region with 11.7 million inhabitants, slightly higher than Metro Manila’s 11.5 million people. The population is composed mostly of Tagalogs with very few other cultural groups from other regions. Many famous Filipinos hail from this region: Jose P. Rizal from Laguna, Emilio Aguinaldo from Cavite, Apolinario Mabini, Jose Laurel, and Claro M. Recto from Batangas.
Province/City Land Area (In Square Meters) (NSCB Data) (Assessor’s Data) BATANGAS 2,520,230,000.00 2,467,726,866.65 CAVITE 1,369,050,000.00 1,236,225,890.24 LAGUNA 1,374,890,000.00 23,948,777,372.60 QUEZON 8,758,440,000.00 7,166,067,037.86 RIZAL 885,840,000.00 1,448,826,070.25 ANTIPOLO CITY 8,758,440,000.00 7,166,067,037.86 BATANGAS CITY 282,960,000.00 337,549,293.64 BIÑAN CITY 43,500,000.00 38,671,903.10 CALAMBA CITY 149,500,000.00 175,318,584.47 CAVITE CITY 10,890,000.00 3,509,670.31 DASMARIÑAS CITY 90,130,000.00 52,729,917.83 LIPA CITY 209,400,000.00 216,036,126.17 LUCENA CITY 80,210,000.00 84,087,686.76 SAN PABLO CITY 197,560,000.00 189,419,394.49 SANTA ROSA CITY 54,840,000.00 55,414,150.13 TAGAYTAY CITY 65,000,000.00 72,906,365.00 TANAUAN CITY 107,160,000.00 309,303,144.64 TAYABAS CITY 80,210,000.00 244,954,850.00 TRECE MARTIRES CITY 39,100,000.00 44,643,904.00 TOTAL 16,625,010,000.00 38,438,809,788.64
