Spanish missionaries first came to Batangas due to migration in 1581. The town was called “Batangan” because of the teeming huge logs in the area, locally known as “batang”.

Known for Taal Volcano, a decade old volcano and one of the smallest active volcanoes in the world. Situated in a water-filled crater on an island in the center of Taal Lake, which is believed by geologists to be an ancient caldera. Fishes that are peculiar and endemic to Taal lake are the Maliputo (cranx ignobilis), muslo (cranx marginalis), and tawilis (harengula tawilis). It is also popular for its beaches and diving spots found in Mabini, Lian, Nasugbu and Laiya. The diving paradise Anilao, was the theme of a picture book that won the International Prize for Underwater Images at the 27th World Festival of Underwater Images in France in November 2000. The Verde Island Passage in Batangas contains 300 species of corals which is considered as one of the largest concentrations of corals in the Philippines and in the world, dubbed as the world’s “center of marine shore fish biodiversity”.

Also in Batangas can be found the city of Lipa which is considered the 3rd coldest place, next to Baguio and Tagaytay. Batangas’ local dialect, the “Batangan/Batangueno” is generally accepted by linguists as the “Heart of Tagalog Language”. Some of their trademark products are the balisong (butterfly knife), kapeng barako and embroideries. On the other hand, San Jose is named the “egg basket” because it supplies 30% of the country’s eggs.

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