INSID E THIS ISS UE:

Etymology of Kalamba

Early Settlers

New Municipal Government

Jesuits in Calamba

Calamba as Described by the Early Settlers

The Japanese Invasion

The Splendid Alligator Lake

First Public School

History
Etymology of KALAMBA
According to a legend, a Guardia Civil during the Spanish occupation met a young woman while making his rounds within the vicinity. The woman who had just been to a nearby river carrying a jar of water
was asked for the places name. Mistakenly thought that she was asked for what she was carrying,
she replied kalan-banga, and hurriedly went away. The guard then coined the name kalamba that
later became what is now known Calamba.
To immortalize the towns legend, a concreted jar with inscriptions of each barangay was constructed
and erected right at the city plaza, just across the Historical House of the National Hero.

Early Settlers
Aside from Spaniards, Chinese are believed to be the early dwellers of Calamba. During the Spanish
occupation in 1620, Tabuco or Cabuyao in modern time was founded, and Calamba, considered a
village of Tabuco happened to be inhabited then by the Chinese. They settled in the place as compliance with Governor Hurtado de Concueras decree, ordering them to reside and till the land of
Calamba. It was through the Chinese that the magnificent Prinza Dam was constructed purposely to
regulate water for the farms.
Chinese farmers revolted against the Spaniards oppressions on March 19, 1639, that resulted to the
death of Alcalde Mayor Arias de Mora. Other Chinese in various parts of Luzon joined the uprising
until the forces of Concuera pursued the rebels up to the mountains and put an end to the upheavals.
Due to rebellion, the lands of Calamba was put into auction and sold to Don Tomas de Andaya.
After the Spaniards built a chapel in Calamba, the village of Tabuco became a pueblo on August 28,
1742 through a Governatorial Decree. The people of Calamba had regarded the chapel as an
indispensable structure. In fact, it served as a meeting place where political decisions were made.
like the creation of Calamba as pueblo.

Jesuits in Calamba
Don Pedro de Negrete left 125,000.00 pesos for the Jesuits (The Society of Jesus) to be used in
acquiring haciendas for their cause. Part of this money was used to purchase the hacienda of
Calamba from Don Manuel de Jaurie in January 29, 1759.
In 1768, the Jesuits were expelled by a decree of King Charles III. The Government confiscated
Jesuit lands including the Hacienda de San Juan Bautista of Calamba.
Another auction was conducted for the ownership of Calamba in 1908 where Don Juan
Clemente Azanza emerged as the owner. Later Calamba was transferred in the ownership of
the Dominican Order.

Calamba as Described by the Early Writings

In 1860, John Foreman wrote passages that described the condition and situation of Calamba
in the early days. The following are just some of the passages:
Kalamba was a dreary-looking town. The Camino Real ran through the center of the town
from the southwest to northwest, and at the northern end To the right continuing for two kilometers parallel to the San Juan River until it reached the course sandy shore of Laguna de
Bay.
Other writers description of Calambas culture and environs were not far from Foremans description:
Adjoining the church in Kalamba to the left was the spacious estate-house of the Dominicans, while on the right across a narrow street, was located the house of the Mercados. To
one side of the parish convent and behind the house of the Mercados stood the Tribunal, a
sugar camarin which served as the government center. Its dilapidated condition accurately
reflected the decayed state of the Camino Real. Scattered along this main thoroughfare were
the imposing houses of the leading inhabitants such as Capitan Lucas Quintos, Juan Banaten,
Nicolas Llamas and Francisco Salgado, who regarded as above the Mercados in social scale
cause they owned considerable property around the town aside from the farm lands rented
from the friars. Only a few kilometers to the South, Mt. Makiling towered above the little town
of 4,000 people. The southern end of the lake carved eastward at the foot of Mt, Makiling and
in the bleak distance the twin peaks of Mt. San Cristobal and Banahaw were lost in the clouds.
To the distant north loomed the Antipolo range of mountains poetically named Susong Dalaga
because the peak resembled the naked breast of a virgin girl in repose.
(Quirino, pp 4-5)
The town hall was merely a sugar shed; the streets were either muddy or dusty.
(Guerrero, p 2)
The market, held on Friday, is of considerable local importance, Filipinos coming there
from great distances. The market place is, however, always dirty and disorderly
nearly all the landed properties within the jurisdiction of Calamba, as far as the town of
Los Baos, belonged to the Dominican Corporation, whose administrators resided in the casa
hacienda or estate-house in the town. The land was rented out to Filipino planters, chiefly for
rice and sugar crops.
(Guerrero, p 14)
2

The Splendid Alligator Lake

In 1830, Father Martinez and General Lava reached a small lake in Barrios Sucol and Masili. This
lake was name La Laguna Encantada.
During the American occupation, Americans from Florida released crocodiles in this lake for the
purpose of harvesting crocodile skin for bags and shoes. This lake was later called Alligator Lake.

First Public School

In 1864, the first public school was opened in the beaterio of the church. The school was then
called Escuela Pia.

New Municipal Government

Under the American rule, a new municipal government of Calamba was established on June 1901,
in accordance with Municipal Law (Act No. 82) which states that a municipal government must
consist of a president, vice-president and counselors to be elected by all qualified voters.
Mateo Elejorde was elected as the president of the new municipal government in 1903.

The Japanese Invasion

Calamba was one of the towns in Luzon that suffered heavy losses in lives and properties in
World War II.
The Calamba town plaza became the recruiting center for military volunteers. Many Calambeos
who left their town did not return home while others returned very sick and weak.
On December 30, 1941 (Rizal Day) the Japanese troops entered Calamba. They occupied the
town hall while Calambeos preferred to stay home.
On February 10, 1945, the Japanese ordered the destruction of bridges connecting Calamba to
Manila and Batangas. Likewise, guerillas who have taken control of the Southern part of Laguna
destroyed the bridge linking Bay to Calauan. The towns of Calamba and Los Baos were then
isolated.
In the early morning of February 12, 1945, Japanese soldiers surrounded the church. Male civilians were not allowed to leave the compound. Additional civilians were also transported from
their barrios to the church. Later, all civilians who were detained (about 500) were transported to
Barrio Real. They were detained in 13 houses and additional civilians from Real were captured.
At 5:00 PM women were allowed to leave. However, the men who were left behind were massacred. They were bayoneted to death.
As it got darker, the Japanese set the houses on fire that spread to nearby houses turning Barrio
Real into an inferno.
About 400 residents of Calamba died that fateful evening.