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Calamba, officially the City of Calamba (Filipino: Lungsod ng Calamba), is a component city in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 575,046 people.
Calamba is the regional center of the Calabarzon region. It is situated 50 kilometers (31 mi) south of Manila and 37 kilometers (23 mi) west of Santa Cruz. The city is known as the "Spring Resort Capital of the Philippines" because of its numerous hot spring resorts, which are mostly located in Barangays Pansol, Bucal, Bagong Kalsada, and Lingga.
According to the 2024 census, Calamba has a population of 575,046 people, making it the second most populous local government unit in Laguna. It is the fifth-densest city in the province with more than 2,600 people per square kilometer after San Pedro, Biñan, Cabuyao, and Santa Rosa. Based on the overall rankings of the 2014 Cities and Municipalities Index, the city ranked 18th in the overall competitiveness (cities ranking) and first among cities in the Calabarzon region. Calamba is known to be Calabarzon's richest city because of its numerous industries.
Calamba is the hometown of the de facto Philippine national hero, José Rizal.
The name of the city is derived from Tagalog kalamba, meaning a wide-mouthed earthen water jar (also called balanga or banga, cf. Balanga, Bataan). The origin of the name is reflected in the Calamba Jar landmark in city plaza, as well as the city's seal which depicts a water jar superimposed with a profile of José Rizal.
The oldest part of Calamba is believed to be Barangay Sucol where its first settlers remained. With the arrival of Spaniards, the whole area was converted into a hacienda, then a part of Tabuco (present-day Cabuyao). In 1639 Calamba was the site of a rebellion of Chinese farmers, who had been forcibly resettled there by Governor Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera. This rebellion spread north of the Pasig River and eventually culminated in the deaths of over 20,000 Chinese in the whole region surrounding Manila. Calamba became an independent pueblo on August 28, 1742, and formed into the town of Calamba in 1770. In 1813, Calamba was placed in the hands of "encargados" by the Dominican Brothers, who divided it into portions and sold the haciendas to the natives during the American regime. The 1818 Spanish census recorded the area having 959 native families and 4 Spanish-Filipino families.
During the Japanese occupation in World War II, Calamba was the location of a massacre committed by the Imperial Japanese Army, in which at least 2,000 civilians were killed. The St. John the Baptist Church, established in 1859, was burned by the Japanese during World War II. It was reconstructed by Fr. Eliseo Dimaculangan. It was the christening site of José Rizal. The original baptismal font has been preserved and refurbished.
After a process of more than seven years, Calamba became the second component city of the Laguna by virtue of Republic Act No. 9024, "An Act Converting the Municipality of Calamba, Province of Laguna into a Component City to be known as the City of Calamba." R.A. 9024 was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on March 5, 2001, at the Malacañan Palace. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) then set the plebiscite for Calamba's cityhood on April 21, 2001, where 15,056 residents participated. 3,413 or 22.67% voted "No" while the remaining 77.33% voted "Yes" to Calamba's conversion into a component city.
As early as 1994, the town's Sangguniang Bayan approved Resolution No. 60, Series of 1994 requesting the Senate of the Philippines through its president and the House of Representatives through its speaker to co-sponsor a bill for Calamba's conversion into a city. It was only after two years that another resolution, Resolution No. 115 was passed requesting then-Representative Joaquin M. Chipeco Jr., to co-sponsor a bill for Calamba's cityhood and requesting the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for their comments and recommendations regarding the matter. Another two years passed before House Bill No. 986 and Senate bill Nos. 1630 and 1791 were filed in the House of Representatives by Congressman Chipeco and Senate of the Philippines by Senators Franklin M. Drilon and Sergio Osmeña III, respectively.
It was only in the year 2000 that the motion for Calamba's cityhood was fast-tracked. Then Mayor Severino J. Lajara requested favorable endorsement of House Bill No. 986 from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on January 3, 2000. The Sangguniang Bayan also endorsed House Bill No. 986 and Senate Bill Nos. 1630 and 1791 and also requested favorable endorsement from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in the same month. A month passed and Mayor Lajara sent a follow-up letter to then Vice Governor Teresita "Ningning" Lazaro on updates regarding the matter.
On March 8, the House Committee on Local Government approved House Bill No. 986 on 2nd reading at a hearing held at Hotel Rembrandt, Quezon City. The same House Committee conducted a public hearing on House Bill No. 986 at the Calamba Elementary School (Central II) gymnasium on March 23, approving the House Bill in principle. House Bill 986 was deliberated in April by the House of Representatives in plenary session and approved as House Bill No. 10661, which was then filed with the Senate of the Philippines in June.
The year 2001 came and brought about approval on 2nd reading of Senate Bill Nos. 1630 and 1791 and House Bill No. 10661 in a hearing held on February 5 at the Ambrocio Padilla Hall, Senate of the Philippines. Three days later, February 8, Senate Bill Nos. 1630 and 1791 and House Bill No. 10661 was deliberated in Plenary Session and was approved as Republic Act No. 9024.
Calamba was declared the regional center of the Calabarzon region by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo by virtue of Executive Order No. 246, dated October 28, 2003.
Calamba lies on the northern slopes of Mount Makiling, a dormant volcano. The southern terminus of the South Luzon Expressway is in Calamba and this geographic position makes the city a gateway to the southern provinces of Luzon. The highway at the end of the South Luzon Expressway leads east to the other towns of Laguna and south towards the provinces of Batangas and Quezon.
The city is bordered by Cabuyao to the north, by the province of Cavite to the west, specifically Silang and Tagaytay, Los Baños to the east, and by the province of Batangas to the south and southwest, specifically the cities and municipalities of Talisay, Tanauan, and Santo Tomas. Laguna de Bay, the country's largest lake, forms the city's northeast border. The provincial capital, Santa Cruz, is located 37 kilometers (23 mi) by road to the east.
Calamba covers a total land area of 14,950 hectares (36,900 acres), making it is the second-largest city in Laguna province in terms of land area after San Pablo.
Calamba is politically subdivided into 54 barangays, as indicated in the matrix below. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Calamba has a tropical monsoon climate (type Am), with a short dry season and a longer rainy season. The dry season lasts only from January to April, and the rest of the year is characterized by high levels of rainfall.
The population of Calamba is fast-growing with an intercensal growth rate of 5% from 1995 to 2000, repeated and more in subsequent decades (except for 2007 to 2010 census).
PopulationYear0100,000200,000300,000400,000500,000600,0001990200020102020PopulationCalamba, Laguna population
According to the 2024 census, Calamba has a population of 575,046 inhabitants, making it the most populated city in Laguna province, followed by Santa Rosa, Biñan, San Pedro City, Cabuyao, and San Pablo. Calamba is the 24th most populated city in the Philippines.
Calamba is predominantly Roman Catholic (84.22%), followed by Members Church of God International (MCGI or ADD)(4.5%), Protestants (3.43%), Iglesia ni Cristo (3.14%), and Islam (0.26%).
Poverty incidence of Calamba (%)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
2000 8.28
2003 3.12
2006 2.40
2009 2.01
2012 3.42
2015 2.99
2018 1.87
2021 3.97
2023 7.16
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority
Calamba is known today as the "Richest City in Calabarzon", (according to the 2014 Commission on Audit Annual Audit Report), as it registered a total income of ₱2,501,048,126.00. Calamba is also considered one of the "Next Wave Cities" for outsourcing firms.
The major income sources comes from manufacturing and economic plants, tourism, agriculture and services. There are many manufacturing and economic plants located in upland barangays like Canlubang, Real, La Mesa, Milagrosa, Makiling, Punta, Barandal, Batino and Prinza.
As of December 31, 2013, there are 83 banking offices operating in the city that offers banking services to businesses and residents according to Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation. Calamba is the top city in Calabarzon with total deposits amounting to 29,632,884 in thousand pesos from 374,122 accounts.
The city is a haven for industries. Considered the heart of Calabarzon due to the number of companies housed in its area, Calamba is one of the premiere industrial hubs outside of Metro Manila. Some of the industrial parks located in the city are:
In 2019, a 2.16 MWp rooftop solar installation at New Zealand Creamery, located in Carmelray Industrial Park 1, was recognized with the Asian Power Award for Solar Power Project of the Year (Philippines).
Calamba is also considered one of the "Next Wave Cities" for outsourcing firms and call centers, among which is SPi Technologies.
Aside from the Crossing area in Barangay Uno, Barangays Real and Parian are also bustling with business structures, including SM City Calamba, and Liana's Discount Center Calamba.
Notable shopping centers and travel agencies in Calamba also include Southern Sky Travel & Tours (Calamba Headquarters), Walter Mart Makiling, Puregold Halang, Puregold Calamba-Crossing, Puregold Calamba-Bayan, Checkpoint Mall, and iMall Canlubang among others.
Food processing plants in Calamba like Zenith Foods Corporation (central commissary of Jollibee Foods Corporation), where its sauces and food products (i.e. burger, pies, fries, etc.) are first made before distributing to Jollibee outlets is currently the most advanced food processing plant in the Philippines and one of the best in Asia. Other food and beverage processing plants in Calamba are Rebisco, RC Cola, Monde M.Y. San Corporation and Zest-O Corporation.
Some of the semiconductor companies are also located in Calamba. To name a few, they are Samsung Electro-Mechanics Philippines, Continental Temic Electronics Philippines, Toshiba Storage Device Philippines Inc., ST Microelectronics (formerly Philips Electronics), Fuji Electric Philippines, NEC Tokin Electronics, NEC Toppan Circuit Solutions and Austriamicrosystems Phils.
Automobile manufacturers that have plants located in Calamba are Asian Transmission Corporation and Suzuki Philippines Inc.
Avon, the leading global beauty company has a manufacturing plant (Avon Products Manufacturing), is located at Calamba Premiere International Park.
Tricycles, buses, jeepneys, and UV Express are popular modes of transportation in Calamba.
Calamba is served by the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Metro Commuter Line. Stations include:
The only expressway currently operational in Calamba is the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), which passes through the city with four exits. SLEX is part of AH26 up to Calamba Exit.
Main national highways include the Manila South Road, the Pan-Philippine Highway (also known as Maharlika Highway, Daang Maharlika, or National Highway), which passes through the city and curves toward Santo Tomas in Batangas, and Calamba–Pagsanjan Road (also called "National Highway") links Calamba with Los Baños and Santa Cruz.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Calamba, Laguna”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.