Batangas City

Batangas, the capital of Batangas province, is a major seaport, second to Manila among the ports on Luzon, and a gateway to the rest of the archipelago. With a population of 486,000 (2015), Metro Batangas is seeing fast growth, but its prominent sights like the city's religious sites and heritage homes are yet to have a mention to the tourist trail.

Understand
The name "Batangas" can be ambiguous; it can either refer to the city, the minor metropolitan area, Metro Batangas, or the province. The term is far more used to refer to the province, but "Batangas" is also the original name of the town before it became the city it is today. Media will use "Batangas City" to disambiguate it from the province, but in ordinary speech, the city is just referred to as "Batangas", the same as the eponymous province.

The city is home to the Philippines's second most important seaport, the Batangas Port, making this an important entry point to Luzon and the rest of the Philippines. Batangas City also serves as the provincial educational center, having 7 colleges and universities, with the three major ones being Batangas State University, Lyceum Philippines University and University of Batangas. Being a port city, Batangas is a fast-growing commercial and industrial center, being developed to become the regional center of the Calabarzon region.

History
The area served as the center of the ancient barangay of Comintang (Kumintang) long before Spanish colonization. Spanish settlement began in 1572 and the original town center was founded in 1581, on the present-day area of sitio Hilltop in barangay Kumintang Ibaba. After the destructive eruption of Taal Volcano in 1755 destroyed the original capital at Bonbon (present-day Taal), the settlement became the new administrative center and capital of Batangas, then called the province of Bonbon.

The current local government was set up by the American military in 1901. During World War II, the town served as a landing point by the Japanese, and dive bombers devastated most of the original town and its air field. The town was rebuilt after the war. The current city, originally intended to be named Laurel City after Philippine president Jose P. Laurel, was chartered in July 14, 1969. The completion of STAR Tollway in 2007 further boosted Batangas City's status as an international port, alongside the expansion of it port complex. In 2017, the city was affected by an earthquake swarm that originated off Balayan Bay to the west.

People
Batangas City has a population of 330,000 as of 2015.

The locals are mostly Tagalogs, with a large Visayan (especially Cebuano) and Chinese minority. There is also a small Muslim minority as well, mostly settled in Cuta and Malitam. The city also has a growing African, especially Nigerian, community, mostly living to study in the universities, and a few have formed their families in the city. There are a few who leave for Metro Manila for work and study.

Orientation
The city is divided into 105 barangays, ranging from an urban neighborhood to a rural village; many barangays with suffixed names are grouped into unofficial clusters (e.g. Kumintang, Pallocan). In general, the city can be divided into five broad areas, but this guide considers the area around Batangas port a separate district.
 * Poblacion - The city proper, and the old downtown, further divided into 24 numbered barangays; has most of the shopping and higher education institutions. Batangas City Hall, Plaza Mabini, and the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception lies in this district. Various ancestral houses, most notably the Pastor Mansion, have Poblacion their home.
 * East - Much of this area's activity is centered on five suburban barangays east of the Calumpang. You can find most food and shopping at SM City Batangas, but there are also scattered local food destinations. The rest is rather mountainside country off the beaten path
 * North of Poblacion - Includes barangays Alangilan, Balagtas, Kumintang Ilaya and Kumintang Ibaba . It has the capitol and government offices, growing nightlife, mid-class subdivisions, and another major university, the Lyceum of the Philippines University Batangas. Along the Diversion Road are ongoing commercial developments surrounding the new central terminal, Largely agricultural lands with scattered barangays.
 * Pier Area - Low to mid-class area west of Poblacion, composed of barangays Cuta, Malitam, Santa Clara, and Wawa. This district hosts the Philippines' second major seaport, Batangas Port. Not far from the port are low-cost hotels, guest houses, recreation, and the city's second major market, Julian Pastor Memorial Market (Bagong Palengke or simply, Bago).
 * Southern Batangas City - More of seaside and foothill communities. This area houses new industrial developments, Pilipinas Shell's refinery, and Monte Maria.
 * Western Batangas City - Coastal suburbs, with inland barangays to the north. There is not much any food destinations here, but you can find places to relax not too far from downtown.



The Calumpang River serves as an important reference point: everything west is highly urbanized, and everything east is generally rural, save for Gulod, Pallocan, and Libjo.

The Poblacion is the old downtown, with P. Burgos Street dividing the district into a commercial area and residential district. The western part is the classic commercial center, while the eastern part of Poblacion is largely residential. Most accommodations within Poblacion are east of P. Burgos.

Climate
The city has a dry and wet climate, but it greatly influenced by the monsoon climate that cause frequent rainfall to the east. Temperatures can be as high as or as low as, with little difference by month, as in tropical countries. The dry season is very short, running only between January and April, but sporadic thunderstorms still occur. The rainy season starts as early as May or late as June. Batangas City is not as rainy as its nearest large city, Lipa or even Manila, but it is relatively hotter than the two.

Location
Batangas City is surrounded by of San Jose and Cuenca to the north, San Pascual and Bauan to the west, Ibaan, Taysan and Lobo to the east, and Verde Island to the south. The city covers of lowland, mountains, and the island of Isla Verde. Most parts of the city remains rural, and the population is largely concentrated on the mouth of the Calumpang River.

Batangas City is prone to typhoons, but the city is less prone to earthquakes. The last recorded earthquake was an earthquake swarm in 2017 that damaged some buildings, especially its historic Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Typhoons frequently pass through the city, especially from June to September. Some of them made major damage, especially on crossings between the Calumpang River.

Get in
Batangas's nearest airport is in Manila, but the city is a major sea transport hub, with good connections to the rest of the archipelago through frequent ferry and boat services. You will most likely to have a layover in Batangas if traveling from Manila to Mindoro and/or Visayas through a combination of land and sea travel; most travelers from either way stop at Batangas before continuing onward in either direction.

By bus


Most travelers come to Batangas City by bus; most buses come from Manila, but there are services within the province and from nearby Quezon province.



From about 2013, all bus services terminating at Batangas City share a common terminal at Diversion Road, with connections to local jeepney services to downtown. Bus companies used to have their own terminal within the urbanized area, rather like the situation in Manila until today. Southbound buses, however only stop at the Central Terminal to drop off some passengers, and head for the port (where they terminate, or take the ferry).

Jeepneys to downtown or Mabini are available from the Grand Terminal; there are convenience stores, food stalls, pasalubong shops, a Shopwise supermarket, and a two-story strip mall, Transit Point. Nearby, along Diversion Road, are some fast food restaurants and some mid-range dining. Public restrooms are available inside.

The terminal at Batangas Port has good connections with boat services and one local jeepney route to downtown (BP-01 Batangas-Pier). There are some food stalls, but food prices are often high.

Companies
Between Manila and Batangas City, there are multiple operators, the most prominent being ALPS, Ceres Transport, DLTBCo and JAM Liner. All these companies provide frequent bus service from Manila, either on standard air-conditioned or luxury buses. Other companies with service from Manila are N. Dela Rosa Liner and RRCG Transport, with basic air-conditioned buses.

From other points:


 * Batman Starexpress runs buses from Nasugbu every hour, stopping along towns along the way.
 * JAPS runs air-conditioned buses from Crossing in Calamba.
 * ALPS also runs buses from major cities in Panay.
 * Ceres Transport has buses from Zamboanga City, Iloilo City, and San Jose de Buenavista. Ceres Liner also has air-condition Ed buses from Bacolod, Dumaguete and Iloilo City.
 * P&O Transport has a daily trip from Tagkawayan in Quezon
 * Supreme Transport has both air-conditioned and ordinary buses from Lucena via San Juan
 * RORO Bus has buses from Puerto Princesa, which rides with ferries by Montenegro Shipping Lines between El Nido and San Jose, and Calapan and Batangas City.

Premium buses
There are two existing premium express bus (P2P) services to Batangas City, one from PITX (operated by RRCG Transport) and one from Ortigas Center (operated by ALPS). Both terminate at the Grand Terminal, and have no intermediate stops.

By car


Batangas City serves as the southern terminus for the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), and a drive from Metro Manila may take 1½-2 hours. Tolls are required to be paid upon entry and exit, so a toll-free option is the parallel but congested Jose P. Laurel Hwy (Hwy 4). Another option is to drive through STAR and exit at Lipa, then head for Jose P. Laurel southbound.

A bypass road is under construction to the east of Batangas City, which will shorten travel times to Monte Maria, part of it being already open to traffic. It will connect to STAR, but it is an at-grade national road with 4 lanes at most; construction is ongoing for the remainder.

By boat




Batangas City is a major seaport serving ferry and shipping services to and from the rest of the archipelago. There are roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) ferry service connecting Calapan in Mindoro, and interisland ships that call at Batangas Port. The port becomes congested during major holiday periods (Holy Week, All Saints' Day, Christmas and New Year), so better avoid travel by sea during those times.

Motor boats with wooden hulls used to leave at Batangas Port, but are since banned, and only depart from the smaller boat pier at Sitio Berberabe, far to the south, and only accessible by rather inefficient and infrequent jeepney services from the city proper.

Shipping companies

 * 2Go Travel/SuperCat - Calapan, Caticlan (Boracay), Odiongan (in Romblon)
 * Montenegro Shipping Lines - Abra de Ilog, Calapan, Odiongan
 * Super Shuttle - Calapan, Roxas (Mindoro), Caticlan, Odiongan, Dumaguit, Culasi, Masbate City, Iloilo City, Bacolod, Cebu City, Cagayan de Oro
 * Starlite Ferries - RORO ferries from Puerto Galera, Calapan, and Romblon.

By train
Train service to Batangas City at around the 1960s and 70s, but there are plans to restore service on the railway line from Calamba and onward to Manila.

The nearest train station with service is at Calamba, served by a few commuter trains. From there, you take a tricycle from the train station to Calamba Crossing, then take the bus to Batangas City, or take a jeepney to Turbina bus station and take the bus from there.

By plane
The only nearby airport with passenger flights is Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Metro Manila, but there are proposals to construct a new airport out of the existing Fernando Airbase in Lipa. From NAIA, you can drive directly to Batangas City, or take a provincial bus.

By jeepney
The traditional way to get around Batangas City is by jeepney, which follow a numbered network divided into 5 color-coded sector arranged by direction and destinations they serve:


 * BE (eastbound routes. color code: orange) - Routes run from the poblacion or Pallocan to eastern barangays, as well as Taysan and Lobo; however, little of the routes are of use to the visitor, except for routes BE-01 (Batangas-Lobo) and BE-05 (Batangas-Dagatan) which can be used to reach Mount Banoy.
 * BN (northbound routes. color code: red) - Serves northerly barangays, but most routes run onto the towns of San Jose, Ibaan and Rosario and the city of Lipa via the highways. Some useful routes are BN-01 Batangas-Balete, which provides a shorter alternate route to routes BP-01 and BP-05 between Poblacion and the Grand Terminal.
 * BP (routes within poblacion, as well those serving major urban barangays, color code: yellow, white (for BP-03 Batangas-Capitolio-Hospital)) - Routes connect the poblacion with suburban barangays. Four of its five routes are the routes most useful to visitors: BP-01 Batangas-Alangilan, BP-02 Batangas-Pier, BP-03 Batangas-Capitolio-Hospital (color-coded white) and BP-05 Batangas-Balagtas. Routes BP-01 (southbound via National Highway, northbound via Evangelista and P. Herrera streets) and BP-05 (southbound via Hilltop, northbound via Bay Mall/UB) connects the poblacion with the central bus station, BP-02 with the port, and BP-03 with Pallocan via a longer route through Gulod (around Pontefino) and Kumintang (around the provincial capitol and the LPU campus).
 * BS (southbound routes. color code: green) - Routes serve the southern barangays. Useful routes are BS-01 Batangas-Libjo and BS-05 Batangas-San Isidro (both practically the same route), which directly connects the poblacion with barangay Pallocan, and the BS-09 Batangas-Pagkilatan, which can be used to reach Monte Maria without a car.
 * BW (westbound routes. color code: blue) - Routes links the poblacion or Grand Terminal with western barangays, and the towns of San Pascual, Bauan, Mabini, and Lemery. One useful route is BW-05 Batangas-Caltex, which provides a connection between downtown and the Calicanto commercial area (though it is possible to just walk along P. Burgos instead).

Routes have numbers, being in the form of network sector-number (e.g. BP-01), but are rarely used by residents, and instead, routes are referred to their primary destination. Nonetheless, visitors can easily find their route without asking by looking on the painted route name signs on the front and sides.

Jeepneys are frequent, and routes reach most of Batangas City's nooks and crannies. Jeepneys congregate at the Grand Terminal (for Poblacion-bound, northbound, and westbound routes), Pallocan (in front of SM, for eastbound routes) and SM Transport Terminal (behind SM, for southbound routes except BS-01 from barangay Libjo and BS-05 from San Isidro). Fares start at for the first, increasing by  for each additional kilometer. Jeepneys get crowded during rush hour, so beware of pickpockets or gropers.

By tricycle
Within the city proper, it is possible to get around by tricycle, which have terminals scattered at important spots within the poblacion. Tricycles are coded by color and number, and they prowl Batangas City's inner streets not served by the extensive jeepney route network. Fares start at (as of 2019) for the first, increasing by  for each additional kilometer. Watch out for scams, especially for trips from the downtown to Pallocan (and vice versa) at night, when jeepneys are less frequent once the malls close.

On foot
The poblacion area is just almost a kilometer wide, and as such, is compact and easily explored on foot. Pallocan is also just away from downtown, and if you have the energy, it is possible to walk across Calumpang Bridge rather than to take a jeepney, though it can be unpleasant with the humid climate, and it may feel unsafe to walk around at night. A jeepney ride between the city proper and Pallocan (and the other way around) should not cost more than, so is a tricycle ride at on the same way.

By car and bus
Driving in downtown Batangas City is difficult, with slow traffic, many one-way streets, limited parking, and narrow streets. Public transportation coverage in the city is good, with most places relevant to travelers reachable by jeepney, and exploring the poblacion is easy on foot. Nonetheless, car travel is advised when going to places like Monte Maria, where it can take over an hour on a jeepney.


 * Alps The Bus (Star Tollway)
 * Jam Liner (Star Tollway)
 * RRCG Transport (Star Tollway tambo exit Lipa)
 * RRCG Transport White Bus P2P Star Tollway tambo exit Lipa City, Batangas
 * EMBC in Partnerships under RRCG Transport bus driver via Star Tollway
 * Supreme Bus (Inter-provincial Batangss City via Lucena City in Quezon Province)
 * Dela Rosa Express (Santo Tomas, Batangas via San Jose Batangas President Jose P. Laurel Highway or Star Tollway)
 * N Dela Rosa Express P2P Bus (Star Tollway)
 * Ceres Transport (Star Tollway)
 * Ceres Gold Star Bus (Star Tollway)
 * Partas Bus Philippines (Star Tollway)
 * BSC (Tuy, Batangas via Nasugbu, Batangas)
 * Japs (Turbina Calamba City, Santo Tomas, Batangas or via Star Tollway)
 * DLTB Co. (Star Tollway)

See
While it is often viewed as a mere layover point for travelers between Manila and the Visayas by land and by sea, Batangas City is rich in historical heritage, from religious sites to heritage buildings.



Do
Travelers to the rest of Batangas Province use Batangas City as a jumping off point, but the city serves also as a starting point for travelers to Puerto Galera. There are few any unpolluted beach areas around the city, and one beach in the Santa Rita area near the port complex, while popular with some locals, is badly littered with waste from seaside residential areas. In-city beach resorts can be found in Pagkilatan, just south of the Monte Maria pilgrimage site. Nearby seaside resorts are found in Mabini and San Juan. Inland resorts are also numerous, but access is mostly poor in many of them.

Festivals

 * Feast of the Holy Child (Santo Niño) - Held every January 16, and dedicated to the Santo Niño ng Batangan. The festivities start with the fluvial parade of the Santo Niño on Calumpang River. Residents invite everyone into lavish feasts they prepared for that day. Major streets in the Poblacion are closed, causing traffic jams outside. The city is heavily packed, making the local festivities an alternative to Sinulog in Cebu or Dinagyang in Iloilo, but not as lively.
 * Good Friday procession - A solemn procession where various Catholic religious images are paraded through the Poblacion and are returned to the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Devotees hold candles throughout the parade. Major streets are closed to traffic.
 * Sublian Festival - A week-long festival reviving the old Batangas Tagalog tradition of subli, a rain-making dance. Festivities last a week, culminating with the Batangas City Founding Day. Various schools and companies send groups to compete in dance competitions, with winning groups parading in Batangas City Founding Day.
 * Batangas City Founding Day - July 23 - The most colorful of the local festivities in Batangas City, commemorating its cityhood since 1969. Various local businesses are also promoted in the festival.

Learn
Batangas City is the education center of Batangas, and hosts the province's major higher education institutions. Major higher education institutions include the Batangas State University (including annex in Alangilan), Lyceum Philippines University Batangas, St. Bridget College and University of Batangas, and a number of colleges and vocational schools. There are a few international schools that cater to children of foreigners. There have been an increase in foreign students, especially Nigerians, in local universities.

There is one public library along P. Burgos, between the central police station and University of Batangas' elementary department, but is being reconstructed as a 3-storey building since 2018 and is not expected to open until about late 2019 or early 2020.

Buy
The major shopping area is found on the area in Poblacion approximately bordered by P. Burgos to the east, Rizal Avenue to the south, and P. Genato, Evangelista and D. Silang to the west and northwest.

Public markets and talipapas
There are also public markets and talipapas (wet markets) in the downtowns and some major barangays, and are good for local fruits, vegetables, meat and fish. Batangas City has two major public markets, with a number of talipapas in key barangays.

Eat
Batangas City has a lot of restaurants, but a more local experience is to eat at the plainer restaurants selling homemade dishes or Batangas specialties. The city abounds in places catering to local tastes, and better locations for local specialties are not hard to find. For a mid-size city like this, items are in overall, moderately priced.

Budget-friendly options are mostly found downtown, but upscale local dining is mostly in suburban locations like Alangilan.

Poblacion
The downtown has many restaurants, not limited to fast food chains, and you can also find the Filipino-style eateries, which are plain but they can provide cheap and local food.

Drink
There are rather a few bars found in town, in contrast of Lipa, but if you are seeking a drink for the night, you can find some bars scattered around the city proper.



Sleep
Batangas City hosts many hotels and guest houses, many of which are not listed. Guest houses and apartments are increasing in demand as both local and foreign students flock the city. DJPMM Access Road near the port is home to hotels popular for travellers who will stay in the city for the night before going to board. Many of the available accommodations are found in Cuta, Santa Clara, and Sorosoro Karsada.

Budget

 * Avenue Pension House 1, now the PGR Travelers Inn, 30 JP Rizal Avenue Batangas city. +63 43 300-1964. from per night.
 * Mac-Ro and Yellowbell are on the same street a short block apart, and their signs are visible from the other, so if one is full it will be convenient to try the other.
 * Mac-Ro and Yellowbell are on the same street a short block apart, and their signs are visible from the other, so if one is full it will be convenient to try the other.
 * Mac-Ro and Yellowbell are on the same street a short block apart, and their signs are visible from the other, so if one is full it will be convenient to try the other.
 * Mac-Ro and Yellowbell are on the same street a short block apart, and their signs are visible from the other, so if one is full it will be convenient to try the other.



Stay safe
Common problems include beggars, pickpockets and tricycle scams. The city's crime rate is relatively low, but do beware of pickpockets if riding jeepneys.

Beware of tricycle scams after sunset, and it is best to arrive before 7PM (or generally, after sunset), where after it, jeepneys become hard to find (most will abruptly turn around at the middle of their route after unloading their remaining passengers). Otherwise, wait with a local seeking a tricycle, wait for the next jeepney with passengers, or walk to the nearest stop where jeepneys still serve. The scam is most commonly encountered on tricycles between downtown and Pallocan.

At the Batangas pier, ignore all the porters and touts and walk past them to the ticket area in the ferry terminal to purchase ferry tickets. Pickpockets are common in this area due to the high number of tourists. Traffic in Batangas City is hectic, and congestion has become a problem during rush hour. Local traffic police can be corrupt.

In the rural areas of the city, there are fewer problems, but there are still some communist holdouts.

Stay healthy
Tap water supplied by the city-owned Batangas City Water District, while potable, can still taste like cough syrup in many places, and water supply outages remain a problem. Locals, however, enjoy drinking tap water no matter how it tastes like. Also, better avoid buying ice chopped from blocks, as their cleanliness is often questionable. Better buy bottled water from convenience stores, or boil your water before drinking.

Plastics
Batangas City banned the use of single-use plastics and Styrofoam from 2011, but eating utensils (spoons, forks, and straws) remain exempt. Supermarkets use paper bags for packaging, and may offer reusable cloth bags for a fee. Bring your own bag when doing any shopping.

Smoking
Batangas City enforces ordinances that ban smoking in public places. Smoking is banned in public transport, and many public places, like parks, churches, shopping malls, public markets, and government offices. Smoking is prohibited in most restaurants, though some may offer smoking areas.

For vapers, components and juice can be bought at convenience stores (e.g. 7-Eleven), but here is a local vape shop:

Newspapers
Newspapers published in Metro Manila are also sold in Batangas City, but the city also has its two local newspapers: Sun Star Daily Courier (in English) and Balikas (in Tagalog).

Churches
The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception holds Masses every Sunday (in Tagalog).

Connect
You can top up (load) your SIM cards almost everywhere, from sari-sari stores to convenience stores. There are not many internet cafés anymore because of increased cell phone ownership, but you can find pisonet Internet cafés if you're lucky. Free Wi-Fi is available at malls, on Plaza Mabini, and most hotels.

Go next
Most travellers use Batangas City as a stopover to visit the other destinations in the province, such as the diving spots in Mabini, or as a stop en route to the white sand beaches in Puerto Galera in Mindoro, half hour away by boat.