Lemery, Batangas

Lemery
Municipality
Seal
Location within Batangas province
Lemery Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 13°55′N 120°53′E / 13.92°N 120.88°E / 13.92; 120.88Coordinates: 13°55′N 120°53′E / 13.92°N 120.88°E / 13.92; 120.88
Country	Philippines
Region	Calabarzon (Region IV-A)
Province	Batangas
District	1st District
Founded	1862
Barangays	46 (see Barangays)
Government [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Charisma M. Alilio
• Vice mayor	Honorlito B. Solis
Area[2]
• Total	109.8 km2 (42.4 sq mi)
Population (2015 census)[3]
• Total	93,157
• Density	850/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
• Voter (2016)[4]	50,518
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	4209
IDD : area code	+63 (0)43
Income class	1st class
PSGC	041012000
Website	www.lemerybatangas.gov.ph

Lemery, officially the Municipality of Lemery (Filipino: Bayan ng Lemery), is a municipality in the province of Batangas in the Calabarzon (Region IV-A) of the Philippines. The population was 93,157 at the 2015 census.^[3] In the 2016 election, it had 50,518 registered voters.^[4]

The municipality was named after the Spanish Governor-General José Lemery e Ibarrola Ney y González (1811 – 1886).

Lemery is accessible by bus from Manila via the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), and the Lipa STAR Tollway goes directly to Lemery. Furthermore, there are vans travelling from Manila to Lemery. Lemery can also be reached from Tagaytay via the Diokno highway.

History

During the early part of the 18th century, adventurous settlers from Taal, northern Mindoro and southern Cavite were attracted to the vast plain near the shores of Balayan Bay because of its abundance in fish and other marine life. Salting and drying fish became their major occupation due to the great demand of salted and dried fish by the people of Cavite, Mindoro, Laguna and Batangas. People came in great numbers to join the settlers, and the village became populous. The place was first called Punta, meaning "direction", because of the influx of people who went to the village. In 1818, the village of Punta was converted into one of the barrios of the Municipality of Taal.

The first priest who was assigned to the village was Fr. Geronimo. Upon the suggestion of the priest who succeeded him, the place was renamed San Geronimo in honor of this priest.

Captain Roberto Lemery, the Commanding Officer of San Geronimo outpost instructed the military and the church personnel to study the language of the native and cultivate harmony with them. When Captain Lemery died in 1856, the people of San Geronimo requested their priest to change the name of the barrio to Lemery. In 1858, the barrio of San Geronimo became officially known as Lemery.

In 1862, Lemery was separated from the Municipality of Taal and became the district municipality thru the efforts of Candida Cesario Valenzuela, Manuel Cabrera, Policarpio Mariño and Domingo Agoncillo. Jose Cabrera became the First Gobernadorcillo of the newly created town. For economic considerations, Lemery was again annexed to Taal in 1904. Finally by virtue of Executive Order 1549 of the Philippine Civil Commission, it became an independent Municipality in 1907.

Geography

Lemery is located at 13°55′N 120°53′E / 13.92°N 120.88°E / 13.92; 120.88.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 109.8 square kilometres (42.4 sq mi)^[2] constituting 7000352000000000000♠3.52% of the 3,119.75-square-kilometre- (1,204.54 sq mi) total area of Batangas.

Barangays

Lemery is politically subdivided into 46 barangays.^[5] In 1957, the sitio of Bagong Pook was separated from the barrio of Arumahan and constituted into an independent barrio,^[6] while sitio of Masalisi was separated from Payapa.^[7]

Demographics

In the 2015 census, Lemery had a population of 93,157.^[3] The population density was 850 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,200/sq mi).

Most of the people in Lemery are Tagalogs. In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase of Visayans in some barrios or barangays. The main language spoken is Tagalog, and a significant number now speaks Cebuano. A small number of families speak Spanish. Many among the educated class can speak English.

In the 2016 election, it had 50,518 registered voters.^[4]

Government

Municipal hall

Elected officials:^[4]

• Mayor: Charisma M. Alilio
• Vice Mayor: Honorlito B. Solis
• Councilors:

Health

Batangas Provincial Hospital

Some of the health institutions in Lemery include:

Education

Schools in Lemery include:

Saint Mary's Educational Institute

• Ananias Hernandez Memorial National High School
• Dionisio P. Vito Memorial National High School - GFLMNHS Extension
• Gov. Feliciano Leviste Memorial National High School (formerly Batangas West High School)
• Payapa National High School

• Batangas State University-Lemery campus^[10]
• College of Saint Jerome Dalmacia (formerly St. Jerome International School)
• Lemery Colleges

Tourism

San Roque Parish Church

• Sigpawan Festival: Celebrated during Easter Sunday, the festival's highlight is the Fluvial procession along coastal areas of the town. The festival showcases the rich culture and natural resources of Lemery, with booths displaying a variety of the town's agricultural products, native delicacies and its well-known sinaing na tulingan. Sigpaw is a small net with a handle that is used by fishermen to scoop fish and catch shrimps and small fry along the towns shorelines. Farmers also use it to pick fruits from trees.
• Fantasy World Theme Park: Although not yet fully operational and an under construction, the Fantasy World Theme Park stands at 300 hectare-land in Barangay Masayang, along the Diokno Highway.
• Barangay Payapa hosts the Leisure Farms, the first hobby farming community and agro-tourism site in the country developed by Landco Pacific.
• Casa Corazon’s Motorcycle Museum, first in the Philippines and ‘only one in Asia’

• San Roque Parish
• Holy Cross Parish, Bucal-Matingain
• Our Lady of All Nations Parish, Payapa (canonically erected as a parish on May 20, 2013)^[11]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lemery, Batangas.

		Laurel
	Calaca		Agoncillo
		Lemery
		Balayan Bay	Taal

Province of Batangas
Batangas (capital)
Municipalities	Agoncillo Alitagtag Balayan Balete Bauan Calaca Calatagan Cuenca Ibaan Laurel Lemery Lian Lobo Mabini Malvar Mataasnakahoy Nasugbu Padre Garcia Rosario San Jose San Juan San Luis San Nicolas San Pascual Santa Teresita Santo Tomas Taal Talisay Taysan Tingloy Tuy
Component cities	Batangas Lipa Tanauan