Nagcarlan (), officially the Municipality of Nagcarlan (), is a municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people.
Etymology According to legend, the name Nagcarlan is derived from Ana Kalang (later baptized as Ana Panalangin), an influential and respected tribal leader. She was known for carrying a golden salakot and a cane which she always carried when walking around town. She was well-respected by the townfolk not just for her wealth, but also for the help she extended to those in need. One account relates that a Spaniard visitor, while at her house, noticed branches outside swaying and striking one another and asked what was happening. Ana Kalang reportedly replied, “nagkakalang sila.” The phrase was subsequently misheard and mispronounced by the Spaniards, eventually evolving into the name Nagcarlan.
History Spanish colonial era Before the Spanish conquest of the area, it was headed by Gat Lakilaw. Christianity was propagated to the area in 1578 through Fr. Juan de Plasencia and Fr. Diego Oropesa, both missionaries of the 1st Order of the Franciscans. The area became a formal town in 1583 under Fr. Tomas de Miranda, who brought and successfully cultivated in Nagcarlan the first wheat seeds ever on our country's soil. In 1595, Nagcarlan became an independent pueblo (town), separating itself from other towns which were formally established in 1583. The very first Gobernadorcillo was Gaspar Cahupa (Cajopa). The first stone church was built in 1752 by Fr. Cristobal Torres. While the town is already known as Nagcanlang even before the Spaniards came (as evidenced in the 1572 narrative of Juan Masolong, First Christian of Liliw, Laguna), it was Fr. Torres who allegedly named it Nagcarlan at that time in honor and recognize the contributions of the aforementioned influential and respected woman tribe leader named Ana Kalang (baptized as Ana Panalangin). The name Nagcarlan consistently appeared in the Spanish period records as the name of the town. In 1851, Fr. Vicente Velloc, a Franciscan Missionary built the Underground Cemetery, the first Catholic Cemetery with a crypt in the Philippines. According to Historical records, this is where the historic Biac-Na-Bato pact was planned by Pedro Paterno and General Severino Taino in 1897. It was also in Nagcarlan, where the Brain of the Katipunan, General Emilio Jacinto, coming from Majayjay and wounded, was captured.
Geography Nagcarlan is from Santa Cruz and from Manila.
Barangays Nagcarlan is politically subdivided into 52 barangays, as indicated below. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios
Abo Alibungbungan Alumbrado Balayong Balimbing Balinacon Bambang Banago Banca-banca Bangcuro Banilad Bayaquitos Buboy Buenavista Buhanginan Bukal Bunga Cabuyew Calumpang Kanluran Kabubuhayan Silangan Kabubuhayan Labangan Lawaguin Kanluran Lazaan Silangan Lazaan Lagulo Maiit Malaya Malinao Manaol Maravilla Nagcalbang Poblacion I (Poblacion) Poblacion II (Poblacion) Poblacion III (Poblacion) Oples Palayan Palina Sabang San Francisco Sibulan Silangan Napapatid Silangan Ilaya Sinipian Santa Lucia Sulsuguin Talahib Talangan Taytay Tipacan Wakat Yukos
Climate
Distances The closest city to Nagcarlan is San Pablo. Some of the neighboring municipalities are Liliw, Rizal, Calauan and Victoria.
Demographics
In the 2024 census, the population of Nagcarlan was 66,351 people, with a density of .
Economy
Election
2022 2022 Nagcarlan local election Party Candidates Running Mate Votes % Party Candidate Votes % Nacionalista Elmor Vita Aksyon Rexon Arevalo (Incumbent) 25,357 68.64 21,974 57.78 PDPLaban Lourdes Arcasetas (Incumbent) PDPLaban Evelyn Sotoya 11,587 31.36 16,055 42.22 Total votes 36,944 100.00 38,029 100.00 Winner : Nacionalista, Aksyon
2019 2019 Nagcarlan local election Party Candidates Running Mate Votes % Party Candidates Votes % Nacionalista Lourdes "Ody" Arcasetas Nacionalista Felipe Arcigal III 12,041 38.53 17,781 54.78 PDPLaban Amie Malabag-Hernandez PDPLaban Rexon Arevalo 13,171 42.14 10,897 33.58 Independent Cecille Plantilla 3,946 12.63 LakasCMD Manolo Cura LakasCMD Neri Monteza 2,094 6.70 3,777 11.64 Total votes 32,455 100.00 31,252 100.00 Winner : Nacionalista, PDPLaban
Tourism
Along Rizal Avenue stands many heritage houses built during the 1920s to the 1930s. They are initeresting because they built with more than two floors on small plots of land.
The Bunga Falls is a favorite getaway among the locals along with the Yambo Lake which is accessible through the road going to Calauan.
Another interesting attraction is the San Bartolome Apostol Church. Located on an elevated ground overlooking the rest of the town, this 18th century church built by the Franciscans has a volcanic tuff stone and red clay facade with an four-storey belltower on the right and a convent on the left.
Nagcarlan's best known attraction is Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery, it contains 240 niches laying above ground and 36 niches underground. Members of the town's elite and clergy are buried underground below the funeral chapel.
Education The Nagcarlan-Rizal Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.
Primary and elementary schools
Abo-Bukal Elementary School Alumbrado Elementary School Banilad Elementary School Banka-Banka Elementary School Barnabas Christian School Bunga Elementary School Crisanto Guysayko Memorial Elementary School Kabubuhayan Elementary School Labangan Elementary School Lazaan-Malinao Elementary School Manaol Elementary School Nagcarlan Adventist Elementary School Nagcarlan Montessori Center Inc. Plaridel Elementary School San Francisco Elementary School Santa Lucia Elementary School Silangan Napapatid Elementary School Sinipian Elementary School St. Mary's Academy of Nagcarlan Rizal Standard Academy Talangan Elementary School Taytay-Malaya Elementary School Wakat Elementary School Yukos Elementary School Yukos Elementary School (Annex)
Secondary schools
Calumpang National High School Lowland Integrated National High School Nagcarlan Senior High School Plaridel Integrated National High School Rizal Standard Academy St. Mary's Academy of Nagcarlan Talangan National High School Upland Integrated National High School
Notable personalities Efren V. Esmilla – Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Esteban Baldivia – actor and comedian Alice Doria-Gamilla – composer Jak Roberto – actor, model and singer
References
External links
[ Philippine Standard Geographic Code] Philippine Census Information Local Governance Performance Management System