| City of Lucena Lungsod ng Lucena |
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| — Highly-urbanized City — | |
| Nickname(s): LC, Biofuel City, Cocopalm City of the South, The Gateway to the South, Entertainment Capital of Southern Luzon | |
| Map of Quezon showing the location of Lucena City Coordinates: 13°56' N, 121°37' E | |
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City of Lucena
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Region IV-A - CALABARZON |
| Province | Quezon |
| Districts | 2nd district of Quezon |
| Barangays | 33 |
| Incorporated (town) | June 1, 1882 |
| Incorporated (city) | August 20, 1961 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Barbara "Ruby" C. Talaga |
| • Vice Mayor | Roderick "DonDon" A. Alcala |
| Area | |
| • Total | 80.21 km2 (31 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 15.2 m (50 ft) |
| Population (2011 Estimate) | |
| • Total | 270,000 |
| • Density | 3,366.2/km2 (8,718.3/sq mi) |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+8) |
| Area code(s) | 42 |
| Website | http://www.lucenacity.gov.ph http://www.quezon.gov.ph |
The City of Lucena (Filipino: Lungsod ng Lucena) is a first class highly urbanized medium sized city in the province of Quezon, Philippines. It is the capital city of Quezon and belongs to the 20 most competitive cities of the Philippines. According to the 2011 census, it has a population of 270,000 people in 45,902 households. Nearby towns include Pagbilao (east), Tayabas (north) and Sariaya (west). It is the only first class, highly urbanized city in the Calabarzon Region.
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Lucena was originally a barrio of Tayabas town, then the capital of the Province of Tayabas which was explored by Captain Juan de Salcedo in 1571 & 1572. Tayabas was organized by the Spaniards through the Franciscan missionaries.
One of the former names of Lucena was "Cotta" meaning a strong fort, because forts or cottas were built to defend it from Muslim piratical raids. Spanish records mention the existence of cottas (Tagalog: kuta) along the coast of Lucena, particularly in Cotta itself and in the Barrio of Mayao, though these structures are no longer extant. Finally, on November 5, 1887, pursuant to an Orden Real Superior Civil, the community was named "Lucena." It became an independent municipality on June 1, 1879. The growth of local maritime trade facilitated in the Cotta port and the final defeat of Moro pirates plying the Luzon and Visayan waters, afforded the growth of Lucena as a town which eventually led to its being the capital of Tayabas province.
Popular knowledge attribute the origin of the name "Lucena" to the town of Lucena, Andalucia where the late Reverend Mariano Granja, the Franciscan pioneer parish priest was said to have earlier served (some even say that he was from this town). But according to the monumental work (Catalogo Biografico de los Religiosos Franciscanos de la Provincia de San Gregorio Magno de Filipinas), of a fellow Franciscan, Eusebio Gomez Platero, Fr. Granja was born in Paredes de Nava, diocese of Palencia, distant from Andalucia. Records also show that he had no previous post as priest of Lucena, Andalucia.
During the Philippine Revolution of 1896, the captain municipal of Lucena, Jose Zaballero, led the local revolutionaries. The local revolutionary government was organized by Manuel Argüelles, with José Barcelona as president. After the declaration of Philippine Independence, Gen. Malvar took over Tayabas Province on Aug. 15, 1898. Don Crisanto Marquez was elected municipal president during the first elections.
Lucena was the site of bloody struggles at the outbreak of the Philippine–American War in 1899. Upon the establishment of a civil government in the Province of Tayabas by the Americans on March 12, 1901, Lucena was made capital of the province after a bitter debate between Tayabas-born and Lucena-based officials. The decision to make Lucena as capital was primarily based on its strategic location. Unlike the former capital town (Tayabas), Lucena has access to the sea.
During World War II, Lucena was not spared at the hands of the Japanese who occupied the city on December 27, 1941. Fortunately however, the city was not devastated by the war. The Hunter ROTC guerrillas succeeded in driving out the Japanese on January 25, 1945 and consequently, Quezon Province was liberated by joint Filipino and American troops on April 4, 1945.
In 1957, the barrios of Ilayang Iyam and Ibabang Iyam were created.[1][2]
On June 17, 1961 by virtue of Republic Act No. 3271, sponsored by Cong. Manuel S. Enverga and Cong. Pascual Espinosa, Lucena became a chartered city. The City of Lucena was inaugurated on August 20, 1962 after the occasion of the 84th birth anniversary of the late Pres. Manuel L. Quezon during August 19.
The city proper is wedged between two rivers, Dumacaa River on the east and Iyam River on the west. Seven other rivers and six creeks serve as natural drainage for the city. Its port on the coast along Tayabas Bay is home to several boat and ferry lines operating and serving the sea lanes between Lucena and the different points in the region and as far as the Visayas.
There exists a Lucena Airport, but no commercial flights come to the city. Light aircraft can, however, make use of the facilities.
Being the provincial capital, Lucena is host to most of the branches of governmental agencies, businesses, banks and service facilities in the Southern Tagalog region.
| Population Census of Lucena City | |||
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| Census | Pop. | Rate | |
| 1980 | 107,880 |
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| 1990 | 150,624 | 3.4% | |
| 1995 | 177,750 | 3.4% | |
| 2000 | 196,075 | 2.13% | |
| 2007 | 236,390 | 2.61% | |
| Est. 2011 | 270,000 | 37.70% | |
Metro Lucena has an estimated population of 700,000 which is mostly concentrated in the flat south-central portion of Quezon, which includes the cities of Lucena and Tayabas, Sariaya, Candelaria, Lucban & Pagbilao . The people are often characterized as friendly and hardworking. It is the center of commerce and tourism in Quezon Province.
Although Lucena is a highly urbanized city, its charter permits its citizens to vote for provincial elective officials (provincial governor, vice governor, and board).
Lucena is politically subdivided into 33 barangays.
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Economic activities in Lucena are heavily concentrated in the poblacion and other sub-urban barangays where the highly dense and constricted Central Business District (CBD) is home to a large cluster of different business enterprises. As population grows in tandem with new and promising business prospects, business activities spill over adjoining barangays, thus forming mini satellite commercial areas.
Other commercial strips are located at 10 suburban barangays where both retail and wholesale trade, including other essential services, are being engaged in. Big commercial depots and warehouses in these suburban barangays do business in sales, distribution, and transport of assorted business products in bulk.
Of the total 8,316.90 hectare land area of Lucena City, 19 percent or 1,651.77 hectares cover the existing built up area. Almost 3% of this or 46.62 hectares cover the industrial section, located in different barangays of the city. These areas are home to significant industrial and manufacturing activities.
Industry in Lucena produces a sustainable amount of agro-industrial based products, dried and smoked fish, distilled liquors, bamboo and rattan furniture, ornamental flowers/plants, vegetable as well as meat products.
Lucena is also known as the "Cocopalm City of the South". Nestled amidst a wide expanse of coconut lands, Lucena has coconut oil mills which produce oil-based household products like cooking oil, soap, lard, margarine, and oil based medicines.The well known JnJ Oil, Exora cooking oil and Vegetable lard, Miyami Cooking Oil are proudly made in this city. Car assembly/manufacturing plants have also established in the city turning out quality vehicles and accessories while Manila-based car shops are starting to put up some branches.
Road network provides access from all key cities and towns in the island of Luzon to this highly urbanized capital. Well-paved radial and by-pass routes criss-crossing in and out of the city facilitate the transport of unlimited assortment of merchandise, supplies, and raw materials to and from the city on a round-the-clock basis.
Over the years, it was observed that a growing number of visitors from other places come to Lucena. Travelers of various types and sizes are drawn to Lucena because of modern facilities and good amenities that could be found in the city such as Quezon Convention Center, Kalilayan Civic Centre, Sentro Pastoral Auditorium, Alcala Sports Complex a two time host of a Palarong Pambansa, Manuel S. Enverga Gymnasium, and Sacred Heart College Gym and Marcial Punzalan Gymnasium.
Pasayahan (Chami Festival) is one of the most famous festivals in Quezon. It always celebrates every last week of the month of May.
Lucena City has a central transportation hub aptly called the Lucena Grand Central Terminal located in Barangay Ilayang Dupay, just midway through the Bicol Region and back. New and modern buses ply the route Baguio-Lucena, Buendia/LRT-Lucena, EDSA Pasay-Lucena, Cubao/Kamias-Lucena and Alabang/Starmall-Lucena. It serves not only Manila or Baguio-bound buses but also buses going toward the upland and far-flung areas of Quezon province, particularly Bondoc Peninsula towns. Bus companies such as JAC Liner, Lucena Lines, JAM Liner, DLTBCo, A&B, BALGCO, Raymond Transportation, Superlines, ALPS, Philtranco, Penafrancia, Isarog, Cagsawa, and Dela Rosa Bus Lines bring back and forth passengers to Manila and Lucena.
Lucena also has a wide network of jeepney routes, all emanating from the city proper (Bayan) and reaching out to the major barangays of the city, as well as nearby towns. Thousand of tricycles also roam the streets of the city, bringing passengers right at their point of destination. These tricycles usually are the mode of transport when night falls.
The Philippine National Railways is on the process of rehabilitating the Existing Manila-Bicol and Baguio-Bicol Railway Line, which includes stops in Quezon province, including Lucena, which traditionally then is a major loading & pick-up point for passengers and cargoes alike when the railway system was once the primary transportation mode going to Manila. Modern air-conditioned coaches will ply this route.
In 2006, the city had a literacy rate of 98.6 percent. It has eight tertiary and 14 secondary schools including public and private.
The tertiary education system in Lucena provides instruction and training in fields of study, both for baccalaureate degrees and vocational courses. Institutions offering degree programs including liberal arts, arts and sciences, engineering, and information technology are the Alpha Centauri Educational System, Inc., ABE International College of Business and Economics along Quezon Avenue, Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc.(CEFI), City College of Lucena along the Maharlika Highway, Columbus College-Lucena, Catholic institutions of Sacred Heart College, being the oldest Catholic school in Lucena, on Merchan Street,Maryhill College (formerly Marknoll Academy), which is found at the heart of the city (next to St. Ferdinand Cathedral), Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation, Southern Luzon State University - Lucena Dual Training and Livelihood Center at the City Hall Annex with soon-to-open SLSU College of Medicine to be built at the Quezon Medical Center Compound, the Baptist Voice Bible College on Edano Street, Quezon Center for Research & Studies - Institute of Management (QCRS-IM).
The Inter-Global Maritime College in Barangay Bocohan provides programs in the maritime sciences. St. Anne College in Barangay Gulang-gulang is known for its BSHRM course, St. Augustine School of Nursing at Carlos City Center, AMA School of Nursing in front of Quezon Medical Center offers degrees in the allied medical sciences. The AMA Computer College-Lucena on M.L. Tagarao Street in Iyam, Informatics Lucena - Granja Street, Metro Data Computer Learning Center, Datamex Computer Studies -Enriquez Street, United Computer Educational Institute - Quezon Avenue, and STI College at the corner of Enriquez and Profugo Streets, Infra Comm Asia at Ocean Palace Mall are institutions for higher education that provide computer-related courses.
Aside from tertiary schools, the city also has a expanse footprint on the pre-school, primary and secondary levels of education, both in public and private schools. There are numerous day-care centers found all over the city.
Lucena has private and public hospitals that are capable of providing most common and advanced medical services, as well as in handling medical emergencies. Both types of institutions are considered to provide the same standard of healthcare and services, differing mainly with the medical and diagnostic facilities at hand.
These are staffed with qualified medical practitioners that are well-versed in English. The doctors are graduates of the many top reputable medical schools in the Philippines; most have pursued further studies and training in the United States. Likewise, the nurses are the products of the many credible nursing schools in the country. These same institutions have produced the many Filipino nurses working in the United States, Europe, Middle East, and other parts of the world.
Guangdong,,,,,
| Tayabas City | ||||
| Sariaya, Quezon | Pagbilao, Quezon | |||
| Lucena | ||||
| Tayabas Bay |
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