| Nature and Science City of Los Baños Kalikasan at Siyensyang Lungsod ng Los Baños |
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| — Municipality — | |||
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| Nickname(s): Nature and Science City of the Philippines | |||
| Map of Laguna showing the location of Los Baños | |||
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Los Baños
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| Coordinates: | |||
| District | 2nd District of Laguna | ||
| Founded | September 15, 1615 | ||
| Barangays | 14 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Anthony Genuino (Bigkis Pinoy, 2010-2013) | ||
| • Vice Mayor | Josephine Sumangil (Bigkis Pinoy, 2010-2013) | ||
| Area | |||
| • Municipality | 54.22 km2 (20.9 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2007) | |||
| • Municipality | 98,631 | ||
| • Density | 1,819.1/km2 (4,711.4/sq mi) | ||
| • Metro | Laguna West Metropolitan | ||
| Time zone | PST (UTC+8) | ||
| ZIP code | 4030 | ||
| Dialing code | 49 | ||
| Income class | 1st | ||
| Population Census of Los Baños | |||
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| Census | Pop. | Rate | |
| 1995 | 71,683 |
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| 2000 | 82,027 | 2.93% | |
| 2007 | 98,631 | 2.58% | |
The Nature and Science City of Los Baños is a 1st class urban city in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 98,631 inhabitants in 17,030 households. It has a total land area of 56.5 square kilometers and is bordered on the south and southwest by Mount Makiling, on the north by Laguna de Bay, on the northwest by Calamba City and on the east by the town of Bay. The town is located 63 kilometers southeast of Manila and is accessible via the South Luzon Expressway.
The town lies on the northern slopes of the long dormant volcano Mount Makiling and is known among tourists for its hot spring resorts that dot the area. Los Baños also hosts the University of the Philippines, along with other foreign and local and international research centers, such as the International Rice Research Institute, the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity, the Philippine Rice Research Institute, Philippine Carabao Center at UPLB, and SEAMEO-SEARCA, making the town a temporary home for tens of thousands of undergraduate and graduate students, researchers and expatriates.
Aside from its importance in academics, science and research, Los Baños is a well-known tourist destination. Because of the town's proximity to Metro Manila, Los Baños' hot spring resorts are frequent weekend or summer getaways for residents of the vast metropolis and tourists from other places in the Philippines and abroad. Tourists who visit Los Baños also come to the several native delicacies stores in the town to buy the town's famous Buko pie (coconut meat pie).
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Los Baños started as a settlement, a barrio of Bay, called Mainit, the Tagalog term for "hot" and alludes to the thermal springs at the foot of Mount Makiling. By 1589, through a Franciscan Friar, it became popularly called by its present name: "Los Baños," which is Spanish for "bathing place."[1]
In 1595, a temporary building made of bamboo and cogon was built to serve as shelter for the patients who journeyed to Mainit to seek cures for their ailments. It was on September 15, 1615 when the Friars administered Los Baños as a separate town from Bay.[2]
The early traders from Las Pinas such as the "Eusebio clan" and from Manila the "Lopez clan" are considered the earliest to have established farming and business establishment in the area followed by the Kalaws, Bernardos, Clemente and De Castro clan whom are all related to each other. Presently although most of these pioneering families have migrated to other municipalities and overseas, the clan are still in monopoly on agriculture, business and education. In 1671, more permanent structures like churches and hospitals were built only to be destroyed by a fire in 1727. The structures were re-erected at a slow rate. The church which now stands in the municipal center of Los Baños dates back to 1851. The Spanish Governor's palace was built in 1879 but was only completed in 1892.
In 1909, the University of the Philippines College of Agriculture (UPCA) was established.
The UPCA became a Japanese camp for prisoners of war, an internment camp for allied nationals, a target of Kempetai punitive measures, and the headquarters of a secret organization of guerrillas. On February 23, 1945, US forces of the First Battalion, 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment led a combined amphibious and airborne raid against the Japanese prison of war camp, rescuing over 2,000 allied nationals. In order to haste the evacuation of civilians from their belongings, US forces and Filipino guerrillas were forced to burn the barracks before Japanese reinforcements would arrive to the area. Only Baker Hall, the armory-gymnasium, remained. Among those liberated, was a civilian purser named Frank W. Buckles, who subsequently lived to become America's eldest survivor of World War I.[3]
In early 50's a batch of bright young Filipino forestry graduates of the University of The Philippines College of Forestry (UPCF) made their way to "British North Borneo" (Sabah) on a pioneering quest that has contributed in the establishment of the "Sabah Forestry Department" in Malaysia, including the famous "Sepilok Research Centre" where it also shelters the world famous orang utan sanctuary. (Prominent UPLB foresters in Sabah, Malaysia, retired Forestry Officers: Mendoza, T.V.Eusebio Sr, Udarbe, Alavaso, Sario, Pascua, Dotimas, Padua, Siruno)
In 1959, the 10th World Scout Jamboree was held in Los Baños, with the theme "Building Tomorrow Today" with an attendance of 12,203 scouts.
In 1962, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) began its operation.
In 1979, the evolution and development of academic excellence in Los Baños moved the people of Los Baños to request then president Ferdinand Marcos to declare the municipality as "A Special University Zone", granted on 15 June 1982 by virtue of letter of instruction No. 883.
Los Baños was further declared as an "Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences Community" on 17 March 1982 by virtue of Executive Order No. 784 (Section 23).
On August 7, 2000, Los Baños was declared as a "Special Science and Nature City of the Philippines" through Presidential Proclamation No. 349 in recognition as a center for science and technology in the development of agriculture and preservation of the environment.
The 6th Flora Malesiana, a triennial gathering of people with botanical expertise regarding "Malesia," was held from September 20 to 24 in 2004. It provided a forum for Flora Malesiana members and encouraged publications on Malesian plants.
During the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, Los Baños played host to the aquatics events, with the newly-built Trace Aquatic Center serving as the venue.
The headquarters of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Center for Biodiversity was opened on August 8, 2006 at the DOST-Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, located at the College of Forestry, University of the Philippines, Los Baños. It coincided with the foundation day celebrations of the organization. The Philippines assumed the Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2006 and played host to the 12th ASEAN and East Asia Summits (held in Metro Cebu, January 2007).
In January 2007, the 5th ASEAN Inter-Club Age-Group Swimming Championships was held in the Trace Aqua Sports Center.
Los Baños also played host to the UAAP when the swimming competitions of the 70th, 71st and 72nd seasons were held at the Trace Aquatics Center.
Presently, Los Banos has the largest scientist community in South East Asia. Although it is a small town, it has contributed widely through scientific achievements and contributions locally and worldwide particularly on agriculture. A search through Google results in a list of international scientists in a range of fields who have come here to study.
Los Baños is politically subdivided into 14 barangays.
| Barangay | Captain |
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| Anos | Celerino L. Balasoto |
| Bagong Silang | Rufino A. Maloles |
| Bambang | Joselito C. Manzanares |
| Batong Malake | Nilo R. Lapiz |
| Baybayin[4] | Anselmo M. Lapitan |
| Bayog | Cesar L. Moldez |
| Lalakay | Gaudencio P. Macatangay |
| Maahas | Arnulfo P. Soriano |
| Malinta | Rolando L. Erroba |
| Mayondon | Victorio A. Reyes |
| Putho Tuntungin | Ronaldo N. Oñate |
| San Antonio | Mario E. Mundin |
| Tadlac | Juan Marvin S. Bautista |
| Timugan[4] | Florencio D. Bautista |
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