Biñan

On February 2, 2010, by the virtue of the Republic Act 9740, Biñan became a component city after its voters accepted the ratification in the plebiscite. It became the 4th city in the province and 139th in the Philippines.

Biñan is generally plain with 85.33 percent of its total area having a slope of zero to 2.5 percent. This covers all the 24 barangay except for small portions of Barangay Biñan and San Francisco having a slope ranging from 2.6 to 25 percent, meaning it is gently sloping to strongly sloping. With more than three-fourths of its area generally level to nearly level, this makes Biñan suitable for agricultural and urban development.

Of the eleven soil series that compose the land area of Laguna, Carmona and Gingua series covers about two types that can only be seen in Biñan. Carmona series covers about 2,577 hectares or 59.24 seen in Biñan's land area. Agricultural land in these areas is primarily devoted to rice and sugar production. Gingua series, on other hand, specifically the fine sandy type covers 315 hectares which is one of the most productive soils in Laguna where a variety of crops especially vegetables are grown profitably. The other two basic soil series comprising Biñan are Guadalupe series covering 660 hectares and Lipa series with 798 hectares.

Biñan comprises 24 barangays, all classified as urban. Barangay San Francisco occupies the largest area which is about 16.83 percent of Biñan while Barangay Casile has the smallest area with only 12 hectares or 0.27 percent.

Barangay Population (2010) [7] No. of households Santo Tomas (Calabuso) 38,990 6,726 Malaban 28,550 6,259 Dela Paz 29,568 5,505 San Francisco (Halang) 23,429 4,265 Canlalay 19,238 4,126 San Antonio 23,067 4,063 San Vicente 8,762 2,279 Platero 11,428 2,074 San Jose 5,839 1,271 Santo Niño 5,201 1,102 Soro-Soro 6,708 1,080 Santo Domingo 5,456 1,071 Tubigan 6,416 942 Poblacion 3,640 635 Mamplasan 6,086 599 Casile 3,427 557 Ganado 3,952 532 Timbao 8,746 410 Langkiwa 25,709 396 Loma 6,769 356 Malamig 2,929 243 Bungahan 1,709 196 Zapote 4,027 180 Biñan 3,750 97 Total 283,396 44,884

The climate of Biñan is characterized by two pronounced seasons; dry from November to April and wet during the rest of the year. Maximum rainfall occurs from June to September with an annual average rainfall of 200 mm. Biñan is protected by mountains in the peripheral areas, and thus it is making the area cooler.

San Isidro Labrador Parish Church, located at the downtown city plaza of Barangay Poblacion.

The majority of the people are Roman Catholics. Other religious groups include are The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (better known as the Mormons or LDS Church), the Members Church of God International (Ang Dating Daan/The Old Path/El Camino Antiguo), Biyaya Ng Diyos Christian Fellowship, United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), Jesus Is Lord Church (JIL), The United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Churches, Baptist and Bible Fundamental churches.

Manufacturing of footwear, headwear, Puto and special pasalubong like pinipig, ampaw etc.

Pavilion Mall

Notable malls and shopping centers in the city include the Southwoods Mall (managed by Megaworld), Pavilion Mall (managed by Ayala Malls), Biñan Central Mall, and Umbria Commercial Center.

Biñan has two industrial parks namely, the Laguna International Industrial Park (LIIP) and the Laguna Technopark Incorporated (LTI). The two industrial parks have created a good image in contributing favorably in Biñan as well as in the Philippine economy in terms of local employment and the generation of foreign exchange. To date, Biñan has benefited a large number of residents being employed in different companies there. To name a few, they are Honda Parts Manufacturing Corporation, Kito Corporation, Nissin Brake, Ryonan Electric, Cirtek Electronics, SunPower, Nidec Corporation, Isuzu Philippines, Atlas Copco, Diageo, Furukawa Electric, Takata, Toshiba Philippines, Optodev, Inc., Transitions Optical Philippines Inc., Hitachi Computer Products Asia, Amkor Technology Philippines, Inc., Integrated Microelectronics, Inc. (IMI), TDK, Gardenia Bakeries Philippines Inc., and several other multi-national companies.

An aerial perspective of the master plan for the One Asia Business Center.

As of 2008, Biñan, headed by its Historical, Tourism and Cultural Council has formed "Biñan Business Club", a non-government organization composed of all business establishments of the said municipality. The Biñan Business Club works to anticipate trends and provide support to help local business enterprises and the community face them head on. The Club commits itself to the essential aspects of economic development and poverty alleviation. It knows that the Biñan community counts on the help of the organization to attract, retain and enhance business through traditional and non-traditional strategies.

One Asia Business Center is a 10-hectare development located within the Jubilation New Biñan. This business park will be a major component of an integrated master planned development of Jubilation or what is called the New Biñan City which is composed of residential, commercial, recreational and institutional uses.[11]

Southwoods City

Inaugurated on July 25, 2012, Southwoods City, located in Barangay San Francisco, situated at Southwoods Exit along the South Luzon Expressway, has been proclaimed by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) as of July 2010 as a Special Economic Zone. It is a 15-hectare project which will include a strip mall, residential condominium towers, an outlet center, a lifestyle park and a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) center, among other facilities. This soon will become the Calabarzon's premiere BPO and shopping hub.[12]

The city is well known for its popular summer destination, Splash Island, the Philippines’ premiere water recreation theme park. It is located at Barangay San Francisco, accessible via South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) through Southwoods Exit.

The collapse of the Alberto Mansion.

In 2009, the National Cultural Heritage Act was signed into law, by the NHCP, stating that structures at least 50 years old are to receive special protection from the government. The Alberto house is more than 200 years old. According to the law, such buildings cannot be demolished without a permit from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts or NHCP. As national cultural treasures, they are entitled to privileges such as "priority government funding for protection, conservation and restoration." Also stated on the law, there should be a Conservation Incentive Program that encourages private individuals to restore and maintain such structures. The law further commands that an official heritage marker be placed by the cultural agency concerned to indicate that the immovable cultural property has been identified as a national historical site.[13]

Biñan is historically known as the place where José Rizal received his first formal education. He was about eight years old when he and his brother, Paciano left Calamba and settled in Biñan. There, he used to reside in his mother's ancestral home, owned by the family of Jose Alberto Alonzo, the father of Rizal's mother, Teodora Alonzo. The Alberto Mansion, built in the early 19th century, is a two-storey house with a floor area of about 600 square meters and is currently located at the Poblacion across from the city government building. The property has been passed down to his heir, Gerardo Alberto.[14] The city government of Biñan aimed to declare the Alberto Mansion a heritage site. The city council had approved the release of Php 20 million (about US$482,000.00) for the purchase of the 2,000-square-meter property, but Gerardo Alberto declined the offer and sold the 200-year-old mansion to Gerry Acuzar, owner of Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, a heritage resort in Bagac, Bataan. Much of the house's interior had been dismantled and brought to Bataan, where Acuzar is rebuilding it, using the doors, pillars and other appurtenances from the original structure.[15] Then on October 22, 2012, the house collapsed from its roof. The residents suspect that the dismantling of the interior of the house (without a demolition permit from the city government), might have caused the collapse of the roof.

The partial collapse of the mansion became a huge call to the Biñan government for the Alberto Mansion's expropriation.[16]

Heritage advocates led by the United Artists for Cultural Conservation and Development, City of Biñan Inc. (UACCD), the municipal government of Biñan, and its residents believe that only the current Philippine President can turn the tide. He can empower the National Historical Commission of the Philippines to restore and repair the house.[17]

The Sentrong Pangkultura ng Biñan (Biñan Center for Culture and Arts, or the Biñan old Municipal Building) houses the Biñan City Museum and the Biñan City Studies Center (Biñan City Archives). The building also the home of the Biñan Center for Performing Arts, which includes the following art groups: Biñan Metropolitan Chorus (chorale), Biñan Youth Performance Council (theater arts), Biñan Folkloric Dance Troupe (traditional dances) and Biñan Kawayan Music Ensemble (bamboo instrumentalists).

The Biñan City Culture, History, Arts and Tourism Office (BCHATO) is also housed on this building.

In 1869–1871, Dr. Jose P. Rizal received his first formal schooling in Biñan under the tutelage of Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz. Outside the school site is a national historical marker from the Philippine Historical Commission installed in 1958. On August 1, 2016, the City Government of Biñan opened the School of Rizal Site and Museum to the public after its acquisition from the Gonzales Family in 2015.

The three-day Araw ng Biñan, commemorates the cityhood anniversary (February 2), Biñan's liberation day from the Japanese Imperial Forces (February 3), and the remembrance of the founding anniversary of Biñan (February 5).

Happening every first week of February since 2011, the Puto Latik Festival is to commemorate the Puto Biñan, which is Biñan's rice cake delicacy, and the Maglalatik traditional dance that originated from Biñan. However, beginning 2017, it shall be celebrated every May 15–23, because of the Maglalatik's historical significance to the celebration of San Isidro Labrador's feast day, the city's patron saint.

The former mayor of Biñan, Marlyn Alonte, envisioned the new seal of the city, as Biñan became a city of the province of Laguna. The seal symbolized the following:

City seal

• The Rizal Monument is used to depict the heroism of the National Hero of the Philippines, Dr. José Rizal, who had his first formal education at Biñan under the tutelage of Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz who after a year and a half of tutelage advised the young Rizal to continue his education in Manila.
• The large mortar and pestle signify subterranean and earth-related resources, thus emblematizing the agricultural activities of the city, the renowned “Puto Biñan” and the “family” represents solidarity and the result of human industry and initiative in the areas of manufacturing and intellectual production.
• The “2010” represents the year that Republic Act 9740 was signed into law creating the City of Biñan and ratified by majority vote of its people during the plebiscite held on February 2, 2010.
• The book signifies the city's continuous quest for knowledge and its commitment to providing quality free education to its constituents.
• The industries represent the budding industries located at the Laguna Technopark and the Laguna International Industrial Park.
• The Heroes Monument symbolizes the bravery, sacrifice and valor of Biñan's ancestors.
• The pair of slippers had been adapted from the old Municipal Seal which, together with the cap represent the small businesses which originated from Biñan and entrepreneurial skills of its people.
• The 24 barangays that constitute the demographic profile of the Municipality of Biñan.
• Their golden color signifies their individual verdant and abundant indigenous resources readily available for conversion into productive and profitable uses.
• The elements enumerated above are encircled at the outer edge by a golden circle, wherein the words “City of Biñan” are written within.
• The two golden stars flanking the words “City of Biñan” represent Service and Integrity.

On January 26, 2015, a 15–0 vote from senators approved the House Bill 3917 in the third and final reading, amending the charter city of Biñan to a congressional district in Laguna and will be separated from the first district.[18] Republic Act 10658, which President Aquino signed into law on March 27, 2015, separated Biñan from the first legislative district of Laguna. Under the law, the incumbent representative of the first district of Laguna will continue to represent the new district until the expiration of his term. The Commission on Elections was tasked to issue the necessary rules and regulations to implement the measure within 30 days after its effectivity. Former Laguna First District Rep. Danilo Fernandez hailed the passage of the law, saying it would improve the delivery of services to Biñan residents. He said Biñan has met the population and revenue requirements to be a legislative district.[19]