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Lipa City: The Crown Jewel of Batangas
Lipa City, with its strategic location in the heart of Southern Luzon, is Batangas Province's foremost commercial center. It serves as the crossroads for travelers going to southern Batangas, Quezon Province, and the Bicol Region, and as such is the distribution hub for goods from the said areas. It is also home to a large military base and training center for Air Force pilots.
Cradle of Revolutionaries and Reformers
The current location of Lipa City was first occupied in 1756, when settlers fleeing the eruption of Taal Volcano sought shelter in a highland valley between Mounts Makulot and Malarayat. The first settlers introduced the cultivation of coffee, a crop that has become synonymous with Batangas Province. Because of the coffee industry, Lipa eventually became the richest municipality in the country, prompting the Spanish Crown to elevate it to city status. Lipa City was also known as a livestock center, with its landscape being dotted with ranches and pasture.
Many of Batangas' prominent families sent their children to Lipa City to study in its schools. Many of these students later on became prominent figures in the Philippine independence movement, such as Apolinario Mabini, Miguel and Potenciano Malvar, Teodoro and Maximo Kalaw, and Claro M. Recto.
To this day, Lipa City remains the educational center of Batangas. Prominent schools include the Mabini Academy, New Era University - Lipa, and De La Salle Lipa. The Philippine State College of Aeronautics also has a campus in nearby Fernando Air Force Base.
Buying a House in Lipa City
Lipa City has become a leading residential center, attracting those who work and study in nearby towns and within the city itself. Residential developments include Amiya Rosa, Mahogany Place Lipa, Baseview Homes, and La Finca Farm and Country Club. With house prices ranging from P1.35 million to P11 million, one could take advantage of Lipa City's mild climate and rolling terrain without breaking the bank.
