History Calauan, Laguna

the fertile soil of calauan attracted attention of captain juan de salcedo, when passed through laguna , tayabas (now quezon) on way bicol region in 1570. ten years later, spanish authorities established town government 2 kilometers site of present poblacion, in barrio mabacan. called townsite “calauan” (tagalog word rust). following in epidemic in 1703, town moved present site @ fork of 3 roads---now south-west leading san pablo city, other southeastward sta. cruz, provincial capital, , third going north manila.

at turn of 18th century, when bay designated provincial capital of laguna, calauan became sitio of bay. merchants going southern luzon passed through bay , calauan. 1 of them, opulent spaniard name of iñigo, bought large tracts of land in calauan in 1812. landholdings of iñigo and, later, of heirs vast many portions still unsettled. property , still is, known hacienda calauan. century later, people of calauan fought “guardia civil” during philippine revolution. basilio geiroza (better known cabesang basilio) , men routed battalion of “guardia civiles” in five-hour battle in bario cupangan (now lamot i) in december 1897. during subsequent philippine-american hostilities, calauan patriots fought numerically superior forces of general otis in barrio san diego of san pablo. establishment of civilian authority in calauan in 1902, americans assigned mariano marfori first “presidente”. hacienda calauan financed construction of hospital in 1926, , mariano o. marfori, jr. son of first municipal presidente, hospital director , resident physician, respectively.

in 1939, request of president quezon, doña margarita roxas vda. de soriano, granddaughter of spaniard inigo, subdivided hacienda calauan , sold tenants, part of remained converted rest house , swimming pool , became 1 of tourist attractions until 1956.

in 1993, town became focus of media attention when antonio sánchez, serving mayor @ time, got involved double murder case involving 2 uplb students. sánchez , several other men given life sentence.