Paete

Paete, officially the Municipality of Paete (Tagalog: Bayan ng Paete), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 24,945 people.^[5]

Paete
Municipality
Municipality of Paete
Paete Church, Quesada Street, Three Crosses, Aerial view
Flag Seal
Nickname:  Woodcarving Capital of the Philippines[1]
Map of Laguna with Paete highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Paete Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 14°22′N 121°29′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Calabarzon
Province	Laguna
District	4th district
Founded	July 25, 1580[2]
Barangays	9 (see Barangays)
Government  [3]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• mayor of Paete[*]	Ronald B. Cosico
• Vice Mayor	Virgilio L. Madridejos Jr.
• Representative	Maria Jamina Katherine B. Agarao
• Municipal Council	Members Florence Jude V. Cadawas Lorena B. Velasco Carmen E. Valdellon Roman Pedro M. Baldemor Anna Patricia A. Adao Joshua Ryan I. Alvarez Marcelino H. Baisas Mark Anthony B. Bagamano
• Electorate	19,648 voters (2022)
Area [4]
• Total	55.02 km2 (21.24 sq mi)
Elevation	168 m (551 ft)
Highest elevation	536 m (1,759 ft)
Lowest elevation	−1 m (−3 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[5]
• Total	24,945
• Density	450/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
• Households	5,883
Economy
• Income class	4th municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	7.02 % (2021)[6]
• Revenue	₱ 115.2 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 208.7 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 108.9 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 60.47 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	First Laguna Electric Cooperative (FLECO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	4016
PSGC	043418000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)49
Native languages	Tagalog
Website	www.paete.gov.ph

The town is located at the north-eastern part of Laguna. From Manila, Paete can be reaches passing through Rizal Province via Manila East Road or Via South Luzon Expressway. Along the shores of picturesque Laguna de Bay. It was founded in 1580 by Spanish friars Juan de Plasencia and Diego de Oropesa of the Franciscan Order. It is believed that the earliest inhabitants were of Malay lineage, coming all the way from Borneo in their swift and sturdy boats called "Balangay". Paete is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Santa Cruz, 102 kilometres (63 mi) from Manila, and 63 kilometres (39 mi) from Lucena.

Etymology

The name of Paete is derived from the Tagalog word paet, which means chisel. The proper pronunciation of the town's name is Pī-té, long i, short guttural ê, sound at the end. The town was referred to as "Piety" by the American Maryknoll Missioners when they came to the town in the late 1950s.^[7]

History

Pre-Spanish Era

Before the Spaniards came, Paete was said to be a village under Gat Lakampawid, a native ruler from the ancient village of Lihan, a relative to Gatmaitim, Gat Silayan, Gat Pakil, the rulers of old town of Pakil. These native rulers from Old Lihan (now Malolos, Bulacan) was scattered along the suburbs of Kingdom of Tondo in the south and settled there. The Spanish friars had a tradition of naming towns they built in honor of saints. Paete was an exception. Legend has it that there was once a young Franciscan priest who was tasked by his superior to visit their newly founded settlements alongside Laguna de Bay. The priest knew little about the terrain so he asked a native the name of the place. The latter misinterpreted the young friar, thinking that the former wanted to know the name of the tool he was using. He answered, Paét (chisel), thus, the name Paete.

Sargento Mayor Juan de Salcedo was the first Spaniard to set foot in Paete. He was on his way to explore the gold-rich region of Paracale in Bicol. His men first encountered some resistance from the settlers of what is now Cainta in Rizal Province, but as expected, easily defeated the lightly armed natives. Then he ventured to the lakeside barangays of Laguna de Bay on his way to Bicol.

Spanish Colonial Era

Around 1580, Paete was established as a pueblo by the Friars. Juan de Plasencia and Diego Oropesa. Due to a death of the prior of Paete at that time, Paete was annexed to the Convent of Lumban. Then in 1600, Paete became a barrio of Pangil. In 1602, Paete became independent town having its own convent and was christened Pueblo de San Lorenzo in honor of the town's first patron saint. The pueblo consisted not only of Paete, but included the neighboring towns of Pakil, San Antonio, Longos and Kalayaan.^[8] In 1671, Fray Francisco Soller reenacted the Via Crucis to resuscitate the people's waning faith. He carried a cross from the town proper up to Mt. Ping-as in Pakil. In 1676, when Pakil became a separate pueblo, the townspeople of Paete wanted crosses of their own, so they built and located them in sitio Santa Ana, and named the site Tatlong Krus (Three Crosses). Paete regained its full township status only in 1850.^{[citation needed]}

American Colonial Era

In 1899, American forces launched the Laguna campaign to subjugate the whole province and squelch insurrection. On the last leg of the campaign on April 12, an American battalion of 200 men invaded Paete but met strong resistance from an inexperienced force of less than 50 men. The town was subdued but it proved to be a costly battle for the Americans.

World War II and Japanese Occupation

In 1942, Japanese troops occupied Paete, local recognized guerrillas and ongoing troops under the Philippine Commonwealth Army units were sieges and conflicts in Paete was fought against the Imperial Japanese military and local collaborators from 1942 to 1944 until retreat by local guerrillas from the Japanese hands. In 1945, combined Filipino and American soldiers, as well as recognized guerrillas liberated Paete and defeat by the Japanese and ended in World War II.

Geography

Barangays

Paete is politically subdivided into 9 barangays. ^[9] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

PSGC	Barangay	Population			±% p.a.
		2020[5]		2010[10]
043420001	Bagumbayan	22.1%	5,503	4,556	▴	1.91%
043420002	Bangkusay	1.9%	474	542	▾	−1.33%
043420003	Ermita	2.2%	556	583	▾	−0.47%
043420004	Ibaba del Norte	12.5%	3,108	3,024	▴	0.27%
043420005	Ibaba del Sur	9.1%	2,277	2,630	▾	−1.43%
043420006	Ilaya de Norte	9.6%	2,392	1,973	▴	1.94%
043420007	Ilaya del Sur	6.3%	1,571	1,390	▴	1.23%
043420008	Maytoong	7.3%	1,809	1,790	▴	0.11%
043420009	Quinale	29.1%	7,255	7,035	▴	0.31%
	Total		24,945	23,523	▴	0.59%

Climate

Climate data for Paete, Laguna
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	26 (79)	27 (81)	29 (84)	31 (88)	31 (88)	30 (86)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	28 (82)	26 (79)	29 (84)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	22 (72)	22 (72)	22 (72)	23 (73)	24 (75)	25 (77)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	23 (74)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	58 (2.3)	41 (1.6)	32 (1.3)	29 (1.1)	91 (3.6)	143 (5.6)	181 (7.1)	162 (6.4)	172 (6.8)	164 (6.5)	113 (4.4)	121 (4.8)	1,307 (51.5)
Average rainy days	13.4	9.3	9.1	9.8	19.1	22.9	26.6	24.9	25.0	21.4	16.5	16.5	214.5
Source: Meteoblue[11]

Demographics

Population census of Paete

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	3,047	—
1918	4,183	+2.13%
1939	4,536	+0.39%
1948	5,546	+2.26%
1960	7,443	+2.48%
1970	11,601	+4.53%
1975	14,733	+4.91%
1980	16,383	+2.15%
1990	20,579	+2.31%
1995	21,809	+1.09%
2000	23,011	+1.16%
2007	24,696	+0.98%
2010	23,523	−1.76%
2015	25,096	+1.24%
2020	24,945	−0.12%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[12][10][13][14]

In the 2020 census, the population of Paete was 24,945 people,^[5] with a density of 450 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,200 inhabitants per square mile.

Religion

The Saint James the Apostle Parish Church simply known as Paete Church

The only Catholic Church in the town is the Saint James the Apostle Parish Church which was first built in 1646.

Paete is also a pilgrimage site. One of the primary products of the town's woodcarving industry are carving of pu-on or images of saints.^[15] The town's patron saint is St. James the Apostle, also known as St. James the Great. Residents celebrate his feastday every 25 July. The 1st Patron Saint of Paete is St. Lawrence, the deacon.

St. Anthony the Abbot is a secondary patron of the town and his feast is celebrated by the townsfolk every January 17. The patron has a stone chapel locally known as Ermita as a shrine dedicated to him. There is a town legend related to the saint where a town native sneaked in the chapel during a conflagration and took a statue the St. Anthony to bathe it in the river. Following this, it began to rain and the fire was extinguished, an event considered as a miracle by the townsfolk.^[16]

Economy

Poverty incidence of Paete

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2006 2.20 2009 3.23 2012 7.69 2015 5.41 2018 5.39 2021 7.02 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]

Wood carving shop in Paete

The town has had a long reputation for its craftsmen highly skilled in wood carving and its embellishment. In 1887, José Rizal described Paete as a town where "carpenter shops" were issuing images "even those more rudely carved" (chapter VI, Noli Me Tangere). Even now, its inhabitants (called Paeteños or Paetenians) continue with their centuries-old tradition in carving and painting. Its statues, pulpits, murals and bas relief are found in churches, palaces and museums all over the world, including the St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York, the Mission Dolorosa in San Francisco, the San Cayetano Church in Mexico, the St. Joseph's shrine in Santa Cruz, California, various churches in the Philippines and the Ayala Museum in Makati, Philippines.^{[citation needed]} The official town hero is not a statesman nor a soldier but a woodcarver, the master artisan Mariano Madriñan, whose obra maestra, the lifelike Mater Dolorosa, was honored by the King of Spain with a prestigious award in Amsterdam in 1882. The town was proclaimed "the Carving Capital of the Philippines" on March 15, 2005, by Philippine President Arroyo.^[25]

DIY taka workshop kit created by the Adao Family from Paete, Laguna

Taka (taká), papier maché made using carved wooden sculpture used as a mold, also originated from Paete. It is also believed that the modern yo-yo, which originated in the Philippines, was invented in Paete.^[26]

Many descendants of these artisans have found a niche in the culinary world. Ice sculptures and fruit and vegetable carvings done by Paeteños abound on buffet tables of cruise ships and world-class hotels and restaurants. Today the town thrives mainly on the sale and export of woodcarvings and taka, tourism, poultry industry, farming and fishing.

Gallery

• 
  Municipal Hall
• 
  Town Plaza
• 
  Liceo de Paete
• 
  A mural inside Paete Church

See also

• Battle of Paete
• Tatlong Krus (Paete, Laguna)

Footnotes

1. Department of Tourism - The Philippine's Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourist
2. "Nana Nena ng Kawit". 21 July 2014.
3.  Municipality of Paete | (DILG)
4. "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
5. Census of Population (2020). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
6. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
7. Cagahastian, Marie (April 1999). "Origin of "Paete"". About Paete. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
8. "Historical Background". Official Website of Paete. Paete Municipal Government. Archived from the original on 22 September 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
9. "Province: Laguna". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
10. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
11. "Paete: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
12. Census of Population (2015). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
13. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
14. "Province of Laguna". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
15. Cagahastian, Marie (April 1999). "Religious Art in Paete". About Paete. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
16. Cagahastian, Marie (April 1999). "Feast of San Antonio Abad". About Paete. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
17. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
18. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
19. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
20. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
21. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
22. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
23. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
24. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
25. "Proclamation No. 809, s. 2005". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
26. Pruden, Marie Cagahastian Castillo. About Paete: April 1999

References

• Madridejos, Sancho. Zonification of Paete. copyright@2003, paete.org
• Madriñan, Virgil. Lanzones. copyright@2003, paete.org.
• Pruden, Marie Cagahastian. Paete on My Mind. copyright@2003, paete.org
• Quesada, Eugenio C. Paete. 1956. Manila, Philippines
• Quesada, Frank Col. Freedom at Dawn: 7-part series. copyright@2003, paete.org
• Quesada, Frank Col. World War II in Paete. copyright@2003, paete.org
• Quesada, Juan, Jr. Paete: The Once And Future Village. copyright@2003, paete.org

External links

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Official website