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Lucena, officially the City of Lucena ( fil, Lungsod ng Lucena), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the
Calabarzon Calabarzon (), formally known as the Southern Tagalog Mainland, is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region IV-A. The region comprises five provinces: Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, and Rizal; and one highly urban ...
region of the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
. It is the capital city of the
province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outs ...
of
Quezon Quezon, officially the Province of Quezon ( tl, Lalawigan ng Quezon), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Kalilayan was the first known name of the province. It was later renamed Tayabas. In honor of the ...
where it is geographically situated but, in terms of government and administration, the city is politically independent from the province. For statistical and geographical purposes, Lucena is grouped with the province of
Quezon Quezon, officially the Province of Quezon ( tl, Lalawigan ng Quezon), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Kalilayan was the first known name of the province. It was later renamed Tayabas. In honor of the ...
. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 278,924 people.


History


Early history

In the 1570s, Captain
Juan de Salcedo Juan de Salcedo (; 1549 – March 11, 1576) was a Spanish- Novohispanic conquistador. He was born in Mexico in 1549 and he was the grandson of Miguel López de Legazpi and brother of Felipe de Salcedo. Salcedo was one of the soldiers who accompa ...
first explored what was then Kalilayan, later founded as a province in 1591. The
Franciscan , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...
priests Juan de Plasencia and Diego de Oropesa between 1580 and 1583 founded its town, also named Tayabas. Tayabas was organized by the Spaniards through the
Franciscan , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...
missionaries and Lucena was just one of its barrios. Tayabas became the provincial capital in 1749, renaming the province after it. The Spaniards of the 16th century called the area "Buenavista" because of its scenic beauty; several years later, the barrio was renamed "Oroquieta". A century later, Muslim pirates began terrorizing the entire Philippine coastline, and Oroquieta was not spared from the notorious raids. The barrio folks built forts along the seashores to defend it against the attacking pirates along the coast, particularly in the present-day Cotta and in Barangay Mayao, though these structures are no longer extant. Hence, the place became known as ''Cotta'', the Spanish form of the Tagalog "''kuta''" ("fort"). The growth of local maritime trade facilitated in the Cotta port and the final defeat of Moro pirates plying the Luzon and Visayan waters, afforded the growth of Lucena as a town which eventually led to its being the provincial capital of Tayabas in 1901. Finally on November 3, 1879, A royal decree was issued and the Orden Superior Civil officially adopted the name "Lucena" in honor of a Spanish friar by the name of ''Father Mariano Granja'' in
Andalucia Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a "historical nationality". The t ...
, Spain. Fr. Granja was responsible for the development of the barrio that became a
Parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one o ...
in 1881. Lucena became an independent municipality on June 1, 1882. During the 1896 Philippine Revolution, the people of Lucena showed their brand of patriotism. José Zaballero led the local revolutionists who were under the barrage of Spanish muskets. Later, Miguel Arguilles with Jose Barcelona as president formed a revolutionary government in Lucena. After Aguinaldo proclaimed the nation's independence on June 12, 1898, in
Kawit Kawit, officially the Municipality of Kawit ( tgl, Bayan ng Kawit), is a first-class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 107,535. It is one of the notable places that had ...
,
Cavite Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest o ...
, Gen.
Miguel Malvar Miguel Malvar y Carpio (September 27, 1865 – October 13, 1911) was a Filipino general who served during the Philippine Revolution and, subsequently, during the Philippine–American War. He assumed command of the Philippine revolutionary forc ...
, as Commanding General for Southern Luzon, took over Tayabas Province on August 15, 1898. Don Crisanto Marquez became Lucena's first elected Municipal president during the first Philippine Republic.


Filipino-American War

Lucena's fertile soil became soaked with the blood of many Filipinos and Americans at the outbreak of the Filipino-American War in 1899. The foreigners established a civil government in the country, and on March 12, 1901, the provincial capital was transferred from
Tayabas Tayabas, officially the City of Tayabas ( fil, Lungsod ng Tayabas), is a 6th class component city in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 112,658 people. It is known for ''lambanog'' (coco ...
to Lucena.


World War II

On December 27, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Forces overran the city of Lucena (''referred to by the locals as The Fall of Lucena''), just 19 days after they set foot on Philippine soil. The Japanese wanted to strengthen their military presence in the region, sending units to capture key points in the town. The invasion was initially successful however the Japanese Imperial Forces would soon encounter stiff resistance from members of the local resistance and members of the Hunters ROTC. The underground resistance movement was tenacious. Japanese Forces would be caught off-guard with surprise assaults which often resulted in fierce
close-quarters combat Close-quarters combat (CQC) or close-quarters battle (CQB) is a tactical situation that involves a physical fight with firearms involved between multiple combatants at short range. It can occur between military units, police/corrections officer ...
. Constant assaults and logistical issues would take its toll on the Japanese forces. By January 25, 1945, the Hunters ROTC guerrillas had penetrated into the town. Using their knowledge of the local surroundings to their advantage, they moved quickly in order prevent Japanese forces from organizing a proper defense. After a hard-fought offensive, the Filipino forces had successfully driven the Japanese out of Lucena. The people of Lucena would fortify their defenses in preparation for another assault. Attempts by the Japanese to re-establish their occupation of Lucena failed. Tayabas province stood by and waited for the American Liberation forces and the
Philippine Commonwealth The Commonwealth of the Philippines ( es, Commonwealth de Filipinas or ; tl, Komonwelt ng Pilipinas) was the administrative body that governed the Philippines from 1935 to 1946, aside from a period of exile in the Second World War from 1942 ...
troops, who would soon hand them their freedom on April 4, 1945.


Cityhood

Lucena was made into a chartered city through the efforts of then-Congressman Manuel S. Enverga of Quezon's 1st district. Republic Act No. 3271 lapsed into law on June 17, 1961, without the signature of then-President Carlos P. Garcia. The induction of its city officials led by then-Mayor Castro Profugo, as well as its formal inauguration took place on August 20, 1961, as formally stated on Section 90 of Republic Act No. 3271. On July 1, 1991, Lucena became a highly urbanized city, thereby making the city independent from the province.


Geography

It is situated south of
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
. The city proper is wedged between two rivers, Dumacaa River on the east and Iyam River on the west. Seven other rivers and six creeks serve as natural drainage for the city. Its port on the coast along Tayabas Bay is home to several boat and ferry lines operating and serving the sea lanes between Lucena and the different points in the region and as far as the
Visayas The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands ( Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; tl, Kabisayaan ), are one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao. Located in the central part of the archipelago, ...
. There exists a Lucena Airport (''known locally as Landing'') located west of AMA College Lucena Campus but is no longer usable.
Light aircraft A light aircraft is an aircraft that has a maximum gross takeoff weight of or less.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 308. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. Light aircraft are used as utility aircraft c ...
can no longer make use of it as a road was built as an intersection during the presidency of
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...
. Being the provincial capital, Lucena is host to most of the branches of governmental agencies, businesses, banks and service facilities in the
Southern Tagalog Southern Tagalog ( fil, Timog Katagalugan, also known colloquially as ''Rehiyong Timog Tagalog''), designated as Region IV, was an administrative region in the Philippines that comprised the current regions of Calabarzon and Mimaropa, the provi ...
region.


Barangays

Lucena is politically subdivided into 33
barangay A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolitan ...
s.


Climate

Lucena falls under ''Type III'' of the Corona's climatic classification system. It is characterized by no pronounced wet and dry seasons. Generally, the wet season is from June to November and sometimes extends up to December when the southwest monsoon is predominant. The dry season is from January to May but is sometimes interrupted by erratic rainfall. The annual mean temperature is , with February as the coldest month with temperatures dropping to , and May as the warmest month with temperatures reaching up to . Habagat monsoon winds pass through the province from June to October while northeasterly winds or Amihan blows through the islands from December to February.


Demographics


Economy


Retail and commerce

Economic activities in Lucena are heavily concentrated in the '' poblacion (bayan)'' and other suburban barangays where the highly dense and constricted
central business district A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...
(CBD) is home to a large cluster of different business enterprises. As population grows in tandem with new and promising business prospects, business activities spill over adjoining barangays, thus forming mini satellite commercial areas. Other commercial strips are located in the ''poblacion'' and suburban barangays where both retail and wholesale trade, including other essential services, are being engaged in. Lucena City features SM City Lucena, the biggest mall in the city located in Ibabang Dupay, which is also one of the first SM Malls in
Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, a ...
. Other Shopping Centers Include: Pacific Mall Lucena (''Metro Gaisano Mall''), SM Savemore Agora, Puregold Gulang-Gulang Lucena and many more.


Industries

Big factories and warehouses are present in these suburban barangays like San Miguel Brewery,
Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc. Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI, formerly Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines, Inc.) is a Philippine-based company engaged in the bottling and distribution of Coca-Cola products in the country. CCBPI is part of the Bottling Investment Gro ...
, PepsiCo Philippines, Inc., Asia Brewery, Inc. Nestlé Philippines, and Ginebra San Miguel, Inc. (formerly La Tondeña Distillers Inc.), do business in sales, distribution, and transport of assorted business products in bulk. Of the total land area of Lucena City, 19 percent or cover the existing built up area. Almost 3% of this or cover the industrial section, located in different barangays of the city. These areas are home to significant industrial and manufacturing activities. Industry in Lucena produces a sustainable amount of agro-industrial-based products, dried and
smoked fish Smoked fish is fish that has been cured by smoking. Foods have been smoked by humans throughout history. Originally this was done as a preservative. In more recent times fish is readily preserved by refrigeration and freezing and the smoking of ...
, distilled liquors,
bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, b ...
and rattan furniture, ornamental flowers/plants, vegetable as well as meat products. Lucena is also known as the "Cocopalm City of the South". Nestled midst a wide expanse of coconut lands, Lucena has
coconut oil frameless , right , alt = A cracked coconut and a bottle of coconut oil Coconut oil (or coconut butter) is an edible oil derived from the wick, meat, and milk of the coconut palm fruit. Coconut oil is a white solid fat; in warmer climates du ...
mills which produce oil-based household products like
cooking oil Cooking oil is plant, animal, or synthetic liquid fat used in frying, baking, and other types of cooking. It is also used in food preparation and flavoring not involving heat, such as salad dressings and bread dips, and may be called edible oil ...
,
soap Soap is a salt of a fatty acid used in a variety of cleansing and lubricating products. In a domestic setting, soaps are surfactants usually used for washing, bathing, and other types of housekeeping. In industrial settings, soaps are used a ...
,
lard Lard is a semi-solid white fat product obtained by rendering the fatty tissue of a pig.Lard
entry in the ...
,
margarine Margarine (, also , ) is a spread used for flavoring, baking, and cooking. It is most often used as a substitute for butter. Although originally made from animal fats, most margarine consumed today is made from vegetable oil. The spread was or ...
, and oil-based medicines. Exora Cooking Oil and Vegetable Lard, and Miyami Cooking Oil are proudly made in this city. Tantuco Industries, JnJ Oil Industries, Inc., and Monaco Oil Company are some of the well-known coconut oil companies in the city. Car assembly and manufacturing plants have also established in the city, while
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
-based car shops are starting to put up some branches like Toyota-Lucena, Isuzu-Lucena, SFM-Lucena, and
Foton Motor BAIC Foton Motor Co., Ltd. ( ), known as Foton Motor or Foton, is a Chinese company that designs and manufactures trucks, buses and sport utility vehicles . It is headquartered in Changping, Beijing, and is a subsidiary of the BAIC Group. Hist ...
. San Pedro Shipping Yard (''Subsidiary of MSLI'') is also located in Dalahican.


Places of interest

Road network provides access from all key cities and towns in the island of
Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, a ...
to this highly urbanized city. Well-paved radial and by-pass routes criss-crossing in and out of the city facilitate the transport of unlimited assortment of merchandise, supplies, and raw materials to and from the city on a round-the-clock basis. Over the years, it was observed that a growing number of visitors from other places come to Lucena. Travelers of various types and sizes are drawn to Lucena because of modern facilities and good amenities that could be found in the city such as the Quezon Convention Center when the City of Lucena hosted the 2004 SEABA Under-18 Championship qualifying tournament for the 2004 FIBA Asia Under-18 Championship in
India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
, Kalilayan Civic Centre, Sentro Pastoral Auditorium, Alcala Sports Complex a two time host of a
Palarong Pambansa The Palarong Pambansa ( Filipino for "National Games") is an annual multi-sport event involving student-athletes from 17 regions of the Philippines. The event, started in 1948, is organized and governed by the Department of Education. Student- ...
(1976, 1989), Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation Gymnasium, Sacred Heart College Gymnasium, and Marcial Punzalan Gymnasium.


Religious landmarks

* Saint Ferdinand Cathedral, Barangay V *Saint Jude Thaddeus Parish Church, Barangay Cotta *Carmel of Saint Joseph Monastery, Barangay XI *Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Church, Barangay Ibabang Iyam *Our Lady of Peñafrancia Parish Church Diocesan Shrine, Hermanas Capistrano Subdivision, Barangay Gulang-Gulang *St. Alphonsus Regional Seminary, Barangay Isabang *St. Andrew The Apostle Chapel, Camp Guillermo Nakar, Barangay Gulang-Gulang *Church of the Holy Face of Jesus, University Village (Site), Barangay Ibabang Dupay *St. Raphael The Archangel Parish, Barangay Dalahican *St. Isidore Labrador, Barangay Ibabang Dupay *Holy Family Church, Centro Pastoral Compound, Barangay Isabang *Our Lady Of Miraculous Medal Chapel, Barangay IX


Natural attractions

*Botanical Garden *Orchids Country Farm *Perez Park *Eco Park


Festivals

Pasayahan sa Lucena was conceptualized to showcase the natural and ecological interrelationship and independence between nature and man. It also promotes the ways of life inherent among the people of Lucena. All these find exquisite and appreciative expressions through a mammoth gathering of colors, outlandish costumes and symbolic floats reminiscent of
Mardi Gras Mardi Gras (, ) refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday. is French for " ...
in
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a ...
and
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
. Originally intended as three days of spirited merrymaking in the streets, the event has become weeklong tourist attraction, culminating on May 30 in time for the celebration of the Feast of St. Ferdinand, the patron saint of Lucena. Another feast highlighting the entire celebration is the Chami Festival that would feature Lucena's very own pansit delicacy. The traditional Chami Festival has a contest of who can cook the most delicious chami. The contestants line up along Quezon Avenue, the city's main road, armed with their cooking utensils and will be provided free chami noodles, meat and other condiments for the cooking fest. All participants were also given cash incentive, gift packs from various sponsors. After the cooking, the spectators were given a chance to eat for free the different taste of chami. They wanted that through this chami cooking festival this city will become a destination of our local and foreign tourists every merry month of May.


Government

Pursuant to ''Chapter II, Title II, Book III of Republic Act No. 7160'' or the ''Local Government Code of 1991'', the city government is to be composed of a
mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
(''alkalde''), a
vice mayor The deputy mayor (also known as vice mayor, assistant mayor, or mayor ''pro tem'') is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official that is present in many, but not all, local governments. Duties and functions Many elected depu ...
(''bise alkalde'') and
members Member may refer to: * Military jury, referred to as "Members" in military jargon * Element (mathematics), an object that belongs to a mathematical set * In object-oriented programming, a member of a class ** Field (computer science), entries in ...
(''kagawad'') of the legislative branch
Sangguniang Panlungsod The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) is the local legislative body of a city governments in the Philippines. The name of the legislative body comes from the Tagalog words "''sanggunian''" ("council") – ultimately from the rootword "''sangguni''" ( ...
alongside a secretary to the said legislature, all of which are elected to a three-year term and are eligible to run for three consecutive terms.


Elected officials


List of former chief executives

Head of the Municipality during the Spanish Occupation: *Jorge Zaballero (1896) ''(Captain Municipal)'' *Crisanto Márquez ''(First Municipal President of Lucena)'' Municipal Presidents during the American Civil Government: *Gabriel Cord (1902–1903) *Gregorio Márquez (1903–1904) *Juan Carmona (1904–1906) *Venancio Queblar (1906–1910) *Feliciano Zoleta (1910–1912) *Fortunato Álvarez (1912–1916) *Pedro Nieva (1916–1919, 1919–1922) *José Nava (1922–1925) *Venancio Queblar (1925–1928) *Domingo Gamboa (1928–1931) *Fernando Barcelona (1931–1934) Mayors under the Commonwealth Government: *Federico V. Márquez (1940–1943) *José Mendoza (1943–1944) *Teotimo Atienza (1944–1945) Acting Mayors (After World War II): *Julian Zoleta (April 1945) *Federico Márquez (May 1945) *Honorio Abadilla (October 1946) Elected Mayors: *Amando Zaballero (1947–1952) *Honorio Abadilla (1952–1955) *Casto T. Profugo (1955–1960, 1961–1963) *Mario L. Tagarao (1963–1967, 1967–1971, 1971–1981,1981–1986) *Euclides Abcede (May 1986 – November 1987) (appointed) *Romeo Mendoza (December 4–7, 1987) (appointed) *Julio T. Alzona (December 8, 1987 – February 7, 1988) (appointed) *Cesar Zaballero (February 8, 1988 – June 1992) *Ramon Y. Talaga, Jr. (1992–1995, 1995–1998) *Bernard G. Tagarao (1998 – May 12, 2000) *Ramon Y. Talaga, Jr. (May 13, 2000 – June 30, 2010) *Barbara "Ruby" C. Talaga (2010 – October 2012) *Roderick "Dondon" A. Alcala (November 2012 – 2022) *Mark Don Victor B. Alcala (2022–Present) ;Notes


Infrastructure


Transportation

Lucena City has a central transportation hub called the Lucena Grand Central Terminal located in Barangay Ilayang Dupay, just midway through the
Bicol Region Bicol, known formally as the Bicol Region or colloquially as Bicolandia ( bcl, Rehiyon kan Bikol; Rinconada Bikol: ''Rehiyon ka Bikol''; Waray Sorsogon, Masbateño: ''Rehiyon san Bikol''; tl, Rehiyon ng Bikol), is an administrative region o ...
and back. The Lucena Grand Central Terminal also hosts the Lucena City Land Transportation Office (LTO) where aspiring drivers can get their driver's license and where drivers can get their license renewed. New and modern buses ply the route Buendia/LRT1-Lucena, EDSA Pasay-Lucena, Cubao/Kamias-Lucena and Alabang/Starmall-Lucena or UV Express Van to
Taytay, Rizal Taytay, officially the Municipality of Taytay ( tgl, Bayan ng Taytay; ), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. It is also known as the Garments Capital of the Philippines. Most occupation of the residents are rela ...
Via
Antipolo Antipolo, officially known as the City of Antipolo ( fil, Lungsod ng Antipolo), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Rizal, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 887,399 people. It is the mo ...
,
Manila East Road The Manila East Road, also known as National Road and National Highway, is a two-to-four lane primary and secondary highway connecting Metro Manila to the provinces of Rizal and Laguna in the Philippines. Since 2014, the entire road is a part ...
, Pililla Wind Farm and Laguna East, Lucban,
Tayabas Tayabas, officially the City of Tayabas ( fil, Lungsod ng Tayabas), is a 6th class component city in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 112,658 people. It is known for ''lambanog'' (coco ...
. It serves not only
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
-bound buses but also buses going toward the upland and far-flung areas of Quezon province, particularly Bondoc Peninsula towns. Bus companies such as JAC Liner, Lucena Lines, JAM Liner, DLTBCo and N. Dela Rosa Bus Lines bring passengers to Manila and Lucena back and forth. Lucena also has a wide network of jeepney routes, all emanating from the city proper (''Bayan'') and reaching out to the major barangays of the city, as well as nearby towns. Thousand of tricycles also roam the streets of the city, bringing passengers right at their point of destination. These tricycles usually are the mode of transport when night falls. The
South Luzon Expressway The South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), signed as E2 of the Philippine expressway network and R-3 of the Metro Manila arterial road network, is a limited-access toll expressway that connects Metro Manila to the provinces in the Calabarzon region ...
(
SLEX The South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), signed as E2 of the Philippine expressway network and R-3 of the Metro Manila arterial road network, is a limited-access toll expressway that connects Metro Manila to the provinces in the Calabarzon region ...
) Toll Road 4 (TR-4) Extension from
Santo Tomas, Batangas Santo Tomas, officially the City of Santo Tomas ('' fil, Lungsod ng Santo Tomas''), is a 1st class component city in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 218,500 people. With the continuo ...
will end in Lucena City at the connection of
Maharlika Highway The Pan-Philippine Highway, also known as the Maharlika Highway ( tl, Daang Maharlika; ceb, Dalang Halangdon), is a network of roads, expressways, bridges, and ferry services that connect the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao in t ...
at Barangay Mayao. It is supposed to be finished by 2019 but moved to 2022. Furthermore, taxis as mode of transportation are available servicing passengers in this city. There is an expressway project to Bicol planned to extend the
South Luzon Expressway The South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), signed as E2 of the Philippine expressway network and R-3 of the Metro Manila arterial road network, is a limited-access toll expressway that connects Metro Manila to the provinces in the Calabarzon region ...
to Matnog, Sorsogon as SLEX Toll Road 5. There exists a Lucena Airport, but no commercial flights come to the city. Even light aircraft can not make use of the facilities. The
Philippine National Railways The Philippine National Railways (PNR) ( fil, Pambansang Daang-Bakal ng Pilipinas and es, Ferrocarril Nacional de Filipinas) is a government-owned and controlled corporation, state-owned railway company in the Philippines which operates one ...
(PNR) is on the process of rehabilitating the existing
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
- Bicol and
Baguio Baguio ( , ), officially the City of Baguio ( ilo, Siudad ti Baguio; fil, Lungsod ng Baguio), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines" ...
- Bicol Railway Line, which includes stops in
Quezon province Quezon, officially the Province of Quezon ( tl, Lalawigan ng Quezon), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Kalilayan was the first known name of the province. It was later renamed Tayabas. In honor of the ...
, including PNR Lucena station, which traditionally then is a major loading & pick-up point for passengers and cargoes alike when the railway system was once the primary transportation mode going to Manila. Modern air-conditioned coaches will ply this route. Despite undergoing renovation, PNR Lucena station is still active servicing passengers to and from San Pablo City daily. The Passenger Ferry Terminal in Lucena has RORO vessels that transport passengers across Tayabas Bay to
Marinduque Marinduque (; ), officially the Province of Marinduque, is an island province in the Philippines located in Southwestern Tagalog Region or Mimaropa, formerly designated as Region IV-B. Its capital is the municipality of Boac. Marinduque lies ...
,
Romblon Romblon ( , ), officially the Province of Romblon, is an archipelagic province of the Philippines located in the Mimaropa region. Its main islands include Tablas, the largest, which covers nine municipalities; Sibuyan with its three towns; as ...
and
Masbate Masbate, officially the Province of Masbate ( Masbateño: ''Probinsya san Masbate''; tl, Lalawigan ng Masbate), is an island province in the Philippines located near the midsection of the nation's archipelago. Its provincial capital is Masbate ...
. The Port of Lucena, located southeast of
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
, is known as the gateway and melting pot city of Southern
Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, a ...
. The port complex is built along the fishing village of Barangay Talao-Talao, a kilometer away to the east of Dalahican Fishing Port. The total port area of TMO Lucena is . Operational area of 576.00 square meters and commercial area of 4,598.75 square meters as delineated under Executive order No. 199 dated September 20, 1994, signed by then President
Fidel V. Ramos Fidel Valdez Ramos (, ; March 18, 1928 – July 31, 2022), popularly known as FVR and Eddie Ramos, was a Filipino general and politician who served as the 12th president of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. He was the only career military ...
. The port is accessible via the paved provincial road connecting the Dalahican Road and a rough causeway leading to the port. It is 27 nautical miles to Dalahican, and 57 nautical miles to
Batangas City Batangas City, officially the City of Batangas ( fil, Lungsod ng Batangas), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 351,437 people. Batangas City ...
and sea distance to
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
is 150 nautical miles. Passenger ferry services include Montenegro Shipping Lines and Star Horse Shipping Lines.


Communication

Lucena City is served by
landline A landline (land line, land-line, main line, home phone, fixed-line, and wireline) is a telephone connection that uses metal wires or optical fiber telephone line for transmission, as distinguished from a mobile cellular network, which uses ...
and
mobile phone A mobile phone, cellular phone, cell phone, cellphone, handphone, hand phone or pocket phone, sometimes shortened to simply mobile, cell, or just phone, is a portable telephone that can make and receive calls over a radio frequency link wh ...
companies like the
Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
(PLDT) and Digitel Telecommunications (PLDT-Digitel). Major mobile phone providers in the area include
Globe A globe is a spherical model of Earth, of some other celestial body, or of the celestial sphere. Globes serve purposes similar to maps, but unlike maps, they do not distort the surface that they portray except to scale it down. A model globe of ...
, Smart,
DITO Telecommunity Dito Telecommunity Corporation (stylized as DITO), formerly known as Mindanao Islamic Telephone Company, Inc. or Mislatel is a telecommunications company in the Philippines which is also engaged in the business of multimedia and information te ...
, Sun Cellular, and Asian Vision.
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio wav ...
providers like
Converge ICT Converge ICT Solutions Inc., commonly referred to as Converge (also known as ComClark in Pampanga), is a telecommunication service provider in the Philippines. It operates fiber optic broadband networks, Internet Protocol television (marketed as ...
also operate within the city.


Hospitals

Lucena has private and public
hospital A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized Medical Science, health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically ...
s that are capable of providing most common and advanced medical services, as well as in handling medical emergencies. Both types of institutions are considered to provide the same standard of healthcare and services, differing mainly with the medical and diagnostic facilities at hand. These are staffed with qualified medical practitioners that are well-versed in English. The doctors are graduates of the many top reputable medical schools in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
; most have pursued further studies and training in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
. Likewise, the nurses are the products of the many credible nursing schools in the country. These same institutions have produced the many Filipino nurses working in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
, Europe,
Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...
, and other parts of the world.


Education

In 2006, the city had a literacy rate of 98.6 percent. Lucena City has numerous tertiary and secondary schools, including public and private. The tertiary education system in Lucena provides instruction and training in fields of study, both for baccalaureate degrees and vocational courses. Institutions offering degree programs including Liberal Arts, Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and Information Technology include the Lucena Campus of Southern Luzon State University, STI College Lucena along Quezon Avenue cor. Don Perez St., ABE International College of Business and Economics along Quezon Avenue, Philtech Institute of Arts and Technology Inc. (PIAT), Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation, City College of Lucena along the Maharlika Highway, Columbus College-Lucena, AMA Computer College-Lucena, Sacred Heart College (''Lucena'') (''the oldest Catholic school in Quezon Province''), the International School of Better Beginnings (ISBB), Calayan Educational Foundation, Inc., and
Maryhill College Maryhill College ( fil, Dalubhasaang Maryhill) formerly Maryknoll is a non-stock, non-profit Roman Catholic basic and higher educational institution in Lucena City, Philippines. It was founded in 1938 initially named as Lucena Catholic Schoo ...
. Aside from tertiary schools, the city also has an expanse footprint on the pre-school, primary and secondary levels of education, both in public and private schools such as the Infant Jesus Montessori Center Philippines (IJMCP), Saint Philomena School, International School for Better Beginnings (ISBB), and the Holy Rosary Catholic School. There are numerous day-care centers found all over the city.


Notable personalities

* Encarnacion Alzona, historian, National Scientist of the Philippines, chairwoman of the
National Historical Commission The National Historical Commission of the Philippines ( fil, Pambansang Komisyong Pangkasaysayan ng Pilipinas, abbreviated NHCP) is a government agency of the Philippines. Its mission is "the promotion of Philippine history and cultural heritag ...
from 1966 to 1967, and the first Filipino woman to receive a
Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...
* Nilo Alcala, composer, 2019 The American Prize Winner in Composition. First Philippine-born composer to be commissioned by Grammy-winner Los Angeles Master Chorale, and also to receive the Aaron Copland House Residency Award; Natatanging Lucenahin 2021. * Proceso J. Alcala, 12th Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and graduate of Luzonian University Foundation (now MSEUF) * Fides Cuyugan-Asensio,
National Artist of the Philippines The Order of National Artists of the Philippines ( Filipino: ''Orden ng mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining ng Pilipinas'') is an order bestowed by the Philippines on Filipinos who have made significant contributions to the development of Philipp ...
for Music * Jessie Dellosa, 43rd AFP Chief of Staff and graduate of
Quezon National High School Quezon National High School (QNHS) is a major public secondary science high school in Brgy. Ibabang Iyam, Lucena, Philippines, Lucena City, Philippines. It is one of the largest contingent national high schools in the Philippines, both by size an ...
. *
Jenny Miller Jenny Miller (born February 5, 1980) is a Filipino actress. She is known on her role as Beverly Castro in the TV remake of the 1989 film '' Babangon Ako't Dudurugin Kita'' that aired on GMA Network in 2008 and she is currently a freelance artis ...
, Filipina actress and graduate of Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation *
Mau Marcelo Maureen "Mau" Flores Marcelo (born May 13, 1980)
Philippine Idol website features section
is a Philippine Idol talent search in 2006 and graduate of Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation * Neil Ryan Sese, film and theatre actor at
GMA Network GMA Network (Global Media Arts or simply GMA) is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine free-to-air television network, television and radio network, radio network. It is the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network (company), GMA ...
* Paz Márquez-Benítez, Filipina short-story writer and graduate of
Quezon National High School Quezon National High School (QNHS) is a major public secondary science high school in Brgy. Ibabang Iyam, Lucena, Philippines, Lucena City, Philippines. It is one of the largest contingent national high schools in the Philippines, both by size an ...
* Rita Gaviola, viral ' Badjao' girl and former Pinoy Big Brother: Lucky 7 housemate * Mitch Talao,
transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through t ...
mother and former Pinoy Big Brother: Otso housemate *Joseph Morong, reporter and news anchor at
GMA Network GMA Network (Global Media Arts or simply GMA) is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine free-to-air television network, television and radio network, radio network. It is the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network (company), GMA ...
, part of the Malacañang Press Corps * PBGEN Rhoderick C. Armamento, acting director, Philippine National Police Academy/PNPA, former deputy director of CIDG, he was also the previous Quezon Police Provincial Office Director *Anjo Alimario, Senior reporter and news anchor at
CNN Philippines CNN Philippines (abbreviated as CNN PH) is a commercial broadcast, cable and satellite television network in the Philippines. It is owned and operated by Nine Media Corporation, together with Radio Philippines Network (RPN) as the main conte ...
, part of the Judiciary Beat *Eian Rances, former Pinoy Big Brother: Kumunity Season 10 Celebrity housemate, Kumu Streamer and PIE Channel Jock


Sister cities

* Tayabas City,
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
*
General Santos City General Santos, officially the City of General Santos,; hil, Dakbanwa sang Heneral Santos; Maguindanao: ''Ingud nu Heneral Santos''; Blaan: ''Banwe Dadiangas''; Tboli: ''Benwu Dadiangas''; Filipino: ''Lungsod ng Heneral Santos'' and abbre ...
,
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...


References


External links

* Philippine Standard Geographic Codebr>Philippine Census Information
{{Authority control Cities in Quezon Highly urbanized cities in the Philippines Port cities and towns in the Philippines Provincial capitals of the Philippines Populated places established in 1882 1882 establishments in the Philippines