Cavite & Batangas Provinces
CAVITE CITY
Today few foreign tourists visit Cavite City. The place seems only an extension of the capital city itself, and the atmosphere there is much the same as it is in any of the cities bordering Metro Manila - it's crowded and noisy. That's what one can have in Manila as well, plus Manila has numerous attractionns that may make the visitor willing to bear the racket. Therefore, there is indeed little purpose in going to Cavite City; if one leaves the capital, there are nicer destinations to chose.
But while the city is poor in attractions for today's tourists, it has a rich history. Based on the Manila Bulletin of September 7, 1990, these are the highlights of Cavite City's past.
In 1571, a Spanish expeditionary force landed on the sothwest coast of southern [central] Luzon. The invaders then marched southward until they reached a hookshaped peninsula. The land was swampy with many mangrove trees. They decided to settle where it was dry and there were palms and bushes.
The spot they picked is now called "Cavite." The name may have come from the word "hook" which in Tagalog is Kalawit, refering to the odd shape of the projecting finger of land. The word was shortened to "kawit" and a meaningless syllable which the natives used to end sentences,"eh," was added. K is not in the Castillan alphabet so the letter C was substituted, hence "Cavite."
It was actually the present town of Kawit where the Spanish first settled. Later they moved across the small bay to an ideal place for the repair and construction of ships. It was called Puerto de Cavite (Port of Cavite). Kawit was then designated Cavite Viejo or Old Cavite.
Puerto de Cavite is linked to the history of world trade. Spanish galleons, the then proud vessels of the trade lanes, sailed every July to Acapulco. Mexico. Some were built in Puerto de Cavite by skilled craftsmen. Between 1609 and 1616 the galleons Espiritu Santo and San Miguel, as well as naval frigates, were constructed in the shipyard of Cavite. The fame of the inhabitants in maritime construction remains to this day.
Constant threats of invasions by foreign powers and pirate raids led to the transformation of the puerto into a walled city. In 1590 the surrounding walls (murallas) and Fuerte Guadalupe on the south side were built. The forts of San Felipe and Porta Vaga were constructed in 1595 and 1602 respectively which completed the military and naval defense system.
Because of the puerto's importance and security given by the forts, it was a haven for churches convents and hospitals. Among those built were: the Franciscan's Hospital de San Jose for sailors and soldiers in 1591, the San Diego de Alcala convent in 1608, the Porta Vaga (La Ermita), San Juan de Dios, Santo Domingo Santa Monica (Recoletos), and San Pedro, the port's parish church. Spanish Governor Generals periodically took residence in the walled city of Cavite.
Further evidence of the importance of Puerto Cavite were the number of plazas and parks: Plaza de Armas across from San Felipe Fort, Plaza San Pedro across from the church and Plaza Soledad across from Porta Vaga. Paseo del Reparo was at the bayside.
Remains of this historical past existed after Spanish times the forts and the murrallas, the plazas and the parks. Residents went to church at San Pedro, Santa Nomica and Porta Vaga until all were destroyed during WWII.
By 1944 the misery was not over. With few exceptions, the people put up with the adversities of war and at the same time hoped the US would return. Scores of suspected guerillas were arrested and imprisoned. Many of them were executed. In 1944, on Christmas eve a group of prominent citizens were arrested and bayoneted, then buried in an unknown place at Sunset Beach resort.
The US forces finally entered Cavite City late in January of 1945 and life again returned to normal. Many of its residents found themselves broke after the lean waryears which had meant hunger and privation.There had been major (and some privates') looting of their homes after they left when the raids by Japanese planes began. Some of the guerillas who came into the city after the Japanese left went on a rampage of plunder.
By: Atty. Pedro R. Bautista, Jr. p. 434 Filipinas Retirement Paradise is located at barangay Sabang, Naic, Cavite. Its 72 hectare area boasts a lake and forest environment and is being developed for both balikbayan and foreign retirees, according to B. Rodriguez in Tempo June 3, 1991.
More on Cavite and Batangas:
This page: http://www.cockatoo.com/english/philippines/philippines_islands_cavite_batangas2.htm
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