San Nicolas, Batangas

San Nicolas
Municipality
Municipality of San Nicolas
San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish Church
Seal
Map of Batangas with San Nicolas highlighted
OpenStreetMap
San Nicolas Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 13°55′42″N120°57′04″E / 13.92825°N 120.951°E / 13.92825; 120.951
Country	Philippines
Region	Calabarzon
Province	Batangas
District	3rd district
Founded	June 1, 1955
Named after	St. Nicholas of Tolentino
Barangays	18 (see Barangays)
Government   [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
•  Mayor	Lester D. de Sagun
•  Vice Mayor	Mark J. de Sagun
•  Representative	King George Leandro Antonio V. Collantes
•  Municipal Council	Members August D. Perez Marie Kristine Joy M. Obligar Christopher A. Barrion Marivic M. Ondo Ruelito M. De Sagun Agapito H. Gardiola Victor G. Sandoval Gemetrio T. Umandap
•  Electorate	16,051 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	14.37 km2 (5.55 sq mi)
Elevation	47 m (154 ft)
Highest elevation	286 m (938 ft)
Lowest elevation	5 m (16 ft)
Population  (2024 census) [3]
• Total	24,392
• Density	1,700/km2 (4,400/sq mi)
•  Households	5,209
Economy
•  Income class	5th municipal income class
•  Poverty incidence	8 % (2021) [4]
•  Revenue	₱ 145.6 million (2022)
•  Assets	₱ 309.2 million (2022)
•  Expenditure	₱ 108 million (2022)
•  Liabilities	₱ 26.36 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Batangas 1 Electric Cooperative (BATELEC 1)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	4207
PSGC	0401025000
IDD  :  area code	+63 (0)43
Native languages	Tagalog

San Nicolas, officially the Municipality of San Nicolas (Tagalog : Bayan ng San Nicolas), is a municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 23,908 people. ^[5]

San Nicolas is derived from Spanish for Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, the town's patron saint. ^[6]

Before 1955, San Nicolas was part of Taal. However, in 1955, with the enactment of Republic Act No. 1229, the municipality, as well as the barrios of San Nicolas - Gipit, Bangin, Pansipit, Calangay, Sinturisan, Talang, Abilo, Balete, Bancora, Saimsim, Maabud, Mulawin, Tambo, Calumala, Alasas, Calawit and Pulang-bato - were created after it split from Taal. The effect entered into force on June 1, 1955.

History

Ruins of the old site of Taal Basilica in Poblacion, San Nicolas

San Nicolas traces its roots to barrio Wawa, which was once part of the municipality of Taal. The barrio also covered areas of what is now Alitagtag, Agoncillo, Lemery, and San Luis, according to old locals. It was first inhabited by Malays from Borneo. It was the site of Taal's second municipal center from its establishment in 1572 to 1754, during the peak of Moro piracy. ^[6] Taal was designated as the provincial capital of Batangas from 1732 to 1754. ^[7] The 1754 Taal Volcano eruption, which lasted for months, greatly destroyed the area, making Taal move its municipal center to its present location near Balayan Bay. ^[8] After which, Wawa was renamed to San Nicolas. ^[6]

In 1955, the barrios of San Nicolas, Abelo, Alas-as, Balete, Bancoro, Bangin, Calangay, Calawit, Calumala, Hipit, Maabud, Munlawin, Pansipit, Pulang-Bato, Saimsim, Sinturisan, Talang, and Tambo were separated from Taal and constituted into a new and separate municipality known as San Nicolas. ^[9] In 1957, the following sitios were converted into independent barrios: Burol from Tambo, ^[10] Tagudtod from Munlawin, ^[11] Kalawit and Pulang-Bato from Alas-as, ^{[12] [13]} and Baluk-Baluk from Hipit. ^[14] In 1961, the barrios of Calumala, Tambo, Saimsim and Bucal were separated from San Nicolas to form parts of the new municipality of Santa Teresita. ^[15]

It was on the night of June 25, 1954 that the San Nicolas Ladies Club tendered a party in honor of Miss Marcelina de Sagun for passing the Board of Midwifery, when some old folks in the persons of Atty. Exequiel D. Caringal, Mr. Jose Caringal, Mr. Herminigildo de Sagun, Mr. Alfredo Umali, Mr. Ireneo Matienzo, Mr. Teodoro S. Mayuga and Mr. Maximo Atienza conceived the idea of converting Bo. San Nicolas into a new municipality. Neighboring barangay residents were consulted and a unanimous decision was established favoring the proposal. Not only was a committee formed, but also a delegation to the President, headed by then Provincial Governor Feliciano Leviste and Senator Jose P. Laurel. However, the Municipal Mayor of Taal, Hon. Ignacio Ilagan, with his avid followers, opposed the move. The committee requested Congressman Apolinario R. Apacible to file a bill in Congress. The Representative immediately filed House Bill No. 3407, co-sponsored by Congressman Macias, which ultimately led to the creation of the Municipality of San Nicolas. ^[16]

The first appointed Mayor (August 09, 1955) and first elected Mayor (November 09, 1959) of San Nicolas, Batangas is Atty. Exequiel D. Caringal.

Geography

San Nicolas welcome arch at its boundary with Taal

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the municipality has a land area of 14.37 square kilometers (5.55 sq mi)  ^[17] constituting 0.46% of the 3,119.75-square-kilometer (1,204.54 sq mi) total area of Batangas.

The municipality also occupies the southern half of Taal Volcano, shared by the municipality of Talisay in the northern half.

Barangays

San Nicolas is politically subdivided into 18 barangays, as shown in the matrix below. ^[18] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

PSGC	Barangay	Population			±% p.a.
		2024 [19]		2010 [20]
041025001	Abelo	4.0%	978	869	▴	0.83%
041025002	Balete	7.5%	1,822	1,759	▴	0.25%
041025003	Baluk‑baluk	3.8%	916	804	▴	0.92%
041025004	Bancoro	10.9%	2,648	2,549	▴	0.27%
041025005	Bangin	8.2%	2,008	1,910	▴	0.35%
041025006	Calangay	7.5%	1,834	1,651	▴	0.74%
041025007	Hipit	2.6%	623	571	▴	0.61%
041025009	Maabud North	4.1%	991	982	▴	0.06%
041025010	Maabud South	2.9%	696	682	▴	0.14%
041025011	Munlawin	4.0%	976	774	▴	1.64%
041025012	Pansipit	1.8%	446	422	▴	0.39%
041025013	Poblacion	10.2%	2,481	2,416	▴	0.19%
041025014	Santo Niño	3.8%	919	826	▴	0.75%
041025015	Sinturisan	8.0%	1,947	1,710	▴	0.91%
041025016	Tagudtod	2.6%	631	623	▴	0.09%
041025017	Talang	3.0%	721	667	▴	0.55%
041025018	Alas‑as	5.4%	1,327	901	▴	2.75%
041025019	Pulang‑Bato	2.7%	659	483	▴	2.20%
	Total		24,392	20,599	▴	1.19%

Climate

Climate data for San Nicolas, Batangas
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	29 (84)	30 (86)	31 (88)	33 (91)	32 (90)	30 (86)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	30 (86)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	20 (68)	20 (68)	21 (70)	22 (72)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	22 (72)	21 (70)	22 (72)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	11 (0.4)	13 (0.5)	14 (0.6)	32 (1.3)	101 (4.0)	142 (5.6)	208 (8.2)	187 (7.4)	175 (6.9)	131 (5.2)	68 (2.7)	39 (1.5)	1,121 (44.3)
Average rainy days	5.2	5.0	7.4	11.5	19.8	23.5	27.0	25.9	25.2	23.2	15.5	8.3	197.5
Source: Meteoblue [21]

Demographics

Population census of San Nicolas

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1960	9,575	—
1970	8,742	−0.90%
1975	8,877	+0.31%
1980	10,511	+3.44%
1990	13,174	+2.28%
1995	14,509	+1.83%
2000	16,278	+2.50%
2007	19,046	+2.19%
2010	20,599	+2.89%
2015	22,623	+1.80%
2020	23,908	+1.17%
2024	24,392	+0.48%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [22] [23] [20] [24] [25]

In the 2020 census, San Nicolas had a population of 23,908. ^[26]

Economy

San Nicolas Public Market

Poverty incidence of San Nicolas

5 10 15 20 25 30 2000 25.54 2003 22.86 2006 14.90 2009 5.34 2012 10.63 2015 12.12 2018 19.62 2021 8.00 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34]

Politics

Lester De Sagun has been the mayor of San Nicolas since 2019. ^[35]

Sister city

• Tagaytay, Cavite, Philippines ^[36]

References

1.   Municipality of San Nicolas | (DILG)
2. "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.
3. "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
4. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
5. "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
6. History and Cultural Life of the Barrio of San Nicolas. 1953.
7. "Brief History". Official Website of the Province of Batangas. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
8. Hargrove, Thomas (1991). The Mysteries of Taal: A Philippine volcano and lake, her sea life and lost towns. Manila: Bookmark Publishing. pp. 13, 33–55. ISBN   9715690467.
9. Republic Act No. 1229 (June 1, 1955), "An Act Creating the Municipality of San Nicolas, Province of Batangas", The Corpus Juris, retrieved February 14, 2023
10. Republic Act No. 1684 (June 20, 1957), "An Act Creating the Barrio of Burol in the Municipality of San Nicolas, Province of Batangas", The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation, Inc., retrieved February 14, 2023
11. Republic Act No. 1683 (June 20, 1957), "An Act Creating the Barrio of Tagodtod in the Municipality of San Nicolas, Province of Batangas", The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation, Inc., retrieved February 14, 2023
12. Republic Act No. 1685 (June 20, 1957), "An Act Creating the Barrio of Kalawit in the Municipality of San Nicolas, Province of Batangas", The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation, Inc., retrieved February 14, 2023
13. Republic Act No. 1687 (June 20, 1957), "An Act Creating the Barrio of Pulang-bato in the Municipality of San Nicolas, Province of Batangas", The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation, Inc., retrieved February 14, 2023
14. Republic Act No. 1686 (June 20, 1957), "An Act Creating the Barrio of Baluk-balok in the Municipality of San Nicolas, Province of Batangas", The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation, Inc., retrieved February 14, 2023
15. Executive Order No. 454, s. 1961 (December 28, 1961), "Creating the municipality of Sta. Teresita in the Province of Batangas", Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines , retrieved February 14, 2023
16. "History of San Nicolas". Prezi. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
17. "Province:". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 12 November 2016.
18. "Municipal: San Nicolas, Batangas". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 8 January 2016.
19. Census of Population (2020). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 8 July 2021.
20. 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.
21. "San Nicolas: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
22. "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
23. Census of Population (2015). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 20 June 2016.
24. 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.
25. "Province of". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
26. "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
27. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
28. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
29. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
30. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
31. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
32. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
33. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
34. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
35. Lando, Roy (2020-03-24). "Lester De Sagun Biography - PeoPlaid Profile". PeoPlaid. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
36. "PIA | Philippine Information Agency | Sisterhood agreement between Tagaytay and San Nicolas signed". Philippine Information Agency. Archived from the original on 21 December 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2022.

External links

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code