THE BARANGAY: Calamba Barangays and their name's meaning

The Barangay is the smallest unit of the Philippine government. The name “barangay” is a Malay word that describes a kind of boat used by a group of Austronesian peoples when they migrated to the Philippines. Since the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century, well-organized independent barangays already exist. The first barangays started as relatively small communities of around 50 to 100 families. Most of the ancient barangays were coastal or riverine in nature. This is because most of the people were relying on fishing for supply of protein and for their livelihood.

During the Spanish rule, through a resettlement policy called the Reducción, smaller scattered barangays were consolidated to form compact towns. Each barangay was headed by the cabeza de barangay, who formed part of the Principalía- the elite ruling class of the municipalities of the Spanish Philippines. This position was inherited from the first datus, and came to be known as such during the Spanish regime. When the Americans arrived, they renamed the barangays “Barrios,” which is a Spanish word that means neighborhood. Slight changes in the structure of local government were effected and Councils comprising four members were created to assist the cabeza de barangay which was renamed Barrio Lieutenant. It was later named Barrio Council, and then Barangay Council.

The Spanish term barrio was used for much of the 20th century until President Ferdinand Marcos ordered their reverting to barangays in the 1970s and abolishing the Barrio Council. The name survived the 1986 EDSA Revolution. After the 1986 EDSA Revolution and the drafting of the 1987 Constitution, the Municipal Council was restored, making the barangay the smallest unit of Philippine government.

Naming the barangays when the first Philippine settlers arrived in the Philippines was made in different ways. Some were named after the characteristic of the land, like Calamba’s Barangay Mapagong, which means “where many turtles thrive,” Mabato, which is a rocky plane, Sirang Lupa meaning “unproductive soil,” Puting Lupa, which means “white soil,” Halang, means “Crossing.” or "Junction,"Bucal, a “spring,” Pansol, a “spring water drawing system,” Bagong Kalsada means “new road,” Looc is a “Bay” Sucol is “in a corner”, Burol is a “hill” and La Mesa, named during the Spanish period, “a flat- topped hill,” Batino is “a small tree while Palo Alto means "tall tree",” Jornalan (Paid in installment) or Kay-anlog (Anlog’s property). Barandal came from the Spanish word “Barandilla,” "railing" or "baluster," Punta is a Spanish word meaning “tip” or “end,” as in “en la punta de la lengua“ (At the tip of the tongue).Bunggo, means a bump of land, “an edge” or boundary and Lawa, means a "lake" or a "pond." Real means "royal" or "noble." Banlic is "silt carried by flood water."

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Others were named according to their use. During the Spanish rule Barangay Laguerta was called La Huerta, which means “the garden,” Majada, means a “sheep pen or corral,” Lecheria, used to be a “dairy farm,” Parian was a “Chinese community,” Sampiruhan was a “samphire plantation,” Masili was a “Chili garden,” Bubuyan was a “Kapok or Bubuy orchard,” Prinza means “dam,” and Turbina is a “turbine” used to be located in the area, Tulo, now called Milagrosa is a drop of land or a point at the foot of Mt. Makiling and Barangay Makiling was named after the majestic mountain. Bañadero is Spanish for a "puddle" or a "small pond" used for bathing animals, sometimes people and Camaligan is a "grain storage building."

Some were named after their patron saints like San Cristobal, San Juan and San Jose. Lingga was named after an object of veneration by the Hindus. On the other hand, Paciano was named after Dr. Jose Rizal's brother Paciano Rizal.

Others are ambiguations, like Maunong, which could be “Marunong,” Saimsim, which could also be “Taimtim,” or Mayapa, which could have come from the Tagalog word “Mapayapa,” Uwisan may have evolved from “Buwisan”- a tenant sharing system or an "encomienda. during the Spanish rule, or Palingon (Palingon-lingon) meaning “Looking around.” Ulango could have originated from "Elango," which is a Hindu baby name meaning "prince."