San Pedro Was a Tuna Garden

Tuna is a plant belonging to the cactus family. It grows with prickly nodes on its broad leaves or stems. It is a medicinal herb. Folks used it as shampoo and as a remedy for back pains and menstruation conditions of women.

This plant is in abundance in a village belonging to the widespread territory of Tabuco, thus it got the name “Tunasan.”

Immediately after Captain Juan de Salcedo dominated the region, Tunasan became a part of a big track of land King Philip II of Spain awarded to Don Esteban Rodriguez de Guigeroa, known as Adelantado de Mindanao. Don Esteban caught the attention of the king after beating a band of Moro bandits in Sulu.

In March 1576, Don Esteban executed his last will and testament. He granted all his properties in the Philippines and Mexico to his wife, indicating that if his wife will die without leaving natural heirs, all his properties including its proceeds shall go to the establishment of a seminary.

This caused the influx of Augustinian priests in Tunasan. Augustinian friars established residences at Don Esteban’s Tunasan estate.

Later the Jesuits of Collegio de San Jose came to Tunasan. They built an “Ermita (a chapel or shrine),” which they dedicated to St. Peter the Apostle.

In 1725, Tunasan by order of the Spanish government broke away from the town of Tabuco to be a separate town. Tabuco, which is the present day Cabuyao once, included Tunasan (present day San Pedro, Biñan, Bucol (Present day Santa Rosa) and Hacienda San Juan Bautista (present day Calamba).

The former Tunasan estate became part of what was to be known as San Pedro Tunasan. At the time of its foundation, the Alcalde Mayor (Provincial executive) appointed a Gobernadorcillo (petty governor of mayor). The Barangays of Cuyab, San Antonio, Landayan and Poblacion comprised the new San Pedro Tunasan, each of the barangays have a Cabeza de Barangay (village chief).

In 1762, King Charles II of Spain relieved the Jesuits from the administration of the Tunasan estate. Like Hacienda San Juan Bautista in Calamba, the Spanish government sold the property through public auction to other religious orders.

Much later in 1612, and 1880, San Vicente and San Roque joined the other barangays, and then Estrella, Langgam, Laram and Bagong Silang in 1914 to 1917.

Later, Nueva was added to become a barrio of San Pedro in 1973.

During the American regime, on January 1, 1903, when the federal government clustered towns for more efficient administrative control, Biñan integrated San Pedro, however after four years, San Pedro regained its township.