Cabuyao (), officially the City of Cabuyao (), is a component city in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2025 census, it has a population of 365,202 people.
It used to be known as the "richest municipality in the Philippines" Companies such as Nestlé Philippines, Asia Brewery, Inc., San Miguel Corporation, Tanduay Distillers, Inc., Wyeth Philippines, Inc., Procter & Gamble Philippines, Light Industry and Science Park of the Philippines and Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna have established factories or are located in Cabuyao.
By virtue of Republic Act No. 10163, the municipality of Cabuyao was converted to a component city after the ratification of a plebiscite held on August 4, 2012.
Etymology
Cabuyao was once the central part of Tabuco, a large territory that included the modern-day cities of San Pedro, Biñan, Santa Rosa, and Calamba. The name "Cabuyao" came from the kabuyaw tree, Citrus hystrix.
The town of Tabuco was located near the junction of a river and the lake of Ba-i where bancas (rafts) were the common means of transportation. Many kabuyaw trees grew in the area, and their fruit was used as shampoo. When the priest asked for the name of the place, the local women answered "kabuyaw", believing that the priest was asking for the name of the trees growing around the wharf. From then on, the priests and Spanish officials referred to the town as Cabuyao.
History
Precolonial era
One of the biggest villages established in the western portion of the lake was "Tabuko" or "Hangganang Ilog" which means boundary in the native language. Tabuko had no definite boundary except for natural landmarks such as the mountain, hills and the lake. The boundary of Tabuko reached the mountain range of Sungay on the west, Mount Makiling on the south, the lake of Ba-i on the east, and the large track of quicksand at Tunasan on the north.
Spanish era
In the summer of 1896, news spread over Cabuyao that the province of Cavite had revolted against the Spanish government. Anticipating the disorder it would bring to the community, Lt. Isabelo Virtucio organized a volunteer group to fight against the Spanish government. He coordinated with the different leaders of the revolutionary groups, and his group joined the forces of General Paciano Rizal, the brother of the Philippine national hero, José Rizal. The group adopted guerrilla warfare in fighting the Spaniards, ambushing and putting up traps on the roads used by their enemy. It took almost two years before the Spanish armed forces surrendered in 1898. or an Act Converting the Municipality of Cabuyao into a Component City of the Province of Laguna. The bill was referred to the Committee on Local Government dated December 13, 2010, and substituted to House Bill No. 4259. The Municipal Mayor as well as the residents of the town fully supported the measure and they looked forward to Cabuyao becoming a city since it was fully deserving and qualified. After the successful readings and committee hearings of the bill, both in the House of Congress and Senate, the bill was approved by the senate on January 16, 2012, the same date as Cabuyao's 441st founding anniversary.
On May 16, 2012, President Benigno Aquino III approved House Bill No. 4259 or the Cabuyao City Charter and signed into law The Cabuyao Fishing Port can be found on barangay Marinig where many Cabuyeños and Cabuyeñas undertake zumba every Saturday and Sunday at sunrise.
Cabuyao has the following rivers:
- Cabuyao River – Between the boundary of Santa Rosa and Cabuyao.
- Marinig River – Between the boundary of barangays Bigaa and Marinig. The river is connected from Niugan-Sala River and flows directed to Laguna de Bay.
- Niugan-Sala River – The river flows along the boundary of the barangays Niugan and Sala.
- Tiway-Tiway River – The most famous river of the town. The river flows towards Laguna de Bay.
- San Cristobal River – Between the boundary of Calamba and Cabuyao.
The ricefields or ricelands in Cabuyao are found in barangay Bigaa, Butong, Marinig, Gulod, Baclaran, Mamatid, San Isidro, Pulo, Banay-Banay, Niugan and Sala. As of 2004, the total area of riceland is 940.56 hectares (9.4056 in square kilometers) and 468 farmers as per data of the City Agriculture Office.
Narra Trees are planted along the Poblacion-Marinig Road and besides the compound of the City Hall of Cabuyao. Agricultural crops are palay, squash, garlic, watermelon, pineapple, coffee and other fruit bearing plants.
Barangays
Cabuyao is politically divided into 18 barangays - as indicated in the matrix below - which are all classified as urban. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!No.
!Barangay
!Population (2024)
!Land Area (km<sup>2</sup>)
!Land Area (hectares)
|-
|1
|Baclaran
|14,399
|1.74525
|174.5
|-
|2
|Banay-Banay
|25,157
|3.10125
|310.1
|-
|3
|Banlic
|20,549
|2.3
|230
|-
|4
|Bigaa
|12,018
|2.091
|209.1
|-
|5
|Butong
|14,505
|1.62
|162
|-
|6
|Casile
|4,661
|3.18
|318
|-
|7
|Diezmo
|6,495
|1.59
|159
|-
|8
|Gulod
|2,1643
|4.087
|408.7
|-
|9
|Mamatid
|56,237
|2.6
|260
|-
|10
|Marinig
|64,301
|3.915
|391.5
|-
|11
|Niugan
|26,899
|3.52027
|352
|-
|12
|Pittland
|5,486
|2.91
|291
|-
|13
|Pulo
|41,837
|3.0
|300
|-
|14
|Sala
|14,841
|1.546
|154.6
|-
|15
|San Isidro
|26,022
|3.14585
|314.6
|-
|16
|Barangay I Poblacion
|4,621
|0.23017
|23
|-
|17
|Barangay II Poblacion
|3,324
|0.23333
|23.3
|-
|18
|Barangay III Poblacion
|2,216
|0.2365
|23.7
|}
Climate
Demographics
Population
In the 2024 census, Cabuyao had a population of 365,202 people.
Thus, the city surpassed San Pedro, making it the 4th largest local government unit and city of Laguna. The city has a population density of .
{| style="font-size:94%;vertical-align:top;margin:0 auto;"
|
|}
The total number of households in Cabuyao as of 2020 is 100,875. The city has an Average Annual Growth Rate (AAGR) of +4.3% in the past 10 years (from 2010 to 2020).
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!No.
!Barangay
!Rank
!Population (2010)
!Population
(2020)
!Population Density (2020)
!No. of Households (2020)
!Average Annual Growth Rate (Population)
|-
| 1 || Baclaran || 9th || 12,192
|14,606
|8,369/km<sup>2</sup>
|3,697|| 1.98%
|-
| 2 || Banay-Banay || 4th || 21,934
|34,260
|11,047/km<sup>2</sup>
|10,495|| 5.62%
|-
| 3 || Banlic || 7th || 12,675
|20,646
|8,977/km<sup>2</sup>
| 6,785|| 6.29%
|-
| 4 || Bigaa || 10th || 10,051
|13,665
|6,535/km<sup>2</sup>
| 3,879|| 3.6%
|-
| 5 || Butong || 8th || 12,360
|14,764
|9,114/km<sup>2</sup>
| 3,725|| 1.94%
|-
| 6 || Casile || 16th || 2,128
|3,619
|1,138/km<sup>2</sup>
| 1,020|| 7.0%
|-
| 7 || Diezmo || 15th || 2,681
|6,622
|4,165/km<sup>2</sup>
| 1,972|| 14.7%
|-
| 8 || Gulod || 11th || 9,417
|17,215
|4,212/km<sup>2</sup>
| 4,545|| 8.28%
|-
| 9 || Mamatid || 1st ||| 50,213
|61,085
|23,494/km<sup>2</sup>
| 15,515|| 2.17%
|-
| 10 || Marinig || 2nd || 37,169
|45,343
|11,582/km<sup>2</sup>
| 12,156|| 2.2%
|-
| 11 || Niugan || 3rd || 26,807
|38,576
|10,958/km<sup>2</sup>
| 12,178|| 4.4%
|-
| 12 || Pittland || 18th || 1,740
|6,052
|2,080/km<sup>2</sup>
| 1,920|| 24.8%
|-
| 13 || Pulo || 6th || 15,124
|35,113
|11,704/km<sup>2</sup>
| 10,524|| 13.22%
|-
| 14 || Sala || 12th || 8,275
|10,903
|7,052/km<sup>2</sup>
| 3,134|| 3.18%
|-
| 15 || San Isidro || 5th || 18,145
|23,324
|7,414/km<sup>2</sup>
| 6,322|| 2.85%
|-
| 16 || Barangay I Poblacion || 14th || 2,839
|3,690
|16,032/km<sup>2</sup>
| 1,165|| 3.0%
|-
| 17 || Barangay II Poblacion || 17th || 1,840
|1,573
|6,742/km<sup>2</sup>
| 486|| -1.45%
|-
| 18 || Barangay III Poblacion || 13th || 2,846
|4,274
|18,072/km<sup>2</sup>
| 1,357|| 5.02%
|-
| || TOTAL || -|| 248,436
|355,330
|8,200/km<sup>2</sup>
|100,875|| 4.3%
|}
Religion
thumb|right|Diocesan Shrine of San Vicente Ferrer, Mamatid
Cabuyao is predominantly Christian of whom 93% are Roman Catholics, while the Members Church of God International claims 2%, and the Iglesia ni Cristo 3% of the Cabuyao populace. Evangelical churches are growing, including the prominent evangelical multi-site church, Victory Church Cabuyao and Jesus Is Lord Church (JIL). Other religious groups/sectors with smaller membership include the Methodists, Buddhists, Lutherans, Jesus Is Lord Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Bible Baptist, Four Square Gospel, and the Lamp Christian Fellowship Church.
Religious sites
The St. Polycarp Parish, in barangay Uno, was built in 1763. To this day Cabuyao is the only place in the Philippines where St. Polycarp is the patron saint.
A second church was constructed in Cabuyao after the first church situated in Marinig was destroyed by flood and tidal waves. The records of the church are intact from the 18th century to the present.
The Diocesan Shrine of San Vicente Ferrer, then known as San Vicente Ferrer Parish, was built in 1946. It is located in Mamatid. It was in 2010 when the parish church declared a Diocesan Shrine dedicated to Saint Vincent Ferrer because of its numerous devotees from different towns, cities and provinces. A relic of Saint Vincent Ferrer is displayed in a museum behind the church.
Poor Clare Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament is a monastery of St. Clare of Assisi located in P. Burgos St., Poblacion I, Cabuyao in the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo. It is one of the religious sites of the city, where large number of devotees come to offer eggs as they pray for the birth of a child. The eggs are donated as food for the poor people. It is one of the monasteries visited by the relic of St. Clare during its visit in the country in 2012.
Economy
Cabuyao is a growing manufacturing mega hub and enterprise city in South Luzon. In 2022, the city had an income of . It was once the richest municipality in the country and now is still among the richest cities in the region outside of Metro Manila in terms of annual income.
Special economic zones and industrial parks in Cabuyao include:
- Light Industry and Science Park I (LISP I)
- Silangan Industrial Park
Industries and manufacturing
Dubbed the "Enterprise City," Cabuyao hosts one of the largest e-commerce operators in Southeast Asia, Lazada. It is also the location for the distribution hub of J&T Express Philippines, an Indonesian international delivery company, and Ninja Van, a Singaporean logistics company that has its fulfillment hub in Cabuyao, to support small and medium enterprises. The Unilever Philippines has its mega distribution center warehouse in Cabuyao, the largest in the Philippines.
Food and beverages conglomerate Nestlé Philippines, which manufactures Bear Brand powdered milk, has a manufacturing facility in Niugan. Asia Brewery, Tanduay Distillers, also have a plant in Sala. Bakery chain Goldilocks Bakeshop has a plant in Mamatid. NutriAsia, Del Monte Philippines, Procter & Gamble Philippines, San Miguel Brewery's factories, and Samsung Electro-Mechanics Philippines, Universal Robina Corporation, have a plant in LISP I barangay Pittland.
Coffee production
Cabuyao's Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) has been reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) as one of the major producers of coffee in the country. The City Agriculture Office showed that as of 2017, 58.5 hectares have been planted with 51,638 Robusta coffee trees (38,400 bearing and 13,238 non-bearing) as well as Liberica coffee trees (4,140 bearing and 1,485 non-bearing) in Cabuyao. According to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), 82 families who are beneficiaries of the government's land reform program owned the land planted with the two varieties of coffee, who also formed themselves into the Casile-Guinting Upland Marketing Cooperative (CGUMC) in 2011. CGUMC was awarded the most outstanding community-based cooperative in 2017.
Government
thumb|right|250px|Cabuyao City Hall, located in [[Sala, Cabuyao|Sala]]
Elected officials
{|class=wikitable
|+ Cabuyao City officials (2025–2028)
|-
!Name !!colspan=2|Party
|-
! colspan=3| House of Representatives
|-
| Ramil Hernandez
|
|-
! colspan=3| City Mayor
|-
| None (Disqualified by COMELEC)
|
|-
! colspan=3| City Vice Mayor
|-
| Jaime Onofre D. Batallones
|
|-
! colspan=3| City Councilors
|-
| Jose Benson G. Aguillo
|
|-
| Ariel C. Bariring II
|
|-
| Alexis A. Alimagno
|
|-
| Evelyn G. Del Rosario
|
|-
| Kim M. Hain
|
|-
| Sherwin D. Beguico
|
|-
| Rico Mauro G. Alimagno
|
|-
| Jose Miguel J. Alcabasa
|
|-
| Emerson L. Devoma
|
|-
| Maria Fe P. Humarang
|
|-
! colspan=4| Ex Officio City Council Members
|-
| ABC President
| colspan=3| Mauro D. Galang (Baclaran)
<!-- | -->
|-
| SK President
| colspan=3| Mikaela Camille B. Caunin (Banaybanay)
<!-- | -->
|}
Former Municipal Mayors
Municipal Hall
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Description
|-
|1571 – 1899
|The first Municipal Hall of Cabuyao was called "Tribunal del Pueblo". It was during the Spanish period up to 1899.
|-
|1905
|The house of then Jose Bella, Sr. was temporarily used as Municipal Hall of Cabuyao during American period.
|-
|1906 – 1939
|From 1906 to 1939, the Municipal Hall of Cabuyao was called "Presidencia."
|-
|1940
|The Municipal Hall of Cabuyao was constructed in front of St. Polycarp Parish (Uno) but it was destroyed by a fire on May 2, 1962.
|-
|1962 – 1964
|The temporary Municipal Hall of Cabuyao was beside the St. Polycarp Parish (which is now the City Plaza). It was from June 1962 to May 31, 1964.
|-
|1964 – 2000
|The new Municipal Hall of Cabuyao was inaugurated on June 12, 1964. It was designed by architect Graciano T. Bailon and the construction was supervised by engineer Jose L. Acuña, both Cabuyeños.
|-
|2000 – present
|The present Municipal Hall of Cabuyao is a three-storey building with a roof deck located in Sala. It was a project of then Mayor Proceso D. Aguillo and was inaugurated on July 31, 2000.
|}
City seal
Anthem
The official anthem of Cabuyao is "Cabuyao Hymn" or "Imno ng Kabuyaw", it is sung during flag ceremonies of all schools, offices and other institutional/official programs, in the opening of any official gatherings in Manila, before the start of the regular sessions of the Cabuyao City Council, programs or functions of the City Government of Cabuyao and of the barangays; programs or activities initiated, sponsored or coordinated by or with the City Government of Cabuyao; programs, celebrations, or activities initiated or coordinated by accredited and City-registered non-government organizations and civic oriented groups; city and tourism activities of the City Government of Cabuyao in any place as well as in official City gatherings or meetings outside the City; special activities such as those observed during the Cityhood Celebration, Bataan Day, Independence Day, National Heroes Day, Bonifacio Day and Rizal Day along with the country's national anthem, Lupang Hinirang. The anthem was composed by Vehnee Saturno, a native of Cabuyao. The "Cabuyao March" or "Martsa ng Cabuyao" is the official march of the city. The music is by Domingo A. Alconaba and lyrics by Domingo M. Batalla; both also natives of the city. It is sung along with "Calabarzon March", the region's official march.
Education
250px|thumb|right|Pamantasan ng Cabuyao, University of Cabuyao
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size: 90%"
|+Number of schools (2010)
|-
|Literacy Rate
| 98%
|-
| Elementary
| Public: 19 <br />Private: 68
|-
| Secondary
| Public: 8 <br />Private: 29
|-
| Tertiary
| Public: 0 <br />Private: 7
|}
Cabuyao has a number of universities and colleges:
{| class="wikitable"
! No.
! College/university
! Location
|-
| 1
| Pamantasan ng Cabuyao (University of Cabuyao)
| Banay-Banay
|-
| 2
| Cabuyao Institute of Technology
| Banay-Banay
|-
| 3
| Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna
| Diezmo
|-
| 4
| Colegio de Santo Niño de Cabuyao
| Barangay Tres
|-
| 5
| St. Vincent College of Cabuyao
| Mamatid
|-
| 6
| Our Lady of Assumption College-Cabuyao Campus (Main)
| Mamatid
|-
| 7
| Our Lady of Assumption College-Cabuyao Campus (Annex)
| Mamatid
|-
| 8
| Southeast Asia Institute of Science, Arts and Technology-Cabuyao Technological Campus
| Sala
|-
| 9
| St Ignatius Technical Institute of Business and Arts
| Banay-Banay
|-
| 10
| Westbridge Institute of Technology
| Banlic
|}
Infrastructure
Transportation
thumb|Manila South Road (National Highway) through Cabuyao
Cabuyao is serviced by the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX). Cabuyao Exit is located in the city, while the Eton City (Malitlit) Exit is located near its boundary with Santa Rosa. The city is also accessible through the Silangan Exit in Calamba, which provides access to Carmelray Industrial up to Nuvali Circle.
A four-lane national highway from Alabang, Muntinlupa up to Calamba, Laguna passes through the city. Another road, Canlubang golf road, acts as the access/shortcut route for people going up to the People's park in the sky and to Tagaytay from Nuvali and Silangan Exit.
Public transportation within the city, like in most of the urban areas in the Philippines, is facilitated mostly by inexpensive jeepneys. Tricycles are also used for short distances. The city is served by two railway stations: Cabuyao and Mamatid.
Culture
Cabuyao Day
Since Cabuyao was founded by Miguel López de Legazpi on January 16, 1571, the city government celebrates "Cabuyao Day" every 16 January. It consists of a week-long celebration starting from a Parade of Floats of each barangay, in which the decorations of each float feature and showcase the way of living of the community of each barangay of Cabuyao. A Street Dancing Competition follows at the City Proper, in which all College and High Schools compete for the said competition. The celebration also includes different amateur shows such as orchestra, band music and celebrity shows at the City Plaza. The highlight of the whole celebration is the official beauty pageant of the city, the "Mutya ng Cabuyao" and "Lakan ng Cabuyao" pageants.
Santo Niño de Cabuyao Festival
Cabuyao celebrates the feast of the Child Jesus or Santo Niño in the Philippines every third Sunday of January. It starts from a Mass at the Cabuyao Church followed by a festival which all Cabuyeños call "Santo Niño de Cabuyao Festival". It is a parade of all Santos Niños along the City Proper. The festivities and tradition were started in 1981 by the Alimagno family (then Judge Constancio Sr. and wife Mely) as a gesture of thanksgiving as their son Kennedy survived a near fatal accident in 1979.
Batingaw Festival
The Batingaw Festival is an event commemorating the legendary Kampanang Ginto, for which Cabuyao is known. The celebration always starts with the simultaneous ringing of church bells, which Cabuyeños believe brings a good agricultural harvest. The highlights of the five-day festival include the parade of the Kampanang Ginto, colorful street dancing, a singing contest, trade fair exhibits, Mutya and Lakan ng Cabuyao as well as fireworks.