We have updated the 25 interesting trivia facts of the city as follows:
1. Last Villa of Spanish regime in the Philippines.
2. First city of Batangas approved on June 20 1947.
3. Most populated city of Batangas as of Aug 2015 according to Philippine Statistics Authority.
4. Top Ten Next Wave Cities or top locations for information technology business (BPO).
5. Little Rome of the Philippines attributed by Department of Tourism.
6. First coffee tree in the Philippines was planted in Lipa in 19th century and became one of the top coffee bean producers in the world & labeled as the coffee capital of the Philippines that time.
7. Home of the world famous and multi awarded health spa and resort, The Farm at San Benito.
8. Lipa’s highest elevation is 1225 ft above sea level and the city is nestled between two mountains making its temperature 3-5 degrees Celsius lower than average Philippine temperature all year round.
9. Lipa has the most number of shops and restaurants in Batangas making the city as the Lifestyle capital of Batangas. Most of the international and local brands branching in Batangas have first opened or can only be found in Lipa.
10. Epson plant in Lipa City (LIMA) is the biggest manufacturing plant of this Japan based company.
11. Lomi can be originated in Lipa when To Kim Eng from China who came to live in Lipa first introduced lomi in 1968. Everywhere you go in Lipa, there will always be a lomi store to eat.
12. First elected governor of Batangas was from Lipa, Simeon M. Luz, who served in 1903.
13. Aisa Mijeno, world famous and multi awarded SALt (alternative lamp that runs on saltwater) inventor is from Lipa.
14. Bishop Alfredo Obviar who was declared Servant of God of the Catholic Church in 2005 with saint protocol number 2398 was from Lipa City.
15. Lipa’s Miracle and Marian Apparitions of 1948 became known worldwide among Catholics until 1990s.
16. Bienvenido Lumbera, a National Artist of the Philippines and recipient of Ramon Magsaysay Award is from Lipa.
17. Mikaela Dimaano Fudolig, former child prodigy who entered college at 11, graduated summa cum laude in Physics at 16, and took her master’s and Ph.D. degrees shortly after is from Lipa City.
18. Vilma Santos-Recto, famous and multi awarded actress, is the first woman Mayor of Lipa, first woman Governor of Batangas and now the first Representative of Lipa district in Congress.
19. Mataas na Kahoy, Luta Sur of Malvar and Balete were once part of Lipa.
20. Lipa is in the text of Acta de la Proclamacion de Independence del Pueblo de Filipino, also known as the Philippine Declaration of Independence, as read by Emilio Aguinaldo on June 12, 1898 in Kawit.
21. Evangeline Reyes is the first and only Lipena so far to compete in Big Four pageants specifically Miss World and entered in semi finals.
22. Gregorio Y. Zara, a well-known Filipino scientist with 30 devices and equipment patented to his name, was from Lipa City.
23. Dr. Candido Macasaet Africa; doctor of medicine, scholar and researcher was from Lipa. His contribution to medical science made him internationally known and won “for the first time recognition of the Filipino Scientist abroad, thus reflecting glory and honor upon his calling and country.”
24. Darwin Laylo, 2008 Grand Master and World Chess Olympiad is from Lipa.
25. After WW II, a place in Lipa now called “Anilao” became a community of women, children and widows. Their male population was thoroughly wiped out.
Do you have other significant informational items that can be added in the list?
research and compilation: Lipa Status
photo background: Arthur Chicky Mijeno
