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San Pablo, Laguna

Coordinates: 14°04′12″N 121°19′30″E / 14.07°N 121.325°E / 14.07; 121.325
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

San Pablo
City of San Pablo
Clockwise from top: Lake Pandin, Jose Rizal Avenue, Old City Hall, San Pablo Cathedral, Sampaloc Lake boardwalk
Flag of San Pablo
Official seal of San Pablo
Nickname: 
Anthem: Lungsod Naming Mahal (Our Beloved City)
Map of Laguna with San Pablo highlighted
Map of Laguna with San Pablo highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Map
San Pablo is located in Philippines
San Pablo
San Pablo
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 14°04′12″N 121°19′30″E / 14.07°N 121.325°E / 14.07; 121.325
CountryPhilippines
RegionCalabarzon
ProvinceLaguna
District 3rd district
Founded1586
Chartered1647
CityhoodMay 7, 1940
Named forSt. Paul the First Hermit
Barangays80 (see Barangays)
Government
[1]
 • TypeSangguniang Panlungsod
 • MayorVicente B. Amante
(Nacionalista)
 • Vice MayorJustin G. Colago
(Nacionalista)
 • RepresentativeLoreto S. Amante
(Lakas)
 • City Council
Members
 • Electorate149,952 voters (2022)
Area
 • Total
197.56 km2 (76.28 sq mi)
Elevation
237 m (778 ft)
Highest elevation
2,173 m (7,129 ft)
Lowest elevation
2 m (7 ft)
Population
 (2020 census)[3]
 • Total
285,348
 • Density1,400/km2 (3,700/sq mi)
 • Households
70,979
Economy
 • Income class1st city income class
 • Poverty incidence
6.61
% (2021)[4]
 • Revenue₱ 1,427 million (2020), 716.6 million (2012), 772.6 million (2013), 858.9 million (2014), 939.1 million (2015), 1,030 million (2016), 1,541 million (2017), 1,217 million (2018), 1,364 million (2019), 1,515 million (2021), 1,960 million (2022)
 • Assets₱ 3,003 million (2020), 1,143 million (2012), 1,156 million (2013), 1,127 million (2014), 1,246 million (2015), 1,722 million (2016), 2,357 million (2017), 2,583 million (2018), 2,891 million (2019), 3,323 million (2021), 3,948 million (2022)
 • Expenditure₱ 1,349 million (2020), 721.5 million (2012), 780 million (2013), 786.1 million (2014), 787.7 million (2015), 813.7 million (2016), 901.4 million (2017), 1,005 million (2018), 1,119 million (2019), 1,463 million (2021), 1,747 million (2022)
 • Liabilities₱ 364.1 million (2020), 349.1 million (2012), 358.6 million (2013), 284.1 million (2014), 248.1 million (2015), 334.3 million (2016), 297.1 million (2017), 344 million (2018), 446.5 million (2019), 643.9 million (2021), 1,047 million (2022)
Service provider
 • ElectricityManila Electric Company (Meralco)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
4000
PSGC
IDD:area code+63 (0)49
Native languagesTagalog

San Pablo, officially the City of San Pablo (Filipino: Lungsod ng San Pablo), is a component city in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 285,348 people.[3]

It is located in the southern portion of Laguna province, it is one of the oldest cities in the Philippines. By land area, it is the largest in the province of Laguna. Its population ranks sixth within the province after the cities of Calamba, Santa Rosa, Biñan, San Pedro, and Cabuyao.

The city is also known as the "City of Seven Lakes" (Filipino: Lungsod ng Pitong Lawa), referring to the Seven Lakes of San Pablo: Lake Sampaloc (or Sampalok), Lake Palakpakin, Lake Bunot, Lakes Pandin and Yambo, Lake Muhikap, and Lake Calibato.

San Pablo was part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lipa beginning in 1910. On November 28, 1967, it became an independent diocese and became the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pablo.

Etymology

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San Pablo is derived from the Spanish for Saint Paul, referring to the local patron saint, Paul the First Hermit. It was previously known as San Pablo de los Montes, which translates to "Saint Paul of the Mountains" in Spanish.[5]

History

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San Pablo's earliest historical record dates back to pre-Spanish times when four large barrios bounded by Mount Makiling composed "Sampalok" (Sampaloc). tr In 1571, the first Spanish troops under Captain Juan de Salcedo arrived in the upland village of Sampaloc. It was noted by Father Joaquin Martinez de Zuñiga that its original inhabitants were Aetas and were ruled by four chieftains.

San Pablo became a parish in 1586, and then a municipality in 1647, and was renamed "San Pablo de los Montes" in honor of Saint Paul the First Hermit.

Augustinian friar, Father Hernando Cabrera built the first church made of wood. It was noted that the sacristy of this church was ornamented and contained silver, which rivalled and even surpassed that of Spain.[6]

In 1756, it was placed under the jurisdiction of Batangas province but was returned to Laguna in 1883.

Aerial view of San Pablo, 1941

In 1899, a municipal government was established, with Atty. Innocente Martinez as municipal president. Marcos Paulino was elected municipal president in 1902 when the civil government was set up. From 1926 to 1940, the people of San Pablo worked for its independence from the province of Laguna.

On May 7, 1940, the Charter Bill sponsored by Assemblyman Tomas D. Dizon of Laguna's 1st district was approved by President Manuel L. Quezon. The bill became known as the City Charter of San Pablo or Commonwealth Act No. 520, approved by President Quezon.[7]

The city was inaugurated on March 30, 1941, with Potenciano Malvar, a former governor of Laguna, as the city mayor appointed by president Manuel L. Quezon. Succeeding him in 1941 as an appointed mayor was Manuel Quisumbing, in turn followed by Tomas D. Dizon in 1943 as an appointed mayor. The succeeding mayors were elected after 1955, with Cipriano B. Colago being the first elected city mayor.[5]

Geography

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San Pablo has a cool climate owing to its location. It is nestled in the foothills of three mountains: Mount Banahaw, Mount Makiling and the Sierra Madre Mountains within the Laguna Volcanic Field, also known as the San Pablo Volcanic Field- an area of over 200 geologic features, among which are the 7 crater lakes of which the city is famed for.

These geologic features not only provide attractions for the tourism industry (such as waterfalls) and sources of many forest-based products, but also serve as stewards for the clean air.

It is situated 82 kilometers (51 mi) southeast of Manila via Alaminos, 37 kilometers (23 mi) southwest of Santa Cruz via Calauan.

Its soil is suitable for those seeking opportunities in agriculture and horticulture given its richness and fertility. The different barangays have coconut plantation, lanzones fruit – Lansium parasiticum tree plantation and rambutan fruit tree plantation – Rambutan. The place is rich in orchid plants.

Climate

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The prevailing climatic conditions in the city is categorized into wet and dry seasons.

Climate data for San Pablo City, Laguna
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F 79 81 84 88 88 86 84 82 82 82 82 79 83
Mean daily minimum °F 68 68 68 70 73 75 73 73 73 72 72 70 71
Average precipitation inches 2.0 1.4 1.1 1.1 3.2 4.9 6.4 5.7 5.7 5.6 3.9 4.0 45
Mean daily maximum °C 26 27 29 31 31 30 29 28 28 28 28 26 28
Mean daily minimum °C 20 20 20 21 23 24 23 23 23 22 22 21 22
Average precipitation mm 52 35 27 27 82 124 163 144 145 141 100 102 1,142
Average rainy days 12.0 8.1 8.8 9.7 17.9 22.6 26.2 24.5 24.6 22.0 16.7 14.9 208
Source: Meteoblue (modeled/calculated data, not measured locally)[8]

Barangays

[edit]

San Pablo is politically subdivided into 80 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

  • I-A (Sambat)
  • I-B (City+Riverside)
  • I-C (Bagong Bayan)
  • II-A (Triangulo)
  • II-B (Guadalupe)
  • II-C (Unson)
  • II-D (Bulante)
  • II-E (San Anton)
  • II-F (Villa Rey)
  • III-A (Hermanos Belen)
  • III-B
  • III-C (Labak/De Roma)
  • III-D (Villongco)
  • III-E
  • III-F (Balagtas)
  • IV-A
  • IV-B
  • IV-C
  • V-A
  • V-B
  • V-C
  • V-D
  • VI-A (Mavenida)
  • VI-B
  • VI-C (Bagong Pook)
  • VI-D (Lparkers)
  • VI-E (YMCA)
  • VII-A (P.Alcantara)
  • VII-B
  • VII-C
  • VII-D
  • VII-E
  • Atisan
  • Bautista
  • Concepcion (Bunot)
  • Del Remedio (Wawa)
  • Dolores
  • San Antonio 1 (Balanga)
  • San Antonio 2 (Sapa)
  • San Bartolome (Matang-ag)
  • San Buenaventura (Palakpakin)
  • San Crispin (Lumbangan)
  • San Cristobal
  • San Diego (Tiim)
  • San Francisco (Calihan)
  • San Gabriel (Butucan)
  • San Gregorio
  • San Ignacio
  • San Isidro (Balagbag)
  • San Joaquin
  • San Jose (Malamig)
  • San Juan
  • San Lorenzo (Saluyan)
  • San Lucas 1 (Malinaw)
  • San Lucas 2
  • San Marcos (Tikew)
  • San Mateo
  • San Miguel
  • San Nicolas
  • San Pedro
  • San Rafael (Magampon)
  • San Roque (Buluburan)
  • San Vicente
  • Santa Ana
  • Santa Catalina (Sandig)
  • Santa Cruz (Putol)
  • Santa Elena
  • Santa Filomena (Banlagin)
  • Santa Isabel
  • Santa Maria
  • Santa Maria Magdalena (Boe)
  • Santa Monica
  • Santa Veronica (Bae)
  • Santiago I (Bulaho)
  • Santiago II
  • Santisimo Rosario
  • Santo Angel (Ilog)
  • Santo Cristo
  • Santo Niño (Arsum)
  • Soledad (Macopa)

Demographics

[edit]
Population census of San Pablo
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 22,612—    
1918 31,399+2.21%
1939 46,311+1.87%
1948 50,435+0.95%
1960 70,680+2.85%
1970 105,517+4.08%
1975 116,607+2.02%
1980 131,655+2.46%
1990 161,630+2.07%
1995 183,757+2.43%
2000 207,927+2.68%
2007 237,259+1.84%
2010 248,890+1.76%
2015 266,068+1.28%
2020 285,348+1.39%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[9][10][11][12]

According to the 2020 census, San Pablo had a population of 285,348 people,[3] up from 266,068 people in the 2015 census.[9] The city was once the largest city in Laguna, but it was overtaken by Calamba in the 1990 census. San Pedro followed suit in 1995, then came Santa Rosa and Biñan in 2007, and Cabuyao in 2015, all owing their growth to its proximity to Metro Manila.[13]

Ethnicity and language

[edit]

The language spoken in the city and the medium of instruction in schools are English and Filipino, also known as Tagalog in this area.

Economy

[edit]

Poverty incidence of San Pablo

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
2006
3.50
2009
2.68
2012
5.59
2015
4.24
2018
2.10
2021
6.61

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]

Downtown area
SM City San Pablo

At the end of the 20th century and the start of the 21st century, economic development shifted from San Pablo to western Laguna. San Pedro, Biñan, Santa Rosa, Cabuyao, Calamba, Los Baños, and Santa Cruz experienced rapid economic development brought about by local and foreign investments, the rapid growth of industrial estates and export processing zones, and the placement of major institutions in those areas, San Pablo City was left behind and remained a semi-developed residential community.

Despite the fact that the city was partly touched by economic development, San Pablo boasts itself as a potential eco-tourism destination in the province. However, given its human and land resources, various BPO companies are seriously looking at developing the city into the ICT hub of Southern Luzon. Although there were previous attempts to build a similar establishment, SM Prime Holdings was given its go signal in July 2008 to push ahead for SM City San Pablo located at Riverina Commercial Estates along Maharlika Highway at Barangay San Rafael.[22] Apart from this, the development of the Hacienda Escudero plantation resort town and nearby real estates, which is a joint venture with Landco, is by far the largest planned community investment in the city covering 415 hectares (1,030 acres): It will include resort type communities; the original Villa Escudero Plantations as the center-piece; commercial establishments like a mall, hotels, and a convention center to be built relative to the distinctive architecture theme of the original Villa Escudero. As such Hacienda Escudero will become the ultimate history town themed community in this part of the country.

ABS-CBN TV-46 San Pablo (DWLY-TV) served the city through its office along Rizal Avenue at the heart of the city until its operations was shut down in 2020.

San Pablo also claims the title "City of Buko Pie", although other neighboring towns are also known for producing the delicacy. Colettes' Buko Pie, based in San Pablo, was known for experimenting with different variants of the delicacy. Colette's has also regularly produced the "World's Largest Buko Pie" during San Pablo's Coco Festival. Colette's is the largest Buko Pie brand in the Laguna area with 34 stores. The supply of coconut in San Pablo makes it an ideal spot for putting up buko pie shops.

Franklin Baker Company, one of the well-known companies with operations in San Pablo, has announced that its plant in the city would cease its operations and transfer to another existing facility, owned by the said company, in Davao del Sur by December 2008. The said decision could affect the jobs of at least 1,200 people, the majority of them San Pableños. Various factors are blamed for this closure, including the conversion of big coconut farms into residential areas.[23] However, production was restored in the first quarter of 2009 in the San Pablo plant of Franklin Baker Company due to processing problems encountered at Davao del Sur.

Tourism and recreation

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Natural Attractions

[edit]

The Seven Lakes of San Pablo, seven crater lakes scattered around the city, have for many generations provided food and livelihood, leisure and respite for the citizens of the city. A bustling city of trade and commerce, it is also a center of education and learning with schools, colleges, and training institutions.

Panoramic view of Lake Sampaloc

Built attractions

[edit]
  • Hacienda Escudero Plantation Resort Town is the largest planned community investment in the city covering 415 hectares (1,030 acres). The resort has the richness of coconut plantation, and provides serenading Filipino songs and Bayanihan Dances (Folk Dances).
  • Public Playground at Sampalok Lake (Katuparan ng Pangarap: Fulfillment of Dreams) is a public playground in the city built during the term of mayor Atty. Zacarias Africa Ticzon, who as well improved tourism places around Lake Sampaloc, that is near the municipal City Hall. Both places serve as haven for sports, and recreation. The vicinity for tourism consequently encouraged small businesses for restaurants of native dishes catering visitors of the area. It has dramatically contributed income for the city.
  • The Komikero Komiks Museum, a brick-and-mortar museum meant to showcase the Philippines' rich history of graphic novels and comic books, and the talent of eminent artists in the field,[24] features original art from Philippine comic book industry leaders including Alfredo Alcala, Francisco Coching, Alex Niño, Steve Gan, Nestor Redondo, Tony Velasquez, Hal Santiago, and Gerry Alanguilan. Alanguilan himself curated the museum until his death in 2019.[25]
  • San Pablo City Heritage Zone[26][27]- a planned preservation of the city's historic Spanish and American occupation structures which contain among others:

Cultural Events

[edit]
  • Coco Festival - A week long event in honor of town patron St. Paul the First Hermit
  • Tilapia Festival- held every May, this is in tribute to the aquaculture industry of the city[28]
  • Semana Santa- a week long observance for Catholics and Aglipayans. The city hosts one of the largest displays of faith in the country, most especially during the Holy Wednesday and Good Friday processions [29]

Government

[edit]
New City Hall of San Pablo

Elected officials

[edit]
San Pablo City officials (2022–2025)
Name Party
Mayor
Vicente B. Amante Nacionalista
Vice Mayor
Justin G. Colago Nacionalista
Councilors
Carmela A. Acebedo Nacionalista
Angelita E. Yang Nacionalista
Martin Angelo B. Adriano Jr. Nacionalista
Richard C. Pavico Nacionalista
Lou Vincent B. Amante Nacionalista
Dandi C. Medina Nacionalista
Cesarito C. Ticzon Nacionalista
Francis A. Calatraba Nacionalista
Buhay D. Espiritu Nacionalista
Christian Dior C. Amante Independent
Ex Officio City Council Members
ABC President Ariston A. Amante (San Jose)
SK President Eldrich Khristoffer B. Villanueva (Del Remedio)

List of former municipal executives

[edit]

Elected

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No. Name Year Started Year Ended
1 Marcos Paulino 1902 American Rule
2 Inocencio Barleta 1926 1940
3 Cipriano B. Colago 1955 1959
4 Lauro Dizon 1960 1963
5 Atty. Zacarias Africa Ticzon 1964 1967
6 Cesar P. Dizon 1968 1986
7 Atty. Zacarias Africa Ticzon 1986 1992
8 Vicente B. Amante 1992 2001
9 Florante L. Aquino 2001 2004
10 Vicente B. Amante 2004 2013
11 Loreto S. Amante 2013 2022
12 Vicente B. Amante 2022 2025

Infrastructure

[edit]

Healthcare

[edit]
San Pablo City District Hospital

Most of the large hospitals in San Pablo are located in the city proper, but there are also health centers built for each barangay in San Pablo.

Notable hospitals and medical centers are as follows:

  • Community General Hospital of San Pablo City
  • San Pablo Colleges Medical Center
  • San Pablo City Doctors' Hospital
  • San Pablo City General Hospital
  • San Pablo City District Hospital
  • Sts Francis and Paul General Hospital

Transportation

[edit]
San Pablo City Central Terminal

San Pablo city is along the Maharlika Highway which leads to Quezon province. Jeepneys connect San Pablo city proper with nearby Calauan and Rizal, as well as other cities like Tanauan, Santo Tomas, and Calamba. It is also served by vans heading to the cities of Lipa, Santa Rosa, and Biñan.

Philippine National Railways has a station for its southern main line near the city proper.

The San Pablo City Central Terminal, opened in 2023,[30] is the city's main bus terminal that serves commuters going to Metro Manila, as well as other provincial destinations.

Utilities

[edit]

San Pablo's water source is run by its own San Pablo City Water District and is assisted by NAWASA. Just like every other place in Southern Tagalog, San Pablo's electricity is run by Meralco.

Telecommunications

[edit]

Citizens of San Pablo mainly use PLDT (including Smart), Globe, and Dito Telecommunity, although some may use other internet service providers. Texting stations are often found in retail stores, stands, and residential houses.

Major Houses of Worship

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Education

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Tertiary

[edit]

Notable personalities

[edit]

Politics

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Business

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Literature/ Entertainment/ Journalism

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Sports

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Others

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References

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  1. ^ City of San Pablo | (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. ^ a b c Census of Population (2020). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  4. ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "History". San Pablo City. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  6. ^ "Conservation and guidelines for the san pablo heritage zone" (PDF).
  7. ^ Commonwealth Act No. 520 (May 7, 1940), An Act Creating the City of San Pablo, retrieved December 12, 2022
  8. ^ "San Pablo: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Census of Population (2015). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  10. ^ Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ "Province of Laguna". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  13. ^ "Philippine Municipality Population".
  14. ^ "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  15. ^ "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. November 29, 2005.
  16. ^ "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. March 23, 2009.
  17. ^ "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. August 3, 2012.
  18. ^ "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. May 31, 2016.
  19. ^ "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. July 10, 2019.
  20. ^ "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. December 15, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  21. ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  22. ^ "SM City San Pablo | SM Prime Holdings". Archived from the original on August 10, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
  23. ^ "83-year-old factory to close, render 1,200 workers jobless". Philippine Daily Inquirer. January 10, 2008. Retrieved May 8, 2008.[permanent dead link]
  24. ^ Olivares, Rick (December 21, 2019). "Gerry Alanguilan: World-class illustrator who never forgot his roots". ABS-CBN News. ABS-CBN Corporation. Archived from the original on December 21, 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
  25. ^ "Who is Gerry Alanguilan, Filipino comic book legend?". Rappler. Archived from the original on December 21, 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
  26. ^ "San Pablo City Heritage Zone". Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  27. ^ Malgapu, Hans (March 25, 2021). "USTGS-CCCPET develops San Pablo City Heritage District Conservation Guidelines". University of Santo Tomas. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  28. ^ Peñaflor, Venus L. (May 27, 2023). "16th Tilapya Festival to promote sustainable Tilapia industry in San Pablo City". Tutubi News Magazine. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  29. ^ "PEJ Reader". ejournals.ph. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  30. ^ "San Pablo City Bus Terminal which aims to alleviate the traffic congestion in the area opens". Sentinel Times. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  31. ^ "LSPU SPCC website".
  32. ^ "Saint Peter's College Seminary". st.peters.seminary.tripod.com. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  33. ^ "Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng San Pablo - Primed to Lead and Serve for Progress". July 2, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  34. ^ "Laguna College – Official Website of Laguna College – San Pablo City". Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  35. ^ "ADMISSION IS NOW OPEN FOR S.Y. 2023-2024". March 22, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  36. ^ "Home". sanpablocolleges.edu.ph. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  37. ^ "Marmee Regine Cosico | Actress, Writer, Producer". IMDb. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  38. ^ "Gil Alcantara | Writer, Actor". IMDb. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  39. ^ "NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
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