CABUYAO IS NOW A CITY!

CABUYAO CITY, Laguna - After 441 years of Cabuyao being a town in Laguna, it is now a component city joining San Pablo City (1940), Calamba City (2001), Santa Rosa City (2004) and Biñan City (2010) in the ever-progressive Province of Laguna. One of the oldest town of the Philippines, Cabuyao served as the mother town of Laguna's western town and cities. "Encomienda de Tabuco" (Cabuyao's old name) was founded by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi on January 16, 1571 with its barangays comprising Barangay San Pedro de Tunasan, Barangay Malabanan, Barangay Santa Rosa de Lima or Barangay Bukol (colloquial), Barangay Calamba and Barangay Santo Tomas. However, after so many years, its barangays became seperate towns, San Pedro (1725), Biñan (1688), Santa Rosa (1792), Calamba (1792) and Santo Tomas, until they became cities (except for San Pedro and Santo Tomas). Finally, their mother town became a city at the end - the City of Cabuyao.

Since 2010, after the conversion of Biñan into a city, Cabuyao was "The Richest Municipality in the Philippines". No questions at all, as it was stated here..

Why Cabuyao is the Richest Municipality in the Philippines | WOW Laguna

Cabuyao is currently holding the No. 1 spot in the ranking of the Richest Municipalities in the Philippines. Why? Because according to the Commission on Audit, Cabuyao has an annual income of P593,166,000.

Yes, that huge. This is credited to the industrial estates situated in this first class urbanized municipality. These big time industrial companies include Nestlé Philippines, Asia Brewery Inc., San Miguel Corporation, Tanduay Distillers Inc., Wyeth Philippines Inc., and Light Industry and Science Park of the Philippines.

But aside from that, there’s more to Cabuyao than these industrial estates. The Pinay international artist, Charice Pempengco, was born in Cabuyao. Also a native of this town is Charo Ronquillo, the first ever Filipina model to enter the finals of Ford Supermodel of the World Search in 2006 where she bagged 3rd place.

With world-class personalities and companies cradled in this municipality, no wonder why Cabuyao is the country’s richest municipality not just in financial terms but in talents as well.

It was December 06, 2010 (the day after my Birthday) when the Cityhood Bill of Cabuyao was introduced to Congress, December 13, 2010, when Congress had a business hearing about the bill. March 29, 2011, when the bill was transmitted to the Senate. October 24, committee hearings were conducted, it was December 05, 2011 (My 21st Birthday) when Senator Bong-Bong Marcos sponsored the bill, December 06, 2011 (after a year of its filing) Cabuyao Cityhood Bill was transferred from Calendar of Ordinary Business to the Calendar of Special Order, and after the successful readings and committee hearings, the bill was approved by the Senate on January 16, 2012, the same date of the 441st Foundation Day of the town. For completion, the President should approve the bill and it was sent to the President's Office on April 24, 2012. And on May 16, 2012, the President, His Excellency Benigno Aquino III, signed the bill and enacted into law by virtue of Republic Act No. 10163. In order for a town to be officially converted into a city, its cityhood should be ratified by its people through a plebiscite, The Commission on Elections scheduled the plebiscite of Cabuyao on August 04, 2012. It was rainy on its plebiscite day due to Typhoon Gener, almost 140,000 are the number of registered voters of Cabuyao as of 2010 election, but less than 20% of it came to polling precincts to vote. There were only 24,670 total voters, in which 10.29% or 2,538 were against and 89.71% or 22,132 were agreed for the cityhood. Since majority of the votes casted were after the cityhood, Cabuyao City Charter was ratified on the night of August 04, 2012. It's a congratulation for all of us, for Cabuyao and its people.

Cabuyao, Laguna, is newest city | Inquirer News

SAN PEDRO, Laguna—Cabuyao town in Laguna is now officially a city even if only less than 20 percent of its registered voters turned out for a plebiscite on Saturday.

The final count showed 22,132 residents voted in favor of the town’s conversion to a city, while only 2,538 residents voted “no,” according to lawyer Juanito Icaro, Commission on Elections director in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon).

Icaro said by phone Sunday that the votes counted in the plebiscite translated to an 18.23-percent voters turnout.

Cabuyao, a first-class municipality in the second district of Laguna with a population of 205,376 as of 2007, had been seeking cityhood since last year, Icaro said.

The Local Government Code of 1991 requires a municipality to meet at least two of three requirements to become a city—land area of at least 100 square kilometers, an annual income of at least P100 million and a population of at least 150,000.

President Benigno Aquino, on May 16, 2012, signed the executive order directing the conversion of Cabuyao to a component city. The order was required before  the residents of the municipality could ratify the change of status in a plebiscite. Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon

It's a great privilege knowing that I am one of those 22,132 Cabuyeños who voted "YES" for the Cityhood of my Town. I can say that I'm already part of Cabuyao's History during its incorporation as a city. CONGRATULATIONS! CITY OF CABUYAO!