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Los Baños is a 1st class urban municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 98, 631 inhabitants (82,027 people in 17,030 households in census 2000). It has a total land area of 56.5 square kilometers and is bordered on the south and southwest by Mount Makiling, on the north by Laguna de Bay, on the northwest by Calamba City and on the east by the town of Bay. The town is located 63 kilometers southeast of Manila and is accessible via the South Luzon Expressway.

The town lies on the northern slopes of the long dormant volcano Mount Makiling and is known among tourists for its hot spring resorts that dot the area. Los Baños also hosts the University of the Philippines, Los Baños, along with other foreign and local and international research centers, such as the International Rice Research Institute, the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity, the Philippine Rice Research Institute and SEAMEO-SEARCA, making the town a temporary home for tens of thousands of undergraduate and graduate students, researchers and expatriates.

Aside from its importance in academics, science and research, Los Baños is a well-known tourist destination. Because of the town's proximity to Metro Manila, Los Baños' hot spring resorts are frequent weekend or summer getaways for residents of the vast metropolis and tourists from other places in the Philippines and abroad. Tourists who visit Los Baños also come to the several native delicacies stores in the town to buy the town's famous Buko pie (coconut meat pie).

 

Built up area

With the continuous expansion of Metro Manilla, the city is now included in Manilla built up area which reaches Lipa City in its southernmost part.

History


In 1979, the evolution and development of academic excellence in Los Baños moved the people of Los Baños to request then president Ferdinand Marcos to declare the municipality as "A Special University Zone", granted on 15 June 1982 by virtue of letter of instruction No. 883.

Los Baños was further declared as an "Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences Community" on 17 March 1982 by virtue of Executive Order No. 784 (Section 23).

On August 7, 2000, Los Baños was declared as a "Special Science and Nature City of the Philippines" through Presidential Proclamation No. 349 in recognition as a center for science and technology in the development of agriculture and preservation of the environment.
Boundary marker at the westbound entrance to Los Baños from Bay, Laguna
Boundary marker at the westbound entrance to Los Baños from Bay, Laguna

The 6th Flora Malesiana, a triennial gathering of people with botanical expertise regarding "Malesia," was held from September 20 to 24 in 2004. It provided a forum for Flora Malesiana members and encouraged publications on Malesian plants.

During the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, Los Baños played host to the aquatics events, with the newly-built Trace Aquatic Center serving as the venue.

The headquarters of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Center for Biodiversity was opened on August 8, 2006 at the DOST-Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, located at the College of Forestry, University of the Philippines, Los Baños. It coincided with the foundation day celebrations of the organization. The Philippines assumed the Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2006 and played host to the 12th ASEAN and East Asia Summits (held in Metro Cebu, January 2007).

In January 2007, the 5th ASEAN Inter-Club Age-Group Swimming Championships was held in the Trace Aqua Sports Center.

Also in 2007, the Trace Aquatics Center in Los Baños hosted the swimming competitions during the 70th Season of the UAAP.

Barangays

Los Baños is politically subdivided into 14 barangays.
  • Anos
  • Bagong Silang
  • Bambang
  • Batong Malake
  • Baybayin[1]
  • Bayog
  • Lalakay
  • Maahas
  • Malinta
  • Mayondon
  • Putho-Tuntungin
  • San Antonio
  • Tadlac
  • Timugan[2]

Places of interest

University of the Philippines, Los Baños and other places of interest within its administered area
Mount Makiling
  • Makiling Botanical Gardens
  • ASEAN Center for Biodiversity
  • UPLB Museum of Natural History
  • Flatrocks - creek usually frequented by hikers
  • Mudspring - Presumed volcanic crater of Mt. Makiling
  • Peak 2 - Highest peak of Mt. Makiling
  • Pook ni Maria Makiling, an eco-tourism site adjacent to the Jamboree Site, National Arts Center and U.P. Los Baños
  • Boy Scouts of the Philippines and Jamboree Site - a campsite at the foot of Mount Makiling adjacent to U.P. Los Baños, which is being managed by the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and the site of the 10th World Scout Jamboree in 1959, the 1st and 12th Asia Pacific Jamboree in 1973 and 1991, and the 1st ASEAN Jamboree in 1993.
National Arts Center - a patch of land at the foot of Mount Makiling adjacent to U.P. Los Baños, which is being managed by the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the site of the Philippine High School for the Arts, a special school for young artist scholars
University of the Philippines Open University Headquarters
  • International Rice Research Institute headquarters - located within the campus of U.P. Los Baños
  • Dairy Training & Research Institute - fresh cow's milk and other dairy products for sale
  • Philippine Carabao Center at UPLB (PCC at UPLB) - conducts R&D in water buffalo; implements other programs related to water buffalo development; sells fresh carabao's milk and other dairy products; one of the 13 regional centers of PCC (see the link below)
Agricultural and Life Sciences Complex
  • National Institute for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB/BIOTECH) - UPLB
  • Institute for Plant Breeding
  • APEC Center for Technology Exchange and Training for Small and Medium Enterprises (ACTETSME)
  • National Crop Protection Center (NCPC)
  • College of Agriculture AgriPark
Baker Hall (also known as Los Baños Internment Camp)
  • Philippine Council For Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD)
  • Department of Science and Technology Regional Office for Region IV (DOST IV)
  • Magnetic Hill near PCARRD
  • Dampalit Falls, Brgy. Lalakay
  • Immaculate Conception Parish - a centuries old church at the town proper (Poblacion/Bayan)
  • Paciano Rizal Shrine - house of Paciano Rizal, brother of National Hero Jose Rizal
  • Paciano Rizal Park - park dedicated to Paciano Rizal, brother of National Hero Jose Rizal
  • Trace College, Trace Suites and Trace Aqua Sports Complex and Museum - hosts aquatics sporting events (2005 SEAGames, Philippine Olympic Festival)
  • Junction/Crossing Area - location of many major commercial establishments
  • Grove, Lopez Avenue - location of many bars, cafes and other restaurants and establishments
  • College Country Club - Premier tennis club of UPLB
  • Olivarez Plaza, shopping mall
  • Robinsons' Town Mall Los Baños, shopping mall
  • Los Baños Square
  • Los Banos Presbyterian Church [1]
  • Micha's Bakeshop
  • Los Baños Eco-Waste Processing Area - noted and commended for its solid waste management
  • Holy Trinity Orthodox Church
  • Los Baños Seventh-day Adventist Church
  • Los Baños Seventh-day Adventist Elementary School
  • Yamashita Shrine - execution site of Gen. Yamashita
  • Laguna State Polytechnic University - Los Banos Campus [2]
  • Los Baños National High School