Victoria, Laguna

Victoria, officially the Municipality of Victoria (Template:Langx), is a municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the Template:PH wikidata, it has a population of Template:PH wikidata people.Template:PH wikidata

It is known as the duck raising capital of the Philippines, where the municipality offers some of the most bizarre yet delicious dishes including goats’ and ducks’ meat. Following the town's nickname, the Itik Festival is celebrated, along with the town's founding anniversary, to give honor and to know more about the products that come from itik (duck). Through Presidential Proclamation 663, October 14, 2024 was declared a special non-working day in celebration of its 75th Founding Anniversary and the 23rd Itik Festival.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Etymology

The name of Victoria from Spanish language which means "victory" in English. It was named after Victoria Quirino, the daughter of former President Elpidio Quirino under whose presidency the municipality was established.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The younger Quirino also served as the First Lady as her father was a widower.

History

Prominent citizens and civic leaders found new hope to make Nanhaya, then a barrio part of Pila, a town, when the Americans granted the Philippines Independence in 1946. They revived the move to separate from Pila. During this time, citizens proposed to name the town Trinidad, after the young republic's First Lady, the wife of then-President Manuel Roxas. Strong oppositions shelved the proposal once more.

After Roxas's death, Elpidio Quirino took over the presidency. Nanhaya's residents remained undaunted. They tried once more, intensifying the campaign. Most prominent and wealthiest family of the town is the Fernandez clans, Judge Jose Fernandez, then Mayor Alejandro Fernandez, Atty. Ramon H. Fernandez Sr., Andres Franco, Dr. Agrifino Oca, Gregorio Herradura, and Leonardo Rebong stood for the proposal. On November 15, 1949, President Elpidio Quirino signed into effect Executive Order No. 282, segregating barrios Nanhaya, Bancabanca, Daniw, Masapang, San Benito, San Felix, San Francisco, and San Roque from Pila and formed a new independent municipality.<ref>Template:Cite PH act</ref>

After Pateros became highly urbanized and densely populated, Victoria became a destination of balut traders and became the "Duck Raising Center of the Philippines". The town was featured as the detour challenge of Leg 11 of the 5th Season of The Amazing Race. Victoria celebrates the Itik Festival every second week of November.

The municipal seat of Pila was once located in Barangay Pagalangan, now one of Victoria's barangays. The remains of Pila's original parish church can still be found in Pagalangan, which in the past made that community a target of treasure hunters seeking antiques. Pagalangan ceased to be Pila's capital when the town center was relocated due to frequent flooding.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Geography

Victoria is southeast of Laguna de Bay, Template:Convert south of Manila and Template:Convert from Santa Cruz. It is bordered by the Municipality of Calauan to the south-west, Nagcarlan to the southeast and Pila to the north-east.

Barangays

Victoria is politically subdivided into 9 barangays, as indicated below.Template:PSGC detail Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Currently, there are two barangays which are classified as urban.

(highlighted in bold).

• Banca-banca
• Daniw
• Masapang
• Nanhaya (Poblacion)
• Pagalangan
• San Benito
• San Felix
• San Francisco
• San Roque (Poblacion)

Demographics

In the 2020 census, the population of Victoria, Laguna, was 43,408 people,Template:PH wikidata with a density of Template:Convert.

Government

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

File:Victoria,Lagunajf3576 05.JPG

Victoria Town Hall

Elected officials

Victoria municipal officials (2022–2025)

Name	Party
Mayor
Dwight C. Kampitan	Template:Party name with colour
Vice Mayor
RJ Kampitan	Template:Party name with colour
Municipal Councilors
Florencio M. Laraño	Template:Party name with colour
Wilfredo Herradura	Template:Party name with colour
Ma. Fe B. Tope	Template:Party name with colour
Homer Herradura	Template:Party name with colour
Sonny Lazaro	Template:Party name with colour
Analyn Nava	Template:Party name with colour
Jhon Paul D. Pahutan	Template:Party name with colour
Joselito D. Corcuera	Template:Party name with colour
Ex Officio Municipal Council Members
ABC President	Leoncio S. Fajardo (San Francisco)
SK President	John Patrick S. Cambe (Masapang)
SB Secretary	Caylene T. Fernandez

Education

The Victoria Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Primary and elementary schools

• Banca-Banca Elementary Schools
• Daniw Elementary Schools (Banca-Banca Extension)
• G. Herradura Elementary Schools
• Jesus The Only Messiah SChool of Wisdom
• Maranatha Christian Academy-Victoria
• Masapang Elementary Schools
• Missionari Della Fede Community Learning Center
• Pagalangan Elementary Schools
• San Benito Elementary Schools
• San Felix Elementary Schools
• San Francisco Elementary Schools
• T. Daguinsin Elementary Schools
• Victoria Elementary Schools

Secondary schools

• Banca-Banca Integrated National High School
• Masapang National High School
• Nanhaya National High School
• San Benito National High School
• San Francisco Integrated NHS
• San Roque National High School

Higher educational institution

• Moreh Global Innovative College

External links

• [[[:Template:NSCB detail]] Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System Template:Webarchive
• History of Pila: A Secular and Spiritual History of the Town 900 A.D. to Present