Clockwise from the top: Taytay Falls, Saint Gregory the Great Parish Church, Town Proper, Ancestral House, Chapel of Nuestra Señora de la Portería (Ermita).
Majayjay (Tagalog:[mɐhaɪ̯ˈhaɪ̯]), officially designated as the Municipality of Majayjay (Tagalog: Bayan ng Majayjay), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. As of the 2020 census, the city has a population of 27,893 residents.[3]
Geographically, Majayjay is situated at the base of Mount Banahaw; approximately 1,000 feet (300 meters) above sea level. It is 62 kilometers (39 mi) from Santa Cruz, 107 kilometers (66 mi) from Manila, and 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) from Lucban. It shares borders with Magdalena on the northwest, Lucban in Quezon to the southeast, Luisiana to the northeast, and Liliw to the west.
The original name of Majayjay was Malay Barangay, but many residents assume that Spaniards found it difficult to pronounce, which may have led to early colonizers shortening it to Malay-ay until it became Majayjay.[citation needed] Legends, however, say that it was the difficult journey to Majayjay which gave the town its name; tired travelers supposedly sighed, “Hay!” after scaling a cliff, “Hay!” after ascending a hill, and “Hay!” after crossing a raging river.[5] Thus, guests referred to the place as “Mahayhay,” meaning many sighs, and the Spaniards then spelled this “Majayjay.”
The old Puente de Capricho, an unfinished bridge built in the 1850s
In 1571, The Spanish colonial government made Majayjay into a town,[6] which at the time was one of the most populated settlements in the newly founded province. It competed with Bay and Pagsanjan during the selection of the province's capital.
The popularity of the new town grew during the Spanish period, in part due to its location at the foot of the mountain, which gave it an abundant supply of fresh mountain spring water. Four rivers flowed through the town: Initian, Oobi, Olla, and Balanac (from the falls of Botocan) where all the rivers meet.[citation needed]
Botocan Falls and the town's scenery were uniquely famous, which led to many Europeans and wealthy natives from Manila frequently visiting the town. However, the road to Malay Barangay was considered to be tough.[citation needed] Guests have to be ferried from Manila through the Pasig River to Laguna de Bay. Land travel was done by mounting horses through a path in the forest and then being borne by natives in hammocks on the way up to Malay Barangay.[citation needed]
After the conversion of the natives of Malay Barangay, a makeshift church was built near May-it River,[citation needed] but was destroyed by a fire in 1578.[citation needed] A new church made of bamboo and cogon thatch was built; however, another fire destroyed it again. A stone church was then built, which was also burned down.[citation needed] Despite the fire incidents, the image of their patron saint, San Gregorio Papa Magno survived.[citation needed]
Through the efforts of Padre José de Puertollano, contributions enforced by parishioners, and forced labor of natives, a new church was built in 1730[citation needed], with its construction taking 19 years.[citation needed]
Majayjay is a geographically landlocked area situated in the southernmost part of Laguna. It nestles at the foot of Mt. Banahaw, and due to its higher altitude at some 2,700+ ft above sea level, the town makes for a popular vacation destination during summer in the Philippines. It was once branded as the 'Summer Capital of the Philippines' 300–400 years ago during the Spanish era, when most of the prominent names in the Spanish colonial Philippines visited the area. Other sights along the streets include the remnants of the said era of Spanish-inspired houses that still stand at periodic key locations, mostly in the town square. Affluent families still have their ancestral houses maintained.[citation needed]
Majayjay is classified as Am in the Köppen–Geiger climate classification, which refers to a tropical monsoon climate. There is significant rainfall in most months of the year, with the annual rainfall averaging 2,571 mm, and the precipitation between the driest month and the wettest month differing by 332 mm. The short dry season has little effect on the overall climate. The temperature here averages 25.8 °C, and during the year, the average temperatures vary by 3.2 °C. The warmest month of the year is May, with an average temperature of 27.4 °C. January has the lowest average temperature of the year, which is 24.2 °C.
Majayjay is politically subdivided into 40 barangays,[8] which is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines. Each barangay consists of puroks, or unofficial divisions within a barangay, and some barangays also have sitios, which are also unofficial divisions in a barangay.
Poblacion with town hall on right, public market on left, and St. Gregory church in the background.
In the 2020 census, the population of Majayjay was 27,893 people,[3] with a density of 400 inhabitants per square kilometer or 1,000 inhabitants per square mile.
Majayjay is home to one of the oldest Roman Catholic churches in the Philippines, the Saint Gregory the Great Parish Church. It was built in 1575 through forced labor by the town folks. Inside the church are antique statues of saints brought by the Spaniards in the early era of propagating Christianity. The church underwent fire incidents in 1576, 1606, and 1660, but later underwent reconstructions and rehabilitation works. A view of Laguna de Bay can be seen atop the roof of the church.
Taytay Falls2. Taytay Falls
Majayjay is also home to the Taytay Falls. Others call it the Majayjay Falls or even Imelda Falls because ex-First Lady Imelda Marcos financed the promotion of tourism in this place. It is a two-story high fall located in remote scenery where forestry is abundant. To reach Taytay Falls, one has to go down the stone steps leading to a kilometer-long trail, constructed in 2008. Recently, the World Bank has sponsored the promotion of tourism in Taytay Falls.
3. Puente de Capriccio
In Rizal's El Filibusterismo, he spoke of an old Spanish bridge made of stone in the year 1851. It was a one-arch bridge since it was not finished, early natives put a bamboo footbridge to connect the opposite sides to make it accessible. Puente de Capriccio was initiated by Spanish Franciscan priest Victoriano del Moral. But the priest was cruel and autocratic, anyone who did not labour in the construction would be later punished by whipping the buttocks. The workers were reportedly not paid a single centavo. Because of his cruelty, the workers campaigned against him, thus, the bridge's construction never resumed since 1851. The bridge is still standing firm today crossing the Olla River. It is called Tulay ng Pige (Bridge of Buttocks) by modern Majayjayenos. The bridge now symbolizes the defiance of Filipino workers against the oppressive Spanish colonialists during the colonial period.
Majayjay is located at the foot of this mountain. In the early Spanish era, Mount Banahaw was called Monte de Majayjay, because it was the town the only way to travel to the mountain. Many European elites visited the town for Mount Banahaw.
5. Bukal Falls
Popular to most tourists as the Enchanted Falls
6. Botocan Hydroelectric Power Plant and Dam
It is the first hydroelectric power plant constructed in the Philippines in the 20th century (1930). It is now owned by the CBK Power Company Limited.
7. Ermita Church
Then, a tribunal. This holy place houses the image of Nuestra Señora de la Portería.
8. Our Lady of the Gate Grotto
Situated along the Olla riverbank is a sacred place where masses at times are being held. It is a small tourist destination for religious excursionists.
Majayjay Day is celebrated every year on October 2 as part of the celebration of the founding anniversary of the town. It brags off-farm and agricultural products produced primarily from the 40 barangays composing it. This day has been given a new life and breathing in its new brand name AniLinang Festival. The 1st AniLinang Festival was held on October 2, 2016, as an initiative of the local government to promote the town's laid-back, and peaceful way of life seen in its agricultural produce as well as in its indigenous cuisines.
SaGreMa Festival (San Gregorio Magno Majayjay), is a parochial festivity celebrated on September 3, the day when Saint Gregory, the town's patron saint, became a pope, and March 12, the day he died. In the festival, Majayjayenos honor the saint for the fortunes of their town.
The town can be accessed by four entry points: Magdalena-Majayajay Road to the north, Liliw-Majayjay Road to the west, Luisiana-Majayjay Road to the east, and Lucban-Majayjay Road to the south. Public utility vehicles such local jeepneys and tricycles are modes of public transportation in the municipality.
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