Quest Journals Journal of Research in Business and Management Volume 2 ~ Issue 5 (2014) pp: 01-04 ISSN(Online) : 2347-3002 www.questjournals.org *Corresponding Author: Dexter R. Buted 1 | Page Lyceum of the Philippines University, Batangas City, Philippines Research Paper Promoting the Tourism Industry of Calatagan Batangas, Philippines Dexter R. Buted 1 , Alex P. Ylagan 2 , Evangeline Mendoza 3 Lyceum of the Philippines University, Batangas City, Philippines Received 16 May, 2014; Accepted 07 June, 2014 © The author(s) 2014. Published with open access at www.questjournals.org ABSTRACT: This study entitled aimed to promote Calatagan as a tourist destination in Batangas. Descriptive type of research was utilized in the study. Results showed that Lago de Oro is the most frequently visited over the other attractions. The common problem encountered by the Tourism Industry in Calatagan is lack of promotion. Among the social benefits brought by tourism in Calatagan they strongly agreed on promoting of peace and order situation. Among the economic benefits they strongly agree on employment opportunities. Tourism means more jobs for the people and improvement of their standard of living. All programs are implemented and the government knows how to develop more of their place. Keywords - Tourism Industry, Peace and Order, Lago de Oro, Batangas, Economic Benefits I. INTRODUCTION Over the years, the Philippine tourism industry has been playing a key role in promoting mutual understanding among nations, and as an instrument of national and economic development through poverty alleviation and conservation of fragile natural and cultural resources [1]. Tourism is a fast growing industry that has become a top priority of the economic agenda of a number of countries. It is believed that tourism can be used as a tool to solve problems like unemployment and poverty in developing countries [2]. The word “Calatagan” is derived from the tagalong word “Latag” and it is synonymous to “Kapatagan” which means a large expands of wide plain lands. Tourism has grown into one of the world’s major ind ustries and has thus also become increasingly important [3]. At the beginning of the century, record shows there were less than two hundred settlers who chose this flat portion of Batangas because of its agricultural potentials and its proximity to the sea. Archaeological researchers, however, show that there could have been more people when the Spaniards arrived there in 1890. The town is the site of the famous historical and archeological “Calatagan Excavations" whose antique pottery and other utensils contributed important facts about the culture and activities of the Filipinos before the coming of the Spaniards. Archeological finds mostly pottery of Chinese origin, dug from six large cemeteries and unearthed by Archeologists professor Olov T. R. Janse and Professor Robert B. Fox as well as conclusion made by Professor H. Otley Bayer, point to the existence of a sizable pre- Spanish population in this place. The same studies suggests that there was direct Chinese trade by water into Calatagan and this trade could have centered at a place called Balong- Bato, where vessels coming from Mindoro and Manila still presently use an entrance through the reef, which surrounds Calatagan [4]. The land occupied by the Municipality of Calatagan used to be known as hacienda De Calatagan; Don Domingo Roxas acquired it from the Spanish crown in 1829. The successors, Don Pedro P. Roxas, continued to develop the land. By the first decade of the century, it had progressed sufficiently to become a municipality in 1911, being an independent entity from its mother town called Balayan. When the properties of the Roxas family which consisted of the hacienda in Nasugbo and Calatagan were divided among the heirs, the ownership of hacienda De calatagan passed on to the family of don Enrique Zobel whose heir continue to own considerable portions of the original hacienda. However, much of the land was subdividedby the Zobel’s into residential lots, which are sold to the original occupants at prices ranging from 20 to 30 centavos per square meter. The uncultivated Southern portions of the property of Don Alfonso Zobel was subdivided into 2.2 hectares parcels and raffled off to bonafide residents of Calatagan at Philippine Currency of one hundred pesos(Php 100) per hectare then.