Mataasnakahoy
Mataasnakahoy is a municipality in Batangas province, Philippines, known for its elevated setting, agricultural economy, lakeside communities, resorts, and local civic and religious traditions.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Mataasnakahoy, officially the Municipality of Mataasnakahoy, is a local government municipality in the province of Batangas in the Philippines. It occupies approximately 22.10 square kilometres and is divided into 16 barangays. The municipality lies near Lipa City and Balete, with Taal Lake forming part of its western boundary. Its elevation, reported at about 379 metres above sea level, contributes to a relatively cool local climate and is reflected in the character of the town and its agricultural production. The name Mataasnakahoy is written as a single word in modern usage but derives from the Tagalog phrase mataás na kahoy, meaning “tall wood” or “tall tree.” Local historical documentation associated with the name dates it to 1862, when the settlement was established as a barrio of Lipa. One account says that the settlement’s early leader recalled a prominent tall tree in the area. Local folklore offers another explanation involving a fruit from a tall tree that was believed to have helped cure an elderly woman. Before becoming an independent municipality, the area formed part of Lipa. The present barangay of Lumang Lipa was historically connected with an earlier municipal centre of Lipa, which operated there from 1724 to 1754 before being moved following an eruption of Taal Volcano. Mataasnakahoy achieved municipal status through Executive Order No. 308, signed on March 27, 1931, by Acting Governor-General George C. Butte. The order took effect on January 2, 1932, establishing the municipality in its modern administrative form. The town suffered severe disruption during the Second World War. The expansion of Lipa Air Base brought Imperial Japanese Army Air Service forces into the area, and the occupation was accompanied by the destruction of homes and the killing of male residents. Mataasnakahoy was subsequently rehabilitated and rebuilt after the war. Its later development has combined agricultural activity, small-scale commerce, public services, residential construction, and tourism. Agriculture remains central to the local economy. Coffee, coconut, and banana are among the principal crops. Fishing and aquaculture are practiced in coastal or lakeside barangays, including Nangkaan, Lumang Lipa, and Kinalaglagan, with milkfish and tilapia among the principal cultured species. Piggeries and poultry farms range from household operations to larger commercial facilities. Feed mills, rural banking, retail stores, markets, pharmacies, garment workshops, telecommunications, and internet services support the local economic base. Mataasnakahoy has also developed a growing resort and leisure sector. Resorts and related destinations operate in several barangays, including San Sebastian, Barangay II, Manggahan, and Bayorbor. Residential subdivisions and community housing projects have expanded the built environment, while public transportation links the municipality with Lipa City and neighbouring areas through jeepneys and tricycles. Civic life centres on the municipal government, barangay institutions, schools, markets, churches, and annual public celebrations. The town fiesta is held on January 3, while religious observances include Holy Week rites, All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days, Christmas celebrations, and the December 8 feast of the Immaculate Conception. Devotion to the Immaculate Conception developed locally from the nineteenth century and was reinforced by an episcopal coronation in 2022. The municipality’s population was reported as 31,912 in the 2024 census.
History
Mataasnakahoy developed from a settlement historically connected to Lipa in Batangas. The municipality’s name comes from the Tagalog expression mataás na kahoy, commonly translated as “tall tree” or “tall wood.” A local historical report prepared in 1953 traced the name to 1862, when the area was organized as a barrio of Lipa. According to the account, the settlement’s early leader remembered a conspicuous tall tree in the locality. Folklore provides a second explanation, associating the tree with a fruit believed to have restored the health of an elderly woman. The area has a longer historical relationship with Lipa through Lumang Lipa, now one of the municipality’s barangays. Lumang Lipa served as Lipa’s second municipal seat between 1724 and 1754. The seat was later transferred to Balete after an eruption of Taal Volcano, an event that shaped settlement patterns in the surrounding region. Mataasnakahoy became a municipality under Executive Order No. 308. The order was signed on March 27, 1931, by Acting Governor-General George C. Butte and became effective on January 2, 1932. This administrative change separated the municipality from its previous status as a barrio of Lipa and established the local government framework that continues today. The Second World War brought major destruction. Lipa Air Base, located about a kilometre from the town’s población, was expanded by the Japanese military. Imperial Japanese Army Air Service forces occupied the area, burning homes and killing male residents in massacres. Following the war, Mataasnakahoy underwent rapid rehabilitation and reconstruction. In the post-war period, the municipality retained an agricultural foundation while gradually diversifying. Coffee, coconut, and banana became important crops, while piggery and poultry production developed from backyard operations into larger-scale enterprises. Aquaculture and fishing are practiced along communities bordering Taal Lake, particularly Nangkaan, Lumang Lipa, and Kinalaglagan. Milkfish and tilapia are among the principal cultured species. Feed mills and rural financial institutions provide support for farming, livestock, household commerce, and local enterprise. Mataasnakahoy’s elevated terrain and proximity to Lipa have also encouraged residential and leisure development. Subdivisions have been established in several parts of the municipality, and a housing project associated with Gawad Kalinga has provided homes for low-income residents. Resorts began appearing in multiple barangays, with later developments expanding the municipality’s profile as a destination for short stays and recreational visits. Public life is organised through the municipal government, 16 barangays, schools, markets, churches, and community celebrations. The January 3 town fiesta combines religious observance with sports, music, street events, food, and family reunions. The December 8 feast of the Immaculate Conception is another major religious occasion, featuring Mass and procession. Local devotion to the Immaculate Conception dates to 1874 and was publicly strengthened by the 2022 episcopal coronation. Mataasnakahoy remains a predominantly Roman Catholic municipality while also accommodating several other Christian denominations. In the 2024 census, it recorded 31,912 residents.
- 2024
Population recorded at 31,912
[1]The 2024 census reported 31,912 residents in the municipality.
- 2022
Episcopal coronation of the local Marian devotion
[1]The Immaculate Conception devotion received an episcopal coronation on December 8.
- 1940
Wartime occupation and destruction
[1]During the Second World War, Japanese forces occupied the area, destroying homes and killing male residents.
- 1932
Municipality formally established
[1]The municipal-creation order took effect on January 2.
- 1931
Municipal creation approved
[1]Executive Order No. 308 was signed on March 27, creating Mataasnakahoy as a municipality.
- 1862
Name associated with the settlement
[1]A local historical account dates the settlement’s name, derived from “tall tree,” to this period.
- 1754
Municipal seat moves from Lumang Lipa
[1]Lipa’s municipal centre was relocated to Balete after an eruption of Taal Volcano.
- 1724
Lumang Lipa becomes a municipal seat of Lipa
[1]The area now known as Lumang Lipa served as Lipa’s second municipal seat.
Products and positioning
A small, agriculturally oriented Batangas municipality combining elevated rural settlement, lakeside production, accessible local commerce, religious heritage, and emerging resort development.
Agricultural crop
Coffee
Coffee is one of Mataasnakahoy’s principal agricultural products and forms part of the municipality’s rural economic base.
Agricultural crops
Coconut and banana
Coconut and banana cultivation contribute to farm output alongside coffee and support household and commercial agricultural activity.
Aquaculture
Milkfish and tilapia
Milkfish and tilapia are the main cultured fish associated with lakeside and coastal barangays including Nangkaan, Lumang Lipa, and Kinalaglagan.
Tourism
Resort and leisure services
Resorts in San Sebastian, Barangay II, Manggahan, Bayorbor, and other areas provide accommodation, recreation, and destination-oriented services.
Marketing campaigns
- Town fiesta
Mataasnakahoy
The annual January 3 fiesta combines religious observance with sporting events, singing, street dancing, food, family gatherings, marching bands, and public entertainment.
Outcome. The celebration functions as a major civic and social gathering for residents and returning relatives.
- Immaculate Conception feast
Mataasnakahoy
The December 8 religious celebration includes Mass, a procession, fireworks, and communal food for devotees.
Outcome. The feast reinforces the municipality’s Marian religious identity and community traditions.
Brand decisions
2022
Episcopal coronation of the Immaculate Conception devotionOtherBackground
Devotion to the Immaculate Conception had been present in the town since 1874.
Action taken
An episcopal coronation was held on December 8, 2022.
Aftermath
The ceremony further established the devotion’s importance in the municipality’s religious life.
1931
Creation of an independent municipalityStrategyBackground
Mataasnakahoy had previously been administered as a barrio of Lipa.
Action taken
Executive Order No. 308 established Mataasnakahoy as a municipality, effective January 2, 1932.
Aftermath
The order created the municipality’s separate local-government structure.
Sources2 sources
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