Balayan

The name "Balayan" originates from the Sri-Visayan dialect, where "BA-I" or "balai" means house, and the Filipino suffix “an” signifies a group of houses or a settlement. Historically, the early inhabitants built their homes on stilts over the waters of Balayan Bay, and it is believed that Balayan served as the center of the ancient powerful kingdom of MA-I. Today, Balayan is a 1st Class Municipality in Batangas, having advanced from a 3rd Class status in 1992 to a 1st Class municipality by July 1996 due to the continuous efforts of its administration.