Cavite Province, Philippines

By James Barcelona

Tourist Attractions

Tagaytay Ridge

Tagaytay Ridge. Tagaytay City is known as the country's second summer capital next to Baguio. Its famous Tagaytay Ridge is actually part of the crater of an ancient volcano that collapsed years ago. Within this collapsed volcano are the Taal Lake and Taal Volcano - renowned as the smallest in the world. The Ridge offers a panoramic vista of this natural wonder, as well as picnic spots, accommodations and other recreational facilities.

Cabag Cave

Cabag Cave. The cave with an underground river that runs 50 meters inward is found amidst lush foliage at the foot of a steep slope. A brook forms a small pool at the mouth of the cave.

Palsahingin Falls. A 50-ft tall gushing water into a dome-like river. Four chamber caves with stone formations are visible within the falls, three-meter stretch from the entrance.

Palsahingin Falls

Balite Falls. Two falls could actually be seen in the area, one of which flows naturally gushing strong clear water while the other one is outfitted with pipes and bamboo tubes to aid the flow of water with a deep part for adults and a shallow part for children.

Cavite is a province of the Philippines located 30 kilometers south of Manila in the CALABARZON Region in Luzon. It is the second most densely populated province in the country. The province has 4 component cities and 19 municipalities. Although Imus is the officially designated capital and seat of government by Presidential Decree No. 1163, the provincial government functions and remains in Trece Martires City. Cavite is bounded by Laguna in the east, Metro Manila in the northeast, and Batangas in the south. To the west of the province lies the South China Sea.

Cavite is named as the Historical Capital of the Philippines. It is the cradle of Philippine Revolution, and the birthplace of Philippine Independence. The province got its name from a Tagalog word kawit which means hook owing to the hook-shaped land in the Old Spanish map. In 1896, when the revolution against Spain broke out, Cavite became a bloody theater of war. Led by Emilio Aguinaldo, Caviteños made raids on Spanish headquarters, and soon liberated the entire province. The proclamation of independence of the Republic of the Philippines was held in Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898. 

The main languages spoken in Cavite are Tagalog, Chavacano and English. Due to its proximityto Metro Manila, a large number of people have moved to the province, resulting in significant usage of Bicol, Cebuano and Ilocano. About 80% of the population are Roman Catholic, 11% belong to the Aglipayan Church and Iglesia ni Cristo accounts for about 4%. Other Christian sects and Muslim comprise the remainder. 

Cavite is one of the fastest growing provinces in the country due to its close proximity to Metro Manila. Many companies have established manufacturing plants in numerous industrial parks in the province. There are about 718 industrial establishments existing in the province. 

Cavite is a historic, picturesque and scenic province providing a place conducive to both business and leisure. Tagaytay City serves as the main tourist center. Historical attractions and sites are Fort San Felipe and Sangley Point in Cavite City; Battle of Alapan Marker and Flag in Imus; and the Aguinaldo Shrine which is the site of the declaration of Philippine Independence in Kawit. The Andres Bonifacio House in General Trias is the former home of the country’s revolutionary leader. Corregidor is an island fortress where Filipino and American forces fought against the Japanese invaders in 1942. It has become a tourist attraction with tunnels, cannons and other war structures still well-preserved. 

The urban influence of the metropolis together with easy accessibility, adequate infrastructure and fresh natural setting makes the picturesque province an ideal refuge.