Lucena City: Mainland Luzon's Gateway

[The Dane]

Lucena City is a Highly Urbanized City nowadays. The city's roads and seaport are busy being the gateway of some island provinces and Bicol. Lucena City is the gateway to mainland Luzon in the Philippines for commerce, trade, and business.

Driving through the Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway for about 137 kilometers from Manila, Philippines, one can reach Lucena City. Pagbilao bound Lucena City on the north, Tayabas Bay on the South-Southeast, Sariaya on the southwest, and Tayabas on the northwest. Lucena City is Quezon Province's southeastern portion.

Lucena City's seaport is among the busiest fishing ports in the Philippines. The city's seaport is also Luzon's major domestic passenger seaport. Lucena City is a gateway to the mainland Luzon from the Bicol Region and some island provinces of the Philippines. Lucena City is accessible by land, air, and sea.

Lucena City has a small land area -- about 8,315.73 hectares. Lucena City's five biggest barangays, Mayao Castillo, Ibabang Iyam, Ibabang Dupay, Mayao Silangan, and Isabang, cover almost 40% of the land area.
Lucena City has a flat terrain with some slightly rolling hills. The city is sandwiched between two big rivers, the Iyam River on the west and the Dumacaa River on the east. A number of small rivers and creeks traverse through Lucena City that drains out to the sea.

Lucena City is a no dry season area in the Philippines. Maximum rain period record is 33 rainfalls in a year.

Lucena City has six soil types such as Guadalupe Clay Loam, Buguey Loamy Sand, Ibaan Silt Clay Loam, Ibaan Loam, Hydrosoil, and Macolod Clay Loam. Five of these soil types are crop friendly. The Buguey Loamy Sand is best for coconuts while the Ibaan Loam yields high rice harvests. The hydrosoil on Lucena City's coasts are planted with nipa and mangrove and is used to make fishponds.

Fishery and aquatic resources are rich in Lucena City. The Tayabas Bay is a productive fishing ground in the whole Quezon Province, Philippines. Commercial fishing vessels catch large quantities of fish in Lucena City.
Tagalog is Lucena City's dominant dialect with minor dialects like Bicolano and Masbateño. There is no forest zone in Lucena City. In spite of this, the local government allotted three hectares that was made into a man-made forest called the Botanical Garden. Lucena City maintains a half-hectare Ecology Park in Barangay Isabang.

The Grand Central Terminal is Lucena City's central transportation hub. Located midway through Bicol and back, the city's terminal serves the Manila-bound buses, and other destinations of Quezon Province and mainland Luzon.

Lucena became a chartered city on June 17, 1961 through Republic Act No. 3271 of the Philippines and was officially inaugurated on August 19, 1962. Lucena City is considered as a Highly Urbanized City on July 1, 1991.

[asceniBiala]

I'm new here, just wanted to say hello and introduce myself.