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Pila is a town in the province of Laguna in the Philippines. One of the oldest-known settlements in the country, it is famous for its colonial-era downtown, which earns it the distinction of one of a few designated heritage towns in the Philippines.
Understand
[edit | edit source]Pila is known to have existed as early as the 10th century based on archaeological evidence retrieved from excavations in Barangay Pinagbayanan. It is also believed that Pila was a major political and economic center that controlled much of eastern Laguna de Bay, a legacy of which is the presence in neighboring Rizal province of the town of Pililla, which literally means "Little Pila".
During the Spanish era, Pila changed location several times due to flooding along Laguna de Bay and its tributaries. In the 19th century, Pila was reestablished in its present site from what later became the separate municipality of Victoria. Among the legacies of the Spanish period is the town's grid pattern, parish church and plaza.
Pila's biggest draw is its town center, which is home to a substantive concentration of century-old houses similar to those in Vigan and Taal. Contrary to popular belief however, the houses of Pila were built during the American instead of the Spanish era, as evidence by the lighter materials used in the construction of such houses.
It is home to about 58,000 people (census, 1 July 2024) 
Get in
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From Manila, the main route to Pila is through the Calamba-Pagsanjan Road, exiting from Turbina exit of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) in Calamba. The road skirts the southern and eastern edges of town, but a left turn at the junction with Pila-Calumpang Road leads to the old highway and Pila's main thoroughfares, namely Rizal and General Luna Streets. Travelers coming from Santa Cruz and other towns east of Pila enter through a junction beside the municipal cemetery.
Pila is served by buses plying the Metro Manila-Santa Cruz Route. It is also traversed by jeepneys travelling between Santa Cruz and the western towns of Laguna, including Calamba and San Pablo. These pass through the old highway in the town center.
Get around
[edit | edit source]Tricycles are the main form of transportation between barangays, especially in the rural areas to the south.
See
[edit | edit source]- 1 National Shrine and Parish of San Antonio de Padua (Pila Church), Burzagom Street, Bulilan Sur, ☏ +63 910 721 4900, sanantonio0613pila@gmail.com. Pila's Roman Catholic church was built in 1849. Its gray brick exterior contrasts with the red brick belltower. Its interior features an ornate altar, multiple gravestones on the walls containing the remains of Pila's high society, and an exquisite statue of the Christ Child
- 2 Pila Historic Town Center. One of the few surviving colonial-era town centers in the Philippines, clustered around the town plaza and Saint Anthony parish church and declared a National Historical Landmark in 2001. Contrary to popular belief, only the church was built in the Spanish era, while the houses and municipal hall were built during the early years of the American occupation. Unlike other heritage towns in the Philippines, Pila's houses remain functional residences owned by the same families for generations and are closed to the public. Some of them house businesses at the ground floors.
- 3 Old Pila Municipal Hall, Rivera Street, Bulilan Norte. A well-preserved government building from the American era.
- 4 Pila Town Plaza. Pila's main public and recreational space, with views of Pila Church, Municipal Hall and some of the most beautiful heritage houses in the town, a reference to the practice of rich people showcasing their wealth by building their residences on prime real estate, namely the main square.
- 5 IFI Saint Anthony Parish, Mabini Street, Santa Clara Sur. One of the oldest Aglipayan churches in the Philippines, built in 1932.
- 6 Pila Elementary School, M.H. del Pilar Street, Bulilan Norte. The administrative building of the town's main primary school is an American-era bungalow (commonly known as the Gabaldon) that is among the recognized national treasures in Pila.
- 7 Clinica Napil, Rizal Street, Bulilan Sur. A 1930s residence owned by the same family that runs the clinic.
- 8 Pinagbayanan Crematorium, Barangay Road, Pinagbayanan. The remains of a precolonial burial site where many of Pila's antiquities were discovered. As the site stands on a private lot, access is erratic and on a case-by-case basis with the owners and caretakers.
Do
[edit | edit source]- Pailah Festival. between March and May. The town's annual festival, celebrating its agricultural and natural resources.
Buy
[edit | edit source]- 1 Pila Public Market, General Luna Street corner Calamba-Pagsanjan Road, Bulilan Norte.
- 2 Mini Puregold, Rizal Street, Bulilan Norte. A grocery set inside a heritage house.
- 3 Dali Everyday Grocery, Rizal Street, Bulilan Sur.
- 4 Alfamart Bulilan Sur, Rizal corner Mabini Streets, Bulilan Sur.
- 5 Alfamart Bagong Pook, Calamba-Pagsanjan Road, Bagong Pook.
Eat
[edit | edit source]An exclusive delicacy in Pila is Biscotti de San Antonio, cookies embossed with an image of Saint Anthony that are only available in Pila Church.
- 1 La Cosina Antonio, Rizal Street, Santa Clara Norte, ☏ +63 926 182 5262, lacosina_antonio@yahoo.com. 10AM–9PM. A restaurant serving Filipino and Western dishes inside a converted heritage house
Drink
[edit | edit source]Sleep
[edit | edit source]- 1 Sleepy Knights Castle, Rizal Street, Bulilan Sur. A towering landmark in Pila that was built to resemble a medieval castle.
Connect
[edit | edit source]Go next
[edit | edit source]| Routes through Pila |
| Calamba ← Victoria ← | W  E | → Santa Cruz → Pagsanjan |