Batangas as a Philippine Maritime Trade Node before 1571

Before the coming of the Spaniards to Manila in 1571 to set up administration of the islands, the waters of Batangas formed part of a dynamic network of regional trade. Archaeological and historical evidence demonstrates that Batangas was not isolated, but a node within the Manila–Mindoro–Visayas circuit, a system of exchange that moved goods, ideas, and people across the central Philippines.

Those familiar with Batangas history will recall that the expedition of Martin de Goiti and Juan de Salcedo — upon the orders of the conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi in 1570 — had already explored the province, specifically, Balayan and the area of Laguna de Bombon (Taal lake).

Finds from Calatagan provide strong material proof. Excavations in the 1950’s uncovered over 500 burial sites containing Chinese ceramics dated between the 14^th and 16^th centuries¹.

AI-generated image depicting a pre-Hispanic trading port in Batangas.

These objects, including porcelain bowls and jars, are markers of active trade, entering the Batangas coast through redistribution from larger entrepôts such as Manila, Mindoro, and key Visayan ports, which received and redistributed imported goods from China and Southeast Asia before reaching smaller nodes like Batangas.

The scale of the Calatagan finds shows that communities here in Batangas were fully integrated into the maritime economy of Luzon.

Balayan further strengthens the case. Early Spanish sources record it as a notable settlement with a protected harbor on the western Batangas coast². Archaeological surveys also identified imported tradeware ceramics in the area, confirming that Balayan functioned as a coastal settlement engaged in commerce before Spanish rule³.

Its location, facing both Mindoro and the Visayas, positioned it as a natural stop for vessels moving along the route south of Manila Bay.

Other evidence comes from Nasugbu, where shell midden sites indicate sustained coastal occupation and reliance on marine resources⁴. Though less spectacular than Calatagan’s ceramics, these sites show the continuity of coastal life and trade-supporting subsistence.

More recent archaeological work in southeastern Batangas likewise reveals pre-Hispanic sites with imported ceramics, suggesting a pattern of distributed coastal nodes⁵.

The presence of imported ceramics from China and Southeast Asia does not mean Batangas traded directly with those regions. Rather, these goods likely reached its shores through redistribution via Manila, Mindoro, or the Visayas.

The archaeological record aligns with historical accounts that emphasize Manila Bay and Mindoro as entrepôts, with Batangas participating as one of the smaller but integral coastal nodes.

In this way, Batangas can be understood not as an isolated province but as part of the greater maritime landscape of the archipelago before 1571. Its settlements, harbors, and archaeological record confirm its role as a node within the Manila–Mindoro–Visayas trade network.