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No. of towns: 14
Land area: 1,860 sq.
kms.
Location. It is bounded
on the north by Bulacan, on the east by Quezon, on the
south by Laguna de Bay and on the southwest by Cavite.
Overview. Rizal has
so much to offer to both foreign and local tourists
like a breathtaking view of the Laguna Lake and Sierra
Madre Mountain Range. The Laguna lakeshore area has
its potential for further development. It is at the
threshold of urbanization with vast opportunities for
growth waiting to be explored. Rizal also has various
inexpensive inland resorts that are fully packed during
summer season.
A visit to an old town, a
tour of the early Spanish century-old churches, shopping
for native products, delicacies, fruits and fresh fish
from nearby fruit orchards and lakeshore fishermen -
all these tour possibilities would create new touring
patterns for vacationers.
Brief
history. With the organization of Tondo and La Laguna
during the Spanish regime, Rizal province was composed
of 26 towns. Some of the towns like Pasig, Parañaque,
Taytay and Cainta were already thriving because long
before the Spanish conquest, the Tagalog settlements
had already carried on trade with the Chinese.
In 1582 - 83, the Encomienda
of Moron (Morong) was under the jurisdiction of La Laguna
and Passi (Pasig). Taitai (Taytay), Tagui (Taguig) belonged
to Tondo. In 1591, the Encomiendas of Moron and Taitai
were under the jurisdiction of Franciscan Order in La
Laguna. The Augustinians in Tondo had jurisdiction of
Nabotas (Navotas), Tambobo (Malabon), Tondo, Parañaque,
Longalo (Dongalo), Taguig and Pasig.
A new political subdivision
was formed in 1853 consisting of the towns of Antipolo,
Boso-Boso, Cainta, and Taytay from Tondo and the towns
of Morong, Baras, Tanay, Pililla, Angono, Binangonan
and Jala-Jala from La Laguna. Then in 1860, Tondo became
the province of Manila, placing its towns under the
fiscal supervision land control of the Governor of the
new Province.
It was during the revolutionary
government of General Emilio Aguinaldo, when Mariquina
(Marikina) became the captain of Manila. In 1989 - 99,
Antipolo became the capital of Morong, then in 1899
- 1900, Tanay became its capital.
On June 5, 1901, the first
Philippine Comission, headed by President William Taft
and Commissioner Wright Ide and Dr. Trinidad Pardo de
Tavera proposed the unification of Manila and Morong
which resulted in the creation of a new province named
after Jose P. Rizal, the Philippines' national hero.
Rizal province was officially
and legally created by virtue of Act.
No. 310 by the Philippine Commission. It was composedd
of 26 municipalities, 13 from the old province of Manila
comprising Las Piñas, Malabon, Makati, Parañaque, Mandaluyong,
San Juan, Navotas, Muntinlupa, Taguig, Pateros, Marikina,
San Mateo and Montalban. The other municipalities were
from the district of Morong which included Angono, Baras,
Binangonan, Cainta, Antipolo, Cardona, Jala-Jala, Morong,
Pililla, Tanay, Taytay and Teresa.
But November 8, 1975, the
newly formed Metro Manila area was created by virtue
of Presidential Decree No. 824 which resulted in the
incorporation of the 12 towns of Las Piñas, Parañaque,
Muntinlupa, Taguig, Pateros, Makati, Mandaluyong, San
Juan, Malabon, Navotas, Pasig and Marikina. The remaining
14 towns were left to the province of Rizal: San Mateo,
Montalban, Baras, Cainta, Taytay, Angono, Antipolo,
Binangonan, Teresa, Morong, Cardona, Tanay, Pililla
and Jala-Jala.
When Metro Manila Commission
incorporated Pasig, the former capital, Rizal became
the only province in the Philippines to have no capital
town. But there is a proposal to make Antipolo as the
new capital of the province.
Topography. Rizal's
terrain is mostly flat low on the western part, but
it is also endowed with rolling hills and rugged ridges
on the eastern portion. Valleys would be found at the
foot of these elevations and the largest is Marikina
Valley, that extends from Pasig to Montalban Dam or
River which is one of the main water sources in Metro
Manila.
Climate. With a temperate
climate, Rizal is very seldom stricken by typhoons as
it is being protected from violent winds by Sierra Madre
mountains on the east and by the Batangas and Laguna
mountains on the southwest.
Socio economic. Its
vast stretch of soil is ideal for the cultivation of
rice.
Sugarcane, coconuts, coffee
and cocoa, among others are being produced from its
mountainside while rattan and firewood are taken from
its forest timber.
Among the notable towns of
Rizal is Parañaque, which continues to be developing
plush residential ville of the South with a commercial
district of its own. It is very accessible from the
Ninoy Aquino Internatinal Airport (NAIA), Makati - the
commercial capital of the country and Cavite province.
Another is Navotas,
noted for its bay fisheries and ponds that gives Manila
choice fish and other seafoods on its freshest amounting
to millions of pesos in income annually. Navotas also
houses some fish factories that produce a local speciality
called "bagoong" or salted fish paste, and
"patis" or fish souce. Both are used as essential
seasonings to make native cuisines adequately palatable.
Pateros is famous for
raising ducks and other livestock which made it popular
for producing red "salted eggs". They are
quite similar to the Chinese century eggs that take
time before they get ready for consumption, only the
preparation varies.
As the industrial town of
Rizal, Marikina is the by-word shoe center of
the country for it exports quality shoe products. Its
other industries include basic metal production, pharmaceutical,
cosmetics and chemical manufacturing, food processing,
textile weaving and salt making.
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Points
of interest
Cultural
Angono Artist Village
(Angono). Rizal has the potential of becoming tourist
destination particularly in the field of arts and crafts.
It is known as the home of various artists and musicians.
It is for this reason that the Angono Artists Association
ushered the creation of an Artist Village located at
the foothills of Angono.
Jose V. Blanco's Gallery.
Located on Ibanez St., Angono. This private gallery
houses an extensive collection of the original paintings
of Jose V. Blanco and his family of painters. Life size
super realistic murals are on display. Lectures and
guiding services are offered to guests.
Nemiranda Art Gallery.
Located at 10 Doña Elena St., Doña Justa Village, Angono.
A vistit to the art gallery is truly a great cultural
and artistic experience. A collection of the local artists'
art work are on display depicting rural life and folkloric
art. Lectures, guiding services and painting workshops
are being organized on a regular basis.
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Festivals
Cenaculo. Celebrated
in Cainta and Angono on Holy Week (the week before Easter).
Cenaculos (passion plays) are held in different places
all over the Philippines, but this particular one is
more colorful and elaborate. People take the streets
to witness these Passion plays participated in by the
townsfolk.
Penitencia. Celebrated
on Good Friday. A rare spectacle in Lent occurs on Good
Friday when devotees fulfill their "antipo"
(physical sacrifice for the atonement of sins). Popularly
known as flagellantes, these penitents are common in
sections of Manila and the seaside towns of Rizal. The
flagellantes, bare to the waist, foces covered and wearing
crowns of leaves, begin their Penitencia with ceremonial
prayers at the ceremony where a 'makakadlit' inflicts
initial wounds. From mid-morning, they trudge the streets
flogging themselves with spiked or glass-tipped whips.
By 3:00 P.M., the Hour of Christ's death, they lie prostrate
on Catholic church doors to offer their bloody backs
for penance, after which they take a healing sea dip
and are said to emerge from it fully healed and unscathed.
Salubong. Celebrated
in Angono on Easter Sunday. The reunion of the image
of the Risen Christ with the image of the virgin Mary
is facilitated by the removal from Mary's head of the
mourning veil, by a young girl inside an inverted giant
paper flower suspended from a bamboo trellis. The petals
are mechanically opened by toy birds to reveal the girl
inside. Religious dancing follows.
Carabao Festival. Celebrated
in Angono on May
14 . During the celebration of San Isidro Labrador,
a feast in honor of the popular patron saint of the
Filipino farmer, St. Isidore, farming towns all over
the Philippines pay tribute to the beast of burden and
the farmer's best friend, the carabao. On this day,
before all the festivities begin, the carabao are shaved,
leaving aesthetic patterns on their backs. Then they
are bathed and scrubbed till they glow. Their horns
and hoves are rubbed with oil, their toes manicured,
their tails combed, plaited and beribboned. And to finish,
they are crowned with colorful flowers and buntings.
On this day, they are given attention fit for a queen.
The celebration starts with the carabao being blessed
by the priest in the churchyard of the town. Then the
procession comprised of carabao carts bearing the image
of San Isidor takes place. This procession ends at the
town square where prizes are awarded to the strongest
, healthiest, longest horned, most beautiful and best-trained
carabaos. The climax of the day's activities occurs
when the carabaos race each other across the fields.
At the finish line which is set up in the churchyard,
the beasts thunder to a stop and kneel as they are once
more blessed by the priest. Then they are led home to
rest and prepare to return to their usual pattern of
life.
San
Clemente. One of the major festivals celebrated
by the townfolks of Angono, is the San Clemente Festival
held every 23rd
of November. San Clemente is the patron saint of
fishermen, highly revered by the people of Angono since
this coastal town is inhabited by fisherfolk.
On the actual feast day, the
image of San Clemente is carried on a barge in Laguna
Lake, with a fluvial procession participated in by most
of the residents of the town. The fishermen and their
families are dressed in their fishermen's clothes bearing
their occupational gear - boat paddles, fish nets, traps,
etc. and accompany the image back to the church. Little
children called "parehadors" are dressed in
colorful costumes and put up a mardi gras-like procession
in salutation of the image of San Clemente.
How to get there. Take
the Angono bound buses at the EDSA Shaw Boulevard Terminal
in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila. Upon reaching the capital
town Angono, take a trycycle to take you to the places
you wish to see.
Travel time from said bus terminal to Angono is 45 minutes.
Map
of Angono
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