Rizal
For other meanings, see Rizal (disambiguation).Rizal is a
province of the
Philippines located in the
CALABARZON region in
Luzon, just 20 kilometers east of
Manila. The province was named after the country's national hero,
José Rizal. Rizal's capital is
Antipolo City, although the provincial capitol is located in
Pasig City in
Metro Manila, which was the previous capital.
Rizal is bordered by Metro Manila to the west, the province of
Bulacan to the north,
Quezon to the east and
Laguna to the south. The province also lies on the northern shores of
Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the country.
Rizal is a mountainous province perched on the western slopes of the southern portion of the
Sierra Madre mountain range. Antipolo City boasts of a wonderful view of Metro Manila and it is where
Hinulugang Taktak, a waterfall popular with tourists, can be found.
Tagalog is the main language that is spoken in this province.
The primary source of economy in Rizal province are the huge piggery estates owned by Manila-based families. In the northern towns, farming is the main industry, while fishing predominates in the southern towns.
In a study recently conducted by the National Statistics Coordination Board (NSCB), Rizal province came out to be the Philippines' least poor province with a
poverty incidence rate of 3.4%, even lower than that of the
National Capital Region or
Metro Manila.
Political
Rizal is subdivided into 13
municipalities and 1
city.
City
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Antipolo CityMunicipalities
Physical
The province of Rizal was originally composed of 26 towns. The territory began with the organization of the provinces of
Tondo and
La Laguna during the
Spanish administration. Some of the towns like
Pasig,
Parañaque,
Taytay and
Cainta were already thriving. Tagalog settlements which carried on trade with the
Chinese and
Arab traders long before the Spanish conquest.
From the reports of the Encomiendas in
1582-
1583, the Encomiendas of Moron (Morong) was under the jurisdiction of La Laguna and, the Encomiendas of Passi (Pasig), Taitay (Taytay) and Tagui (Taguig) belonged to the Province of Tondo. It was recorded that in
1591, the Encomiendas of Moron and Taitay were under the jurisdiction of the Franciscan Order in the Province of La Laguna; and the Encomiendas of Nabotas (Navotas), Tambobo (Malabon), Tondo, Parañaque, Longalo (Dongalo), Tagui and Pasig were under the jurisdiction of the Augustinians in the Province of Tondo.
In
1853, a new political subdivision was formed. This consisted of the towns of
Antipolo, Bosoboso, Cainta and Taytay from the Province of Tondo; and the towns of
Morong,
Baras,
Tanay,
Pililla,
Angono,
Binangonan and
Jalajala from the Province of La Laguna, with the capital at Morong. This district was later changed to Distrito Politico-Militar de Morong after four years.
In
1860, by virtue of Circular No. 83, dated
September 2,
1859, the Province of Tondo became the Province of
Manila. All its towns were placed under the administration, fiscal supervision and control of the Governor of the new province.
The town of Mariquina (
Marikina) became the capital of the Province of Manila during the tenure of the revolutionary government of Gen.
Emilio Aguinaldo. The Province of Morong had for its capital the town of Antipolo for the period
1898-
1899, and the town of Tanay for
1899-
1900.
On
February 6,
1901, the First Philippine Commission sought to establish civil government in the country through a provincial organization act after the Filipino-Spanish and Filipino-American conflicts.
Therefore, on
June 5,
1901, a historic meeting was held at the Pasig Catholic Church for the organization of a civil government in the Provinces of Manila and Morong, with 221 delegates in attendance. The first Philippine Commission, headed by President
William Howard Taft and composed of Commissioners
Luke E. Wright,
Henry C. Ide,
Bernard Moses and
Dean C. Worcester, discussed with the Assembly the issue of whether or not to write the Province of Manila with Morong Province, was not self-sufficient to operate as a separate province.
Although the delegates from Morong, Don Hilarion Raymundo and Don Jose Tupas, objected to the proposal, Delegate Don Juan Sumulong of Antipolo strongly advocated the move. After much acrimonious debate and upon the suggestion of Dr. Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera the body agreed on the creation of a new province independent of the Province of Manila. The new province was aptly named after
José Rizal, the country's national hero.
On
June 11,
1901, the province of Rizal was officially and legally created by virtue of an Act No. 137 by the
First Philippine Commission which during the time was acting as the unicameral legislative body in the island of Luzon.
The new province was composed of 26 municipalities, 14 from the old province of Manila (
Las Piñas,
Malabon,
Makati,
Parañaque,
Mandaluyong,
San Juan,
Navotas,
Muntinlupa,
Taguig,
Pateros,
Pasig,
Marikina,
San Mateo, and Montalban (now
Rodriguez)); and 12 from the Politico-Militar District of Morong, (
Angono,
Baras,
Binangonan,
Cainta,
Antipolo,
Cardona,
Jalajala,
Morong,
Pilillia,
Tanay,
Taytay and
Teresa). The seat of the provincial government is Pasig.
On
November 7,
1975, by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 824, the 12 towns of Las Piñas, Parañaque, Muntinlupa, Taguig, Pateros, Makati, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Malabon, Navotas, Pasig and Marikina were incorporated into the newly formed
Metro Manila Region thereby leaving the remaining 14 towns to the Province of Rizal.
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Official Website of the Provincial Government of Rizal
