Rizal Province
lies immediately east of Metro Manila. It is bounded on the north
by Bulacan, on the east by Laguna de Bay. It has no existing provincial
capital but the seat of its government is in Pasig, which currently
forms part of Metro Manila.
BRIEF PROFILE |
Capital: |
Antipolo City |
Land Area: |
1,175.8 km² |
Population: |
2,484,840 (2010) |
Cities: |
Antipolo City |
Munacipalities: |
13 |
Barangays: |
188 |
Districts: |
1st and 2nd districts of Rizal, 1st and 2nd districts of Antipolo |
Languages: |
Tagalog, English |
The land_______________________________
The terrain is mostly low and flat on the western part, and rolling
hills and rugged ridges on the eastern part. At the foot of these
elevations are the Marikina Valley and Teresa Valley.
The Pasig and Marikina Rivers are the major rivers that can be
found in the province.
Montalban Dam serves as the main source of water supply for a
greater part of the Metro Manila area.
The mountainous portion of the province has evenly distributed
rainfall throughout the year. The lakeshore area has two seasons:
wet from June to October, and dry for the rest of the year.
A Brief History___________________________
After the fall of Manila in 1571, the Spaniards proceeded along
the Pasig River and eventually overran Cainta and Taytay. They
founded one town after another which eventually formed the military
district of Morong. In 1898, Antipolo became the capital of Morong.
On June 11, 1901, the first Philippine Commission united parts
of the old province of Manila and the district of Morong to form
a new province named after Jose P. Rizal, the country´s
national hero. Rizal Province originally consisted of 26 municipalities
- 14 from Manila and 12 from Morong.
In 1975, 12 towns of Rizal, including Pasig, were incorporated
into the newly-created Metro Manila.
The People______________________________
Majority of the inhabitants are Tagalogs.
Native people, called Dumagats and Igorots, live in the mountains.
Residents in the town of Cainta, called Sepoy, are descendants
of Indian soldiers who mutinied after the brief British occupation
in 1762-1764.
Commerce and Industry_____________________
Agriculture in Rizal is less intense compared to other provinces
in the region and in the country. The major crops are rice and
fruits, specifically mango, citrus, coffe, cacao and cashew.
Production of garments is the top industry, followed by trading
and service-oriented business.
Eight towns lie along the northern coast of Laguna de Bay and
residents depend on the lake for their livelihood. Tilapia and
duck-raising can be found in these towns.
Getting There and Away_____________________
Jeepneys bound for the different towns in Rizal are available
in certain parts of Metro Manila.
Regular buses to Antipolo are also available.
Other Information__________________________
Antipolo is the largest town in Rizal. It also serves as a religious
and tourism center. The patron saint of travelers, Our Lady of
Peace and Good Voyage, is enshrined in the town's church. Thousands
of devotees go on pilgrimage to the shrine during the entire month
of May.
Old churches can be found in the neighboring towns of Antipolo.
Three of the more popular old churches are the St. Jerome Church
in Morong, the Baras Church, and the Tanay Church.
The town of Binangonan is the hometown of national artist Vicente
Manansala. His shrine preserves his orginal paintings and paraphernalia.
The San Clemente Festival is held on November in honor of the patron
saint of fishermen. A fluvial procession is done in Laguna Lake,
to highlight the event.