HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF RIZAL PROVINCE

I.

GENERAL INFORMATION

The province of Rizal was born out of the union of parts of the old
Manila and the district of Morong by
virtue of Act No. 310 which was passed by
the first Philippine Commission on June 11,
1901.
The province is divided into four
(4) political districts, has 13 municipalities
and one (1) city with one hundred eighty
eight
(188)
barangays.
The
1st
congressional district composed the
municipalities of Cainta, Taytay, Angono
and Binangonan. San Mateo, Rodriguez,
Teresa, Morong, Baras, Cardona, Pililla,
Tanay and Jalajala are under the 2nd
congressional district; and the two (2)
Congressional Districts of Antipolo City
wherein it is now the new seat of the provincial government.
Rizal has a total land area of 130,383 hectares or 1,303.83 square
kilometers representing 2.8% of Region IVs area coverage. The city of
Antipolo and the municipalities of Rodriguez and Tanay have the biggest
land areas. Cainta, with a land area of 1,019 hectares, comprises only 0.8% of
the provincial total, is the smallest municipality of Rizal.
The Rizal Province has a total civilian population of 2,930,670. The
City of Antipolo has the highest concentration of population with 725,926.

Geography & Climate - Going over the countrys map, Rizal can

easily be located in the southeastern portion of Metro Manila. On its north is

Bulacan, Laguna and the Quezon provinces on the east, and Laguna de Bay
on the south. The mountainous portion of the province has evenly distributed
rainfall throughout the year while the lakeshore area has two seasons: wet
from June to October and dry the rest of the year.

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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF RIZAL PROVINCE

Population and Languages - People of Rizal province are mostly

Tagalogs who are conversant in Tagalog, Cebuano, and Bicol.

Commerce and Industry

- The major industries of Rizal

include agricultural production,

marine and aquaculture production,
tourism, mining, services, and
banking. While rice is considered the
major
agricultural
crop,
the
potentials of other crops like mango,
citrus, coffee, cacao, and cashew
cannot be discounted. Likewise, there is the potential to transform the vast
upland areas of the province into a productive plantation of high value crops
such as black pepper, pineapple, and Guaynabo.

Tours and Transport - Like other provinces, Rizal boasts of

numerous scenic spots that never fail to attract tourists. These include the
following:

Daranak and Batlag Waterfalls in

Tanay. A 14- meter high waterfall located

beneath a running stream. A few steps
away from the top of Daranak is the
Batlag waterfall, a smaller yet
enchanting cascading stream. These
natural wonders have been featured
in several local and international films
as well as for commercials.

Daranak Waterfalls

Batlag Waterfalls

Puente del Diablo. An islet

within the periphery of the town

proper of Binangonan. It is known
to have a cave where hard, black
stones abound.

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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF RIZAL PROVINCE

Talim Island lies in Laguna de Bay. It is part

of the municipalities of Binangonan and

Cardona. The hour-long boat trip from the
Pritil wharf in the Binangonan side brings the
tourists to this typical fishing community.

Ugong Falls. A perfect hideaway from the maddening crowd of the

metropolis. Considered a natures sanctuary, an ideal place to unwind, it is
located at a hilltop in the historic town of Morong.

Blanco

Family

Museum.

Displays the impressive collection of

paintings by Jose V. Blanco, his wife, and
his seven children. A visit to the Artists
Village in Angono, Rizal is not complete
until one visits the museum of this
remarkable family.

Manansala Historical Landmark.

The residence of National Artist Vicente

Manansala, located at San Carlos Heights,
Binangonan. Now a national historical shrine, it
houses the Manansala masterpieces, which range
from realism to cubism.

Boso-Boso Church Ruins. A

remnant of a century old church

that was not spared from
destruction during the Second
World War. A small chapel was
built inside the ruins offering
Sunday services to the parishioners.

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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF RIZAL PROVINCE

Our Lady of Antipolo Shrine.

The Antipolo Cathedral is the home of Our

Lady of Peace and Good Voyage
(Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buenviaje),
the patron saint of travelers. Thousands of
devotees go on pilgrimage to the shrine
during the entire month of May.

St Jerome Church in Morong is a stone and

mortar church built in 1615 by Chinese

craftsmen as evidenced by the two Chinese
lion sculptures guarding the entrance to the
steep driveway. It has a three-story faade
and an octagonal bell tower whose cross
illuminates at night.

Baras Church is one of the oldest churches

in Rizal province. Completed in 1686, the
main features of the church are the altar
and lecterns that are stone artifacts
unearthed from beneath the church.

The other equally popular places of

interest in Rizal are the Hinulugang
Taktak, a mountain resort;

The Calinawan Cave in Tanay. Calinawan,

which is actually a system of caves, is
surrounded by dirt road, lush greenery and
rocky rivers off Sampaloc Road. It has been a
place of attraction for locals and tourists,
treasure hunters, and television and movie
producers.
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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF RIZAL PROVINCE

Wawa Dam, situated at the foot of

Sierra Madre in Rodriguez, surrounded
by limestone hills.

The proximity of Rizal to Metro Manila

makes it accessible to tourists. They can
board jeepneys that will take them to any
town of the province which they wish to
visit. These vehicles are lined up near the
Farmers Market in Cubao, Quezon City, or
at the EDSA crossing terminal in
Mandaluyong.

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