RODRIGUEZ:

A CENTURY
OF
DEVELOPMENT
AND
PROGRESS

III-I (DIAMOND)

1
 SCHOOL YEAR 2009-2010
G.L.G.M.N.H.S.

COPYRIGHT 2010 © III-I (DIAMOND)

GLGMNHS SY 09-10

NO PART OF THIS BOOK MAY BE PRINTED OR

REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE

AUTHOR’S CONSENT.

2
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................11
UNIT I THE PHYSICAL FEATURES OF RODRIGUEZ...............................15
 GEOGRAPHY OF RODRIGUEZ...............................................................16

Geographical Location...............................................................................16

Land Area and Composition.....................................................................16

Topography.................................................................................................18

Soil................................................................................................................20

Dystropept-Tropudalf-Tropudult Association....................................20

Dystropept-Troportent Association ....................................................20

Tropudalf-Eutropept Association........................................................20

Novaliches Clay .................................................................................21

Burgos clay .......................................................................................21

Lumbangan clay .................................................................................21

Land Use.......................................................................................................22

Natural Drainage.........................................................................................23

Geology.........................................................................................................23

Kinds of Rock Formation in Rodriguez..............................................23

Erosion Potential........................................................................................24
3
  CLIMATE OF RODRIGUEZ......................................................................25
Rainfall...............................................................................................25

Temperature......................................................................................26

Prevailing Wind ................................................................................27

 MAPS OF
RODRIGUEZ.............................................................................28

References...............................................................................................................33

Researchers.............................................................................................................33

UNIT II THE PEOPLE OF RODRIGUEZ.................................................34

 POPULATION DISTRIBUTION & STRUCTURE OF fefeaw

esdgsdRODRIGUEZ....................................................................................35

Size...............................................................................................................35

Age-Sex Structure.......................................................................................38

Age Distribution..........................................................................................39

Labor Force................................................................................................40

In-Migration, Out-Migration....................................................................40

Language......................................................................................................41

Civil Status...................................................................................................42

Household Size.............................................................................................42

 DUMAGAT:THE FIRST INHABITANT OF THE

TOWN...................45

Demographics..............................................................................................45

Physical Trait .............................................................................................45

4
 Way of Living..............................................................................................45

Culture..........................................................................................................46

Medicine.......................................................................................................46

Clothing........................................................................................................47

Practices.......................................................................................................47

Art.................................................................................................................47

Music............................................................................................................48

Economy......................................................................................................48

Politics..........................................................................................................48

Religion.........................................................................................................49

 TAGALOG:THE RIVER-DWELLER WHO NAMED THE TOWN

sddggsfdgg“BALITE”.................................................................................50

Culture.........................................................................................................51

History.........................................................................................................52

 AKLANON:THE LARGEST VISAYAN IMMIGRANT OF

RODRIGUEZ.............................................................................................53

Area..............................................................................................................53

History..........................................................................................................53

Minuro it Akean..................................................................................53

Spanish Era.........................................................................................54

Immigrating to Rodriguez...................................................................55

Languages..............................................................,....................................55

Culture..........................................................................................................56

5
 Religion.........................................................................................................56

Other Visayan Who Migrated to Rodriguez.............................................56

References...............................................................................................................62

Researchers.............................................................................................................62

UNIT III HISTORICAL PAST OF RODRIGUEZ.........................................63

 BRIEF HISTORY OFRODRIGUEZ..........................................................64

 SOME OF THE HISTORICAL SITES IN RODRIGUEZ........................68

 HISTORY OF PAMITINAN CAVE............................................................69

Guillermo Masangkay wrote about his first trip to Pamitinan..........70

The second journey of Guillermo Masangkay to "Pamitinan Cave..71

 GEN. LICERIO GERONIMO.....................................................................74

 EULOGIO RODRIGUEZ SR. ....................................................................77

 HEROES OF WORLD WAR II IN RODRIGUEZ...................................79

References...............................................................................................................80

Researchers.............................................................................................................80

UNIT IV THE GREAT LEADERS OF RODRIGUEZ................................81

 THE HISTORY OF RODRIGUEZ.............................................................82

The Gobernadorcillos of Montalban.................................................91

. The Leaders of Montalban...................................................................92

 THE BIOGRAPHIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE o

LEADERS OF RODRIGUEZ, RIZAL........................................................93

Eulogio A. Rodriguez...................................................................................93

Eusebio C. Manuel.......................................................................................95
6
 Gregorio D. Bautista....................................................................................96

Jose A. Rodriguez.........................................................................................97

Roman S. Reyes ...........................................................................................98

Jacinto D. Bautista Sr..................................................................................99

Francisco D. Rodriguez.............................................................................100

Federico San Juan.....................................................................................101

Gavino Cruz................................................................................................102

Catalino C. Bautista...................................................................................103

Macario Bautista........................................................................................104

Benigno B. Liamzon...................................................................................105

Guillermo Cruz Sr......................................................................................107

Teodoro D. Rodriguez................................................................................108

Pablo N. Adriano........................................................................................110

Amado Angeles...........................................................................................111

Angelito C. Manuel....................................................................................112

Ernesto H. Villanueva................................................................................113

Rafaelito A. San Diego...............................................................................114

Pedro S. Cuerpo..........................................................................................115

Jonas J. Cruz..............................................................................................117

References.............................................................................................................118

Researchers...........................................................................................................119

7
UNIT V CHANGES AND DEVELOPMENT IN RODRIGUEZ DSAS

TODAY..................................................................................120

 LIVELIHOOD ...........................................................................................121

The Montalban Landfill...........................................................................122

Montalban Industrial Park......................................................................123

Dream House.............................................................................................123

For the Village People...............................................................................123

Water and Electricity................................................................................123

 PEACE AND ORDER..............................................................................124

The Public Safety Center..........................................................................124

Rest in Peace..............................................................................................124

 HEALTH....................................................................................................126

The Montalban Infirmary........................................................................126

 HOUSING..................................................................................................127

History........................................................................................................127

The HPDO..................................................................................................128

Seven Schemes...........................................................................................129

 EDUCATION ...........................................................................................130

Structures for Change...............................................................................130

List of Public Elementary School in the Philippines..............................132

List of Public High School In Rodriguez.................................................133

8
  ECONOMY................................................................................................134

Agriculture.................................................................................................134

Fisheries......................................................................................................134

Manufacturing...........................................................................................134

Poultry and Livestock...............................................................................135

Mining........................................................................................................135

Commerce and Trade...............................................................................136

 INFRASTRACTURE ...............................................................................137

Transportation...........................................................................................137

Communication.........................................................................................137

Power Supply.............................................................................................137

Water Supply.............................................................................................138

Waste Disposal...........................................................................................138

 TOURISM..................................................................................................139

Road Construction....................................................................................141

Montalban: A Silent Sanctuary...............................................................142

Pamitinan Cave.........................................................................................143

Avilon Zoo..................................................................................................144

Puray Falls.................................................................................................146

Some of the Natural Destination & Over-looking sites in sa

sddfsssssssssdRodriguez......................................................................................148

Some of Interesting Places in Rodriguez.................................................149

Some Resorts in Rodriguez.......................................................................149

9
References.............................................................................................................150

Researchers...........................................................................................................150

LIST OF TABLES AND GRAPHS

Table 1.1 Land Area of Rodriguez by Barangay..............................................17

Pie Graph Percentage Area Share of Each Barangay..................................17

Table 1.2 Slope Classification of Rodriguez........................................................18

Table 1.3 Mountain Ranges..................................................................................19

Table 1.4 Soil Mapping Units of Rodriguez........................................................22

Table 1.5 Land Use of Rodriguez.........................................................................22

Table 1.6 Erosion Condition in Rodriguez..........................................................24

Table 2.1 The Population of Rodriguez (1903-2007)..........................................35

Table 2.2 The Population of Barangays of Rodriguez (1990-2007)..................36

Table 2.3 The Population, Area & Population Density

sd of Barangays of Rodriguez..................................................................37

Table 2.4 The Age-Sex Structure of Rodriguez’s Population............................38

Table 2.5 Rodriguez’s Population by Age (2007)................................................39

Table 2.6 Rodriguez Mother Tongues (2007)......................................................41

Table 2.7 Civil Status.............................................................................................42

Table 2.8 Household Sizes in Rodriguez..............................................................42

Line Graph The Population of Rodriguez from 1903 to 2007...........................43

Bar Graph Population of Each Barangay.......................................................43

10
INTRODUCTION:

BASIC
INFORMATION
ABOUT
RODRIGUEZ

11
 BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT
RODRIGUEZ

Official Seal Rodriguez, Rizal Map of Philippines showing

from the spa from the space the location of Rodriguez

Etymology MONTALBAN-Monte Alba means “White Mountain”

RODRIGUEZ- named after Eulogio Rodriguez Sr.

Nicknames RESORT TOWN

QUARRYING AND MINNING CAPITAL OF RIZAL

LARGEST TOWN IN RIZAL PROVINCE

Coordinates 14°41’N to 14°5’N and 121°07’E to 121°22’E

Province Rizal
Founded 1909

Area (Total) 363.08 km2  (Rank 1in Rizal)

Neighbors
12
 - North San Jose Del Monte City and Norzagaray, Bulacan

- East Gen. Nakar, Quezon

- West Quezon City

- South Antipolo City and San Mateo, Rizal

Population (2007) 223,594 (Rank 7 in Philippines)

-Density 621.04 person per km2

-Rate 9.58 %

ZIP code 1860

Income (2007) Php 310,000,000 (Rank 8 in Philippines)

Income class First class

Per Capita Income Php 1386.57

Highest Mountain Mt. Irid (1,469 meters)

Longest Bridge E. Rodriguez Bridge (120 meters)

Barangays 11

Barangays Facts

- Largest (Area) Puray (154.38 km2)

- Smallest (Area) Rosario (25.17 ha.)

- Largest (pop.2007) San Jose (pop.93,567)

- Smallest (pop.2007) Puray (pop.2,937)

- Most densely populated Rosario (21,656 person per km2 )

- Most sparsely populated Puray(19.02 person per km2 )

Former Names of Some Barangays of Rodriguez, Rizal:

13
 -Manggahan Bulubok
-San Jose Calipahan, Tumana, Communales
-San Isidro Bulak
-San Rafael Ilaya
-Rosario Halo-Halo
-Balite Poblacion

ACTA DE ERECCION (June 30, 1871)

-Established the town of Montalban and its four (4) barrios namely Balite, Burgos,
Calipahan, and Maran

ACT NO. 137 0F THE PHILIPPINE COMMISSION (1901)

- Montalvan forms part of Rizal Province and stated on the said act was granting
the changing of letter V to B of Montalban.

ACT NO. 942 (October 12, 1903)

-Reduced the number of municipalities of Rizal from 33 to 15.Montalban was

again merged to San Mateo and San Mateo was the seat of government

PROVISION NO. 36 (May 12, 1908) and ORDER NO. 20 (February 29, 1908)
-Montalban was officially declared an independent town with six (6) barrios under
its jurisdiction namely Burgos, San Jose, San Rafael, San Geronimo, Balite and
Manggahan.

RESOLUTION NO. 34 OF MUNICIPAL COUNCIL (November 3, 1981)

-Made the Wawa Gorge as the official seal of Montalban and requesting Congress
to change the name of Montalban to Rodriguez in honor of Eulogio Rodriguez Sr

BATASANG PAMBANSA NO. 275 (September 7, 1982)

- Officially changed the town’s name Montalban to RODRIGUEZ

14
 UNIT I

PHYSICAL
FEATURES
OF
RODRIGUEZ

15
 THE GEOGRAPHY OF
RODRIGUEZ

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

The Municipality of Rodriguez is located in the

northernmost part of Rizal Province. It is actually
situated at the periphery of Metro Manila with Quezon
City and Caloocan City bounding it to the west. It is
also bounded on the north by the Province of Bulacan
(particularly the municipalities of San Jose del Monte
and Norzagaray); on the east by Quezon Province; and
on the south by the municipalities of San Mateo and
Antipolo. MAP OF RIZAL SHOWING
fbh THE LOCATION OF RODRIGUEZ

It lies between latitudes 14°41 to 14°54 north and longitudes 121°07 to

121°22 east. The distance of Rodriguez from the City Hall of Manila is 31
kilometers. It can be accessed via Aurora Boulevard-A. Bonifacio Avenue and J.P.
Rizal (in Marikina)-Gen. Luna (in San Mateo) national roads.

LAND AREA AND COMPOSITION

Rodriguez is one of the biggest municipalities in Rizal in terms of land area.

Its total land area of 36,308 hectares represents 26.81 % of the entire province of
Rizal.

Among its eleven Barangays, Puray is the largest at 15,437.70 hectares

(comprising 42.52 percent of the entire municipality of Rodriguez). Mascap and
San Rafael, having an area of 7,576.40 hectares and 6,061.45 hectares,
respectively, follow this. On the other hand, the smallest Barangays are Balite,
Geronimo and Rosario.

16
Table 1.1 Land Area of Rodriguez by Barangay

Barangay Area(sq km) % Share

Balite 53.88 0.15%
Burgos 276 0.76%
Geronimo 36.75 0.10%
Macabud 1,886.00 5.19%
Manggahan 117.44 0.34%
Mascap 7,576.41 20.87%
Puray 15,437.70 42.52%
Rosario 25.17 0.07%
San Isidro 3,792.00 10.44%
San Jose 1,045.28 2.88%
San Rafael 6,061.45 16.69%
Rodriguez 36,308 100.00%

Percentage Area Share of Each Barangay

% Area Share Of Each Barangay Balite

0.15% 0.10% 0.76% 5.19% 0.34% Burgos
16.69% Geronimo
2.88%
20.87% Macabud
10.44% Manggahan
Mascap
Puray
Rosario
0.07% 42.52%
San Isidro
San Jose
San Rafael

17
TOPOGRAPHY

Situated on the southern slopes of the Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges,

Rodriguez is characterized by a very rough topography. The town is 135 feet above
the sea level. Approximately 83 percent of its land area is composed of upland
areas, hills, and mountain ranges with steep slopes and rugged terrain. Only a small
portion has low-lying level terrain to moderately sloping and rolling lands.

Mostly occurring on the western side of the municipality, these areas have
slopes ranging from 0-18 percent. Level to very gently sloping regions which
incline to 0-3 percent comprise only about 5.84 percent of the landscape. Gently
sloping to undulating slopes of 3-8 percent comprise 4.66 percent; while
moderately sloping to rolling lands(8-18 percent slope) correspond to 14.20
percent. Altogether, these slopes actually comprise northern part of the Marikina
River Valley and are drained by the Wawa River, Marikina River, Burgos River
and other small streams. Rising from the northeast, these natural drainage systems
generally flow towards the southwest.

Table 1.2 Slope Classification of Rodriguez

Slope Class % % Share Area (sq km)

0-3 5.84 21.20
3-8 4.66 16.92
8-18 14.2 51.56
18-30 23.67 85.94
30-50 27.67 100.46
>50 24.55 89.14
Total 99.99 363.04

18
 It is an increasing trend towards the northeast. On the eastern lowlands,
elevations range from 10 to 30 meters. However, on the east it reaches over 1,000
meters

Table 1.3 Mountain Ranges

Mountains Height
Mt. Irid 1,469 meters
Mt. Macatohol 1,369 meters
Mt. Palagyo 1,251 meters
Mt. Matulid 1,074 meters
Mt. Maymasibi 938 meters
Mt. Danes 918 meters
Mt. Minalunad 628 meters
Mt. Parawagan 475 meters

Other Mountain

 Mt. Cacanado
 Mt. Cabuan
 Mt. Cayadlas
 Mt. Batabas
 Mt. Haronang Banoy
 Mt. Oro
 Mt. Ayaas MT. PARAWAGAN

SOIL
19
 Based on the morphological approach in soil classification, the soils of
Rodriguez may be classified into the following soil mapping units.

Dystropept-Tropudalf-Tropudult Association

These associated soil-mapping units occur extensively in the on slopes of

from 45 to 65 percent in the northern portions of Brgys. San Isidro and Puray and
in the western portion of the Marikina watershed. Derived from volcanic tuff, they
are slightly eroded. They occur in rolling to steep moderately dissected
residual/volcanic mountains with rounded crests. This leached soil with their steep
slopes and low base saturation are not suitable for agriculture but can be devoted to
orchard growing and silviculture. These associated groups of soils comprise 26.14
percent of the town’s size.

Dystropept-Troportent Association

This one is also extensive and lies on slopes of over 45 percent and
elevations of 500 to 1,300 meters, close to the eastern boundary of the town within
the Marikina watershed. It is slightly eroded and is derived from volcanic
mountains with sharp crests. With their shallow depth and low fertility, they are
better used for fruit tree growing and silviculture. This association occupies 31.59
percent of the town extent.

Tropudalf-Eutropept Association

This association is found on slopes ranging from 45 to 65 percent close to

the towns eastern boundary with Infanta, Quezon. It is slightly eroded and dericed
from limestone over volcanic rocks. It lies on very steep volcanic/residual
mountain ridges with limestone capping. The thin and inaccessible soils

Novaliches Clay

20
 This soil series occurs in two phases in Rodriguez, i.e., one with a slope
range of 5 to 8 percent in Barangay San Jose and the other with the slope range of
8-15 percent in Barangay Macabud. The former lies on undulating to rolling
slightly to moderately dissected tuffaceous plain while the latter is formed on
undulating to rolling low tuffaceous plateau. Both soil phases are slightly eroded
and have a solum depth of 50 to 100 cm. and a clay-silt fraction of over 80 percent.
This means that these are good soils for agriculture with their sufficient depth and
nutrient (organic and inorganic) content. Residual/volcanic foot slopes. The 5-8
percent phase of Novaliches clay makes up 6.97 percent of Rodriguez area while
8-15 percent phase constitutes 2.69 percent.

Burgos clay

This soil series can be found on 2 to 5 percent slopes in Bgys. Burgos and
San Rafael where the town centers also lies. Compared to Novaliches clay, this
series has a shallower solum depth of less than 50 cm. and a lower clay-silt fraction
of 60 to 80 percent. The parent material is collu-alluvium and this series is found
on alluvial intermountain river terraces. This soil series constitutes 3.4 percent of
the town area.

Lumbangan clay

This series occurs in two phases in Rodriguez—one with a slope range of 25

to 45 percent in the lowest portion of the town within the Marikina watershed and
other extensive one with a slope range of 45 to 65 percent in Bgys. San Isidro,
Mascap, Puray and Marikina watershed. The first type is slightly eroded. This soil
has a parent material of basalt and lie on very steep highly dissected volcanic hills
with angular crests. The less steep type of Lumbangan clay makes up 0.52 percent
of the municipal areal extent while the steeper type comprises 19.62 percent.

Table 1.4 Soil Mapping Units of Rodriguez

21
 Soil Type % Share Area (sq km)
Novaliches Clay 9.66 35.07
Burgos Clay 3.4 12.34
Lumbangan Clay 20.14 73.12
Dystropept-Tropudalf-Tropudult Ass't 26.14 94.91
Dystropept-Troporthent Ass't 31.59 114.70
Tropudalf-Eutropept Ass't 6.9 25.05
Escarpment 1.69 6.14
Limestone Rockland 0.47 1.71
Total 99.99 363.04

LAND USE

Table 1.5 Land Use of Rodriguez

Land Use % Distribution Area (sq km)

Forest 30.78 111.76
Built-up 18.28 66.37
Agriculture 27.54 99.99
Idle land 8.36 30.35
Marshes & swamps 4.31 15.65
Others 10.73 38.96
Total 100 363.08

NATURAL DRAINAGE

 Montalban River
 Mango River
22
  Maly River
 Puray River (AT THE UPPER RIGHT)
 Tanag River
 Wawa River (AT THE LOWER RIGHT)
 Lucutan River
 Anginan Creek
 Laan Creek
 Macaborabod Creek
 Macalcoy Creek
 Bulubok Creek
 Lilid Creek

GEOLOGY

Kinds of Rock Formation in Rodriguez

 Kinabuan Formation
-mostly volcanic basalt and it is located in the northern portion of the town
 Angat Formation
-mostly composed of well-bedded to massive limestone and trending from
f north to south
 Madlum Formation
- are scattered all along with Angat Formation
- composed of the following:
1. Upper Member (Beunacop
Limestone)
2. Middle Member (Alagao
Volcanics)
3. Lower Member
 Guadalupe Formation
-more recent formation scattered in the middle
of the town
 Marikina Valley Fault System Formation

23
 -prominent geological feature of Montalban
-composed of the following:
1. East Marikina Valley Fault Formation
- an eight kilometer fault line, far north as Brgy San Rafael,
north of Wawa River, Gloria Vista Subd., eastern San Mateo,
northwest Antipolo until down south
2. West Marikina Valley Fault Formation
- a twenty-three kilometers fault line, from lower Brgy Macabud
in the north down to the proximity of Ultra Sport Complex in
Pasig City

EROSION POTENTIAL

Table 1.6 Erosion Condition in Rodriguez

Erosion Condition % Share Area (sq km)

No Erosion 7.41 26.90
None to Slight Erosion 32.1 116.55
Moderate Erosion 9.27 33.66
Severe Erosion 48.53 176.20
Unclassified Erosion 2.69 9.77
Total 100 363.08

CLIMATE OF RODRIGUEZ

24
 The municipality of Rodriguez experiences a tropical rainy climate with hot
summers. Based on the classification system published by the PAGASA, its
climate belongs to Type 1. This is characterized by two pronounced seasons,
which are dry from December to May, and wet from June to November.

The climatic condition of the municipality outline hereinafter is based on

synoptic data gathered from the Science Garden climatic station that is maintained
by PAGASA in Quezon City.

Rainfall

The rainfall regime in the area is dominated by the monsoons which render a
seasonal variation in precipitation. It receives sufficiently abundant rainfall
annually with total annual levels amounting to 2,406.2 millimeters. In addition.
There are 151 rainy days on the average, which means that more than 40 percent of
the tear it experiences rainfall.

However, there is a distinct though short dry season from December to April
which receives less than 60 mm of precipitation. This is compensated nonetheless
by heavy rains in other months. In fact, seasonally
excessively moist and brief dry conditions are characteristic of the monsoon
circulations.

During the high-sun period, which is otherwise considered as the summer

season, an enormous amount of rain is released in association with the monsoon.
The southwest monsoon is prevalent in the area in this time of the year, bringing
wet conditions to the affected areas.

Looking at the climography and precipitation charts, it can clearly be seen

that much of the rainfall is concentrated during this month. The wettest months are
from June to October, which receive more than 200 mm of rain. This rainy season
often involves thunderstorms as the aforementioned months experience more
frequent occurrences of thunderstorm and lightning. Besides the southwest
monsoon, the town in also affected by the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone
(ITCZ) which is also associated with rainy conditions. This further enhances the
heavy summer precipitation.
25
 The rest of the year, however, has minimal precipitation. This low-sun
season is dominated by the northeast monsoon, which produces dry conditions.
The rather short dry season is also due to the ITCZ, which is not overhead in this
period.

Temperature

Because of its latitudinal locations, the sun is usually directly overhead at

noontime throughout the year. The area consequently receives an enormous
concentration of solar energy, which contributed to the uniformly high
temperatures year-round. As a result, it is consistently warm, with all months
averaging above 20-degree Celsius.

Furthermore, there is minimal fluctuation in temperature in the various

months. The annual temperature range is below 5 degrees of centigrade. The
average yearly temperature is also quit high at 27.1 degrees Celsius.

Nonetheless, the hottest times occur before the summer solstice or prior to
the onset of the summer monsoon, particularly during the months of April and
May, Obviously, the warmest months are on the high-sun period when there a high
receipt of insulations (incoming solar radiation). These months, generally from
May to September, have high relative humidity (moisture content of the
atmosphere) because maximum evaporation is favored by the prevailing
temperature conditions. Hence, there is abundant moisture available for
precipitation, which also explains the wet conditions during this season.

During April and May, the temperature somewhat diminishes. This is because
of the heavy cloud cover associated with the wet southwest monsoon period, which
keeps away some insulation. Hence, the resulting temperatures are slightly lower in
summer than the immediately preceding months. Nonetheless, these months are
still relatively warm compared to the rest of the year.

Prevailing Wind
26
 The prevailing wind that occurs more frequently is the northeasterlies
because of the influence of the northeast monsoon. On the other hand, the winds
are not quite strong. The annual average wind speed is only 2 meters per second.

RODRIGUEZ, RIZAL VIEW FOR THE SATELLITE

27
28
29
30
31
REFERENCES:

 RIZAL MUNICIPAL HALL

 MONTALBAN MUNICIPAL LIBRARY

32
  www.google.com

RESEARCHES:

 KENJI USON

 MELVIN BAUTO

 RAYMOND ALEJANDRO

 JOMAR BIAG

 ALFRED BERGANIO

 CHRISTIAN BERGANTIN

 MYKA DELA CRUZ

 JESIREE DE VERA

 BARBARA CLOMA

 CAMILLE BADRINA

 PHOEBECATE BUENA

 PATRICIA DELA CRUZ

33
 UNIT II
THE
PEOPLE
OF
RODRIGUEZ

34
 POPULATION DISTRIBUTION &
STRUCTURE OF RODRIGUEZ

SIZE
According to 2007 census, Rodriguez has a population of 223,574 with 52,
474 household. Annual growth rate is 9.58%. The population of Rodriguez in 1903
was 3,440 and after 107 years, it grew up to 223,574.

TABLE 2.1

THE POPULATION OF RODRIGUEZ, RIZAL (1903-2008)

Year Population Rate % Pop. Density

1903 3,440 9.56
1918 5,201 2.79 14.45
1939 6,402 0.99 17.78
1943 5,267 -2.17 14.63
1960 9,648 5.19 26.80
1970 20,982 8.03 58.28
1975 31,170 8.35 86.58
1980 41,858 6.07 116.27
1990 67,074 4.83 186.32
1995 79,668 7.65 221.30
2000 115,167 8.23 319.91
2007 223,574 9.58 621.04

35
 The Poblacion (Balite) has a population of 8,827 while the remaining
Barangays have a population of 214,747 with Barangay San Jose as the most
populous (93,567). The least populous is Barangay Puray with 2,937 inhabitants.
Considered urbanizing, therefore, Balite, Burgos, Geronimo, Manggahan, Rosario,
San Isidro, San Jose and San Rafael are urban barangays whereas Macabud,
Mascap, and Puray are mainly rural barangays.

TABLE 2.2

THE POPULATION OF BARANGAYS OF RODRIGUEZ (1990-2007)

Barangay Rosario is the most densely populated barangay with 21,656

Population
Barangay
1990 1995 2000 2007
Balite 6,182 7,021 7,849 8,827
Burgos 15,483 19,596 25,146 34,032
Geronimo 3,365 4,262 4,584 6,338
Macabud 2,021 2,556 3,124 4,430
Manggahan 5,862 7,421 8,220 11,170
Mascap 1,645 2,080 2,089 4,293
Puray 1,311 1,664 1,772 2,937
Rosaro 3,530 4,466 4,558 5,414
San Isidro 1,905 2,411 2,618 28,614
San Jose 15,206 19,265 40,372 93,567
San Rafael 10,548 13,356 14,835 23,952
Rodriguez 67,074 79,668 115,167 223,574
people per km2 while Barangay Puray is the most sparsely populated barangay with
19.02 people per km2

36
TABLE 2.3

THE POPULATION, AREA & POPULATION DENSITY OF BARANGAYS

OF RODRIGUEZ

Barangay Population (2007) Area (sq km) Pop. Density

Balite 8,827 0.54 16346.30
Burgos 34,032 2.76 12330.43
Geronimo 6,338 0.37 17129.73
Macabud 4,430 18.86 234.89
Manggahan 11,170 1.17 9547.01
Mascap 4,293 75.76 56.67
Puray 2,937 154.38 19.02
Rosario 5,414 0.25 21656.00
San Isidro 28,614 37.92 754.59
San Jose 93,567 10.45 8953.78
San Rafael 23,952 60.61 395.18
Rodriguez 223,574 363.08 615.77

AGE-SEX STRUCTURE
According to sexes, their absolute numbers are more or less comparable-
50.61 % or 113,152 are male and 49.38 % or 110,391 are females. The 51.92 % or
48,478 of minor age group (0-17) are male while 48.08 % or 44,940 are female.
The 49.68% or 64,614 of legal age group (18-above) are male and 50.32 % or
65,451 are female.
37
TABLE 2.4

THE AGE-SEX STRUCTURE OF RODRIGUEZ’S POPULATION

Age Group Males % Share Female % Share Total

All ages 113,152 50.61 110,391 49.38 223,574
Under 1 2,870 51.07 2,750 48.93 5,620
1 to 4 11,725 52.38 10,658 47.62 22,383
5 to 9 14,550 52.00 13,433 48.00 27,983
10 to 14 12,699 52.17 11,641 47.83 24,340
15 to 19 10,521 50.05 10,501 49.95 21,022
20 to 24 9,167 48.98 9,550 51.02 18,717
25 to 29 9,928 49.08 10,302 50.92 20,230
30 to 34 9,229 49.46 9,432 50.54 18,661
35 to 39 8,865 51.61 8,312 48.39 17,177
40 to 44 6,901 51.68 6,452 48.32 13,353
45 to 49 5,353 51.51 5,039 48.49 10,392
50 to 54 4,090 50.11 4,072 49.89 8,162
55 to 59 2,894 49.44 2,959 50.56 5,853
60 to 64 1,821 48.82 1,909 51.18 3,730
65 to 69 1,111 43.93 1,418 56.07 2,529
70 to 74 751 44.39 941 55.61 1,692
75 to 79 380 42.08 523 57.92 903
80 above 297 36.49 517 63.51 814

AGE DISRIBUTION
Majority of the municipality’s population belongs to the labor age group
(15-64 years old) which is 61.42 % or 137,310 of the total. Those below 15 years
old (child and youth group) accounted for 35.93 % or 80,326 of the total. The older
inhabitants or that belonging to 65 years old and over is 2.66 % or 5,938.

38
TABLE 2.5

RODRIGUEZ’S POPULATION BY AGE (2007)

Age Group Total % Share

All ages 223,574 100.00
Under 1 5,620 2.51
1 to 4 22,383 10.01
5 to 9 27,983 12.52
10 to 14 24,340 10.89
15 to 19 21,022 9.40
20 to 24 18,717 8.37
25 to 29 20,230 9.05
30 to 34 18,661 8.35
35 to 39 17,177 7.68
40 to 44 13,353 5.97
45 to 49 10,392 4.65
50 to 54 8,162 3.65
55 to 59 5,853 2.62
60 to 64 3,730 1.67
65 to 69 2,529 1.13
70 to 74 1,692 0.76
75 to 79 903 0.40
80 above 814 0.36

LABOR FORCE
The labor age group (15-64 years old) compromises 61.42 % or 137,310 of
the total. About 50.4 % of the total working population was engaged in commerce
and services; 33.8 % derived their income from industries such as mining and
quarrying, manufacturing, construction, etc. and 15.8 % are involved in
agriculture, fisheries and forestry.

39
IN-MIGRATION, OUT-MIGRATION
The town’s population is composed mainly of Rodriguez born (41 %) who
had 21 to 50 years of stay in place.

On the other hand, the immigrants of Rodriguez come from various regions
of the Philippines. The composition, which is:

 Metro Manila 9.76 %

 Northern Luzon 1.38 %

 Central Luzon 7.88 %

 Southern Luzon 9.24 %

 Bicol 3.25 %

 Eastern Visayas 8.79 %

 Western Visayas 11.14 %

 Others 0.46 %

From the figure above, it is noted that a large percentage of non- Rodriguez
born residents are Visayans; most of them come from the province of Aklan (7 %)

According to the survey results, the majority of the present population of

Rodriguez does not intend to immigrate to other places. Of these interviewed,
73.7 % against 23 % prefer to stay for economic reason.

LANGUAGE
Majority of the Montalbeňos can speak Tagalog (81.71 %). Bicolano,
Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Cebuano, Waray and Aklanon follow it and more than 1 % of
the total population can speak those language.

TABLE 2.6

40
RODRIGUEZ MOTHER TONGUES (2007)

Language Percent No. of Speakers

Tagalog 81.71% 182,682
Bicol 4.24% 9,480
Hiligaynon 2.96% 6,618
Ilocano 2.60% 5,813
Cebuano 2.47% 5,522
Waray 1.90% 4,248
Aklanon 1.75% 3,913
Pampango 0.66% 1,476
Pangasinan 0.59% 1,319
Masbateňo 0.23% 514
English 0.03% 67
Other Dialects 0.86% 1,923
Other Foreign Lang. 0.01% 22
CIVIL STATUS
Most of the town’s legal age group is married (74,056). Sixty eight thousand
five hundred twenty two people are single. There are more people in the town are
in live-in or in common, law compared to the number of widow and separated.

TABLE 2.7

41
 Civil Status Total
Single 68,522
Married 74,056
Widow 6,515
Divorced/ Married 3,116
Live-in/ Common-Law 15,020
Unknown 346

HOUSEHOLD SIZE
The total household population in Rodriguez is 52,474. The average of
household size is 4.26. It is lower than the average of the Rizal Province.

TABLE 2.8

HOUSEHOLD SIZE IN RODRIGUEZ

Household Size No. of Household

1 3,646
2 6,852
3 9,636
4 10,607
5 8,731
6 6,669
7 2,966
8-above 3,367
Total 52,474

LINE GRAPH OF THE

POPULATION OF RODRIGUEZ
FROM 1903 TO 2007

42
250,000 223,574

200,000

150,000
115,167
Pop.
100,000 79,668
67,074
41,858
50,000 31,170
20,982
3,440 5,201 6,402 5,267 9,648
0
1903 1918 1939 1943 1960 1970 1975 1980 1990 1995 2000 2007

BAR GRAPH OF THE

POPULATION OF EACH BARANGAY

100,000
90,000
80,000
70,000
60,000
50,000 Pop. (2000)
40,000 Pop. (2007)
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
Bal. Bur. Ger. Mac. Mang. Mas. Pur. Ros. S.I. S.J. S.R.

DUMAGAT:
THE FIRST INHABITANT OF THE TOWN

43
 The term Dumagat may have been derived from the words gubat (forest) and
hubad. The more logical origin of its name is taga-dagat which referred to “sea
gypsies.”

History
The history of the Dumagat continues to confound anthropologists and
archaeologists. One theory suggests that the Dumagat are the descendants of the
original inhabitants of the Philippines, who, contrary to their sea-faring
Austronesian neighbors, arrived through land bridges that linked the country with
the Asian mainland about 30,000 years ago. Unlike many of their Austronesian
counterparts, the Dumagats have shown resistance to change. The attempts of the
Spaniards to settle them in reducciones or reservations all throughout Spanish rule
failed.

Mining, deforestation, illegal logging, and slash-and-burn farming has

caused the indigenous population in all parts of the Philippines to steadily decrease
to the point where they number in the thousands today. The Philippines affords
them no protection. In addition, the Dumagat have become extremely nomadic due
to social and economic strain on their culture and way of life that had previously
remained unchanged for thousands of years. The Dumagat have no sense of money
or land ownership and sometimes can be seen camping out in city parks or
panhandling.

While resisting change from the other society for hundreds of years, the
Dumagats have adjusted to social, economic, cultural, and political pressures with
remarkable resilience; they have created systems and structures within their culture
to cushion the sudden impact of change.

Demographics
The life expectancy at birth of the Dumagat is just 16.5 years, with only a third of
children surviving to adulthood at 15 years – at which point life expectancy is still
only 27.3 years. Young women reach full adult height (average 140 cm) at age 12
or 13.
44
Physical Trait
They typify the outstanding Negrito physical traits of dark brown to black
color and curly hair. The few cases of straight hair and light complexion may be
chiefly the result of mixture with the lowland Christians. They have beautifully
proportioned bodies, arms, legs and breasts especially among women. Their stature
compares to an average Filipino. The women stand at 4 ft. 10 inches to 5 ft. 4
inches and the men tower from 5 ft. to 5 ft. 9 inches.

Way of Living
The Dumagats are found in the province of Nueva Ecija, Isabela, Nueva
Vizcaya, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Rizal and Bulacan. They live in a
single-pole make-shift nipa huts along the river banks during summertime and
move to sturdier dwellings on higher grounds during the monsoon rains.

They live the life of hunters and rattan traders. Hunting is their basic
occupation. Their weapons consist of bow and arrow. Hunting with dogs is a
favorite technique. They gather rattan palms from the forest cleansing and
scraping them until they are ready to be split into smaller pieces.

After these are ready, they deliver them to the tabong (market) in the
lowlands and exchange them for rice, sugar, salt and other basic ommodities. They
also use the kaingin system of farming live by fishing with hooks, traps and spears.

Dumagats speak a language of their own among themselves. But as scholars

have discovered, they can also speak with facility the language of the region to
which they have migrated. A careful examination of the Dumagat language today
places its historical origin at the adoption of a mixed Palanan dialect around 1783
when different ethnic groups took refuge in the town in their attempt to escape the
Tobacco Monopoly. The vocabulary consists largely of Tagalog, Ibanag, Iloccano,
and Visayan terms.

45
 For the Dumagats, there is no wedding ceremony save for a simple
celebration celebration to which the couple’s relatives and guests are invited and at
which the union is announced. As simply as the union is made, so too is its
dissolution. A Dumagat couple simply separate by mutual consent.

Culture
The Dumagat people are the Agta Negrito groups found in Luzon. In the
past, these people lived in coastal areas of Aurora and Quezon provinces and were
lords in their own domain. However, because of the coming of Filipino
homesteaders in the Agta area they were pushed into the mountains, and dispersed
in small groups.

They move from place to place in search of better habitation. Recently, they have
learned to live permanent settlements. They are reported found scattered in
different locations. They are also divided into six languages. The Kabulowan are
one of the subgroups of the Dumagat (also known as “Baluga”). Dumagat families
are generally simple nuclear family. They live in extended family groupings. If
arise among themselves, they just move away. In the past, men wore a cloth of g-
string and the women wore wrap around skirts. Now, they were used, machine
sewed lowland clothes.

Medicine
Dumagat women are known around the country as purveyors of herbal
medicines.

Clothing
Their traditional clothing is very simple. The young women wear wrap
around skirts. Elder women wear bark cloth, while elder men wear loin cloths. The
old women of the Agta wear a bark cloth strip which passes between the legs, and
is attached to a string around the waist. Today most Dumagat who have been in

46
contact with lowlanders have adopted the T-shirts, pants and rubber sandals
commonly used by the latter.

Practices
The Dumagats are skillful in weaving and plaiting.

Women exclusively weave winnows and mats. Only men make armlets.
They also produce raincoats made of palm leaves whose bases surround the neck
of the wearer, and whose topmost part spreads like a fan all around the body.

Art
A traditional form of visual art is body scarification. The Dumagats
intentionally wound the skin on their back, arms, breast, legs, hands, calves and
abdomen, and then they irritate the wounds with fire, lime and other means to form
scars.

Other "decorative disfigurements" include the chipping of the teeth. With the
use of a file, the Dumagat modify their teeth during late puberty. The teeth are
dyed black a few years afterwards.

The Dumagats generally use ornaments typical of people living in

subsistence economies. Flowers and leaves are used as earplugs occasions. Girdles,
necklaces, and neckbands of braided rattan incorporated with wild pig bristles are
frequently worn.

Music
The Dumagat have a musical heritage consisting of various types of agung
ensembles - ensembles composed of large hanging, suspended or held,
bossed/knobbed gongs which act as drone without any accompanying melodic
instrument.

47
Economy
Economically, they are very poor. Their livelihood ranges from hunting and
gathering to having gardens and raising coconuts. These days, hunting and
gathering are greatly reduced due to depletion of forest resources caused by
logging operations. Many of them now work as unskilled laborers for lowland
farmers near their location.

Most Dumagats are tied into a patron-client relationship with one or more
lowlander families. In this relationship, the Dumagats gather rattan and trade it
with the lowlander or they work for the lowlander. In turn, the lowlander gives
them rice, tobacco, money, or other items. In many cases, Dumagats are abused,
oppressed and are always on the losing end. Most of them are unable to determine
the fair equivalent of goods being exchanged or services being rendered. They
depend on their relationship for their daily ration of food.

Politics
Within their culture, much of the behavior is governed by rules between
types of relatives. The family itself is the organization that undertakes all roles.
Their social control system is unstructured. If conflicts arise, they just move away
some old people.

Religion
The Dumagats have no structured religion of their own although they claim
to believe in nameless, faceless gods whom they invoke to protect them from
danger. They are peace-loving people.

48
 The Dumagats are animist. Practices and beliefs differ from person to
person. Dumagat animism has less control over the people’s daily lives. In
addition, they have adopted some of the beliefs of their Christian neighbors. Now,
they hold to a universal belief in a single God, maybe a result of Christian
influence. Cultish groups are also working in. There are different views on the
dominant character of the Dumagat religion. Those who believe they are
monotheistic argue that various Dumagat tribes believe in a supreme being who
rules over lesser spirits or deities, with the Dumagat of Mt. Pinatubo worshipping
"Apo Namalyari."

The Dumagats are also animists. For example, the Pinatubo Dumagat
believes in environmental spirits such as anito and kamana. They believe that good
and evil spirits inhabit the environment, such as the spirits of the river, sea, sky,
mountain, hill, valley, and other places.

No special occasion is needed for the Dumagat to pray, although there is a

clear link between prayer and economic activities. The Dumagat dance before and
after a pig hunt. The night before Dumagat women gather shellfish, they perform a
dance, which is partly an apology to the fish and partly a charm to ensure the catch.
Similarly, the men hold a bee dance before and after the expeditions for honey.

In the mid-60s missionaries of the American-based Evangelical Protestant

mission group New Tribes Mission, in their effort to reach every Philippine tribal
group with the Christian Gospel reached out to the Agtas/Dumagats

TAGALOG:
THE RIVER-DWELLER WHO NAMED THE TOWN
“BALITE”

49
 The Tagalog people is an ethnic group in the Philippines. The name
Tagalog comes from either the native term tagá-ilog, meaning 'people living along
the river', or another native term, tagá-alog, meaning 'people living along the ford',
a ford being a shallow part of a river or stream where people, animals, or vehicles
can cross it.

The prefix taga- means "coming from" or "native of", while the word ilog
means 'river'. Translated, tagá-ilog means 'coming from the river' or 'native of the
river', and tagá-alog means 'coming from the ford' or 'native of the ford' with 'the'
being implied in both cases.

Either way, the original name has been contracted to become simply
Tagalog. In more recent times, the people of this ethnolinguistic group rarely refer
to themselves as "Tagalog", and instead, refer to themselves simply as "Filipino".

The Tagalogs are one of the most widespread groups of people in the
Philippines. They form a majority in the provinces of Aurora, Bataan, Batangas,
Cavite, Bulacan, Laguna, Marinduque, Metro Manila, Nueva Ecija, Occidental

50
Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Quezon, and Rizal. Other provinces with some
significant Tagalog populations include the provinces of Palawan, Tarlac, and in
Zambales.

Tagalog people number about 28.1% of the Total Filipino population

making them the largest Filipino ethnic group. Tagalogs speak the Tagalog
language, with many dialectal variations, although all Tagalog dialects are
considered mutually comprehensible to each other. The main religion of Tagalogs
is Christianity, mainly Roman Catholicism and some Protestantism, as well as
other religions.

Tagalogs have ancestries in other ethnic groups such as East Asian and as
well as some other South East Asian people that migrated/settled to Manila and
CALABARZON that assimilated to Tagalog or came even long before the Spanish
Conquest. That could have established several Native Tagalog communities
formed by the assimilation of various Indigenous Philippine kingdoms.

Culture
The Tagalog culture of the Pre-Hispanic times was very different from its
forms today although they were the most westernized out of all the Filipino ethnic
groups. Tagalog culture grew steadily to accept foreign, especially Spanish,
British, and American cultural influences. Traditionally, the Tagalogs are for the
most part agriculturists, although there are a few who engage in fishing.

Tagalogs have a very strict adherence to conduct politeness and respect, and
this is exemplified by practices and their language structure. Tagalogs are also
depicted by examples of bravery and courage, as manifested by historical events,
e.g., the Philippine Revolution and World War II.

Tagalogs are also focused on food preparation and culinary activities.

Women (and sometimes, men) are trained early on to become culinary experts.
This is depicted in lavish celebrations during Fiestas and gatherings.

51
History
The present "center" of the Tagalog culture and people is Taal, Batangas,
being its birthplace, and is still the "Heartland of the Tagalog Culture". Most of the
culture of the Tagalog people is passed on by oral tradition, despite the existence of
a writing system. This is because even if they were literate and had a written
tradition before the Spaniards arrived, they wrote their ideas on perishable leaves
and branches.

The Tagalogs were the next settlers in Rodriguez next to Dumagats. The
Rivers of Montalban offered Tagalogs settlers fish, fresh water for drinking,
ablutions, and irrigation; protection against the attack of the enemies across; and
easy means of travel by bancas especially needed during a time when the roads
were just widening footpaths in the wilderness. Thus along Montalban River,
Tagalog settlements sprang up and grew into populous barrios which Spaniards
found in the last quarter of 16th century. They still live along the river after the
Spanish conquest and they name the town “Balite” because of the Balite trees
grew up along the riverbanks of Montalban.

AKLANON:
THE LARGEST VISAYAN IMMIGRANT OF RODRIGUEZ

The Aklanons are descendants of the Austronesian-speaking immigrants

who came to the Philippines during the Iron Age. They got their name from the
river Akean, which means “where there is boiling or frothing.”
52
Area
Aklanons form the majority in the province of Aklan in Panay. They are also
found in other Panay provinces such as Iloilo, Antique, and Capiz, as well as
Romblon. Like the other Visayans, Aklanons have also found their way to Metro
Manila, Mindanao, and even the United States.

History
Minuro it Akean

Aklan, originally known as Minuro it Akean, is considered to be the oldest

province in the country and is believed to have been established as early as 1213
by settlers from Borneo. According to the tales of the Maragtas, Aklan once
enjoyed primacy among the realms carved out in Panay by the 10 Bornean datus.
These datus, after fleeing the tyranny of Sultan Makatunaw of Borneo, purchased
the island from the Ati King Marikudo. They then established the sakup (states) of
Hamtik, Akean (which includes the Capiz area), and Irong-irong, cultivated the
land, and renamed the new nation as the Confederation of Madya-as (Madjaas).
The datus supposedly landed in Malandog, Hamtik, where a marker
commemorates the event which is reenacted in the Binirayan (literally, "place
where the boats landed") Festival.

Tradition holds that the first ruler of Aklan was Datu Dinagandan who was
dethroned in 1399, by Kalantiaw. In 1433, Kalantiaw III formulated a set of laws
that is known today as the Code of Kalantiaw. William Henry Scott, a well-known
American historian, later debunked the Code of Kalantiaw as a fraud. [1][2] However,
many Filipinos, including Aklanons and other Visayans continue to believe this
legend as true.

The capital of Akean changed several times. Towards the end of the 14th
century, Datu Dinagandan moved the capital from the present Batan, which was
captured in 1399 by Chinese adventurers under Kalantiaw. Kalantiaw established
then a dynasty but it prematurely ended when his successor, Kalantiaw III, was
53
slain in a duel with Datu Manduyog, the legitimate successor to Datu Dinagandan.
When Manduyog became the new ruler, he moved the capital back to Bakan
(ancient name of Banga) in 1437. Several datus succeeded Manduyog and when
Miguel Lopez de Legaspi landed in Batan in 1565, Datu Kabanyag was ruling
Aklan from what is now the town of Libacao.

(These historical vignettes have no historical record as credible basis, but have
been manufactured in such a way as to acquire a hint of historical veracity and
reinforced among school children primarily through yearly programs or shows
supposedly commemorating those historical events. Nonetheless, these vignettes
have found no support among the established and respected historians of the
Philippines, and are thus relegated as folklore of no historical provenance or
significance.)

Spanish Era

During the Spanish era, Aklanons were generally peaceful and did not revolt
against Spanish rule in the area. However, the situation changed when two
Aklanons, Francisco del Castillo and Candido Iban, joined the Katipunan with the
intention of regaining the independence of Aklan along with the rest of the
Philippines. Both were successful in ridding the area of Spaniards.

Immigrating to Rodriguez

The Tagalogs and Dumagat people sold their pieces of land to Visayans and
left that area to live in a place far from there. The Visayan settlers came from
Libacao, Aklan and went to Manila. From there, they went to a place, which is now
known as Mascap. The place became known as “Barrio of Visayans” because they
were the first one who settles there. There first barrio captain was Felipe Ycay Sr..
But he do not recognize some of the present-day residents as the first barrio
captain.

From 1965 to 1970’s, the Visayans migrated to the watershed area including
the sitios at the back of Wawa Dam. To reach that place, they need to pass through

54
a difficult and steep trail. The reason for these was the owner of the land, MWSS,
locked the present route, which is easy.

There are around thirty families migrated and settled there.

The watershed area was opened to the public in October 1979. Bureau of
Forestry implemented a Reforestation Program. Since then, the population grew up
and the place was divided into sitios.

Today, Aklanons were the largest Visayan immigrant in Rodriguez they can
found in Barangay Mascap, and Barangay San Rafael.

Languages
Aklanons speak the Aklan languages, which includes Aklanon and
Malaynon. Ati is also spoken to some extent. Meanwhile, Hiligaynon and Kinaray-
a are used as regional languages. Tagalog is spoken by Aklanons in Metro Manila
and Rodriguez while the official languages of the Philippines, Filipino and English
are taught at school.

Culture
Most Aklanons engage in agriculture while those in the coastal areas engage
in fishing. They also make handicrafts. Music, such as courtship songs or
kundiman, wedding hymns, and funeral recitals, are well-developed, as it is with
dance.

Historically, Aklanons practised tattoing, sometimes including henna, but

abandoned the practice during the Spanish era. Recently, however, there has been a
revival of it in Boracay island, which is caused primarily by its popularity with
tourists.

55
Religion
Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, the Aklanons likely practised the
"worship" of Anitos. However, after Spanish colonization, the majority of
Aklanons have become devout Roman Catholics. They are known by their
devotion to the Santo Niño or Child Jesus, as shown in the Ati-atihan festival.
Aklanons also practice processions during religious holidays such as the Salubong.

However, the majority of the Aklanons in Rodriguez were Evangelical

Christian. In fact some of them were pastors in their area.

OTHER VISAYANS MIGRATED TO RODRIGUEZ

Aside from Aklanons, there still other Visayans who migrated in Rodriguez.

A 1,644 hectares of land in Sitio Wawa was sold by Eulogio Rodriguez Sr.
was sold to Alfonso Doronila , Php 50.00 in price on 1950. Doronila called his
town mates in Dumangas, Iloilo to cultivate that land. The people from Dumangas
migrated on 1971 to 1972 while the people from Capiz migrated on 1973.

56
57
58
59
REFERENCES:

 Puray Brgy. Hall

 Montalban Municipal Library

 Citizens of Wawa and beyond

 www.google.com

 www.yahoo.com

RESEARCHERS:

 Sarah Jean C. Sarte

 Dorylou G. Doble

60
 Jenny Vee J. Esteban

 Elizabeth M. Francisco

 Julienne Ken N. Binalizo

 Rudy Buenaagua

 Ronnell J. Catanduanes

 Dick Jesus Cabunot

UNIT III
HISTORICAL
PAST
61
 OF
RODRIGUEZ

BRIEF HISTORY OF
RODRIGUEZ
Based on the stories handed down by the old folks through generations, this
place was once known as BALITE by the natives because of the wide spreading
Balite trees that stand proudly by the riverbanks. It was then a lonely barrio
belonging to the Municipality of San Mateo in Province of Manila. The people of
Barrio Balite wanted so such to be recognized as a separate town so they followed
all the conditions set by Governor General in his letter of instruction sent dated
April 27, 1871. That letter states that such request said only are granted if the
following government institutions were built; a parish church, a municipal hall, a
school, a public market and a cemetery. Upon completion of the said buildings, a
meeting was held by Don Carlos Reoug, representative of the Governor General;
Don Ramon Aguilar, head of San Mateo Guardia Civil; Don Jose Canas, owner of
Hacienda Payatas; and Don Mariano Crame, Chief Inspector of Government
Buildings.

62
 On June 30, 1871, through the assistance of Padre Estaquio, a native of
Pasig, ACTA DE ERECCION was finally signed establishing the town of
Montalban and its four (4) barrios namely Balite, Burgos, Calipahan, and Maran.
The Spaniards changed the name to MONTALVAN from the Spanish words
MONTE and ALVA meaning White Mountain. It could also be named after a
place in Spain where the same distinctive terrain, that of Monte de Alva or
Montauban in France. The first chapel called PASONG VISITA was erected on a
piece of land donated by Pantaleon Cruz. However, due to the increasing number
of churchgoers, the chapel was transferred to its present location, just in front of
town’s cemetery on the land donated by Candido Domingo and Alejandra Cruz.
The first elected gobernadorcillo or popularly called capitan was Maximo
Francisco.

In 1896, just after the execution of Dr. Jose Rizal at Bagumbayan, General
Licerio Geronimo popularly known as General Sergio, together with Simplicio
Inocentes, Gregorio Bautista and others went to Cabanatuan to join the Katipunan
to fight the Spanish aggression. In the later part of 1896, Cipriano Reyes, a non-
combatant was kidnapped and later on killed due to the hatred of the town people
on suspicion that he was helping the Spaniards.

Spanish authorities attacked Montalvan but they were met with heavy
resistance. The battle hasted the whole day before the Katipuneros retreated. Later
on, peace was declared between the two opposing forces on after the town was
reduced to ashes. The church, which was converted to a fort, was destroyed.

In the early part of 1897, the Spaniards deported the last gobernadorcillo of
Montalvan, Capitan Victoriano Bautista together with Hilario Cruz to Guam on the
suspicion of being Katipuneros. With Capitan Bautista’s banishment,
Montalvanwas reverted to the Municipality of San Mateo in the later part of 1897

In 1901 by the virtue of Act No. 137 of the Philippine Commision, the
towns Morong Politico-Military District and Province of Manila merged to form
the Rizal Province, in honor of Dr. Jose Rizal and Montalvan forms part of that
province. Also stated on the said act was granting the changing of letter V to B of
Montalban.
63
On 1903, on the account of the fact, that many towns had a small population,
Governor Flores recommended that they be “incorporated with the others to form
larger pueblos.”

Thus on October 12, 1903 Act No. 942 took effect reducing the number of
municipalities of Rizal from 33 to 15.Montalban has a population of 3,108
inhabitants in 1903 so it was again merged to San Mateo and San Mateo was the
seat of government.

In their ardent desire to live independently, the people of Montalban exerted

untiring efforts to convince the Municipality of San Mateo that they were capable
of governing themselves. They chose Don Eulogio Rodriguez Sr., the grandson of
former gobernadorcillo Capitan Pablo Rodriguez, to become the spokesperson of
their group. Through his strong liaison with the Americans, having marked in close
contact with them as the contactor and liaison officer between the civilian
population and the American troops in Montalban and Fort McKinley (Fort
Bonifacio today) from 1901 to 1908, Montalban became a separate town from San
Mateo.

By virtue of Provision No. 36 dated May 12, 1908 pursuant to Order No. 20,
which was approved on February 29, 1908, Montalban was officially declared an
independent town with six (6) barrios under its jurisdiction namely Burgos, San
Jose, San Rafael, San Isidro, Balite and Manggahan.

On January 1, 1909, in recognition of Don Eulogio Rodriguez’s efforts and

leadership, Governor General James Smith appointed him as the first Municipal
President of the newly created local government in Rizal Province- Montalban.
That same year, the question of where to set up its boundary line became a
subject of dispute. The San Mateo Municipal President Ismael Amado firmly
claimed that the boundary was just directly near Wawa Cave but Rodriguez
believed that such boundary can extended such further. Rodriguez brought the case
to court. Through the combined efforts of Don Eulogio Rodriguez, Don Juan
Sumulong and Atty. Mariano Melendred the case was won.

Don Eulogio Rodriguez was served as the municipal president of Montalban

for more than five years until he became the governor of Rizal and under him, the
Province of Rizal was classified as a first class province.
64
At the outbreak of the Second World War, Both Eulogio Rodriguez Sr. and
Eulogio Rodriguez Jr. were imprisoned for six months in Fort Santiago town,
which was made into an evacuation center by the USAFFE in April 1942. In that
same year,they were released. Later that year, Sotero San Juan and Isabella
Salvador were caught due to possession of firearm and gasoline. But both were
then organizing guerillas to fight against the Japanese and other Pro-Japanese
Organization killed a certain Macario. In the latter part of the same year, the
Japanese Kempetai took Pedro Salen, Vivencio Ramos, Jose Domingo, Anselmo
Valdez, Pedro Ramos, Doroteo Cruz and Vicente Ramos as guerilla suspects.
Luckily, they were released due to lack of evidence.

In 1944,Lt. Col. Severo Cruz, an ex-USAFFE was taken but was later
released to lack of evidence. Then in October of the same year, he together with
Dr. Jose Bautista, Sergio Bautista and Dominador Omto were again imprisoned as
guerilla suspects. This time, not one of them returned.

In November 1944, the Japanese Kempetai stationed in Marikina went to

Montalban to arrest some Marikina residents hiding there and who were able to
return were Delfin Bautista, Teofilo Mendoza and Pacing Manuel. In that same
year, many political prisoners from other towns were shot and killed at "Paang
Bundok".

By 1945, the Japanese then occupied the town. Gavino Cruz and Eustaquio
Rodriguez went to Manila to escape from the Japanese, but they were nabbed
there. Later on, while dying to escape, with him was Eustaquio Rodriguez who was
shot and killed while Gavino Cruz was able to be suspicious of the lingering threat
of cruelty from Japanese who retreated to the town, then they left Montalban. In
that same month of January, the public school building, the public market, the
nursery in San Jose, the church and many private houses were destroyed by the
American Forces who were then in the offensive.

A chapel of a religious sect in San Jose was hit directly by a US bomb

wherein Gervacio Espiritu, Fernando Bautista, Lucia Valdez, Jugo Nicolas and
many others were killed including the family of Baldomero Domingo. In February
of 1945, the Japanese forces ordered a general evacuation of the residents. On the
other hand, the American Forces were in full offensive. Between April and June,

65
the whole town was razed to the ground by the Americans to clean the town of
Japanese Snipers.

In July 1945, a provisional government was established with Gavino Cruz as

Acting Mayor. The task of rehabilitation followed. Schools were erected, the
church and municipal building were rebuilt and private houses were repaired and
reconstructed.

SOME OF THE HISTORICAL SITES

IN RODRIGUEZ

Ancestral House of Amang Rodriguez is

now a museum. The name is one of the
oldest in the town.

Our Lady of Most Holy Rosary Church has a bald hill

back of it. Old Spanish Styles structure was razed during
World War II

66
Pamitinan Cave was the location of the First Cry of Independence. Here, Andres
Bonifacio and the other eight Katipuneros met on April 12, 1895

Japanese Fortress in San Rafael serves as an observatory during the war.

Montalban George was the birthplace of rock climbing in the country in early ’70.

THE HISTORY OF
PAMITINAN

The Famous Eight of Pamitinan:

 Andres Bonifacio and his seven "co-religionarios" in the

Kataastaasan, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng
Bayan.

 Faustino Mantildealac, founder of the Binondo Branch of that

society.
67
  Guillermo Masangkay, one of the first recruits to the Katipunan
(August 1892), a close associate of Bonifacio who held various
positions in that organization particularly membership in the "Camara
Secreta".

 Francisco Del Castillo, one of the two Katipuneros who led the
uprising in Kalibo,Aklan and who donated part of his winnings in a
lottery in Australia so that the Katipunan could purchase on old
printing press from the "Bazaar El Cisne" that enabled the
organization to publish its own newspaper, the "Kalayaan",

 Valeriano Dalida and Pedro Zabala who were early members of the
Katipunan,

 Emilio Jacinto, the youngest of the Katipuneros, the "Brain of the

Katipunan", closest confidant and adviser of the Supremo, and

 Aurelio Tolentino of Pampanga, a playwright of the "Kahapon,

Ngayon at Bukas" fame.

Guillermo Masangkay wrote about his first trip to Pamitinan:

"We undertook the journey towards the "Cave of Bernardo Carpio" in two
calesas at noon of April 10, 1985, Holy Monday...At four in the afternoon of the
same day, we arrived at the town of San Mateo. We were hospitably
accommodated at the summer house of CapitanMunicipal Don Matias Delos
Angeles,who with his wife Doña Sixta Manahan placed at our disposal the services
of their house. Our brethren Aurelio Tolentino had previously informed Captain
Delos Angeles about our patriotic purpose in the trip".

"All night long, until the early morning hours of the following day, we could
hardly sleep, because the meeting that were about to hold the next day was to deal
with very important questions concerning the Katipunan, such as the creation of a
flag for the revolutionary army and the appointment of generals ("Jefes
Henerales") for the following provinces: for Manila and nearby barrios, Emilio
Jacinto and Guillermo Masangkay; for Cavite, Faustino Mañalac, Genaro Galvez
68
and Santiago Alvarez; for Pampanga, Aurelio Tolentino; for Capiz, Francisco Del
Castillo and Candido Iban; for Morong, Vicente Leyba; for Nueva Ecija, Manuel
Tinio and Mariano Llanera, and for Laguna, Vicente Fernandez. Andres Bonifacio
was to beome Generalissimo of the revolutionary forces.”

"On Holy Tuesday, we started for the town of Montalban, and had for our
guide, one Felix Halili, a trusted man of Capitan Delos Angeles, who saw it that
we were adequately provisioned for a week's trip. We reached Montalban at noon
of that day. After taking a bite to eat, and a brief rest, we started our meeting inside
the cave. The first subject was the creation of a flag for the Katipunan, which was
to be of the color red with a radiant "K" in the middle. Brethren Pedro Zabala
asked what type of "K" to use. Guillermo Masangkay emphatically suggested to
use the "K" of the ancient Tagalog alphabet. Bonifacio asked Masangkay,how he
became familiar with that alphabet. Masangkay explained that he learned about it
from his friend Isabelo Delos Reyes, who showed him the book about the history
of Ilocos written in that Ancient Tagalog Alphabet. It was unanimously agreed to
use the "K" of that ancient alphabet.

"It was also decided strategic points in the area should be designated as
general headquarters of the Katipunan". After those deliberations, they scribbled
on the walls of the cave with a piece of charcoal the following words: "Viva la
Independencia de Filipinas!” Then they signed each of their names. Years after the
revolution, Aurelio Tolentino wrote about this trip to "Pamitinan Cave": "It seems
only yesterday that those humble sons of the soil emerged from that cave with their
hearts torn with emotion and their eyes filled with tears as they stood speechless,
looking at one another. They foresaw how heavily they would have to pay for the
ideals they had created". Tolentino was of the opinion that the "first cry of liberty
had taken place not in Balintawak but in the "Pamitinan Cave",Montalban, Rizal
around the year 1894 or 1895.

The second journey of Guillermo Masangkay to "Pamitinan Cave

69
 "Our expeditionary party entered the cave with several Katipuneros and
local residents versed in the terrain as guides. We carried oil lamps which we held
close to the walls in order to be able to read the various inscriptions there. Our
flickering lights revealed that the slow steady drip of water from the roof had
transformed the cave into a hall filled with marvellously sculptured figures.
Sometimes the form was that of a sleeping elephant, sometimes it was almost
human,with arms twisted as if in a nightmare. Small sharp objects glittered in the
darkness, reflecting our passage. The cave widened at the point, and we saw with
amazement that we were in a sort of temple, for there was a dome, an altar, a
pulpit, even hanging chandeliers. There were also places where the passageway
was so small and the roof so low that we had to crawl on our hands and knees to go
on ahead".

"After an hour of more walking, we came to the following inscription on one

of the walls towards right:"Troops of the Katipunan from Bulacan", followed the
signatures of Gregorio Del Pilar, Isidoro Torres, Julian Del Pilar, Doroteo
Karagdag...in short, by all the principal revolutionary leaders from that province. It
bore the date, February 2, 1897, providing conclusively that these men had been to
the cave before undertaking those fruitless trips to Cavite to talk to Aguinaldo".

"On the cave walls, we also found the names of other visitors who had
preceded us by as far back as 1880. We crossed several small lakes filled with
pieces of charcoal. There were stones that looked like human cadavers seated on
chairs. Everything was made of some kind of granolithic stone".

"Soon we came upon an elevation at the end of a wide space. The elevation
began with some graded altar steps leading to a dark wall. Our guard walked up the
steps with his torched held high and read excitedly, "Aurelio Tolentino".

"Here it is!" we all shouted as we went up the steps."We had found at last
that we sought...the names of the first brave leaders of the Katipunan!"...

"On the left was the signature of Aurelio Tolentino, with the date April 10,
1895. On the right were those Emilio Jacinto, Andres Bonifacio,Faustino Mañalac,
Francisco Del Castillo, Valeriano Dalida, Pedro Zabala, Guillermo Masangkay and
the date April 11, 1895. Guillermo Masangkay, who was with us wept with joy.

70
But where was the famous inscription "Viva la Indepedencia de Filipinas" as
mentioned by Tolentino?

"There were so many erasures above and below the names, that we could no
longer read them. The eeriness of the place, the flickering of our oil lamps, and
ravages wrought by water after twenty-seven years did not make the reading any
easier. There was no doubt that the first cry for revolt had been made there, though
now the inscription had become illegible by more recent super imposed writings
and had faded after the many years that had elapsed, because a little below and
towards the center of the inscription belonged to the Katipunan".

The trip to the Pamitinan underscores, first of all the plight of the handful
Katipuneros, who found it necessary to go into retreat, far from the madding
crowd, into the dark, cold, inner recesses of these caves. These could have been
prompted in part by the need to forget, albeit temporarily, the harsh realities of
colonial rule, a regime that had transformed them into veritable aliens in the land
of their birth. They were poor, many without much education, faced with the
Goliath of the Spanish Colonial Administration that, enrolled within its ranks
thousands of Filipinos: the guardia civil. However, these Katipuneros were fired
with a fervent desire to overthrow the colonial yoke.

71
GENERAL LICERIO IMAYA
GERONIMO
(1855-1924)

One of the bravest generals in the Filipino-

American war, Licerio Geronimo was born to
Graciano Geronimo and Flaviana Imaya in
Sampaloc,Manila on August 27, 1855. His father
hailed from Montalban,Rizal and his mother was a
native of Gapan, Nueva Ecija.

72
 When he was nine, Geronimo lived with his grandfather in a farm in San
Miguel, Bulacan. At 14, he joined his father in Montalban where he pratically
spent his young years on the farm. He cut grass for sale, pastured carabaos, cut fuel
for home use and did all other farm chores. Naturally, he was honed to be a
marksman to boot.

Geronimo did not enjoy the benefits of formal education because of poverty.
But he could read and write, thanks to friend who taught him the alphabet. He
sought self-improvement through reading the awits and corridos while resting on
the back of carabaos. For socials, he participated in poetical jousts called duplo.
During the months of May, he served as the “general” or “prince” of the Sta. Cruz
de Mayo procession.

He married to Modesta de la Cruz but on becoming a widower, he married

Cayetana Linco of San Mateo by whom he had five children. He worked as a
farmer and augmented his income by transporting passengers and laundresses in a
boat to and from Manila on the Marikina and Pasig Rivers.

Geronimo came to know of the Katipunan through his godfather, Felix

Umali, an alguacil mayor of barrio Wawa of the town of Montalban. Umali
introduced himto Andres Bonifacio when the Supremo came to that town to form a
Katipunan branch. After his initation, Geronimo headed the local Katipunan
chapter.

With the out break of the revolution in August, 1896, Geronimo had to go to
Balintawak upon orders from Bonifacio. On th 30 th of that month, he and the other
organized his own force from that place, San Mateo and Marikina. His forces
served under General Macabulos in San Rafael, Bulacan and then, under General
Mariano Llanera during the military operations in the towns of San Miguel,
Bulacan and Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija.

Mt. Puray in Montalban was the base of operations of Gen. Geronimo and
his force. Here a meeting was held after the Bonifacio’s death to create a
Departmental Government of Central Luzon. In this assembly, Geronimo was
designated division general of the revolutionary army for Rizal. His forces
triumphantly fought the Spaniards for six hours. Because of this success, the name
General Cerio by which he was popularly called reached everywhere. The job he
73
had to do next was to temporary period of tranquility brought about the Truce of
Biak-na-Bato, he retired to his farm and then allowed himself to be assigned by his
former foes as a commandant in the Spanish Milicia Territorial. It was formed by
the Spaniards against the defeat of the Spanish fleet in Manila on May 1, 1898.

Geronimo, however, chose to desert his former enemies and presented

himself to General Pio Del Pilar on August 13, 1898. On November 28 of that
year, Aguinaldo appointed him general of a division with station at San Mateo. The
day after the outbreak of the Filipino-American war, he assisted in the defense of
Marikina and helped in the building of trenches and in the reorganization of troops
who were coming in from San Juan and Mandaluyong.

Antonio Luna appointed him commanding general of the third military zone
of the province of Manila. In the Battle of San Mateo on December 19, 1899, he
dealt a severe blow to his enemies when his force, called Tiradores de la Muerte
engaged the Americans for two and a half hours. Here the Americans general,
Henry W. Lawton perished, along with 13 Americans officers. The Filipinos lost
six men and a few were taken prisoners.

Because of his capabilities and his stirring victories, Geronimo was named by
Gen. Mariano Trias on July 12, 1900 jete superior of the fused second and third
zones of Manila. Exactly one month after, he was ordered by Trias to take
command of the district of Morong and to put a stop to the continued disturbances
in that area.

One year later, through the efforts of the Federal Party, he and his 22 officers
and men surrendered in San Mateo on March 29, 1901 to Captain Henderson of the
42 th Infantry.

After his surrender, he worked with the Philippine Constabulary starting on

June 1, 1902 as a fourth class inspector, then promoted third lieutenant and
inspector on December 23 of the same year. As a Constabulary officer, he worked
in the pacification of the towns of San Mateo, Marikina, Malabon and Novaliches.

He stayed on his farm in Montalban where he remained until his death on

January 16, 1924.

74
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY:

Hero of Battle of San Mateo. Born on August 27,1855, Sampaloc, Manila.

Head of the Katipunan Council of Wawa, Montalban; and organizer of Katipunan
in San Mateo and Marikina. Replused the Spaniards to dislodge Aguinaldo of his
stronghold at Mt. Puray. Promoted to Lt. General then to Major General of
Division with station at San Mateo and finally commanding general of the third
military zone of the Province of Manila. Bravery fought with his “Tiradores de la
Muerte and killed General Henry Lawton, other American officers and men. Series
of attack followed into American posts in Bulacan, Rizal and Manila suburbs.
Surrendered to the American, 1901. Worked with the Phillipine Constabulary as
Fourth Class Inspector, June 1, 1902; promoted to 3rd Lieutenant and Inspector,
December 23, 1902. Separated from the service, May 16, 1904. Died on January
16, 1902 in Montalban, Rizal.

DON EULOGIO ADONA

RODRIGUEZ SR.
(1883-1964)

Eulogio A. Rodriguez Sr., the “Grand Old

Man of Rizal” was born in Montalban, Rizal on
January 21, 1883. His parents were Petrolino and
Monica Adona.

Don Yoyong’s being a “zacatero” does not

mean he was of verylowly birth. It was true that he
cut fodder for horses. But that was to feed his father’s
horse. The family owned a calesa as their means of
livelihood. Naturally, young Yoyong would gather
more fodder for sale. This meant extra money for his
schooling. The biggest buyer of fodder was the United States Cavalry Unit

75
stationed at Fort McKinley (now Fort Bonifacio). Thus, Don Yoyong is known as
penny-wise.

Once a seventy-year old man approached him and requested him to donate a
basketball. “At your age you should not play ball,” Don Yoyong quipped.

“No, Don Yoyong, that ball is for a basketball team in Biňan, Laguna. I am
only the spokesman,” answered the old man.

How he came to be called “Amang” in the Senate is worth telling. Quite sore
when called the Old Guard, he pleaded, “Don’t call me an Old Guard. Can’t you
see I’m only 50?” I address you as “Amang” (young man) why can’t you address
me in the same way?”

When he was between 70 and 80 years, he stopped to think that he was

growing old. When asked about his age jokingly answered 50. That was his secret
for feeling young and looking young even when he reached almaost 82 years at the
time of his death. Once at a military parade at Camp Murphy, he scolded a general,
“Why do you hold my elbow. I can get off the jeep without your help. I am still
strong to do it,” he said.

“ Mr. Nacionalista” is the another of Don Yoyong’s politican names. He had

been the president of the Nacionalista Party for eighteen years until his death on
December 9, 1964. He saved the Nacionalista Party from dying. That’s why in his
old age when the “young Turks” or young members of the party wanted a change
of party president he said, “I shall decide when I shall give up the NP presidency.
When that time comes, I shall tell you.” Nobody in the party could do anything
about it.

He spent 55 years of his life in the government and in politics. He held the
office of Municipal president (Mayor) of Montalban for seven years. He became
governor of Rizal province, and representative of the second district of Rizal. As a
senator, the highest position he got was the Senate Presidency. He was appointed
as a Mayor of Manila, Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce, Chairman of the
National Development Company (NDC), Chairman of the National Rice and Corn
Corporation (NARIC) and manager of the Cebu Portland Cement Company.

76
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY:

Son of poor couple, Petronilo Rodriguez and Monica Adona. Born on 1883,
Montalban. Studied elementary in his town and finished Bachelor of Arts in
Colegio de San Juan de Letran. From being a “zacatero,” became municipal
president of Montalban, governor of Rizal, mayor of Rizal, representative of Nueva
Viscaya and second district of Rizal in congress, secretary of agriculture and
commerce, senator, and president of Nacionalista Party, Married Juana
Santiagoand given seven children- Leonor, Ruperto, Jose, Eulogio Jr., Isidro,
Consolacion and Adelaida. Imprisoned by the Japanese in Fort Santiago because
of not cooperating with them. Died on 1964

HEROES OF WORLD WAR II

IN RODRIGUEZ

Avegas, Agustin Lyon, Herbert

Bautista, Delfin Manuel, Benjamin
Bautista, Jose D. Manuel, Elpidio T.
Baylosis, Roberto Manuel, Perfecto
Bernardo, Gumersindo Mesa, Juan S. De
Carcamo, Isidro Martines, Agapito H.
Catindoy, Fernando C. Nicolas, Felipe
Cayeano, Simon M. Nicolas, Eulogio C.
Cruz, Anastacio V. Nicolas, Teofilo G.
Cruz, Olicerio D. Namucatcat, Felipe B.
Cruz, Inocencio Orpiano, Camilo C.
Cruz, Melencio Perez, Ponciano S.
Cruz, Severo Quina, Conrado J.
Cruz, Vicente C. Ramirez, Macario
Deato, Esteban Ramos, Anastacio
Dominguez, Felix Ramos, Manuel P.
77
Dragao, Salvador Rion, Ricardo R. Sr.
Esclares, Francisco A. Roxas, Ricardo G.
Espiritu, Bibiano Salvador, Magno A.
Espiritu, Gervacio B. San Jose, Marcelo S.
Evangelista, Engracio San Juan, Leonardo S.
Evangelista, Luis B. Tizon, Guillermo
Evangelista, Pablo Tolentino, Eusebio A.
Ferrer, Valeriano R. Umali, Francisco
Gabonada, Anastacio Villareal, Elizalde
Guillema, Romeo Ayuson, Leopoldo B.
Guzman, Melchor M. De Mariano, Cipriano S.
Manahan, Eduardo

REFERENCES:

 www.wikipedia.com

 www.google.com

 Socio-Economic Profile of Montalban

RESEARCHERS:

 Mary Joy L. Loto

 Daniel Joseph M. Cruz

78
 Jhemnits Joy B. Guillerme

 Jayson E. Cruz

 Caselyn E. Francisco

 Dionel O. Cruz

 Elizabeth M. Francisco

UNIT IV

GREAT
LEADERS
79
 OF
RODRIGUEZ
THE HISTORY OF
RODRIGUEZ
(from 1871 to 2010)

Rodriguez, Rizal (formerly Montalban) is a first class municipality in the

province of Rizal, Philippines. It is the northernmost town in the province and
comes after San Mateo, Quezon City coming from Metro Manila. The town is
located on the slopes of the Sierra Madre mountain range and features many resorts
so it is called “Resort Town”; it is also the largest town in Rizal province with
363.08 km². Rodriguez is also known as the “Quarrying and Mining Capital of
Rizal”

The legend of Bernardo Carpio is said to have happened in the mountains of

Montalban. The legend tells the story of a giant trapped between two mountains.
As the story goes, King Bernardo Carpio is said to dwell inside this cave, but in
chains. Since he is so strong, his struggle to be free shakes the earth. Every one
hundred years, he is able to break a chain, so that now he has both hands and one
foot already free. As soon as all his chains will be broken, he will liberate the
Filipino race.

80
 Based on the stories handed down by the old folks through generations, this
place was once known as BALITE by the natives because of the wide spreading
Balite trees that stand proudly by the riverbanks. It was then a lonely barrio
belonging to the Municipality of San Mateo in Province of Manila. The people of
Barrio Balite wanted so such to be recognized as a separate town so they followed
all the conditions set by Governor General in his letter of instruction sent dated
April 27, 1871. That letter states that such request said only are granted if the
following government institutions were built; a parish church, a municipal hall, a
school, a public market and a cemetery. Upon completion of the said buildings, a
meeting was held by Don Carlos Reoug, representative of the Governor General;
Don Ramon Aguilar, head of San Mateo Guardia Civil; Don Jose Canas, owner of
Hacienda Payatas; and Don Mariano Crame, Chief Inspector of Government
Buildings.

On June 30, 1871, through the assistance of Padre Estaquio, a native of

Pasig, ACTA DE ERECCION was finally signed establishing the town of
Montalban and its four (4) barrios namely Balite, Burgos, Calipahan, and Maran.
The Spaniards changed the name to MONTALVAN from the Spanish words
MONTE and ALVA meaning White Mountain. It could also be named after a
place in Spain where the same distinctive terrain, that of Monte de Alva or
Montauban in France. The first chapel called PASONG VISITA was erected on a
piece of land donated by Pantaleon Cruz. However, due to the increasing number
of churchgoers, the chapel was transferred to its present location, just in front of
town’s cemetery on the land donated by Candido Domingo and Alejandra Cruz.
The first elected gobernadorcillo or popularly called capitan was Maximo
Francisco.

On holy week of 1894, Andres Bonifacio together with seven other

Katipuneros- Faustino Mantildealac , Guillermo Masangkay, , Francisco Del
Castillo, Valeriano Dalida, Pedro Zabala ,Emilio Jacinto, and Aurelio Tolentino
went to Pamintinan Cave in Sitio Wawa. They started their meeting inside the cave
and first subject was the creation of a flag for the Katipunan, which was to be of
the color red with a radiant "K" in the middle. Brethren Pedro Zabala asked what
type of "K" to use. Guillermo Masangkay emphatically suggested to use the "K" of
the ancient Tagalog alphabet. Bonifacio asked Masangkay, how he became

81
familiar with that alphabet. Masangkay explained that he learned about it from his
friend Isabelo Delos Reyes, who showed him the book about the history of Ilocos
written in that Ancient Tagalog Alphabet. It was unanimously agreed to use the
"K" of that ancient alphabet.

"It was also decided strategic points in the area should be designated as
general headquarters of the Katipunan". After those deliberations, they scribbled
on the walls of the cave with a piece of charcoal the following words: VIVA LA
INDEPENDENCIA FILIPINA or “long live Philippine Independence.” And it
could be said that here in Montalban, two years earlier than the one in Balintawak,
there was already a sort of “cry”, a public manifestation of the separatist intention
of the Katipunan.

The trip to the Pamitinan underscores, a regime that had transformed them
into veritable aliens in the lan of their birth.They were poor, many without much
education, faced with the Goliath of the Spanish Colonial Administration that,
enrolled within its ranks thousands of Filipinos: the guardia civil. But these
Katipuneros were fired with a fervent desire to overthrow the colonial yoke.

In 1896, just after the execution of Dr. Jose Rizal at Bagumbayan, General
Licerio Geronimo popularly known as General Sergio, together with Simplicio
Inocentes, Gregorio Bautista and others went to Cabanatuan to join the Katipunan
to fight the Spanish aggression. In the later part of 1896, Cipriano Reyes, a non-
combatant was kidnapped and later on killed due to the hatred of the town people
on suspicion that he was helping the Spaniards.

Spanish authorities attacked Montalvan but they were met with heavy
resistance. The battle hasted the whole day before the Katipuneros retreated. Later
on, peace was declared between the two opposing forces on after the town was
reduced to ashes. The church, which was converted to a fort, was destroyed.

In the early part of 1897, the Spaniards deported the last gobernadorcillo of
Montalvan, Capitan Victoriano Bautista together with Hilario Cruz to Guam on the
suspicion of being Katipuneros. With Capitan Bautista’s banishment, Montalvan
was reverted to the Municipality of San Mateo in the later part of 1897.

82
 Mt. Puray in Montalban was the base of operations of Gen. Geronimo and
his force. Here a meeting was held after the Bonifacio’s death to create a
Departmental Government of Central Luzon. In this assembly, Geronimo was
designated division general of the revolutionary army for Rizal.

In 1901 by the virtue of Act No. 137 of the Philippine Commision, the
towns Morong Politico-Military District and Province of Manila merged to form
the Rizal Province, in honor of Dr. Jose Rizal and Montalvan forms part of that
province. Also stated on the said act was granting the changing of letter V to B of
Montalban.

One of the interesting projects of national government in Rizal area is the

selection of the Montalban watershed for the water supply of Manila. Twenty
members led by Civil Governor William Taft hiked to Montalban to reach the
point where the dam was to be located on September 14, 1903. In addition, from
1908 Wawa Dam begun to supply Manila until 1968 due to unexplained
deterioration of water.

On 1903, on the account of the fact, that many towns had a small population,
Governor Flores recommended that they be “incorporated with the others to form
larger pueblos.”

Thus on October 12, 1903 Act No. 942 took effect reducing the number of
municipalities of Rizal from 33 to 15.Montalban has a population of 3,108
inhabitants in 1903 so it was again merged to San Mateo and San Mateo was the
seat of government.

In their ardent desire to live independently, the people of Montalban exerted

untiring efforts to convince the Municipality of San Mateo that they were capable
of governing themselves. They chose Don Eulogio Rodriguez Sr., the grandson of
former gobernadorcillo Capitan Pablo Rodriguez, to become the spokesperson of
their group. Through his strong liaison with the Americans, having marked in close
contact with them as the contactor and liaison officer between the civilian
population and the American troops in Montalban and Fort McKinley (Fort
Bonifacio today) from 1901 to 1908, Montalban became a separate town from San
Mateo.

83
 By virtue of Provision No. 36 dated May 12, 1908 pursuant to Order No. 20,
which was approved on February 29, 1908, Montalban was officially declared an
independent town with six (6) barrios under its jurisdiction namely Burgos, San
Jose, San Rafael, San Geronimo, Balite and Manggahan.

On January 1, 1909, in recognition of Don Eulogio Rodriguez’s efforts and

leadership, Governor General James Smith appointed him as the first Municipal
President of the newly created local government in Rizal Province- Montalban.
That same year, the question of where to set up its boundary line became a
subject of dispute. The San Mateo Municipal President Ismael Amado firmly
claimed that the boundary was just directly near Wawa Cave but Rodriguez
believed that such boundary can extended such further. Rodriguez brought the case
to court. Through the combined efforts of Don Eulogio Rodriguez, Don Juan
Sumulong and Atty. Mariano Melendred the case was won.

Don Eulogio Rodriguez was served as the municipal president of Montalban

for more than five years until he became the governor of Rizal and under him, the
Province of Rizal was classified as a first class province.

On 1916 Eusebio Manuel was elected as the municipal president and under
his administration, Mango Bridge in Barrio Burgos was constructed.

On 1918, Montalban has a population of 5,201 inhabitant.

On 1919, Gregorio Bautista was elected as the municipal president of

Montalban and during his administration, he assisted the farmers for they need and
the construction of the town plaza in Balite.

On 1928, Jose Rodriguez was elected as the municipal president and under
him two floods in 1928 and 1934 happened and many lives and infrastructure was
lost and destroyed.

On 1931, Roman Reyes was elected as the municipal president and under
him, a monument was constructed in the town plaza in honor of Dr. Jose Rizal.

On December 14, 1937, the position of municipal president was became

municipal mayor and Jacinto Bautista was the first municipal mayor of Montalban.
Under his administration, Marikina-Montalban road was improved.
84
 On 1939, Montalban has a population of 6,402 inhabitants.

On 1940, Francisco Rodriguez was elected and he formed the Civilian

Emergency Administration before the war happened.

On 1943, Federico San Juan became the mayor and because of him the
guerillas caught in town plaza was fled and not harmed.

On 1943 also, Montalban has 5,267 inhabitants.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Both Eulogio Rodriguez Sr. and
Eulogio Rodriguez Jr. were imprisoned for six months in Fort Santiago town,
which was made into an evacuation center by the USAFFE in April 1942. In that
same year,they were released. Later that year, Sotero San Juan and Isabella
Salvador were caught due to possession of firearm and gasoline. But both were
then organizing guerillas to fight against the Japanese and other Pro-Japanese
Organization killed a certain Macario. In the latter part of the same year, the
Japanese Kempetai took Pedro Salen, Vivencio Ramos, Jose Domingo, Anselmo
Valdez, Pedro Ramos, Doroteo Cruz and Vicente Ramos as guerilla suspects.
Luckily, they were released due to lack of evidence.

In 1944,Lt. Col. Severo Cruz, an ex-USAFFE was taken but was later
released to lack of evidence. Then in October of the same year, he together with
Dr. Jose Bautista, Sergio Bautista and Dominador Omto were again imprisoned as
guerilla suspects. This time, not one of them returned.

In November 1944, the Japanese Kempetai stationed in Marikina went to

Montalban to arrest some Marikina residents hiding there and who were able to
return were Delfin Bautista, Teofilo Mendoza and Pacing Manuel. In that same
year, many political prisoners from other towns were shot and killed at "Paang
Bundok".

By 1945, the Japanese then occupied the town. Gavino Cruz and Eustaquio
Rodriguez went to Manila to escape from the Japanese, but they were nabbed
there. Later on, while dying to escape, with him was Eustaquio Rodriguez who was
shot and killed while Gavino Cruz was able to be suspicious of the lingering threat
85
of cruelty from Japanese who retreated to the town, then they left Montalban. In
that same month of January, the public school building, the public market, the
nursery in San Jose, the church and many private houses were destroyed by the
American Forces who were then in the offensive.

A chapel of a religious sect in San Jose was hit directly by a US bomb

wherein Gervacio Espiritu, Fernando Bautista, Lucia Valdez, Jugo Nicolas and
many others were killed including the family of Baldomero Domingo. In February
of 1945, the Japanese forces ordered a general evacuation of the residents. On the
other hand, the American Forces were in full offensive. Between April and June,
the whole town was razed to the ground by the Americans to clean the town of
Japanese Snipers.

In July 1945, a provisional government was established with Gavino Cruz as

Acting Mayor. The task of rehabilitation followed. Schools were erected, the
church and municipal building were rebuilt and private houses were repaired and
reconstructed.

Both Catalino Bautista and Macario Bautista was appointed as the municipal
mayor after Gavino Cruz and during their administration, the rehabilitation of the
town including the roads was continued.

On 1947, Benigno Liamzon was elected as the municipal mayor but in 1950,
the HUK in Montalban kidnapped the mayor. Because of this, Guillermo Cruz Sr.,
the vice mayor became the Acting Mayor. Liamzon was rescued after one year by
the troop of General Ver. The waiting shed in town plaza and a “talipapa” was
constructed, many roads around the town was concreted and the municipal hall was
rehabilitated under his nine years of administration. He also supported the local
farmers by constructing many irrigations and in fact in his times, Montalban
known as the “Biggest producer of rice in Rizal.” The railway in daang bakal today
was functional and the Aklanon started to migrate here during his administration.

On 1960, Montalban has a population of 9,648 inhabitants.

On 1960, Teodoro Rodriguez was elected as the municipal mayor of

Montalban. Some of the important projects accomplished by his administration
were the construction of Doňa Monica Adona Puericulture Center, Eulogio
86
Rodriguez Sr. Bridge in San Jose, San Jose Oval and the farm to market roads
going to San Isidro. Many schools were established and many trees were planted
around the town.

On 1970, Montalban has a population of 20,982 inhabitants

Many things happened in Montalban during Teodoro Rodriguez’s time.

After the railway was abandoned, the GSIS was started to built a housing projects
here for the government employees. Amityville, the first subdivision in Montalban
constructed on 1971. Montalban became a franchise area of MERALCO in 1975.
The first crushing plant in Cacho, Balite started during martial law time but later
abandoned. PHILROCK or SIRRI today began to work. And Shell gas station, first
gas station was establish.

On 1975, Montalban has a population of 31,170 inhabitants.

On 1980, Montalban has a population of 41,858 inhabitants.

On November 3, 1981, the Municipal Council of Montalban passed

Resolution No. 34, making the Wawa Gorge as the official seal of Montalban and
requesting Congress to change the name of Montalban to Rodriguez in honor of
Don Eulogio Rodriguez Sr.. On September 7, 1982, a law under Batasang
Pambansa No. 275 was enacted officially changing the town’s name to
RODRIGUEZ.

On 1984, Teodoro Rodriguez died and Pablo Adriano became the mayor.
Adriano was appointed as the mayor on 1986b after People Power. One of his
important accomplishments is the construction of Daang Bakal. The first
supermarket her in Montalban was establish during his time, the Zuniga
Supermarket.

On 1987, Angelito Manuel elected as the municipal mayor. During his

administration, the construction of the public market in San Jose was started after
the fire in a private market in Manggahan in August 1990, the construction of
covered court in town plaza and the construction of the first high school,
G.L.G.M.N.H.S. were accomplished.

On 1990, Montalban has a population of 67,074 inhabitants

87
 On 1993, Mayor Manuel died and replaced by Ernesto Villanueva.
Villanueva continued the past project of the late mayor and Day Care Centers were
constructed in hi administration.

On 1995, Montalban has a population of 79,668 inhabitants

On 1995, Pedro Cuerpo was elected as the municipal mayor. In his

administration, Rodriguez became a First Class Municipality and a market in San
Rafael was also opened.

On 1998, Rafaelito San Diego was elected and during his administration, the
municipal arc in Burgos was constructed and riprap was constructed on the
riverbank of Montalban River. Erap City Housing Project and Kasiglahan Village
in San Jose was also opened.

On 2000, Montalban has a population of 115,167 inhabitants

On 2001, Pedro Cuerpo was elected again. In addition, during his

administration, Montalban Landfill was opened on 2002 and the construction of
Montalban Education Center, public high school in every Barangay, Montalban
Infirmary, Methane Gas Project and Public Safety Center.

Many rice fields around the town converted into subdivisions like Eastwood
Greenview, Eastwind Centella, Monte Brisa, Metro Manila Hills and others.
Avilon Zoo or Montalban Zoological Park was also opened on 2004. Two floods in
2004 and 2009 happened and many lives were lost and many properties were
damaged.

On 2007, Montalban has a population of 223,594 inhabitants in 24,524

households, ranked 7th largest municipalities in the Philippines in terms of
population and has income of 300million pesos, ranked 8 th largest municipalities in
the Philippines in terms of income.

On 2009, Mayor Cuerpo faced many cases against him so he was suspended.
Vice mayor Jonas Cruz became the acting mayor. Under his administration, the
town plaza and E. Rodriguez Highway was rehabilitated and railings going to
Wawa Dam were constructed. Montalban Town Center was opened in April 17,

88
2009 and it brought National Bookstore, Jollibee, and Robinson Supermarket near
to us.

On 2010, the first automated election will decide the next municipal mayor.
More than 100,000 voters of Montalban will decide on May.

Through the years, there have been plenty changes that take place. Now, the
town is composed of eleven Barangays- Balite, Burgos, Geronimo, Macabud,
Manggahan, Mascap, Puray, Rosario, San Isidro, San Jose, and San Rafael. In
addition, our town attained development and progress for the past century of its
establishment. Moreover, we are sure that Rodriguez will be a peaceful and
progressive city in the very near future.

THE GOBERNADORCILLOS OF MONTALBAN

FROM 1871 TO 1897

1. Capitan Maximo Francisco July1871- June 1873

2. Capitan Mariano Geronimo July 1873- June 1875

3. Capitan Pablo Rodriguez July 1875- June 1877

4. Capitan Catalino Calixto July 1877- June 1878

5. Capitan Graciano Angeles July 1878- June 1879

6. Capitan Valentin Gomez July 1879- June 1881

7. Capitan Juan Torres July 1881- June 1883

8. Capitan Agustin Liamzon July 1883- June 1885

9. Capitan Cipriano Reyes July 1885- June 1887

10. Capitan Teodoro Manuel July 1887- June 1889

89
11. Capitan Basilio Ferrer July 1889- June 1890

12. Capitan Gonzalo Bautista July 1890- June 1892

13. Capitan Cipriano Domingo July 1892- June 1894

14. Capitan Victoriano Bautista July 1894-January 1897

THE LEADERS OF MONTALBAN FROM 1909 TO 2010

1. Municipal President Eulogio A. Rodriguez Jan 1, 1909 - Oct 15,1916

2. Municipal President Eusebio C. Manuel Oct 16,1916 - Oct 15, 1919

3. Municipal President Gregorio D. Bautista Oct 16,1919- Oct 15,1928

4. Municipal President Jose A. Rodriguez Oct 16,1928- Oct 15,1932

5. Municipal President Roman S. Reyes Oct 16,1932- Oct 15,1936

6. Municipal Mayor Jacinto D. Bautista Oct 16,1936-Dec 31,1940

7. Municipal Mayor Francisco D. Rodriguez Jan 1, 1941- May 6,1943

8. Municipal Mayor Federico San Juan May 7,1943- July 3, 1945

9. Municipal Mayor Gavino Cruz July 4,1945 – Dec 31,1945

10.Municipal Mayor Catalino C. Bautista Jan 1,1946-Apr 16,1947

11.Municipal Mayor Macario Bautista Apr 17,1947-Dec 31,1947

12.Municipal Mayor Benigno B. Liamzon Jan 1,1948- Dec 31,1959

13.Municipal Mayor Guillermo Cruz Two months of 1950

14.Municipal Mayor Teodoro D. Rodriguez Jan 1,1960-Apr 19,1984

15.Municipal Mayor Pablo N. Adriano Apr 20,1984-June 30,1987

16.Municipal Mayor Angelito C. Manuel July 1,1987- October 22,1993

90
 17.Municipal Mayor Ernesto H. Villanueva Oct 23,1993- June 30,1995

18.Municipal Mayor Pedro S. Cuerpo July1,1995- June 30,1998

19.Municipal Mayor Rafaelito A. San Diego July1,1998- June 30,2001

20.Municipal Mayor Pedro S. Cuerpo July1,2001- June 30,2010

THE BIOGRAPHIES AND

ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE
LEADERS OF RODRIGUEZ

EULOGIO A. RODRIGUEZ SR.

BORN: January 21, 1883

DIED: December 19, 1964

Eulogio "Amang" Adona Rodríguez, Sr. was the longest serving Senate
President after Manuel L. Quezon, serving the post from April 30, 1952 to April
17, 1953 and May 20, 1953 to April 5, 1963.

Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez was born in Montalban, Rizal on January 21,

1883. He was the eldest son of Petronilo Rodriguez and Monica Adona. His
brothers and sisters are Rufino, Pedro, Julian, Estefina, Jose and Rafaela. He had
seven children by his first wife, Juana Santiago, namely Eulogio, Jr., Jose, Ruperto,
Leonor, Isidro, Constancio and Adelaida. With his second wife, Luisita Canoy, he
had three children, namely, Baby, Linda and Rafael.

91
 “Amang” as he was popularly called, first studied at the Spanish-run public
school in Montalban, Rizal, and then took his secondary course at the San Juan de
Letran in Manila, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts in 1896.

Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez was the first Municipal President of

Montalban, Rizal from 1906-1916; he became Governor of Rizal in June 1916; and
reelected in June 1922. He was appointed Mayor of Manila by Governor General
Leonard Wood on July 23, 1923, and later, he served as Representative of Nueva
Vizcaya District from February 1924 to May 1925. He became the Representative
of the Second District of Rizal in 1925 and was reelected in 1931 and 1934. He
was also appointed Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce by Governor Murphy
on July 26, 1934, reappointed by President Manuel Quezon on January 15, 1940,
and served as such until August 28, 1941. After his resignation as Mayor of
Manila, he campaigned for a seat in the Senate and elected senator in 1941. On
May 20, 1953, he was elected Senate President, a position he occupied for the next
ten years.

Amang” started his career in politics as a Democrata or a member of the

opposition party. Not until there was a general realignment of parties due to the
divisive struggle over the approval of the Independence Law in 1933, did he switch
to the majority or the Nacionalista Party, to which he remained faithful until the
day of his death three decades later. He nursed the party during its darkest hours,
and steered it successfully through the political reefs and typhoons that rocked the
local scene, thus earning for him the sobriquet “Mr. Nacionalista”. Unlike so
many others, he did not switch parties for personal convenience.

He died on December 19, 1964 at Pasay, Rizal because of heart attack.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Construction of many secondary roads

 Better health and sanitation practices

 Better way in collecting taxes for the

town’s income

92
  Construction of irrigation for the local farmers

 A Disciplined polices for the town’s peace and order

 Sacrificed his home( PICTURE AT THE RIGHT) to be the town hall of Montalban
where his office and municipal treasurer’s office were located

EUSEBIO C. MANUEL
BORN: August 14, 1865

DIED: June 9, 1960

Eusebio Manuel was born on August 14, 1865 at Montalban, Rizal. He

finished his primary studies at his hometown and he became a farmer. He married
Maria Lingco and he had two children: Dorothea Manuel and Paterno Manuel. He
serves as municipal president for three years. One of the important projects he
accomplished during his administration is the construction of the Mango Bridge
that connects Brgy.Burgos and Brgy Manggahan in 1916. He died on June 9, 1960
because of the natural cause. He was a good man and a responsible person. One of
the baranggay captains of Rosario, Emiliano Manuel is his grandchildren.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Construction of the Mango Bridge that

connects Brgy.Burgos and Brgy
Manggahan in 1916 with the assistance of
Gov. Rodriguez

93
  Continued the projects of the former mayor

THE RECONSTRUCTION OF MANGO BRIDGE ON 20

GREGORIO D.BAUTISTA
BORN: circa 1890

DIED: circa 1940

Came from a well-known family in Montalban, Gregorio Bautista was born

around 1870 in Montalban. He is a son of Severino Bautista and Andrea Domingo.
He finished his studies before he entered the politics as the municipal president of
Montalban for nine consecutive years from 1919 to 1928. He was a relative of
Victoriano Bautista and relative of Gonzalo Bautista (who served as the
gobernadorcillo of Montalban in1890’s). He is also brother of Jacinto Bautista
which is also became a mayor. He was the father of Macario Bautista, which
became the mayor of Montalban also. Gregorio died before the World War II.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Helped the farmers in their agricultural

needs

 Construction of the town plaza

94
 RODRIGUEZ TOWN PLAZA

JOSE A. RODRIGUEZ
BORN: circa 1890

DIED: circa 1970

Jose Rodriguez was the younger brother of Eulogio Rodriguez. He was the
sixth child child of Petronilo Rodriguez and Monica Adona. He was born in
Montalban Rizal on 1900. He finished his primary studies in his hometown. He
took books with fervor. From the University of the Philippines, he continued his
studies at Iowa State University and finished his master’s degree. He served as a
municipal president for four years and died in Montalban around on June 25,
1977at the age of 70 because of cardio respiratory arrest.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Construction of 19.9 kilometers of road from

Montalban to Pasig

 Helped his constituents in their problem

EULOGIO RODRIGUEZ JR
ELEMENTARY

95
 SCHOOL (FORMERLY MONTALBAN
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL)

ROMAN S .REYES
BORN: 1886

DIED: 1966

Roman Reyes was the founder of Premier Bank. He was probably born on
1886 in Montalban. He finished only his primary and secondary education. He
married Leoncia Reyes and they had seven children; Procopio, Bayani, Alejandro,
Socoro, Efren, Juanito, and Roman Jr. He and his wife were only selling “bukayo”
beside Montalban Elementary School until he became a successful bank owner. He
was a very dedicated and responsible person. He became a municipal president for
four years from 1932 to 1936. He died on November 1, 1966 at the age of 80
because of Cerebral Hemorrhage.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Construction of a monument at the town plaza in

1932, in honor of Dr. Jose Rizal

 Construction of roads and streets around the town

RIZAL MONUMENT CONSTRUCTED AT THE

TIME OF ROMAN REYES IN THE TOWN PLAZA

96
 JACINTO D. BAUTISTA
BORN: September 10, 1904

DIED: May 31, 1984

Jacinto Bautista also came from the well-known Bautista Family where four
out of twenty mayors came. He was born September 10, 1904 at Montalban. His
parents were Severino Bautista and Andrea Domingo. He was a brother of
Gregorio Bautista. He finished his primary studies at Montalban Elementary
School and finished his college at University of Santo Tomas where he finished
Dentistry. He is a dentist in profession and a contractor also. He was the mayor of
the town at the Commonwealth era. He fell in love to Anisia Bautista and they
have four children- Jacinto Jr., Dolores, Fe and Severino. He is the godfather of
Catalino Bautista. He died on May 31, 1984 because of heart failure.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Construction of Montalban-Marikina road,

which is 14720 meters

 Construction of many infrastructure specially

roads

MONTALBAN-MARIKINA ROAD
IN FRONT OF H-VILL HOSPITAL

97
 FRANCISCO D. RODRIGUEZ
BORN: 1915

DIED: 1977

Francisco Rodriguez was come from the Rodriguez clan. He was a cousin of
former Governor Isidro Rodriguez and a son of Dr. Pedro Rodriguez, a brother of
Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez. He is a brother of Teodoro Rodriguez. He was also a
grandchild of Petrolino Rodriguez. He finished his primary education in Montalban
and continued in Manila. He was the mayor of Montalban when the Japanese
invaded the Philippines. He married Estelita Cruz. He resigned because he did not
cooperate to Japanese. He related to Judge Rodriguez of Marikina and he died on
April 26, 1977 during the Martial law period at the age of 64 because of cardio
respiratory arrest.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Continued the past projects of Jacinto

Bautista

 Formation of CEA or Civilian

Emergency Administration

OUR LADY OF MOST HOLY ROSARY,

ONE OF THE CHURCH DAMAGED
DURING WORLD WAR II

98
 FEDERICO SAN JUAN
BORN: circa 1890

DIED: circa 1950

Federico San Juan was one of the well-known mayors because he is the
mayor during the Japanese occupation. He was born on the last decade of 19 th
century in Iligan, Lanao Del Norte. He finished his primary education in his
hometown and went to Manila to finish his tertiary education. He was went to
Montalban and lived there. He married Julita San Juan. He entered politics as a
councilor in and as the vice-mayor of Francisco Rodriguez. He became a mayor
when Francisco Rodriguez resigned. He served for more than one year and helped
the people. He died around 1950. His son is a school supplies owner in Balite.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Gave food to the people when famine

struck Montalban during his term

 Helped the guerillas, who were

caught, in plaza

SIERRA MADRE MOUNTAINS

ONE OF THE HIND-OUTS OF THE
GUERILLAS DURING THE WAR

99
 GAVINO CRUZ
BORN: 1905

DIED: 1975

Gavino Cruz is a project engineer in the Rizal’s capitol. He was born around
1905 in Montalban. He finished his studies here, continued his studies in Manila,
and became an engineer. He is an employee of the provincial Capitol when in
1945; the Japanese then occupied the town. Gavino Cruz and Eustaquio Rodriguez
went to Manila to escape from the Japanese, but they seized there. Later on, while
he and Estaquio Rodriguez tried to escape, Rodriguez was shot and killed while he
was experienced cruelty. In July 1945, a provisional government was established
with Gavino Cruz serving as Acting Mayor. The task of rehabilitation followed.
Schools were erected, the church and municipal building were rebuilt and private
houses were repaired and reconstructed. His wife was Azucena Cruz and they had
three sons .He was known as “Little Governor of Capitol “because of his closeness
to the Rodriguez.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Rehabilitation of the town’s

infrastructure which was damaged
during the war

 Constructed some “eskinita” or

narrow streets
AN EXAMPLE OF ESKINITA

100
 CATALINO C.BAUTISTA
BORN: February 13, 1912

DIED: January 3, 1996

Catalino Bautista was born in Montalban Rizal on February 13, 1912. He is

the son of Andres Bautista and Sofia Cruz. He finished his 7 th grade in Montalban
Elementary School and he graduated high school in Rizal High School in Pasig. He
took 1st year college at Polytechnic College of the Philippines when he is 54 years
old and his course was civil engineer. He became the chief of police of Montalban
before he became the municipal secretary of Jacinto Bautista. He also became an
employee of NWSA from 1951 until1977 when he retired. He was appointed
acting mayor after Gavino Cruz. He resigned as a mayor on April 16, 1947. His
wife was Primitiva Francisco and they had seven children- Efigenia, Teodoro,
Sofia, Cecilia Lolita, Adora, and Dolor. He died on January 3, 1996.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Rehabilitation of 2 kilometers of
road that connects Montalban and
Quezon City

E.RODRIGUEZ HIGHWAY CONNECTS

MONTALBAN AND QUEZON CITY

101
 MACARIO BAUTISTA
BORN: 1900

DIED: 1986

Macario Bautista was related to the past mayor, Gregorio, Jacinto and
Catalino Bautista. He was a son of Gregorio Bautista and he was born on the first
decade of 20th century in Montalban. He finished his elementary education in
Montalban Elementary School. Having the blood of being a politician, he
appointed asthe mayor after Catalino Bautista resigned. He married Consuelo
Bautista. He and his brother Ariston Bautista owned poultry before in Baranggay
Geronimo Montalban and suppliesd livestock products in his hometown. He was a
cousin of Catalino Bautista. He died on June 20, 1986. He was also one of the
shortest serving mayors serving only for least than a year. He has some relatives in
Manggahan.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Rehabilitation of 5580 meters road

which stretched from Montalban to
Pasig

BARANGGAY MANGGAHAN
RODRIGUEZ RIZAL

102
 BENIGNO B. LIAMZON
BORN: June 4, 1902

DIED: September 8, 1987

Benigno Liamzon was the first elected mayor after the war. He was born on
June 4, 1902 and his parents are Vicenta Buenviaje and Francisco Liamzon. He
was the eldest and his brother and sisters were Salud, Aurelia and Isidoro. He took
his primary education in Montalban Elementary School and finished his college in
University of Manila then he took up law. He married Josefa Manuel and they had
three children named Pedro Liamzon, Jacinta Cruz and Teresita Javier. He worked
as a farmer and an insurance agent of the international insurance corporation,
Juadere Davis Lincoln Insurance before he became a “capitan del barrio”. He ran
for mayor under the Nacionalista Party of Amang Rodriguez. He was elected as
mayor for nine consecutive years or three terms. When he was a mayor, he was
kidnapped by HUK who were spread throughout the country. He was brought to
the mountains of Sierra Madre for more than one year until he was rescued by the
troop of Gen. Fabian Ver. He was one of the most outstanding mayors and some
said that he is strict because he was angry when he saw someone sitting in the
waiting shed in the plaza in the Indian sit position. He died on September 7, 1987
because of heart attack at the age of 85 years old.

103
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Construction of public market at the location of Doña Monica Puericulture

Center today

 Construction of waiting shed in the town Plaza.

 Rehabilitation of Municipal hall

 Concreting of many streets

 Construction of irrigation for the farmers like in Magalipit, Puray

104
RODRIGUEZ MUNICIPAL HALL, REHABILITATED UNDER THE TOWN PLAZA WAING SHED, CONSTRUCTED UNDER
THE ADMINISTRATION OF BENIGNO LIAMZON AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF BENIGNO LIAMZON
RENOVATED UNDER MAYOR CUERPO

GUILLERMO CRUZ SR
BORN: 1901

DIED: circa 1970

Guillermo Cruz was born around 1901 in Montalban. He finished elementary

education in Montalban Elementary School. He became a water contractor before
he entered the politics as the vice mayor in the time of Benigno Liamzon in 1947.
He became the acting mayor when the HUK in Montalban kidnapped Mayor
Benigno Liamzon and brought him in the Mountains of Sierra Madre. He
continued all of the projects of the Mayor for more than one year in 1950 until the
troop of general Fabian Ver fled Mayor Liamzon. He serve as the vice mayor again
after Mayor Liamzon was restored to his position. He became Barangay captain of
Burgos on 1960. He was approachable and could make a solution to every
problem. He had seven children. He died in Montalban at the time of Martial Law.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Helped his constituents by giving them

jobs

105
  Continued the projects of Mayor Liamzon

THE HUK, A GUERILLA IN 1950’S

TEODORO D. RODRIGUEZ
BORN: April 4, 1922

DIED: April 19, 1984

Teodoro Rodriguez came from the Rodriguez family. He was a nephew of

Amang Rodriguez, a cousin of former Governor Isidro Rodriguez Sr. He was born
on April 4, 1922 in Montalban Rizal. His father was a Dr. Pedro Rodriguez; a
brother of Eulogio Rodriguez Sr. He took his primary education in Montalban
Elementary School and finished his college in Jose Rizal College with a course of
B.A. Commerce. He worked on Luzon Insurance Corporation as an agent. Because
he came from a well-known family, he was elected as Mayor in 1960. He became
mayor of Montalban for 24 years, the longest term in the town’s history. He fell in
love with Jovita Cruz Rodriguez (which became vice governor of Rizal) and they
had four children, two sons and two daughter. He was one of the owners of the
crushing plant in Manggahan before. He constructed many projects in the town
like Doňa Monica Adona Puericulture Center, the first rural center
in the town and the E. Rodriguez Bridge in San Jose .
He was a kind person, easily count on him and helpful. He has no bodyguards
when he was a mayor before. He died in office on April 17, 1984 because of heart
attack at the age of 62 years old.
106
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Constructed irrigation projects for the local farmers

 Constructed the Doňa Monica Adona Puericulture Center

 Constructed the120 meter long Eulogio Rodriguez Sr. Bridge in San

Jose

 Constructed the San Jose Oval

 Constructed the roads to San Isidro

 Remodeling of Eulogio Rodriguez Jr Elementary School or formerly

Montalban Elementary School in Balite

SAN JOSE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTED IN 1977 DONA MONICA ADONA PUERICULTURE CENTER

UNDER TEODORO RODRIGUEZ

107
 PABLO N. ADRIANO
BORN: January 26, 1922

DIED: circa 2003

Pablo Adriano was born on January 26, 1922 in Montalban. He was a child
of Juan Adriano and Tomasa Adriano. He studied here in Montalban and finished
it at Manila. He worked in the gun store of Eulogio Rodriguez at Escolta, Manila.
He was married to Antonia Adriano and they had eight children, four sons and four
daughters. He ran as the vice mayor of Teodoro Rodriguez and won that position.
He served as vice mayor for more than 20 years. He became the mayor of
Montalban when Teodoro Rodriguez died in 1984. Almost all of the mayors during
those times was removed from their position but he stayed after the People Power
because he was a friend of Vic Sumulong, a relative of former president Corazon
Aquino. He died in 2003 because of larynx cancer with heart complication.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Construction of some grip wells

 Concreting of roads like in Daang

Bakal
108
 DAANG BAKAL, CONCRETED UNDER THE
ADMINISTRATION OF PABLO ADRIANO

AMADO ANGELES
BORN: April 11, 1938

Amado Angeles became acting mayor one month each year from 1984 to
1987 because mayor Adriano was in vacation. He was born on April 11, 1938 and
the seventh child of Vicente Angeles and Cayetana Angeles. He studied at
Montalban Elementary School. Even he did not finish elementary, he became a
contractor of buildings. He was elected as a topnotch councilor from 1972 to 1984
and he became the vice mayor because Pablo Adriano became the mayor. He was
awarded as “The Most Outstanding Councilor” in the Philippines in 1981. He fell
in love to Carolina Gavid and they were gifted with eleven children.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Construction of the road at the middle of the

public cemetery

MONTALBAN PUBLIC CEMETERY

109
 ANGELITO C. MANUEL
BORN: February 26, 1945

DIED: October 22, 1993

Angelito Manuel was the first elected mayor after the People Power. He was
born on February 26, 1945 at San Juan and a child of Remedios Cruz and Gregorio
Manuel. Hetook his primary and secondary education in Quirino High School and
his college in Araneta University in Malabon and finished veterinary. He first
worked at an animal pharmacy store in Cubao. He became the owner of Marival
Trading, which was a big supplier of animal medicine in the Philippines because of
Sonny Escudero. He married Gene Amado (who became vice mayor) and they
had three sons named Johani, Bea and Geoffrey. He was elected mayor on 1987,
finished his first term, and elected again in 1991 but he only finished two years of
his second term. He was a kind and very helpful person. He died in office on
October 22, 1993 because of kidney failure at the age of 54 years old.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Initiated the construction of the public

market in San Jose

 Construction of the closed court in the

town’s plaza

 Improvement of municipal hall

110
  Construction of the first high school (G.L.G.M.N.H.S.) (PICTURE AT THE
RIGHT)

 Construction of artesian well around the town

ERNESTO H. VILLANUEVA
BORN: December 20, 1931

DIED: December 4, 2007

Ernesto Villanueva was the vice mayor of Angelito Manuel until he

succeeded him because of the latter’s sudden death. He was born on December 20,
193. He was the child of Natalia Hernandez and Circillo Villanueva. He studied at
Montalban Elementary School. He became a farmer until he worked as an
employee of a crushing plant. He was elected councilor during Teodoro Rodriguez
and Pablo Adriano’s time and vice mayor during Angelito Manuel’s time. He
finished the last two years of term of Mayor Manuel, continued Manuel’s project
and he ran again as a mayor but he lost. He had seven children- four girls and three
boys. He is the former owner of Villa-Nueva Resort in San Jose before he died on
December 4, 2007 because of diabetes at the age of 75 years old.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Concreting of some roads

 Construction of Day Care Center and

artesian well

\MONTALBAN PUBLIC MARKET IN SAN JOSE

111
 RAFAELITO A. SAN DIEGO
BORN: June 2, 1958

Rafaelito San Diego was born on June 2, 1958 in Montalban, Rizal. His
parents are Bernarda San Diego and Gregorio San Diego. He is the brother of Nene
Cordero. He studied his elementary and high school in Marist School in Marikina
and he finished Management in San Beda College. He became S.K. Chairman of
his Barangay and a Barangay Captain of San Rafael. He is a successful
businessman and he owns Big Farm Corporation, which is a poultry. He married
Josephine Rivera San Diego and they have five children- one boy and four girls.
He was elected mayor from 1998 to 2001 and he ran again but he defeated. He
served for three years. Today he is a contractor of school buildings in Rizal
Province.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Construction of municipal boundary arc in

Burgos

 Widening and concreting of roads around the

town like in L.M.Santos St.

 Installing of electric lights on the roads going

to G.L.G.M.N.H.S
112
  Construction of deep well pump

 Rippraping of riverbank along Montalban River

PEDRO S.CUERPO
BORN: June 29, 1953

Pedro Cuerpo was the mayor of Montalban on the first decade of 21 st

century. He was born in Pangclara, Candaba, Pampanga on June 29, 1953. He
studied elementary in Calawitan Elementary School in San Ildefonso, Bulacan. He
studied high school at Far Eastern University. He finished the course Bachelor of
Science in Civil Engineer from Mapua Institute of Technology. He worked as a
Civil Engineer/Contractor and praticed this profesion extensively. In fact, he was
successful in his line and has been a leading technical excecutive at the Freyssinet
Philippines, a major engineering firm in this country. He formed and operated the
WELCONS Construction Corporation, which he headed as President and General
Manager. Again, he was instrumental in making another engineering firm a success
and this is the Pangclara construction. Other companies where he is leading
executive and mover are the B.C. Cuerpo Construction Corporation and the Design
Essential. He served as a director of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineering.
He was elected a mayor from 1995 to 1998 and reelected from 2001 to 2010. He
married Benilda Cruz and they have five children named; Michael Roy, Ethel
Faye, Norvin Ray, Bon Bryan and Peter John. He transformed Montalban from
third class municipality to first class municipality. He faced many cases about graft
and corruption few months before his term expires.

113
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Construction and operation Montalban

Landfill (PICTURE AT THE RIGHT)

 Construction of Public Safety Center in San

Jose

 Construction of Montalban Infirmary and

Montalban Educational Center

 Construction of public elementary and high school in every Barangay

 Construction of the municipal hall annex in Kasiglahan

(PICTURE AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT)

 Construction of Montalban Methane Gas Power Plant

(PICTURE AT THE BOTTOM LEFT)

 Concreting of road going to Wawa, San Rafael

 Construction of many Day Care Center and Covered Court

114
 JONAS J. CRUZ
BORN: May 22, 1972

Jonas Cruz was elected vice mayor in 2007. He became the acting mayor
when Mayor Cuerpo was suspended because of the cases filed against him. He was
born on May 22, 1972 and he is the eldest son of Pastor Cruz and Ma. Carmelita
Jimenez. His brothers and sisters are Moses, Marlon, Jennifer, Ma. Cecilia and Ma.
Charina. He took his elementary and high school education in MARIST School in
Marikina from 1979 to 1989. He finished college in Mapua Institute of Technology
in 1994 where he finished B.S.C.E. He was elected S.K. Chairman from 1988 to
1995 and a municipal councilor from 1998 to 2007. He was elected vice mayor
when he is 35 years old. He has implemented many projects when he serves today
as the acting mayor of Rodriguez. He is living at 82 P. Rodriguez St. San Rafael,
Rodriguez, Rizal.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 Concreting of roads like in A.Tolentino

St. in Geronimo

 Construction of steel railing going to

Wawa Dam (PICTURE AT THE RIGHT)

 Renovation and repainting of town plaza

and the island of E.Rodriguez Highway

115
REFERENCES:
 www.wikipedia.org

 www.batangmontalban.org

 Rizal Province: A Political History. Capitol, Pasig, Rizal: Office of the

Governor-Rizal Cultural Committee. 1967.

 Municipal Files and Manuscripts “Kasaysayan ng Montalban” 1993.

 Soriano, D.H. et al.”Rodriguez: Ang Dakilang Amang”. Pasig. 1983.

 GPM-IPJ Exclusive 1999 Documentaries.

 Industrial Philippine Journal Vol 9, No.3. 1998.

 Interview was conducted to the following persons:

 Adriano Adriano

 Amado Angeles

 Cecilia Bautista

 Efigenia Bautista

 Marcial Bautista

 Carneta Buena

 Lito Cruz

 Jaime Rodriguez-Cruz

 Rosenda Del Rosario

 Cecilio Hernandez

 Ramon Jacobe

 Jacinta Liamzon-Cruz

116
  Baranggay Captain Emiliano Manuel

 Edwin Villanueva

RESEARCHERS:
 Cris Reven Gibaga

 Karlo Guillermo

 Mary Anne Pastoral

 Lienyl Mati-ong

 Katrina Camille Miranda

 John Paulo Galinato

 Chariz Jane Larena

 Janine Margate

 France Mae Manzano

 Mark Angelo Ignacio

 Roneil Inocentes

 John Kevin Evangelista

117
 UNIT V

CHANGES
AND
DEVELOPMENT
IN
RODRIGUEZ
TODAY

118
LIVELIHOOD
The biggest problem right
now is livelihood. Majority of the
residents of Montalban work in
Metro Manila simply because
there are no enough opportunities
in the municipality. Three
livelihood sources are most
sustainable in Montalban:
agriculture, manufacturing, and
tourism.

Agriculture may provide the largest source of income for the residents,
especially to those in mountainous area. Several farm-to-market roads have already
been built. However, because of the upland topography, special technology is
needed to make farming more productive. Lack of technology suitable for upland
farming is the problem, although vegetable production is possible. Sloping
agricultural land technologies, which are being used in Mountain Province, are not
being implemented in Montalban. Montalban could be the vegetable basket of
Metro Manila since it has all this open space, but that would require agricultural
support systems and more facilities for irrigation.

Montalban is known as a quarrying area. But only 0.5% of Montalban’s land

areas are actually used for quarrying purposes.

Manufacturing is another source of Montalban resident’s income. However,

only a few factories have been built. The municipal government had plans of
developing an industrial park and adding new infrastructures to cater the interested
investors and they can’t go wrong. Montalban, not only has the space, but more
importantly, it houses the manpower to make a business happen.

Tourism is another good industry. The Wawa Watershed has an area of

17,000 hectares and could be developed into a tourist attraction as an ecopark.
Moreover, the reserve could be used as a production for agro-forestry. There are
also plans for constructing a convention center by the banks of the Wawa River. A
119
nearby mountain, which was trusted to be better than the Tagaytay highlands and
cooler than Baguio, was planned to develop into a tourist spot.

With the construction of new roads, new modes of transport that are made
available to Montalban residents and tourists alike. There are FXs, taxis, jeepneys
and tricycles along every road and transport cooperatives have been formed to
organize operators and drivers. Public transport has also become a reliable source
of income to many, with jobs also in construction and masonry. Most jobs are in
the service sector.

Job opportunities that create value-added income are needed, such as

occupation in farming. Several steps have been implemented such as gulayang-
bayan and adopt-a-farmer program. In this project, families of farmers are
provided with land and food for their family. In return, the profits from the
production would be split between them.

During the rainy months, Montalban experiences floods but only during
strong typhoons. Part of the development plan in Montalban is drainage and creek
improvement and maintenance. C ontrol of the flood is one of their pilot projects.
In 2005, the municipal government of (Montalban) Rodriguez strengthened the
capacity of Montalban to prevent flooding by rehabilitating, constructing and
looking after drainages along the main roads of the municipality. Square and round
culverts, pipes where water passes through underneath roads, were also installed.

Citizens also contributed to ensure the control of flooding. They share their
responsibility towards flood prevention by being disciplined, practiced cleanliness
and made sure that trashes are in their right places.

The Montalban Landfill

The Montalban landfill, a 14-hectare facility in Brgy. San Isidro which

became operational on the 16th of February 2002 accommodates Metro Manila
garbage and is the source of almost half of the municipality’s income. After five
years a new landfill was opened to provide more space for trashes.

Montalban Industrial Park

120
 Still in the planning stage, Montalban Industrial Park project is open to
investors, and will surely provide much-needed jobs. The construction of more
factories will boost economic development and meet the product demand in the
ever-growing consumer market.

Dream House

The Montalban municipal government implements different housing

projects, one of which is allocating houses to informal settlers from Metro Manila.
The resettlement areas Kasiglahan and Suburban villages are two of these projects,
providing the relocated families with their own houses and lots, and giving hope
for better lives.

For the Village People

One of the government’s policies requires subdivisions to put up specific

community facilities including health centers, day care centers, sports and
recreational facilities, and multipurpose halls. With these facilities, residents would
not have to go far from their homes.

Water and Electricity

Before, there was no water and no electricity in the mountainous areas. But
now, Manila Water has number of projects in Montalban that would be able to
provide more water to the municipality; deep wells are installed in mountainous
barangays. Meralco will soon provide electricity to the areas in need, such as Brgy.
Macabud.

PEACE AND ORDER

121
The Public Safety Center

Built in 2002 in Brgy. San Jose is

Montalban’s Public Safety Center
which houses a police and a fire station,
and the municipal jail. Though the
construction of these facilities is the
responsibility of the national
government, the local government of
Montalban nonetheless put up these
structures to serve the people of
Montalban. The Public Safety Center is
operated by the Philippine National
Police, the Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Bureau of Jail Management and
Penology.

The Public Safety Center is strategically positioned, since its location is

almost at the center of the municipality, making it highly accessible. It is also
situated where there is a high population concentration.

With a current voting population of 100,346, and the total recorded

population of more or less than 250,000 as of 2003 census, the Municipality of
Montalban, known as Rodriguez (after Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez), is enjoying
in increasing decline on its crime rate.

Rest in Peace

An open area near Kasiglahan and Suburban Village is the site of a planned
Memorial Park, Montalban’s very own. A final resting place by the mountain is
good for the soul

Category January 1 to 31, 2004 January 1 to 31, 2005

122
Crime Volume 21 9

Crime Solved 21 8

Index Crimes Solved 11 6

Crimes Versus Parsons 10 6

Murder 3 1

Homicide 3 1

Physical Injury 4 4

Rape 0 0

Crimes Versus Property 1 1

Robbery 0 1

Theft 0 0

Non-index Crimes 10 2

Non-index Crimes Solved 10 2

Solution Efficiency 100% 88.8%

Comparative Crime Statistics

This, despite the fact that the municipality’s protective service is greatly
unstaffed, is quite an achievement. The standard police population, as prescribed
by the PNP, is 1:1,000 police-to-population ratio. In order to maintain a peaceful
environment in its locality, the municipality ensures that their police personnel are
well-armed, well-trained and taken care of. There is a total armament provide to
the force, 21 which are Cal. 9 MMs. Additional manpower in the form of barangay
tanods and other barangays officials are also provided. As for mobility, four
vehicles were provided for their use. The town’s police force also makes use of
Motorola radios as well as their personal mobile phones in communicating
operations and other related concerns.

HEALTH

123
The Montalban Infirmary

Located in Kasiglahan Village I in Brgy. San Jose, the Montalban Infirmary

is the latest addition to the municipality’s healthcare facilities. Its operations
started on November 23, 2003, and it has the basic services of a primary hospital
and can accommodate cases that do not require very sophisticated equipment.

“Before the residents had to go to hospitals outside the municipality. When

they got sick they had to travel to the East Avenue Medical Center, Rizal Province
Hospital, or specialty hospitals like the Heart Center, Lung Center, and the
National Children’s Hospital, depending on the patient’s needs. Now they don’t
have to,” says Dr. Clemens Conception of the Montalban Infirmary.

Simple or minor operations can be done in the infirmary as well as normal

births. The municipal government admits that the facilities of the infirmary is not
that high-tech. as of the moment, they are not yet well-equipped for major
surgeries. However, residents can be assured that the Infirmary’s team of doctors
and nurses will do their best given the current circumstances.

On the program of low-cost medicine, Concepcion says that even before the
National Government started the project, Montalban has been selling quality,
affordable medicines to its residents. “Where in the world can you buy medicine as
cheap as ours without sacrificing quality?” Concepcion adds, “Ever since the start,
medicines sold by Montalban are the cheapest possible, and our suppliers have
product certification from BFAD to ensure quality.

HOUSING
The municipality of Montalban
is mainly known for two things. Aside
from being the location of a massive
14-hectare landfill in which Metro
Manila garbage is brought; it also
serves as the relocation site of
thousands of urban poor families, also
from Metro Manila. The local
124
government of Montalban faced the extremely challenging task of addressing the
problem of housing while assuring that their provision of housing needs to people,
especially those belonging to the urban poor sector, is seen as an act done not out
of pity, but of the desire to improve and empower.

History

The housing project in Montalban started in 1995 in the Hillside area of

Barangay San Rafael. A Writ of Demolition threatened to make a community of
800 families homeless. As an immediate remedy, the Housing and People’s
Development Office proposed to the landowner that the compensation for the lot
covered by the Community Mortgage Program (CMP), as a scheme of land sale
formulated by the municipal government. The CMP worked and the demolition
was pulled back indefinitely.

The local government of Montalban arrived at a deciding point in 1997, on

whether they would or would not receive informal dwellers from Metro Manila.
While other local government rejected the idea of accepting them, Councilor
Carasco explains why they were made welcomed in Montalban. “Montalban is
36,308 hectares with the low population density. It needs more population density
to spur economic development, so there will also be a wider tax base,” he says,
explaining that an increase in population would result in the expansion of the
taxable base. Furthermore, there was a difference in the treatment of the dwellers:
while they were called squatters in Metro Manila, in Montalban, they were
homeowners.

However, as the Montalban population increased, social services became a

problem. The informal dwellers left not only their old homes behind but also
schools and health centers.

Councilor Romeo Santos had made projects and sponsored Resolution 99-
84, which provides that every relocation site must have a reserved space for the
municipal government other than the given open space. This space would be
reserved for the construction of schools and other social service centers.

125
 From 2000 relocated families in 1997, beneficiaries of the Montalban
housing project now number to almost 20,000.

The HPDO

Created under the Municipal Ordinance No. 01-11 is the Housing and
People’s Development Office or HPDO. It is one of the offices involved in
Montalban’s housing program, and its duties include monitoring the number of
homeless families, formulating programs to help the homeless families of the
municipality and assisting them on the land to be utilized for government housing
programs and similar use.

According to Engr. Nestor Casiño, Officer-in-Charge of the HPDO, they are

currently developing the Salvador Property in Brgy. San Isidro. The finished
project will provide the municipal government with 430 home lots that are
intended for distribution among those living in the danger zone areas, in particular
those living along the river side. In addition, expropriated lots in Sitio Curayao,
Brgy. Burgos became the venue of another housing project, producing 290 home
lots.

Seven Schemes

The Montalban housing program eventually branched out into seven

projects, with each project pertaining to unique type of housing intervention or
scheme.

The first project covers the allocated housing units, such as those in Erap
City and those funded by the National Housing Authority, where the local
government of Montalban asked for allocation.

The second caters on-site housing programs, in which there are informal
dwellers living in privately owned lots.

126
 The disposition of public lands is the third project of Montalban’s housing
program. In this project, untitled lots are due for cancellation will be registered and
declared in the name of the settlers.

The fourth project covers Executive Order 150, which disposes nine meters
of the Daang Tubo to the residents, the remaining 6 meters of which will be used
for road construction.

The fifth project deems undeveloped, abandoned lots in approved

subdivisions in Curayao, Brgy. Burgos due for expropriation by the municipal
government.

The sixth project caters to the upland settlers. Councilor Carasco mentions
unique cases; that of Brgy. Macabud and Brgy. San Isidro. The cadastral surveys
for those areas have not yet been approved.

The last project on the housing program covers the CMP, together with the
local housing. The municipal government develops lots through a joint venture
with the landowners such as being done in San Isidro.

It would now seem that Montalban is haven for the homeless. From slum
areas to subdivisions, from being called squatter to a homeowner, their transition to
the resettlement areas was made easier because they had been provided with
building materials, water supply, medical support, educational facilities, and even
cash. But within Montalban itself are seven to eight thousand homeless families.

There simply not enough funds to construct houses. That is the reason why
the local governments ties up with NGOs, such as the Gawad Kalinga. In housing
unit construction, the municipal government provides the land, and the Ngo takes
care of the construction materials and manpower needed to build the houses.

EDUCATION
Structures for Change

127
 Montalban has atill none of those skyscrapers
tha obstruct the beautiful view of surrounding nature.
In fact, the largest buildings in the municipality re
places of learning. In Kasiglahan are new school
buildings for the elementary, high school, and college
students. Newly-constructed schools in baangays
Burgos, San Jose and San Rafael stand stately amidst
montalban’s sprawling green.

As with everywhere else, the hardest part of getting an education is affording

one. Fees for tuition are skyrocketing for with everything else these days, and if
one was to pick something over another, schooling is sacrificed in exchange for
more basic necessities.

The cost of education contributes greatly to the low student turn-out. A

program granting scholarships and stipends is also made available to earnest and
deserving students.

For those not fortunate enough to get into the

scholarship program, another one is being planned to
lend a hand in educating the youth. The local
government has proposed to institute a “study now, pay
later” scheme to help alleviate financial obstacles. This
way, the student can completely focus on their studies
by not having money matters harassing them while they
strive for that diploma.

The Montalban local government will extend this

opportunity to students who are willing to give back a
portion of their earnings they obtained after they have
graduated and acquired their own professions.

There are two universities within the Montalban municipality: the University
Rizal System (URS) and the Pamantasan ng Bayan ng Montalban. Although the

128
number of universities cannot answer to the problem fist stated, the Montalban
government made sure that both colleges are still accessible.

To make things more attractive, the Universities continue to add more

courses to their list of available undergraduate programs. Now, the two colleges
offer degrees in Agriculture, Commerce, Engineering, and of course, Education.

Also the Montalban local government is developing projects to urge

businesses to set their sights on branching out the Montalban. With the hopes of
opening more job opportunities to college graduates, the appeal of finishing
education widens for the Montalban residents.

In all, the Montalban local government was able to build a significant

number of new classrooms: 152 total. Even more impressive is that Montalban is
currently, among municipalities, one of those to have the highest number of
teachers in their payroll.

LIST OF PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN RODRIGUEZ

 Amityville Elementary School

 Burgos Elementary School (Main)

 Burgos Elementary School (Unit-I)

 Casili Elementary School

 Catmon Elementary School

 E. Rodriguez Jr. Elementary School

 Geronimo Elementary School

 Inigan Elementary School

 Kasiglahan Elementary School

 Macabud Elementary School

129
 Magalipit Elementary School

 Makaingalan Elementary School

 Manggahan Elementary School

 Mascap Elementary School

 Montalban Heights Elementary School

 Puray Elementary School

 San Isidro Elementary School

 San Jose Elementary School

 San Rafael Elementary School

 Wawa Elementary School

LIST OF PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN RODRIGUEZ

 Burgos National High School (PICTURE BELOW LEFT)

 General Licerio Geronimo Memorial National High School

(PICTURE BELOW RIGHT)

 Kasiglahan National High School

 Macabud National High School

 Makaingalan National High School

 Manggahan National High School

 Mascap National High School

 Montalban Heights National High School

 Puray National High School

 San Isidro National High School

130
  San Jose National High School

 Tagumpay National High School

 Wawa National High School

ECONOMY

AGRICULTURE

As of 2000, from the total area planted; 62.3% or 770 hectares is devoted to
farming with an output of 3,338 metric ton of rice.

Planted to various crops were aggregate of 1236 hectares of which 770

hectares or 62.3% were utilized for palay. About 130 hectares were planted to fruit
trees. Minimal area were used for corn (57 hectares), root crops (104 hectares) and
vegetables (175 hectares).

Since only the 392 hectares of irrigated rice were planted twice during the
year, the effective area was therefore computed at only 884 hectares and the
intensity of land use is 1.3 times for the same period.

Rice production of 3,338 metric ton represented 64.19 % of the total crop
output of 5,200.20 metric ton. In comparison, corn, root crops, and vegetables
accounted for only a combine produce of 28.77 %. Fruits produced 366.20 metric
ton or 7.042 % of the total.
131
FISHERIES

There is one fishpond on the municipality operated by Felix Hernandez

located in San Isidro. It species is Tilapia

MANUFACTURING

The LYON Textile Manufacturing has been in full operation since 1986
after a long time of not operating. It is located at Brgy San Jose. In addition,
Fortune and Abatex Textile Mills are also in area since 1989 and 1991
respectively. At present, LYON Textiles is not in operation.

POULTRY AND LIVESTOCK

Poultries and piggery farms were located around the town especially in
Barangay San Jose and Barangay San Rafael. In total, there are ten livestock farm
in the town. The following is the list of the livestock farm around the town:

 Adia Piggery Farm Inc.(Brgy San Jose)

 R. Jorgenetics Swine Improvement Corp.(Brgy San Rafael)

 Elar Development Inc.(Brgy San Rafael)

 Top Grow Poultry Farm (Brgy San Rafael)

 Eggovest Poultry Farm (Brgy San Jose)

 San Diego Poultry Farm (Brgy San Jose)

 Amity Layer Farm (Brgy San Jose)

 Big Farm Inc.(Brgy San Rafael)

 Maunlad Piggery Farm (Brgy Manggahan)

132
MINING

It is reported that the town is endowed with patches of lands containing

mineral as well as metal resources of undetermined size and deposits, which are
planned for future extraction. The different mineral resources in the town are lime,
talc, gold, marble, copper, gravel and sand.

Below is the list of quarrying company in Rodriguez:

 Pacific Concrete Products Inc. (Brgy San Rafael)

 Solid Integrated Co. Inc. (Brgy San Jose)

 Viba Aggregates and Marketing (Brgy San Jose)

 Strong Rock Concrete Aggregrate Corp. (Brgy San Isidro)

 San Isidro Rock Resources Inc. (Brgy Geronimo)

 Blue Rock Aggregates Corp. (Brgy San Isidro)

 Montalban Millex Aggregates Corp (Brgy San Rafael)

 Vulcan Materials Corp (Brgy San Rafael)

 Oxford Mines Inc. (Brgy

COMMERCE AND TRADE

Commercial trading, principally on other essential commodities are general

merchandise are done in and around the newly operated Public Market (PICTURE
BELOW RIGHT), Kasiglahan Market and Suburban Market which are located in San
Jose and San Rafael Flea Market in San Rafael. In addition, there are private
markets in Metro Montaňa in Burgos, (PICTURE BELOW LEFT) San Isidro, and in
Montalban Town Center.

133
INFRASTRACTURE

TRANSPORTATION

The road network consists of national road, municipal road and barangay
roads. Two roads connect Rodriguez to Metro Manila and its periphery from the
west. Through Batasan Hills, Quezon City, Rodriguez can be reached via E.
Rodriguez Highway that has a total length of 3.55 kilometers. One can also act get
to the town by passing through Marikina via J.P.Rizal and San Mateo by way of
the San Mateo-Rodriguez Road, which stretches 14.28 kilometers.

There are seven bridges within Rodriguez. Each one is made of concrete.

The largest bridge is the E. Rodriguez in Barangay San Jose which is 120
meters long and 15 meters wide. Constructed in 1977, it is made up of concrete and
has a loading capacity of 30 tons.

COMMUNICATIONS

There is a government postal office and telegram office servicing all

barangays of Rodriguez. Also PLDT which begun its service on 1995 and PT&T
Companies had installed telephone lines in most of the officers and residences
134
covering domestic and international calls. Added to the place are cell sites of
Smart, Globe and Digitel.

POWER SUPPLY

The National Power Corporation through the MERALCO supplies the

electric power. Almost all barangay are being served by MERALCO except Puray.
Mascap and Macabud are partly electrified.

The entire municipality is fortunately under its franchise area of MERALCO

ever since 1985.

Rodriguez has also Montalban Methane Gas Power Plant, which collects the
methane gas of landfill to generate electricity. It can generate 50 megawatts and
can supply 54,000 household.

WATER SUPPLY

The sources of water in Rodriguez are groundwater, rainfall surface run-off

and MWSS. The present sources of drinking water are ground water through
artesian well, Manila Water and water refilling stations around the town. Of the
eleven barangays of Rodriguez, eight of it are being served by Manila Water since
the remaining three barangays are mostly mountain barangays.

WASTE DISPOSAL

Municipal and national roads are flanked by storm drainage and open canals
carrying waste to the river. A great majority of the residential house are equipped
with concrete septic tanks for sewage.

Other residents still do the common practices, which is bury or burn their
garbage in their properties. It is also observed that some people dump their garbage
right into the nearest creek or river and other conveniently opened areas. However

135
with increase in population, this would eventually lead to necessity of developing
an effective solid waste disposal system.

Montalban Solid Waste Disposal Facility in Sitio Lucutan Munti in

Barangay San Isidro which was opened on January 16, 2002 is a project led by
Mayor Cuepo and the National Government with the aid of MMDA. This is
brought out to put solution on garbage problem of Metro Manila and nearby towns.

TOURISM
Road Construction

Montalban was in effect a veritable moon on earth years ago, with its bumpy
and dusty dirt roads. However, with the advent of new technology and engineering
ingenuity, the roads to Montalban can now be compared to facial wash user’s skin.

The concreting of roads has been Mayor Pedro Cuerpo’s first projects.

Prioritized right now is the construction of permanent farm-to-market roads

on the mountainous barangays such as Mascap and Puray. These roads which
before were impassable for vehicles because of mud are now filled with gravel to
allow passage. Farmers in these areas no longer need to go on foot carrying their
products; they can now save time by taking a tricycle or a jeepney on the roads.

Now made more accessible, Montalban isn’t as far as it seemed to be. The
municipality can be reached via Marikina then San Mateo from Cubao, and
Batasan-San Mateo and Payatas Roads from Commonwealth. Public transportation
is easy to come by; however, getting a cab can be tricky.

One would rarely see public transportation terminals along Montalban’s

main road because of the possibility of traffic congestion.

Instead, transport terminals are fixed in certain areas, such as Wawa, where
there is terminal for jeepneys and FXs. There is also terminal in Sitio Ese Brgy.

136
San Rafael that has jeepney rides going to Marikina City, and Philcoa and Cubao
in Quezon City.

Vehicles used for public transportation are regulated and monitored by the
Municipal Transport Service. Tricycles are color-coded with their own terminals,
making them easily identifiable. FXs and AUVs also follow the municipal
ordinance of terminal-to-terminal trips, with no stopovers in between terminals.
The ordinance will not only assure passenger’s safety, but also fairness because the
passengers pay the same amount of fare.

Mayor Cuerpo would like to have direct rides going to and from different
destinations. As much as possible, he would like to avoid having to take several
rides. It’s too much of hassle and expensive.

Traffic congestion is usually the problem of a narrow, oft-used road, such as

A. Mabini St. in Montalban. The common remedy to prevent traffic congestion is
to identify detours. Mr. Rico de Castro of the Montalban Community Development
and Information Office names such one detour road, the Daang Bakal, so called
because of train tracks (it used to be part of a pre-war train route), is particularly
used during fiestas. After the war it was made into housing project by the
Government Insurance System (GSIS).

Engr. Jun Santos of the Office Planning and Design remarks that because of
the traffic difficulties along the old national highway which is Montalban’s only
main thoroughfare, the local government is implementing development projects in
line with easing traffic build-up. They see to it that a common public road, an
access road that will also decongest traffic along the main road, interconnects new
subdivisions. As an example he cites the existing side-by-side subdivisions, Celina
Homes, Marigold, and Dela Costa V in Brgy. Burgos. According to Santos, Mayor
Cuerpo made it a point to create an access road to A. Mabini Street going between
Celina Homes 4 and Marigold Subdivision going to Dela Costa and other future
Subdivisions within the area, and finally going out to E. Rodriguez Highway in
Brgy. San Jose. The access road may also lead to the Batasan Complex in Quezon
City. The road network will make sure the traffic won’t be stagnant along the main
road.

137
 In the future, they are also planning to create an access road along the
Montalban riverbank, which would be a riverside expressway from Montalban
going to San Mateo-Batasan Road. The expressway may be aligned with the
proposed C6 project and would be accessed not only by small vehicles but also of
the large trucks.

They are also

currently considering the
possibility of connecting
Montalban to neighbor
cities and municipalities. A
road from Barangay
Macabud may lead to
Caloocan City and San
Jose del Monte Bulacan,
and in the San Rafael-
Wawa area, a road may
connect the municipality to
San Mateo and Antipolo
City.

Montalban is slowly
opening up- the hills and
mountains isolating the municipality didn’t hinder its local government from
making steps toward development.

Montalban: A Silent Sanctuary

More than half of Montalban is covered in mountains and hills, highly

suitable for crops, pasture, grazing and wildlife.

Montalban’s economy is mostly based on agricultural and rock quarrying,

even though the town is pro-industrial. It has been noted through the years as a
“Resort Town”– being abundant in vacation house– where visitors can visit for a

138
quick getaway whenever they wished. Out-of-towners also flock certain popular
places such as the Avilon Zoo, the Wawa Dam, and much more.

Montalban’s land is blessed with serene scenery and a laid back environment that
the whole family will enjoy. This having-of-natural-features attracts people from
various places to spend their weekends or leisure hours that is slowly proving to be
strong points in Montalban, almost becoming the “new Tagaytay”. There are three
categories of tourist spots that we’ll be discussing.

Historical Sites – these are places in Montalban that hold significant historical
events, such as the declaration of independence from Spain by Andres Bonifacio
on April 12th.

Natural Destinations – These are the God-Given / natural sites that Montalban is
blessed with.

Man-made Destinations – These are developed places by either the local

government or private sectors that serve as a place of convergence for out-of-
towners.

Pamitinan Cave

The one most prominent

historical site is the
PAMITINAN CAVE. Also
referred to as the “Cave of
Bernardo Carpio”, the
majestic limestone-laden slab
of land is the site where our
Andres Bonifacio and his
seven other men declared
independence from Spain on
April 12, 1895, a year before
the legendary “Viva La
Independencia Filipinas” was formed.

139
 The auspices of the National Library governed the Pamitinan Cave in 1923,
and was regarded by then the director Teodore M. Kalaw as “a cave transformed
into a hall filled with marvelously sculptured figures due to steady drip water from
the roof.”

The cave was declared as a National Geological Monument on September

10, 1985 by the National Committee on Geological Sciences under the Ministry of
National Resources. In fact, President Fidel V. Ramos, with the full support of
DENR and the local government headed by Mayor Pedro S. Cuerpo declared
Proclamation No. 901on October 10, 1996 as the Pamitinan Protected Landscape.

The legendary mountain of Bernardo Carpio houses perhaps one of the most
recognized places in Rizal is the WAWA DAM. Built by the Americans in 1909,
the dam was originally a water supplier for Manila, until it closed in 1962 due to
unexplained deterioration of water supply.

Currently, MWSS is studying the reactivation of the dam as a source of

water for Marikina, San Mateo, and Montalban.

Avilon Zoo: A Shared Dream and

Endeavor
One of the man-made tourist
attractions is the newly opened Avilon
Montalban Zoological Park. The Zoo
started from Joaquin Gao’s personal exotic
collection (a personal hobby). Through the
decade, he’s been able to collect his
collection now boasting a staggering 3,000
animals comprising 500 species spreading
in a vast 7.5 hectare estate located in Barrio
San Isidro.

The Avilon Zoological Park is the largest zoological park in the Philippines
to date. Nestled in the picturesque valley of Barrio San Isidro, Rodriguez (formerly

140
Montalban),Rizal, Philippines, the 7.5-hectare land area of the Zoo was once raw
rice land.

AVILON had its un seeming beginnings when Mr. Jake Gaw, an avid
animal hobbyist who,at the age of four had his first encounter with animals while
staying at his grandpa's farm in Sta. Ana,Manila (still quite rural then) mingled
among goats, cows, pigs and chickens at the farm. This initial encounter would
make such a lasting impression on young Jake that he carried his interest in
animals from then on. Thus, from guppies and budgies, Jake over the years
extended and expanded his interest and collection to arapaimas and eagles and
lions and macaques, pythons,etc.

There are two, so to say, crossroads in the history of AVILON. The FIRST
was when Jake had to transfer his pet lion IO to a new home, because his neighbors
were concerned about the presence of a full-grown male lion living amongst them
inside a subdivision. This search for a new home to house IO led Jake to the scenic
countryside of San Isidro, Montalban (later to be called Rodriguez) in the Province
of Rizal where he decided to build a weekend place for his family and, of course,
IO and his other pets. It was 1992.

By 1994, the land within Avilon had been leveled and the concrete hollow
block perimeter walls finished. Several man-made lagoons and ponds were then
excavated, and the Big Lagoon where the Pavilion now stands is the largest,
comprising an area of 3,000 square meters. Construction of animal exhibits
followed, starting off with the Corrals where hoofed animals are being kept, the
Multi-Purpose Building (now the Herpetarium) and the Hexagonal Birdcages (now
the Avian Exhibit), followed by the Crocodiles and the Hornbills enclosures,and
many more.

Aside from steel and cement, the construction required tons of huge rocks,
river boulders and adobes of different textures, colors and shades, which were
sourced from quarries in Luzon and as far as Mindanao. Saplings of a wide variety
of native and exotic trees, bamboos, palms,epiphytes, vines and shrubs were also
acquired to create a natural setting to the once barren landscape. A greenhouse was
also built to house and propagate plants for landscaping use.

141
 Then the second turning point came in the person of Mrs. Teena Gaw who
had only a vague idea of what Mr. Jake Gaw was doing in Montalban. An
auspicious trip by Mrs. Teena Gaw to the construction site, some Avilon is a
perfect place to know more about Wildlife and Nature. Guided Tours and
Educational Fieldtrips offer guests/visitors a privilege to observe and know more
about the ecology and behavior of the animals, and how we can help conserve and
protect the threatened and endangered species, and also on how to help save and
protect our environment. Sometime in 1995, resulted ultimately in the decision to
develop the Weekend place into a Zoo. Thus Avilon Zoo was born.

From then onwards, Jake, the animal hobbyist had to literally transform
himself into Jake, the Zoo Administrator. It was a one-man-army task, so to say.
With helpful suggestions from Mrs. Teena Gaw and friends, the construction went
into high gear.

Avilon over the next years gradually "evolved" into a zoological and
botanical park.

But why the name AVILON?

Having had to decide a name for this wildlife sanctuary, Jake thought of
combining two French words: aves meaning of or
about birds, and lon meaning
land, to form the word
AVILON or LAND OF THE
BIRDS.

And of course, Avilon

is not just about birds.

With its large exhibits

of more than 3,000
specimens of exotic and
endemic animals represented by
more than 600 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, fishes and invertebrates, and
close to 400 species of plants, of which more than 50% are Philippine endemics,

142
Avilon Zoo is one of the zoos in Southeast Asia having the most diverse
representation of flora and fauna.

Avilon Zoo adopted the motto: Celebrating Life! to symbolize its

philosophy. Life is precious and every living creature on Earth has a right to live
--- freely and fully. Avilon endeavors to showcase the Living Creatures that share
the Earth with us in all its diversity and splendor; its cycles of birth and rebirth; its
fragility and resiliency.

Visiting Avilon requires shelving out 200 Philippine Pesos for a guide tour
of the place, which is relatively cheap.

In addition to the most popular destination spots, there are more places to
see around a quaint Montalban. There is a Japanese Temple (which holds a
historical significance), the Rodriguez Ancestral Home (where the prominent
political historical figures’ artifacts are preserved and kept), Puray Falls Istampang
Bato, and the Lubog Lagoon, and the Overlooking site. There is also the Grotto, a
sacred where many people congregate especially during Holy Week, Anawim (a
nursing home for the aged), Cottolengo (an orphanage for special children), and
two Memorial Parks (namely: Montalban Memorial Park and the Forrest Lawn
Memorial Park) that spreads almost a hectare.

Montalban, Being the Resort Town as it is, there are myriads of popular
resorts you can choose from, such as Villa Alcantara, Villa Nativadad, Villa
Rowena, Villa Monica, CJ Gomez, Tom’s Resort, Josephine Resort and le ARMS.

Among the most popular restaurants in the vicinity that, as a visitor, must be
visited are Ivy Chris, Café Ignacio, Luyong Restaurant and Fordy’s Restaurant.

One may also enjoy strolling through the Municipal Plaza, renovated in the
year 2003, or enriching one’s vocabulary through reading at the Montalban Public
Library. Children of all ages spend leisure time in the Youth and Sport Centers,
which houses covered basketball courts. Six were built under Mayor Cuerpo’s
Administration, in Barangays Burgos, San Jose, San Rafael, and Rosario.

143
 The development of Montalban can be seen not only with the formation of
these structures. It should also be noted within these structures, the development of
the youth also takes place.

PURAY FALLS

Puray is one of the most isolated barangay of Rodriguez (formerly

Montalban) in the province of Rizal. When "Montalban" is mentioned, one familiar
with the town would most certainly associated it with Wawa, the scenic river (in
barangay San Rafael) dotted with huge white stones . Wawa is very accessible,
there are jeepneys plying the major routes from Quezon City to Wawa while
Puray, to most, exist only in the tales of mountain bikers.

Puray is already in the Sierra Madre mountain ranges, several mountains

away from the town center. Its hard to believe there is even a flourishing
community there - basically a small farming community, no electricity, no running
water. But what Puray lacks in modern amnesties it makes up with the pristine
beauty of its surroundings. The streams and rivers there are gorgeous, with clear
waters.

One of the attactions there is the Puray Falls (known as Tungtong to the
locals). It’s a short hike, about 2 kilometers, from the barangay center.

From the point where the road crosses the river in Mabolo, we had to hike
upstream some 500 meters to the falls. A quick dip in the catch basin would be
enough to cool you down after the hike. Even on a sunny day, the water in the
catch basin is freezing.

GETTING THERE
There are two routes going to Puray - both of which will require that your
vehicle can handle a bit of punishment
144
 From barangay Mascap there is the river trail where have to cross the river
11 times. Difficult during the rainy season when the river swells and the road
disappears. There are jeepneys from Montalban that goes to Puray via this route
but the schedule is not consistent. Sometimes there is only 1 trip a day, the return
trip is always a challenge.

The other road (still from Mascap) takes you via the mountains. To say that
the road is terrible is an understatement, you'll need a 4x4 or a motorcycle to go via
this route. There are special tricycles (those with roofless sidecars) that go via this
route (Php 60 pesos one way fare from Montalban, limited number of trips a day).

If you missed the jeep or the tricycle for the return trip, you can also do what
the locals always do: walk to Mascap, just about 3 hours away.

FINANCIAL INSTITUTION IN RODRIGUEZ

FROM TOP RIGHT CLOCKWISE: PREMIER BANK, RCBC SAVINGS BANK,

RURAL BANK OF MONTALBAN INC., BUILDERS BANK

SOME VIEWS OF MONTALBAN TOWN CENTER

145
SOME OF THE NATURAL DESTINATION AND OVER-LOOKING SITES
IN RODRIGUEZ

ESTAMPANG BATO TWO VIEWS OF PURAY (TUNGTONG) FALL

BAT CAVE CLOCKWISE MT IRID

146
METROPOLIS FROM MT BALAGBAG RODRIGUEZ FROM LITEX ROAD

SOME INTERESTING PLACES IN RODRIGUEZ

COTTOLENGO FILIPINO GETSEMANE PRAYER MOUNTAIN

SOME RESORTS IN RODRIGUEZ

VILLA-NUEVA RESORT NOAHS PARK

147
 BLUE WATER RESORT LUVERS RESORT

REFERENCES:

 Montalban Magazine

 www.batangmontalban.org

 www.googleimage.com

 History of Avilon Zoo

RESEARCHERS:

 Riza Joy R. Donasco

 Jay Fel C. Quijano

 Jayvee S.D. Manansala

 Karen F. Plasabas

 Mary Rose Sadi

 Daves G. Manangan

 Gerald A. Magsakay

 Famela Tibayan

 Bernardino J. Sabando

 Nathaniel M. Saavedra

148
 Vivialyn Joy M. Rebellon

 Jenilyn M. Reyes

149
150
151