Rizal is 35 kilometers (22mi) from Cabanatuan, 49 kilometers (30mi) from Palayan, 151 kilometers (94mi) from Manila, and 123 kilometers (76mi) from Bayombong.
Historically, two groups were known to have settled in the area. The main group consisted entirely of the pioneer-settlers who were Ilocanos, while others, who arrived later, were of different tribes with different dialects. They merged and formed a new neighborhood, originally called Bunobon after the bunobon seedlings that thrived in the soil. It became a sitio of Cabucbucan under the jurisdiction of Bongabon municipality.
In 1904, sitio Bunobon became a barrio called Nazareth. Because of the steady arrival of new settlers, a council of elders was formed. Selected as head was Apo Juliano Paraiso, one of the eldest within the group, who headed the request to the government to convert Nazareth into an independent town. Through the help of Governor Manuel Tinio and Assemblyman Isauro Gabaldon, the request of the elders was approved in 1908.
On December 26, 1912, Vice Governor Newton W. Gilbert signed the act and simultaneously issued a proclamation creating the town of Rizal, after Dr. José Rizal. On January 1, 1913, Don Julian Paraiso was inaugurated as first alcalde of the Municipality. In 1917 and 1918, the Bureau of Land surveyed the municipality into homestead and residential lots. In 1930, Barangay Paco Roman became a barrio, separating it from Barangay Estrella. In 1954, Villa Paraiso was created as a barrio out of barangay Canaan and was named in honor of late Mayor Gaudencio V. Paraiso. In 1959, General Luna officially became a barrio out of barangay Canaan.[5]
During World War II, Japanese Imperial forces occupied and entered the town in Rizal in 1942. In 1945, combined U.S. and Philippine Commonwealth ground troops including the local various recognized guerrillas and Hukbalahap Communist guerrillas liberated the town and defeated Japanese Imperial forces and ended the Second World War. After the war, many families started business and agricultural and farm lands.
In 1954, Rizal lost some of its territory when the barrios of San Felipe and San Alfonso were separated to form the town of Llanera along with some territory from Talavera and San Jose.[6]
In 1963, Villa Pascua was renamed Barangay Pag-asa which is a part of Barangay Agbanawag. In January 1968, Barangay Casilagan became a barrio thru Res. No. 2 of the Provincial Board on January 3, 1968, which was formerly a sitio of Canaan, which was bisected by the Bulalakay Creek, and it was divided into two barrios known as Canaan Este and Canaan Weste. On July 20, 1970, Sanggunian Panlalawigan passed Resolution No. 220 approving the creation of Barangay Maligaya in accordance with Republic Act No. 3590, the area to be taken from the Barangay Bicos and on July 12, 1971, then the Provincial Board Resolution No. 231, Villa Labrador became a Barrio separating it to Villa Paraiso.
In July 1990, Rizal was close to the epicenter of a magnitude 7.7 earthquake. The town suffered unknown fatalities and damage to almost 1,000 homes, as well as total destruction of its city.
Geography
Barangays
Rizal is politically subdivided into 26 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
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