Rodriguez, Rizal

Rodriguez Montalban
Municipality
(From top, left to right) Eulogio Rodriguez Highway, Eulogio Rodriguez Ancestral House, Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario Parish Church, Espadang Bato, Wawa Dam
Flag Seal
Anthem: Mahal Naming Rodriguez English: Our Beloved Rodriguez
Map of Rizal with Rodriguez highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Rodriguez Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 14°43′N121°07′E / 14.72°N 121.12°E / 14.72; 121.12
Country	Philippines
Region	Calabarzon
Province	Rizal
District	4th district
Founded	1871
Annexation to San Mateo	October 12, 1903
Reestablished	February 29, 1908
Renamed as Rodriguez	November 13, 1982 [1]
Named for	Eulogio Rodriguez
Barangays	11 (see Barangays)
Government   [2]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
•  Mayor	Ronnie S. Evangelista
•  Vice Mayor	Edgardo Sison
•  Representative	Juan Fidel Felipe F. Nograles [3]
•  Municipal Council	Members Ralp Ivan A. Rodriguez Judith G. Cruz Mark Anthony C. Marcelo Mario Roderick C. Lazarte Maria Carmela V. Javier Mark David C. Acob Arnel M. de Vera Ronaldo R. Umali
•  Electorate	201,452 voters (2022)
Area [4]
• Total	312.70 km2 (120.73 sq mi)
Elevation	112 m (367 ft)
Highest elevation	487 m (1,598 ft)
Lowest elevation	10 m (30 ft)
Population  (2020 census) [5]
• Total	443,954
• Rank	1 out of 1,489 Municipalities
• Density	1,400/km2 (3,700/sq mi)
•  Households	100,823
Economy
•  Income class	1st municipal income class
•  Poverty incidence	7.37 % (2021) [6]
•  Revenue	₱ 1,505 million (2022)
•  Assets	₱ 2,855 million (2022)
•  Expenditure	₱ 1,658 million (2022)
•  Liabilities	₱ 941.9 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Manila Electric Company (Meralco)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	1860
PSGC	045808000
IDD  :  area code	+63 (0)2
Native languages	Sinauna Tagalog
Major religions	Catholic Church, Evangelical Church, Iglesia ni Cristo
Feast date	October 7
Catholic Diocese	Diocese of Antipolo
Patron saint	Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary

Rodriguez, officially the Municipality of Rodriguez (Tagalog : Bayan ng Rodriguez) and still commonly known by its former name Montalban, is a municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 443,954 people ^[5] making it the most populous municipality in the country. Pending an affirmation through plebiscite, Republic Act No. 11812 repealed Batas Pambansa Blg. 275 and intend to formally revert to its original municipal name Montalban.

It is the northernmost town in the province and comes after San Mateo, Rizal, and Quezon City coming from Metro Manila. The town is located on the slopes of the Sierra Madre mountain range and it is the largest town in Rizal province with an area of 312.70 square kilometers (120.73 square miles). It is also the location of the Montalban Gorge that is associated with the Legend of Bernardo Carpio . The gorge forms part of a protected area known as the Pamitinan Protected Landscape.

The municipality borders San Mateo and Antipolo, Rizal on the south, Norzagaray and San Jose del Monte, Bulacan on the north, Quezon City and Caloocan on the west and General Nakar, Quezon on the east. It is one of the richest municipalities in the Philippines, ranking third in 2016 with an income of ₱691 million. ^[7]

Etymology

The town's former official name of Montalban derives from the Spanish word monte, which translates to "mountain," in reference to the numerous hills found within and surrounding the town. ^[8] A common name for the municipality up to the present, it was its official name from its founding in 1871 until 1982 when the Batasang Pambansa officially renamed it to Rodriguez under Batas Pambansa Blg. 275 in honor of Eulogio Rodriguez, a native of the municipality who served as its first municipal president and Philippine Senate president. ^[1]

History

Aerial view of Montalban, circa 1930s

Based on the 1954 journal History and Cultural Life of Montalban and its Barrios, what would then be the town of Montalban was formerly the barrio Balite which was under the jurisdiction of the town of San Mateo during the Spanish period. The town was then founded by Fr. Eustaquio of Pasig in 1871. ^[8] On another account, San Mateo, with its large size, was partitioned on April 27, 1871, when Captain General Rafael Izquierdo issued a decree separating the barrios of Balite, Burgos, Marang and Calipahan from San Mateo and formed them into the new municipality of Montalban.^{[ citation needed ]}

According to the Executive Summary included in the Annual Audit Reports of Rodriguez, Rizal, the municipality of Montalban was founded on June 30, 1871, under the "Acta de Erreccion" or Deed of Foundation. ^[9] The town, including its poblacion, was initially part of the province of Manila, while its present-day mountainous central and eastern portion, according to old maps, was under the jurisdiction of the District of Morong. ^{[10] [11]} The municipality was then incorporated to the newly created province of Rizal on June 11, 1901, by virtue of Philippine Commission Act No. 137, after having been a part of the defunct province of Manila. ^[12] Montalban was then returned to its mother municipality of San Mateo by virtue of Philippine Commission Act No. 942 on October 12, 1903. San Mateo served as the seat of government in line with the economic centralization. ^[13] Montalban then separated from San Mateo to become an independent municipality again by virtue of Executive Order No. 20 on February 29, 1908.

Historical marker installed at the municipal hall in 2009

In 1982, the town was officially renamed to Rodriguez under Batas Pambansa Blg. 275 in honor of the former Senate president and town native Eulogio Rodriguez, Sr. ^[1]

On October 30, 1997, rebels from the New People's Army (NPA), the militant arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines, raided the police station of Rodriguez before noontime, where they ransacked the armory, killed one police officer, and kidnapped Rene Francisco, the police chief. He was later released on December 5, 1997 in Tanay, Rizal. ^[14]

Proposed cityhood

As early as 2018, the town's Sangguniang Bayan approved Resolution No. 60, Series of 2018 requesting the Senate of the Philippines thru its president, Vicente Sotto III and the House of Representatives through its speaker, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to co-sponsor a bill for Rodriguez's conversion into a city.^{[ citation needed ]}

Proposed reversion of town name to Montalban

Official document from 2020 bearing the town name "Montalban" instead of the official name "Rodriguez".

In mid-to-late 2019, before a formal ruling could be enacted, the municipal government under the term of Mayor Dennis Hernandez started to refer to the town as Montalban.

Notable examples were the discontinuation of the use of the town name Rodriguez in official documents, office names and correspondences, and the municipal government utilizing a modified municipal seal that indicates the name "Montalban" instead of "Rodriguez". In February 2020, a new municipal seal that bears the year 1871 as the date of establishment was used.

In April 2020, the municipality celebrated its 149th Foundation Day (Araw ng Montalban); in the previous year April 2019, at the time when 1909 was still the recognized date of establishment, the municipality celebrated its 110th founding anniversary. ^[15]

In response to the numerous requests from the town's native residents to return the town to its former name, on July 3, 2019 during the 18th Congress, Rizal's 2nd District Representative Juan Fidel Nograles filed House Bill No. 337. ^{[16] [17]} The bill was later substituted by HB No. 8899 filed March 5, 2021; ^[18] it was approved by the House of Representatives on March 17 and was received by the Senate on March 27. It was introduced by Sen. Imee Marcos under Senate Bill No. 2258 on June 1. ^{[19] [20]}

In the Senate hearing of the Committee on Local Government on January 21, 2022, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines did not pose any objection on the proposed measure and clarified that the proposed change will only apply to the municipality's name; structures and other features such as buildings, schools in the municipality dedicated in memory of Rodriguez are not covered by the proposed bill and should be retained. ^[21]

With further minor amendments, the bill was approved on third and final reading on January 31. The House adopted the Senate amendment and the bill was submitted to the president for his signature.

On June 2, 2022, Republic Act No. 11812, an act for the reversion of the name of municipality Rodriguez to Montalban and repealing Batas Pambansa Blg. 275, lapsed into law. A plebiscite, having no final schedule yet, will be supervised by the Commission on Elections. ^{[22] [23]}

Geography

Rodriguez is a town of mountains. From its north to south, a series of sloping ridges, hills and mountains ranges adorn the town. In fact, around 27% of the town is occupied by mountains and slopes. The town's highest peak is Mount Irid, 1,469 meters (4,820 ft) above sea level.

Rodriguez makes up 26.23% of the 1,191.94-square-kilometer (460.21 sq mi) total area of Rizal, housing 11 barangays. Rodriguez's economic activities include agriculture and commerce such as the Avilon Zoo.

Elevation and slope

The mountainous interior of Rodriguez

Coralline limestone along the Mascap-Puray Road

Rodriguez is generally very rough in topography, with 83% of its total land area composed of upland areas, hills and mountain ranges. The remaining 17% low-lying terrain and rolling lands are found at the south-western portion of the municipality, along with the northern portions of the Municipality of San Mateo. ^[24]

The rolling slopes comprise the Marikina River Valley, where water from higher elevations drain towards the Marikina River and its tributaries at the south-western portion of the municipality. Elevations at these western lowlands range from 10 to 30 meters (33 to 98 ft) above sea level. The western portion of the flatlands gently rises towards the west, which is part of Quezon City.

The mountainous regions of Rodriguez are found at the central and eastern areas, with sleepy sloping ridges and mountain ranges, traversing north to south. The terrain in these mountain ranges has slopes ranging from 30 to 50%. Very steep hills and mountains have slopes greater than 50%. Rolling to hilly areas 18–30% in slope can also be found. These high elevations are drained by the Tanay, Puray, and Rodriguez Rivers.

Demographics

Barangays

Map of Rodriguez (Montalban) Rizal and its Barangays. This is subject to the correction by Rodriguez LGU.

Rodriguez is politically subdivided into 11 barangays (8 urban, 3 rural)  ^[25] . Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

The barangays of San Isidro and San Jose are two of the most populated barangays in the municipality and in the Philippines. ^[26]

• Balite
• Burgos
• Geronimo
• Macabud
• Manggahan
• Mascap
• Puray
• Rosario
• San Isidro
• San Jose
• San Rafael

Population census of Rodriguez

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	3,440	—
1918	5,201	+2.79%
1939	6,402	+0.99%
1948	5,257	−2.17%
1960	9,648	+5.19%
1970	20,882	+8.02%
1975	31,176	+8.37%
1980	41,859	+6.07%
1990	67,074	+4.83%
1995	79,668	+3.28%
2000	115,167	+8.22%
2007	223,594	+9.58%
2010	280,904	+8.66%
2015	369,222	+5.34%
2020	443,954	+3.69%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [27] [28] [29] [30]

In the 2020 census, the population of Rodriguez, Rizal, was 443,954 people, ^[5] with a density of 1,400 inhabitants per square kilometer or 3,600 inhabitants per square mile.

Climate

Climate data for Rodriguez, Rizal
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	26 (79)	27 (81)	28 (82)	31 (88)	31 (88)	30 (86)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	28 (82)	27 (81)	29 (84)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	22 (72)	22 (72)	22 (72)	23 (73)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	22 (72)	24 (74)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	40 (1.6)	33 (1.3)	35 (1.4)	38 (1.5)	138 (5.4)	190 (7.5)	242 (9.5)	216 (8.5)	224 (8.8)	200 (7.9)	114 (4.5)	94 (3.7)	1,564 (61.6)
Average rainy days	12.2	9.0	11.0	11.7	21.5	24.0	27.2	26.1	26.8	22.3	16.3	15.1	223.2
Source: Meteoblue [31]

Economy

Poverty incidence of Rodriguez

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2006 5.80 2009 4.47 2012 5.09 2015 4.52 2018 5.62 2021 7.37 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39]

Transportation

A patok jeepney plying the route of Montalban - Cubao. They are known for booming music, bright lights and colorful and artistic designs.

The main transportation used in the municipality are jeepneys, tricycles, UV Express, and buses. There are jeepneys that ply through the towns of San Mateo, Marikina and Cubao in Quezon City via Marcos Highway, while some ply the route that leads to Philcoa in Quezon City via Batasan Road in San Mateo, others connect Rodriguez to Litex Road in Quezon City. UV Express vehicles ply the routes to Cubao in Quezon City and Santa Lucia Grand Mall in Cainta. During the 2010s, there were additional UV Express vehicles that serve the routes to North EDSA in Quezon City and Quiapo in Manila, and the route to Cubao operates via Marikina and via Payatas Road.

Formerly, there was railway service under the Manila Railroad Company that traversed the San Mateo, Marikina, and Pasig areas and had its terminus at Barangay Balitè behind the Santo Rosario Parish Church. It had been long dismantled and the railway line converted into roadway that now consists of the road aptly named Daang Bakal.

It is known that 'patok' jeepneys originated from this town way back during the 1980s. These jeepneys are known for their notoriety on the road. Despite this, they are popular among the passengers hence the name patók which means 'popular'. They still ply this town up to this day, most plying the Montalban-Cubao route via Marcos Highway. These jeepneys have already spread throughout the Rizal province as well as in Marikina since then.

The Marikina Auto Line Transport Corporation (MALTC) buses is the only one that regularly travels to farther places like Makati and Parañaque. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) implemented a route rationalization system for city buses. Currently, a city bus route connects Montalban with the capital city of Manila and Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange.

The proposed San Mateo Railway will connect the municipality of Rodriguez to the Light Rail Transit Line 2, in which 6 stations are in development. ^{[40] [41]}

Government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

Rodriguez Municipal Hall

List of former chief executives

^[42]

  Indicates a municipal president.

  Indicates a mayoral term during the Japanese Occupation

No	Entered office	Exited office	Name
1	1909	1916	Eulogio Rodriguez
2	1916	1919	Eusebio Manuel
3	1919	1928	Gregorio Bautista
4	1928	1932	Jose Rodriguez
5	1932	1936	Roman Reyes
6	1936	1940	Jacinto Bautista
7	1940	1942	Francisco Rodriguez
8	1942	1944	Federico San Juan
9	1944	1945	Felix Salen
10	1945	1945	Gavino Cruz
11	1945	1946	Francisco Rodriguez
12	1946	1947	Catalino Bautista
13	1947	1947	Macario Bautista
14	1947	1959	Benigno Liamzon
15	1960	1960	Guillermo Cruz Sr.
16	1960	1984	Teodoro Rodriguez
17	1984	1987	Pablo Adriano
18	1988	1993	Angelito Manuel
19	1993	1995	Ernesto Villanueva
20	1995	1998	Pedro Cuerpo
21	1998	2001	Rafaelito San Diego
22	2001	2010	Pedro Cuerpo
23	2010	2019	Cecilio Hernandez
24	2019	2022	Dennis Hernandez
25	2022	Incumbent	Ronnie Evangelista

Hospitals

• H Vill Hospital
• N. Medcare Hospital
• St. Mark Hospital
• Montalban Infirmary
• Casimiro A. Ynares Sr. Memorial Hospital

Education

There are numerous elementary and high schools, both public and private, offering primary, secondary and tertiary education in the town of Rodriguez. There are also colleges and institutions that offer graduate and undergraduate programs in town.

Tourism

• Pamitinan Protected Landscape
• Wawa Dam ^[43]
• Puray Falls
• Rodriguez Ancestral Mansion
• Mount Pamitinan and Binacayan
• Mount Hapunang Banoi
• Mount Sipit-Ulang
• Avilon Zoo
• Espadang Bato

Gallery

• 
  Montalban Gorge (Pamitinan Protected Landscape)
• 
  Wawa Dam
• 
  Mount Mataba, one of the rolling hills in the Marikina Valley
• 
  Espadang Bato
• 
  Rodriguez Municipal Gymnasium
• 
  Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario Parish Church
• 
  Rodriguez Ancestral House
• 
  Licerio Geronimo Memorial
• 
  Public market
• 
  Casimiro A. Ynares, Sr. Memorial Medical Center
• 
  Puray Elementary School in barangay Puray
• 
  Rodriguez permanent evacuation center

See also

• List of renamed cities and municipalities in the Philippines
• San Mateo, Rizal

References

1. Batas Pambansa Blg. 275 (November 12, 1982), An Act Changing the Name of the Municipality of Montalban, Province of Rizal, to the Municipality of Rodriguez , retrieved August 5, 2019
2.   Municipality of Rodriguez | (DILG)
3. Dominguez-Cargullo, Dona (May 14, 2019). "Mga nagwaging kandidato sa Rodriguez, Rizal naiproklama na". Philippine Daily Inquirer (in Filipino). Retrieved August 5, 2019.
4. "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN   0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
5. Census of Population (2020). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved July 8, 2021.
6. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
7. Commission On Audit's Annual Financial Report
8. Torres, Ceferino; Mariano, Encarnacion; Cruz, Josefina; Bautista, Cecilia (1954). "History and Cultural Life of Montalban and its Barrios" (JPG, PDF). National Library of the Philippines Techno Aklatan. Manila, Philippines. National Library of the Philippines. p. 1. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
9. Rodriguez, Rizal 2012 Annual Audit Report
10. P. Jose Algue, S.J. (1899). Atlas de Filipinas (Map). 56th Congress, 1st Session. Sen. Doc. #138. p. 9. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
11. Brown, Austin H. (1900). Provinces of Manila, Morong, and Infanta (Map). 1:200m000. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
12. Act No. 137 (June 11, 1901), An Act extending the provisions of "the provincial government act" to the province of Rizal , retrieved August 5, 2019
13. Act No. 942 (October 12, 1903), An Act reducing the thirty-two municipalities of the Province of Rizal to fifteen , retrieved August 5, 2019
14. "Captured Police Chief Rene Francisco kisses his wife Teresita as he holds his son Remsie[...]". Alamy . Alamy Ltd. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
15. Bayan ng Montalban Executive Order No. DLH-041, Series of 2020  : “Implementing Guidelines For The Precautionary Measures And Management In The Containment Of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) And Other Emerging Infectious Diseases In The Municipality Of Montalban, Rizal”. Retrieved January 25, 2021. Scanned article archived in File:Municipality of Rodriguez (Montalban) Executive Order DLH-041 S-2020, Header detail.jpg
16. Roxas, Pathricia Ann (July 3, 2019). "Time for Rizal town of 'Montalban' to reclaim original name, says solon". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Manila, Philippines. Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved August 5, 2019.
17. House Bill No. 337 (July 1, 2019), An Act Renaming the Municipality of Rodriguez to the Municipality of Montalban (PDF), archived (PDF) from the original on June 3, 2020
18. House Bill No. 8899 (March 5, 2021), An Act Renaming the Municipality of Rodriguez in the Province of Rizal as the Municipality of Montalban (PDF), archived (PDF) from the original on January 20, 2022
19. Senate Bill No. 2258 (June 1, 2021), An Act Renaming the Municipality of Rodriguez in the Province of Rizal as the Municipality of Montalban
20. "Notice from the Senate" (PDF). December 14, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
21. Committee Hearing on Local Government, January 21, 2022 stream through Facebook
22. Republic Act No. 11812 (June 2, 2022), "An Act Renaming the Municipality of Rodriguez in the Province of Rizal as the Municipality of Montalban, Repealing for the Purpose Batas Pambansa Blg. 275", Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines , retrieved June 29, 2022
23. Parrocha, Azer (June 28, 2022). "Bill dividing QC barangay into 3 lapses into law". Philippine News Agency . Retrieved June 28, 2022.
24. "About - Municipality of Montalban". web.archive.org. July 3, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
25. "Province: Rizal". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved November 12, 2016.
26. "Highlights of the Philippine Population 2015 Census of Population | Philippine Statistics Authority".
27. Census of Population (2015). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved June 20, 2016.
28. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office . Retrieved June 29, 2016.
29. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
30. "Province of Rizal". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
31. "Rodriguez: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
32. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
33. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. November 29, 2005.
34. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. March 23, 2009.
35. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. August 3, 2012.
36. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. May 31, 2016.
37. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. July 10, 2019.
38. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. December 15, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
39. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
40. Piad, Tyrone Jasper C. (July 26, 2023). "Government lines up several railway projects nationwide". INQUIRER.net.
41. "San Mateo Railway Project | PPP Center". ppp.gov.ph.
42. Torres, Ceferino; Mariano, Encarnacion; Cruz, Josefina; Bautista, Cecilia (1954). "History and Cultural Life of Montalban and its Barrios" (JPG, PDF). National Library of the Philippines Techno Aklatan. Manila, Philippines. National Library of the Philippines. p. 3. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
43. http://www.solitarywanderer.com/2012/04/caving-in-wawa-dam-montalban/ Caving in Wawa Dam, Montalban

External links

• Rodriguez Profile at PhilAtlas.com
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Local Governance Performance Management System