Rodriguez, Rizal

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Use Philippine English Template:Infobox settlement Rodriguez, officially the Municipality of Rodriguez (Template:Langx) and still commonly known by its former name Montalban, is a municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. According to the Template:PH wikidata, it has a population of Template:PH wikidata people,Template:PH wikidata making it the most populous municipality in the country.

The town is one of the richest municipalities in the country, ranking third in 2016 with an income of Template:Philippine peso.<ref name="COA Report 2016"/>

Etymology

The municipality'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.<ref name="history"/> 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.<ref name="rename"/>

History

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 of Balite under the jurisdiction of San Mateo during the Spanish period.<ref name="history"/> 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.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref> The town was then headed by its first parish priest Fr. Eustaquio Infante of Pasig, who led the dedication of the Most Holy Rosary parish church on June 2, 1871, in the term of Gregorio Melitón Martínez as Archbishop of Manila.<ref name="history"/>

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 Erección (Deed of Foundation).<ref name="audit report 2012"/> The town, including its población, 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.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref><ref>Template:Cite map</ref> Additionally, an 1882 Spanish map indicates that the northeastern areas of the present-day municipality were once claimed as part of Bulacan.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref> 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.<ref name="act 137"/>

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.<ref name="act 942" /> Montalban then separated from San Mateo to become an independent municipality again by virtue of Executive Order No. 20 on February 29, 1908.

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.<ref name="rename"/>

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 noon, ransacking its armoury, killing a police officer, and kidnapping police chief René Francisco. He was later released on December 5, 1997 in Tanay, Rizal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Proposed cityhood

As early as 2018, the town's Sangguniang Bayan approved Resolution No. 60, Series of 2018 requesting the Senate of the Philippines through 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.Template:Citation needed

Proposed reversion of town name to Montalban

File:Municipality of Rodriguez (Montalban) Executive Order DLH-041 S-2020, Header detail.jpg

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 began referring to the town as "Montalban".

Notable examples were dropping "Rodriguez" in official documents, office names and correspondences, and the municipal government using a municipal seal with the name "Montalban". In February 2020, another 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.<ref name="montalban usage 2019"/>

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.<ref name="return montalban"/><ref name="hb337 18th congress"/> The bill was later substituted by HB No. 8899 filed March 5, 2021;<ref name="hb8899 18th congress"/> it was approved by the House of Representatives on March 17 and was received by the Senate on March 27. It was introduced by Senator Imee Marcos under Senate Bill No. 2258 on June 1.<ref name="sb2258 18th congress"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Committee Hearing on Local Government, January 21, 2022 stream through Facebook</ref>

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, the act reverting the town’s name to Montalban and repealing Batas Pambansa Blg. 275 had lapsed into law. A plebiscite, having no set date, is to be supervised by the Commission on Elections.<ref>Template:Cite PH act</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

Rodriguez is a town of mountains. It is located on the slopes of the Sierra Madre mountain range. 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, Template:Convert above sea level.

Rodriguez makes up Template:Percentage of the Template:Convert total area of Rizal. Making it the largest town in Rizal province with an area of Template:Convert. 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, General Nakar, Quezon on the east, and Tanay on the south-east. Rodriguez's economic activities include agriculture and commerce such as the Avilon Zoo.

Rodriguez is the northernmost town in the province and comes after San Mateo, Rizal, and Quezon City coming from Metro Manila. 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.

Elevation and slope

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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 Template:Convert 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

Template:Stack Rodriguez is politically subdivided into 11 barangays (8 urban, 3 rural), as indicated below and in the image hereinTemplate:PSGC detail. 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.<ref name="2015 census"/>

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

Template:Philippine Census In the 2020 census, the population of Rodriguez, Rizal, was 443,954 people,Template:PH wikidata with a density of Template:Convert.

Climate

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Economy

Template:PH poverty incidence

Transportation

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Government

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List of former chief executives

<ref name="mayors"/> Template:Legend Template:Legend

N^o	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	1959	1959	Guillermo Cruz Sr.
16	1959	1984	Teodoro Rodriguez<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
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
Northern Tagalog Regional Hospital (under construction)

Education

There are two schools district offices which govern all educational institutions within the municipality. They oversee the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> These are the Rodriguez I Schools District, and Rodriguez II Schools District.

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 undergraduate and graduate programs in town.