Cavite City | |
|---|---|
  .jpg)   Clockwise from top: New Cavite City Hall, City Proper, San Roque Parish Church, Heroes' Arch, and the Thirteen Martyrs Monument | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nicknames: The Historic City by the Bay | |
| Motto: Para Dios y Patria ("For God and Country") | |
 Map of Cavite with Cavite City highlighted | |
OpenStreetMap  | |
.svg)  Cavite City Location within thePhilippines | |
| Coordinates:14°29′N120°54′E / 14.48°N 120.9°E /14.48; 120.9 | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Calabarzon |
| Province | Cavite |
| District | 1st district |
| Settled | May 16, 1571 |
| Founded | 1614 |
| Cityhood | September 7, 1940 |
| Barangays | 84 (seeBarangays) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Sangguniang Panlungsod |
| • Mayor | Denver Christopher Reyes Chua |
| • Vice Mayor | Benzen Raleigh G. Rusit |
| • Representative | Ramon Jolo Revilla |
| • City Council | Members
|
| • Electorate | 69,630 voters (2025) |
| Area | |
• Total | 10.89 km2 (4.20 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 143rd out of 145 |
| Elevation | 15 m (49 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 169 m (554 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2024 census)[3] | |
• Total | 98,673 |
| • Density | 9,061/km2 (23,470/sq mi) |
| • Households | 27,473 |
| Economy | |
| • Income class | 4th city income class |
| • Poverty incidence | 12.71 |
| • Revenue | ₱ 806.3 million (2022) |
| • Assets | ₱ 2,082 million (2022) |
| • Expenditure | ₱ 659.6 million (2022) |
| • Liabilities | ₱ 412.8 million (2022) |
| Service provider | |
| • Electricity | Manila Electric Company (Meralco) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| ZIP code | 4100, 4101, 4125 |
| PSGC | |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)46 |
| Native languages | Chavacano Tagalog |
| Major religions | |
| Catholic diocese | Diocese of Imus |
| Patron saint | |
| Website | www |
Cavite City, officially theCity of Cavite (Chavacano:Ciudad de Cavite;Filipino:Lungsod ng Kabite) is acomponent city in thePhilippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 98,673 people.[5]
The city was the capital ofCavite Province from its establishment in 1614 until the title was transferred to the newly created, more accessible city ofTrece Martires in 1954. Cavite City was originally a small port town, Cavite Puerto, that prospered during the earlySpanish colonial period, when it served as the main seaport of Manila. Cavite Puerto hosted theManila-Acapulco galleon trade, along with other large sea-bound ships. Thereafter, San Roque and La Caridad, two formerly independent towns in Cavite province,[6] were annexed by the city. Today, Cavite City includes the communities of San Antonio (Cañacao and Sangley Point),[7] the southern districts of Santa Cruz and Dalahican, and the outlying islands of the province, such as the historicCorregidor Island.
The city has been known by at least twoTagalog names. The first,Tangway, was the name given to the area byTagalog settlers.Tangwáy means "peninsula." The second isKawit or "hook," referring to the hook-shaped landform along the coast ofBacoor Bay,[7] and from which theChineseKeit andSpanishCavite are derived.[8]
The early inhabitants of Cavite City were the Tagalogs ruled by the Kampilan and the bullhorn of a datu, the tribal form of government.[citation needed] According to folklore, the earliest settlers came fromBorneo, led by Gat Hinigiw and his wife Dayang Kaliwanag, who bore seven children.[citation needed] Archaeological evidence in the coastal areas shows prehistoric settlements.[citation needed]
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On May 16, 1571, the SpanishconquistadorMiguel López de Legazpi declared the region a royalencomienda, or royalland grant.[citation needed] Spanish colonizers settled in the most populated area (present-dayKawit) and called itCavite. The oldTangway at the tip of theCavite Peninsula, across Bacoor Bay, was referred to asCavite la Punta, meaning "Point of Cavite" or Cavite Point. Upon discovering that, because of its deep waters, Cavite la Punta was a suitable place for the repair and construction of Spanishgalleons, the Spanish moved their settlement there and called itCavite Nuevo (New Cavite) or justCavite. The first settlement was renamed "Cavite Viejo" (and in the early 20th century, regained its former name, Kawit). In 1582, the Spanish founded Cavite City with 65 Spanish households.[9]
In 1590, the Spaniards fortified Cavite Nuevo/Cavite City withmurallas (high thickcurtain walls) on its western, northern, and eastern sides, while Bacoor Bay remained open to the south. Fort Guadalupe was built at the same time on the eastern tip, and the town became thePuerto de Cavite (Port of Cavite) orCavite Puerto. The Fort of San Felipe Neri and the Porta Vaga Gate began construction in 1595 and were completed in 1602. Puerta Vaga (corrupted to Porta Vaga) was the port city'sbarbican, the only principal entrance from San Roque in the west. It was flanked by the western wall, protected by two bastions at its northern and southern ends. The wall and gate were also separated from the mainland by a moat, which made the town like an island.[10]
Cavite was legally founded in 1614 with Tomás Salazar as the earliest knowngobernadorcillo recorded.[10] At the same time, the town became the capital of the new politico-military province of Cavite, established also in 1614.[11] Like some otherprovinces during the Spanish era, the province adopted the name of its capital town – e.g.,Bulacan, Bulacan province;Tayabas, Tayabas (nowQuezon province);Tarlac, Tarlac province; andManila,Manila province.
San Roque was founded as a separate town in 1614. In 1663, during the Spanish evacuation ofTernate, Indonesia, the 200 families of mixed Mexican-Filipino-Spanish andPapuan-Indonesian-Portuguese descent who had ruled over the ChristianizedSultanate of Ternate, including their Christian-convert Sultan,[12] were relocated to the cities ofTernate (Cavite province), Ermita, Manila, and San Roque (Cavite province).[13]
In subsequent years, Latin-American soldiers fromMexico were deployed at Cavite: 70 soldiers in 1636; 89 in 1654; 225 in 1670; and 211 in 1672.[14]
San Roque was later placed under the civil administration of Cavite until it was granted the right to be a separate and independent municipality in 1720. La Caridad, formerly known asLa Estanzuela de San Roque, separated and was legally founded as a town in 1868. Governor-General José de la Gardana granted the petition of the people led by Don Justo Miranda to make Barrio La Estanzuela an independent town.
By the end of the 1700s, Cavite was the main port of Manila and was a province of 5,724 native families and 859Spanish Filipino families.[15]: 539 [16]: 31, 54, 113
As the town grew, it developed a cosmopolitan reputation, and attracted variousreligious orders to set up churches, convents, and hospitals within the confines of the fortified city center. TheFranciscanHospital de San José (Saint Joseph’s Hospital) was built for sailors and soldiers in 1591. The San Diego de Alcalá Convent was built in 1608, followed by the Convents ofPorta Vaga (La Ermita), Our Lady of Loreto (Jesuit),San Juan de Dios (Saint John of God),Santo Domingo (Dominicans),Santa Mónica (Recollects), andSan Pedro, the port's parish church. The fortified town enclosed eight churches, the Jesuit college of San Ildefonso, public buildings and residences, all meant to serve the needs of its population of natives, soldiers and workers at the port, transients, and passengers aboard galleons.[10]
During this period, the city was calledTierra de Maria Santísima (“Land of Mary, Most Holy”) because of localMarian devotion.[citation needed] Squares and parks abounded:Plaza de Armas (across from Fort San Felipe),Plaza de San Pedro (across the church),Plaza Soledad (across Porta Vaga), andPlaza del Reparo (bayside).
The Port of Cavite(Puerto de Cavite) was linked to the history of world trade. Spanish galleons passed back and forth every July betweenAcapulco and Cavite. Galleons and other heavy ocean-going ships were not able to enter the Port of Manila along thePasig River because of a sand bar that only allows light vessels to reach the river-port. For this reason, the Port of Cavite was regarded as the Port of Manila,[17] as the main seaport of the colonial capital.[18]
At the height of theManila-Acapulco Galleon Trade, the Port of Cavite was the arrival and departure port of theSpanish galleons that brought many foreign travelers (mostly Spaniards and Latinos) to its shores.[19][20] The Port of Cavite was fondly calledCiudad de Oro Macizo ("City of Solid Gold"). TheWanli Emperor of theMing Dynasty once sent an expedition to the place they calledKeit (Cavite) to search for gold, received by Governor-GeneralPedro Bravo de Acuña.[8] Marilola Pérez, in her 2015 thesis "Cavite Chabacano Philippine Creole Spanish: Description and Typology", describes a large number of Mexicans settling in Cavite and spreading to Luzon, integrating into the local population and leading peasant revolts.[21] Mexicans were not the only Latin Americans in Cavite, as there were also a fair number of other Latin Americans. One of these was thePuerto Rican Alonso Ramírez, who became a sailor in Cavite, and published an influential early Latin American novel entitled "Infortunios de Alonso Ramírez"[22]
Between 1609 and 1616 thegalleonsEspíritu Santo andSan Miguel were constructed in the shipyard of the port, called theAstillero de Rivera (Rivera Shipyard of Cavite), sometimes spelled asRibera.[18]
The narrow San Roqueisthmus orcauseway (now M. Valentino Street) connected Cavite Puerto to San Roque, its only border town. Maps from the 17th century show that this narrow isthmus was once as wide as the town itself.[23] Problems with rising water and the encroaching waves that plagued Cavite Puerto likely eroded the land into a narrow isthmus.[24]
Spain turned the port over to the Americans after theTreaty of Paris of 1898. At the start of the American era, Cavite Puerto became the seat of the U.S. Naval Forces in the Philippines. It was redesigned to make way for modern ships and armaments. The historical structures, like Fort Guadalupe, were demolished, along with most of Fort San Felipe.[10]
Local government administration was reorganized under thePresidentes municipales with the direct supervision of American army officers (the first being Colonel Meade). The first FilipinoPresidentes municipales were appointed: Don Zacaria Fortich for Cavite Puerto, Don Francisco Basa for San Roque, and Don Pedro Raqueño Bautista for Caridad.
In 1900, the Caviteños held their first election under the American regime. Each pueblo or town elected local officials: Presidente municipal,Vice-Presidente municipal and aConsejo (council) composed ofConsejales (councilors). Don Gregorio Basa was elected as thePresidente Municipal of present-day Cavite City.
In 1901, the Philippine Commission approved a municipal code as the organic law of all local governments throughout the country. In its implementation in 1903, the three separate pueblos of Cavite Puerto, San Roque, and La Caridad were merged into onemunicipality, which was called the Municipality of Cavite. By virtue of a legislative act promulgated by theFirst Philippine Assembly, Cavite was again made the capital of the province. Subsequently, its territory was enlarged to include the district of San Antonio and the island ofCorregidor. The Municipality of Cavite functioned as a civil government whose officials consisted of a Presidente Municipal, a Vice-Presidente Municipal and ten Consejales duly elected by the qualified voters of themunicipality.
In 1909, Executive Order No. 124, of Governor-GeneralW. Cameron Forbes, declared the Act No. 1748 annexingCorregidor and the islands of Caballo (Fort Hughes), La Monja, El Fraile (Fort Drum), Santa Amalia, Carabao (Fort Frank) and Limbones, as well as all waters and detached rocks surrounding them, to the Municipality of Cavite.
Under thePhilippine Commonwealth, Assemblyman Manuel S. Roxas sponsored Commonwealth Act No. 547, elevating Cavite's status to a chartered city. On September 7, 1940, the executive function of the city was vested in a City Mayor appointed by the President of thePhilippine Commonwealth. The legislative body of the City of Cavite was vested on a Municipal Board composed of three electives, two appointives, and two ex-officiocouncilors, with the City Mayor as the presiding officer.
On December 10, 1941, two days after an attack that had destroyed American air defenses atClark Field and three days after theJapanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese Imperial Forces destroyed Cavite Naval Base and bombed Cavite City.
Later, after Japan seized the Philippines, Japanese leaders appointed at least two City Mayors of Cavite City.
The island ofCorregidor played an important role during theJapanese invasion of the Philippines. The island was the site of two costlysieges and pitched battles—the first in early 1942, and the second in January, 1945—between theImperial Japanese Army and theU.S. Army, along with its smaller subsidiary force, thePhilippine Army.
In 1945, during the fight to liberate the country from Japan, the US and Philippine Commonwealth militaries bombarded the Japanese forces stationed in the city, completely destroying the old historic port of Cavite. The old walls and the Porta Vaga Gate were damaged. Most of the structures were destroyed, but some of the church towers remained. The city was littered with bomb craters.[25]
After the war, the city's local administration resumed operations. The walls, gates, and ruins of the old city were later removed. Only the bell tower of the Church of Santa Monica of the Augustinian Recollects and the twobastions of Fort San Felipe remain from the old city.
Republic Act No. 981, passed by theCongress of the Philippines in 1954, transferred the capital of the province from Cavite City to the newly establishedTrece Martires. Subsequently, the city charter was amended. By virtue of an amendment to the charter of Cavite City, the City Mayor, City Vice Mayor and eight councilors were elected by popular vote. The first election of city officials in this way was held in 1963.
The Philippines' gradual postwar recovery took a turn for the worse in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with the1969 Philippine balance of payments crisis being an early landmark event.[26] Economic analysts generally attribute the crisis to the ramp-up on loan-funded government spending to promoteFerdinand Marcos’ 1969 reelection campaign.[26][27][28][29][30][31] In September 1972, one year before the expected end of his last constitutionally allowed term as president, president Marcos placed the Philippines under martial law.[32] This allowed Marcos to remain in power for fourteen more years, during which Cavite endured many social and economic obstacles.[32]
On February 25, 1972, amidst a spate of assassinations against Cavite government officials, mayor and former congressman Manuel S. Rojas was assassinated just past noon by multiple gunmen in the barrio of Panapaan within the town ofBacoor, Cavite while on the road with his driver, a policeman, toManila; both Rojas and his driver were unarmed.[33][34]
The excesses of the Marcos Family[32] prompted opposition from various Filipino citizens despite the risks of arrest andtorture[35] Victims of human rights abuses during this period included Cavite City resident and University of the Philippines student leader Emmanuel Alvarez. Alvarez, a descendant of Katipunan General Pascual Alvarez, became one of thedesaparecidos ofMartial law under Ferdinand Marcos when he was accosted by two men believed to be military personnel while commuting from his home in Cavite City on January 6, 1976, and never seen again.[36] He has formally been honored as a hero of Philippine democracy, having had his name etched on the wall of remembrance of the Philippines'Bantayog ng mga Bayani.[36]
During the 1986 snap elections, Marcos won against Corazon Aquino in Region IV (which then included the provinces of MIMAROPA) according to the official COMELEC results, but this was disputed by NAMFREL. An exit poll conducted by American election observers found that voters from Cavite City preferred Aquino over Marcos.[37]
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In the latter part of the 1960s and early 1970s, the land adjacent to the San Roque isthmus wasreclaimed. The new land is now occupied by theSan Sebastian College – Recoletos de Cavite and some residential homes. The present Cavite City Hall is built where the north tower of the old western wall once stood, which was already partly reclaimed by 1945.[25]
Half of the old port city, including Fort San Felipe, is now occupied byNaval Base Cavite and is closed to the public. The old historic core of Cavite is now part of the San Roque district, and is referred to today as either Fort San Felipe or Porta Vaga.[7] The former location of the Porta Vaga Gate, the western wall, and its towers is now occupied by the Governor Samonte Park.
A portion ofDanilo Atienza Air Base was converted into a domestic airport in 2020 calledSangley Point Airport.[38] The airport is planned to be converted into an international airport under the national government's Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program. The original proponent status (OPS) contract was initially awarded to a consortium between MacroAsia Corporation and China Communications Construction Company Ltd.,[39] until it was dropped by the provincial government in 2021.[40] After another round of bidding, the contract was awarded to the Yuchengco-led Sangley Point International Airport Consortium in 2022.[41]
Cavite City occupies most of the hook-shapedCavite Peninsula that juts intoManila Bay. The peninsula is lined byBacoor Bay to the southeast. The peninsula ends in two tips – Sangley Point and Cavite Point.Cañacao Bay is the body of water formed between the points. Cavite Point was the location of the old historic Port of Cavite. Both Bacoor and Cañacao Bays are inland bays within the larger Manila Bay. The city's only land border is with the Municipality ofNoveleta to the south.
The city is the northernmost settlement in the Province of Cavite, which lies southwest fromManila with a direct distance of about 11 kilometers (6.8 mi) but about 35 kilometers (22 mi) overland/by road. Sangley Point, the former location of theUnited StatesSangley Point Naval Base, is the northernmost point of the city, peninsula and province. The former American military naval base has since been converted into aPhilippine military base.
The historic island ofCorregidor, the adjacent islands and detached rocks ofCaballo,Carabao,El Fraile andLa Monja found at the mouth of Manila Bay are part of the city's territorial jurisdiction.
Cavite City has atropical wet and dry climate (Köppen climate classification Aw), with a pronounced dry season from December to April, and a lengthy wet season from May to November that brings abundant rainfall into the city.
| Climate data for Cavite City (Danilo Atienza Air Base) 1991–2020, extremes 1974–2023 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 34.8 (94.6) | 35.2 (95.4) | 36.6 (97.9) | 37.8 (100.0) | 38.5 (101.3) | 38.4 (101.1) | 36.4 (97.5) | 36.5 (97.7) | 35.6 (96.1) | 35.8 (96.4) | 36.4 (97.5) | 34.0 (93.2) | 38.5 (101.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.3 (86.5) | 31.1 (88.0) | 32.5 (90.5) | 34.3 (93.7) | 34.1 (93.4) | 33.1 (91.6) | 31.8 (89.2) | 31.4 (88.5) | 31.6 (88.9) | 31.8 (89.2) | 31.5 (88.7) | 30.5 (86.9) | 32.0 (89.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 27.3 (81.1) | 27.8 (82.0) | 29.0 (84.2) | 30.5 (86.9) | 30.7 (87.3) | 29.9 (85.8) | 28.9 (84.0) | 28.7 (83.7) | 28.7 (83.7) | 29.0 (84.2) | 28.7 (83.7) | 27.7 (81.9) | 28.9 (84.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 24.3 (75.7) | 24.5 (76.1) | 25.5 (77.9) | 26.8 (80.2) | 27.2 (81.0) | 26.7 (80.1) | 26.1 (79.0) | 25.9 (78.6) | 25.9 (78.6) | 26.1 (79.0) | 25.8 (78.4) | 25.0 (77.0) | 25.8 (78.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 19.0 (66.2) | 18.0 (64.4) | 19.1 (66.4) | 21.5 (70.7) | 22.0 (71.6) | 22.0 (71.6) | 21.2 (70.2) | 22.0 (71.6) | 21.0 (69.8) | 21.0 (69.8) | 21.5 (70.7) | 20.0 (68.0) | 18.0 (64.4) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 19.9 (0.78) | 20.4 (0.80) | 19.1 (0.75) | 17.7 (0.70) | 149.9 (5.90) | 260.4 (10.25) | 456.5 (17.97) | 514.3 (20.25) | 385.5 (15.18) | 196.9 (7.75) | 109.1 (4.30) | 91.6 (3.61) | 2,241.3 (88.24) |
| Average rainy days(≥ 1 mm) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 13 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 114 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 79 | 77 | 75 | 73 | 76 | 80 | 83 | 84 | 84 | 81 | 80 | 80 | 79 |
| Source:PAGASA[42][43] | |||||||||||||
The city proper is divided into five districts: Dalahican, Santa Cruz, Caridad, San Antonio, and San Roque. These districts are further subdivided into eight zones and a total of 84barangays.
Cavite City is politically subdivided into 84barangays, as indicated below and the image herein.[44] Each barangay consists ofpuroks and some havesitios.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1903 | 16,337 | — |
| 1918 | 22,169 | +2.06% |
| 1939 | 38,254 | +2.63% |
| 1948 | 35,052 | −0.97% |
| 1960 | 54,891 | +3.81% |
| 1970 | 75,739 | +3.27% |
| 1975 | 82,456 | +1.72% |
| 1980 | 87,666 | +1.23% |
| 1990 | 91,641 | +0.44% |
| 1995 | 92,641 | +0.20% |
| 2000 | 99,367 | +1.51% |
| 2007 | 104,581 | +0.71% |
| 2010 | 101,120 | −1.22% |
| 2015 | 102,806 | +0.32% |
| 2020 | 100,674 | −0.44% |
| 2024 | 98,673 | −0.48% |
| Source:Philippine Statistics Authority[45][46][47][48][49] | ||
According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 100,674 people,[50] with a density of 9,200 inhabitants per square kilometer or 24,000 inhabitants per square mile.
According to 2000 census data, Christianity is the most prevalent religion in Cavite City, and a majority of Caviteños practice Roman Catholicism. Other Christian religious groups in the city include theAglipayan Church,Iglesia ni Cristo (I.N.C),Jehovah's Witnesses,United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP),Jesus Is Lord Church (JIL), TheUnited Methodist Church,Presbyterian Churches,Baptists and Bible Fundamental churches,Seventh-day Adventist Church,Members Church of God International orAng Dating Daan,The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and other UPC churches. A Muslim minority is also present in the city.[51]
TheNuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga (Our Lady of Solitude of Porta Vaga) is viewed as the patroness of Cavite City. She is revered by Catholics as the Celestial Guardian and Protector of the Province ofCavite since her arrival. The image of Our Lady of Porta Vaga is designated as a National Cultural Treasure[52] by the National Museum. It is the oldest existingMarian painting in the Philippines.
The image of the virgin is painted on a canvas. Mary, clothed in black and white like a lady in mourning, kneels as she contemplates the passion of her son. Before her are the crown of thorns and the nails used during the Crucifixion. An inscription was found on the back of the painting –A doze de Abril 1692 años Juan Oliba puso esta Stma. Ymagen Haqui, which means, "The sacred image was placed here by Juan Oliba on April 12, 1692". This particular icon was used to bless the galleons sailing between Cavite and Acapulco (Mexico) during formal sending off ceremonies, and was also called the Patroness of the Galleons.
The image was originally enshrined at theErmita de Porta Vaga, a small church adjacent to the Porta Vaga Gate, which was destroyed during World War II. The image is presently enshrined at the San Roque Parish Church, one of the three parishes in the city.
Chabacano is a Spanish-influencedcreole language formerly spoken by majority of the people living in the city. Chabacano emerged sometime after the arrival of the first Spaniards and Mexicans in the late 16th century. During this period, the people that lived near the military arsenal in Cavite City communicated with Spaniards and Mexicans and began to incorporate Spanish words into their vernacular. Today, a majority of residents speakTagalog.
Today, Chabacano is generally considered to be dying, with only a fraction of people, mostly elderly, able to speak the language. According to the Philippine professor Alfredo B. German, who wrote a thesis on the grammar of Chabacano, the present conditions do not encourage people to learn the language. There are many likely reasons for the diminishing of Chabacano, such as the influx ofTagalog-speaking migrants and intermarriage.
Philippine writer and poet Jesus Balmori expressed himself in Chabacano, and wrote several verses in it. Don Jaime de Veyra, writer and famous Philippine historian, wrote the following lines: "I am afraid that the inevitable absorption of the 'Tagalog invasion' on one side and the 'invasion of the English' on the other hand, will wipe out or extinguish this inherited Castilian language in existence with its last representatives in the following generation." Professor Gervacio Miranda, who also wrote a book in Chabacano, said in his preface: "My only objective to write this book is to possibly conserve in written form the Chabacano ofCavite for posterity," fearing the extinction of the language.
Poverty incidence of Cavite City
Source:Philippine Statistics Authority[53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60]
The city is home to the Annual Cavite City Water Festival or Regada, held from the 17th to the 24th of June. It is a festive and religious celebration of the feast of St. John the Baptist. Regada started in 1996, and features thePaulan orBasayawan, which is a street party where celebrators dance under water sprinklers.[61][62]
Another celebration is the Feast for Our Lady of Solitude of Porta Vaga, which is annually observed by local Catholics during every second Sunday of November.[63] The Cavite Fiesta reached its peak of grandeur between 1880 and 1886 under Governor Don Juan Salcedo y Mantilla de los Rios. Postponed in 1882 due to a cholera epidemic, the celebration resumed on January 20–21, 1883, with the governor invitingprincipalias from across the province. The day began with jubilant church bells and cannon salvos, as town officials, brass bands, and various community leaders paraded in colorful uniforms.
Cavite's streets transformed into a spectacle: vibrant arches, multicoloredbanderitas, and effigies of historical figures adorned every corner.Calle Real glowed with crystal lanterns, while streets leading to the Ermita were lined with temporary stalls selling unique delicacies likesingkamas in brown syrup, local sweets, and fruits, alongside Manila ice cream vendors. Households rivaled Christmas spreads with lavish tables featuring Spanish-influenced gastronomical delights such aspaella,cocido Madrileno, andtamales.
Afternoons brought civic parades with bamboogigantes and native games likejuego de toro at Plaza de Armas, alongside military exhibitions. The fiesta's pinnacle was the magnificent procession of theVirgen de la Soledad. Her route was brightly lit, carpeted, and covered with canvases. Borne on a silvercarroza adorned with golden doves and ivory angels, her approach was heralded by the sweet pealing ofcampanillas. The day concluded with fireworks and a reenactment of the Virgin's conversation with the soldier at Porta Vaga. Genoveva Edroza, a Filipino writer, confirmed that Rizal's depiction of the San Diego fiesta inNoli Me Tangere was, in fact, based on Cavite's own grand celebrations.
Other notable holidays include the observance of Julián Felipe's birthday (January 28). Felipe, who composed the Philippine National Anthem, was born and raised in Cavite City.[64][65] The city's Charter Day, known locally as simply Cavite City Day, which commemorates the signing of the city charter in 1940, is held every September 7.[66][67]
Food in Cavite City is influenced by its Spanish heritage combined with Filipino tradition. One popular native dish is bacalao (sauteedcodfish), which is served during the Lenten season. A variation ofbibingka locally known asbibingkang samala can also be found in the city. This delicacy is made of glutinous rice (malagkit), coconut milk and sugar.[68]
The only road connecting Cavite City to the rest of Luzon is theNational Route 62, which begins at P. Burgos Avenue in Caridad district and continues towards Noveleta as the Manila–Cavite Road (not to be confused withManila-Cavite Expressway).[69] A proposal to construct an expressway from Kawit to Cavite City via Bacoor Bay has been raised to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). When realized, the expressway would serve as a link toManila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEx).[70][71]
Cavite City has one military airbase,Danilo Atienza Air Base,[72] located at Sangley Point. The airport is operated by thePhilippine Air Force. It was formerly a US Naval Base, calledNaval Station Sangley Point, until it was turned over to the Philippine government in 1971.[73] Portions of Danilo Atienza Air Base were converted intoa civilian airport, built as a solution to the overcrowding ofNinoy Aquino International Airport.[74][75]
As of 2019, no active water-based public transportation services were based in Cavite City.[76]Metrostar Ferry, which began operations in 2007, used to serve trips from San Roque district toPasay, Metro Manila.[77][78] A new service from the Intramuros district of Manila to the nearby town of Noveleta to the south debuted in January 2018 and is currently the nearest water-based transport to the city.
Water services are currently provided byMaynilad.[79][80] Electric services are currently provided byMeralco.
The flag of the city was created by Mayor Timoteo O. Encarnacion Jr., and was adopted by theSangguniang Panlungsod through Resolution No. 95-081 dated September 6, 1995, in time for the 55th Cavite City Charter Day. The meaning and significance of the flag components are:
The current seal of the city was designed by Mayor Timoteo O. Encarnacion, Jr. It was adopted by theSangguniang Panlungsod through Resolution No. 140-90, then approved by the Local Executive on September 7, 1990. On November 3, 1993, theNational Historical Institute and the president, through theDepartment of the Interior and Local Government, issued a Certificate of Registration recognizing the new seal.
The shield stands for bravery and fortitude. The colors red, white, blue, yellow stand for the loyalty of the people to its government. The inclusion of the rays portrays the role of Cavite as one of the original provinces that rose up in arms against Spanish domination in 1896 in thePhilippine Revolution.[7]
The white triangle inscribed within the shield with the letters KKK at the corners represents the part played by The city in the organization of theKatipunan. DonLadislao Diwa of the city was one of the triumvirate who organized the patriotic group. ManyKatipuneros came from the city.
Within the white triangle are symbols representing various events:
Cavite City has twosister cities, as designated bySister Cities International:
Melilla, Spain
San Diego,California, United StatesThe galleon activities also attracted a great number of Mexican men that arrived from the Mexican Pacific coast as ships' crewmembers (Grant 2009: 230). Mexicans were administrators, priests and soldiers (guachinangos or hombres de pueblo) (Bernal 1964: 188) many though, integrated into the peasant society, even becoming tulisanes 'bandits' who in the late 18th century "infested" Cavite and led peasant revolts (Medina 2002: 66). Meanwhile, in the Spanish garrisons, Spanish was used among administrators and priests. Nonetheless, there is not enough historical information on the social role of these men. In fact some of the few references point to a quick integration into the local society: "los hombres del pueblo, los soldados y marinos, anónimos, olvidados, absorbidos en su totalidad por la población Filipina." (Bernal 1964: 188). In addition to the Manila-Acapulco galleon, a complex commercial maritime system circulated European and Asian commodities including slaves. During the 17th century, Portuguese vessels traded with the ports of Manila and Cavite, even after the prohibition of 1644 (Seijas 2008: 21). Crucially, the commercial activities included the smuggling and trade of slaves: "from the Moluccas, and Malacca, and India… with the monsoon winds" carrying "clove spice, cinnamon, and pepper and black slaves, and Kafir [slaves]" (Antonio de Morga cf Seijas 2008: 21)." Though there is no data on the numbers of slaves in Cavite, the numbers in Manila suggest a significant fraction of the population had been brought in as slaves by the Portuguese vessels. By 1621, slaves in Manila numbered 1,970 out of a population of 6,110. This influx of slaves continued until late in the 17th century; according to contemporary cargo records in 1690, 200 slaves departed from Malacca to Manila (Seijas 2008: 21). Different ethnicities were favored for different labor; Africans were brought to work on the agricultural production, and skilled slaves from India served as caulkers and carpenters.
Witnesses said that at least 10 men took part in the ambush-killing of Rojas. The killers were riding in two cars, one of which was a heavy sedan and the other a bantam car[...]
Media related toCavite City at Wikimedia Commons
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