Rodriguez Montalban | |
|---|---|
  .jpg)   (From top, left to right) Eulogio Rodriguez Highway, Eulogio Rodriguez Ancestral House, Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario Parish Church, Espadang Bato, Wawa Dam | |
%2c_Rizal.png) Flag  Seal | |
| Anthem: Mahal Naming Rodriguez English: Our Beloved Rodriguez | |
 Map of Rizal with Rodriguez highlighted | |
OpenStreetMap  | |
.svg)  Rodriguez Location within thePhilippines | |
| 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 toSan Mateo | October 12, 1903 |
| Reestablished | February 29, 1908 |
| Renamed as Rodriguez | November 13, 1982[1] |
| Named after | Eulogio Rodriguez |
| Barangays | 11 (seeBarangays) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Sangguniang Bayan |
| • Mayor | Ronnie S. Evangelista |
| • Vice Mayor | Edgardo Sison |
| • Representative | Dennis L. Hernandez |
| • Municipal Council | Members
|
| • Electorate | 219,447 voters (2025) |
| Area | |
• Total | 312.70 km2 (120.73 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 112 m (367 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 487 m (1,598 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 10 m (33 ft) |
| Population (2024 census)[4] | |
• Total | 451,383 |
| • Rank | 1 out of 1,489Municipalities |
| • Density | 1,443.5/km2 (3,738.7/sq mi) |
| • Households | 100,823 |
| Economy | |
| • Income class | 1st municipal income class |
| • Poverty incidence | 7.37 |
| • 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 | |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)2 |
| Native languages | |
| 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 theMunicipality of Rodriguez (Tagalog:Bayan ng Rodriguez) and still commonly known by its former nameMontalban, is amunicipality in theprovince ofRizal,Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 451,383 people,[6] 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₱691 million.[7]
The municipality's former official name of Montalban derives from theSpanish wordmonte, 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 theBatasang Pambansa officially renamed it to Rodriguez under Batas Pambansa Blg. 275 in honor ofEulogio Rodriguez, a native of the municipality who served as its first municipal president andPhilippine Senate president.[1]
Based on the 1954 journalHistory and Cultural Life of Montalban and its Barrios, what would then be the town of Montalban was formerly thebarrio ofBalite under the jurisdiction ofSan Mateo during the Spanish period.[8] San Mateo, with its large size, was partitioned on April 27, 1871, when Captain GeneralRafael 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.[9]The town was then headed by its first parish priest Fr. Eustaquio Infante ofPasig, who led the dedication of the Most Holy Rosary parish church on June 2, 1871, in the term of Gregorio Melitón Martínez asArchbishop of Manila.[8]
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 theActa de Erección (Deed of Foundation).[10] The town, including itspoblación, was initially part of theProvince of Manila, while its present-day mountainous central and eastern portion, according to old maps, was under the jurisdiction of theDistrict of Morong.[11][12] Additionally, an 1882 Spanish map indicates that the northeastern areas of the present-day municipality were once claimed as part ofBulacan.[13] The municipality was then incorporated to the newly created Province of Rizal on June 11, 1901, by virtue ofPhilippine Commission Act No. 137, after having been a part of the defunct province ofManila.[14]
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.[15] 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 formerSenate president and town nativeEulogio Rodriguez, Sr.[1]
On October 30, 1997, rebels from theNew People's Army (NPA), the militant arm of theCommunist 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 inTanay, Rizal.[16]
As early as 2018, the town's Sangguniang Bayan approved Resolution No. 60, Series of 2018 requesting the Senate of the Philippines through itspresident,Vicente Sotto III and theHouse of Representatives through itsspeaker,Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to co-sponsor a bill for Rodriguez's conversion into a city.[citation needed]
_Executive_Order_DLH-041_S-2020%2c_Header_detail.jpg)
In mid-to-late 2019, before a formal ruling could be enacted, the municipal government under the term of MayorDennis 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.[17]
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 the18th Congress,Rizal's 2nd District Representative Juan Fidel Nograles filedHouse Bill No. 337.[18][19] The bill was later substituted byHB No. 8899 filed March 5, 2021;[20] it was approved by the House of Representatives on March 17 and was received by theSenate on March 27. It was introduced by SenatorImee Marcos underSenate Bill No. 2258 on June 1.[21][22]
In the Senate hearing of the Committee on Local Government on January 21, 2022, theNational 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.[23]
With further minor amendments, the bill was approved on third and final reading on January 31. TheHouse adopted the Senate amendment and the bill was submitted to thePresident 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. Aplebiscite, having no set date, is to be supervised by theCommission on Elections.[24][25]
Rodriguez is a town of mountains. It is located on the slopes of theSierra 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, 1,469 meters (4,820 ft) above sea level.
Rodriguez makes up26.23% of the 1,191.94-square-kilometer (460.21 sq mi) total area of Rizal. Making it the largest town in Rizal province with an area of 312.70 square kilometers (120.73 square miles). The municipality bordersSan Mateo andAntipolo, Rizal on the south,Norzagaray andSan Jose del Monte, Bulacan on the north,Quezon City andCaloocan on the west,General Nakar,Quezon on the east, andTanay 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 afterSan Mateo, Rizal, andQuezon City coming fromMetro Manila. It is also the location of the Montalban Gorge that is associated with the Legend ofBernardo Carpio. The gorge forms part of a protected area known as thePamitinan Protected Landscape.
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 ofSan Mateo.[26]
The rolling slopes comprise the Marikina River Valley, where water from higher elevations drain towards theMarikina 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 ofQuezon 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.
Rodriguez is politically subdivided into 11barangays (8 urban, 3 rural), as indicated below and in the image herein [27]. Each barangay consists ofpuroks and some havesitios.
The barangays of San Isidro and San Jose are two of the most populated barangays in the municipality and in the Philippines.[28]
| 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 | +3.96% |
| 2024 | 451,383 | +0.40% |
| Source:Philippine Statistics Authority[29][30][31][32][33] | ||
In the 2020 census, the population of Rodriguez, Rizal, was 443,954 people,[34] with a density of 1,400 inhabitants per square kilometer or 3,600 inhabitants per square mile.
| 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) |
| Averageprecipitation 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[35] | |||||||||||||
Poverty incidence of Rodriguez
5 10 15 20 2000 18.69 2003 7.32 2006 5.80 2009 4.47 2012 5.09 2015 4.52 2018 5.62 2021 7.37 Source:Philippine Statistics Authority[36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43] |
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 viaMarcos Highway, while some ply the route that leads toPhilcoa in Quezon City viaBatasan 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 inCainta. During the 2010s, there were additional UV Express vehicles that serve the routes toNorth EDSA in Quezon City andQuiapo in Manila, and the route to Cubao operates via Marikina and via Payatas Road.
Formerly, there was railway service under theManila Railroad Company that traversed theSan Mateo,Marikina, andPasig 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 namedDaang 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 namepatók 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 likeMakati andParañaque. However, during theCOVID-19 pandemic, theLand Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) implemented a route rationalization system forcity buses. Currently, a city bus route connects Montalban with the capital city ofManila andParañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange.
The proposed San Mateo Railway will connect the municipality of Rodriguez to theLight Rail Transit Line 2, in which 6 stations are in development.[44][45]
| 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 | 1959 | 1959 | Guillermo Cruz Sr. |
| 16 | 1959 | 1984 | Teodoro Rodriguez[47] |
| 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 |
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.[48] 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.
TheNacionalista mayoral winners are Saturnino Tiamzon (re-electionist),Angono; [...] Teodoro Rodriguez (reelectionist), Montalban[...]
Places adjacent to Rodriguez, Rizal | |
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Authority control databases: Geographic |
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