Many people today are still puzzled as to why there is a place in Pásig called Capitolio (now spelled as Kapitolyo). The name itself implies that Pásig was once a capital city. But of what, Metro Manila or nearby Rizal Province? If Pásig was indeed the capital of Rizal Province, then why is it in Metro Manila? This blogpost attempts to explain this brief intertwined history between Metro Manila and Rizal Province.

By the way, today is the anniversary of Metro Manila’s establishment. Care to celebrate? 🎂🍻🥳

The Old Rizal Province And Its Municipalities

Did you know that almost 80% of Metro Manila today was part of Rizal Province? Listed below are the municipalities of the Province of Rizal in 1901…

BRIEF HISTORY

The area which is now Metro Manila was already inhabited by the Tagálogs when the Spaniards arrived. This means that there were already thriving communities in places that we now know as Pásig, Parañaque, Taytay, and Caintâ before the Spanish advent. During the Spanish administration, provincial territories commenced with the organization of the provinces of Tondo and La Laguna.

From 1582 to 1583, the encomiendas of Morong was under the jurisdiction of La Laguna while those of Pásig, Taytay, and Taguig belonged to the Province of Tondo. In 1591, the encomiendas of Morong and Taytay were under the jurisdiction of the Franciscan Order in the Province of La Laguna while those of Navotas, Tambobo (Malabón), Tondo, Parañaque (then La Huerta, Parañaque), Longalo (Don Galo, Parañaque), Taguig, and Pásig were under the jurisdiction of the Augustinians in the Province of Tondo. In 1853, a new political subdivision was formed consisting of the towns of Antipolo, Bosoboso, Caintâ, and Taytay from the Province of Tondo; and the towns of Morong, Barás, Tanay, Pililla, Añgono, Binañgonan, and Jalajalá from the Province of La Laguna, with the capital at Morong. This district later became the Político-Militar Distrito de Morong, a special kind of province where the residents were not yet fully pacified. Then in 1860, by virtue of Circular No. 83 (dated 2 September 1859), the Province of Tondo was renamed the Province of Manila. All its towns were placed under the administration, fiscal supervision, and control of the governor of the new province. Meanwhile, the town of Mariquina (Marikina) became the capital of the Province of Manila during the tenure of the revolutionary government of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. The Province of Morong had for its capital the town of Antipolo from 1898 to 1899, and the town of Tanay from 1899 to 1900.

On 6 February 1901, the Philippine Commission sought to establish a civil government in the country through a provincial organization act after the Filipino-Spanish and Filipino-US conflicts. Therefore, on 5 June 1901, a meeting was held at the Pásig Catholic Church for the organization of a civil government in the provinces of Manila and Morong, with 221 delegates in attendance including then Governor-General William Howard Taft. The assembly agreed on the creation of a new province which was aptly named after José Rizal, the country’s foremost national hero.

On 11 June 1901, the province of Rizal was officially and legally created by virtue of Act No. 137 by the Philippine Commission which during the time was acting as the unicameral legislative body in the island of Luzón. The new province was composed of 29 municipalities, 17 from the old Province of Manila (Caloocan, Las Piñas, Mariquina [Marikina], Montalbán [Rodriguez], Muntinlupà, Navotas, Novaliches, Parañaque, Pásig, Pateros, Pineda (Pásay), San Felipe Neri [Mandalúyong], San Juan del Monte [San Juan], San Mateo, San Pedro Macati [Makati], Taguig, Tambobong [Malabón]); and 12 from the Político-Militar district of Morong (Añgono, Barás, Binañgonan, Caintâ, Antipolo, Cardona, Jalajalá, Morong, Pililla, Tanay, Taytay, and Teresa). The City of Manila from the old Province of Manila was treated as a separate entity. The seat of the provincial government was Pásig. That is why today, there is a place there called “Capitolio” (alternatively spelled as “Kapitolyo“), implying the city’s august yesteryears.

On 12 October 1939, Quezon City was established, which included parts of Caloocan and, much later, Novaliches and parts of Marikina and San Juan towns. Exactly ten years later, it was declared as capital of Filipinas. But on 24 June 1976, the capital reverted back to Manila; incidentally, it happened during Manila’s 405th foundation anniversary.

DISMEMBERMENT OF RIZAL PROVINCE AND THE BIRTH OF METRO MANILA

On 7 November 1975, by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 824, the 12 most progressive towns of Rizal were incorporated in the newly formed Metro Manila, eventually becoming the seat of government which is now officially known as the National Capital Region. Those 12 towns were: Las Piñas, Makati, Malabón, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Muntinlupà, Navotas, Parañaque, Pásig, Pateros, San Juan, and Taguig. It also included the town of Valenzuela (formerly the town of Polô in Bulacán Province) as well as the four cities of Manila, Quezon, Caloocan, and Pásay.

On the other hand, Rizal Province was left with just 14 towns: Añgono, Antipolo, Barás, Binañgonan, Caintâ, Cardona, Jalajalá, Montalbán, Morong, Pililla, San Mateo, Tanay, Taytay, and Teresa.

But always remember: the nucleus of Metro Manila is none other than Intramuros, la Manila de nuestros amores .

¡Feliz cumpleaños, Metro Manila!

_{The vintage photos of old Rizal Province’s municipal halls which appear above were taken from Joel Olivares, except for Quezon City which was from Sunday Times Magazine (uploaded by Spot). Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.}