Marikina - History

History

In 1570, the Augustinians were the first to arrive at the valley at the spot now known as Chorillo, in Barangka. The Jesuits next came to arrive and they established a mission and built a chapel in a place now called Jesús Dela Peña, where the first mass was held in 1630. On April 16, 1630, Fray Pedro de Arce, apostolic ruler of the Archbishop of Manila, approved the transfer of ecclesiastical control and supervision to the Jesuits, and settled a place as a town. The area was later called "Mariquina" after it named to Felix Berenguer de Marquina in 1787 who was the governor-general at that time, and the town was declared a pueblo under the Spanish colonial government. That year, Don Benito Mendoza became the first Gobernadorcillo of Mariquina.

In 1800s, Hacienda Mariquina was owned and administered by the Tuazon family and had become the biggest in the Philippines. The hacienda was declared a mayorazgo by the Spanish colonial government.Don Juan Gregorio became the first Alcalde Capitan of Mariquina in 1822. In 1887, Mariquina emerged as a town of shoemakers. Shoe-making began through the pioneering efforts of Don Laureano "Kapitan Moy" Guevarra (known as the father of shoe industry in the Philippines), assisted by Tiburcio Eustaquio, Ambrocio Sta. Ines, and Gervacio Carlos.

In 1896, Andrés Bonifacio arrived in Mariquina before he and his Katipuneros proceeded to the caves of Montalban. Mariquina became the capital of the Province of Manila (which then included Rizal) in 1898, when the Philippine Revolution broke out, a period when Philippine Independence was declared by Emilio Aguinaldo, the first Philippine president. Don Vicente Gomez became the first Alcalde Presidente of Mariquina in 1900.

On June 11, 1901, shortly after the Americans took possession of the Philippines, its name officially became "Marikina" and the province of Rizal was created by virtue of Act No. 137 by the First Philippine Commission which during the time was acting as the unicameral legislative body in the island of Luzon. Marikina, along with many other towns around Manila were incorporated into the new province. Juan Chanyungco became the first Mayor of Marikina in 1938.

In 1942, the Japanese Imperial forces occupied Marikina. And in 1945, Marikina was liberated by the combined U.S. and Philippine Commonwealth ground troops who attacked the Japanese Imperial Army by artillery from Quezon City. Almost all the big buildings including the church bell tower were destroyed. In reality, the Japanese had already left town and retreating to the north. The destruction which saw over 400 civilians casualties at the end of World War II. Some the local Filipino troops under the pre-war 4th and 42nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was entering and recaptured in Marikina and helped the U.S. liberation forces attacking the Japanese troops during the liberation.

In 1956, Marikina had emerged as a town of shoemakers again after World War II. Honed by years in shoe manufacturing, the natives had developed a work ethic that prepared them for the arrival of heavy industries, and finally named as the "Shoe Capital of the Philippines". With the industrial plants came waves of workers who chose to stay, rapidly increasing the population. The city soon became a victim of runaway growth, resulting in the Marikina River being polluted by the factories and squatters along the riverbanks. Kapitan Moy's house (and now known as Sentrong Pangkultura ng Marikina) declared a national shrine in 1968, by the town council and the National Historical Commission.

On November 7, 1975, by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 824, integrating four cities and thirteen towns of Rizal including Marikina, were made part of Metropolitan Manila Area. On October 23, 1988, Typhoon Unsang brought heavy rains causing to widespread flooding in Marikina for the first time. Large part of the city was submerged by floods and many residents were stranded most of them found on their house rooftops and trees and their properties and businesses are extremely damaged.

In 1992, under the leadership of former mayor Bayani Fernando, Marikina has since been transformed into the beautiful and industrialized urban muicipality. Marikina River transform into beautiful waterways along the beautiful parks on the riverbanks. On December 8, 1996, the municipality of Marikina became a city and transformed rapidly into a highly urbanized. Marikina City classified into first class city by virtue of Republic Act No. 8223, same date as the Feast of Immaculate Concepcion.

In 2001, Marides Fernando, the wife of Bayani Fernando, was elected mayor of Marikina, while Bayani Fernando assigned as the chairman of Metro Manila Development Authority. Under Republic Act No. 9364, Marikina City was divided into two congressional districts serving two representatives in 2007. On September 26, 2009, Marikina City was suffered and widely devastated by a flash flood from overflowed Marikina River due to torrential rains caused by Tropical Storm Ondoy. Marikina River reached 23-meter high of water. Marikina was declared under state of calamity, flood water flowed thru the towns and barangays. The national and international aides arrived immediately to the city for relief, retrieval and recovery operations. Former mayor Marides Fernando and MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando rallied able to help clean up and recovery the city. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo visited the area to see the damages and relief efforts to the victims.

In 2010, Del De Guzman elected mayor of Marikina, ending Fernando's era after almost 2 decades. On August 7, 2012, Marikina City suffered due to overflowed Marikina River reached almost 20 meters, a level is enough to inundate 30% of the city, due to torrential rains caused by 8-day active Southwest Monsoon or Habagat, which this period surpassed the amount of total rainfall that bring of Tropical Storm Ondoy for just 7 hours on September 26, 2009.