ANTIPOLO…The City on the mountain ridges east of Manila where the sun begins to shine. The City whose name was derived from the Tipolo trees growing indigenously on its land…trees with broad leaves that provide shade while gently fanning in the soothing breeze. Antipolo, the City of pilgrims and contemplatives, tourists and traders, artists and artisans. Rich in cultural and historical heritage, Antipolo’s history dates way before the first Franciscan Missionary recorded its work in 1578. The land was home to indigenous tribes as the Dumagats, Tagals, Indians and Aetas. Its virgin forests of varied tropical trees were also nests to a diverse wildlife. Its rich water tables gushed forth as springs and waterfalls. As the missionaries relentlessly pursued their ‘Christianization’ campaign, some natives of this town desiring to keep their own way of life moved into the hinterlands of neighboring mountains. Aside from the Franciscans, the Jesuits and the Recollects also came to evangelize. These religious congregations followed the natives in the forested mountains. Later on, the missionaries were able to establish their church and grew to the proportions it is today. More so, the famed image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, sculpted from a dark hardwood of Mexico, was permanently enshrined in Antipolo. They built a chapel in Sitio Sta. Cruz for Blessed Virgin Mary to allow the followers to show their adoration. As more pilgrims came to this town, more were encouraged to live in this town. In 1850, the town was part of the Province of Tondo. By 1853, Antipolo was formally placed under the district then known as Los Montes de San Mateo, and later named as District of Morong in 1857. It was during those years that the Virgin Mary of Antipolo gained thousands of devotees. Devotees from Manila and nearby towns and provinces flocked to Antipolo on foot along mountain trails and springs. Most of them were fair-skinned (the Tagalogs). Some frequent visitors moved to Antipolo. Among the devotees were young Jose Rizal and his mother. Two months after Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo declared the Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898 in Kawit, Cavite, Antipolo formally joined the revolutionary government and was made the capital of Morong. But when the country was colonized by the Americans on June 4, 1899, the revolutionary government was transferred to the town of Tanay. After the civil government was restored in 1901, Valentin Sumulong became the first Presidente (Alkalde) of the town. The province of Morong was renamed Rizal Province and some towns near Manila were made part of the said province. In 1903, Antipolo, Teresa and Boso-Boso were merged under Act No. 1942 having Antipolo as the center of government. On January 1, 1919 under Executive Act No. 57, Teresa was separated from Antipolo. The first town hall was built in 1925 during the administration of Mayor Jose Carigma. In 1929, German San Jose (Gerry Brandy) of Malate, Manila composed the song “Antipolo” (TayonasaAntipolo) which immediately became popular. During the Second World War (1941-1945) many men from Antipolo joined the Philippine Scout and the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) and fought in the bloody battle of Bataan. On February 17, 1945, Antipolo was heavily bombarded by American planes. Due to widespread conflagration and heavy civilian casualties, the people of Antipolo evacuated to SitioKulaike and to Angono, Santolan and Marikina. The bombings from March 6 to 7, 1945 destroyed the Antipolo church. After twelve days of battle, the American 43rd Infantry Division liberated the town on March 12, 1945. In 1960, the Poblacion was expanded. The Sumulong Highway was constructed and the people from outlying towns migrated and occupied the hills and mountain sides. In the 1970s, the Marikina-Infanta Road better known as the Marcos Highway was constructed traversing the mountains of Antipolo. Cogeo Village was also constructed and a large portion of the town was proposed for LungsodSilangan. The barrios, then known only as Uno, Dos, Tres and Cuatro, were renamed Barangay San Roque, San Jose, San Isidro and Dela Paz. The Road to Cityhood Cityhood marked the beginning of the period of Antipolo’s greatest growth and development. From being one of the municipalities of Rizal Province, Antipolo has become one of the fastest growing cities in the country today, based on annual income and population. Antipolo would not have become a city if not for the determined effort of then Undersecretary Victor Sumulong. He started the long process for Antipolo’s cityhood in 1995 with a luncheon meeting attended by political kingpins of the province. Present were Rizal Congressmen Emigdio “Ding” Tanjuatco, Jr. and Gilberto “Bibit” Duavit Sr., Governor Casimiro “Ito” Ynares Jr., and Antipolo Mayor Daniel Garcia. Duavit had to be convinced of the merits of the cityhood for Antipolo because Antipolo was within his congressional district. A bill to convert Antipolo into a city had to originate from his district. Ynares had to be persuaded because the whole province of Rizal had to back the move to convert Antipolo into a city. The support of Garcia had to be earned because if a law was passed and a plebiscite held, then, the local government of Antipolo would spend for the exercise. With the merits of cityhood presented, the political leaders of Rizal were convinced of the need for cityhood. In 1996, Duavit filed the bill for Antipolo to become a component city of Rizal. Legislation is a long and tedious process and to expedite the passage cityhood bill, Sumulong, with the backing of the two congressmen of Rizal, sought the help of key personalities in Congress. Sumulong and Duavit first talked to Speaker Jose De Venecia and were able to get him on their side. Then, they convinced the Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government, Cong. Ciriaco Alfelor. With the support of the Speaker and the committee chairman, the cityhood bill passed the committee level and then shortly, at the plenary. But for the bill to become a law, it must also pass the upper house of Congress, the Senate. Key Senators had to be sold to the idea of Antipolo’s cityhood. Sumulong talked to Senate President Neptali Gonzales as well as to Majority Floor Leader, Senator Kit Tatad who set the agenda. Then, he sought the help of Senator Tito Sotto, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government. Sumulong finally got the support of the Senate leaders and the cityhood bill mustered the needed number of senators and was passed by the Senate in record time. Finally, on February 13, 1998, President Fidel V. Ramos signed into law the bill making Antipolo City a component city of Rizal province. Difficult as the legislative hurdle was, getting the approval of the people of Antipolo proved to be an equally difficult task. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) scheduled a plebiscite on March 23, 1998, but, there was an objection filed against it. Then, Sumulong, an accomplished lawyer, argued the merits of holding the plebiscite before Comelec Chairman Bernardo Pardo. The Chairman agreed with Sumulong’s argument and ruled that the plebiscite shall be held April 4 on the same year. But another petition was filed to stop it again, this time before the Supreme Court. Sumulong had to defend the importance of the cityhood of Antipolo before the highest judicial body. He argued the case before Chief Justice Andres Narvasa, who later agreed in favor of the merits of his arguments and allowed the plebiscite to take place on April 4, 1998. The result was an overwhelming victory with cityhood prevailing by a ratio of 8 to 1. Antipolo became a component city of Rizal province and started its march to progress and development. The road to cityhood of the pilgrimage capital of the Philippines – Antipolo City – has been a long and winding one beset by obstacles on its path. But, the combined efforts and noble gesture of Sumulong, Ynares, Duavit, and Tanjuatco have surmounted the obstacles of cityhood. The precedent-setting act of Ynares, Duavit and Tanjuatco, who hailed from other towns, is considered an unparalleled statesmanship. This monumental act will remain indelibly marked in the hearts of all Rizaleños, especially the people of Antipolo.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 12:04:01 +0000
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