Marikina

Marikina, officially the City of Marikina, is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 456,159 people.
Located along the eastern border of Metro Manila, Marikina is the main gateway of Metro Manila to Rizal and Quezon provinces through Marikina–Infanta Highway. It is bordered on the west by Quezon City, to the south by Pasig and Cainta, to the north by San Mateo, and to the east by Antipolo, the capital of Rizal province.
It was founded by the Jesuits on the fertile Marikina Valley in 1630 and the area was called Jesus dela Peña (Jesus of the Rocks) and later on called Mariquina. Marikina was the provincial capital of the Province of Manila under the First Philippine Republic from 1898 to 1899 during the Philippine Revolution. Following the onset of American occupation it was then organized as a municipality of Rizal Province, prior to the formation of Metro Manila in 1975. Formerly a rural settlement, Marikina is now primarily residential and industrial and has become increasingly commercial in recent years. The City of Marikina is considered one of the wealthiest local government units in the Philippines.
Marikina is known as the "Shoe Capital of the Philippines" owing to its famous shoe industry. It is the biggest manufacturer of shoes in the Philippines, producing almost 70% of shoes made in the country. Located in the city are the Philippine International Footwear Center and the Shoe Museum, housing the infamous shoe collection of former First Lady Imelda Marcos, wife of the late Filipino president, dictator, and kleptocrat Ferdinand Marcos.
The city is under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Antipolo. It contains the Our Lady of the Abandoned Church, the oldest in the Marikina Valley, built in 1572.
Etymology
In view of the non-existence of records or documents on how the name Marikina came into being, the following legends were gathered from elder residents of the different barrios in Marikina.
One of the builders of the Jesús de la Peña Chapel was a young priest named "Mariquina", who was given the task of baptizing children to Christianity. Because of this very noble job, Mariquina was named in his honor.
It is said that before the Spaniards came to Mariquina, a beautiful, virtuous, polite, and intelligent lady named Maria Cuina was residing in the town. Because of her expertise in business, she became wealthy, and her fortunes were expended on charity. She eventually became famous in the whole town up to Manila.
Construction of the chapel of Jesús de la Peña was supervised by a Jesuit priest, and the laborers were Filipinos. As expected, the language barrier resulted in the usual misunderstandings. When the chapel was completed and the priest asked what the structure would be called, one worker answered "Marikit-na-Po", thinking that what was being asked was the condition of the chapel.
In the province of Viscaya in Spain, there was a beautiful town called Mariquina. The town, located beside the Charmaga River (now known as Artibai River), is the origin of the Jesuit priests who came to the Philippines and established Jesús de la Peña. Because of this, "Mariquina" was used to honor the place where they came from. In 1901, Commissioner de Tavera changed the letter "q" to "k".
Based on history and documents in the custody of the municipal government of Marikina, the town was called Marikit-na in 1787 and was later changed to Mariquina. According to Dr. Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, the word Mariquina was in recognition of Capt. Berenguer de Marquina who led the town in 1788.
History
Spanish colonial era
The Augustinians were the first to arrive at the valley in the 1500s, at the spot known as Chorillo in Barangka. In 1572, Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish was established. Next came the Jesuits in 1630, in a place now called Jesús de la Peña (Jesus of the Rocks). Here, the Jesuits established a mission and built a chapel still known today as Jesús de la Pena Chapel. Fray Pedro de Arce, apostolic ruler of the Archbishop of Manila at that time, approved transfer of ecclesiastical control and supervision to the Jesuits, and settled the place as a town.
In 1665, an intensity 8 earthquake struck the valley and nearby Manila, and it is related to the activity now known as Marikina Valley Fault System. Only a Jesuit church experienced great damage and resulting in 19 deaths in the said earthquake.
In 1787, the town was called "Mariquina" after Felix Berenguer de Marquina, who was the governor-general at that time, and the town was declared a pueblo under the Spanish colonial government.
Marikina was once the Hacienda Sauza-Berenguer de Marquina (1809–1870), the land and home was formerly owned by Don Santiago Sauza y Delos Rios (1777–1880) and his wife Dona Ysabel Berenguer de Marquina y Sumulong (1790–1900). Moreover, Doña Ysabel Berenguer de Marquina y Sumulong (November 19, 1790, Cagsawa, Daraga, Albay, Philippines – January 30, 1900, Banwa, Batan, Aklan, Philippines) was the only daughter of Doña Demetria Sumulong y Lindo and of Señor Felix Berenguer de Marquina y FitzGerald, the former Governor-General of the Philippines. By the 19th century, Hacienda Mariquina was eventually owned and administered by the Tuason family and had become the largest 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.
During the Philippine Revolution 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 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.
American invasion era
On June 11, 1901, shortly after the United States took possession of the Philippines, its name officially became "Marikina". The province of Rizal was created by virtue of Act No. 137 by the First Philippine Commission which was acting as the unicameral legislative body in the island of Luzon. Marikina, along with many other towns around Manila, was incorporated into the new province.
In 1906, the Manila Railroad Company completed a steam train line called "Marikina Line", also known as Rosario-Montalban branch, a branch of Philippine National Railway which is currently existing (converted into the road which is known today as Daang Bakal, including Shoe Avenue), Marikina Railway Depot (Marikina Elementary School in the present-day) and Marikina Railway Station, connecting Montalban and Rosario (known today as Tramo, in Pasig). Marikina Bridge, a vital economic link to Manila, was formally opened in 1934. During the construction of the train line, not far from Marikina Railway Depot, Marikina Airfield was completed and used for the civilian airfield. The runways were subsequently converted into the road known today as E. Rodriguez Avenue and E. Santos Streets, and the airfield stands today as Paliparan Subdivision. In 1936, the Marikina Line was abandoned.
In 1939, the barrios of Balara, Barranca (Barangka), Jesus de la Peña, Krus na Ligas, Tañong, and the site of the new UP Campus were separated from Marikina to form part of the newly established Quezon City. In 1941, the barrios of lower Barranca and Jesus de la Peña were returned to Marikina.
Japanese occupation era
In 1942, during the World War II, Japanese Imperial forces occupied Marikina. The town was liberated in 1945 by combined United States and Philippine Commonwealth ground troops, who attacked the Japanese Imperial Army by artillery from Quezon City. Almost all of the large buildings, including the church bell tower, were destroyed. In reality, the Japanese had already left the town and retreated to the north. The town saw over 400 civilians casualties by the end of World War II. Local Filipino troops under the pre-war 4th and 42nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army entered Marikina and assisted U.S. forces in attacking Japanese troops during the liberation. The general headquarters of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was rebuilt and stationed in Marikina after the war.
Philippine independence
In 1956, Marikina was given the title of "Shoe Capital of the Philippines", has re-emerged as a town of shoemakers after World War II. Honed by years of shoe manufacturing experience, the natives had developed a work ethic that prepared them for the arrival of heavy industries. With the industrial plants came waves of workers who chose to stay, rapidly increasing the population.
In November 1959, Osmundo de Guzman was elected mayor of Marikina.
In 1968, Kapitan Moy's house (now known as Sentrong Pangkultura ng Marikina) was declared a national shrine by the town council and the National Historical Commission. In 1969, Rodriguez Sports Complex, known today as Marikina Sports Center was completed.
On November 7, 1975, by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 824, four cities and twelve towns of Rizal, including Marikina, along with the town of Valenzuela in Bulacan, were made part of Metropolitan Manila Area.
Since as early as 1937, Marikina had suffered flooding, which was caused by the swelling of the Marikina River. In late October 1988, the municipality was among the hardest-hit by Typhoon Ruby (Unsang); heavy rains caused the river rising to 19 meters, and with high water level of Laguna Lake as well, these led to massive, then-record flooding that stranded several residents and seriously damaged the Marikina Valley, among others, particularly in Provident Subdivision in Santo Niño where water reportedly reached high.
By 1992, Marikina had become an industrialized urban municipality under the leadership of Bayani Fernando. Marikina River was transformed into a waterway, with the Marikina River Park along the riverbanks.
In 1994, less than a month prior to the public release of the movie "Massacre Files" ("Marikina Files" as earlier reported) by Regal Films, it was criticized by the local government, citing that it may damage the image of the locality, with mayor Fernando questioning the claim that it was based on police files. The movie depicted three of seven highly-publicized rape-murder cases occurred from 1993 until late January of 1994; majority were claimed solved by the municipal police.
Cityhood
Then district representative Romeo Candazo authored the cityhood filed in the Congress which, on November 6, 1996, was signed into law by President Fidel V. Ramos as Republic Act (RA) No. 8223. A plebiscite was held on December 7 in 577 polling precincts.
Low voter turnout was observed as the plebiscite was marred by reports of disenfranchised voters, as well as disinformation campaign which prevented residents to vote, with five individuals apprehended; barangays of Concepcion, Daang Bakal area, and parts of Barangay Malanday and then-sitio Tumana, Candazo's bailiwicks, held boycotts. Candazo later denied allegations that he campaigned for a boycott and his camp waged the disinformation.
Meanwhile, a delay of counting of ballots due to lack of Commission on Elections personnel led to some 200 teachers abandoning their posts, taking with them canvassing sheets and less than 16,000 unvalidated ballots. The counting proceeded with some employees of the local government treasury assisted in validation of votes. Despite the turnout yet the majority ratified the cityhood, the following day, the COMELEC eventually declared the municipality as a highly urbanized city, citing that the unvalidated ballots does not affect those counted already. Marikina became the ninth city in Metro Manila.
Contemporary
In 2006, under RA No. 9364 signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Marikina was divided into two congressional districts, being served by two representatives since 2007. Fortune and Tumana, two sitios in barangays Parang and Concepcion Uno respectively, were converted into independent barangays, the city's newest (15th and 16th), in 2007.
On September 26, 2009, Marikina was severely affected by Tropical Storm Ketsana (Ondoy), which submerged majority of Metro Manila, with Marikina River reaching a record high, more than 21 meters, and half of its barangays flooded, particularly in Tumana (also the hardest-hit by the 2012 rains); resulted to 70 deaths and more than ₱27 million worth of damage. Almost the same scenario occurred in the city upon being hit by Tropical Storm Meari (Falcon) in June and Typhoon Nesat (Pedring) in November of 2011; the monsoon rains
(habagat) of August 2012; Tropical Depression Josie in July and Tropical Storm Karding in August of 2018. On November 12, 2020, the river water level rose to another record high at 22 meters during Typhoon Vamco (Ulysses), which killed 25 people.
Geography
Marikina lies on the so-called Marikina Valley, which extends to the south toward Pasig and Cainta, Rizal. Sierra Madre mountains lie to the east and Quezon City hills to the west. Marikina River runs through the mid-west portion of the city, with its tributary including Nangka River. Nangka River runs through the north slicing between Marikina and San Mateo, while the small waterway called Sapang Baho Creek slicing the southeast between Marikina and Cainta and Antipolo.
The total land area of Marikina is approximately . This represents about 3.42% of the total land area of Metro Manila. At present, the city is composed of 16 barangays. Barangays Fortune, Concepcion Uno, and Marikina Heights are among the largest in terms of land area.
The south portion of the city comprises numerous commercial, industrial and residential areas, heritage sites and mixed use zones, while the north and northeast portion are primarily residential and industrial zones, and various establishments such as small and medium enterprises. Loyola Grand Villas and Trevi Executive Village, located at the northwest portion of the city, are gated communities with upper-middle class and wealthy residents. Barangay Santa Elena represents a poblacion, or the center of Marikina. At present, it is 38% residential, 19% commercial and industrial, 17% Roads, 8% Mixed-use, 18% for parks and open spaces, development areas, institutional, cemeteries and others.
Located along the eastern border of Metro Manila, it is bordered on the west by Quezon City, to the south by Pasig and Cainta, Rizal, to the north by San Mateo, Rizal and to the east by Antipolo, the capital of Rizal province. It is approximately away from Manila and lies within .
From the north, Marikina occupies most of the south bank of Nangka River. The east slices at the foot of the Sierra Madre mountains of Antipolo and sliced by the streets of La Milagrosa Village and Empress 1 Subdivision of Barangay Marikina Heights and Rancho Estate 2 in Barangay Concepcion Dos. A huge hilly lot within streets of Tanguile and Champaca in Marikina Heights proof that the portion is part of Sierra Madre Mountain range. The southeast slices by Sapang Baho River occupies the north-west bank. The south portion is sliced by Marcos Highway and occupies most of the north side of the highway and extends to the west until it occupies the Line 2 Santolan Station depot until it reaches the Marikina River. The east occupies the southernmost of Quezon City hills which lies in Barangay Industrial Valley and sliced by C5 Road occupies the west side until it reaches Ateneo de Manila University campus. The east part of the campus covers the city, extending to the north and sliced by several roads of Loyola Grand Villas, which covers the east part of the village until it reaches Marikina River and its tributary Nangka River to the north.
Marikina River runs to the western part of the city and surrounded by many lush trees in the Marikina River Park on the riverbanks. The south portion of the river is surrounded by structures and concrete walkways. The river covers an area of around and measures about in length and is the principal drainage system for Marikina. Its depth measures from 12 meters up to 18 meters during the heavy downpour. Rehabilitation of the River started in 1992. The river traverses 11 city barangays which have streets and alleys going to the river, making river parks easily accessible. River parks today are popular sports and recreational centers not only in Metro Manila but throughout the Philippines.
Marikina is also prone to various natural disasters, including the major floodings during the onslaught of Typhoon Unsang in 1988, Typhoon Ondoy in 2009, Tropical Storm Falcon and Typhoon Pedring in 2011, seasonal southwest monsoon in 2012 and 2016, and Typhoon Ulysses in 2020. Primarily, flooding within Marikina is caused by the increase of water level in major rivers and its tributaries from the Sierra Madre mountains, followed by overflowing from its riverbanks to low-lying areas throughout the city.
Another major threat is fault lines in Marikina caused by earthquakes. West Valley Fault Line, previously known as Marikina Fault Line, lies at the west Marikina.
Physiography zones in Marikina
Barangays
Marikina is politically subdivided into 16 barangays. Its barangays are grouped into two districts for city council representation purposes. The first district encompasses the southern section of the city, while the second district encompasses the northern section. Among these barangays, 11 are traversed by Marikina River mostly on the west section of the city.
Climate
Marikina features a tropical monsoon climate. Its proximity to the equator means that the temperature range is very small, rarely going lower than or higher than . However, humidity levels are usually very high, which makes it feel much warmer. It has a distinct, relatively short dry season from January through May, and a relatively lengthy wet season, from June through December.
Demographics
The native people in Marikina refer to themselves as "Marikeño" (or Marikenyo, in Filipino). According to the 2015 Census, the population of the city was 450,741. The population of Marikina is near half a million, making it one of the most densely populated areas in the Philippines. Like other places in Metro Manila, the original settlers of Marikina were Tagalog. There has been a constant migration of other ethnic groups in the Philippines. Tagalog is widely spoken and the main language in Marikina, while English is used in education and business.
Religion
Marikina was one of the seats of the Spanish colonial government in past centuries and has been used as the base of Roman Catholic missions to the Philippines. Religious orders include the Dominicans, the Franciscans, the Jesuits and the Augustinians, which were the first to arrive in Marikina.
The Our Lady of the Abandoned Church, completed in 1572, is the seat of Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados, the Patron Saint of Marikina. The majority of the city's population is Roman Catholic.
Alternative incarnations of Christianity are promoting their version of faith in the Philippines includes Iglesia ni Cristo, Seventh-day Adventist Church, Members Church of God International, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Philippine Independent Church or popularly known as Aglipayan Church, the second-largest catholic denomination in Marikina, and among other small Baptist churches and Christian groups. Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch) headquarter is located Barangay Sto. Niño. Other small religions in Marikina are Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Sikhism.
Economy
Commercial and industrial
The financial resources of Marikina are scattered all over the city, but the southern part is primarily concentrated which includes business establishments and commercial facilities, while the northern part is factories and warehouses. Riverbanks Center is the city's commercial center situated southwest of the city where shopping malls and recreation areas are located. Real estate, residential condominiums, and commercial establishments along A. Bonifacio Avenue, Marcos Highway, and Sumulong Highway are developing. Restaurants, cafés, diners, and entertainment bars are mostly concentrated along Gil Fernando Avenue, J. P. Rizal Street, Bayanbayanan Avenue, and Lilac Street
Fortune Avenue is home to some of major companies such as Fortune Tobacco, Philip Morris, Armscor and Noritake. Sumulong Highway is the center of business and local trade, and it has mixed establishments such as banking, boutiques, retail shops, electronics, appliances, and other consumer needs. Almost all the major international and local commercial and government banks in the Philippines operate branches in the city.
Shopping centers
SM City Marikina is currently the largest shopping mall in the city, while Riverbanks Center, a community shopping and commercial center is one of the most popular outlet stores in the Philippines. Other shopping malls located in the city are Blue Wave Marquinton Mall, Graceland Plaza, C&B Circle Mall, Xeland XentroMall, CitiCentre, and Ayala Malls Marikina while Sienna Towers Residences Shopping Complex is one of the upcoming shopping centers in the city.
Other shopping centers just next to the Marikina boundary are Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall and Robinsons Metro East (near Barangay San Roque), and Ayala Malls Feliz (near Barangay Calumpang), all are located along Marikina-Infanta Highway which of these malls are more closely and accessible to Marikina than to their respective city proper.
Public market
The Marikina Market Mall, a public market in the city is a centralized modern market, converted streets into commercial and market lanes, and is one of the most popular and largest public markets in Metro Manila. The market is divided into two sections: the dry goods and the wet goods. Commerce in this market is active mostly during early mornings and late afternoons. There are also food stalls and eateries located inside the market. Some of Marikina's local products are handicrafts, sweet delicacies, leather, clothing, food processing, bags, accessories, and footwear.
Shoe industry
Marikina is the biggest manufacturer of quality shoes in the Philippines. It is also the Philippines' largest worldwide exporter of leather shoes tagged Marikina as the Shoe Capital of the Philippines. Hundreds of footwear establishments are located throughout the city, generating thousands of jobs and city financial resources that continue to make the shoe and leather industry the top livelihood in the city. By the 2000s, the Marikina shoe industry was affected by competition from Chinese manufacturers.
Government
Local government
Like in other city governments in the Philippines, Marikina is governed by a mayor and a vice mayor elected to three-year terms. The mayor is the executive head and leads the city's departments in executing city ordinances and improving public services, along with city councilors, while the vice mayor heads a legislative council, and these councilors represent the two legislative districts of the city. The council is in charge of formulating and enacting city ordinances.
Marikina, being a part of the Metro Manila region, has its mayor in the Metro Manila Council headed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). This council formulates development plans that seek to solve the problems and improve the conditions in the metropolis.
Marikina is made up of 16 barangays that handle governance in a much smaller area. These barangays are grouped into the aforementioned legislative districts. Each district is represented by a congressman, in turn, is represented in the House of Representatives of the Philippines
List of mayors
Claudio Cruz (1861)
Vivencio Cruz (1889)
Remigio Victorino (1893-1894)
Domingo Victoriano (1895-1896)
Vicente Gomez (1900-1903)
Domingo Victoriano (1904-1905)
Ceferino Legazpi (1908-1909)
Isabello Mendoza (1910-1911)
Catalino Cruz (1912–1918)
Jesus Villalon (1926-1928)
Wenceslao dela Paz (1929-1937)
Juan Chanyungco (1938–1945)
Enrique dela Paz (1945)
Gil Estanislao Fernando (1946–1951)
Juan Chanyungco (1951–1955)
Gil Estanislao Fernando (1955–1959)
Osmundo De Guzman (1959–1986)
Teofisto Santos (1986)
Rodolfo Valentino (1986–1987; 1988–1992)
Guillermo S. Flores (1987–1988)
Bayani Fernando (1992–2001)
Maria Lourdes Fernando (2001–2010)
Del De Guzman (2010–2016)
Marcelino Teodoro (2016–present)
City seal
The official seal of the City of Marikina bears the inscriptions "Lungsod ng Marikina", "Pilipinas", "1630" (the founding year of the municipality), and "1996", the year of approval of the city charter. The two mountains represent the majestic twin ranges of the Cordillera and Sierra Madre, between which the Marikina Valley is nestled, traversed by the Marikina River. The rising sun points to the eastern location of the city, with each ray representing the city's barangays. The machinery gear symbolizes its industries and the shoe last represents the traditional manufacturing in the city. The torch focuses on the lofty and noble ideals for human development and a better quality of life and is symbolic of its Hispanic culture and tradition. The bamboo underscores a mixture of the people's natural humility and strength of character and also emphasizes the city's transition from an agricultural past to the urbanized, industrial present; the leaves and branches symbolize order and serenity. The bamboo and the wheel represent Marikina and its people's respect for and protection of the environment so as to remain in harmony with progress.
Culture
Local cuisines such as Everlasting, a popular dish in Marikina similar to Embutido but it is cooked in "lyanera", while Waknatoy, a unique dish is simply a variant of Menudo with the addition of pickles which gives Waknatoy a sweet-tangy flavor, and Laoya, a dish similar to Nilaga with the addition of pounded garlic, sweet potato and saba banana.
Marikina's festivities are rich in culture, tradition, and the people themselves. Several ancestral houses can be found along J. P. Rizal Street in Barangay Santa Elena. Teatro Marikina is the center of the performing arts in Marikina. The traditional dance in Marikina is Lerion, the official folk dance of Marikina.
Some of the local festivities in Marikina include: Ilognayan Festival, a cultural event that is about letting the people know about the Marikina River's significance which is held in February along the Marikina River; Ka-Angkan Festival is a feast that coincides with the founding anniversary of Marikina on April 16. It is an event that honors the large native clans of the city that have unique monikers; Marikina Christmas Festival/Shopalooza/ChristmaSaya, is a long holiday festival filled with stalls selling a wide variety of goods at affordable prices. The festival starts as early as October, and runs until February of the following year, mostly concentrated in Marikina River Park and Riverbanks Center; Rehiyon-Rehiyon Festival, a festival that showcases the various ethnic groups that make up the people of Marikina. It serves as a tribute to the active community who came from other regions of the country and chose to settle in Marikina. It proves that unity can be achieved despite diverse backgrounds and different dialects. The festival celebrates every year on December 8, when Marikina was established as a city; and lastly, the Sapatos Festival, since Marikina was tagged as the Shoe Capital, the city celebrates the Sapatos Festival every year, from mid-September until the year ends. This is a celebration of the ingenuity and craftsmanship of shoemakers in Marikina. It gives due recognition to their hardship and the local shoe industry itself.
Sports
Teams
Marikina's professional basketball team is the Marikina Shoemasters of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), which joined the league in the 2018–19 season. Its volleyball counterpart, the Marikina Lady Shoemasters are one of the founding members of the grassroots Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA). Marikina also used to be home to JPV Marikina F.C., which last played in the Philippines Football League (PFL) in 2018.
Marikina Sports Center
Marikina Sports Center, also known as Marikina Sports Park, located in the corner of Sumulong Highway and Shoe Avenue, is a prominent structure located in Marikina and a notable sports complex of the Philippines.
It features the football, and athletics stadium consisting of an athletics oval track, a 64 meters (210 ft) wide natural grass pitch, bicycle track, and two grandstands; the West and East Stands. The grandstands have a total seating capacity of 15,000 people. Between the West Stand and the athletics track, the basketball, volleyball, badminton, and tennis courts are located. The West Stand is situated along Shoe Avenue while the East Stand is connected to Marikina Sports Center indoor facilities such as an Olympic-size swimming pool inside an aquatics center which can accommodate 2,000 spectators, an 8-story sports building, an indoor gymnasium with a capacity of 7,000 seats, and other establishments such as sports and souvenir shops, food stalls and convenience stores.
The area has been host to several sports competitions both regional, national and international as well as entertainment such as grand concerts, finals night, live television shows, and other purposes.
Transportation
Public transport and road networks
Public transportation within the city, like in most of the urban areas in the Philippines, is facilitated mostly using jeepneys and buses. Tricycles and pedicabs give access to more secluded areas, while taxicabs and a carpooling transport system are available throughout the city. FX taxis have begun to compete directly with jeepneys on major roads while UV Express transport services are also available in selected terminals. BFCT East Metro Transport Terminal located in Marikina–Infanta Highway-C5 Interchange near SM Marikina is a major public transport terminal east of Metro Manila. It is a part of decongesting the traffic in Metro Manila and other neighboring areas that offers interisland bus service destinations.
In January 2016, the city government of Marikina invented the "AMV" or "Adaptive Mobile Vehicle" for the PWD or Person with Disabilities and Senior Citizens. The "AMV" is a wheelchair vehicle or can put a wheelchair inside. The local government of Marikina wants to be a "friendly city" for the Senior Citizens. In the early 2000s, Marikina became one of the pioneers to promote a "bicycle-friendly" city to build bike lanes along major roads and city streets. The local government constructed a 66-kilometer network of bikeways to help reduce air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, fuel consumption, and traffic congestion in the city. The bikeways project provides an estimated annual savings of 250 tons/km of carbon dioxide, 0.02 tons of particulate matter, and 0.13 tons of NOx. The World Health Organization awarded the project in 2008 in the category of climate change and health. In 2012, the longest bike lane during that time was opened along the stretch of the Marikina–Infanta Highway.
Marikina River is the main waterway in Marikina and used by local fisherfolk as a mode of river transport. River ferry terminals still not operational in the city due to the threat of overflowing water in the river during heavy downpours or typhoon season.
Road network
Marikina is accessed by the following major roads and thoroughfares:
/R-6: Marikina–Infanta Highway (formerly Marcos Highway)
: C-5 Access Road (FVR Road)
Sumulong Highway
A. Bonifacio Avenue
J. P. Rizal Street
Mayor Gil Fernando Avenue
Shoe Avenue
Bayan-Bayanan Avenue
General Ordoñez Street
Liwasan Kalayaan Street
Eraño G. Manalo Street
Major Dizon Street
Bagong Farmers Avenue
Champaca Street
Lilac Street
Katipunan Street
Fortune Avenue
Bridges
Marikina is accessed by the following major bridges:
Marikina Bridge (spans Marikina River)
Marcos Bridge (spans Marikina River)
President Diosdado Macapagal Bridge (spans Marikina River)
SM Marikina Access Bridge (spans Marikina River)
Gil Fernando Bridge (spans Marikina River)
LRT Line 2 Bridge (spans Marikina River)
Nangka Bridge (spans Nangka River)
Barangka Flyover
Water transport
The Marikina River ferry service was to begin operation with the opening of the Riverbanks and Sta. Elena ferry stations in 2008, but due to the onslaught of Tropical Storm Ketsana in 2009 and heavy rainfalls and storms the following years that caused the river to overflowed, the ferry service was canceled and ceased operation. Recently, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority is looking into plans of extending the Pasig River Ferry Service route to reach Marikina River and give commuters on the eastern side of Metro Manila an alternative and faster mode of transportation but it still undergoing vehicular planning.
Rail transport
The LRT Line 2 runs through the city, operated by the Light Rail Transit Authority. The current elevated light rail metro stations in use are Santolan station between the border of Barangay Calumpang in Marikina and Barangay Santolan in Pasig, and Marikina–Pasig station in Barangay San Roque, both are located on the stretch of Marikina–Infanta Highway. These stations connect to the west-end, Recto station in the City of Manila, and connect to the east-end terminus, Antipolo station in Antipolo, Rizal.
The following light rail metro stations in the city:
Line 2 (with 2 stations)
Santolan
Marikina-Pasig
MRT Line 7 Katipunan Spur Line
Plans were also laid out for a additional spur line, known as the MRT Line 7 Katipunan Spur Line, that aims to connect the line from MRT-7 Tandang Sora station to the east of Metro Manila. The proposed spur line will traverse in Marikina through Andres Bonifacio Avenue, Sumulong Highway, and Mayor Gil Fernando Avenue.
Line 7 (with 3 proposed stations)
Riverbanks
Sumulong
Emerald–Marikina (connected to Line 2)
Old Marikina Line (Rosario-Montalban branch)
The Manila Railroad Company (now Philippine National Railways) beforehand a line to Montalban (now Rodriguez, Rizal) traversing Marikina with the main station and three flag stations in Santo Niño, Bayan-Bayanan, and Nangka, started its operation in 1906. Currently, there is a road named "Daangbakal", also called by the present names of "Shoe Avenue Extension", "Munding Avenue" and "Bagong Silang", these roads are formerly the old tracks of Marikina Line from Tramo (now Rosario, Pasig) traversing Marikina connected up to San Mateo and ended in Montalban. In 1936, passenger operations ceased and after World War II, the line and its stations totally abandoned.
Proposed cable car system
The Manila Urban Cable Car project plans to pilot a alignment following the Marikina River profile. The proposed line will connect the Santolan station and the planned MRT-4 along Ortigas Avenue Extension in Pasig. In Marikina, from LRT-2 Santolan Station, the cable line passes through Barangay Calumpang, and Barangay Industrial Valley between FVR Road and Marikina River before heading to Eastwood City area and Pasig City. The planned cable car system would have a detachable gondola lift with enclosed 10-seater cabins. Based on the project briefer, there will be around 180 cabins. End-to-end travel time is estimated to be around 16 minutes.
Manila Urban Cable Car System (with 1 proposed station):
LRT-2 Santolan-Marikina
Public services and utilities
Health facilities
Marikina Health Office is a center of health services in the city and responsible for providing healthcare services as well as planning and implementation of the health care programs provided by the city government. It operates health centers and lying-in clinics of each barangay to provide basic medical services in the community.
Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center is a major public hospital in Marikina and one of the largest medical facilities in the east of Metro Manila and Rizal Province, while Marikina Valley Medical Center, St. Vincent General Hospital, Garcia General Hospital, St. Anthony Medical Center, and Marikina Doctors Hospital and Medical Center (located in Santolan), are some of the major private hospitals.
Safety and security
Marikina Rescue 161 is a 24-hour emergency service that responds to all calls within the city for assistance during emergency situations in 5 minutes. The office also conducts seminars and training on first-aid among its staff to upgrade skills especially Marikina is vulnerable to calamities like floods, fire, and earthquakes.
Marikina Police Station is responsible for law enforcement, under the Eastern Police District (EPD) of National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Marikina Fire Department provides fire and emergency services, under Fire District IV (FD4) known as the Eastern District Fire of Bureau of Fire Protection National Capital Region (BFPNCR) of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Education
Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina (PLMar) is the first city government-funded university to offer different courses while Marikina Polytechnic College (MPC) is a city-state technical college that offers mostly technical courses, both are government-owned institutions. FEU Roosevelt Marikina, a prominent college institution, is a private non-sectarian college named in honor of the American president Franklin D. Roosevelt and it is considered as the oldest academic institution in eastern Metro Manila.
Sectarian schools also offer college courses such as Mother of Divine Providence School, National Christian Life College and Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College (OLOPSC). Numerous campuses of information technology and computer colleges are also growing in the city. Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) located near the city hall, is responsible for managing and supervising technical education and skills development in the city.
Marikina Science High School (MSHS), is the first city public science high school in Marikina. Marikina Catholic School is a private sectarian institution and it is considered as the city's center of Catholic educational institution located in Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish complex. Manila Boystown Complex, is a Manila city government-owned institution, the facility is exclusively for abandoned, forgotten, and voluntarily surrendered children, teenagers, and senior citizens.
Preschools, daycare centers, and numerous private schools for elementary and high school are scattered all over the city including Ingenium School and Charis School. Exclusive schools such as Marist School and St. Scholastica's Academy are also found in the city.
Each barangay in Marikina has at least one public primary or one public secondary school. A total of 17 primary public schools and 13 secondary public schools in the city is under the supervision of Department of Education's Division of City Schools Marikina.
Media
Marikina has its own radio station, Radyo Marikina, a community station owned and operated by the city government. It is considered the first local government radio station in the Philippines. Its frequency is 1674 kHz in Metro Manila. The studio is located at the Public Information Office on the second floor of Marikina City Hall.
The PMCC 4th Watch, a religious group with headquarters at this city, owns and supervises Life TV and Life Radio. Their studios are located at NCLC Building in Barangay Santo Niño. Life TV broadcasts through BEAM TV nationwide digital television broadcast, in UHF Channel 50 and SkyCable channel 44.
Sister cities
Marikina has sister cities and friendship agreements with foreign and local cities. Also included neighbor cities.
Notable personalities
Julia Barretto – actress
Servando de los Angeles – author
Marck Espejo – volleyball player
Elise Estrada – Filipino Canadian singer and composer
Dindo Fernando – actor
Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa – dancer
Agot Isidro – singer
Ara Mina – actress and TV host
Ben Pinga – documentarian
Cristine Reyes – actress
Rhea Santos – newscasting journalist
Eva Le Queen – drag performer, Drag Race Philippines (Season 1) contestant
M1ss Jade So – drag performer, Drag Race Philippines (Season 2) contestant
See also
Giant shoes of Marikina
Legislative districts of Marikina
List of renamed cities and municipalities in the Philippines
Notes
References
External links
[ Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
1630 establishments in the Philippines
Cities in Metro Manila
Populated places established in 1630
Populated places on the Marikina River
Highly urbanized cities in the Philippines
Former provincial capitals of the Philippines