"HISTORY OF TONDO"

TONDO is considered to be over a thousand years old, having been first

referenced in the Laguna Copperplate Inscription, which can be seen in the
National Museum of the Philippines and dates from April 21, 900. Tondo is a
historical thing. Tondo hosted historic events and was home to many famous
families before it was cut off and certain sections parceled out to nearby
Binondo. Lakandula established his dominion here, and the Katipunan met for
the first time. The faithful were summoned by the huge Tondo Church. Plaza
Moriones was once the best alternative to Plaza Miranda in Quiapo. Torres
High School was one of the nation's greatest secondary schools, producing
famous graduates who excelled in journalism, literature, and public service.
Families like the Arcellanas, Malays, Aprietos, Cristobals, Cruzes, Saenzes,
Hernandezes, and others lived in localities like Gagalangin, Bangkusay,
Moriones, Juan Luna, Tayuman, Pritil, and Balut.
Tondo is an industrious, aspirational middle-class neighborhood. There are
pockets of poverty and criminality, such as the Smoky Mountain area, the
North Harbor slums, and the Dagat-Dagatan grounds, but the national
government has paid attention to these places and is working to rehabilitate
them. The district is proud of its history, culture, and economic opportunities.

History of Sto. Niño de Tondo

Parish Church
The Provincial Chapter approved the Tondo Convent on May 3, 1572, with Lubao, Betis, and Calumpit as its

visitas. It was one of the first structures established by the Spaniards in Luzon. Fr. was the parish's first
priest. Fr. Alvarado and Alonzo Alvarado, OSA As his assistant, Pedro Holgado, OSA Naga (Navotas), Misic (the
little island of Maysilo), and Bulacan became its visitas in 1575. In 1578, the friar who lived there at the
time, Fr. Geronimo Marin functioned as a go-between for Lacandola and Maestro de Ocampo Juan de Salcedo
in Navotas, facilitating calm dialogues. The Franciscans were accommodated at the Tondo convent when
their monastery was burned down in 1583. Because the San Agustin monastery was being rebuilt after a fire
in 1587, it was used as a Studium Grammaticae. The convent of Tondo had two priests serving the 6,000 souls
in the towns of Navotas and Tambobong by 1591. (Malabon). Due to its reliance on gifts from the provincial
treasury, the monastery of Tondo suffered from "want of comfort." It didn't have any estates to draw
money from, unlike others. On the other side, it was the only place near Manila where visiting priests could
stay. The monastery's condition was "very much exploited and in grave need," thus the council fathers
warned visitors not to remain too long at the convent on December 12, 1597. Furthermore, visitors were
warned that staying in the house for more than twelve hours would result in severe consequences. Visitors
who arrived after dinner had to leave before lunch the next day.
Despite its terrible financial situation, the house began accepting Augustinian candidates in 1597, and by
1599, it had expanded its jurisdiction to include the visitas of Navotas, Tambobong (Malabon), and Caloocan.
The father provincial, however, relieved Tondo from paying its yearly collection three days after the
council meeting that year because "its alms are few and the visitas are many, and most importantly,
because we don't have a house yet and need to build one since there is only one room." The prior was
allowed to buy a vegetable garden near the convent to help pay the 200 pesos due to the Manila fund. The
earliest stone monastery is thought to have been built around 1611, while Fr. The parish priest was Alonzo
Guerrero. The house of Tondo was excused of its ten percent contribution to Manila in 1620 due to
"necessary repair works of the convent and the church," and the same resolution was approved the
following year because the prior had to help the father provincial who was then residing in Tondo.