A comprehensive historical research about Taytay Rizal

I. Introduction
Over the years, Every city; every province eventually develops a story – a story that is
passed down to the next generation and these may range from the old folk tales to the most
intriguing facts about the destination. These past events and stories are what led to what we have
today. Finding out about the history of an area we live in is crucial as this will guide us to learn
more in-depth details about our location. As a result, it would make people grow more
emotionally connected to it and learn to value and comprehend the location as well as its history,
legacy, and culture.
Taytay Rizal is an urban area in Metro Manila. Some of the nearest locations to it are
Angono on the south, Antipolo on the east, Taguig and Pasig on the west, and Cainta on the
north. On top of it Taytay may be one of the smallest urban areas with only five barangays and a
land area of 38.80 square kilometers only but it is the top 1 municipality in Rizal Province.
Taytay Rizal is also second to the most known area due to its title as “ Garments Capital of the
Philippines” and considered as the biggest supplier of garments all over the Philippines. It is also
known through the famous bazaar or “tiangge” in Taytay and is always visited or the number 1
location people go to when they need different types of clothing pieces.
Furthermore, the purpose of this research is to offer more details of the said municipality
and its revolving rich culture and stories.

II. Body
A. The History of Taytay, Rizal
TAYTAY is a term with multiple roots. Words like "tayutay," "hintay-hintay," and
"itay-itay," which originated when the hamlet or barangay engaged in trade with Chinese traders,
as did other lake towns surrounding Laguna de Bay, are said to be the source of the name.
Chinese sailing ships would anchor in Manila Bay to trade with the prosperous Tondo and
Maynilad barangays, then proceed down Pasig River to participate in additional trading with
lakeside settlements that encircled Laguna de Bay. Act No. 137, passed on June 11, 1901, by the
First Philippine Commission, the island of Luzon's unicameral legislature at the time, established
the province of Rizal formally and legally also twenty-six municipalities made up the new
province: twelve from the Politico-Militar District of Morong (Angono, Baras Binangonan
Cainta, Antipolo, Cardona, Jalajala, Morong, Pililla, Tanay, Taytay, and Teresa) and fourteen
from the former Province of Manila (Las Pinas, Malabon, Makati, Paranaque, Mandaluyong, San
Juan, Navotas, Muntinlupa, Taguig, Pateros, Pasig, Marikina, San Mateo, and Montalban).
The Province of Rizal was left with 14 towns: San Mateo, Montalban, Cainta, Taytay,
Angono, Antipolo, Binangonan, Teresa, Morong, Cardona, Tanay, Baras, Pililla, and Jalajala. On
November 7, 1975, the 12 towns of Las Pinas, Paranaque, Muntinlupa, Taguig, Pateros, Makati,
Mandaluyong, San Juan, Malabon, Navotas, Pasig, and Marikina were absorbed into the newly
established Metro Manila Area by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 824.
The cuadrícula, a regular and precise arrangement of streets and blocks, served as the
framework around which houses were constructed. This was such an effective way to use the
available space. Spanish town planning followed a consistent approach that was used everywhere
and at all times. Additionally, it was accepted as the industry preferred format or technical
blueprint for building towns, cities, poblaciones, and cabezeras. It had been practiced from the
time of the Spanish colonial buildings and nipa huts to the current condos and supermalls.

B. The Historical and Heritage Sites of Taytay Rizal

Taytay Rizal may have a small area but there are multiple historical and heritage sites
it treasures and first on it is the oldest Roman Catholic Church which is the St. John the Baptist
Church that was first built in 1579 by Franciscan missionaries close to Laguna Bay using light
materials. In 1583, it was divided and became the church of Santa Ana de Sapa. Father Pedro
Chirino moved it to its current site in 1591, naming the town Saint John of Monte. It was the first
church built of stone outside of Manila. In 1630, Father Juan de Salazar rebuilt it as the larger
second stone church. In 1632, a powerful typhoon wrecked the church's roof. Under the Secular
in 1768 and the Augustinian Recollects in 1864, it was restored. In 1899, during the
Filipino-American War, it was torched once more. In order to accommodate the expanding
population during the 1970’s.
One of the most historical sites in the area is the now considered San Isidro Elementary
School since in 1956, it was originally founded as a primary school, and in 1958, it upgraded to
an elementary school and now has celebrated its 100th year. Meanwhile the original building of
the Taytay Primary School was reconstructed to become the Municipal Hall. Next is the Plaza
Libertad in where it is now built around the Hon. June V. Zapanta Emergency Hospital and the
previous plaza playground is now the San Juan Gym and the covered court. Aside from these
locations, one of the most known sites is the Taytay’s Veterans Memorial Park in which this is
the place where the people of Taytay considered as heroes during the War was buried and lastly
is the Old Municipyo or Old Municipal which is now a cultural heritage that serves as the
Taytayenos Ancestral House.

C. The Native Customs in Taytay Rizal

One of the most known native customs is the “ Padre, Tatay, Tata and Unte” in where it
was dated back during the spaniards colonization in where it was said to be about language
barrier when a friar had asked a local boy about the name of the place and as the local boy who
had not understand espanyol had called his ‘tatay’ ( father ) and the spaniards had thought it was
the name of the place and on another account is the story in where the kid called out ‘taita’ which
in spanish translation is ‘Padre’ (father or uncle) and then on they had used it to give respect to
all the religious missionaries who helped the development of the place and ‘Unte’ is a term in the
municipality that translates to Uncle and then on they had incorporated it to their customs to
called any religious missionaries either Padre, Tatay, Tata and Unte.
In the town, Tagaytay trees were widely distributed. It is said that the word Tagaytay
was changed to become Taytay's name. But the so-called Tagaytay trees have vanished from
sight in modern times. The tale is based on the legend of the Tipolo trees for Antipolo.
Another one is saying that it is derived from a bridge in which the name Taytay
originated from the native term Talaytayan, which also denoted a bamboo or wood bridge and
another of it is the Taytay's name comes from the term "tai-tai," which means "bridge" to the
Aetas who used to roam the hills around Taytay. The missionaries used Taytay as a bridge to
ascend to the summit of Antipolo and the other villages in Rizal and Laguna surrounding Laguna
Bay and Camarines in Bicol.
For once in history, Taytay's founders had given it the name San Juan del Monte. Even
though the town is still called Taytay, There is a belief that the name San Juan del Monte has
already been inscribed in Heaven and cannot be changed and it was confirmed by the historical
documents left by the leaders of faith and society who lived a very long time ago, saying that it
really was San Juan Del Monte hence the now belief chants of Taytayeños, “Mabuhay ang San
Juan del Monte! Mabuhay ang Taytay!”
 D. The Religions and Ceremonies of Taytay Rizal
According to Members Church of God International, the majority religion is Roman
Catholicism, with over 80% of people adhering to it. There are many different Christian
denominations: Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptists, Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints, El Shaddai
(movement), Methodists, Presbyterians, Seventh-day Adventists, and other Evangelical
Christians. Oneness Apostolic or Pentecostal denominations like UPC, ALJC, and ACJC, Iglesia
Filipina Independiente, Born-again Christians, Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide, and Iglesia ni
Cristo make up 2-3% of all Christian denominations. The province is also home to Muslims,
Anitists, Animists, and Atheists. Meanwhile since it is a province dominated with Roman
Catholic Religion, Taytay Rizal also adheres to ceremonies such as Semana Santa or known as
Holy week. Although there are some ceremonies that are specially made such as the HAMAKA
festival which was made up by the words, “hamba” (door jamb), “makina” (sewing machines)
and “kabuhayan” (livelihood) that symbolizes the main industries of the town such as
woodworks and garments and this is their way of giving back for the prosperous industry they
are getting.

Lastly are the persistent misinformations made in the place such as with the anomalous
hospital that would be built. In where people in Taytay protest about the demolition of the 60
years old municipal hall which is a considered heritage just to give way for the Rizal Provincial
Hospital Annex, meanwhile the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) but the demolition was still proceeded and
there is the attack towards the Taytay Advocates of Cultural Heritage (TACH) since they are
being twisted that they do not agree with the said project in where the truth is they are in favor of
the project but not in the said location.

III. Research Argument

This research project aims to provide information about the Taytay, Rizal municipality.
The research focuses on the formation of the area, the celebration of local holidays, the locals'
religious beliefs, the types of places that can be visited, and its historical background.
Additionally, it will increase people's understanding of the area. As people study history in
school, there are always frequent discussions about huge, dramatic events that had a significant
impact on a country or the entire world such as events including industrialization, world wars,
and economic depressions. Although this is merely a synopsis, it is important to understand this
subject. It is crucial to comprehend the history of the area. Both good and bad things that have
happened in the past can teach the next generations something. People can advance in a more
meaningful and collaborative way if they have a better understanding of the past.

IV. References
Taytay, Rizal Profile – PhilAtlas. (1990, May 1).

https://www.philatlas.com/luzon/r04a/rizal/taytay.html#:~:text=Taytay%20is%20a%20m

unicipality%20in,3.28%25%20of%20Rizal's%20total%20area.

Smile Taytay. (n.d.). Smile Taytay. https://www.taytayrizal.gov.ph/about

Rizal Province directory, Volume I. (n.d.).

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/p/philamer/aar6353.0001.001/13?page=root;size=100;view=i

mage

Cinco, M. (2020, November 27). Heritage advocates make last-ditch attempt to save Taytay town

hall | Inquirer News. INQUIRER.net.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1365323/heritage-advocates-make-last-ditch-attempt-to-save

-taytay-town-hall

St. John the Baptist Church, Taytay Rizal. (n.d.).

https://xgress.com/p/5c223551816b24316319a2c1

Juan, V. a. P. B. T. N. (2017, December 20). 24th of JUNE 1579: THE FOUNDING DAY OF

TAYTAY. Taytay Ni Juan.

 https://sjbptaytayrizal.wordpress.com/2014/11/14/24th-of-june-1579-the-founding-day-of

-taytay/

Rivera, C. A. (2020, December 23). Mga residente ng Taytay, Rizal, pinapatigil ang paggiba sa

isang ‘Important Cultural Property’ na munisipiyo. UPLB Perspective.

https://uplbperspective.wordpress.com/2020/12/23/mga-residente-ng-taytay-rizal-pinapati

gil-ang-paggiba-sa-isang-important-cultural-property-na-munisipiyo/