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San Mateo, Rizal
(Filipino: Bayan ng San Mateo, Lalawigan ng Rizal or simply San
Mateo) is a first class urban municipality of Rizal Province. Located
on the island of Luzon, San Mateo is one of 13 municipalities and a
capital city that make up the Province of Rizal, Region 4-A (Calabarzon
Region) of the Philippines. San Mateo is part of the Metro Luzon Urban
Beltway. Metro Luzon is composed of Region 3, Region 4-A (CALABARZON) and
the nearby National Capital Region. Metro Luzon is one of four Super
Regions in the Philippines. San Mateo reaches population of over 200,000
as of year 2007.
San Mateo is located
along the western border of Rizal Province, it is bordered on the west by
Quezon City, to the south by Marikina City and Antipolo City, the capital
of Rizal Province, and to the north by Rodriguez (Montalban) also in Rizal
province. It is approximately 26 km. away from Manila.
San Mateo is one of
the fast-track municipalities in Rizal Province, according to the
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Provincial Government of
Rizal. The municipality features many spacious parks, tree-lined streets
and roads, and industrial zones. Most of the municipality is composed of
residential areas and the other side is composed of tons of trees, high
plateaus and rocky mountains.
Geography
San Mateo is one of
the largest municipalities in Rizal Province in terms of land area, at
approximately 50 square kilometers. San Mateo lies in the Marikina Valley.
The valley extends south towards Marikina City, Pasig City and Cainta,
Rizal. The Marikina River runs through the western portion of the
municipality and the Nangka River runs through the southern portion. The
dynamic Sierra Madre Mountains, the longest mountain range in the
Philippines, are located at the mid-eastern portion, while the Quezon City
hills are located to the west.
San Mateo is a lush
valley bounded by mountain ranges and sliced by a river. Located along the
western border of Rizal Province, it is bordered on the west by Quezon
City, to the south by Marikina City and Antipolo City, the capital of
Rizal Province, and to the north by Rodriguez (Montalban), also in Rizal
Province. It is approximately 26 km. away from Manila and lies within
14°43′N 121°7′ECoordinates: 14°43′N
121°7′E.
The western portion
of the municipality is occupied by numerous industrial parks, business
establishments, residential areas and interesting places; it is also the
location of the "center" of the city which is the busiest district of the
municipality and the location of the municipal hall. The eastern portion
is primarily residential subdivisions and the high mountain ranges of the
Sierra Madre.
San Mateo Today
At present, San Mateo
has achieved the goal of becoming a first class municipality in the
Philippines. The municipality also now boasts of hosting land development
firms, residential realties, and industrial centers. The main road is
General Luna Avenue, connecting Marikina City to the south and Quezon City
to the west. Many establishments are now thriving in the area, such as
numerous fast-food chains, schools, businesses and commercial
establishments. The municipality has now reached a population of over
200,000 and has been cited as a first-class municipality in the
Philippines. Noted as one of the nearby gateways to Metro Manila, the
municipality of San Mateo is planning or debating to become the 2nd city
of Rizal Province as soon as possible. (The first one is the city of
Antipolo, the provincial capital.)
The Town
The town lies on a
valley called the Marikina Valley. The Marikina River runs through the
western portion of the municipality, while Nangka River runs through the
south, bounded by Marikina City. San Mateo has lush trees in other high
areas.
The Barangays
San
Mateo is politically subdivided into
14
barangays:
There are two ways to reach San Mateo.
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Passing by the Commonwealth Avenue,
coming from the Quezon City Circle, turn right at the corner
of Batasan, then go straight ahead, following the main road,
in direction of the Batasan bridge. At the end of the bridge,
you are already in San Mateo, just turn left to reach the town
proper.
Passing by C5: In Katipunan Avenue,
avoid the fly-over and turn right in Aurora Boulevard, then
turn right after the bridge over the Marikina River, then turn
left in JP Rizal Avenue (only allowed on Sundays, otherwise
take the next left and try to join JP Rizal again). You are on
your way to San Mateo. |
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Government
San Mateo is governed
by a Mayor and Vice Mayor elected to three-year terms. The Mayor is the
executive head and leads the municipal's departments in executing the
municipal ordinances and improving public services, while the Vice Mayor
heads a legislative council. San Mateo is one of the municipalities in
District 1 of Rizal Province.
Incumbent Mayor:
Jose Rafael Diaz
Incumbent Vice Mayor:
Bartolome N. Rivera, Jr.
Incumbent 1st
District Congressman (Rizal): Adelina S. Rodriguez
Landmarks
San Mateo Municipal
Hall
Nuestra Seņora de
Aranzazu Parish Church
St. Matthew College
Roosevelt College
Batasan-San Mateo
Bridge
9 Waves Water Park
Ciudad Christia
Green Nature Resort
Villa Trinidad Resort
Villa Diaz Resort
God's Love Farm and
Resort
EarthHeaven
EcoCommunity
Paraiso Memorial Park
People
The native citizens
and the people who live in San Mateo are called "San Mateans."
Ethnic Groups
Like other places in
Metro Manila and Rizal Province, the original settlers were Tagalogs.
Throughout the centuries, there has been constant migration of Spaniards,
Visayans, Bikolanos, Ilokanos, Chinese and Americans. There have also been
very small migrations from India, Korea and Japan.
Languages
The main language is
Filipino, which is based on Tagalog. In addition, due to continuous
development of the municipality, the English language is used in
education, business and industry.
Religions
San Mateo 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 south of
San Mateo. Almost 91% of San Mateans are Roman Catholic.
Nuestra Seņora de
Aranzazu, is the Patron Saint of San Mateo, and there is a parish named
after her. Other notable churches in the municipality are the Iglesia ni
Cristo and some others Christian faiths. There are also small numbers of
Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims in San Mateo.
The municipal
government prides itself in giving a free, quality education to its
children. There are also privately-owned academic institutions including
Roosevelt College San Mateo (simply "RC San Mateo" or "RCSM")
and St. Matthew College (SMC)in Ampid II, Nuestra Seņora de Aranzazu
Parochial School, located just across from the municipality hall, and
Christ the Lord of Harvest Academy(CLHA), located in Silangan, San Mateo,
Rizal. SMC and CLHA are some of the private schools in San Mateo that are
empowered and duly recognized by the Department of Education, with SMC
being the first and only PAASCU accredited school. San Mateo's literacy
rate is 94%.
Health
San Mateo has medical
missions and provides free medical operations in the municipality. There
are hospitals in San Mateo. Numerous clinics provide basic health
check-ups for San Mateans. The municipality also offers a privileges card
for discounted fees and free emergency and medical services.
Peace and Order
(need more
information about Peace and Order of San Mateo)
Tourism
San Mateo has its own
share of attractions to offer. Historical landmarks and churches,
antiquated houses, and art galleries, can be viewed by history and culture
buffs.
Festivals
These are some of the notable events in San Mateo:
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Feast of Nuestra Seņora De
Aranzazu |
October |
Nuestra
Seņora De Aranzaru Church |
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Dulong
Bayan Feast |
September 21 |
Dulong
Bayan Chapel |
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Malanday
Feast |
February 3 |
Malanday
Chapel |
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Guitnang
Bayan |
September 16 |
Nuestra
Seņora De Aranzazu Church |
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Kawan
Holiday (Kab Scout of the Phil.) |
July 21 and 22 |
All of public schools in San
Mateo |
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Source:
Wikipedia, c/o
Ms. Amy
Leonardo-Phillips, RC Batch 1994
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