INTRODUCTION

MALABON CITY is part of the CAMANAVA sub-region of Metro Manila.

Located north side of Manila and is primarily a residential and industrial place,
thus, the city is largely populated. CAMANAVA consists of Caloocan City,
Malabon City, Navotas, and Valenzuela City. Famous for its ancestral homes that
could be compared to the old Spanish colonial mansions in Vigan, the City of
Malabon is one of the cities that make up the Metropolitan Manila.

HISTORY

According to legend, Malabon got its name from the words “maraming
labong” (plenty of bamboo shoots). This was originally called as tambobong.
The Augustinian Friars founded the town of Malabon as a “Visata” of Tondo
on May 21, 1599 and remained under the governance of Tondo from 1627 to
1688.

Malabon played an important economic role in the late 19th century with
the founding of La Princesa Tabacalera tobacco company in 1851 and
the Malabon Sugar Company in 1878. La Princesa was under the corporate
umbrella of Compañia General de Tabacos de Filipinas (owned by the Spanish
Crown), while the latter pioneered the refined sugar industry in the Philippines.

Malabon was also an important literary center of the Philippine Revolution

during the Spanish colonization in 1896. This is where the “La Independencia”
was printed in Malabon’s Asilo de Huertanos.

Then on June 11, 1901 by virtue of Philippine Act 137, Malabon was made a
municipality in the province of Rizal.

A few years later by virtue of Philippine Act 942, the municipality of

Malabon became a part of Navotas governance. It was only on January 6,
1906 when Malabon finally became an independent municipality upon
signing of Philippine Act 1441.

Malabon remained a municipality of Rizal for 70 years, and by virtue of

Presidential Decree No. 824 Malabon became a part of the National Capital
Region and no longer part of the Rizal province.
PROFILE

GEOGRAPHY
Malabon is one of the most densely populated cities in the Philippines
and its low-lying, flat terrain makes it prone to frequent flooding, especially
during high tides, heavy rains and when river and dams overflow. The four cities
in CAMANAVA are commonly affected by interconnected rivers, one of which is
the Tullahan River.
The river system used to be navigable and fishing was the major livelihood
activity in the area. The river used to be wider and deeper with better quality
water, and was a regular source of different species of fish, an important food
source for local residents. Also, trees and crops like palay (rice) and vegetables
used to be grown along the riverbanks. However, these agricultural plots have
been replaced by industrial yards, which also became home to thousands of
informal settlers who built makeshift dwellings without legal claim to the land.

Floods have worsened in recent years, occurring more frequently and

reaching depths of several feet. Most affected are families in the communities
that are along or near the riverbanks. The river has become narrower and
shallower over the years, and its capacity to hold water has decreased. With
more frequent intense rains, the riverbanks flood regularly and flooding reaches
farther into low-lying and densely populated areas of the city.

THE LAND

The city is a coastal land situated in the northern part of Metro

Manila together with Navotas, Valenzuela, Pateros, Taguig, Pasig and
Muntinlupa. Malabon is bounded in the north and northeast side by Valenzuela,
west and southwest side by Navotas and southeast side by Caloocan City
occupying a total land area of 23.4 square kilometers. The city land is generally
flat with some slopes.

THE PEOPLE

With the recent population census, Malabon City has a total population of
347,484.
LOCAL PRODUCTS

Malabon is a commercial fishing center for Manila, known for “bagoong”

(fish paste) production. Their main product is the Pancit Malabon, said to
be the one of the flavorful noodles in the Philippines. Some of its unique
ingredients are a mixture to the noodles of shrimp and shrimp juice, smoked
fish, adobong pusit (squid) and chicharon (pork rinds).

POPULATION/ LANGUAGE/ AREA

  As of 2015 census, the city had a total population of 365,525 living in the
land area of 19.714 square kilometers. The city is plainly a residential and
industrial town. The people mainly speak Tagalog.
The mode of transportation here, like the other cities in the Philippines,
are jeepney, buses, tricycle and taxicabs. Bus and jeepney rides here are not
expensive. Taxis can go to any route and tricycles are used for short distance
transportation. However during rainy season, boats are used as the major
type of transportation here thus making the traffic in the city, gaining it a title as
the local Venice of the country.
Religion

Malabon belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kalookan under the

episcopal seat of Bishop Pablo Virgilo David. Almost 80% of the people here
adhere to this religion. Today there are eight Roman Catholic Parishes in
Malabon.
Other religions in Malabon include Iglesia Filipina
Independiente (belongs to the Diocese of Rizal and Pampanga, Parish of La
Purisima Concepcion de Malabon), Baptist, Jesus the Living Stone
International Assembly of God, Iglesia ni Cristo or Church of Christ, Church of
God International, Jesus Is Lord Church, IEMELIF and Seventh-day Adventist.
LIST OF BARANGAYS (21)

* Acacia * Muzon
* Baritan * Niugan
* Bayan-bayanan * Panghulo
* Catmon * Potrero
* Concepcion * San Agustin
* Dampalit * Santolan
* Flores * Tañong
* Hulong Duhat * Tinajeros
* Ibaba * Tonsuya
* Longos * Tugatog
* Maysilo
MAJOR TOURIST SPOTS
ASILO DE HUERTANOS

This is where “La Independencia” was printed during the revolutionary

government. The house also used to be an orphanage in 1882.

ASILO DE MAYSILO

This oldest asylum ever built in Malabon during 1580-1660 by the

Augustinian missionaries.

MALABON ZOO AND AQUARIUM

The zoo houses various animals and vast array of tropical fishes which is
open for public tour. It allows tourists to actually touch and pet animals.

PAGODA-CARACOL

This celebration commemorates the Feast of Our Lady Immaculate

Concepcion every 8th of December, an annual celebration of the Catholic and
Aglipay churches. The fluvial procession starts in Malabon to Navotas Rivers,
coupled with colorful street dancing.

RIZAL SHRINE

The shrine is situated in E. Rodriguez Plaza, San Agustin community. This

marker was built in honor of the Philippine National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal.

SAN BARTOLOME CHURCH

This Church was built in 1614 by the Spaniards.

Culture
The city is considered as the local Venice, due to year-long floods and
gradual sinking. The City of Malabon is a place famous for its Pancit
Malabon and its predominantly Atlantic ambience. It is also famous for other
variety of foods (kakanin), such as puto sulot, puto bumbong, sapin-sapin,
broas,  bibingka and camachile. The culinary delights are abundant in its
specialty eateries.
Its most famous festival is the "Pagoda-Caracol", a fluvial procession
with street dancing to commemorate the Feast of the Immaculate
Conception every 8 December.

HERITAGE HOUSES
Malabon houses several old homes of historical value: the Dionisio family
home, the Rivera house, the Villongco house, the Luna house, the Martinez
house, the Chikiamco house, the Rojas-Borja house, the (Teodoro) Luna house,
the Santos-Lapus house, the Pantaleon Bautista house, the Syjuco (formerly
Gaza) house, and the Raymundo house, considered to be the oldest located
along C. Arellano Street. Other old but well-preserved heritage houses in
Malabon include the Asilo de Huérfanos, the Paez House, and the Nepomuceno
House.

NOTABLE PEOPLE
The city of Malabon is home for famous personalities in different sectors
including businessmen, celebrities, politician, among others.
Arts, science, and academia

 Benedicto Cabrera – Filipino painter, awarded National Artist of the

Philippines
 Linda Ty Casper – Writer, recipient of S.E.A. Write Award.
 Epifanio de los Santos – Historian and hero
 Dennis Relojo-Howell – Filipino blogger
 Erwin Mallari – Filipino watercolor artist
 Ismael Mallari – Literary and art critic in the Philippines
 CJ de Silva – Known as a "Gifted Child" and a "Promil Kid"
 José Zabala-Santos – Filipino cartoonist

Government, politics and society

Loren Legarda, Filipino senator and environmentalist was born in Malabon in

1960.

 Lean Alejandro – Activist, student leader, and left-wing nationalist.

 Teresa Aquino-Oreta – Former chairperson of the Senate Committee on
Education, Arts and Culture in the 11th Congress.
 Rafael Crame – Chief of Philippine Constabulary
 Epifanio de los Santos – Historian and hero
 Loren Legarda – Filipino senator and environmentalist
 Antonio Leviste – Businessman and politician
 Janet Lim-Napoles – Businesswoman who is believed to have
masterminded the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) Scam
 Antolin Oreta – Politician
 Tito Oreta – Politician
 Gregorio Sanciangco – Filipino lawyer and early advocate of economic
reforms in the Philippines
 Federico Sandoval II – Politician
 Ben Tumbling – Notorious Filipino gangster
Media and entertainment

Bayani Agbayani, Filipino host, actor, singer, and comedian lived in Malabon.

Don Pepot, comedian, actor, writer, and radio host lived in Malabon.

 Ching Arellano – Actor

 Rich Asuncion – Actress
 Ashley Cabrera – Child actress
 Angelika de la Cruz – Actress
 Vaness del Moral – Actress
 Dexter Facelo – Alamid band songwriter
 Von Flores – Actor
 Jennica Garcia – Actress
 Nathalie Hart – Actress
 Hilda Koronel – Actress
 Jessica Marasigan – Model
 Karel Marquez – Actress
 Jewel Mische – Model
 Michael Pangilinan – Singer
 Rochelle Pangilinan – Actress
 Don Pepot – Actor
 Rhian Ramos – Actress
 Erik Santos – Artist and singer
 Armida Siguion-Reyna – Actress

Sports and athletics

 Jimmy Mariano – Former Olympian and professional basketball player

 Tom Ong – Athlete who competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics and 1976
Summer Olympics
 Manny Pacquiao – (Boxer)
 Nathaniel Padilla – Sport shooter
 Phil Younghusband – Football player