Comprehensive Historical Research of

General Trias, Cavite

The municipality of General Trias was created on December 13, 1748, and was named

after its Patron Saint, Francis of Assisi, who lived from 1181 to 1226. By a statute passed by

Emilio P. Virata during his term as representative of Cavite, 1919-1921, the town's name was

changed to General Trias in honor of Gen. Mariano Trias (1869-1914). San Francisco de

Malabon used to be a large municipality that included its current area as well as Sta. Cruz de

Malabon or Malabon el chico (now Tanza) and Rosario (previously Tejeros) were frequently

referred to by rebel Salinas. This enormous region was once part of the friars' Hacienda de San

Francisco, but Doa Isabel Gomez de Cariaga purchased it on June 14, 1788.

The "First Cry of Cavite" began in San Francisco de Malabon around ten o'clock in the

morning of August 31, 1896, when Filipino revolutionaries led by Mariano Trias, Diego Mojica,
and Nicolas Portilla took the town's tribunal. The second occurrence occurred at 12 p.m. at

Noveleta, while the third occurred between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. in Cavite el viejo (now Kawit).

On March 22, 1897, Magdiwang conducted a convention in the friar estate house in Sitio Tejero,

now part of Rosario, Cavite, where General Emilio Aguinaldo was elected president of the

Revolutionary Government in his absence.

General Mariano Alvarez of Noveleta's Sangguniang Bayan Magdiwang and San

Francisco de Malabon's Sangguniang Balangay Mapagtiis subsequently joined to become the

Magdiwang Council, with Mariano Alvarez as president. Following Andres Bonifacio's arrival in

Cavite, the Magdiwang Council was reformed, with the Katipunan Supremo becoming the

Haring Bayan (King) and Mariano Alvarez becoming the Pangalawang Haring Bayan (vice

King). From early December 1896 to March 22, 1897, when the Tejeros Convention was held,

forming the Revolutionary Government to replace the Katipunan, this was the Magdiwang

Council's makeup.
The History of the Local Place

General Trias was the first provincial governor of Cavite under the American

administration, serving with General Aguinaldo throughout the revolution and during the

Philippine-American war. General Trias, the Mabini Cabinet's secretary of the treasury, was

named by Aguinaldo as the supreme civilian and military commander in Southern Luzon shortly

after the war broke out on February 4, 1899. Trias had an agonizing reappraisal of his position 23

days after Aguinaldo's treacherous capture by the Americans in Palanan, Isabela, on March 23,

1901, and wrote to General Miguel Malvar, his second in command, that "In view of the course,

if (war) had taken, I believe it is difficult, if not impossible, for us to achieve our goal of

independence by arm struggle." As a result, Trias surrenders to the Americans in order to

continue working on "securing independence in a legal and peaceful manner."

Malvar, on the other hand, decided to fight until his soldiers, exhausted by battle and

starved for food and ammunition, essentially abandoned their commander and forced him to

surrender on April 16, 1902.

The Historical and Heritage Sites of the Place

The General Trias Church (Simbahan ng Heneral Trias), also known as St. Francis of Assisi

Parish Church, is the first Catholic parish church in the municipality of General Trias, Cavite.

The church is in General Trias' town square plaza, which was previously known as San

Francisco de Malabon in honor of the town's patron saint, Saint Francis of Assisi. It was founded

in 1611 by the Franciscans. In 1624, it was given to the Jesuits, and on September 9, 1753, it

became a separate parish. Its architectural style

is Earthquake Baroque, and its architectural type

is a church with an adjoining convent. It's a type

of Spanish Baroque architecture that was

popular in the Philippines throughout the 17th

and 18th centuries, when the country was

devastated by earthquakes. Dona Maria Josepha

de Yrizzari Y Ursula, Countess of Lizarraga oversaw the construction of the stone church in

1769. In 1834, it was renovated and expanded. During the Luzon earthquakes of 1880, the

church was partially damaged. In 1881, the facade was replaced, and in 1885, it was restored

again. In 1892, the roof tiles were replaced with curved galvanized iron roofing to provide

additional earthquake protection. In 1893, it was renovated and expanded once again. Between

1989 and 1991, the church was restored to its original glory. It was consecrated for the second
time on June 22, 1991, by Most Reverend Felix P. Perez of the Diocese of Imus, the diocese that

oversees St. Francis of Assisi Parish Church.

The Native Customs of the Place

There are a lot of festivals or gatherings that are celebrated in General Trias, Cavite.

But Karakol is the best festival in General Trias, Cavite. People who lived here are always

excited to celebrate this, there are a lot of activities like a parade where a lot of people are

dancing in the middle of the street they believed that if you will join them you will be lucky and

you will receive a lot of blessings.

The town of Assisi illuminates oil lamps for two days to honor him and remember his trip

to the afterlife. On this day, religious services are held, and some youngsters bring their pets to

be blessed. Feast of St. Francis of Asisi is a festival that is celebrating every October 4 in Cavite.

Because no one knows when St. Francis was born, we must honor his role as patron saint of the

environment on his feast day, October 4, which marks his death in 1226. Francis of Assisi,

patron saint of animals and the environment, was born between 1181-1182 in Italy.
The Religions of the Place and their Ceremonies

Most people who lived here are Catholic. St. Francis of Assisi Church is the church where

they attend mass. The General Trias Church, also known as the St. Francis of Assisi Parish

Church, is the first Catholic parish church in the municipality of General Trias, Cavite province,

Philippines. In 1834, it was renovated and expanded. The church was partially damaged by the

Luzon earthquakes of 1880. As a result, in 1881, the facade was replaced, and in 1885, it was

restored. Before the pandemic, there are a lot of people especially students visited here before

they go to their homes.

 Research Argument

The purpose of this research is to give information about the City of General

Trias, Cavite. This research is all about how the place was formed, how the people celebrated

their festivals, the religion of the people who lived there, what kind of place you can see, and the

history of it. It will also make people understand more about the place. We often hear about

enormous, dramatic events that affected a nation or the world on a large scale when we learn

history in school. Industrialization, world wars, and economic depressions are all examples of

such occurrences. This material is critical to comprehend, yet it is only a summary.

Understanding the local history or the history of the place where we lived is important because it

affects our communities and the relations to the people within them. We learn from the past, both

from the positive and negative happenings. By understanding the past, people can move forward

in a more collective and meaningful way. Life becomes more tolerable, enjoyable, and

interesting.
 Bibliography/ References

https://www.generaltrias.gov.ph/about-general-trias/history/

https://choosehappiness101.wordpress.com/2018/04/06/st-francis-of-assisi-parish-church-

general-trias-church/

https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2010/10/01/616632/general-trias-celebrates-town-fiesta

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Francis-of-Assisi