Patron Saint

The St. Francis of Assisi Parish Church or known as General Trias Church (Simbahan
ng Heneral Trias) is the first Catholic parish church in the municipality of General
Trias, Cavite. The church is located at the town square plaza of General Trias,
formerly called as San Francisco de Malabon in honor of its patron saint, Saint
Francis of Assisi.

It was established by the Franciscans in 1611. It was transferred to the Jesuits in 1624
and eventually became a separate parish on September 09, 1753.

It’s architectural type is a church with attached convent, and the architectural style
is an Earthquake Baroque. It’s a style of Spanish Baroque architecture that can be
found in the Philippines, which suffered destructive earthquakes during 17th and
18th centuries.

The stone church was built in 1769 under the leadership of Dona Maria Josepha de
Yrizzari Y Ursula, Countess of Lizarraga. It was restored and enlarged in 1834. The
church was partially damaged during the Luzon earthquakes in 1880. The facade
was replaced in 1881 with further restoration in 1885. The roof tiles were replaced in
1892 with the corrugated galvanised iron roofing as further protection from
earthquakes. It was again refurbished and enlarged in 1893. The church was restored
to its former looks between 1989-1991. It was again consecrated on June 22, 1991
after its completion by Most Reverend Felix P. Perez of the Diocese of Imus, the
diocese that has jurisdiction of St. Francis of Assisi of Parish Church.

The St. Francis of Assisi Parish Church, also known as the San Francisco de Malabon
Parish Church and commonly known as the General Trias Church, is the first Roman
Catholic parish church of the municipality of General Trias in Cavite province in the
Philippines. Typical of towns established during the Spanish colonial period, the
church is located at the plaza (town square) of General Trias, which was formerly
called San Francisco de Malabon in honor of its patron saint, Saint Francis of Assisi.

The first church in General Trias was established by the Franciscans when it was
still a visita (sub-parish) of Cavite Viejo (now Kawit). It was transferred to the Jesuit
order of Cavite Puerto (now Cavite City) in 1624, eventually becoming a separate
parish on September 9, 1753.[3]

The first stone church was erected in 1769 under the leadership of Doña Maria
Josepha de Yrizzari Y Ursula, Countess of Lizarraga. It was restored and enlarged in
1834. The Luzon earthquakes of 1880 partially damaged the church. As a result, the
facade was replaced in 1881 with further restoration in 1885. The roof tiles were
replaced in 1892 with the lighter, corrugated galvanised iron roofing as further
protection from earthquakes. It was again refurbished and enlarged in 1893.[3]

Between 1989 and 1991, the church was restored to its former appearance. After
completion, it was again consecrated on June 22, 1991, by Felix P. Perez of the
Diocese of Imus in which it lies.[3

The St. Francis of Assisi Church was declared a historic structure by the National
Historical Institute of the Philippines (now National Historical Commission of the
Philippines) with the placing of a marker in 1992.[3]

Culture, beliefs, tradition

History, Culture, and Tradition in General Trias

Name Origin
General Trias was sometimes referred to as Las Estancias (the ranches) during the
earlier years of the Spanish colonial period. These ranches were previously a part of
Cavite el Viejo, the modern-day Kawit. Additionally known as Malabón Grande. The
name Malabón is thought to have originated from either the term "mayabong,"
which refers to the once-abundant trees and other plants in the region, or the local
term "maraming labong," which refers to the quantity of bamboo shoots in the
area, which are a key element in Filipino cuisine.

General Mariano Trias

About General Mariano Trias
Mariano Trias was born in Cavite and is regarded as the first de facto vice president
of the Philippine Revolutionary Government. Trias, one of the Katipunan's bravest
generals, was also a prominent nationalist and Cavite's protector against the
repressive Spanish rule in the Philippines. He founded the Nacionalista Party
chapter in Cavite, and on February 22, 1914, he passed away after an appendectomy
at the Philippine General Hospital while serving as the province's acting governor.
Although he was laid to rest in Manila, his remains were moved to his homeland in
1923. Act No. 2880 changed the name of San Francisco de Malabon, a town in Cavite,
to General Trias in his honor.

Casa Hacienda de Tejeros

Casa Hacienda de Tejeros was built in the 17th century. The Augustinian Recollects
once owned the Hacienda and the area around it. It was considered their "largest
and grandest estate in the Philippines." The hacienda covered 1,125 hectares of
arable land, the casa occupying 4 hectares.

Additional Info
Tejeros comes from the Spanish word tejer, which means "to weave", after the
weaving industry brought about by Rosario's major crops, abaca and cotton. In
1897, a significant occasion in Philippine history took place in Casa Hacienda de
Tejeros. The assembly, which became known as the Tejeros Convention, produced
the newly chosen leaders of the revolutionary administration. Emilio Aguinaldo
(President), Mariano Trias (Vice President), Artemio Ricarte (Captain General),
Emiliano Riego de Dios (Director of War), and Andres Bonifacio(Director of Interior)
were among of the elected officials.

Tejeros Convention
The Tejeros Convention was held on March 22, 1897, in an effort to settle the
conflicts between the two Katipunan factions—the Magdalo, which viewed Emilio
Aguinaldo y Famy as its leader, and the Magdiwang, which supported Andres
Bonifacio. As a result, it was decided that the Katipunan should be disbanded and a
revolutionary government should be set up.

Additional Info
Its executives were chosen by elections; Emilio Aguinaldo was chosen as president
and Andres Bonifacio, the former Katipunan commander, was chosen as director of
the interior. Initially agreeing with him, Bonifacio was offended when Daniel Tirona
opposed. In addition to establishing a new administration, Bonifacio proclaimed the
Tejeros Convention procedures null and void. This was seen as an act of treason by
the others and Bonifacio was charged with refusing to recognize newly established
Revolutionary Government. He was arrested and sentenced to death in
Maragondon, Cavite.
The Church of
San Francisco de Malabon
The Church of St. Francis
When it was still a visita of Kawit in 1611, Franciscan missionaries first constructed
the Church of San Francisco de Malabon at Gen. Trias, Cavite, as a chapel made of
flimsy materials. On September 9, 1753, it became an independent parish after being
granted to the Cavite Puerto Jesuit mission in 1624. A stone church was constructed
in 1769 under the supervision of Dona Maria Josepha de Yrizzari y Ursula, Condesa
de Lizarraga. Before singing it on June 12, 1898, at the declaration of Philippine
Independence in Kawit, Cavite, the Banda Matanda practiced the Marcha Filipina in
this chapel.

The Tree of St. Francis

The tree of St. Francis
The more than 12-year-old circular gazebo in front of the two-and-a-half
century-old Saint Francis of Assisi Parish in the poblacion of the City of General
Trias, Cavite, is not in the original blueprint of the church. The place where the
gazebo stands was purposely constructed to shield from the elements the icon of
Saint Francis of Assisi that was carved from a fallen heritage acacia tree, which had
previously stood on the spot for more than a century. According to oral history, the
tree was planted in the Philippines at the end of the Spanish colonial era by two
men: Artemio "Vibora" Ricarte, an Ilocano native and schoolteacher in San
Francisco de Malabon (now General Trias City), and Mariano Trias, a well-known
native of the town and general of the Revolution who was elected vice president of
the first Philippine Republic. The acacia played a significant role in the life of the
devotees of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of the city.

Valenciana Festival

This festival stands as a remarkable local celebration that pays homage to the rich

cultural heritage and history of General Trias. It is usually celebrated through two

main events: The Valenciana Cooking Festival and the Valenciana Festival Street

Dance and Field Presentation. The cooking competition is a way for the 33
barangays to showcase our city’s renowned culinary masterpiece, “Valenciana”, a

paella-like rice dish that symbolizes our culinary traditions, and the Street Dance

and Field Presentation Competition exhibits the vibrant spirit of our culture and

talent of various schools in the city as they fill the streets with colorful costumes

and energetic dances. The celebration is usually held from December 11-13, in line

with the annual Cityhood & Founding Anniversary.

Additional Info
A local fiesta in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It also showcases the local
delicacy of Gen. Trias which is called “Valenciana”, a Filipino Paella-like rice dish. It
is celebrated annually every December 13 in General Trias. A brainchild of the
former three-term mayor of the municipality and now the incumbent congressman
of the 6th District of Cavite Luis Alandy Ferrer IV, the Valenciana Festival was
started on December 13, 2010. It coincided with the 262nd founding anniversary of
the historic town that was used to be called by many names such as “Las Estancias”
(ranches), San Francisco de Malabon, San Francisco de Malabon Grande, Malabon,
and finally by virtue of RA 2889 was finally and officially named General Trias in
honor of the legendary General Mariano Closas Trias

Chavacano
One of the Spanish contact dialects spoken in the Philippines, it is referred to as
Chavacano. With fewer than 4,000 speakers in a city of 100,000, Cavite Chavacano is
critically endangered. The majority of fluent speakers are of the grandparent
generation or older, and it is primarily used at home. The official languages in
Cavite are English and Filipino (based on Tagalog), and these languages are used in
local communication, the media, and the educational system. In Cavite City,
Spanish is no longer widely spoken.

Town Fiesta

The City Government of General Trias Town Fiesta is a highly anticipated season of

festivities for GenTriseños and visitors alike which is held in honor of the city's
Patron Saint, St. Francis of Assisi, otherwise known as “Tata Kiko”. The celebration

consists of grand parades, processions, concerts, and various activities such as a pet

blessing or "pabialahay", which honors Tata Kiko's love for animals being the

Patron Saint of Animals and Ecology. The exact date of the Town Fiesta is on

October 4 of each year but the activities and programs usually begin prior to this

date including preparations.

References:

https://www.generaltrias.gov.ph/about/history#:~:text=Mariano%20Closas%20Trias%20was
%20born,Spanish%20rule%20in%20the%20Philippines.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Francis_of_Assisi_Parish_Church_(General_Trias)

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