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Rizal

Antipolo Cityhood Anniversary

Antipolo Cityhood Anniversary is held every 4th of April in celebration of the conversion of Antipolo, Rizal, Philippines from a municipality to a city in 1998. The date may be a special nonworking holiday through executive issuance (such as Proclamation No. 1238 in 2016).

The city also holds the Feast of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception every December 8.

History of Antipolo City

Antipolo was named after the tipolo tree (Artocarpus blancoi) that is indigenous to the Philippines and grows up to about thirty meters. Its lands were occupied by aboriginal groups like the Aetas and the Dumagats before the Spanish conquista. They were displaced by the arrival of other migrants and retreated to the hinterlands.

The coming of Christianity spelled the beginning of its reputation as the Pilgrimage Capital of the Philippines. The Franciscans were the first missionaries who preached to the natives in 1578. When they gave up their mission in 1591, the Jesuits took over and stayed until their expulsion in 1768. The secular clergy followed as the next administrator, and then the Augustinian Recollects assumed taking care of the church in 1836 until the end of the Spanish rule.

Antipolo was part of the historical province of Tondo starting in 1650 and later a capital of District of Morong in 1853. In 1899, the capital of Morong was transferred to Tanay.

Under the care of the Jesuits, they started building a church that was designated to house the miraculous Nuestra Señora dela Paz y Buen Viaje—also called Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage and the Virgin of Antipolo—which was brought by Governor Juan Niño de Tavera in 1626 and given to the church upon his death in 1632. The image was hailed as the protector of sailors involved in the Philippine-Mexico Galleon Trade, and and it joined them in their long voyages at sea eight times.

Fr. Juan de Salazar, S.J. completed church-building in 1633. It suffered both natural and man-made destruction through its storied past such as the Chinese revolt in 1639 and earthquakes in 1645 and twice in the 19th century. Hence, it had undergone numerous repairs. Its present form took shape after it was destroyed during World War II and its reconstruction was finished in 1954. It is known presently as called Antipolo Cathedral and is the seat of ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese of Antipolo.

Furthermore, it is renowned as the center of pilgrimage of canonically crowned image of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage whose devotees flock to venerate every May, including national hero Jose Rizal and his father who paid homage as a fulfillment of his mother’s vow for his safe birth.

Civil government was instituted in Antipolo in 1901, and it belonged to Rizal when the provincial government was created by virtue of Act No. 137 on June 11, 1901. In the succeeding years, several reorganizations redefined its contours, such as the separation of Teresa to become an independent town in 1919.

Antipolo became a city through Republic Act No. 8508, otherwise known as “An Act Convering the Municipality of Antipolo into a Component City to be Known as the City of Antipolo.” It was signed into law by President Fidel V. Ramos on February 13, 1998 and enacted through a plebiscite on April 4, 1998, which is the date the cityhood anniversary recalls annually.

It became the capital of Rizal by virtue of Republic Act No. 11475 that was approved by President Rodrigo Duterte on on June 19, 2020. The former capital was Pasig, a status that began in 1901 and that remained despite its separation from the province to become part of Metro Manila through Presidential Decree No. 824 on November 7, 1975.

Antipolo Cityhood Anniversary Activities

Activities of Antipolo Cityhood Anniversary include float, parade, and concert.

How to reach Antipolo City, Rizal

Book a flight to Ninoy Aquino International Airport and take a land trip to city of Antipolo, which takes about 25 kilometers with a travel time of about an hour to two hours.

References

Antipolo Cityhood Anniversary Summary

NameAntipolo Cityhood Anniversary
CelebrationCityhood Anniversary
Contact+63 286894500
CountryPhilippines
DateApril 4
Emailantipolocitygov@gmail.com
Facebookwww.facebook.com
Historical eventCityhood of Antipolo in 1998
LocationAntipolo City, Rizal
OrganizerCity Government of Antipolo
Twittertwitter.com
Websitenew.antipolo.ph