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Marikina
Highly Urbanized City
City of Marikina
Cityhood Park
Seal
Nickname(s):  Shoe Capital of the Philippines
Motto(s):  "Discipline, Good Taste, Excellence"
Map of Metro Manila with Marikina highlighted
Marikina Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 14°39′N 121°06′E / 14.65°N 121.1°E / 14.65; 121.1Coordinates: 14°39′N 121°06′E / 14.65°N 121.1°E / 14.65; 121.1
Country	Philippines
Region	National Capital Region (NCR)
Province	none (Former part of Rizal province until 1975)
District	1st and 2nd Districts
Founded	April 16, 1630
Cityhood and HUC	December 8, 1996
Barangays	16 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Panlungsod
• Mayor	Marcelino Teodoro
• Vice Mayor	Jose Fabian Cadiz
• Congressman, 1st District	Bayani Fernando
• Congressman, 2nd District	Miro Quimbo
• Electorate	217,711 voters (2016)
Area  [2]
• Total	21.52 km2 (8.31 sq mi)
Elevation	14.7 m (48.2 ft)
Population (2015 census)[3]
• Total	450,741
• Density	21,000/km2 (54,000/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Marikeño
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	1800–1811, 1820
PSGC	137402000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)02
Climate type	Tropical monsoon climate
Income class	1st city income class
Revenue (₱)	1,969,606,877.82 (2016)
Native languages	Tagalog Taglish Swardspeak
Website	www.marikina.gov.ph

Marikina, (/mərɪˈkɪnə/), officially the City of Marikina, (Tagalog: Lungsod ng Marikina), or simply known as Marikina City, is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metro Manila, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 450,741 people.^[3]

Located along the eastern border of Metro Manila, Marikina is the main gateway of Metro Manila to Rizal and Quezon provinces through Marikina–Infanta Highway. It is bordered on the west by Quezon City, to the south by Pasig and Cainta, to the north by San Mateo and to the east by Antipolo, the capital of Rizal province.

Marikina was the provincial capital of the Province of Manila from 1898 to 1899.^[4] It then became one of the towns of Rizal Province prior to the formation of Metro Manila. A formerly rural settlement, Marikina is now primarily residential and industrial, and has become increasingly commercial in recent years. Marikina is also considered one of the wealthiest local government units in the Philippines.^[5]

Marikina was given the title "Shoe Capital of the Philippines" because of its notable shoe industry,^[6] being the biggest manufacturer of shoes in the Philippines, producing almost 70% of shoes manufactured in the country.^[7] The Philippine International Footwear Center is located here where top quality shoes can be found, and the Shoe Museum houses the largest pair of shoes in a museum, as well as the famous shoe collection of the former First Lady, Imelda Marcos.^[8]

The city is under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Antipolo. It is the site of the oldest church in the valley, Nuestra Senora de los Desamparados, originally built in 1572 as a bamboo structure.

Etymology

In view of the non-existence of records or documents on how the name Marikina came into being, the following legends were gathered from elder residents of the different barrios in Marikina.^[9]

• One of the builders of the Jesus dela Pena Chapel was a young priest named "Mariquina", who was given the task of baptizing children to Christianity. Because of this very noble job, Mariquina was named in his honor.


• It is said that before the Spaniards came to Mariquina, a beautiful, virtuous, polite and intelligent lady named Maria Cuina was residing in the town. Because of her expertise in business, she became wealthy, and her fortunes were expended in charity. She eventually became famous in the whole town up to Manila.


• Construction of the chapel of Jesus dela Peña was supervised by a Jesuit priest, and the laborers were Filipinos. As expected, the language barrier resulted in the usual misunderstandings. When the chapel was completed and the priest asked what the structure would be called, one worker answered "Marikit-na-Po", thinking that what was being asked was the condition of the chapel.


• In the province of Nueva Viscaya in Spain, there was a beautiful town called Mariquina. The town, located beside the Charmaga River (now known as Artibai River), is the origin of the Jesuit priests who came to the Philippines and established Jesus dela Peña. Because of this, "Mariquina" was used to honor the place where they came from. In 1901, Commissioner de Tavera changed the letter "q" to "k".


• Based on history and documents in the custody of the municipal government of Marikina, the town was called Marikit-na in 1787 and was later changed to Mariquina. According to Dr. Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, the word Mariquina was in recognition of Capt. Berenguer de Mariquina who led the town in 1788.

Geography

Marikina River

Marikina lies on the so-called Marikina Valley, which extends to the south toward Pasig City and Cainta, Rizal. Sierra Madre mountains lie to the east and Quezon City hills to the west. Marikina River runs through the mid-west portion of the city, with its tributary including Nangka River. Nangka River runs through the north slicing between Marikina and San Mateo, while the small waterway called Sapang Baho Creek slicing the southeast between Marikina and Cainta and Antipolo City.

The total land area of Marikina is approximately 21.5 square kilometers (km²) or 2,150 hectares (ha). This represents about 3.42% of the total land area of Metro Manila. At present, the city is composed of 16 barangays. Barangays Fortune, Concepcion Dos and Marikina Heights are among the largest in terms of land area.^[10]

The south portion of the city comprises numerous commercial, industrial and residential areas, heritage sites and mixed use zones, while the north and northeast portion are primarily residential and industrial zones, and various establishments such as small and medium enterprises. Loyola Grand Villas, located at the northwest portion of the city, is a gated community comprising upper-middle class and wealthy residential areas. Barangay Sta. Elena represents a poblacion, or the center of Marikina. At present, it comprises 38% residential, 19% commercial and industrial, 17% Roads, 8% Mixed-use, 18% for parks and open spaces, development areas, institutional, cemeteries and others.^[11]

Physiography zones

Boundaries

Located along the eastern border of Metro Manila, it is bordered on the west by Quezon City, to the south by Pasig City and Cainta, Rizal, to the north by San Mateo, Rizal and to the east by Antipolo City, the capital of Rizal province. It is approximately 21 kilometers away from Manila and lies within 14°38′24″N 121°5′50″E / 14.64000°N 121.09722°E / 14.64000; 121.09722.

From the north, Marikina occupies most of the south bank of Nangka River. The east slices at the foot of the Sierra Madre mountains of Antipolo and sliced by the streets of Montserrat Hill, Bonanza and Starlite in Barangay Concepcion Dos. The southeast slices by Sapang Baho River occupies the north-west bank. The south portion is sliced by Marcos Highway and occupies most of the north side of the highway and extends to the west until it occupies the LRT-2 Santolan Station depot until it reaches the Marikina River. The east occupies the southernmost of Quezon City hills which lies in Barangay Industrial Valley and sliced by C5 Road occupies the west side until it reaches Ateneo de Manila University campus. The east part of the campus covers the city, extending to the north and sliced by several roads of Loyola Grand Villas, which covers the east part of the village until it reaches Marikina River and its tributary Nangka River to the north.

Marikina River

Marikina River runs to the western part of the city and surrounded by many lush trees in the Marikina River Park on the riverbanks. The south portion of the river is surrounded by structures and concrete walkways. The river covers an area of around 220 hectares and measures about 11 kilometers in length, and is the principal drainage system for Marikina. Its depth measures from 12 meters up to 18 meters during heavy downpour. Rehabilitation of the River started in 1992. The river traverses 11 city barangays which have streets and alleys going to the river, making river parks easily accessible. River parks today are popular sports and recreational centers not only in Metro Manila but throughout the Philippines.

Natural disasters

Marikina is prone to various natural disasters, including 2009 Typhoon Ketsana, and southwest monsoon flooding such as 2012 Habagat. Primarily, flooding within Marikina is caused by the increase of water level in major rivers and its tributaries, followed by overflowing from its riverbanks to low-lying areas throughout the city.

Another major threat is earthquakes in Marikina. West Valley Fault System, previously known as Marikina Valley Fault Line, lies at the west of Marikina. The east of the fault line, in which a large portion of Marikina is included, is constantly sinking.^{[citation needed]}

Climate

Marikina features a tropical monsoon climate. Its proximity to the equator means that the temperature range is very small, rarely going lower than 18 °C (64 °F) or higher than 38 °C (100 °F). However, humidity levels are usually very high, which makes it feel much warmer. It has a distinct, relatively short dry season from January through May, and a relatively lengthy wet season, from June through December.

History

Early history

Jesus dela Peña Chapel

The first settlers were descendants of Lakan Dula in the 1560s and the area is part of Kingdom of Tondo, followed by Augustinians were the first to arrive at the valley in the 1570s^{[citation needed]}, at the spot known as Chorillo in Barangka. In 1572, Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish was established. Next came the Jesuits in 1630, in a place now called Jesus dela Peña (Jesus of the Rocks). Here, the Jesuits established a mission and built a chapel still known today as Jesus dela Pena Chapel. Fray Pedro de Arce, apostolic ruler of the Archbishop of Manila at that time, approved transfer of ecclesiastical control and supervision to the Jesuits, and settled the place as a town.^[12]

In 1665, an intensity 8 earthquake struck the valley and nearby Manila,^{[citation needed]} and it is related to the activity now known as Marikina Valley Fault System. Only a Jesuit church experienced great damage and resulting 19 dead on the said earthquake.

Felix Berenguer de Marquina

In 1787, the town was called "Mariquina" after Felix Berenguer de Marquina, who was the governor-general at that time, and the town was declared a pueblo under the Spanish colonial government.^[13]

By the 19th century, Hacienda Mariquina was owned and administered by the Tuason family and had become the largest in the Philippines. The hacienda was declared a mayorazgo by the Spanish colonial government. Don Juan Gregorio became the first Alcalde Capitan of Mariquina in 1822.

During the Philippine Revolution in 1896, Andrés Bonifacio arrived in Mariquina before he and his Katipuneros proceeded to the caves of Montalban. Mariquina became the capital of the Province of Manila in 1898, when the Philippine Revolution broke out, a period when Philippine Independence was declared by Emilio Aguinaldo, the first Philippine president. Don Vicente Gomez became the first Alcalde Presidente of Mariquina in 1900.

20th century

On June 11, 1901, shortly after the United States took possession of the Philippines, its name officially became "Marikina". The province of Rizal was created by virtue of Act No. 137 by the First Philippine Commission which was acting as the unicameral legislative body in the island of Luzon. Marikina, along with many other towns around Manila, was incorporated into the new province.

In 1906, the Manila Railroad Company completed a 31-kilometer steam train line called "Marikina Line", also known as Rosario-Montalban branch, a branch of Philippine National Railway which is currently existing^[14] (converted into the road which is known today as Daang Bakal, including Shoe Avenue), Marikina Railway Depot (Marikina Elementary School in the present-day) and Marikina Railway Station, connecting Montalban and Rosario (known today as Tramo, in Pasig).^[15] Marikina Bridge, a vital economic link to Manila, was formally opened in 1934. During the construction of the train line, not far from Marikina Railway Depot, Marikina Airfield was completed and used for civilian airfield.^[16] The runways were subsequently converted into the road known today as E. Rodriguez Avenue and E. Santos Streets, and the airfield stands today as Paliparan Subdivision. In 1936, the train line was completely abandoned, while the airfield became primarily used by the Japanese during World War II.^{[citation needed]} After the war, neither was rebuilt.

In 1942, Japanese Imperial forces occupied Marikina. The town was liberated in 1945 by combined U.S. and Philippine Commonwealth ground troops, who attacked the Japanese Imperial Army by artillery from Quezon City. Almost all of the large buildings, including the church bell tower, were destroyed. In reality, the Japanese had already left the town and retreated to the north. The town saw over 400 civilians casualties by the end of World War II. Local Filipino troops under the pre-war 4th and 42nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army entered Marikina and assisted U.S. forces in attacking Japanese troops during the liberation.^{[citation needed]} The general headquarters of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was rebuilt and stationed in Marikina after the war.

In 1956, Marikina had re-emerged as a town of shoemakers after World War II. Honed by years of shoe manufacturing experience, the natives had developed a work ethic that prepared them for the arrival of heavy industries, and the town was finally named as the "Shoe Capital of the Philippines". With the industrial plants came waves of workers who chose to stay, rapidly increasing the population. In 1968, Kapitan Moy's house (now known as Sentrong Pangkultura ng Marikina) was declared a national shrine by the town council and the National Historical Commission. In 1969, Rodriguez Sports Complex, known today as Marikina Sports Center was completed.

On November 7, 1975, by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 824, four cities and thirteen towns of Rizal, including Marikina, were made part of Metropolitan Manila Area. On October 23, 1988, Typhoon Unsang brought heavy rains, causing widespread flooding in Marikina for the first time. Large parts of Marikina was submerged by floods and many residents were stranded on their house rooftops and trees, and their properties and businesses were extensively damaged.^{[citation needed]}

By 1992, Marikina had become an industrialized urban municipality under the leadership of Bayani Fernando. Marikina River was transformed into a waterway, with the Marikina River Park along the riverbanks. On December 8, 1996, the municipality of Marikina became a city and transformed rapidly into a highly urbanized. Marikina became a First Class City by virtue of Republic Act No. 8223,^[17] the day of the Feast of Immaculate Concepcion, signed by President Fidel V. Ramos.

21st century

In 2006, under Republic Act No. 9364 signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Marikina was divided into two congressional districts being served by two representatives in 2007.^{[citation needed]} Barangays Fortune and Tumana were created and became independent in 2007.

On September 26–27, 2009, Marikina was widely devastated by a flash flood from the overflowing Marikina River, due to torrential rains caused by Tropical Storm "Ondoy" (Ketsana). The river reached the 23-meter mark, the worst flooding in two decades. The city was declared under state of calamity, as flood water flowed throughout the towns and barangays. National and international aides arrived immediately for relief, retrieval and recovery operations.

Demographics

The native people in Marikina refer to themselves as "Marikeño" (or Marikenyo, in Filipino). The population of Marikina is near half a million, making it one of the most densely populated areas in the Philippines. Like other places in Metro Manila, the original settlers are Tagalog. There has been a constant migration of other ethnic groups in the Philippines. Tagalog is widely spoken and the main language in Marikina, while English is used in education and business.

Religion

Marikina 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 Our Lady of the Abandoned Church, completed in 1572, is the seat of Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados, the Patron Saint of Marikina. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic.

Other Christian faiths in Marikina including Iglesia ni Cristo, Seventh-day Adventist Church, Members Church of God International, Philippine Independent Church or popularly known as Aglipayan Church is the second largest catholic denomination in Marikina, Jesus Miracle Crusade, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more than a dozen Baptist churches and other small Christian groups. Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch) headquarters are located in the city. Other small religions in Marikina are Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam.

Economy

Riverbanks Center at night

Sale shoes in Shoe Gallery inside Riverbanks Mall

Shoe industry

Marikina is the biggest manufacturer of quality shoes in the Philippines. It is also the Philippines' largest worldwide exporter of leather shoes that tagged Marikina as the Shoe Capital of the Philippines. Hundreds of footwear establishments are located throughout the city, generating thousands of jobs and city financial resources that continue to make the shoe and leather industry the top livelihood in the city. By the 2000s, the Marikina shoe industry was affected by competition from Chinese manufacturers.^[21]

Commercial and industrial centers

The financial resources of Marikina is scattered all over the city, but the southern part is primarily concentrated which includes business establishments and commercial facilities, while the northern part is factories and warehouses. Riverbanks Center is the city's commercial center situated southwest of the city where shopping malls and recreation areas are located. Real estate, commercial developments and numerous commercial establishment along Marcos Highway and Sumulong Highway are developing. Restaurants, cafés, diners and entertainment bars are concentrated in Gil Fernando Avenue, J. P. Rizal Street, Bayanbayanan Avenue and Lilac Street.

Fortune Avenue is home to some of major companies such as Fortune Tobacco, Philip Morris, Armscor and Noritake. Sumulong Highway is the center of business and trade, and it has mixed establishments such as banking, small shops, retail shops, electronics, and appliances. Almost all of major international and local commercial and government banks in the Philippines operate branches in the city.

Local markets

Dubbed as Marikina Market Mall, Marikina Public Market is a centralized modern market and an attraction for shoppers with a mall-like ambiance. The market is divided into two sections: the dry goods and the wet goods. Commerce in this market is active mostly during early mornings and late afternoons. There are also food stalls and eateries located inside the market.

Some of Marikina's local products are handicrafts, sweet delicacies, leathers, clothing, food processing, bags, accessories, and footwears.

Shopping centers

SM City Marikina is currently the largest shopping mall in the city, while Riverbanks Center, a community shopping complex situated near Marikina River is a popular outlet store in the eastern Metro Manila region. Other shopping malls located in the city are Blue Wave Marquinton Mall, Graceland Plaza, C&Ps Circle Mall and Ayala Malls Marikina. Other shopping centers located along Marikina-Infanta Highway are Sta. Lucia East Grandmall, Robinsons Metro East, Ayala Malls Feliz and SM City Masinag which are more closely to Marikina than to their respective city proper.

SM City Marikina at the left and the bridges of Marcos Highway, Macapagal-C5 Road and LRT-2 Line crossing over Marikina River at the right

Local government

Marikina City Hall, in front, is the statues of former mayor

Like in other city governments in the Philippines, Marikina is governed by a mayor and a vice mayor elected to three-year terms. The mayor is the executive head and leads the city's departments in executing city ordinances and improving public services, along with city councilors, while the vice mayor heads a legislative council, and these councilors represent the two (2) legislative districts of the city. The council is in charge of formulating and enacting city ordinances.

Marikina, being a part of the Metro Manila region, has its mayor in the Metro Manila Council headed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). This council formulates development plans that seek to solve the problems and improve the conditions in the metropolis.

Marikina is made up of 16 barangays which handle governance in a much smaller area. These barangays are grouped into the aforementioned legislative districts. Each district is represented by a congressman, in turn, is represented in the House of Representatives of the Philippines

Barangays

Marikina Justice Hall

Plaza delos Kapitanos, located in Barangay Barangka near barangay hall

Marikina is subdivided into 16 barangays.^[22]
Its barangays are grouped into two districts for city council representation purposes. The first district encompasses the southern section of the city, while the second district encompasses the northern section.

Mayors

City seal

The official seal of the City of Marikina bears the inscriptions "Lungsod ng Marikina", "Pilipinas", "1630" (the founding year of the municipality), and "1996", the year of approval of the city charter. The two mountains represent the majestic twin ranges of the Cordillera and Sierra Madre, between which the Marikina Valley is nestled, traversed by the Marikina River. The rising sun points to the eastern location of the city, with each ray representing the city's barangays. The machinery gear symbolizes its industries and the shoe last represents the traditional manufacturing in the city. The torch focuses on the lofty and noble ideals for human development and a better quality of life, and is symbolic of its Hispanic culture and tradition. The bamboo underscores a mixture of the people's natural humility and strength of character and also emphasizes the city's transition from an agricultural past to the urbanized, industrial present; the leaves and branches symbolize order and serenity. The bamboo and the wheel represent Marikina and its people's respect for and protection of the environment so as to remain in harmony with progress.^[24]

Culture

Our Lady of Abandoned Parish Church

Sentrong Pangkultura ng Marikina

Shoe Museum

Attractions

Cuisine

Local cuisines such as Everlasting, a popular dish in Marikina similar to embutido but it is cooked in "llanera", Waknatoy, a unique dish is simply a variant of Menudo with addition of pickles which gives waknatoy a sweet-tangy flavor and Laoya, a dish similar to Nilaga with addition of pounded garlic, sweet potato and banana (Saba).

Lilac Street in SSS Village includes a strip of restaurants featuring food from different parts of the world with the likes of Singaporean, Japanese, Thai, American, and Filipino Cuisine. The local government of Marikina recently^[when?] hosted a Food Festival to promote this part of town.

Festivities

Marikina's festivities is rich in culture, tradition and the people itself. The traditional dance in Marikina is Lerion, the official folk dance of Marikina.^[25]

Some of the local festivities in Marikina includes: Ilognayan Festival, a cultural event is about letting the people know about the Marikina River’s significance which held in February along the Marikina River; Ka-Angkan Festival is a feast coincides with the founding anniversary of Marikina on April 16. It is an event that honors the large native clans of the city that have unique monikers; Marikina Christmas Festival/Shopalooza, is a long holiday festival which filled with stalls selling a wide variety of goods at affordable prices. The festival starts as early as October, and runs until February of the following year, mostly concentrated in Marikina River Park and Riverbanks Center; Rehiyon-Rehiyon Festival, a festival that showcases the various ethnic groups that make up the people of Marikina. It serves as a tribute to the active community who came from other regions of the country and chose to settle in Marikina. It proves that unity can be achieved despite diverse backgrounds and different dialects. The festival celebrates every year on December 8, where Marikina was established as a city; and lastly, the Sapatos Festival, since Marikina was tagged as the Shoe Capital, the city celebrates the Sapatos Festival every year, from mid-September until the year ends. This is a celebration of the ingenuity and craftsmanship of shoemakers in Marikina. It gives due recognition to their hardship and the local shoe industry itself.

Sports

Marikina Sports Complex

Marikina Sports Center, also known as Marikina Sports Park (formerly known as Rodriguez Sports Center), is a prominent structure located in the heart of Marikina. It features an Olympic-size swimming pool, a 15,000-seater grandstand, 400-meter oval, a sports building, an indoor gymnasium and several courts. The area has been host to several sports competitions both national and regional as well as entertainment such as grand concerts, finals night and live television shows.

The stadium is also home to the JPV Marikina F.C., a football club which currently plays in the Philippines Football League, the premier football league in the Philippines.

Transportation

Marcos Highway

Santolan LRT Station

LRT 2 crossing over Marikina River

Public transport

Like in most of the urban areas in the Philippines, is facilitated mostly using inexpensive jeepneys. Buses mostly in highways, tricycles give access to more secluded areas like villages and subdivision, while taxi cabs are available throughout the city. Tamaraw FX has begun to compete directly with jeepneys in major roads while UV Express Shuttle services are also available in selected terminals. In January 2016, the city government of Marikina invented the "AMV" or "Adaptive Mobile Vehicle" for the PWD or Person with Disabilities and Senior Citizens. The "AMV" is wheelchair vehicle or can put wheelchair inside. The local government of Marikina wants to be a "friendly city" for the Senior Citizens.

The city has developed a network of bike lanes along major roads and city streets, as well as the riverbanks of Marikina River.

A bike lane was introduced in 2012, this time beside major highway like Marcos Highway, running from Santolan station of LRT-2 up to Imelda Avenue.^[26]

Roads

Marcos Highway (R-6) (also known as Marikina-Infanta Road), is the main highway east of Metro Manila connecting Metro Manila, Rizal Province and Quezon Province. Other major networks in the city are A. Bonifacio Avenue, Sumulong Highway, J. P. Rizal Street, Gil Fernando Avenue, Shoe Avenue, Fortune Avenue, Bayan-bayanan Avenue, General Ordoñez Street and C-5 Access Road connecting Riverbanks Avenue.

Major bridges including Marikina Bridge, Marcos Bridge, Diosdado Macapagal Bridge, Nangka Bridge, Gil Fernando Bridge and Modesta Bridge. These bridges are accessed and spans by Marikina River and its tributary Nangka River. Overpass or flyovers are concentrated southwest of the city such as SM Marikina overpass, Marcos overpass, C5 Access overpass and Barangka Aqueduct.

Railways

An elevated LRT-2 runs through the city and the current elevated railway station is Santolan, the east-end station of the line, located along Marcos Highway, just the border of Barangay Calumpang in Marikina and Barangay Santolan in Pasig. The station connects to the west-end, Recto Station, along Claro M. Recto Avenue in Manila.

The Manila Railroad Company (now Philippine National Railways) previously has line to Montalban traversing Marikina with the main station and three flag stations in Santo Niño, Bayan-Bayanan, and Nangka. Services ceased in 1936.
Only the Marikina station building exists. Located at Shoe Avenue between D. Victorino St. and H. Roxas St.

Waterways

Marikina River is the main waterway in Marikina and the main transportation is river ferries. Sto. Niño Ferry Station are under construction, and once completed, it will provide more efficient transportation for commuters, while Riverbanks Ferry Station still abandoned.

Public services and utilities

Health

Amang Rodriguez Medical Center

Marikina Health Office is a center of health services in the city and responsible for providing healthcare services as well as planning and implementation of the health care programs provided by the city government. It operates health centers and lying-in clinics of each barangays to provide basic medical services in the community. Local government provides free medical and dental missions, health seminars and check-ups, proper disposal and hygiene training, special services for senior citizens, pregnant women and children, and other free medical operations. It also has a privilege card that offers discount fees and free services such as emergency, medical, safety and security services.^{[citation needed]}

Amang Rodriguez Medical Center is a public major and prominent hospital in Marikina as well as its neighboring cities and towns, while medical centers such as Marikina Valley Medical Center and St. Anthony Medical Center, are private major hospitals. Other several city hospitals are found across the city including Sta. Monica Hospital, St. Vincent General Hospital, Victoria Hospital, Garcia General Hospital, Immaculate Concepcion Hospital, and among others.

Safety and security

Fire truck of Rescue 161

Emergency Operation Center

Marikina Rescue 161 is a 24-hour emergency service responds to all calls within the city for assistance during emergency situations in 5 minutes. The office also conducts seminars and trainings on first-aid among its staff to upgrade skills especially Marikina is vulnerable in calamities like floods, fire, and earthquakes.

Marikina Police Station is responsible law enforcement, under the Eastern Police District (EPD) of National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Marikina Fire Department provides fire and emergency services, under Fire District IV (FD4) known as the Eastern District Fire of Bureau of Fire Protection National Capital Region (BFPNCR) of Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Communications

Marikina has its own radio station, the Radyo Marikina, through its Public Information Office, and it considered as the first local government radio station in the Philippines. Its frequency is 1674 kHz in Metro Manila and formerly known as DZBI.

Education

Marikina Science High School

OLOPSC Quadrangle

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina (PLMar) is the first city government-funded university offers different courses while Marikina Polytechnic College (MPC) is a city-state college offers mostly technical courses, both are government-owned institutions. Other prominent college includes Roosevelt College Marikina, a private non-sectarian college named in honor of the American president Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Numerous campuses of information technology and computer colleges such as AMA Computer College East Rizal, STI College Marikina, Informatics International School, International Electronics and Technical Institute, Asian Institute of Computer Studies, Deeco Technological Institute, Expert Information Technology Education Center and others are growing in the city. The city also offers vocational courses such as National Cottage Industries Technology Center.

Marikina Science High School (MSHS), is the first city public science high school in Marikina. Marikina Catholic School is a private sectarian institution and it is considered as the city's center of Catholic educational institution located in Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish complex. Other sectarian schools such as Marikina Christian Integrated School, National Christian Life College and Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College (OLOPSC).

Private school such as Mother of Divine Providence School, St. Nicholas School, Holy Trinity School, Charis School, Infant Jesus Academy, San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila School, Kostka School, Ingenium School Foundation, and some exclusive schools such as Marist School and St. Scholastica's Academy are also found in the city.

Manila Boystown Complex, is a government-owned institution and facility is exclusively for abandoned, forgotten, and voluntarily surrendered children, teenagers, and senior citizens. Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) located near the city hall, is responsible for managing and supervising technical education and skills development in the city.

Aside from these institutions, each barangay in Marikina has at least one public school. A total of 17 primary public schools and 14 secondary public schools scattered all over the city under the supervision of Department of Education.

Sister cities

Marikina has sister cities and friendship agreements with foreign and local cities.

Wikinews has related news: Brampton, Canada and Marikina, Philippines seeing double as cities twin

See also

• Legislative districts of Marikina City


• List of renamed cities and municipalities in the Philippines


• Marikina Polytechnic College


• Marikina Valley


• DZBF Radyo Marikina 1674

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Marikina City.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Marikina.

• Official website of the City Government of Marikina


• 
  Geographic data related to Marikina at OpenStreetMap