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Navotas
Highly Urbanized City
City of Navotas
Aerial view of Navotas
Seal
Nickname(s):  Commercial Fishing Hub of the Philippines
Motto(s):  Itaas ang antas ng Buhay-Navoteño (Raise the Level of the Navoteño Life.)
Map of Metro Manila with Navotas highlighted
Navotas Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 14°40′00″N 120°56′30″E / 14.6667°N 120.9417°E / 14.6667; 120.9417Coordinates: 14°40′00″N 120°56′30″E / 14.6667°N 120.9417°E / 14.6667; 120.9417
Country	Philippines
Region	National Capital Region (NCR)
Province	none (Former part of Rizal province until 1975)
District	Lone district
Chartered	December 20, 1827
Cityhood and HUC	June 24, 2007
Barangays	18 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Panlungsod
• Mayor	John Rey Tiangco
• Vice Mayor	Clint Geronimo
• Congressman	Tobias Reynald M. Tiangco
• Councilors	List 1st District • Reynaldo A. Monroy • Gerardo T. Santiago • Richard S. San Juan • Alfredo R. Vicencio • Ethel Joy F. Arriola • Alvin Jason Nazal • 2nd District • Marielle S. del Rosario-Tumangan • Dan Israel Ang • Ronaldo D. Naval • Arnel S. Lupisan • Neil Sabino Cruz • Carlito D.R. de Guzman Jr. Liga ng mga Barangay President • George U. So
• Electorate	125,795 voters (2016)
Area  [2]
• Total	10.77 km2 (4.16 sq mi)
Population (2015 census)[3]
• Total	249,463
• Density	23,000/km2 (60,000/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Navoteño
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	1409, 1411–1413, 1485, 1489–1490
PSGC	137503000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)2
Climate type	Tropical monsoon climate
Income class	1st city income class
Revenue (₱)	941,848,230.31 (2016)
Native languages	Tagalog Taglish Swardspeak
Website	www.navotas.gov.ph

Navotas, officially the City of Navotas, (Tagalog: Lungsod ng Navotas), or simply known as Navotas City, is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metro Manila, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 249,463 people.^[3]

It is known as the Commercial Fishing Hub of the Philippines where the city has the third largest fish port in Asia and the largest in Southeast Asia. Although it was established on December 20, 1827, Navotas celebrates its foundation day every January 16. Navotas became a highly-urbanized city on June 24, 2007.^[4]

Etymology

The entire region of Navotas was once part of Malabon. According to one legend, the long and narrow delta extended unbroken from north to south along the seashore. The strip of land between the former district of Tondo, Manila and this town was eaten away by the sea until an opening was made. Water began to flow through the opening. The geographical change prompted the people to refer to the place as "butas", "nayon ng butas", or "nabutas", a Tagalog word that means breached or pierced through. What began as a natural channel developed into a regular waterway, now known as the Navotas River. In later years, the place came to be known as "Nabotas", then "Navotas".

It was also known as Hacienda de Navotas; it was once owned by the Dominican friars until it was sold to the Pascual family during the early days of the American regime and developed into a residential estate.

San Jose de Navotas was the name given to the locality after its patron saint, Saint Joseph. On June 11, 1859, a "Superior Decreto" established a new parish and municipality under the supervision of Friar Matias Navoa. The populace was divided into two distinct groups, the naturales (locals) and the mestizos. Mariano Estrellas was the gobernadorcillo (petty governor) of the naturales and Mariano Israel, of the mestizos. Today, because records are incomplete, recognition is only given to the gobernadorcillos for the mestizos. A school in honor of San Jose was built and known as "San Jose Academy."

History

Historical timeline

• December 20, 1827 – The movement for separation of Navotas which was then a part of Malabon (Tambobong).


• February 16, 1859 – The date when the barrios of San Jose, Navotas and Bangculasi were separated from Malabon.


• 1859 – Cavada, the year when Navotas became an independent town.


• August 6, 1898 – Navotas joined the revolutionary government of General Emilio Aguinaldo.


• June 11, 1901 – Navotas was eventually incorporated into the newly created province of Rizal enacted Act. No. 137.


• 1904 - the town was again merged with Malabon. Bernardo Dagala, a native of Navotas, was elected municipal president.


• January 16, 1906 – Navotas finally became an independent municipality with the enactment of Act. No. 1442 which separated it from Malabon.


• January 16, 2006 - Navotas celebrated its centennial


• June 24, 2007 – Navotas became a highly urbanized city after a plebiscite was conducted.

Origin and Historical Development

Years ago, the town of Navotas was not known by its present name for it was only considered as part
of Malabon. The place appeared to be a long and narrow delta with a thick line of pandan leaves, which grew
abundantly extending from north to south along the seashore.
It was believed that long ago, the town was not entirely surrounded by water. Old folks believed that
the layer of land between the former district of Tondo, Manila and this town was probably soft and weak, such
that the turbulent waters of the bay gradually eroded a portion of the land, until an opening was made. Soon
seawater begun to flow through its opening especially during high tide. At low tide, the waters from inland
flowed out into the sea. This geographical change prompted the people to refer to the place as “nabutas” which
means breached or pierced through. This developed into a regular waterway, now known as the Navotas River.
In later years, the whole place came to be known as Navotas. 4
The movement for a separate Navotas, which was by that time part of Tambobong, now Malabon
started on December 20, 1827 when the “principales” of the three barrios of San Jose, Navotas, and Bangkulasi
petitioned the Spanish Government to form a new town citing among others, the difficulty of the people to
transact business and attend religious festivities of the mother town.
On October 31, 1832, the residents of the three barrios nominated Don Bernabe Francisco to represent
them in their fight for separation from Malabon. But the petition of the principales of the three barrios was
shelved by the government on September 19, 1855 pending the putting up by the people of Navotas of a church,
convent, and a town hall that symbolized their sincerity.
In spite of the determined efforts of the principales, their petition was again disapproved on August
19, 1856. Instead of being discouraged, the successive rebuff only served to prod them to work harder.
Finally, a document dated February 16, 1859 recorded the separation of barrios San Jose, Navotas, and
Bangkulasi from Malabon.
When the Philippine Revolution broke out in 1896, Navotas formally joined the revolutionary
government of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo on August 6, 1898.
On June 11, 1901, the town of Navotas was incorporated into the newly created province of Rizal by
virtue of Philippine Commission Act No. 137.
In 1903, by virtue of the Philippine Commission Act No. 942, the municipalities of Malabon and Navotas
were merged into one by which the former was chosen as the seat of government for economic and
centralization purposes.
Bernardo Dagala of Navotas fought for the separation of Navotas from Malabon, finally, Navotas
gained full independence as a distinct municipality through the enforcement of the Philippine Commission Act
No. 142 lasts January 16, 1906.
On November 1975, in the exercise of emergency power during martial law of then President
Ferdinand E. Marcos, Presidential Decree No. 824 created the Metropolitan Manila Commission, which placed
Navotas together with twelve (12), other municipalities of Rizal and the four (4) cities under its jurisdiction.
Today, Navotas, after a long wait, was proclaimed as a full-pledge city last June 24, 2007, upon
obtaining 12,544 affirmative votes on a plebiscite. Navotas, together with the other fifteen (15) cities and one
(1) municipality (Pateros) remain part of Metropolitan Manila, particularly of the National Capital Region (NCR).
As mandated by the Local Government Code of 1991, this LGU is also guided by various devolved,
deconcentrated and concerned National Government Agencies likewise encouraging the support and
participation of the Non-Government Organization on its undertaking towards national development.5

Geography

Topography

Navotas is a coastal town in the northwest part of Metro Manila. It is a narrow strip of land with an aggregated shoreline of approximately 4.5 km. In the north, Navotas shares a common border with the town of Obando, Bulacan, along Sukol Creek which separates it from Balt. Along the eastern border runs the Binuangan River, the Daang Cawayan River, the Dampalit River, the Batasan River, the Navotas River, the Bangculasi Channel, the Malabon Channel and the Estero de Maypajo.

It is bordered on the north by Obando, Bulacan along Sukol Creek; on the south by the city of Manila; on the east by Daang Binuangan River, Bangkulasi Channel, Malabon Channel and Estero de Maypajo; and on the west by Manila Bay.

City Government

Navotas City Hall

Political Profile

With regards to the separation of Navotas from Malabon in 1859 and the organization thereof as a distinct municipality or “pueblo” with its own government and church, this town was headed by the
governadorcillos who exercised executive and judicial functions.
However, as this locality was composed of two groups the naturales and the mestizos, each of which
had its own governadorcillo appointed by the governor-general who was the supreme authority in all local
matters, since the inhabitants did not allow choosing their officials. This political system was somehow revoked
at the end of the Spanish Regime through the Maura Law of 1883, which guided some of the selected officials to
the supervision of an insular authority.
During the revolutionary period (from 1898-1902), as the democratic system of local governance was
being established via the First Philippines Republic and Malolos Constitution, people of Navotas with high
character, social position and honorable conduct gathered in a meeting and elected the chief of the town, the
headman of the barrio (barangay) and three officials viz., for police and internal order, justice and civil registry,
and taxes and property. In this situation, these elected officials constitute an assembly wherein the chief of the
town was the president, the headman, the vice-president, and the justice officer the secretary. In this period,
the name of Navotas LGU and its head were changed from “pueblo to municipality” and from “President to
Mayor”. Philippine Commission, which exercised supervision over local government, appointed the first local
official. Gradually, election of officials was allowed.

During the period of the Philippine Commonwealth (from 1935-1945), the 1935 constitution ushered.
This provided that the President of the Philippines should exercise general supervision over all local
governments. This allowed Navotas to have three (3) leaders.
This trend from 1946 to 1972 (during the second Philippine Republic) was toward decentralization.
Congress passed laws giving more autonomy to Local Government Units through the grant of additional powers
and lessening of national control affairs. This created four (4) Mayors of Navotas.
During the Martial Law Period, President Marcos had changed the structure and functions of LGU’s, thus
decentralization suffered the set back with the concentration of power on his hands. After December 31, 1975
(expiration of tenure of office of the local elective officials), the President assumed the power of appointment of
the officials as authorized by the people in a referendum held on 27 February 1975. During the Marcos Regime, Navotas had two (2) Mayors.

Navotas was proclaimed as a full-fledged city by virtue of RA 9387^[5] that converted the municipality of Navotas into a highly urbanized city. A plebiscite was held on June 24, 2007 which was ratified the conversion of Navotas into a highly urbanized city.

Barangays

Political map of Navotas

Navotas is politically subdivided into 2 districts, with a total of 18 barangays:

Barangay North Bay Boulevard South was split into Barangay NBBS Kaunlaran, Barangay NBBS Dagat-dagatan, and Barangay NBBS Proper, pursuant to Republic Act No. 10933, which was ratified through a plebiscite conducted by the COMELEC on 05 January 2018.

Barangay Tangos was divided into Barangay Tangos North and Barangay Tangos South, pursuant to Republic Act No. 10934, which was ratified through a plebiscite conducted by the COMELEC on 05 January 2018.

Barangay Tanza was divided into Barangay Tanza 1 and Barangay Tanza 2, pursuant to Republic Act No. 10935, which was ratified through a plebiscite conducted by the COMELEC on 05 January 2018.

Demographics

Economy

Education

The Main Building of the Navotas Polytechnic College.

Navotas has 15 public elementary schools and 6 public secondary schools including Navotas National High School and Kaunlaran High School.^[10] The Navotas Polytechnic College located at the North Bay Boulevard South in Kaunlaran Village is owned and operated by the city.

Transportation

Transportation in Navotas are composed of different vehicles.

Notable people/groups

• General Dionisio Santiago (ret), former Chief-of-Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines


• 
  Froilan Baguion, professional basketball player


• 
  Engracia Cruz-Reyes, chef and entrepreneur


• 
  Jorella Marie de Jesus, professional volleyball player


• 
  Navotas All-Star/Finest, Various Hip-hop group/s & artist/s (Tanza to San Rafael)


• 
  Gerald Santos, singer and actor


• 
  Wendy Valdez, beauty queen, and an actress.


• 
  Jannie Loudette Vicencio Alipo-on, Miss Tourism International 2017.

Twin towns / Sister cities

• 
  Parañaque, Philippines
  


• 
  Manila, Philippines
  

References

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Navotas.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Navotas City.

• 
  Geographic data related to Navotas at OpenStreetMap