Rizal Province, Philippines

By James Barcelona

Tourist Attractions

Hinulugang Taktak

Hinulugang Taktak is a popular mountain resort with waterfalls as main attraction.

Daranak Falls

Daranak Falls is 14 meters in height and stands majestically beneath a running stream.

Ugong Falls is peaceful scenery that offers spectacular views of Laguna de Bay and the town of Morong.

Ugong Falls

Wawa Dam is located at the foot of Sierra Madre Mountains and surrounded by limestone hills.

Wawa Dam

Rizal is one of the first class provinces of the Philippines located in the CALABARZON region, just 16 kilometers east of Manila. It was named after the country’s national hero, Jose Rizal. Antipolo City, the provincial capital boasts of a wonderful view of Metro Manila and it is where Hinulugang Taktak, a waterfall popular with tourists can be found. The province enjoys a natural beauty of nature and a perfect setting for investments, business establishments and settlements.

Rizal is a mountainous province perched on the western slopes of the southern portion of Sierre Madre mountain range. The province is bordered by Metro Manila to the west, the province of Bulacan to the north, Quezon to the east and Laguna province to the south. Rizal also lies on the northern shores of Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the country.

The languages spoken in the province are Tagalog and English. The primary sources of economy in Rizal are the huge piggery estates owned by Manila-based families. Rizal came out to be the Philippines’ least poor province with a poverty incidence rate of 3.4%, even lower than that of the National Capital Region or Metro Manila. The province is inhabited mostly by Tagalogs. Minority of other ethnic groups are Visayas, Ilocanos, and other local groups.

Rizal has two pronounced seasons, dry season from November to April and wet season for the rest of the year. This type of climate is highly favorable for agriculture and industrial development to be productive.

Generally, Rizal Province is an agricultural province. The potential of agriculture remain largely unexploited with large areas of land still stand undisturbed and waiting to be developed. Among its high value crops are vegetables, fruits and root crops. Fishing is a long thriving industry in the province. The 90,000 hectares Laguna de Bay is the province’s primary source of freshwater fish species and other marine life.

Substantial amount of non-metallic mineral deposits consisting of construction materials in the form of rock aggregates and volcanic tuff, sand and gravel, limestone, marble, guano or rock phosphates exist in the province which can fuel other potential industries and economic activities.