Cainta, Rizal
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Template:Infobox Philippine municipality
Cainta is a 1st class urban municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. It is considered as the smallest land area and one of the oldest in the province. It is bounded on the north by Marikina City and San Mateo, to the west by Pasig City, and on the east and south by Taytay.
The main road of Cainta is Ortigas Avenue, a heavily congested corridor that passes through the business district of Ortigas Center and leads to Mandaluyong City and San Juan in the west and the town of Taytay and Antipolo City in the east. Another notable main road is Felix Avenue (more popularly known as Imelda Avenue, after former first lady Imelda Marcos) which runs across Ortigas Avenue that connects the town to Marikina City to the north and Taytay to the south. The point of intersection between the two main arterials is popularly known simply as Junction. In its town proper is another road known as the A. Bonifacio Avenue, the most common road of the town.
Cainta serves as a gateway to the rest of Rizal province, and is noted for rush hour traffic jams and flooding in the rainy season. It is one of the province's more urbanized towns since it borders Metro Manila on the west.
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People
According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 242,511 people in 51,863 households. From its total population, 80% of which are Catholics, 10% are Protestants, and the remaining will be denominations from Iglesia ni Cristo, Muslims and others. The people of Cainta are mostly Tagalog-speaking Filipinos.
The Sepoy Ancestry
There is also a notable number of Indians, descended from the 1700 British attack of the Philippines, where Sepoy soldiers mutineed from the British Royal Army, married local inhabitants of this town and settled there. The Sepoy ancestry of Cainta is very visible today, particularly in Barrio Dayap near Brgy. Sto Nino.
Culture
During Cainta's modernization period, traditions became more glamarous, most especially during the Lenten Season. Examples of which are the CENAKULO (a stage play of the passion and death of Christ) and the ANG PAGPAPAPAKO (a play of the crucufixion of Christ).
The Cenakulo
A soul-nourishing cultural salads mixing all parts of filipino psyche, faith, folk tradition, literature and penchant for bravura performances: The CENAKULO is a relIgious ritual, theatrical extravaganza and a personal expression of faith deliciously served in a platter of colorful costumes, eye-catching sceneries, ingenious effects, soothing verse and high energy performances. But the most sumptuous facet of the cenaculo is that it is a living, growing heritage; the cenaculo has become a force majeur that continues to bring together several generations of a community of various persuasions in preserving folk tradition in a proud expression of our town's distinct cultural identity. Staged during Lent’s Holy Week the Cenaculo derives its sequence of events from both the Gospels of the Bible’s New Testament and from the Book Martyr of Golgotha. Its translation into richly textured Tagalog prose sets the tone for its melodramatic rendering. Cenaculo is loosely derived from the Spanish term “cena” meaning “dinner in obvious reference to Jesus Christ’s Supper at the house of Marcus. It is during the last supper prior to his crucifixion that Jesus instituted the Holy Sacrament of Communion : an act of the Supreme faith relieved by Christians during Holy Mass. This particular scenario of the Last Supper forms the core of the Cenaculo. Today’s Cenaculo has been expanded to include various relevant chapters from both the Old and New Testaments. Its performing time runs to about 24 hours broken down into 3 hour segments performed every night of Holy Week from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday.
Presently, 2 organizations plays this Cenakulo. They are the Krus sa Nayon, Inc. and the Samahang Nazareno, Inc.
Ang Pagpapapako
In Good Friday, a soul tradition occupies the town. This is called Ang Pagpapapako. Individuals play the role of Christ and voluntarily sacrifices himself for the forgiveness of his sins. This scene is not only presented in Cainta, but in some parts of the country like Pampanga and some parts of Luzon and Visayas as well.
This enactment can be seen on the town's Liwasang Bayan (plaza) and in many parts of Cainta.
Economy
Cainta is a good place for establishing a business. Not only because of its growing population, but because of its good and hospitable residents. As time passes by, it has became a ground for many business opportunities.
The Native Delicacies
Known as the most common livelihood in Cainta, its native delicacies are one of the best. Dating back in the 15th century, it became the sole ground for livelihood. Suman, latik, coco jam and the most common bibingka (rice cake) are just a few examples.
During the 20th century, Cainta glazed the whole country as it set its biggest rice cake ever. Cainta is known as the Bibingka Capital of the Philippines.
The Modernization Period
As the 21st century arises, Cainta has been occupied by numerous business sectors. One of which is the Mitsubishi Motors Philippines, known as the largest car manufacturer in the country. Another is its numerous shopping malls, Sta. Lucia Malls and the Robinsons Place Cainta in Junction.
Cainta is also the home of Monde M.Y. San Corporation, one of the leading biscuit manufacturer of the country.
Subdivisions' Haven
Cainta is yet a subdivisions' haven where its hosts many subdivisions in all parts of the town. Brookside Hills is one of the oldest dating back in 1960s. Others are Greenland, Vista Verde, Valley Golf, Village East, Cypress Village, Saint Anthony Subdivision and many more.
Geography
Cainta lies in the Marikina Valley and considered as one of the smallest land area in the province. It has 10% rolling hills and the remaining 90% is intended for residential and industrial purposes. It also contains the most rivers and streams in the province. But, according to some historians, Cainta's main geographical land area starts on the mountain slopes of Montalban up to its present area today.
Due to some problems regarding its main boundaries, parts of Cainta's west boundary is disputed by Pasig City.
Barangays
Cainta is politically subdivided into 7 barangays.
- San Andres (poblacion)
- San Isidro
- San Juan
- San Roque
- Santa Rosa
- Santo Niño
- Santo Domingo
In the mid of 1990, Cainta submitted a request to the Rizal Provincial Government a petition for consideration of a proposed 25 barangays in the town. But until now, it remains unanswered.
Legend
The story goes as once upon a time, there is a woman by the name of Jacinta who plays to be a respectful and a kind citizen of their place. An incident occurred when Jacinta was reported dead. In honor of his good contributions for them, the place was known as "Ka Inta" ("Ka" being an archaic Filipino title of respect for elders).
History
Cainta's History dates back to the Pre-Spanish when the village was a prosperous agricultural town. Founded in November 30, 1571, it was a nationalistic village that fought the Spaniards but later became the vista of Taytay in 1571 under the Jesuits. Changes in ecclesiastical administration made Cainta a part of Pasig under the Augustinian but it was given back to the Jesuits by the King in 1696. Cainta became an independent town in 1760.
Cainta became an independent town in 1760. During the brief British occupation of Luzon(1762-1763), part of the British India troops known as Sepoys lived with the natives in one of the town's barrio which explains the unique features of the natives. In 1883, Cainta which became part of Tondo (starting 1763) was separated from this town and incorporated with the district of Morong. But later in 1913, under the American rule, Cainta and Angono were consolidated with Taytay as seat of government. In January 1, 1914, it was converted into separate and independent municipality. Cainta maintained its independence into the present. Cainta is one of the fourteen(14) municipalities of Rizal after the inclusion of the other towns to what is now referred to as Antipolo, Binangonan and Taytay. During the past decades, Cainta's local setting has considerably changed. Due to the proximity of the town to Metro Manila, widespread and uncontrolled urban growth developed. The one agricultural village became the hub of industrial, commercial establishments and residential subdivisions.
The Principal Religion
The chief religion of Cainta is Roman Catholicism. When the Spaniards came to the town on the date when they founded it, consequently, the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle is observed. Then, a mass was held in a chapel made of nipa and wood. Many people came to attend and then, they had been baptized.
The Church of Cainta dates back in 1760 when Cainta became an independent town. Some historians said that the church was destroyed by earthquakes and heavy rains. The people came to the respond of restoring it for good. And, it was completed in February, 1968.
The patroness of this town (Our Lady of Light) was a mural originally painted by National Artist Fernando Amorsolo. Its original image is found in Sicily in Italy and was brought here.
Cainta Today
"Cainta shall strive to be a Progressive, Prosperous and Habitable City of responsible residents."
This is the vision of the new mayor, Hon. Ramon "Mon" A. Ilagan, a former ABS-CBN broadcaster, to lead Cainta into its process for complete cityhood. Many changes occurred during his concurrent term. The tax being collected has turned high; the commercial and industrial business had grown by numbers; and numerous jobs had been placed for the benefit of every Caintaňos.
Until now, projects and infrastructures has done like the introduction of the "Bagong Cainta Municipal Hospital" (which is called in the latter time as the Felix-Takano Center for Health), the construction of the People's Center located at the Municipal Compuond, the rehabilitation of the Felix Avenue, and many more to come.
Cainta's future now lies on the Ilagan Administration for the modernization of the town who dreams that one day of becoming one of the great cities the Philippines has now today.