Navotas
Navotas, officially the City of Navotas, is a highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 252,878 people.
It was formerly part of the Province of Rizal in southern Luzon. It comprises what is known as the CAMANAVA area along with the cities of Caloocan, Malabon, and Valenzuela.
It is known as the Commercial Fishing Hub of the Philippines, for the city has the third largest fish port in Asia and the largest in Southeast Asia. Although it was established on February 16, 1859, Navotas celebrates its foundation day every January 16, the day in 1906 when it finally separated from Malabon. Navotas became a highly urbanized city on June 24, 2007.
Etymology
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 José 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 Matías Navoa. The populace was divided into two distinct groups, the naturales and the mestizos. Mariano Estrellas was the gobernadorcillo 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 José Academy."
History
Spanish colonial era
The movement for the separation of barrios San José de Navotas and Bangkulasi from Tambobong, then a town in the province of Tondo, began on December 20, 1827. Led by the principales of such barrios, such separation was petitioned before the Spanish colonial government when the locals experienced difficulties in doing business transactions and accessing Tambobong's población across what is now the Navotas River for religious events.On February 16, 1859, the petition was finally granted, separating both barrios from Tambobong to form a new distinct town. The town initially composed of four barrios : San José, Tangos, Bangkulasi, and Tanza. Later on June 11, the Real Audiencia of Manila enacted a Superior Decreto, which established the San José de Navotas Parish with a church and parochial school.
On August 6, 1898, Navotas joined the revolutionary government of General Emilio Aguinaldo.
American occupation
On June 11, 1901, Navotas was eventually incorporated into the newly created province of Rizal with the enactment of Act No. 137.On October 12, 1903, the town was returned to Malabon by virtue of Act No. 942. On January 16, 1906, Navotas regained its independent municipality status with the enactment of Act No. 1442 which separated it from Malabon.
Philippine independence
On November 7, 1975, Navotas was transferred from the province of Rizal to the newly formed National Capital Region or Metro Manila, by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 824.Cityhood
On June 24, 2007, Navotas became a highly urbanized city by virtue of Republic Act No. 9387 dated March 10, 2007, after a plebiscite was conducted.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. It is bordered on the north by Obando, Bulacan along Sukol Creek which separates it from Isla Pulo; on the south by the city of Manila; on the east by the cities of Malabon and Caloocan and bodies of water such as 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; and on the west by Manila Bay. Islands encompassed by the city include Navotas Island, where the city proper is located, and Isla Pulo.Land reclamation, which includes the Navotas Fish Port Complex, had increased the city's land area. Projects such as the Navotas Boulevard Business Park and the Navotas Fish Port Complex expansion by the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority are expected to add up to to the city's land area.
Climate
Barangays
Navotas is politically subdivided into 2 districts, with 18 barangays:Population Changes
Some barangays in Navotas experienced dramatic population change between 2010 and 2020. This is because of an ongoing effort by the government to relocate informal settlers from hazard-prone areas to socialized housing built in Barangay Tanza 2.
Navotas East
Navotas East is bounded by Barangay Sipac-Almacen to the north, Barangay Tañong of Malabon to the east, Barangay Navotas West to the west, and Brgy. Bagumbayan North to the south. Their patron saint is San Ildefonso.San Jose
The name of Barangay San Jose was derived from the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of San Jose de Navotas, the first place of worship in the town.San Roque
Barangay San Roque is bounded by Tangos South to the northwest and north, Tangos North and Tanza, Navotas to the northeast, Brgy. Hulong Duhat, Malabon and Brgy. Flores, Malabon in Malabon to the east, Manila Bay to the west and Brgy. Daanghari to the south. Its name is derived from San Roque de Navotas Parish, the first place of worship in the town.It is famous for its annual fiesta, every last Saturday and Sunday of the month of January. Every fiesta the whole barangay is filled with stalls and stores. Also every fiesta of San Roque, A. Dela Cruz St. is full of stalls which sell kalamay, from Batangas.
Sipac-Almacen
Barangay Sipac-Almacen is famous for the location of the Navotas City Hall and some points of interest like Navotas National High School, the main high school of Navotas, Navotas Playground, and others.Former Barangays
Until 2018 Navotas had 14 barangays.Northbay Boulevard South
In accordance with Republic Act No. 10933, approved by President Rodrigo Duterte on August 23, 2017, and ratified in a plebiscite on January 5, 2018, Northbay Boulevard South was divided into Barangays NBBS Kaunlaran, NBBS Dagat-dagatan, and NBBS Proper.Tangos
Pursuant to Republic Act No. 10934, approved by President Rodrigo Duterte on August 23, 2017, and ratified in a plebiscite on January 5, 2018, Tangos was divided into Barangays Tangos North and Tangos South.Tanza
Barangay Tanza occupied the northernmost portion of the city, including Isla Pulo which is separated from the city proper, and was bounded by Barangay Binuangan and Salambao in Obando, Bulacan to the north, Manila Bay and Barangay San Roque to the west, Barangay Hulong Duhat and Dampalit, Malabon to the east, and Barangay Tangos to the south.By virtue of Republic Act No. 10935, approved by President Rodrigo Duterte on August 23, 2017, and ratified in a plebiscite on January 5, 2018, Tanza was divided into Barangays Tanza 1 and Tanza 2.
Both Tanza 1 and Tanza 2 are accessible via Badeo 5 in Barangay San Roque, Navotas and the Tanza-Malabon Bridge in Barangay Hulong Duhat in Malabon.
Demographics
Economy
Fishing and Aquaculture
Navotas has been dubbed as the Fishing Capital of the Philippines. The city is home to the Navotas Fish Port Complex, which is considered as the Philippines's premier fish center.Shipbuilding and repair
In the ship repair sector, the Navotas complex is expected to accommodate 96 vessels for repair.Government
Local government
The local government of Navotas, a highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines officially established in 2007, operates under a mayor-council system led by the Mayor and a 12-member Sangguniang Panlungsod. As the "Fishing Capital of the Philippines," the city government focuses on sustaining its massive fishing industry while implementing programs in education, health, and social services, often emphasizing an empowered citizenry. Currently led by Mayor John Rey Tiangco, the administration works to improve the quality of life through infrastructure, livelihood opportunities, and environmental management across its barangays, often in coordination with national agencies for urban development.Elected officials
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 thegobernadorcillos 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 gobernadorcillo 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, 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 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, 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 leaders. This trend from 1946 to 1972 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 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, the President assumed the power of appointment of
the officials as authorized by the people in a referendum held on February 27, 1975. During the Marcos Regime, Navotas had two Mayors.
Navotas was proclaimed as a full-fledged city by virtue of RA 9387 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.