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Formerly called San Felipe Neri, Mandaluyong was once a barrio of Sta. Ana de Sapa, Province of Tondo, during the Spanish colonial rule. It was separated from Sta. Ana de Sapa in 1841 and established its own parish in 1863. During the American regime, it became a first class municipality but was later consolidated with the municipality of San Juan del Monte under Presidential Act No. 942. For several months in 1904, it became the capital of the province of Rizal. It became an independent municipality by virtue of House Bill No. 3836 in 1907, and was officially named the Municipality of Mandaluyong. At the onset of World War II, the municipality was occupied by the Japanese and later liberated by American forces on February 9, 1945. In the 1960’s, following a period of reconstruction and development, it became a component municipality of the Greater Manila Area, which today is known as Metropolitan Manila. On February 9, 1994, forty-nine years after its liberation from the Japanese, Mandaluyong has been converted into a highly urbanized city by virtue of Republic Act 7675 signed by then President Fidel V. Ramos.



Residents of Mandaluyong have always been known for their industry. Men did the laundry to the amusement of non-residents until shortly after the war, while the women ironed the clothes. These industrious people trace their roots to Emperor Soledan (also known as “Anka Widyaya” of the Great Madjapahit Empire) and Empress Sasaban of the Kingdom of Sapa whose son Prince Balagtas ruled as sovereign of the kingdom in about the year 1300. More than a century later, in about the year 1470, it expanded and was called the “Kingdom of Namayan” with “Lakan Takhan” as sovereign. The vast Kingdom comprised what are now Quiapo, San Miguel, Sta. Mesa, Paco, Pandacan, Malate and Sta. Ana in Manila, and Mandaluyong, San Juan, Makati, Pasay, Pateros, Taguig, Parañaque, and portions of Pasig and Quezon City up to Diliman that were then part of Mandaluyong.



Mandaluyong was first known as a barrio of Sta. Ana de Sapa which was part of the District of Paco, Province of Tondo. Named San Felipe Neri by the Spaniards in honor of the Patron Saint of Rome, it was separated civilly from Sta. Ana de Sapa in 1841. On September 15, 1863 San Felipe Neri established its own parish and under the administration of the Congregation “Dulcisimo Nombre de Jesus”, it constructed its own church, convent and school. The Parish of San Felipe Neri played a significant role as a relay station for propagating the Katipunan during the 1896-1898 Revolution. It was in Barangay Hagdang Bato on August 28, 1896 where Andres Bonifacion issued a proclamation setting Saturday, August 29, 1896 as the date of the attack on Manila. It was also in this town that the revolutionary paper, “La Republika”, was established on September 15, 1896.



During the American regime, San Felipe Neri was raised to a first class municipality with five (5) barrios, namely: Poblacion, Barangka, Hagdang Bato, Namayan and Hulo. Under Presidential Act No. 942, it was consolidated with the municipality of San Juan del Monte and became the seat of government. For several months in 1904, San Felipe Neri became the capital of the province of Rizal. San Felipe Neri was separated from San Juan and became an independent municipality on March 27, 1907. It was renamed the Municipality of Mandaluyong by virtue of House Bill No. 3836 which was authored and sponsored by Assemblyman Pedro Magsalin, then the Representative of the District of Rizal. During World War II, Mandaluyong lost many of her people, among them were Catholic priests and civilians. Destruction was felt all over, but with the timely arrival of the American Liberation Forces on February 9, 1945, the municipality was saved from further damages. That day became a red calendar day for Mandaluyong marking its liberation from the Japanese Imperial forces by the Americans. In the 60’s, Mandaluyong became a component municipality of Metropolitan Manila. Together with other component cities and municipalities, it has undergone significant physical and economic transformation. From a forestal town to a progressive municipality, Mandaluyong is now a highly urbanized city known to host most of the country’s best companies and corporations, shopping malls and hotels which are certainly world class in status. Listed in Table 1.04 are persons who have served as mayors of Mandaluyong from the 20th century to the new millennium.

Table 1.04 Mayors of Mandaluyong

Mayor	Year
Buenaventrura Domingo	1901
Antonio Fernando	1902
Juanario Coronado	1902; 1909; 1912
Miguel Vergara	1902
Pantaleon Blas	1903
Claro Castañ eda	1905
Apolinar Coronado	1907; 1909
Marcelo Lerma	1912 – 1916
Mariano Castañ eda	1916 – 1922
Gregorio Pedro	1923 – 1926
Clemente Fernando	1926 – 1934
Isaac Lopez	1935 – 1939
Ponciano Enriquez	1940
Pedro Cruz	1941; 1945; 1956 – 1959
Primo Guzman	1945
Bonifacio Javier	1946; 1947 – 1955; 1960 – 1962
Amado T. Reyes	1963
Filemon Javier	1964 – 1971
Melchor Arcangel	1963
Macario Trinidad	1963
Renato Lopez	1972 – 1980
Ernesto Domingo	1980 – 1986
Benjamin S. Abalos, Sr. (OIC)	1986 – 1987
Roman delos Santos (OIC)	1987 – 1988
Benjamin S. Abalos, Sr.	1988 – 1997
Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr.	2007 – 2016
Carmelita “Menchie” Aguilar Abalos	2016 – present
Source: SEPP 2000

Mandaluyong and the municipality of San Juan used to be represented in congress by a single Congressman. As it entered cityhood in 1994, Mandaluyong became a lone district with its own Representative in Congress.



Mandaluyong at the turn of the century was proclaimed by the city’s grand dads as the Millennium City, having come a long way from being a forested rolling hill to a bustling city of vibrant economic activities. It was recently named the new tiger city of Metro Manila, among other accomplishments. Mandaluyong today is composed of 27 barangays divided into two political districts mainly by Boni Avenue and G. Aglipay Street (Map 1). As of January 9, 2002, it has 1,238 voting precincts and a total of 166,037 registered voters (Table 1.05).

Table 1.05 Number of Registered Voters as of January 9, 2002

Barangay	No. of Precincts	No. of Registered Voters	Polling Place
Addition Hills	192	29,720	Jose Fabella Memorial School
Andres Bonifacio Elem. School
Bagong Silang	27	3,252	Jose Rizal University
Barangka Drive	58	7,508	Bonifacio Javier Elem. School
Barangka Ibaba	38	5,774	Bonifacio Javier Elem. School
Barangka Ilaya	33	3,741	Ilaya Barangka Elem. School
Barangka Itaas	58	7,617	Rizal Technological University
Burol	11	1,616	Mandaluyong Elem. School
Buayang Bato	8	1,028	Amado T. Reyes Elem. School
Daang Bakal	22	2,389	Jose Rizal University
Hagdang Bato Itaas	46	6,013	Eulogio Rodriguez Elem. School
Hagdang Bato Libis	38	4,798	Doña Pilar elem. School
Harapin Ang Bukas	20	2,654	Jose Rizal University
Highway Hills	79	9,285	Highway Hills Elem. School
Hulo	87	12,578	Hulo Elementary School
Mabini J. Rizal	29	3,974	Renato Lopez Elem. School
Malamig	43	4,655	Rizal Technological University
Mauway	63	8,809	Mandaluyong High School (East)
Namayan	21	3,268	Doña Basilisa Yangco Elem. School
New Zaniga	32	4,120	Mandaluyong Elem. School
Old Zaniga	29	3,695	Puericulture Center/Brgy. Hall
Pag-asa	24	29,691	Mandaluyong High School (Main)
Plainview	115	14,601	Plainview Elementary School
Pleasant Hills	27	3,851	Nueve de Pebrero Elem School
Poblacion	65	8,633	Mandaluyong Elem. School
San Jose	31	4,143	Felimon Javier Elem. School
Vergara	21	2,925	Isaac Lopez Elem. School
Wack-Wack Greenhills	21	2,421	La Salle Greenhills
TOTAL	1,238	16,6037
Source: Commission on Elections – Mandaluyong