Early history

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, Malate and Santa Ana in Manila, and Mandaluyong, San Juan, Makati, Pasay, Pateros, Taguig, Parañaque, and portions of Pasig and Quezon City up to Diliman, which were then part of Mandaluyong.^[9]

Spanish colonial era

American colonial era

On June 11, 1901, San Felipe Neri was incorporated into the newly established province of Rizal. During the American Occupation, it was raised to a first-class municipality with five barrios, namely: Poblacion, Barangka, Hagdang Bato, Namayan and Hulo. By virtue of Act No. 942 dated November 6, 1903, it was consolidated with the municipality of San Juan del Monte and became the seat of the municipal government.^[12] For several months in 1904, San Felipe Neri became the capital of Rizal.^[13] San Juan del Monte was later separated from San Felipe Neri to regain its independent municipality status on March 27, 1907.^[14]

San Felipe Neri was renamed to its present name of Mandaluyong on November 6, 1931, by virtue of Act No. 3836.^[15] Many government infrastructures are established during the American Period, including the Correctional Institute for Women, Welfareville Compound, The Boy's Town, and the National Center for Mental Health.

Japanese occupation era

From 1942 to 1945, during World War II, Mandaluyong formed part of the City of Greater Manila, along with Manila, Quezon City, and other nearby towns of Rizal.^[16][17] Also during the war, 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 and the Philippine Commonwealth troops 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 Allies.

Philippine independence

After World War II, Mandaluyong began to become progressive and dramatically increase the economy. Many infrastructures, companies, and other businesses were developed in 1950s–1960s and as the result, making Mandaluyong recognized as the most developed municipality in the province of Rizal.^[11]

Cityhood

By virtue of the 1987 Constitution, Mandaluyong and the then-municipality of San Juan were represented in Congress by a single congressman.

San Juan–Mandaluyong Representative Ronaldo Zamora sponsored a House Bill which eventually became Republic Act No. 7675^[30] otherwise known as "An Act Converting the Municipality of Mandaluyong into a Highly Urbanized City to be known as the City of Mandaluyong." President Fidel V. Ramos signed R.A. No. 7675 into law on February 9, 1994 (the 49th anniversary of its liberation from the Japanese), which was ratified through a plebiscite on April 10, 1994, making Mandaluyong the fifth city in Metro Manila. Mandaluyong became a lone district with its own representative in Congress. Prior to the enactment of the assailed statute, the municipalities of Mandaluyong and San Juan belonged to only one legislative district.

Contemporary

Mandaluyong today is composed of 27 barangays divided into two political districts mainly by Boni Avenue and G. Aglipay Street.

In 2003, Mandaluyong was recognized as "The Tiger City of the Philippines" because of dramatic improvement in the city's economy.^{[citation needed]}

Barangays

Mandaluyong is politically subdivided into 27 barangays.

Climate

Mandaluyong's climate is classified as tropical. In winter, there is much less rainfall in Mandaluyong than in summer. This climate is considered to be Aw according to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification. The temperature here averages 27.2 °C (81.0 °F). In a year, the average rainfall is 2,093 mm (82.4 in). Precipitation is the lowest in February, with an average of 8 mm (0.31 in). With an average of 448 mm (17.6 in), the most precipitation falls in August. At an average temperature of 29.2 °C (84.6 °F), May is the hottest month of the year. January has the lowest average temperature of the year. It is 25.5 °C (77.9 °F). Between the driest and wettest months, the difference in precipitation is 440 mm (17 in). During the year, the average temperatures vary by 3.7 °C (38.7 °F).

Commercial activities

Like other cities in Metro Manila, Mandaluyong has its own share of commercial strips and a central business district. The former commercial area, consisting mostly of banks, offices and service establishments, stretch along public transport routes thereby serving both local consumers and passers-by from the neighboring localities. Major commercial strips of the city include the stretch of Boni Avenue, Shaw Boulevard, Libertad-Sierra Madre area, Kalentong, San Francisco, part of Martinez, Sgt. Bumatay towards Barangka Drive and Pinatubo towards EDSA. Mandaluyong's central business district is concentrated on the EDSA-Shaw-Pioneer area; it includes the Greenfield District development.^[53]

Industrial activities

Industrial activities are mostly concentrated within the Shaw Boulevard-Pioneer area and along the Pasig River. Although prominent in the manufacture of foods, medicines and laboratory equipment, these industries are gradually declining in number, opting to relocate in newly developed industrial zones outside Metropolitan Manila. In the Pasig River area, particularly in Barangays Namayan and Mabini–J. Rizal, areas formerly industrial are now the sites for residential subdivisions and townhouses. In the EDSA-Shaw-Pioneer area, the transformation is toward a more economically profitable and globally competitive commercial activity. And since December 2013, Mandaluyong is the home of one of the largest television networks in the country TV5 and one of the largest pay TV operator Cignal TV (both owned by the PLDT-backed firm MediaQuest Holdings located at the TV5 Media Center), Nine Media Corporation-owned news channel CNN Philippines and the master playout facility of Solar Entertainment Corporation (both are located at the Worldwide Corporate Center which also housed the main offices of companies owned by real estate magnate and former Senator Manny Villar), and several radio stations associated to the Vera Group (Mellow 94.7, Magic 89.9, 99.5 Play FM, 103.5 K-Lite, DWBL and DWSS, all are located at the Paragon Plaza).^[54]

Shopping centers

These super-regional supermalls each have over a hundred local and international stores and are anchored by at least one department store and supermarket or hypermarket. They are the largest malls in Metro Manila which feature not just stores but also such attractions as movie theaters, rides, skating rinks, bowling alleys and other recreational facilities. Each provides thousands of automobile parking spaces and are located mostly near rail stations and established business districts within the metropolis. These malls serve not only the Metro Manila and Greater Manila Area residents, but also local and foreign tourists. Among the malls in the city are Shangri-La Plaza, SM Megamall, The Podium, St. Francis Square, Starmall EDSA-Shaw, SM Cherry Shaw, The MarketPlace Shopping Mall (the site of the Mandaluyong Public Market), Shaw Center Mall, four strip malls at the Greenfield District, and pocket malls at residential condominiums.^{[citation needed]}

Elected officials

2022 local election results:^[55]

Mayors of Mandaluyong

Listed below are persons who have served as mayors (previously municipal president) of Mandaluyong.

Airport

The city is 36 minutes away from Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Land

Mandaluyong is primarily served by a public road network consisting of 80.93 km (50.29 mi) concrete and asphalt roads. With a total road density of 7.19 km (4.47 mi) per 1 ha (0.010 km²) of land, the city is considered to be over-served with roads.^[57]

The city is mainly served by EDSA, Metro Manila's main thoroughfare. Considered as the heart of the metropolis, main roads such as Ortigas Avenue and Shaw Boulevard provide inter-city linkages, while Boni Avenue and F. Martinez Street serve as alternate routes in the city.^[57] Other major roads in Mandaluyong include the Boni-Pioneer Underpass, a 280-meter-long (920 ft) tunnel underneath EDSA connecting Boni Avenue on its western-end and Pioneer Street on the east. and Julia Vargas Avenue in Ortigas Center. Jeepneys are one of the most common modes of public transportation for commuters in the city. Aside from jeepneys, tricycles and pedicabs are also one of the important modes of public transportation in Mandaluyong, especially on alleys around the city.

Water

The presence of the Pasig River stretching along the south border of Mandaluyong provides an alternative route and mode of public transportation mainly for cargo freight of industries along the river, and for commuters seeking for a faster and more direct route to and from the cities of Pasig and Manila.^[57] The Pasig River Ferry Service has one station in the city.

Railway

The city is also served by rail via the Manila Metro Rail Transit System Line 3, located along EDSA. The city is served by the three MRT-3 stations of Ortigas, Shaw Boulevard, and Boni.

Philippine National Railways once served Mandaluyong through its defunct Santa Mesa–Antipolo branch until the bridge that carried it across the San Juan River collapsed in 1982.

Bridges

Mandaluyong is accessed by the Pasig River, the San Juan River, and the Maytunas Creek:

Diplomatic missions

Countries that have set up permanent missions or embassies in the city include:

•  Malta
•  Peru
•  Slovenia
•  Sudan
•  Tanzania

Sister cities