San Mateo, Rizal (Filipino: Bayan ng San Mateo, Lalawigan ng Rizal or simply San Mateo) is a first class urban municipality of Rizal Province. Located on the island of Luzon, San Mateo is one of 13 municipalities and a capital city that make up the Province of Rizal, Region 4-A (Calabarzon Region) of the Philippines. San Mateo is part of the Metro Luzon Urban Beltway. Metro Luzon is composed of Region 3, Region 4-A (CALABARZON) and the nearby National Capital Region. Metro Luzon is one of four Super Regions in the Philippines.  San Mateo reaches population of over 200,000 as of year 2007.

San Mateo is located along the western border of Rizal Province, it is bordered on the west by Quezon City, to the south by Marikina City and Antipolo City, the capital of Rizal Province, and to the north by Rodriguez (Montalban) also in Rizal province. It is approximately 26 km. away from Manila.

San Mateo is one of the fast-track municipalities in Rizal Province, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Provincial Government of Rizal. The municipality features many spacious parks, tree-lined streets and roads, and industrial zones. Most of the municipality is composed of residential areas and the other side is composed of tons of trees, high plateaus and rocky mountains.

Geography

San Mateo is one of the largest municipalities in Rizal Province in terms of land area, at approximately 50 square kilometers. San Mateo lies in the Marikina Valley. The valley extends south towards Marikina City, Pasig City and Cainta, Rizal. The Marikina River runs through the western portion of the municipality and the Nangka River runs through the southern portion. The dynamic Sierra Madre Mountains, the longest mountain range in the Philippines, are located at the mid-eastern portion, while the Quezon City hills are located to the west.

San Mateo is a lush valley bounded by mountain ranges and sliced by a river. Located along the western border of Rizal Province, it is bordered on the west by Quezon City, to the south by Marikina City and Antipolo City, the capital of Rizal Province, and to the north by Rodriguez (Montalban), also in Rizal Province. It is approximately 26 km. away from Manila and lies within 14°43′N 121°7′ECoordinates: 14°43′N 121°7′E.

The western portion of the municipality is occupied by numerous industrial parks, business establishments, residential areas and interesting places; it is also the location of the "center" of the city which is the busiest district of the municipality and the location of the municipal hall. The eastern portion is primarily residential subdivisions and the high mountain ranges of the Sierra Madre.

San Mateo Today

At present, San Mateo has achieved the goal of becoming a first class municipality in the Philippines. The municipality also now boasts of hosting land development firms, residential realties, and industrial centers. The main road is General Luna Avenue, connecting Marikina City to the south and Quezon City to the west. Many establishments are now thriving in the area, such as numerous fast-food chains, schools, businesses and commercial establishments. The municipality has now reached a population of over 200,000 and has been cited as a first-class municipality in the Philippines. Noted as one of the nearby gateways to Metro Manila, the municipality of San Mateo is planning or debating to become the 2nd city of Rizal Province as soon as possible. (The first one is the city of Antipolo, the provincial capital.)

The Town

The town lies on a valley called the Marikina Valley. The Marikina River runs through the western portion of the municipality, while Nangka River runs through the south, bounded by Marikina City. San Mateo has lush trees in other high areas.

The Barangays

San Mateo is politically subdivided into 14 barangays:

For more details about the barangays, please visit www.batangsanmateo.com

There are two ways to reach San Mateo.

Government

San Mateo is governed by a Mayor and Vice Mayor elected to three-year terms. The Mayor is the executive head and leads the municipal's departments in executing the municipal ordinances and improving public services, while the Vice Mayor heads a legislative council. San Mateo is one of the municipalities in District 1 of Rizal Province.

Incumbent Mayor: Jose Rafael Diaz

Incumbent Vice Mayor: Bartolome N. Rivera, Jr.

Incumbent 1st District Congressman (Rizal): Adelina S. Rodriguez

Landmarks

San Mateo Municipal Hall

Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu Parish Church

St. Matthew College

Roosevelt College

Batasan-San Mateo Bridge

9 Waves Water Park

Ciudad Christia

Green Nature Resort

Villa Trinidad Resort

Villa Diaz Resort

God's Love Farm and Resort

EarthHeaven EcoCommunity

Paraiso Memorial Park

People

The native citizens and the people who live in San Mateo are called "San Mateans."

Ethnic Groups

Like other places in Metro Manila and Rizal Province, the original settlers were Tagalogs. Throughout the centuries, there has been constant migration of Spaniards, Visayans, Bikolanos, Ilokanos, Chinese and Americans. There have also been very small migrations from India, Korea and Japan.

Languages

The main language is Filipino, which is based on Tagalog. In addition, due to continuous development of the municipality, the English language is used in education, business and industry.

Religions

San Mateo was one of the seats of the Spanish colonial government in past centuries, and has been used as the base of Roman Catholic missions to the Philippines. Religious orders include the Dominicans, the Franciscans, the Jesuits, and the Augustinians, which were the first to arrive in Marikina, the south of San Mateo. Almost 91% of San Mateans are Roman Catholic.

Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu, is the Patron Saint of San Mateo, and there is a parish named after her. Other notable churches in the municipality are the Iglesia ni Cristo and some others Christian faiths. There are also small numbers of Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims in San Mateo.

Education

The municipal government prides itself in giving a free, quality education to its children. There are also privately-owned academic institutions including Roosevelt College San Mateo (simply "RC San Mateo" or "RCSM") and St. Matthew College (SMC)in Ampid II, Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu Parochial School, located just across from the municipality hall, and Christ the Lord of Harvest Academy(CLHA), located in Silangan, San Mateo, Rizal. SMC and CLHA are some of the private schools in San Mateo that are empowered and duly recognized by the Department of Education, with SMC being the first and only PAASCU accredited school. San Mateo's literacy rate is 94%.

Health

San Mateo has medical missions and provides free medical operations in the municipality. There are hospitals in San Mateo. Numerous clinics provide basic health check-ups for San Mateans. The municipality also offers a privileges card for discounted fees and free emergency and medical services.

Peace and Order

(need more information about Peace and Order of San Mateo)

Tourism

San Mateo has its own share of attractions to offer. Historical landmarks and churches, antiquated houses, and art galleries, can be viewed by history and culture buffs.

Festivals

These are some of the notable events in San Mateo:

Source: www.batangsanmateo.com