Jalajala
Etymology
What is now the town's Barangay Punta was the seat of an earlier settlement later known as Halaán. During the summer from April to May, the shores of Laguna de Bay along Punta would be filled with small shellfish locally known as halaán.
As is typical with many modern Philippine toponyms, the town's name supposedly resulted from miscommunication between early Spanish visitors and natives. The Spaniards enquired of some natives along the shoreline, "¿Como se llama este sitio?" ("What is the name of this place?") to which the latter replied, "halaán pò," thinking that the foreigners referred to the shells. The Spaniards accepted the response as the name of the place, and began calling it halaán, later corrupting it into Chimae then into Jalajala.
Another folk etymology is that Jalajala stems from an endemic breed of boar called berk jala, which is abundant in the wilds around the town and is depicted on its seal. As with the other story, a Spaniard asked the Tagalog-speaking natives the place's name, and the locals' interjection of "hala-hala” (possibly a hunting chant) was taken by the Spaniards to be their answer.
Geography
Jalajala is on a peninsula located 75 kilometers (47 mi) southeast of Manila in the largest freshwater lake in the Philippines, Laguna de Bay. It lies on the eastern part of the Rizal Province and has a land area of 4,930 hectares (12,200 acres) representing 3.77% of the total land area of the province. Jalajala's political boundary on the north is the Panguil River, wherein it shares the boundary with the town of Pakil in Laguna. On its southern, eastern, and western boundaries lies Laguna de Bay.
Mount Sembrano forms the boundary of Jalajala and Pililla.
Barangays
Jalajala is politically subdivided into eleven barangays (three urban, eight rural). Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
- Bagumbong
- Bayugo
- Second District (Poblacion)
- Third District (Poblacion)
- Lubo
- Pagkalinawan
- Palaypalay
- Punta
- Sipsipin
- First (Special) District (Poblacion)
- Paalaman
Bayugo, Palay-Palay, and Sipsipin were elevated as barrios in 1956.
Climate
| Climate data for Jalajala, Rizal | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 26 (79) |
27 (81) |
29 (84) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
30 (86) |
29 (84) |
29 (84) |
29 (84) |
29 (84) |
28 (82) |
26 (79) |
29 (84) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 24 (75) |
24.5 (76.1) |
26.5 (79.7) |
27 (81) |
27.5 (81.5) |
27.5 (81.5) |
26.5 (79.7) |
26.5 (79.7) |
26.5 (79.7) |
26.5 (79.7) |
26 (79) |
24.5 (76.1) |
26.1 (79.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22 (72) |
22 (72) |
22 (72) |
23 (73) |
24 (75) |
25 (77) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
23 (73) |
23 (74) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 58 (2.3) |
41 (1.6) |
32 (1.3) |
29 (1.1) |
91 (3.6) |
143 (5.6) |
181 (7.1) |
162 (6.4) |
172 (6.8) |
164 (6.5) |
113 (4.4) |
121 (4.8) |
1,307 (51.5) |
| Average rainy days | 13.4 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 9.8 | 19.1 | 22.9 | 26.6 | 24.9 | 25.0 | 21.4 | 16.5 | 16.5 | 214.5 |
| Source: Meteoblue | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1903 | 1,217 | — |
| 1918 | 1,584 | +1.77% |
| 1939 | 1,532 | −0.16% |
| 1948 | 2,429 | +5.25% |
| 1960 | 5,223 | +6.59% |
| 1970 | 8,115 | +4.50% |
| 1975 | 9,276 | +2.72% |
| 1980 | 11,945 | +5.19% |
| 1990 | 16,318 | +3.17% |
| 1995 | 19,873 | +3.76% |
| 2000 | 23,280 | +3.45% |
| 2007 | 28,738 | +2.95% |
| 2010 | 30,074 | +1.67% |
| 2015 | 32,254 | +1.34% |
| 2020 | 34,017 | +1.05% |
| Source: Philippine Statistics Authority | ||
In the 2020 census, the population of Jala-jala, was 34,017 people, with a density of 770 inhabitants per square kilometre or 2,000 inhabitants per square mile.
Economy
Poverty incidence of Jalajala
5
10
15
20
2006
14.90 2009
15.68 2012
19.73 2015
17.66 2018
12.40 2021
6.28 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority |
Government
Local government
The municipality is governed by a municipal mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.
Elected officials
List of current government officials from June 30, 2022.
| Title | Name |
|---|---|
| Mayor | Elmer C. Pillas |
| Vice Mayor | Jarry V. Añago |
| Councilor | Charlott C. Angeles |
| Gina H. Bonita | |
| Bill Bryan S. de Leon | |
| Johnny S.J. delos Santos | |
| Manolito M. Estrella | |
| Bayani M. Masicat Jr. | |
| Joselito K. Panguito | |
| Maria Salvacion A. Villaran | |
| ABC / LNB President | |
| SK President |
List of former mayors
| No. | Mayor | Term | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maximo Bellin | 1945 | Nacionalista | |
| 2 | Carlos dela Vega | 1945–1951 | Liberal | |
| 3 | Juan delos Santos | 1952–1963 | Nacionalista | |
| 4 | Agaton Gellido | 1964–1967 | Nacionalista | |
| 5 | Juan Vidallo | 1968–1971 | Liberal | |
| 6 | Alejandro Gellido | 1972–1973 | Nacionalista | |
| 7 | Arsenio Pillas | 1973–1980 | Nacionalista | |
| 8 | Voltaire B. Gellido | 1980–1986 | Nacionalista | |
| 9 | Alejandro Perez Jr. | 1986–1987 | LDP | |
| 10 | Avelino Salgatar | 1987–1988 | LDP | |
| (9) | Alejandro Perez Jr. | 1988–1992 | LDP | |
| 11 | Walfredo M. dela Vega | 1992–1995 | NPC | |
| 12 | Jose B. delos Santos | 1995–2004 | Lakas | |
| 13 | Elionor I. Pillas | 2004–2013 | NPC | |
| 14 | Narciso S. Villaran | 2013–2016 | UNA | |
| (13) | Elionor I. Pillas | 2016–2019 | NPC | |
| 15 | Elmer C. Pillas | 2019–Present | NPC | |