Featured image above shows part of the hundreds of Marikina residents who participated in the city’s 29th Cityhood Anniversay celebration. (Photo: SDN)
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MARIKINA CITY, December 8, 2025 (SDN) — At least a thousand residents joined Mayor Marjorie “Maan” Teodoro in today’s colorful and culturally and historically celebration of his local government unit’s (LGU) 29th Cityhood Anniversary.
With her, of course, were her espouse Marikina Rep. Marcy Teodoro, some councilors such as Jojo Banzon, Larry Punzalan, Kate De Guzman, Elvis Tolentino, Juday Santiago, Marie Dayao, and Patrick Sicat.
Home owners associations and community organizations and their members were prominently mentioned as they came for the event, and other city officials in the affair held at Plaza Delos Caldes, along Juan Chanyungco Street, just behind the City Hall Building.
The activities kicked off with a thanksgiving prayer immediately followed by an engaging visual narration tracing Marikina’s historical past starting with the connection between Pasig River and Marikina River, the early ruling datus of Tondo, etc., the coming of Chinese migrants, the Spanish conquistadors, up to contemporary history.
The cultural-historical play was hugely received, with applause freely and energitically given by an adoring multitude of people sharing with the LGU leadership the happy occasion.
Culminating the activities was the lighting of a Christmas tree in keeping with the merry season, simultaneously with a fireworks that lit up the skies, overcast and dark. Thankfully the threatening clouds did not unleash its waters, except for some droplets that made the atmosphere colder.
But before the lighting of the seasonal “tree” and the fireworks display, two movie celebrities joined on the stage the celebratory moment, blue jeans and T-shirts clad Bela Padilla and Gerald Anderson, eliciting more appreciation and applause, with the theme revolving around “Paskong Marikina, Paskong Pag-asa”.
Students from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina (PLM) Center for Culture and Arts (CCA, Marikina Dance Guild (MDH) , Sta. Elena High School (SEHS), Marikina High School (MHS), Marikina Senior High School (MSHS), among others performed “Ang Liwanag ng Marikina” in coordination with Department of Education (DepEd)-Marikina and the Marikina Cultural Group (MCG) led by Ms. Elenita Cruz as Artistic Director.
Founded by the Jesuits in 1630, Marikina became a city on December 8, 1996
The visual presentation depicted and traced the rich cultural history and origin of Marikina from sourcing its livelihood from Marikina River to trade exchanges with Chinese merchants to the Spanish colonization on March 15, 1521 until it transfomed into the “Shoe Capital” of the Philippines in the modern time.
The presentation paid tribute to Pedro Guevarra, known as “Kapitan Moy”, for pioneering the shoe industry in Marikina, which has become the livelihood of thousands of city residents, and becoming world famous for qualify and durability.
The visual narration showed how Marikina fought and weathered the Covid-19 pandemic that hit hard the country from March 15, 2020 until the end of December 2022 as it claimed the lives of 66,000 Filipinos nationwide.
An entry to theDecember 25, 2025, Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) titled “Reconnect” had its trailer shown, a movie that highlights the Internet’s role and importance in people’s lives, how it affects day to day routines and chores, businesses, governance, etc.
Mayor Teodoro, in her brief remarks at the event, honored the homeowners associations, community organizations, and all Marikeños for their contributions to the city’s progress and economic life.
She assured her fellow Marikeños that she understands their hardship, telling them to not lose hope.
With “Alagang Marikeño”, the lady mayor told them to keep on with their lives as the City cares for them and no one will be left behind.
Marikina formally became a city on December 8, 1996, according to Wikipedia, and transformed quickly into highly urbanized.
The Jesuits during the time of the Spanish occupation founded the city located on the fertile Marikina Valley in 1630, calling it Jesus dela Peña (Jesus of the Rocks). It later was named Mariquina. — EDD K. Usman (√)