Valenzuela, Philippines
Region: Valenzuela City
Geographic Coordinates: 14.700000, 120.980000
Temperature Range: 24.0°C to 34.0°C (75°F to 93°F)
Population: 714978
Language: Tagalog
Valenzuela is a city located in the northern part of Metro Manila, Philippines. It is known as the “Polo Capital of the Philippines” due to its rich history in producing high-quality polo shirts. The city has a population of approximately 620, 000 people and covers an area of 47 square kilometers. The city is well-known for its industrial sector, With various manufacturing plants and factories located within its borders. These industries range from food processing to electronics and automotive production. As such, Valenzuela has become an important economic hub in the region.
Aside from being an industrial center, Valenzuela also boasts several tourist attractions that showcase its cultural heritage. One such attraction is the Museo Valenzuela Foundation Museum which houses various artifacts and exhibits that tell the story of the city’s history and culture. Another notable landmark is Our Lady of Fatima University which offers world-class education to students from all over Metro Manila. The university has several campuses throughout Valenzuela City offering programs in medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Psychology, Business administration among others.
Valenzuela also takes pride in its natural wonders such as Tala Game Reserve which provides a sanctuary for wildlife species like deer and monkeys while serving as a recreational spot for nature enthusiasts looking to escape urban life. The local government has made significant efforts towards improving infrastructure within Valenzuela City by constructing new roads and bridges connecting different areas while maintaining existing ones. This development has led to increased accessibility making it easier for residents to travel around their hometown or commute into other parts of Metro Manila.
In terms of cuisine, Valenzuela offers a wide variety ranging from traditional Filipino dishes like adobo or sinigang up to international cuisines like Japanese sushi or Korean barbecue restaurants scattered throughout different neighborhoods catering both locals and tourists alike. Overall, With its rich cultural heritage rooted in industry coupled with natural beauty spots make it an excellent destination worth visiting when exploring this part of Metro Manila.
- Valenzuela City People’s Park
- San Diego de Alcala Church
- Museo Valenzuela
- Arkong Bato Shrine
- Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela (PLV)
- Our Lady of Fatima University – Quezon City Campus
- Polo Park and Wildlife Sanctuary
- Malinta Tunnel
- Balangkas Forest Reserve
- Valenzuela Town Center (VTC) Mall
- Manufacturing – Valenzuela is known as the industrial hub of Metro Manila, with a large number of manufacturing plants and factories producing various products such as food and beverages, textiles, chemicals, electronics, and metal products.
- Trading – The city is also a major trading center for goods such as agricultural products, construction materials, and consumer goods.
- Retail – Valenzuela has several shopping malls and commercial centers that cater to the needs of its residents.
- Logistics – The city’s strategic location makes it an important logistics hub for transportation and distribution services.
- Construction – With the growing demand for infrastructure development in Metro Manila, Valenzuela has seen an increase in construction projects such as residential buildings and commercial establishments.
- Service sector – The city is home to several service-based businesses such as banks, insurance companies, healthcare facilities, educational institutions among others.
- The Battle of Malinta occurred in 1899 during the Philippine-American War, where General Gregorio del Pilar led Filipino forces against American troops.
- Valenzuela was previously a part of Bulacan province until it became its own municipality in 1960.
- Valenzuela played a significant role in the Philippine Revolution, with many revolutionary leaders originating from the area including Pio Valenzuela who was a founder and member of the Katipunan.
- Marcelo H. del Pilar, a writer and journalist who played an important role in the Propaganda Movement that aimed for reforms under Spanish colonial rule, is also from Valenzuela.
- In recent years, Valenzuela has become an essential industrial hub with various factories and businesses establishing themselves there.
- Our Lady of Fatima’s feast day is celebrated annually in Valenzuela and attracts thousands of devotees each year.
- A fire broke out at Kentex Manufacturing Corporation’s factory in 2015 resulting in over 70 deaths and brought attention to safety concerns at factories throughout the country.
- Various floods have affected Valenzuela due to its proximity to major rivers such as Tullahan River and Marilao River over time.
- Valenzuela City hosted some games during Southeast Asian Games held last November-December 2019 as well.
- The newly constructed San Miguel Brewery Inc., one among largest breweries globally located at Barangay Canumay West plays an important part on economy growth not only on local but national level too.
- Valenzuela City Museum showcases the history and culture of Valenzuela through exhibits and artifacts.
- Museo Valenzuela features the life and works of Dr. Pio Valenzuela, a national hero who played a significant role in the Philippine Revolution.
- Arkong Bato National Shrine is a historical site that served as a secret meeting place for Filipino revolutionaries during the Spanish colonial period.
- San Diego de Alcala Church is one of the oldest churches in Metro Manila, built in 1630 and known for its unique architecture.
- Bahay na Tisa Heritage House is an ancestral house turned museum that showcases traditional Filipino architecture and lifestyle during the Spanish colonial period.
- Balagtas Monument is dedicated to Francisco Balagtas, one of the greatest Filipino poets who wrote Florante at Laura.
- Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine is a religious site with a replica of the grotto in France where Virgin Mary appeared to St Bernadette Soubirous.
- Pio Valenzuela Park, named after Dr Pio Valenzuela, this park is perfect for family outings with playgrounds, picnic areas, and sports facilities.
- SM Center Valenzuela- shopping center with various stores including dining options
- Karuhatan Floating Market- A weekend market on boats selling food & other items
- Valenzuela, Philippines is not known for having any professional sports teams.
- However, there are several amateur and grassroots sports programs in the city including basketball and volleyball leagues.
- The Valenzuela City Sports Development Office also supports various sports events and activities for the community.
- Valenzuela Day is celebrated on February 14th every year to commemorate the founding of the city. The event features parades, cultural shows, and street dances.
- The Obando Fertility Dance Festival takes place in nearby Obando town every May 17-19. This festival celebrates fertility and childbearing through traditional dances performed by couples hoping to conceive a child.
- The Feast of San Diego de Alcala is celebrated on November 12th in honor of the city’s patron saint. The day is marked with processions, masses, and cultural events.
- Pasinaya Festival is an annual event held in February at the Valenzuela City People’s Park that showcases local arts and culture through performances, exhibits, and workshops.
- Pista ng mga Barangay is an annual event where each barangay (neighborhood) in Valenzuela showcases their unique culture through parades, street dances, food fairs and other activities.
- The Christmas Lantern Parade takes place during the Christmas season where different barangays compete for the best lantern design made from recycled materials.
- Araw ng Lualhati Festival is celebrated on September 7th which marks Lualhati’s foundation anniversary as an independent municipality before it became part of Valenzuela City in the 1960s. It features a street dancing competition showcasing colorful costumes inspired by flora & fauna found within its territorial boundaries such as carabao-inspired costume or butterfly-inspired headdress among others.
- Bulakenyo Restaurant – known for serving authentic Bulacan cuisine such as crispy pata, kare-kare, and adobo.
- Pares Retiro – famous for their beef pares (braised beef with garlic rice) and other Filipino comfort food dishes.
- Binalot Fiesta Foods – a fast-food chain that serves traditional Filipino meals wrapped in banana leaves.
- Lapid’s Chicharon – a snack shop that sells crispy pork rinds (chicharon) and other Filipino delicacies like longganisa and tocino.
- Mang Raul’s BBQ Haus – offers grilled skewers of pork, chicken, and seafood along with traditional side dishes like ensalada (Filipino-style salad).
- Kainan sa Tabi-Tabi – a casual dining restaurant that specializes in classic Filipino dishes like sinigang na baboy (pork sour soup) and lechon kawali (crispy fried pork belly).
- Kusina ni Lola Susing – serves home-style cooking of various Filipino dishes such as tinolang manok (chicken ginger soup), kalderetang baka(beef stew),and pancit bihon(glass noodles).
- Valenzuela City People’s Park is a public park that offers a jogging path, playground, and picnic areas for visitors to enjoy.
- Arkong Bato National Park is a nature park that provides hiking trails and camping sites for those who love the great outdoors.
- Polo Sports Complex is a sports complex that caters to basketball, volleyball, tennis, and swimming enthusiasts with its state-of-the-art facilities.
- Valenzuela Astrodome is an indoor arena that hosts various sports events and concerts throughout the year.
- San Diego Park is a small public park with fitness equipment and playgrounds where families can spend quality time together.
- Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela (PLV) Sports Complex serves as the home of the university’s sports teams while also providing facilities for basketball, volleyball, futsal, badminton among others.
- Balubaran Swimming Pool boasts an Olympic-sized swimming pool accessible to the public.
- Marulas Creek Eco-Park is a newly developed eco-park in Barangay Marulas featuring jogging paths along with creek-side areas perfect for relaxation amid nature’s beauty.
- Valenzuela City Skatepark located in Barangay Karuhatan where skateboarders can hone their skills on ramps or simply hang out.
