General Trias, Cavite

Etymology

During the earlier part of the Spanish colonial period, General Trias was often referred to as Las Estancias (the ranches), which was once a part of Cavite el Viejo, the present-day Kawit. It was also called Malabon Grande. The name Malabon was speculated to have been derived from either the local term "maraming labong," due to the abundance of bamboo shoots in the area, which is a main ingredient in Filipino cuisine; or from "mayabong," referring to the trees and other plants once abundant in the place.

At any rate, the first reference seems to be more probable because General Mariano Trías, a noted writer, adopted the nom de guerre "Labong," a word he often used in his writing and conversation. Grande, on the other hand, was affixed to the appellation because at the time, the place was a vast wilderness covering Sitio Tejero, frequently called by the revolutionary as Salinas (present-day Rosario), Sta. Cruz de Malabon or Malabon el Chico (present-day Tanza) and Tierra Alta (present-day Noveleta). When the town was made independent from Cavite el Viejo, it was finally called by its popular name San Francisco de Malabon, in honor of patron saint, Saint Francis of Assisi (1181-1200).

First Cry of Cavite

The first uprising in Cavite known as the "First Cry of Cavite" occurred in San Francisco de Malabon about ten o’clock in the morning of 31 August 1896, when the town tribunal was attacked by Filipino revolutionaries led by Mariano Trías, Diego Mojica and Nicolas Portilla in Pasong Kalabaw (now known as Sta. Clara). The second incident followed at twelve noon at Tierra Alta and the third in Cavite el Viejo between two and three o’clock in the afternoon.

Tejeros Convention

A chapter of the Katipunan known as Balangay Mapagtiis had already been in existence in the place for sometime. The Sangguniang Bayang Magdiwang headed by General Mariano Álvarez of Tierra Alta and the Sangguniang Bayang Mapagtiis of San Francisco de Malabon later merged under the name Magdiwang Council with General Alvarez as president. The Magdiwang Council hosted the Tejeros Convention on 22 March 1897 in a friar estate house in Sitio Tejero wherein Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was elected president and Mariano Trías, then lieutenant general, as vice-president in a revolutionary government replacing the Katipunan.

Renamed as General Trias

On 28 February 1914, Legislative Act No. 2390 was passed by the Philippine Assembly, changing the town's name to Malabon. Later, on 24 February 1920, another Legislative Act No. 2889 was approved,[5] finally renaming the town after one of its most famous son, General Mariano Trías.

Cityhood

On 19 August 2015, Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III signed Republic Act No. 10675 which converted the municipality of General Trias into a component city of Cavite. The bill finally came into full effect after majority of the city's residents voted yes to cityhood through a plebiscite. General Trias thus became the seventh city in the province and the 145th in the country.

Geography

General Trias is an inland city of Cavite located 35 kilometers southwest of Manila. It straddles the northeastern part of the province. The City is surrounded by the municipalities of Rosario and Noveleta in the north, by Tanza and Trece Martires City in the west, by Amadeo in the south, Silang in the southeast, and the cities of Dasmarinas and Imus to the east. General Trias has a total land area of 81.46 square kilometers. 

Demographics

In the 2015 census, the population of General Trias, Cavite, was 314,303 people, with a density of 3,900 inhabitants per square kilometre or 10,000 inhabitants per square mile.

Religion

A vast majority of General Trias residents are Roman Catholics. Protestant Christians accounts for the second largest denomination in the city, with the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, having local churches in the area such as UCCP Buenavista, UCCP Sulukan, UCCP Pasong Kawayan and UCCP Tejero. The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) has a small but key presence in the city except in Barangay F. Manalo (named after the first INC executive minister), where most residents are INC members.

Language

General Trias is one of the Hispanic towns in the Philippines because of these Spanish speakers are present in the town . Filipino , English and Spanish are the most used language in the area specially in Buenavista (also known as Camaren) because this has been the hide out of the Spaniards during their era.

Local government

Pursuant to Chapter II, Title II, Book III of Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991, the city government is to be composed of a mayor (alkalde), a vice-mayor (bise alkalde) and members (kagawad) of the legislative branch Sangguniang Panlungsod alongside a secretary to the said legislature, all of which are elected to a three-year term and are eligible to run for three consecutive terms.

Executive

As with every Philippine city, the city mayor serves as General Trias' chief executive. Elected to a term of three years and limited to three consecutive terms, he or she appoints the directors of each city department, which include the office of administration, engineering office, information office, legal office, and treasury office. The current mayor is Antonio Ferrer, brother of former mayor and incumbent 6th District congressman Luis "Jon-Jon" Ferrer IV.

The city's vice mayor performs duties as acting mayor in the absence of the mayor. He or she also automatically succeeds as mayor upon the death of the incumbent, or if the latter is unable to fullfil his/her duties. He or she also convenes the Sangguniang Panlungsod, the city's legislative body. The current vice mayor is Maurito Sison.

Legislative

Within the city, the City Board or Sangguniang Panlungsod crafts all city ordinances, performs appropriation of city funds, issues franchises and permits, impose fees on city services, and exercise other duties and powers as stipulated by the Local Government Code of 1991.

Under R.A. 10675 Article V Section 10 (a). General Trias is entitled to a City Board composed of 10 members.

Barangays

General Trias is politically subdivided into 33 barangays: 

Industrial estates

General Trias has been gradually undergoing industrialization since the turn of the 21st century. Several major industrial estates, such as Gateway Business Park, a world class business community in Javalera and the New Cavite Industrial City (NCIC) in Manggahan, have chosen General Trias to be their home base.

The Cavite Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) occupies about 0.60 square kilometres of land belonging to General Trias. 110 factories operate in the CEPZ. The others are the Golden Gate Industrial Park (Phase I) in Buenavista II and Golden Gate Industrial Park (Phase II) in Panungyanan while the rest are found at Barangay Manggahan, Barangay San Francisco and along Governor's Drive.

Residential developments

Housing development is also on the upsurge with 45 subdivisions in the area like Maravilla, Bel Aldea, Metrosouth, Tierra Nevada, Metropolis Greens, Eagle Ridge, Pasadena Heights I, Stanford City, Mary Cris Complex and Governor Hills to name a few.

Township projects are also rising across the City of General Trias.

Lancaster New City Cavite

Gentri will house on its north west area the largest real-estate development in Cavite and third largest township project in the Philippines next to 9000-hectare Clark Green city and Ayala's 5000-hectare Nuvali. Starting from Kawit passing through Imus, the Lancaster New City Cavite has its part being developed on General Trias' 2500 Hectare land that will house around 15 campuses inside the city, a BPO hub, a Bus terminal, a Shopping and dining strip, a Church, a club house named Leighton Hall, scattered parks and linear parks throughout the phases, and an inter city Bus routes for the residents.

Antel Grand Villages

On the city's north west area also lies another residential estate project Antel Grand Villages near Robinsons Place General Trias. The Antel Grand Village is the first and only self-contained island community, with more than 100 hectares Gentri's land with 1.7-hectare clubhouse.

Florida Sun Estates

Another township is Florida Sun Estates which is composed of clustered developments – residential subdivisions, low rise residential buildings and commercial developments all with in its 18 hectares of land.

Future Townships

Megaworld also announced the new addition to their township project portfolio, The Maple Grove that covers 140 hectares of General Trias City's north west area. The township will have an eclectic mix of residential, retail, office and institutional components.

Public Market

The 20,000-square meter public market in between Barangay Corregidor and Sampalucan is said to be more or less worth Php 39,000,000.00. General Trias is considered one of the new frontiers of growth and development in the CALABARZON area as attested by the giant industrial subdivisions located in the town.

Leisure and Shopping Malls

Located at the Tejero intersection and opened in May 2016, the 55,000-square meter Robinson's Place General Trias is Robinson's third shopping mall in the province and the first full-scale mall in General Trias.

On the Southern part of the City lies one of the biggest Golf and Country residential estate Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club. It covers about 700 hectares, which makes it one of the largest residential estate in the Country. The Golf & Country Club, which is one of the component of Eagle Ridge development, is nearing its completion with three playable golf courses and two operational satellite clubhouses.

The 300-hectare Eagle Ridge Residential expanse features a very upscale housing community, the integral component of the project, will make up the whole concept of Eagle Ridge as a golf and residential site.

Festival

General Trias City celebrates their Valenciana Festival every year. Valenciana is originally made in General Trias and became part of their culture.

Local Government Projects

The master plan for General Trias is to achieve an agro-industrial and residential balance. Current developments include the construction of the General Trias Auditorium and Sports Complex at General Trias Memorial Elementary School Grounds in Barangay San Juan I, cementing of roads from Barangay Santiago to Governor's Drive and road widening of Barangay Tejero to San Juan II, the building of General Trias Municipal Hall-Manggahan Annex, completion of a 2-storey Training Center Building at Barangay Pinagtipunan. After the cityhood on December 2015, Many renovation projects is make including renovation of the city plaza, Sports Center, Welcome arch between Gen. Trias and a bridge to Dasmarinas. And making a stadium in Sports Complex (or popular called Track 'n field).

Transportation

General Trias City will soon be accessible with the C6 Expressway's construction Connecting the North and South of Luzon and the Cavite-Laguna Expressway's development connecting CAVITEX to SLEX. The expansion of the LRT Line 1 from Baclaran, to Dasmariñas, Cavite will also provide fast access from General Trias to the Prime Financial Center of the Philippines, Makati City.

Health Care

Several Hospitals both private and government have also sprouted throughout General Trias City ranging from government health centers to private clinics to complete hospitals. GenTri Medical Center and Hospital Inc. and Gentri Doctor's Hospital to name a few is among the biggest hospitals in the entire province of Cavite.

Education

The City of General Trias is home to several educational institutions, notably Lyceum of the Philippines University-Cavite campus,Cavite State University-General Trias campus, which was established in 2012, and the future AMA Computer University located inside Ara Vista Village and set to open its doors in May 2019. A University Town considered a first of its kind in the country. Also in General Trias are several private and public elementary and high schools.

Notable people