Pasig

Pasig is a highly-urbanized city located in the National Capital Region of the Philippines.

It sits on the eastern border of Metro Manila and shares a boundary with Rizal province. The city is named after the Pasig River. According to the 2024 census, the city has a population of 853,050 people. While it was once a rural settlement, it has transformed into a major center for industry and residence. In recent years, it has also become a commercial hub. This change is largely due to the Ortigas Center business district located in the west.

The name "Pasig" comes from a Tagalog word. It can mean "a river that flows into the sea" or "sandy bank of a river." The term is derived from the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian word *pasiR. This linguistic root is related to the Tagalog word dalampasigan, which means shore. It is also connected to the Malay word pasir, meaning sand or beach. This etymology highlights the deep connection between the settlement and its waterways.

Long before Spanish colonizers arrived, a thriving community existed on the banks of the Bitukang Manok River.

The name Bitukang Manok means "chicken gut" in Tagalog. This name describes the serpentine, winding shape of the waterway. This creek was once a principal tributary of the Marikina River. It connected the Marikina River to Antipolo. The creek also linked to several other waterways, including the Sapang Bato-Buli Creek and the Hinulugang Taktak falls. These connections allowed the area to serve as a major center for barter trade and irrigation for wide paddy fields.

Spanish colonizers established a settlement in 1573 called the Ciudad-Municipal de Pasig.

They built the Pasig Cathedral around this same time. The cathedral remains a landmark of the city today. In the 1600s, Fr. Joaqin Martinez de Zuñiga conducted a census of the area. He recorded 3,000 tributes, which represented the local families. Half of these people were Indios, or native Filipinos. The other half were Sangleys, or Chinese Filipinos. During this era, Mexican soldiers from Fort Santiago also patrolled the Pasig River. Some of these soldiers settled in Pasig after their service ended.

Pasig has seen significant military activity throughout its history. During the British Occupation from 1762 to 1764, the Royal British army used the creek to move troops upstream. They used the Pasig Cathedral as a military headquarters. Later, in 1896, the Katipunan launched a major movement here.

Led by Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, and Pio Valenzuela, they used seventeen bangkas, or canoes, to access the creek. They launched a surprise attack on the local government. This successful rebellion is known as the "Nagsabado sa Pasig." This event was the first victorious rebellion by the Katipunan.

The administrative role of Pasig changed during the American era. In 1901, the province of Rizal was created.

Pasig was named the capital of Rizal province. This status continued for many years. However, the seat of government eventually moved. In 2009, the new Rizal provincial capitol opened in Antipolo. On June 19, 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11475. This law designated Antipolo as the official capital of Rizal. Pasig remained the de jure, or official capital, until July 7, 2020.

In the modern era, the geography of the area has shifted due to urban development. The Bitukang Manok, or Parian Creek, faced ecological decline after World War II. By the late 1960s, the waterway was separated from the Marikina River. It was converted into an open sewage ditch to make room for commercial facilities. Today, Pasig is a complex urban system. It contains residential zones, industrial areas, and massive business districts. It remains a vital part of the National Capital Region's economy and history.