Caloocan City travel guides

Remarkable Caloocan

A part of the municipalities of Metro Manila is the city of Caloocan.  This city plays a significant role in Philippine History as the momentous site of the Cry of Balintawak which was a locally-lead uprising against the Spaniards, who had colonized most of the Philippine archipelago.  Caloocan is considered a home of heroes and its people are proud to live in such a remarkable city.

In the Corner

Caloocan got its name from the Filipino word “lo-ok” which means “corner”.  This is because the city lies in the corner of Tondo, Manila and Malabon City through a small town called Aromahan, which was established by the Augustinians in 1765.  This small town later on grew and became the city of Caloocan in the year 1815.

The city is divided into two parts: Northern and Southern Caloocan city.  Southern Caloocan sits directly north of Metro Manila while Northern Caloocan City is what forms the northern tip of Metro Manila.

Home of the Katipunan

Caloocan is the birthplace of the Katipunan, an undercover militant group lead by the Philippine national hero, Andres Bonifacio.  Secret meetings and plans were hatched by the Katipuneros or followers of the Katipunan in a home in Caloocan which gave forth the first armed encounter between the Spaniards and the Katipuneros.  This encounter fueled what is now known in history as the Philippine Revolution.    

This historic event took place in Balintawak when Bonifacio, then known as the Supremo or the supreme leader of the Katipunan, tore his cedula as a sign of defiance against the Spanish rule and accompanied it with a battle cry for Philippine independence.  A cedula was a Spanish-government issued document stating that a citizen was under the rule of Spain.  This event became known as the Cry of Balintawak.  

Places of Interest

The historic Cry of Balintawak which started the Philippine Revolution in the year 1896 is now commemorated in stone by the famous sculptor and Philippine national artist, Guillermo Tolentino in the year 1933.  This monument stands at the northern point of the national highway of Metro Manila, which is Epifanio de los Santos Avenue or EDSA.  This area is now known by the locals as Monumento.

To escape the busy streets of Caloocan, the city offers its citizens a place to relax and have fun called the Gubat sa Ciudad Resort or Forest in the City Resort.  This resort is located in Bagumbong and features a family friendly environment where you can hold company outings, group retreats and other group events.  This is also a great place to do some outdoor sports and escape the city heat by swimming in the resort’s pools.    

Another historic place to visit is Horace Higgins Hall, which was the site of the Manila-Dagupan line that connected Caloocan to Manila until Dagupan in Pangasinan.  This railway station opened in 1892 and is now a heritage sight.   This structure takes you back in time to the Spanish era with its architecture.  This is all that remains of this railway station, which was heavily used during that time.  You can find this historic structure at the intersection of M. Hizon and C. Apostol Streets.