MALAPAD NA BATO — A Part of the Town of Pasig, 1862



    


  

In an article from the Gaceta de Manila—the official newspaper of the Spanish colonial government in the Philippines—one can read a public announcement regarding a subasta pública (public bidding) for the construction of a river ferry crossing (balsa) along the shores of Malapad-na-Bato, leading to the opposite bank of the river.

Here is my translation:

“By order of the Director of the Provincial Government, a public auction will be held for the establishment of a ferry crossing in Malapad-na-Bato, town of Pasig, in this province. The project will be awarded to the bidder who submits the best offer.

The starting amount for the auction is set at ₱1,250, and it will be gradually reduced in accordance with the terms and conditions stated.

The auction will take place before the Board of Provincial Government Auctions, at their office on 29 Palacio Street, precisely at ten o’clock in the morning on the 7th of March.

Anyone who wishes to participate must submit a written proposal in the usual form, accompanied by the necessary proof of funds or guarantee, written on third-class stamped paper, on the date, time, and place specified above.

Manila, February 3, 1862 — Jayme Pujades.”


 



Many still wonder where exactly Malapad na Bato was located. This place was once a sitio (small settlement) that later became a barrio (village) of Pasig. It is one of the legendary sites along the Pasig River, mentioned by José Rizal himself in El Filibusterismo. (Today, it is said to be within the boundaries of either Makati or Taguig—an area that both cities now lay claim to.)

According to old reports and oral accounts, Malapad na Bato was located near what is now West Rembo, close to the C-5 Bridge along the Pasig–Makati boundary, in the vicinity of the present MMDA Flood Control Depot on J.P. Rizal Extension. Early descriptions portray it as a prominent landmark for travelers navigating the Pasig River by boat from Guadalupe toward the town of Pasig and onward to Laguna de Bay. Rising from the river was a massive rock formation and protruding earth outcrop known locally as Malapad na Bato, which narrowed and obstructed the waterway.

This natural barrier was eventually removed during the late nineteenth-century engineering works that straightened the Pasig River, allowing a more direct and efficient flow of water.

Near Malapad na Bato—on the Pasig side, where the Universal Robina Corporation now stands—local tradition places the legendary Doña Jerónima's Cave, one of the most enduring landmarks in the folklore of the Pasig River. Nearby, on the Pineda side, another well-known legend tells of the Buwayang Bato ("Stone Crocodile"). Together, these places formed part of the rich cultural landscape of the river, where geography and folklore intertwined. It was this world of rivers, rocks, caves, and legends that José Rizal vividly wove into his writings, preserving these local traditions for future generations.Perhaps these legends were born out of the imagination and storytelling traditions of our ancestors, inspired by the area’s unique topography—its wide swamps, dense forests, unusual rock formations, and mysterious caves that seemed to hide secrets of their own.

In fact, the mythical tales surrounding Malapad na Bato date as far back as the 16th century, to the arrival of the Spaniards in Luzon. When the Spanish missionaries—led by Fray Alonso de Alvarado of the Augustinian order—arrived in Pasig, they found a pagan settlement worshiping idols in a thickly wooded, peninsula-like area along the river. This, indeed, was what came to be known as Malapad na Bato and Pineda.

Later, in 1574, after the pirate Limahong failed in his attempt to capture Manila, it was said that many of his men fled and hid in the caves along the Pasig River—particularly around the vicinity of Malapad na Bato.

Many more stories surround Malapad na Bato, Doña Jeronima, and the town of Pasig itself.








Photo of Malapad na Bato and the Pasig River Delta. This photograph shows the confluence of the Marikina River and the Pasig River during the Pasig River rectification project of 1887. Visible in the image is the "Roca"—a massive rock formation and protruding earth outcrop known locally as Malapad na Bato. This natural obstruction was removed as part of the engineering works to straighten the river's course, allowing a more direct and efficient flow of water.
(Biblioteca Nacional de Espana)


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