Rosario, Cavite

Municipality in Cavite, Philippines

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Municipality in Calabarzon, Philippines

Rosario

Salinas
Tejeros

Municipality

Municipality of Rosario

Rosario Municipal Hall

Flag

Seal

Nickname(s):

Home of the Famous and the Original Tinapang Salinas

Anthem: Mahal ko ang Rosario

Map of Cavite with Rosario highlighted

OpenStreetMap

Rosario

Location within the Philippines

Coordinates: 14°25′01″N 120°51′18″E﻿ / ﻿14.417°N 120.855°E﻿ / 14.417; 120.855
Country| Philippines
Region| Calabarzon
Province| Cavite
District|  1st district
Founded| October 22, 1845
Annexation to Noveleta| October 15, 1903
Chartered| 1911
Barangays| 20 (see Barangays)
Government

[1]

• Type| Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor| Jose Voltaire V. Ricafrente III
• Vice Mayor| Joanne Michelle B. Gonzales
• Representative| Ramon Jolo Revilla
• Municipal Council|

Members

*   * Mark Jay G. Velarde
* Raul J. Hernandez
* Vivian R. Andico.
* Christopher P. Go
* Rolando A. Convento
* Crisanto A. Nazareno
* Michael E. del Rosario
* Manuel C. Pueblo

• Electorate| 89,496 voters (2025)
Area

[2]

• Total

| 7.61 km2 (2.94 sq mi)
Elevation

| 2.0 m (6.6 ft)
Highest elevation

| 35 m (115 ft)
Lowest elevation

| 0 m (0 ft)
Population

(2024 census)[3]

• Total

| 112,572
• Density| 15,000/km2 (38,000/sq mi)
• Households

| 31,510
Economy

• Income class| 1st municipal income class
• Poverty incidence|

7.69

% (2021)[4]
• Revenue| ₱ 981.1 million (2022)
• Assets| ₱ 2,020 million (2022)
• Expenditure| ₱ 850.6 million (2022)
• Liabilities| ₱ 346.7 million (2022)
Service provider

• Electricity| Manila Electric Company (Meralco)
• Water| Rosario Water System & Maynilad Cavite
Time zone| UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code|

4106

PSGC|

0402117000

IDD : area code | +63 (0)46
Native languages| Tagalog
Major religions|

* Roman Catholicism
* Protestantism
* Islam

Catholic diocese| Diocese of Imus
Patron saint| Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary
Website| www.rosariocavite.gov.ph

Rosario, officially the Municipality of Rosario (Tagalog: Bayan ng Rosario), is a municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 112,572 people.[5]

## Etymology

[edit]

There are three religious versions for naming the town "Rosario." These are:

The first version says, the image of the Madonna and the Child was found one day floating on the water by a group of kids playing along the seashore. They played with the image, using it as a toy and afterwards hid it in the bushes near the sea. Every time they came back, however, they would see the image already floating leisurely on the water, as if waiting for them. They thought it strange, but could not explain how the image got back to the water.

Not long after their elders learned about the image and took it to an empty nipa shack. Thus began a public veneration of the Madonna and Child. The hut was transformed into a place of worship. News of miraculous happenings attributed to the image spread around. The religious fervor was so great and the people were moved by the image that they decided to adopt it as the patroness of the town and changed the name Salinas Marcella to Rosario.

The different names given to the town are remembered. Marcella exists as one of the national roads of the town. Salinas is associated with the finest and famous smoked fish (Tinapang Salinas) produced by the townspeople.

Rosario was formerly called Tejero, which may have originated from the word tejer (Spanish to weave) because weaving fish nets was then the main occupation of the women. Rosario was also called Salinas derived from the word sal (Spanish salt) during the Philippine Revolution because salt-making was a prime industry of the town. The place was likewise called Marcella or Marcelles due to its proximity to the sea (“mar” in Spanish). Rosario was, finally, named in honor of their patroness Nuestra Señora Virgen del Santissimo Rosario, Reina de Caracol or (Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary).[6]

## History

[edit]

On October 22, 1845, Spanish Governor General Narciso Claveria promulgated a Decree for the establishment of a new town comprising Salinas-Leiton and Tierra Alta of San Francisco de Malabon, what is now the city of General Trias. On October 27, Don Juan Arlegui, Vicar-General of the Archdiocese of Manila informed the Politico-Military Governor of Cavite Don Miguel Roca, that he was designated by the Governor-General to look for a person of unquestionable integrity who will be entrusted with the money for the construction of the church building.[7]

On November 3, 1845, presbyter Don Mamerto Mariano Ner, who was at that time one of the priests of the Curia of Manila, was appointed as the first parish priest and served until December 1866.[7]

The municipality of Rosario was originally a part of San Francisco de Malabon (now General Trias) which itself was part of Silang.[8] It became an independent municipality in 1846, one year after the founding of the Santissimo Rosario Parish. The second smallest town in Cavite Province, Rosario has now emerged into the " biggest, not in terms of its land area nor its per capita income but because of the great transitions that occurred with the town's political, social, cultural and economic developments since 1845.[7]

On October 15, 1903, Rosario and Cavite El Viejo (now Kawit) were merged with Noveleta by virtue of Act No. 947 enacted by the Philippine Commission.[9] In 1911, Rosario regained its independent status as a municipality of Cavite by virtue of Executive Order No. 92.[10]

## Geography

[edit]

Rosario is 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Manila and 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Imus. It occupies part of the north to north-western section of the province along the western coast of Luzon. It is flanked by Noveleta on the east, Manila Bay on the north, General Trias on the southeast and Tanza on the south-west.[6]

With the continuous expansion of Metro Manila, the municipality is now included in Manila conurbation which reaches Lipa, Batangas in its southernmost part. It is accessible by land and water transportation.[6]

### Land area

[edit]

Rosario has a land area of only 569 hectares (1,410 acres), as based on previous data recorded. At present, the municipality has not yet conducted any cadastral survey of its juridical land territory. A total of twenty (20) barangays make up this lowland coastal town.

### Climate

[edit]

Climate data for Rosario, Cavite

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)  | 29
(84)  | 30
(86)  | 32
(90)  | 34
(93)  | 32
(90)  | 31
(88)  | 29
(84)  | 29
(84)  | 29
(84)  | 30
(86)  | 30
(86)  | 29
(84)  | 30
(87)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)  | 21
(70)  | 20
(68)  | 21
(70)  | 22
(72)  | 24
(75)  | 25
(77)  | 24
(75)  | 24
(75)  | 24
(75)  | 23
(73)  | 22
(72)  | 21
(70)  | 23
(73)
Average precipitation mm (inches)  | 10
(0.4)  | 10
(0.4)  | 12
(0.5)  | 27
(1.1)  | 94
(3.7)  | 153
(6.0)  | 206
(8.1)  | 190
(7.5)  | 179
(7.0)  | 120
(4.7)  | 54
(2.1)  | 39
(1.5)  | 1,094
(43)
Average rainy days  | 5.2  | 4.5  | 6.4  | 9.2  | 19.7  | 24.3  | 26.9  | 25.7  | 24.4  | 21.0  | 12.9  | 9.1  | 189.3
Source: Meteoblue[11]

### Barangays

[edit]

Rosario is politically subdivided into 20 barangays, as indicated below. [2] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

* Bagbag I
* Bagbag II
* Kanluran
* Ligtong I
* Ligtong II
* Ligtong III
* Ligtong IV
* Muzon I
* Muzon II
* Poblacion
* Sapa I
* Sapa II
* Sapa III
* Sapa IV
* Silangan I
* Silangan II
* Tejeros Convention
* Wawa I
* Wawa II
* Wawa III

## Demographics

[edit]

Population census of RosarioYear| Pop.| ±% p.a.

|
|

1903 | 6,601| —
1918 | 7,117| +0.50%
1939 | 9,894| +1.58%
1948 | 11,894| +2.07%
1960 | 16,227| +2.62%
1970 | 23,817| +3.91%
1975 | 28,725| +3.83%
1980 | 33,312| +3.01%
1990 | 45,405| +3.15%
1995 | 54,086| +3.33%
2000 | 73,665| +6.85%
2007 | 94,228| +3.45%
2010 | 92,253| −0.77%
2015 | 110,706| +3.53%
2020 | 110,807| +0.02%
2024 | 112,572| +0.38%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[12][13][14][15][16]

In the 2020 census, the population of Rosario, Cavite, was 110,807 people,[17] with a density of 2,900 inhabitants per square kilometer or 7,500 inhabitants per square mile.

Rosario's potential labor force comprises 59.25% of the figure given above, with the majority engaged in fishing and trade activities. The growth rate is 3.63%.

### Religion

[edit]

Roman Catholic is the prominent religion of Rosario. There are two Catholic churches. One is in Poblacion,The Most Holy Rosary Parish, and another one in Ligtong,San Isidro Labrador Parish. Recently, Islam was introduced by the Maranao business people from Mindanao. The other religions in Rosario includes Iglesia ni Cristo and Born Again Christians.

## Economy

[edit]

Tinapa being dried up under the Sun in Barangay Wawa Dos

Fishing is a major economic activity due to the abundant fishing grounds particularly in Barangays Wawa I, II, Sapa II, III, Muzon I, II, Ligtong I and IV. The Rosario Fish Port in Barangay Sapa II is a major fishing port. Predominant cottage industries related to fishing include smoked fish (tinapa) processing, fish drying (daing), fish paste (bagoong) making, fish sauce (patis) making and canning. Marine species caught within municipal fishing grounds include squid, mackerel, slipmouth, herring, goatfish, tuna, mullet, porgy, shrimp, barracuda, cavalla, snapper, catfish and roundscad. Salinas is also the birthplace of the well-known Marina’s bibingka and the local Cavite version of pasit luglog, also known as pasit palabok, which was introduced by Aling Ely’s carinderia. Both uses the local ingredients of tinapa flakes and kesong puti otherwise known as casillo.

The Fil-Oil Development and Management Corporation (FMDC) has begun developing 134 hectares (330 acres) of the Philippine National Oil Corporation property into a special economic zone, the Cavite Economic Zone, that will include an industrial estate, low-cost housing, and a new port facility. A proposed reclamation will increase the land area of Barangay Sapa II and III by 200 hectares (490 acres).

On November 20, 2009, SM Prime Holdings, the largest mall-operator in the country, opened SM City Rosario, its 36th mall.

Poverty incidence of Rosario

2000
18.74

2003
13.67

2006
7.80

2009
5.89

2012
7.53

2015
5.61

2018
5.21

2021
7.69

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]

## Government

[edit]

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

### Elected officials

[edit]

The following are the elected officials of the town elected last May 9, 2022 which serves until June 30, 2025:

Position | Official

|

Mayor | Jose Voltaire V. Ricafrente (PDPLBN)
Vice Mayor | Joanne Michelle B. Gonzales (PDPLBN)
Sangguniang Bayan Members  | Party

|

Vivian R. Andico  | PDPLBN
Mark Jay G. Velarde  | PDPLBN
Michael Del Rosario  | PDPLBN
Raul Hernandez  | PDPLBN
Christopher P. Go  | PDPLBN
Crisanto Nazareno  | PDPLBN
Rolando A. Convento  | PDPLBN
Michele Joanne Gonzales
ABC President  | John Paulo Nazareno
SK Federation President  | Maric Solis

### List of former municipal heads

[edit]

Gobernadorcillos

* 1845 - Jacinto Jimenez
* 1846 - Pablo Buendia
* 1847 - Ventura Caldeira
* 1848 - Jacinto Jimenez
* 1849 - Adriano Zacarias
* 1850 - Reducindo Cruz
* 1851 - Pablo Buendia
* 1852 - Jacinto Jimenez
* 1853 - Reducindo Buenviaje
* 1854 - Roberto Jimenez
* 1855 - Lino Ner
* 1856 - Lino Ner
* 1857 - Benito Atangan
* 1858 - Isidoro Gonzales
* 1859 - Natalio Buenaflor
* 1860 - Tomas Panganiban
* 1861-1862 - Isidoro Gonzales
* 1863-1864 - Lino Ner
* 1865-1866 - Bernabe Raqueno
* 1867-1868 - Lino Ner
* 1869-1870 - Juan Buendia
* 1871-1872 - Benito Atangan
* 1873-1874 - Basilio Copon
* 1875-1877 - Lino Ner
* 1878-1879 - Bernabe Raqueño
* 1880-1881 - Mariano Odvina
* 1882-1883 - Francisco Prudente
* 1884-1885 - Ciriaco Abutin
* 1886-1887 - Pantaleon Raqueño
* 1888- - Francisco Sales
* 1889-1890 - Mariano Punzalan
* 1891-1892 - Pablo Raqueño

Capitan Presidents

* 1893 - Roman Bulda
* 1894 Marcelo Rodriguez
* 1895-1898 - Catalino Abueg

Presidente Municipal

* 1899-1900 - Catalino Abueg
* 1901-1905 - Andres Ner
* 1906-1907 - Benigno Santi
* 1908-1909 - Andres Villanueva
* 1910-1912 - Andres Giongco
* 1913-1915 - Pascual Jimenez
* 1915-1922 - Julio Mata
* 1922-1925 - Andres Giongco
* 1925-1930 - Julio Mata
* 1930-1934 - Narciso Jimenez Ner

Municipal Mayors

* 1934-1937 - Julio Mata
* 1938-1941 - Jose Castro
* 1942-1943 - Agustin Abadilla

Japanese sponsored Mayor

* 1944-1945 - Julio Mata

Liberation Military Mayor

* 1945 - Narciso Jimenez Ner

Appointed by Pres. Osmena

* 1946 - David Jimenez

Appointed by Pres. Roxas

* 1947 - Julio Mata

Municipal Mayor

* 1948-1951 - David P. Jimenez
* 1952-1959 - Antonio Guhit
* 1960-1963 - Pedro Giongco
* 1964–1978, 1980-1986 - Calixto Enriquez
* 1978-1980 - Agripina Abueg
* 1986-1988 - Oscar Reyes
* 1988-1992 - Ernesto Andico
* 1992–1998, 2007–2016, 2019–2020 - Jose M. Ricafrente, Jr.
* 1998-2007 - Renato M. Abutan
* 2016–2019, 2020–present - Jose Voltaire V. Ricafrente

|
|

## Education

[edit]

Primary schools:

* Rosario Elementary School
* Agustin Abadilla Elementary School
* David P. Jimenez Elementary School
* Mayor Calixto D. Enriquez Elementary School (Ligtong Elem. School)
* Silangan Elementary School Founded June 18, 1962
* Bagbag I Elementary School-Main (Greenfields Subd.)
* Bagbag II Elementary School-Annex (Sunrise Subd.)
* Tejeros Convention Elementary School
* Bible Christian Academy (Cuevas Subd.)
* Galilee Academy (Manggahan Compound)
* Santo Rosario Catholic School (Most Holy Rosary Parish Compound)
* King Arthur Academy of Cavite, Inc. (Karlaville Subd.)

Secondary schools:

* Bagbag National High School
* Cafuir Learning Center (defunct)
* Cavite State University - Science Education Laboratory School
* Rosario Institute
* Rosario National High School
* Escuela Secondaria Señor de Salinas
* STI High School - Rosario
* Bible Christian Academy (Cuevas Subd)
* Galilee Academy (Manggahan Compound)
* Santo Rosario Catholic School (Most Holy Rosary Parish Compound)

Tertiary schools:

* Cavite State University Rosario Campus
* STI College - Rosario Branch
* Imus Computer College - Rosario Branch
* Datacom Institute of Computer and Technology - Rosario Campus

## Gallery

[edit]

* Welcome arch

* Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Church

* San Isidro Labrador Parish Church

* Cavite Economic Zone

* Former Town hall

* Former Rosario commercial center

Fish port

## See also

[edit]

* List of renamed cities and municipalities in the Philippines

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Municipality of Rosario |  (DILG)
2. ^ a b "Province:". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
3. ^ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
4. ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
5. ^ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
6. ^ a b c Province of Cavite Website \- Rosario
7. ^ a b c "About Rosario". rosariocavite.com.ph. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
8. ^ Sembrano, Edgar Allan (2022-10-04). "Silang seeks to save cultural treasure church". Lifestyle.INQ. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
9. ^ Act No. 947 (October 15, 1903), An Act Reducing the Twenty-Three Municipalities of the Province of Cavite to Eleven, retrieved June 17, 2023
10. ^ Executive Order No. 92 (January 11, 1911), Separating the former municipality of Rosario from that of Neleta, Cavite
11. ^ "Rosario: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
12. ^ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
13. ^ Census of Population (2015). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
14. ^ Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
15. ^ Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region IV-A (Calabarzon)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
16. ^ "Province of". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
17. ^ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
18. ^ "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
19. ^ "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
20. ^ "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
21. ^ "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
22. ^ "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
23. ^ "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
24. ^ "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
25. ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rosario, Cavite.

* Rosario, Cavite - cavite.gov.ph
* Philippine Standard Geographic Code
* Philippine Census Information

Places adjacent to Rosario, Cavite

| Manila Bay |
| Noveleta

|
|

|  |

Rosario

|  |
Tanza |
| General Trias

Articles related to Rosario, Cavite

* v
* t
* e

Province of Cavite

Trece Martires (de facto capital), Imus (de jure capital)
Dasmariñas (largest city)

Municipalities|

* Alfonso
* Amadeo
* General Emilio Aguinaldo
* General Mariano Alvarez
* Indang
* Kawit
* Magallanes
* Maragondon
* Mendez
* Naic
* Noveleta
* Rosario
* Silang
* Tanza
* Ternate

Component cities|

* Bacoor
* Carmona
* Cavite City
* Dasmariñas
* General Trias
* Imus
* Tagaytay
* Trece Martires

* v
* t
* e

Calabarzon (Region IV-A)

CAvite, LAguna, BAtangas, Rizal, QueZON

Regional center|

* Calamba

Provinces|

* Batangas
* Cavite
* Laguna
* Quezon
* Rizal

Highly urbanized cities|

* Lucena

Component cities|

* Antipolo
* Bacoor
* Batangas City
* Biñan
* Cabuyao
* Calamba
* Calaca
* Carmona
* Cavite City
* Dasmariñas
* General Trias
* Imus
* Lipa
* San Pablo
* San Pedro
* Santa Rosa
* Santo Tomas
* Tagaytay
* Tanauan
* Tayabas
* Trece Martires

Provincial capitals|

* Antipolo
* Batangas City
* Imus (de jure)
* Lucena
* Santa Cruz
* Trece Martires (de facto)

Municipalities|

* Agdangan
* Agoncillo
* Alabat
* Alaminos
* Alfonso
* Alitagtag
* Amadeo
* Angono
* Atimonan
* Balayan
* Balete
* Baras
* Bauan
* Bay
* Binangonan
* Buenavista
* Burdeos
* Cainta
* Calatagan
* Calauag
* Calauan
* Candelaria
* Cardona
* Catanauan
* Cavinti
* Cuenca
* Dolores
* Famy
* General Emilio Aguinaldo
* General Luna
* General Mariano Alvarez
* General Nakar
* Guinayangan
* Gumaca
* Ibaan
* Indang
* Infanta
* Jalajala
* Jomalig
* Kalayaan
* Kawit
* Laurel
* Lemery
* Lian
* Liliw
* Lobo
* Lopez
* Los Baños
* Lucban
* Luisiana
* Lumban
* Mabini
* Mabitac
* Macalelon
* Magallanes
* Magdalena
* Majayjay
* Malvar
* Maragondon
* Mataasnakahoy
* Mauban
* Mendez
* Morong
* Mulanay
* Nagcarlan
* Naic
* Nasugbu
* Noveleta
* Padre Burgos
* Padre Garcia
* Paete
* Pagbilao
* Pagsanjan
* Pakil
* Pangil
* Panukulan
* Patnanungan
* Perez
* Pila
* Pililla
* Pitogo
* Plaridel
* Polillo
* Quezon
* Real
* Rizal
* Rodriguez
* Rosario (Batangas)
* Rosario (Cavite)
* Sampaloc
* San Andres
* San Antonio
* San Francisco
* San Jose
* San Juan
* San Luis
* San Mateo
* San Narciso
* San Nicolas
* San Pascual
* Santa Cruz
* Santa Maria
* Santa Teresita
* Sariaya
* Silang
* Siniloan
* Taal
* Tagkawayan
* Talisay
* Tanay
* Tanza
* Taysan
* Taytay
* Teresa
* Ternate
* Tiaong
* Tingloy
* Tuy
* Unisan
* Victoria

Barangays|

* Batangas (List)
* Cavite (List)
* Laguna (List)
* Quezon (List)
* Rizal (List)

Luzon, Republic of the Philippines
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