Abstract:
Known as the “Balcony of the Metropolis”, San Jose del Monte (SJDM) serves as one of the
gateways from Metro Manila to the northern Philippines. As the relocation center of the country,
SJDM proves to be an interesting area of study on how migration and urbanization shape a city's
history. With the scarcity of literature on SJDM and the significant gap in studies covering
urban-to-rural phenomena, this research aims to explore the relationship between migration and
urbanization in SJDM and analyze their impacts on the political, economic, and sociocultural
transformations of the city. Employing archival research methods, this paper traces the multiple
waves of migration and rapid urbanization in SJDM from 1960 to present, and scrutinizes how
these two processes have influenced the development of the city. Examining short-, medium-,
and long-term trends reveals that SJDM has experienced a unique pattern of development
compared to other urbanizing cities in the country. Moreover, the uncontrolled urbanization in
SJDM has led to significant social issues, including challenges in social cohesion, delivery of
essential services, land use conflicts, unemployment, and environmental degradation. Noting the
inevitable and continuous rapid urbanization in SJDM and other areas in Bulacan, this research
assumes critical importance in documenting the history of SJDM and the consequent changes
that have been occurring within, informing context-specific, sustainable, and inclusive,
development strategies tailored to the unique context of the city.
