Rizal (formerly known as Liwan), officially the Municipality of Rizal is a municipality in the province of Kalinga, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 20,491 people.
The town is famous for its Pleistocene archaeological site which possesses rhino bones, tools, deer bones, turtle remains, and stegodon bones. The butchered rhino bones were confirmed by international scientific journals as proof of ancient hominids in the Philippines dating back to 709,000 years ago, the oldest hominid evidence in the entire Philippine archipelago. The discovery was confirmed in 2018, and has been a game-changer in Philippine prehistory.
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Geography
Rizal is situated 22.34 kilometres (13.88 mi) from the provincial capital Tabuk, and 462.51 kilometres (287.39 mi) from the country's capital city of Manila.
Barangays
Rizal is politically subdivided into 14 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Demographics
In the 2024 census, the population of Rizal was 20,491 people, with a density of 89 inhabitants per square kilometre or 230 inhabitants per square mile.
Economy
Poverty incidence of Rizal (%)
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority
The municipality of Rizal relies heavily on agriculture as main source of economy, particularly corn, rice, cassava, and sugarcane. Rizal serves as one of the economic contributors in Kalinga.
Government
Rizal, belonging to the lone congressional district of the province of Kalinga, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.
Education
The Rizal Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.