Jalajala, Rizal
The origin of the name “Jalajala” was derived from a legend that was passed down through many generations. It was said that in the olden days, Jalajala was still unknown and mostly uninhabited. During summertime, particularly the months of April and May, the lake shore along Barrio Punta was covered with a variety of shells. This was a cause of wonder, because these type of shells are of the salt water variety, while the lake is a fresh water body. One day, a Spanish couple riding on a boat with Filipino boatmen anchored at the shore of Punta. There were many natives bathing then. Upon arrival, the Spanish asked the natives, “Como se llama este sitio?" or were asking for the name of their place in Spanish. The natives, unable to understand the language, thought that the stranger was asking for the name of the white shells along the shore, to which they answered “Halaan". Thus, the Spanish people began calling the place “Halaan”. As years passed, the name evolved to “Jalajala”.
Another version of the origins of the name of the town was derived from a breed of boar also known as “berkjala.” These boars were once very abundant in the town’s forests and was a favorite subject for hunting. One day, as a Spaniard passed by, he heard the Tagalog natives shouting “hala-hala,” which was a kind of hunting chant. Since then, the Spaniards called the place “Jalajala”. The berkjala pig can be seen in the insignia of the municipality.
According to historians, Jalajala was in the heart of the ancient kingdom of Bai and Mai (Be’it or Ma’it) the Gatmaitan of the noble Maitans of 1277 A.D. This peninsula was called “a little piece of paradise.” It has a majestic landscape which can be from the high portion of Mt. Sembrano as well as from Talim Island. The lakeshore served as a resting place for the traders from Laguna de Bay, thus, it became a source of interesting items for scientific and educational values.
