French
DeutschSan Jose del Monte City, also known by its initials SJDM, is the largest city in Bulacan by population. A suburb of Metro Manila, it may look gritty at times, but has its own attractions and resorts.
Understand
[edit | edit source]SJDM was founded in the 18th century and was little more than a provincial town. This changed in the 1980s, when thousands of informal settlers from Metro Manila were relocated to San Jose del Monte. The city is home to some of the biggest resettlement areas in the Philippines like the Sapang Palay resettlement area spread over 36 barangays, Pabahay 2000 in Barangay Muzon and Towerville in Barangay Minuyan Proper. It is home to about 686,000 people (census, 1 July 2024) 
Most of the city's population come from former informal settlers along the creeks, esteros, riverbanks and railway tracks of Metro Manila. Since then, the city is gradually becoming integrated with the urban sprawl originating from the national capital, and is now directly connected with it through public transportation.
There have been growing demands for SJDM to become a highly-urbanized city administratively independent from Bulacan; this has consistently been opposed by the provincial government, which fears a loss of important revenue once this happens.
Get in
[edit | edit source]San Jose del Monte is 65 kilometres (40 mi) from Malolos and 30 kilometres (19 mi) from Manila.
By bus
[edit | edit source]There are many city buses heading to San Jose del Monte from Metro Manila, mostly via Quirino Highway. The most common route to San Jose del Monte is the PITX-Grotto route, which plies Manila, Commonwealth Avenue, and Quirino Avenue.
By jeepney
[edit | edit source]There are many jeepneys and minibuses heading to San Jose del Monte from Metro Manila, mainly from SM Fairview in Quezon City via Quirino Highway. There are also connections with neighboring towns and cities of Bulacan such as Meycauayan, Norzagaray and Santa Maria.
By train
[edit | edit source]San Jose del Monte is the terminus of the under-construction MRT Line 7 from Quezon City. The terminus will be far east of downtown, with a public transport terminal proposed there.
By taxi
[edit | edit source]Taxis (both car and motorcycle) and Grab can also be used to access areas of SJDM directly bordering Metro Manila.
Get around
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The sheer size and number of barangays in SJDM has resulted in multiple intracity routes plied by jeepneys and minibuses.
See
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- 1 Kaytitinga Falls, Barangay San Isidro (a 1-hour trek). The way to Kaytitinga Falls is not well-developed that leads to non-accessibility of the trail. There are also no public toilets or showers in the area.
- 2 Angat Watershed Forest Reserve. A portion of the reserve extends into SJDM. The watershed is a popular birdwatching site and is a biodiversity hotspot containing most of the remaining closed-canopy forests in Central Luzon. The site also covers parts of the towns of Doña Remedios Trinidad, Angat, San Rafael, and San Miguel, as well as parts of Rizal, Quezon, Aurora and Nueva Ecija provinces.
- 3 Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto Shrine (Graceville), Graceville. A pilgrimage site often visited by Roman Catholic devotees during Holy Week, distinguished by its spire and curving ramps around it. However, parts of the main church building are in a dilapidated state, and the ramps have been closed off due to concerns about structural integrity.
- 4 Mount Balagbag, Barangay San Lorenzo. A 777 metres (2,549 ft) peak at the boundary with the municipality of Rodriguez in Rizal province used as a stand-in location for films set in northern Luzon and one of the closest hiking destinations to Metro Manila.
- 5 St. Joseph the Worker Parish Church, San Ignacio Street, Poblacion I, ☏ +63 933 855 4601, sanjosemanggagawa1751@gmail.com. SJDM's main Roman Catholic church, built in the 19th century and repaired to its original style despite being burned thrice in the Philippine Revolution, World War II, and the Huk Rebellion in 1950.
- 6 People's Park of San Jose Del Monte City, Santa Maria-San Jose del Monte Road, Sapang Palay Proper. SJDM's main recreational area containing an athletics stadium.
- 7 Padre Pio Mountain of Healing, Paradise III, padrepiobulacanofficial@gmail.com. A hilltop Roman Catholic shrine featuring a 50 feet (15 m) statue of Padre Pio accessible by climbing 150 steps.
- 8 River Park Esplanade, Norzagaray Road, Dulong Bayan (at the back of SJDM City Hall). A park with amphitheater along the San Jose River.
- 9 VS Orchids, Santo Cristo. The biggest orchids nursery and ornamental plants farm in Bulacan, measuring 1.8 hectares (4.4 acres).
Do
[edit | edit source]- 1 Grotto Vista Resort, Governor Fortunato Halili Road, Graceville, ☏ +63 917 839 0327, toll-free: +63 44 815 0944, grottovistaresort.official@gmail.com.
- 2 Los Arcos De Hermano Resort, School Road, Tungkong Mangga.
Buy
[edit | edit source]- 1 Starmall San Jose del Monte, Quirino Highway, Kaypian, toll-free: 044 797 0075Country code missing. 10AM–9PM.
- 2 SM City San Jose del Monte, Quirino Highway, Tungkong Mangga, customercare@smsupermalls.com. 10AM–9PM.
- 3 WalterMart San Jose del Monte, Quirino Highway corner Altaraza Spine Road, Altaraza Town Center, ☏ +63 998 975 9458, +63 918 922 8086, wms.operations.altaraza@waltermart.com.ph. 9AM-8PM.
- 4 Primark Center San Jose del Monte, 2 San Martin Street, Fatima I, ☏ +63 919 084 0849, +63 908 818 8999. 7AM-6PM.
- 5 Grotto Shop and Ride, Pascual Compound, Governor Fortunato Halili Road, Graceville (in front of Lourdes Grotto), toll-free: 044 931 1454Country code missing. 7AM-9PM.
- 6 Robinsons Easymart San Jose del Monte, 888 San Ignacio Street, Poblacion I, ☏ +63 999 226 8823, re438sm@rsc.com.ph. 7AM-10PM.
- 7 Skyline Drive Plaza, Quirino Highway, Robes III Subdivision, Maharlika (in front of Skyline Hospital).
- 8 Victory Town Center, Dr. Eduardo V. Roquero Sr. Avenue corner Maginhawa Street, Bagong Buhay I (beside Ospital ng San Jose del Monte).
Eat
[edit | edit source]- 1 Kubyertos Restaurant, Sitio Gulod, Santa Maria-San Jose Road, Sapang Palay Proper, ☏ +63 954 310 6302, kubyertos0208@gmail.com.
Drink
[edit | edit source]Sleep
[edit | edit source]- 1 Hotel Savano, Savano Park, Quirino Highway, San Manuel, ☏ +63 917 176 3233, generalmanager@hotelsavano.com.
- 2 Villa Amira Events Place, Block 3, Lot 5, Magenta Street, Pecsonville Subdivision, Tungkong Mangga, ☏ +63 905 319 6670, villaamira.eventsplace@gmail.com.
- 3 Hotel Turista, Governor Fortunato Halili Road, Tungkong Mangga, ☏ +63 927 271 5127, htibeneathjoyrobles@gmail.com.
- 4 Casa Segunda, 181 Graceville Road, Zone 4, Graceville, ☏ +63 921 229 7958, casasegundaph@gmail.com.
- 5 Mariners Haven Resort and Event Place, Block 5, Lot 8, North Diamond Subdivision Gate 2, Maharlika, ☏ +63 945 435 0834, +63 977 886 8880, haven.mariners@gmail.com.
- 6 Hotel Sogo, Block 6, Lot 26-27, Pecsonville Subdivision, Tungkong Mangga, ☏ +63 945 522 0470, s50.cpms@gmail.com. A love motel.
- 7 Los Arcos De Hermano, Paradise I, Tungkong Mangga, ☏ +63 917 857 7446, marketing.losarcosdehermano@gmail.com.
- 8 Casa Vidal Private Resort, 251 Talisay Street, Dulong Bayan, ☏ +63 917 850 6060, denz527@yahoo.com.
- 9 Secret Garden Resort, Block 1, Lot 60, Carissa Homes North 5A, Kaypian, ☏ +63 908 814 8370, privatepoolandsecretgarden@gmail.com.
- 10 4ever Rose Hotel, Gumanel Street, Purok 3, San Martin, ☏ +63 927 898 5340, 4everrosehotelcorp@gmail.com.
- 11 Casita Ameliex, Lot 627 C-8-E Phase 2A, Kaypian, ☏ +63 926 735 8505, casitaameliex@gmail.com.
- 12 Manny's Paradise Farmstay & Resort, Block 17, Lot 26B Skyline Road, Tungkong Mangga, ☏ +63 939 914 9774, mannyseventvenue@yahoo.com.
- 13 D'Charcoal Hauz Leisure Garden, Lot 26-27 PH A, Francisco Homes-Guijo, ☏ +63 967 217 6539, fatcloudz21@gmail.com.
Stay safe
[edit | edit source]Crime levels in SJDM are comparable to suburban towns of Metro Manila.
Stay healthy
[edit | edit source]Owing to its proximity to Metro Manila and the accompanying suburban industrialization, SJDM also suffers from air pollution. There are also chronic water shortages due to its upland location and problems with utility providers.
Connect
[edit | edit source]Go next
[edit | edit source]| Routes through San Jose del Monte |
| Baliwag ← Norzagaray ← | N  S | → North Caloocan → Balintawak |