San Mateo, Municipality in Rizal, Philippines
San Mateo is a municipality in Rizal province on the Philippine island of Luzon, sitting at roughly 80 meters above sea level. It shares borders with Quezon City and Marikina to the west, Antipolo to the south, and Rodriguez to the east.
The settlement was founded in 1571 as an outlying community of Pasig and named after the apostle Matthew. During Spanish colonial rule, the area gradually developed into an independent administrative district.
The name comes from Saint Matthew, one of the twelve apostles in the New Testament, chosen as patron by Spanish colonizers. Catholic festivals and processions still shape the rhythm of life for many residents, especially around the local diocesan church.
The streets are mostly paved and suited for cars, jeepneys, and tricycles, but traffic can be heavy during morning and late afternoon. Visitors exploring the area should travel outside rush hours and keep a map or navigation app ready.
A dense network of jeepney, bus, and tricycle routes links the area to neighboring cities and Metro Manila, giving travelers many options to choose from. These vehicles usually run without fixed schedules but stop at most corners and intersections on hand signal.
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