According to one legend, the long and narrow delta extended unbroken from north to south along the seashore. The strip of land between the former district of Tondo, Manila and this town was eaten away by the sea until an opening was made. Water began to flow through the opening. The geographical change prompted the people to refer to the place as "nabutas" which means breached or pierced through. What began as a natural channel developed into a regular waterway, now known as the Navotas River. In later years, the place came to be known as NAVOTAS.

San Jose de Navotas was the name given to the locality after its patron saint, San Jose. On June 11, 1859, a "Superior Decreto" established a new parish and municipality under the supervision of Friar Matias Navoa. The populace was divided into two distinct groups, the naturales and the mestizos. Mariano Estrellas was the gobernadorcillo of the naturales and Mariano Israel, of the mestizos. Today, because records are incomplete, we recognize only the gobernadorcillos for the mestizos.

In 1904, the town was again merged with Malabon. Bernardo Dagala, a native of Navotas, was elected municipal president

Dec. 20, 1827 – The movement for separation of Navotas which was then
a part of Malabon (Tambobong).

Feb. 16, 1859 – The date when the barrios of San Jose, Navotas and
Bangculasi were separated from Malabon.

1859 – Cavada, the year when Navotas became an independent town.

Aug. 06, 1898 – Navotas joined the revolutionary government of
Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo

June 11, 1901 – Navotas was eventually incorporated into the newly
created province of Rizal enacted Act. No. 137.

Jan. 16, 1906 – Navotas finally became an independent municipality
with the enactment of Act. No. 1442 which separated
from Malabon.

PHYSICAL CHAR.
DEMOGRAPHICS
SOCIAL PROFILE
ECONOMIC FINANCE INFRASTRUCTURE

Navotas is a coastal town in the northwest part of Metropolitan Manila. It is a narrow strip of land with an aggregated shoreline of approximately 4.5 km. In the north, Navotas shares a common border with the town of Obando, Bulacan, along Sukol Creek. Along the eastern border runs the Binuangan River, the Daang Cawayan River, the Dampalit River, the Batasan River, the Navotas River, the Bangculasi Channel, the Malabon Channel and the Estero de Maypajo.