Parang | village, barangay, fourth-level administrative division

 village, barangay, fourth-level administrative division

Barangay: Parang
District: 2nd District
City: Marikina
Zip Code: 1809
Area: 164 hectares
Population: 37,896

Before 1880, Parang, a sprawling estate of forest, farm, plains and low-lying regions, was part of Barrio Bayanbayanan. Initially, only 25 families, mostly orchard farmers, settled in the area. It was host to small sugar cane plantations and home to a forest area that was a good source of lumber, fruits, and wild life. When the railroad system reached its vicinity, specifically in the area between the sitio and its mother barangay, transport of farm products to Manila became easier. The legacy of this once-productive era can still be gleaned from the “Daang Bakal” tradition the place continues to remember. The arrival of the Americans at the turn of the 20th century would have a long-term impact on Parang (Tagalog for “thicket” or “bush”). Sugar cane plantation would give way to the cultivation of undergrowths, which in turn were developed as grazing farms for cattle, carabaos, and deer. This development, which made sprawling lands into grazing areas, would eventually give the place its name. Later, warehouses for stacking of fodders and serving as garage for tractors were built in the district. Coconuts, which were easy to cultivate and required lesser effort on the part of farmers, were introduced, slowly transforming the landscape of the place. Parang, given its dense forest, became a secure hangar for Japanese planes, and it was also made into a shelter for fleeing Imperial soldiers who were pursued by Allied Forces from Manila. But through it all, the barangay at once recovered from the travails of the conflict. Projects like houses started to make headway in the area and new shoe factories such as Eduardson Shoe Factory were opened.