Also known as OLA Church, this Spanish-era church is located along J. P. Rizal Street in Santa Elena. The church was started by the Augustinians in 1687 and was finished in 1690. On October 21, 1791, the whole parish was consecrated under the Marian title, Nuestra Sra. Delos Desamparados (Our Lady of the Abandoned), the second oldest parish in the Philippines after that of Sta. Ana in Manila under that title This place of worship was destroyed by earthquakes and by fires in the 19th century. It has undergone a series of renovations since 1963. The church houses the miraculous image of the religious patron of Marikina City, Our Lady of the Abandoned (OLA), which was canonically crowned last October 15, 2005 by virtue of Pope Benedict XVI, the first under his papacy. Leading the coronation rites was His Eminence, Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales of the Archdiocese of Manila. On August 5, 2007, the church was elevated into a diocesan shrine by the Most Rev. Gabriel V. Reyes, D.D., Bishop of Antipolo. Also in 2007, the parish was made the residence of the new auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Antipolo, Most Rev. Francisco M. de Leon, D.D. who serves as its parish priest. The shrine has now become a center of pilgrimage not only for Marikina residents but also from devotees of Our Lady of the Abandoned from Metro Manila and other neighboring provinces.
Accommodations
- Marikina Hotel - Pio Del Pilar St. cor. Tangerine St., Brgy. Concepcion II, Marikina City Philippines
- La Trinidad Pension House
- Family Lodging House - 31 Liamzon St., Brgy. San Roque
- Family Lodging House - 31 Liamzon St., Brgy. San Roque
- Villa Ronar Garden Resort & Hotel - 112 Dao corner Champaca St., Marikina Heights, Marikina City
- RELC - Dormitory
- MIST-TESDA
Restaurants
- Pan De Amerikana
- Cafe Qizia - Italian Cuisine
- Tapsi ni Vivian
- Macky's Eatery
- Dalay's - Filipino Cuisine
- Cafe Kapitan
- Kusina ni Kambal
- Panciteria ni Edong's
- Kubo sa Tuazon
- Cafe Lidia
- Casa Feliz Cakes & Pastries
- Pap's Dinner
- Eriz’s Driveway bar and resto Café
- NOHMU (Resto Bar)
Transportation
Currently, elevated light rail systems run through Marikina City. The first or last station of LRT 2 is Santolan located along Marcos Highway. The station connects to Claro M. Recto Avenue in Manila.
Public transportation within the city, like in most of the urban areas in the Philippines, is facilitated mostly using inexpensive jeepneys and buses. Tricycles (motorbikes with an attached two-seater carriage) are the usual transportation used for short distances, while Taxi cabs are used by the upper middle class. The roads are organized around a set of long narrow and circumferential roads that radiate and circle in and around the city.
One of the most notable attractions in Marikina is the bikeways and bike lanes along major roads and streets. This is the only city in the Philippines which has an effective bikeway.
Going to Marikina
Various land transportation ply the route going to Marikina City via bus in major roads or public jeepneys in minor roads in Metro Manila. From Cainta and Antipolo via Marikina City (bayan): Take a jeepney with the sign board (Cubao), ask the driver to drop you at Mcdo Marcos highway and ride a tricycle going straight to Marikina Sports Center.
Or drop by at Fiesta Villa in A. Tuazon Marikina and ride a jeep with the sign board (going to Marikina).
From Quezon City via Marikina City( BAYAN):
Take a ride either Fx or jeep at Gateway Cubao, ride with the signboard going to Parang, SSS, Kalumpang and they’ll drop you off to Marikina Bayan.
From Pasig City via Marikina City (BAYAN):
Take a jeepney in Pasig Palengke and ride with the signboard going to Marikina(bayan).
From San Mateo via Marikina (BAYAN):
Take a jeepney with the signboard Marikina (bayan)