The origin of the name “Dasmariñas” is “Gómez Perez Dasmariñas”, a Spanish governor of the Philippines from 1590 to 1593. After his death, his son Luis Perez Dasmariñas was the governor from 1593 to 1596. Perez Dasmariñas came from San Miguel das Negradas, Galicia (Spain).
Dasmariñas literally means “from the marines” in the Galician language (NW of Iberian Peninsula).
According to Agustin de la Cavada in his Historia Geografica, Geologica y Estadistica de Filipinas, this town started as a barrio of Imus and it was made into an independent municipality in 1867. The Spanish government named the town of Perez Dasmariñas in honor of Don Perez Dasmariñas who was the Governor General of the Islands from 1590 to 1593. Chinese oarsmen whom he had hired murdered him. His son, Don Luis Perez Dasmariñas also lost his life in the hands of the Chinese in 1603. Don Gomez Dasmariñas was well remembered because he was the one who ordered complete fortification of Intramuros and the construction of Fort Santiago.
The town of Perez Dasmariñas was founded by the Recollect Fathers in the year 1867 under the patronage of the Immaculate Conception whose feast day is celebrated on December 8. Perez Dasmariñas was formerly a “visita” of Imus that was also founded by the Recollect Fathers in 1795. According to records, the first settlers must have arrived in 1861 and were believed to be the families of Gil Tirona, Vicente Guevarra, Eleuterio Geda and Eustaquio Paulino.
Dasmariñas has a colorful history. On February 25, 1897, the Spanish forces came and brought destruction to the town and its people. Almost fifty percent of the population was wiped out during the attack and almost all buildings were burned down except the Roman Catholic Church which remained undamaged. The Spaniards utilized it as their garrison.
At the coming of the American fleet of Admiral Dewey and the famous naval battle of Manila Bay in May 1898, which defeated the Spanish forces under Admiral Montojo, the people of Dasmariñas under the leadership of Placido Campos, fought and drove away the Spaniards occupying the town. Noted Filipino generals like Flaviano Yengko and Crispulo Aguinaldo (elder brother of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo) died in action in Dasmariñas during the encounters.
The people who resettled back thereafter rebuilt the town that was heavily devastated. So sooner was it rehabilitated, then in the late 1800s, the Filipinos were again up in arms, this time against the Americans. Then again, Dasmariñas was annihilated and identity was lost in a heap of rabble. Two years later, the American regime took over and in 1904; the town was again reverted to its former distinction as part of Imus. In 1917, however, Dasmariñas re-gained its recognition as a separate municipality. Consequently, provincial Governor A. Soriano along with leading officials of the town particularly Placido N. Campos, Francisco Barzaga, Felipe Tirona and many others, convened and voted to drop the name “Perez” and retain “Dasmariñas” as its official name.
Today, Dasmariñas is complemented with over 556,000 population (as of 2007). As one of Cavite’s cities situated within the Metro Manila urban area, Dasmariñas serves as the main catalyst for a major economic development and sustained growth throughout the 1990s. The influx of industries and real estate developments is unheard of in a town outside of a financial district, attest to the fact that Dasmariñas is way ahead in crossing the bridge to the 21st century. The next millennium is a challenge but Dasmariñas will no doubt prevail.
· Cityhood
1997-1998
HB08931 was filed by Congressman Renato P. Dragon with other cityhood bills of Imus (HB 08960) and Bacoor (HB 08959). It was filed last February 11, 1997 and read last February 13, 1997. Committee Report N0. 01361 were submitted on December 17, 1997. It was approved on the third reading by the House last January 10, 1998. It did not push through as a Republic Act and no plebiscite happened.
2000
HB099883 was filed by Congressman Erineo Maliksi last March 13, 2000. It was first read last March 13, 2000. It was approved on the second and Third reading of House last March 15, 2000 and March 27, 2000. It was transmitted to the senate on March 28, 2000 and received on March 31, 2009. It did not push through as a Republic Act and no plebiscite happened.
2008-2009
The idea of converting Dasmariñas into a component city was again proposed after failure in 1997 and 2000. Recent unofficial surveys have shown that the municipality’s inhabitants are now willing to push forward with cityhood.
House Bill no. 5258 converting the municipality of Dasmariñas into a component city was filed by Congressman Pidi Barzaga last October 3, 2008. It was read last October 6, 2008. It was approved by the House on Second and Third Reading on October 7 and November 17 of 2008. It was transmitted and received by the senate last November 17 and 20 of 2008. It was passed by the senate on Second and Third Reading last October 28 and November 5 of 2009. It is received by the President of the Philippines last October 14, 2009 and signed as Republic Act 9723 last October 15, 2009.
COMELEC Resolution No. 8682 in connection with the November 25, 2009 plebiscite to ratify the conversion of the municipality of Dasmariñas province of Cavite into a component city pursuant to Republic Act 9723 dated October 15, 2009.
Republic Act No. 9723 was ratified by the registered voters of Dasmariñas through a plebiscite conducted last November 25, 2009, converted the municipality of Dasmariñas in the Province of Cavite into a component city to be known as the City of Dasmariñas. There were about 44,000 voters who cast the plebiscite ballot in the town’s 1,508 polling precincts. The yes votes won overwhelmingly. The yes votes got 36,559 while the no votes got 8,141.
