Another version of the origins of the name of the town was derived from a breed of boar also known as “berkjala.” These boars were once very abundant in the town’s forests and was a favorite subject for hunting. One day, as a Spaniard passed by, he heard the Tagalog natives shouting “hala-hala,” which was a kind of hunting chant. Since then, the Spaniards called the place “Jalajala”. The berkjala pig can be seen in the insignia of the municipality.      

According to historians, Jalajala was in the heart of the ancient kingdom of Bai and Mai (Be’it or Ma’it) the Gatmaitan of the noble Maitans of 1277 A.D. This peninsula was called “a little piece of paradise.”  It has a majestic landscape which can be from the high portion of Mt. Sembrano as well as from Talim Island.  The lakeshore served as a resting place for the traders from Laguna de Bay, thus, it became a source of interesting items for scientific and educational values.    

For centuries, Jalajala was a part of Villa de Pila which in the year 1610 conceded to the Franciscan Orders the right to pasture cattle in exchange of the support of their hospital at Los Baños.  The vegetated area was suitable for raising livestock.  Hence, the natives were encouraged to engage in the industry to increase the supply of milk and meat.    On September 7, 1676, the Superior Govierno - the governing body of the island, issued an order separating Jalajala from Villa de Pila, both in civil and ecclesiastical administration.  Settlers of the developing colony began to utilize the place by clearing the wilderness, cultivating crops, and breeding various livestock.  A bamboo church for San Francisco Bailon was constructed under the leadership of Fr. Lucas Saro.  The first mass celebration was held on October 1, 1678.  In the year 1733, a stone church was constructed. 

Jalajala had its first map drawn by Engineer Feliciano Marquez on September 28, 1767 and was given the title “Islas de Jalajala”.  The original map is now in the Archive General de Indios in Seville, Spain.   

Meanwhile, the inhabitants of Jalajala became determined to be independent from its nearby colonies.  In 1786, they finally succeeded in separating from Pililla.  This became possible due to the influence of a rich and powerful Spaniard named Don Julio Dollar. As a result, Jalajala became a “pueblo” or town.  However, in 1816, Jalajala was again relegated as one of the barrios of the town of Pililla.   

In 1820, French physician Paul Proust dela Gironiere of Nantes France, driven by his strong desire to venture overseas, reached the Bay of Manila though a vessel heading for the East Indies. In Manila, after witnessing the insurrection of the native Filipinos in Intramuros and the infamous massacre of foreigners by the Tagalogs in Binondo, he decided to look for a new home in the Philippines far away from the prevailing turmoils. Finding Jalajala and liking the place, he thus bought the peninsula from the Spanish government for a token sum of money. He built there a stone house where he lived with his wife, the widow of Marquez de las Salinas of Binondo.   

Dela Geroniere was commissioned to subdue the pirates and bandits during that time.  He cared for the victims of Spanish extortion and ruled a prosperous and orderly community.  Assisted by industrious and loving neighbour named “Aleli” - once a dreaded chieftain, together they converted the forest and swamps into a thriving town surrounded by timberland; pasture land - rich folds of rice, indigo, sugarcane, tobacco and coffee.  A rare breed of hog, a crossed-breed and named Jironiere was found in the place.    

Geronierre appears to have been one of the pioneers in the discipline of scientific agriculture in the country.  The Real Socieded Economica de Amigos del Pais de Filipinas on 27th of June 1837 gave him a prize of one thousand pesos (P1,000), for being the first to establish a coffee plantation of more than 60,000 shrubs on its second year of harvest.  With the money he built a church and school as well as large warehouses and factory.

He experienced two significant events in this town.  First is the capture of the wild buffalo with six feet long horns now placed in the Museum of Nantes.  Second is the encounter with a ferocious twenty-seven feet cayman along the wide river of Naglabas with his friend George Robert Russel, an English merchant.   

Geronniere’s leadership has impressed foreign dignitaries on the vast improvements he has done in the town. Among them were Rear Admiral M. Laplace, Burmigan, Joachim Balthazar, Capt. Gabriel Lafond de Lucy, Bermont d’ Urville, Consul Adolphe Barrot, Hamilton Lindsay, Dr. Enu, Don Jose Fuentes.  This transition was witnessed by his friend George Robert Russel. 

Unfortunately, it was also here in Rizal where Gironiere experienced the death of his offspring and his wife’s killing.  These tragic events led him back to France after he sold his properties.  He left Jalajala with a considerable fortune.   Gironiere, in memory of his stay in the country, wrote a book entitled “Twenty Years in the Philippines”, Vingt Annus Aux Philippines.   Cavada, a Spanish historian, stated that the development of Jalajala as a pueblo or town started as early as 1823.   

In February 23, 1853 Jalajala became part of the newly created “Distrito delos Montes de San Mateo.” Later on, it became Distrito Politico- Militar de Morong.  After some time, Jalajala went to the possession of Peter Verdi. But according to missionaries, he abandoned the town in 1891, after it remained uncultivated for several years.   

On January 27, 1898, Filipino revolutionists entered Jalajala to capture Spanish hacienderos. On August 1, 1898, the people of Jalajala joined the revolutionary government of Emilio Aguinaldo. Under Act 946, after the war with the Spanish colonizers, Jalajala and Quisao were consolidated with the seat of the municipal government of Pililla. By virtue of Act 1626, approved on March 27, 1907, Jalajala became a chartered municipality and their first election was held on the first Tuesday of November 1907. Simeon Perez was the first elected Presidente Municipal.   Jalajala, as a government institution, was headed by local chief executives using different titles over the years, such as Capitan Municipal, Presidente Municipal, Alcalde Municipal and Municipal Mayor.   

Jalajala was publicly auctioned in 1920 due to non-payment of land taxes.  The auction was won by the brothers Francisco, Bernardo, and Marcelo de Borja of Pateros, who thus became the first Filipino landowners of the town. In 1925, when the conflict between the tenants and plantation owners occurred, many people transferred in a site known as "Longos". They named the place "Barrio Malaya" to signify their freedom. But due to an epidemic brought about by non-potable water, many settlers went back to Jalajala. On December 1941, Japanese fighter and bomber planes attacked the town of Jalajala. By 1942, Japanese Imperial forces occupied the Municipality. 

From 1942 to 1945, local Rizaleño resistance fighters under the so-called "Col. Marking's Guerrillas" and the "Hunters ROTC Guerrillas" fought Japanese Occupational forces, from the plains and mountains in Jalajala. 

By 1945, with the support of the Filipino troops of the 4th, 41st, 42nd, 43rd, 45th, 46th and 47th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and 4th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary, Jalajala was liberated. The subsequent events saw the end of World War II and the Japanese Occupation of the country. In 1979, the Municipality of Jalajala was assisted by Japan Int’l Cooperation Agency (JICA) through the construction of major infrastructure developments such as a 24-kilometer road, irrigation system, bridges, schools, and a rice mill.  These led to the growth of Jalajala's local transportation, education, agriculture, and trading.    

Before the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL), Jalajala blossomed with plantations for rice production.  The CARL emancipated the farmers through its land distribution program, the beneficiaries of which were the same tenants who used to be employed in the said plantations.   

Jalajala is politically subdivided into eleven (11) barangays namely: Sipsipin, First District, Second District, Third District, Bayugo, Punta, Palaypalay, Pagkalinawan, Lubo, Bagumbong and Paalaman.   Jalaleños are known to have inherited the traits of their Tagalog Indian forefathers, who are religious in nature.  They would regularly share their harvests, offer gifts and regularly attend mass services with deep devotion to the Sto. Niño, from whom they seek divine intercessions.   

Presently, the Municipality of Jalajala is under leadership and administration of MAYOR ELMER C. PILLAS.