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:''This article is about the province. For the municipality, see Bulacan, Bulacan. For the river, see Bulacan River.''

'Bulacan' is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. It has three cities: Malolos City (the capital), Meycauayan City and San Jose del Monte City. Bulacan is located immediately north of Metro Manila. Bordering Bulacan are the provinces of Pampanga to the west, Nueva Ecija to the north, Aurora and Quezon to the east, and Rizal to the south. Bulacan also lies on the northern shore of Manila Bay.
Bulacan figures prominently in Philippine History. Many national heroes and political figures were born in Bulacan. The province was also one of the first to revolt against Spain. Bulacan is most noted for being the capital of the first Philippine Republic in the now city of Malolos as well as its Malolos Constitution.

Contents

Demographics

Economy

Geography

Political

Physical

History

Education

Secondary Education

Tertiary Education

Government

Previous governors

Notable Bulakeños

Points of Interest

Notes

External links

Demographics

'Population.' According to the May 2000 census, there are a total of 2,234,088 ''Bulaqueños'', making Bulacan the fourth most populous province in the country. It is also the fifth most densely populated province at 851 people per square kilometer. There are 463,886 households in the province with an average size of 4.81 persons, significantly lower than the national average of 4.99.

Year	Population
1948	394,000
1960	515,000
1970	738,000
1975	900,000
1980	1,096,000
1990	1,505,000
1995	1,784,000
2000	2,234,000

Source: National Statistics Office
Details may not add up to totals due to rounding.
'Languages.' As it is part of the Tagalog cultural sphere (''Katagalugan''), Tagalog is the predominant language of Bulacan. Inhabitants also speak Kapampangan, which is the language of neighboring Pampanga.

Economy

'Industries.' The province of Bulacan is steadily becoming industrialized due to its proximity to Metro Manila. Many corporations put up industrial plants and site in Bulacan. Some of the industries include leather tanning, cement bag making, fireworks manufacturing, ceramics, textiles, food processing, and shoe manufacturing.
'Agriculture.' The rural areas still mostly depend on agriculture as a source of income. Some of the major crops are rice, corn, vegetables, and fruits such as mangoes.
'Transportation.' Bulacan is linked with Metro Manila primarily through the North Luzon Expressway, which crosses the province into Pampanga.

Geography

Bulacan is bounded by Nueva Ecija on the north, Aurora (Dingalan) on the northeast, Quezon (General Nakar) on the east, Rizal (Rodriguez) on the southeast, Metro Manila (Valenzuela City and Caloocan City) on the south, Manila Bay on the southwest, and Pampanga on the west,
Several rivers irrigate the province of Bulacan; the largest one is that of Angat. Angat River passes through the towns of Angat, San Rafael, Baliuag, Plaridel (Quingua), and Calumpit. It flow thence into the Pampanga River, goes out again, washes Hagonoy and loses itself in the mangroves. The banks of these rivers are very fertile and are covered with trees.

Political

Bulacan is subdivided into 21 municipalities and 3 cities.

'Legislative districts:'

Physical

'Terrain.' Bulacan lies in the southern portion of the fertile plains of Central Luzon. The area is drained by the Angat and Pampanga rivers. The Sierra Madre mountain range forms the highlands of Bulacan in the east. Angat Lake, which was formed by the Angat Dam is located in that area. The highest point in the province at 1170 meters is Mount Oriol, part of the Sierra Madre.
'Climate.' November to April is generally dry while wet for the rest of the year. The northeast monsoon (''amihan'') prevails from October to January bringing in moderated and light rains. From February to April, the east trade winds predominate but the Sierra Madre (Philippines) mountain range to the east disrupts the winds resulting to a dry period. From May to September, the southwest monsoon (''habagat'') prevails and the period is characterized by numerous storms and typhoons.
The hottest month is May having an average temperature of 29.7°C while the coldest is February with an average temperature of 18.1°C.

History

Many historians disagree on where the name Bulacan came from: some say from the Kapampangan word ''burak'', because the place was swampy and muddy, while others say from the word ''bulak'', since the road to the capital town was once upon a time lined with rows of cotton trees. Another point of disagreement is the year it became a province: one document says 1578, but most other documents say Pampanga covered practically everything between Manila and Ilocos; even Tondo inhabitants spoke Kapampangan.^[1]
In fact, many places in Bulacan bear Kapampangan names: Barangay King Kabayo in San Miguel (king is a preposition that means "in" or "at"); Quingua (now Plaridel) (quingua or kingwa is a verb that means ''acquired''); Similarly, some folks believe that barrio Batasan (also in San Miguel) on the border with Candaba came from Batasan Pambansa, but it's actually the Kapampangan word for "shortcut"; Other places in Bulacan with Kapampangan names include barrios Kapitangan, Longos, Calumpang and Iba in Hagonoy; Pinaod, Biclat and Makapilapil in San Ildefonso; Mayumu, Ilug Bulo and Cabio in San Miguel; Masukol and Binakod in Paombong; Dalig, Batin and Balagtas in Balagtas town; Penabatan and Inaon in Pulilan; Taliptip and Bambang in Bulacan town; and Talaksan in San Rafael. ^[2]
The first Bulakeños were believed to be former fishermen off the coast of Manila Bay who later became farmers as they moved into a fertile land irrigated by networks of rivers and streams.^[3]By the time of Governor-General and adelantado Miguel Legazpi in 1571, Bulacan was reported to be well populated. The Spaniards organized the then existing barangays in Bulacan into pueblos (towns). The first pueblo established in Bulacan is the town of Calumpit. Calumpit was also the birthplace of Christianity in the province. ^[4]
According to the 'Relación de encomiendas en las Islas Filipinas', which may be considered as the first census report of the Philippines prepared by Governor Gómez Pérez de Dasmariñas in 1591, there were 75,000 "souls"in "Pampanga, which included Bataán and Bulacán."^[5]
In 1643, Petro Ladia, a "descendant" of Raja Matanda of Manila, aroused the people of Malolos against the Spaniards but his plans was foiled when it was discovered and prevented by Spanish authorities. He paid his life for his scheme.^[6]
During the years 1745 and 1746 there were agrarian revolts in several provinces near Manila, which included Bulacan, on account of occupations of Filipino lands by religious orders.^[7] In a royal decree of November 7, 1751, it noted that in the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Morong (Rizal) (especially in the towns of Hagonoy, Taguig, Parañaque, San Mateo, Bacoor, Cavite Viejo (Kawit), Silang, Imus, and Biñan the people revolted because the religious orders had usurped "the lands of the Indians, without leaving them the freedom of the rivers for their fishing, or allowing them to cut wood for their necessary use, or even to collect the wild fruits; nor did they allow the natives to pasture on the hills near their villages the carabaos which they used for agriculture.^[8]"
Jean Baptiste Mallat described Bulacan in his accounts, "The Philippines"(published in 1846), as "one of the richest, best cultivated , happiest and cleanest [province] in the whole archipelago." According to him, Bulacan's major products were as follows: rice; corn; coconut, the oil of which is used for lighting and fuel; nipa; sugarcane; indigo which is made into liquid paste; a little cacao; coffee which is as good as that from Moka and of the same quality as that from Indan and Silang in the province of Cavite.^[9]
Mallat further described Bulacan's economic life during the 1840s:

Trade is very abundant in this province: its connections with Manila, by sea as well as by land, facilitate development of trade. Inhabitants of the coasts engage in fishing; in the province are counted about 15 hundred looms of which are manufactured stripped cloths of silk and cotton, tapis, cambayas, sinamay. Shops are primarily kept by women. Moreover, Bulacan has a great number of beggars; it is not that they would lack work if they looked for it, but it seems that in the lower class, there are many lazy and indolent people.^[10]

In 1848, the town of San Miguel was annexed to Bulacan from Pampanga.
At the height of the Filipino-Spanish conflict in 1890s, Bulacan was one of the first eight provinces to take up arms against the Spaniards in 1896. However the first phase of the revolution ceased in 1897 with the signing of the Pact of Biak-na-Bato in San Miguel. Under it terms the leaders were to go to Hong Kong and reside there. Under the illusory peace created by the Pact, the end of 1897 saw greater determination pm the part of the Filipinos to carry on the revolution. In early 1898, the provinces of Zambales, Ilocos, Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac. and Camarines rose again. In Central Luzon, a revolutionary government was organized under General Francisco Makabulos, a Bulakeño.
By the middle of 1898, the second phase of the revolution broke out and culminated with the establishment of the First Philippine Republic. The Malolos Cathedral and the Barasoain Church became the executive headquarter of President Aguinaldo and the legislative headquarter of the Malolos Congress, respectively.
In his book (published in 1899), George John Younghusband described the town of Malolos during the height of the Philippine-American War:

In Malolos, we saw considerable numbers of Spanish prisoners, bare-headed, bare-footed, and in rags, performing all the most menial offices as domestic servants to individual natives or as public scavengers. Every railway station was guarded by insurgent troops, and every train at each station was carefully examined by them. Not even an American can travel without a passport, and the only safe and convenient nationality to assume is that of a British subject.

^[11]
The Americans established a local Philippine government in the Philippines when they held the first election in the country in the town of Baliuag, Bulacan on May 6, 1899.

Education

Bulacan is noted for its advanced methods in both secondary and tertiary education. The Bulakeño students excel in different academic disciplines that made the province of Bulacan among one of the best areas of teaching in the Philippines aside from Metro Manila. The province is home to several nationally recognized public and private educational institutions such as the Bulacan State University and Centro Escolar University.

Secondary Education

The following are the top ten secondary schools in Bulacan based on students' performance and teaching effectiveness.
#'Marcelo del Pilar National High School', City of Malolos†

#'San Miguel National High School', San Miguel de Mayumo

#'Mariano Ponce National High School', Baliuag

#'Pulong Buhangin National High School', Santa Maria

#'Meycauayan National High School', Meycauayan

#'Prenza National High School', Marilao

#'Calumpit National High School' ''(formerly San Marcos High School)'', Calumpit

#'Obando National High School', Obando

#'Mayor Ramona Trillana Memorial High School', Hagonoy

#'Parada High School', Santa Maria
_{†The City Schools Division of Malolos is separated from the Division of Bulacan}

Tertiary Education

The following are the top colleges and universities in Bulacan: (In alphabetical order)
#'Baliuag University', Baliuag

#'Bulacan State University-Main Campus', City of Malolos

#'Bulacan State University', City of San Jose Del Monte

#'Centro Escolar University at Malolos', City of Malolos

#'Meycauayan College', Meycauayan
#'Norzagaray College', Norzagaray

#'Potytechnique University of the Philippines', Sta. Maria

#'Saint Mary's College of Meycauayan', Meycauayan

#'University of Regina Carmeli', City of Malolos

Government

★ Governor: Jonjon Mendoza

★ Vice Governor: Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado

Previous governors

# Gregorio del Pilar (1898-1899)
# Isidiro Torres (1899)
# Jose Serapio (1900-1901)
# Pablo Tecson (1902-1906)
# Teodoro Sandico (1906-1909)
# Donato Teodoro (1910-1912)
# Trinidad Icasiano (1912-1916)
# Nicolas Buendia (1916-1919)
# Juan Carlos (1919-1921)
# Pio Valenzuela (1921-1925)
# Restituto J. Castro (1925-1928)
# Jose Padilla, Sr. (1928-1937)
# Cirilo B. Santos (1931-1934)
# Jacinto Molina (1938-1940)
# Emilio Rustia (1941-1944)
# Fortunato Halili (1948-1951)
# Alejo Santos (1951-1957)
# Tomas Martin (1958-1963)
# Jose Villarama (1964-1967)
# Ignacio Santiago (1968-1986)
# Amado Pineda (1987-1988)
# Roberto Pagdanganan (1989-1998)
# Josefina Mendoza-dela Cruz (1998-2007)
# Joselito "Jonjon" Mendoza (2007-''2010'')

Notable Bulakeños

★ Marcelo H. del Pilar, the Great Propagandist

★ General Gregorio del Pilar

★ Mariano Ponce

★ Pio Valenzuela

★ Maximo Viola

★ Francisco Balagtas, author of the "Florante and Laura"

★ Eusebio Roque

★ Jose Corazon de Jesus, also known as "Huseng Batute"

★ Nicanor Abelardo

★ Francisco Santiago, Father of Kundiman

★ Francisco Buencamino

★ Col. Antonio Buenaventura, National Artist in Music-1988

★ Ernani Cuenco, National Artist in Music-2000

★ Atang dela Rama, National Artist in Theater and Music-1987

★ Cecil Buencamino-Licad, Internationally-acclaimed pianist

★ Guillermo Tolentino, National Artist in Sculpture-1976

★ Francisca Aquino, National Artist in Dance-1973

★ Gerardo de Leon, National Artist in Film-1982

★ Gen. Alejo Santos, former Governor of Bulacan and Secretary of National Defense during the Garcia Administration.

★ Blas Ople

★ Bert Marcelo

★ Rey Valera

★ Ella Cruz, a child actress since 2006.

★ Angel Locsin

Points of Interest

City		Distance from Manila in km	Important Road Networks	Points of Interest
	Meycauayan City	19	North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) via Meycauayan Exit; Manila North Road (MacArthur Highway)	'Old Malhacan Church', a 400 year old edifice; 'Gat Ciriaco Contreras Marker', a monument in memory of the commander who fought a fierce battle against the Spanish forces in Barrio Bancal.
	San Jose del Monte City	40	Quirino Highway; NLEX through Meycauayan City and the towns of Marilao and Bocaue-Sta. Maria	'Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto', a replica of the Lourdes Grotto in France. it features life-size statues depicting the passion and death of Jesus Christ.
	Malolos City	45	NLEX via Tabang Exit; MacArthur Highway	'Barasoain Church', site of the 1898 Malolos Congress; 'Malolos Cathedral and Convent', seat of the Diocese of Malolos and headquarter of President Emilio Aguinaldo of the First Philippine Republic; 'Casa Real', Printing press of the First Republic; Provincial Capitol; ancestral homes of the Bautistas.
Municipality		Distance from Manila in km	Important Road Networks	Points of Interest
	Obando	17		'Obando Church', venue of the famous "Fertility Dance" in honor of San Pascual Baylon, Sta. Clara de Asis and Virgen de Salambao (May 17-19)
	Marilao	22	NLEX via Marilao Exit; MacArthur Highway	'Marilao Catholic Church', a 17th century church; 'SM City Marilao' 'National Shrine of the Divine Mercy'
	Bocaue	27	NLEX via Bocaue Exit, MacArthur Highway; San Jose-Bocaue Road	'Pagoda sa Wawa', a fluvial parade in honor of the miraculous "Krus sa Wawa", done every 1st Sunday of July; 'Bocaue Museum', houses a collection of municipal antiques and priceless array of artifacts.
	Balagtas	30	NLEX via Bocaue Exit; MacArthur Highway
	Santa Maria	32	NLEX via Bocaue Exit; MacArthur Highway via Bocaue Intersection; Quirino Highway via Sapang Palay	'Santa Maria Church', an 18th-century church; 'Santa Maria Industrial Park'; 'Huseng Batute Marker' 'resorts:' ''Long Meadows Resort'', ''Dad's Vineyard Resort'', and ''Pamar Wonderpool Resort'' in M. Parang, ''Villa Carmen'', ''Villa Antonia'' and ''Sitio Lucia Resorts'' in Pulong Buhangin, ''4-K Garden Resort'' in Barangay Catmon, ''Lanesca'' in Barangay Bulac, ''Cool Water Resort'' in Barangay Lalakhan, ''Vig Jam Resort'' in Barangay Balasing, and ''Stone Bridge'' Resort in Barangay Tumana.
	Guiguinto	34	NLEX via Tabang Exit
	Bulacan	36	Mac Arthur Highway through Guiguinto	'Bulacan Catholic Church' 'Shrine of Marcelo H. del Pilar'
	Pandi	41	NLEX via Bocaue Exit- Sta. Maria	'Site of Kakarong Battle', site of the Republic of Real of Kakarong de Sili of 1896 'Col. John Stotsenberg', death marker of Col. Stotsenberg of the Nebraska Volunteer Infantry. 'Pandi Catholic Church' 'resorts' such as ''Villa Concepcion'' in Barangay Masuso.
	Plaridel	41	NLEX via Sta. Rita Exit
	Pulilan	45	NLEX via Sta. Rita Exit or Pulilan Exit; Daang Maharlika	'Pulilan Butterfly Haven'; resorts
	Norzagaray	46	NLEX via Bocaue Exit - Sta. Maria By-Pass Road - Sta. Maria-Norzagaray Road	Angat Water Reservoir 'Hilltop', the "Baguio" of Bulacan 'resorts' such as ''The Adventure Resort'' in Tigbe, Norzagaray 'Angat Water Reservoir'(left)
	Baliuag	50	NLEX via Sta. Rita Exit- Daang Maharlika- Cagayan Valley Road	'San Agustin Church' 'Baliuag Clock Tower'; 'buntal hat'
	Angat	52	NLEX via Bocaue Exit- Sta. Maria By-Pass Road-Sta. Maria-Norzagaray Road- Angat-Norzagaray Road	'Sta. Monica de Angat Church', displays a marvelous Baroque architecture. Its interior replicates the famous Sistine Chapel. 'Baras Bakal', a stone cave; the first choice of the Katipuneros before they finally selected Biak-na-Bato. 'resorts'
	Bustos	52	Cagayan Valley Road (from Baliuag) Bustos-Angat Road	'Mercado House', one of the several houses used as a fort by the Kapituneros. It boasts a unique architectural design of stone carvings on façade and walls. 'Bustos Dam' 'Sto Niño Church'
	Hagonoy	53		'St. Anne National Shrine', the only church in the Philippines where the relics of Saints Anne and Joaquim, parents of the Blessed Virgin, are venerated.
	Calumpit	54	NLEX via Pulilan Exit MacArthur Highway	'St. John the Baptist Church'(Built in 1572),is the oldest church in Bulacan. Constructed under the supervision of Augustinian priest Diego Vivar Ordoñez, the church has been a mute witness to the Filipinos' struggle against Spanish, American and Japanese rule. Inside the church is a tunnel that, as legend would have it, was used by priests during the Spanish regime to keep gold, religious statues and ornate jewelry hidden from the sight of treasure hunters. It is the birthplace of Christianity in the province. 'Bagbag Bridge', site of the first battle between Filipinos and American forces during the retreat of President Aguinaldo to the North.
	San Rafael	58		'San Rafael Catholic Church', site of the bloody battles between Filipino and Spanish forces.
	Doña Remedios Trinidad	65	DRT Highway; Cagayan Valley Road (from Baliuag)	'Puning Cave' 'Tumutulo Falls' 'Mt. Lumot'
	San Ildefonso	66		'Bulusukan', a garrison of the "insurrectos" during the Spanish Regime.
	San Miguel	75	Cagayan Valley Road (from Baliuag)	'Biak-na-Bato National Park' ancestral homes of the Buencaminos and Tecsons

Notes

1. Sun Star Pampanga: How Pampanga got smaller by Robby Tantingco
2. Ibid
3. Experience Bulacan (pamphlet), Malolos: Bulacan Tourism Council.
4. Ibid.
5. Blair and Robertson, The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Vol. VIII, p. 96-141. The Arthur H. Clarke Company.;
Census of the Philippines, 1903 Vol. I, p.421-423
6. For the accounts of the attempted revolt, see Blair and Robertson, Vol.XXXVIII, p.98-99
7. Conrado Benitez. History of the Philippines, Ginn and Company, p. 275
8. Blair and Robertson, Vol.XLVIII, p.33
9. Jean Mallat. Les Philippines; Histoire, Geographie, Mouers, Paris: Libraire de la Societe de Geographie, 1846 , p. 123(translated to English by the National Historical Institute, 1981)
10. Ibid., p. 125
11. Maj. George John Younghusband. The Philippines and Round About, New York: The MacMillan Company, 1899, p.p.77

External links

★ Official Website of the Provincial Government of Bulacan