Bocaue, Bulacan

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Bocaue
Bokawe
Municipality

Bocaue Municipal Hall

Seal

Nickname(s): Fireworks Capital of the Philippines

Map of Bulacan showing the location of Bocaue

Bocaue
Location within the Philippines

Coordinates:

1448N 12056ECoordinates:

1448N 12056E

Philippines

Country
Region

Central Luzon (Region III)

Province

Bulacan

District

2nd District

Founded

1582
(as a barrio of Meycauayan)

Incorporated

April 11, 1606

(as an independent town)

Founded by

Barangays

Dayang Panginuan

Fray Juan de Plasencia OFM

19

Government[1]
Mayor

Eleanor J. Villanueva-Tugna
(Liberal)

Vice Mayor

Aldrin B. Sta. Ana

(NPC)

Sangguniang Bayan ng

Municipal Councilors[show]

Bocaue
Area[2]
Total

31.87 km2(12.31 sq mi)

Highest elevation

30 m (100 ft)

Population (2015 census)[3]

Total

119,675

Density

3,800/km2(9,700/sq mi)

Poverty rate
Demonym(s)

4.2%

Bocaueo (male)
Bocauea (female)

Time zone

PST (UTC+8)

ZIP code

3018

IDD:area code

+63(0)44

Income class

1st class, urban municipality

Electricity

Manila Electric Company

Consumption

109.20 million kWh(2003)

Website

www.bocaue.gov.ph

Bocaue (Filipino: Bukawe, Tagalog pronunciation: [bokawe]) is a first class urban municipality in
the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 119,675
people.[3]
With the continuous expansion of Metro Manila, the town is now part of the metropolis' built-up area,
which reaches San Ildefonsoat Bulacan province's northernmost part and continues into Nueva
Ecija.
There are three road crossings in the municipality, which are heavily congested during the rush
hours: Lolomboy, Wakas and Bocaue road crossings. The Bocaue River runs through most of the
town.
Among its tourist attractions are a town museum located near the municipality's center and the
town's river festival celebrated on the first Sunday of every July. The river festival is in
commemoration of the Holy Cross of Wawa, believed to be miraculous by the town's predominating
Roman Catholic populace.
Contents
[hide]

1Etymology
2History
3Geography
o 3.1Barangays
4Demographics
5Economy
6Culture and Arts
7Religion
8Sports and Recreation
9Education
10Municipal Government
11Gallery

12References
13External links

Etymology[edit]
The town's name comes from the old Tagalog word "Bokawe" (Schyzostachyum lima), which refers
to a type of long bamboo.

History[edit]
Bocaue was first established by Franciscan missionaries as a barrio and visita of Meycauayan in
1582 and as a town in April 11, 1606 under the advocacy of San Martin de Tours. It was the first
town to be granted independence from the Old Meycauayan, which was then a very large town
comprising the present Meycauayan, Marilao, Santa Maria, San Jose del Monte, Obando,
and Valenzuela municipalities.
After the PhilippineAmerican War, the Philippine Commission was established, part of whose
functions was the reorganization of Philippine municipalities and provinces. In 1903, Bulacan
province was reduced from having 26 to 19 towns. The town of Balagtaswas annexed to Bocaue,
which regained its independence and was reestablished as a town in 1911.
During the Bocaue River Festival of July 2, 1993, around 500 people rode the "floating pagoda" for
the Holy Cross of Wawa way beyond the boat's capacity and caused the boat to sink, killing more
than two hundred people. Despite the lives lost, no one has been made accountable for the tragedy.
This incident became known as the Bocaue Pagoda Tragedy.
Then, on the morning of 31 December 2007, ten fireworks stores burned in Barangay Turo, causing
a series of explosions within the area and injuring 7 persons.

Geography[edit]
The municipality of Bocaue would be 27 kilometres (17 mi) north-east of Manila if reached via
the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Highway. It is at the mid-south-western portion of Bulacan.
The town is bounded on the north by the municipality of Balagtas and a portion of the municipality
of Santa Maria; by the municipalities of Marilao and Obando on the south; a larger portion of Santa
Maria on the east; a portion of the municipality of Bulakan on the extreme south-western side; and a
portion of Balagtas on the western side.
Bocaue is traversed by the Bocaue River, a tributary of the Santa Maria River that is in turn a
tributary of Angat River. The main source of Angat River and its tributaries is the Sierra
Madre mountain range. Along these rivers are many man-made fish ponds used for raising and
farming fish like bangus and tilapia.

Barangays[edit]
Bocaue is politically subdivided into 19 barangays.

Antipona
Bagumbayan
Bambang
Batia
Biang 1st
Biang 2nd
Bolacan

Bunducan
Bunlo
Caingin
Duhat
Igulot
Lolomboy
Poblacion
Sulucan
Taal
Tambobong
Turo
Wakas

Demographics[edit]
Population census of Bocaue
Year

Pop.

% p.a.

1990

67,243

1995

69,718

+0.68%

2000

86,994

+4.86%

2007

105,817

+2.74%

2010

106,407

+0.20%

2015

119,675

+2.26%

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[3][4]

In the 2015 census, the population of Bocaue, Bulacan, was 119,675 people,[3] with a density of
3,800 inhabitants per square kilometre or 9,800 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy[edit]

The Bocaue Public Market

Bocaue's town center is about 27 kilometers north of Manila if reached via the North Luzon
Expressway and the Bocaue Exit (in Barangay Turo). The town is the middle route for this highway
that provides fast transport to Metro Manila from where it begins at Mabalacat, Pampanga.
The town's major industry is fireworks-making, which has earned it the tag "Fireworks Capital of the
Philippines". Among the prominent firecracker stores located in Bocaue is Eat Bulaga Fireworks,
owned by Rommel Eustaquio, named after the longest-running noontime variety program in the
country.[5]

Culture and Arts[edit]

A small art gallery beside the town poblacion's McDonald's restaurant, called Twenty-Twenty and
owned by the town's ophthalmologist and her art photographer husband, sells works by a number of
Bulacan painters. Nationally-known Bocaueos in the arts include choreographer Francisca Reyes
Aquino, TV actress Jewel Mische, and diskurso.com art magazine editor Jojo Soria de Veyra. Lauro
Delgado, a former veteran character actor of Premiere Productions from the early 1950s to the late
1970s, is also a Bocaue native born in Barangay Bunducan.
Bocaue is also famous for its Bocaue liempo, crispy pata, sinuso (pork breast), chicharon (deep fried
pork chips), rellenong bangus (stuffed milkfish) and various sorts of rice cakes, as well as
embroidered barong Tagalog and Filipiniana outfits.
The Francisca Reyes Aquino Shrine, under the management of the Philippines' National Historical
Institute, is a shrine erected in honor of Francisca Reyes Aquino. Aquino was a recipient of
a National Artist Award for her significant contributions to the development of Philippine dance. The
shrine was erected on the compound of Lolomboy Elementary School in Barangay Lolomboy.

Religion[edit]

Saint Martin of Tours Parish Church of Bocaue

The St. Martin of Tours Church, Bocaue|St. Martin of Tours Church of Bocaue, otherwise known as
The Diocesan Shrine of Bocaue, is one of the oldest churches in the province of Bulacan. The
reputed Mahal na Krus ng Wawa (Beloved Holy Cross of Wawa) is kept here.
The Feast of the Holy Cross of Wawa is a festival held on the first Sunday of July, observed in honor
of the Holy Cross of Wawa (Mahal na Krus sa Wawa), a relic believed to have saved the life of an
old woman drowning in the Bocaue River. The main feature of this fiesta is what is called The
Pagoda, a gaily-decorated structure riding on a huge bangka, which glides along the town river
carrying people from all walks of life who would enjoy the ride while religious music is played and
while feasting on sumptuous food.
Other religious populations in the town include those from the Iglesia ni Cristo, Jehovah's
Witness, Methodist, Aglipayan, Adventist, Baptist, and Mormons Christian sects. There are also a
number of Evangelical, Pentecostal, Members Church of God

International and Charismatic churches, ministries, fellowships and groups. The practice
of Islam could also be found in the municipality.

Sports and Recreation[edit]

The Philippine Arena

The Philippine Stadium also known as the New Era University Stadium is a sports stadium located
inside the Ciudad de Victoria, a 75-hectare tourism enterprise zone located in the towns
of Bocaue and Santa Maria, Bulacan. With a capacity of up to 25,000, it became the biggest stadium
in the Philippines so far upon its completion.
The Philippine Arena, an indoor multi-purpose arena and the centerpiece of Ciudad de Victoria, is
located just adjacent to the Philippine Stadium. With a seating capacity of 55,000 it became
the largest indoor arena in the world upon its completion in 2014.

Education[edit]

St. Paul University of Quezon City, Bocaue Extension Campus

Bocaue is also an education center for the Marilao, Sta. Maria, and Balagtas municipalities area.
Secondary and higher education is accommodated by the following educational institutes:

Academia de Santa Cruz

Bulacan Polytechnic College (Bocaue campus)
Children of Mary School of Bocaue
Corinthian School
Dr. Yanga's Colleges, Inc.
Integrated School of Montessori
Jesus Is Lord College Foundation (main campus)
Mother of Divine Assistance College
New Era University (under construction until 2014)
St. Paul University Quezon City (Bocaue campus)
St. Paul College of Bocaue

Sto. Nio Academy

Municipal Government[edit]
Sangguniang Bayan (2016present)
Mayor: Eleanor J. Villanueva-Tugna (Liberal)[6]
Vice Mayor: Aldrin B. Sta. Ana (NPC)
Municipal Councilors:

Norielito E. German (Liberal)

Alvin Paul Cotaco (Liberal)
Donnabel Mendoza-Celestino (NPC)
Yboyh del Rosario, Sr. (Liberal)
Agapito Salonga (Liberal)
Josef Andrew Mendoza (Independent)
Dennis Carpio (NPC)
Emmanuel Cruz (NPC)

Mayors of Bocaue

Vice Mayors of Bocaue

Gregorio de la Cruz (1901-1902)

Vicente L. Enriquez (1902-1904)
Victor Pascual (1904-1905)
Lorenzo Galvez (1905-1907)
Mariano Reyes (1908-1909)
Dionisio Morales (1910-1912)
Victor Pascual (1913-1916)
Honorato Ramirez (1916-1919)
Emiliano Eusebio (1919-1922)
Guillermo Mendoza (1922-1928)
Dominador L. Santos (1928-1933)
Gregorio de Guzman (1934-1935)
Emiliano Eusebio (1935-1937)
Dominador L. Santos (1938-1940)
Dioscoro M. Juan, Sr. (1940-1941)
Manolito Vistan (1942-1944)
Joaquin San Juan (1944)
Dioscoro M. Juan, Sr. (1945-1948)
Moises E. Nicolas (1948-1952)
Evangelino Mendoza (1952-1956)
Dioscoro M. Juan, Sr. (1956-1960)
Moises E. Nicolas (1960-1965)
Simeon Mauricio (1965-1972)
Matias B. Ramirez (1972-1979)
Zacarias G. del Rosario (1979-1986)
Ranulfo David (1986)
Cesar N. Nicolas (1987-1988)

Moises E. Nicolas (1956

Cesar N. Nicolas (1986
Serafin M. de la Cruz (u
Mario Mendoza (unknow
Antonio Mendoza (1995
Rogelio Ramos (19982
Peter Christopher Gonza
Kennedy Valdez (2004
Jose C. Santiago, Jr. (20
Dioscoro Juan, Jr. (2013
Aldrin B. Sta. Ana (201

Lorenzo P. Gonzales (1988-1992)

Serafin M. de la Cruz (1992-1999)
Jose D.G. Santiago, Sr. (1999-2001)
Eduardo J. Villanueva, Jr. (2001-2004)
Serafin M. de la Cruz (2004-2007)
Eduardo J. Villanueva, Jr. (2007-2016)
Eleanor J. Villanueva-Tugna (2016present)

Gallery[edit]

The Bocaue Toll Barrier (NLEX).

Gen. Douglas MacArthur Highway

A kayak boat at the Bocaue River