Balagtas
Bigaa
Municipality
Municipality of Balagtas
New Municipal Hall of Balagtas
New Municipal Hall of Balagtas
Flag of Balagtas
Flag
Map of Bulacan with Balagtas highlighted
Map of Bulacan with Balagtas highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Balagtas is located in Philippines
Balagtas
Balagtas
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 14°48′52″N 120°54′30″E / 14.81447°N 120.90847°E / 14.81447; 120.90847
CountryPhilippines
RegionCentral Luzon
ProvinceBulacan
District 5th district
Founded1596
RenamedJune 18, 1966[1]
Named forFrancisco Balagtas
Barangays9 (see Barangays)
Government
 [2]
 • TypeSangguniang Bayan
 • MayorEladio E. Gonzales Jr.
 • Vice MayorAriel C. Valderama
 • RepresentativeAmbrosio C. Cruz Jr.
 • Municipal Council
Members
 • Electorate51,503 voters (2022)
Area
[3]
 • Total28.66 km2 (11.07 sq mi)
Elevation
8.0 m (26.2 ft)
Highest elevation
33 m (108 ft)
Lowest elevation
−3 m (−10 ft)
Population
 (2020 census)[4]
 • Total77,018
 • Density2,700/km2 (7,000/sq mi)
 • Households
19,461
Economy
 • Income class1st municipal income class
 • Poverty incidence
3.38
% (2018)[5]
 • Revenue₱ 330.4 million (2020)
 • Assets₱ 601.6 million (2020)
 • Expenditure₱ 304.8 million (2020)
 • Liabilities₱ 165.3 million (2020)
Utilties
 • ElectricityMeralco
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
3016
PSGC
031402000
IDD : area code +63 (0)44
Native languagesTagalog

Balagtas ([bɐlagˈtɐs]), officially the Municipality of Balagtas (Tagalog: Bayan ng Balagtas), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 77,018 people.[4]

With the continuous expansion of Metro Manila, the municipality is now part of Manila's built up area which reaches San Ildefonso in its northernmost part. Balagtas is 30 kilometers (19 mi) from Manila and is 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) from Malolos City.

The MacArthur Highway bisects the municipality of Balagtas as this national road cuts northward to the Ilocos region. At the southern approach of the town from Manila is a concrete bridge that crosses the Balagtas River. The river, navigable by banca and motor boats, empties into Manila bay after snaking through the town of Bulacan to the West which provides Balagtas' townsfolk with fish, shrimp, and other fresh water food.

At the foot of the bridge, along the highway towards the North, is the town hall. In front of the town hall is a park where the monument of its hero, Francisco "Balagtas" Baltazar is located. The town hall is surrounded by Spanish colonial type houses. Two hundred meters from the municipal hall is the barrio of Panginay, the birthplace of Francisco Balagtas, for whom also "Balagtasan", a form of debate in versified Tagalog, was named. In 1946 the Historical Society of the Philippines placed a marker at the birthplace of Balagtas. In reverence to the hero's deeds, the official name of Bigaa was changed to Balagtas through the legislative act sponsored by then Congressman, Teodulo Natividad.

Etymology

The town was formerly known as Bigaa. It was renamed in honor of Filipino poet Francisco Balagtas.

History

American infantry firing at Filipino insurgents at Balagtas, 1899

Originally known as Caruya/Caluya as per the historical records regarding the early years of the establishment of Bulacan Province, Caruya was one of the Encomiendas of the vast region La Pampanga falls under the Alcalde Mayor of Bulacan. Encomienda de Caruya was Encomienda of the King of Spain which appeared in Miguel de Loarca's Relacion de las Isla Filipinas in 1582 and the Report of Governor-General Luis Pérez Dasmariñas of June 21, 1591 document. The propagation of catholic instructions in Caruya initially belongs to Bulakan Convent and it was directly administered by Alcalde Mayor of Bulacan but it was transferred to Malolos Convent at an uncertain date. Bigaa is one of the ancient towns of the Province together with Calumpit 1571 (became Town in 1575), Bulakan 1575 (became Town in 1578), Meycauayan 1578, Malolos 1571 (became Town in 1580), and Binto 1581 (a former visita of Malolos became Town renamed as Binto y Quingua 1602) later known as Plaridel. The Catalogo of 1591 indicates the existence of Guiguinto y Caruyan with 4,800 souls and it was administered by a religious from Bulacan Convent. In 1608 Historia de la Provincia Agustiana mentioned Caruyan as pueblo and convent. The Catalogo of 1612 says that Caruyan had 2 sacerdos, 800 Tributos, 2,400 Almas. (Historia de La Provincia Agustiana del Santisimo Nombre de Jesus de Filipinas Vol.1 of Isacio Rodriguez OSA)

On other data, the Center for Bulacan Studies in their "La Primera Provincia" published in 2010 p. 138 mentioned that Bigaa came from Malolos as its matrix with an independence date of 1621. It could be assumed that Bigaa was later transferred to Malolos Cathedral Convent in uncertain date but La Primera did not mention that Bigaa originally came from Bulakan town but instead in Malolos.

A long time before the construction of the church at Poblacion, the original location of the town center where the hermitage and the base of Spanish instruction in Bigaa were at Barrio Dalig where Sitio Caruyan was located.

It is very unclear when Caruya was formally organized into an administrative town with its own Gobernadorcillo. It was renamed Bigaa sometime in the 1700s. Bigaa suggests a kind of plant which is Taro o Gabi.

During the Philippine revolution the "insurrectos" and the "Guardia civiles". Many people died, further decimating the town, which has suffered from a cholera epidemic and nearly wiped out the population 20 years before. When the Americans established civil government in 1903, Bigaa and Bocaue were integrated with each other and in 1911,[6][7] it was separated again and in the same year, the former Hacienda de Pandi, which included in the geographical jurisdiction of Town of Bigaa. In 1946, during the tenure of Bigaa Mayor Manuel Santos, Pandi was detached from Bigaa shortly after the Philippines gained political freedom from the United States and Pandi was established as a municipal entity by virtue of legislative fiat.

Geography

Balagtas was part of the 1st district until 1972 and 2nd district along with Baliwag, Bocaue, Bustos, Guiguinto, and Pandi from 1987 to 2022. It was moved to 5th district along with Bocaue, Guiguinto, and Pandi.

Barangays

Balagtas is politically subdivided into 9 barangays, all classified as urban. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

PSGC Barangay Population ±% p.a.
2020[4] 2010[8]
031402002 Borol 2nd 9.4% 7,243 7,801 ▾ −0.74%
031402003 Borol 1st 13.2% 10,190 10,179 ▴ 0.01%
031402004 Dalig 2.5% 1,949 1,832 ▴ 0.62%
031402005 Longos 3.6% 2,779 2,607 ▴ 0.64%
031402007 Panginay 16.3% 12,578 12,461 ▴ 0.09%
031402008 Pulong Gubat 10.0% 7,701 4,141 ▴ 6.40%
031402009 San Juan 13.2% 10,158 9,238 ▴ 0.95%
031402010 Santol 22.1% 17,050 12,465 ▴ 3.18%
031402011 Wawa (Poblacion) 6.5% 4,985 4,716 ▴ 0.56%
Total 77,018 65,440 ▴ 1.64%

Climate

Climate data for Balagtas, Bulacan
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 29
(84)		 30
(86)		 32
(90)		 34
(93)		 33
(91)		 31
(88)		 30
(86)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 30
(86)		 30
(86)		 29
(84)		 31
(87)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 20
(68)		 20
(68)		 21
(70)		 23
(73)		 24
(75)		 25
(77)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 23
(73)		 22
(72)		 21
(70)		 23
(73)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 7
(0.3)		 7
(0.3)		 9
(0.4)		 21
(0.8)		 101
(4.0)		 152
(6.0)		 188
(7.4)		 170
(6.7)		 159
(6.3)		 115
(4.5)		 47
(1.9)		 29
(1.1)		 1,005
(39.7)
Average rainy days 3.3 3.5 11.1 8.1 18.9 23.5 26.4 25.5 24.5 19.6 10.4 6.4 181.2
Source: Meteoblue[9]

Demographics

Population census of Balagtas
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 8,000—    
1918 9,875+1.41%
1939 12,037+0.95%
1948 8,085−4.33%
1960 10,280+2.02%
1970 17,109+5.22%
1975 21,422+4.61%
1980 28,654+5.99%
1990 42,658+4.06%
1995 49,210+2.71%
2000 56,945+3.18%
2007 62,684+1.33%
2010 65,440+1.58%
2015 73,929+2.35%
2020 77,018+0.81%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[10][8][11][12]

In the 2020 census, the population of Balagtas, Bulacan, was 77,018 people,[4] with a density of 2,700 inhabitants per square kilometer or 7,000 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy

Fortune Wet and Dry Market and NewStar Mall
Poverty Incidence of Balagtas
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[13][14]
[15][16][17][18][19]
Major Industries
  • Ceramics/Pottery
  • Furniture
  • Garments
  • Gifts/Houseware/Decors
  • Metalcraft
  • Poultry
Major Products
  • Furniture/Agricultural Products
  • Balot and Penoy Industry
  • Recruitment Agency
  • Fruit Dealership
  • Tilapia
  • Tricycle Parts
Future Developments

Government

Local government

Former seal of Balagtas, Bulacan

2022-2025 Municipal Officials:

  • Mayor: Eladio "JR" E. Gonzales Jr. (PDP-Laban)
  • Vice Mayor: Ariel C. Valderama (PDP-Laban)
  • Councilors:
    • Alberto "Bobby" G. Carating II (PDP-Laban)
    • Julius Daniel G. Abarzosa (PDP-Laban)
    • Mikee Jane "Monay" A. Payuran (NUP)
    • Babby "Bobby" L. Estrella (NUP)
    • Charles Louie B. Galvez (PDP-Laban)
    • Gilbert "Obet" L. Galvez (PDP-Laban)
    • Fernando "Fernan" K. Galvez (PDP-Laban)
    • Alejandro "Andy" P. De Guzman (PDP-Laban)

Education

La Consolacion School

Tertiary:

  • College of St. Lawrence (Formerly St. Lawrence Academy), Borol 1st, Balagtas
  • Garden Angels Integrated School, Borol 1st, Balagtas
  • STI College Balagtas, Campus, Borol 1st, Balagtas
  • Colegio de Roma, San Juan, Balagtas
  • Our Lady of Manaoag Montessori College, (OLMA) San Juan, Balagtas
  • A-Z Country Day School
  • Bulacan Merchant Marine Academy

Secondary:

  • La Consolacion School, Longos, Balagtas
  • Balagtas National Agricultural Highschool, Pulong Gubat, Balagtas (Main Campus)
  • Balagtas National Agricultural High School, Borol 1st, Balagtas (Annex 1)
  • Children's Mindware School, Borol 2nd, Balagtas
  • Gat. Francisco Balagtas High School, Santol, Balagtas (Formerly Annex 2 of Balagtas National Agricultural High School)

Elementary (Public):

  • Balagtas Central School
  • Francisco Balagtas Memorial School
  • San Juan Elementary School
  • Longos Elementary School
  • Borol 1st Elementary School
  • Borol 2nd Elementary School
  • Sulok Elementary School
  • Marciano C. Rivera Elementary School
  • Santol Elementary School
  • Dalig Elementary School
  • Balagtas Heights Elementary School
  • Northville VI Elementary School

Notable personalities

References

  1. ↑ Republic Act No. 4702 (18 June 1966), "An Act Changing the Name of the Municipality of Bigaa in the Province of Bulacan to the Municipality of Balagtas", The Corpus Juris
  2. ↑  Municipality of Balagtas | (DILG)
  3. ↑ "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Census of Population (2020). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  5. ↑ "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  6. ↑ Act No. 932 (8 October 1903), "An Act Reducing the Twenty-five Municipalities of the Province of Bulacan to Thirteen", Senate of the Philippines Legislative Digital Resources, retrieved July 3, 2023
  7. ↑ Act No. 1002 (20 November 1903), "An Act Amending; Act Numbered Nine Hundred and Thirty-two, Entitled "an Act Reducing the Twenty-five Municipalities of the Province of Bulacan to Thirteen."", Senate of the Philippines Legislative Digital Resources, retrieved July 3, 2023
  8. 1 2 Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region III (Central Luzon)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  9. ↑ "Balagtas: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  10. ↑ Census of Population (2015). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  11. ↑ Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ↑ "Province of Bulacan". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  13. ↑ "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
  15. ↑ "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
  16. ↑ "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
  17. ↑ "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
  18. ↑ "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
  19. ↑ "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  20. ↑ "Welcome to Sangguniang Panlalawigan Official Website". sp.bulacan.gov.ph. Retrieved 2021-02-20.
  21. ↑ "Welcome to Sangguniang Panlalawigan Official Website". sp.bulacan.gov.ph. Retrieved 2021-02-20.
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