History

The coastal region of Bulacan was well-populated when the Spaniards arrived in 1571. The name Bulakan is variously attributed to several Tagalog words, bulak or cotton, bulaklak or flowers or burak or marsh mud. It was initially placed under the direct jurisdiction of Manila but in 1578, it was made a separate province.

Being close to the city of Manila, the province became an important source of foodstuffs and materials needed by the Spanish colony. In the 17^th and 18^th centuries, the friars acquired large estates in the province that were the source of the rice, fruits, livestock and vegetables that came to Manila. Bulacan was also a noted weaving center in the 19^th century and thousands of native looms produced cotton cloth for Manila. The early linkages with Manila fostered prosperity in the province and the rise of an educated and cultured elite called the ilustrado and the blossoming of Tagalog culture and arts.

The continued existence of large friar estates in Bulacan and in other areas of the Tagalog region spurred the development of a propaganda movement that was particularly active in the province. Several leaders of the movement, among them Marcelo H. del Pilar, Pio Valenzuela, and Mariano Ponce, came from the province. In 1896, Bulacan was among the first provinces that rallied behind the Katipunan in rising against Spanish tyranny. In 1897, General Emilio Aguinaldo established the headquarters of the Revolution in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Range, in Biak na Bato.

In 1898, Malolos, became the capital of the First Philippine Republic. The Revolutionary Congress gathered at the Barasoain Church and drafted and ratified the first Constitution of the Philippines. The Americans seized Malolos in March 1899 and civil government was established in 1901.

People, Culture and the Arts

The mixing of indigenous traditions with Chinese and Spanish influences has influenced Bulacan’s culture. The province was once home of thousands of Chinese who intermingled freely with the natives and brought their trade and industry to the province. The Bulaquenos are primarily Tagalogs who have absorbed a large number of migrants from various regions.

Agriculture is the primary occupation of the people of Bulacan although there is mush fishing along the rivers and coasts of the province. Aside from these occupations, the craft industries are strongly established in the province. Jewelry, textile weaving, embroidery, pottery and inlaid furniture manufacture are still practiced in the most towns. The preparation of traditional and Spanish style food, such as suman, puto, kutsinta, marzipan and pastillas de leche are time honored industries.

The unique combination of influences is nowhere more pronounced that in the festivities that are held through out the province. May is the month where most of these feasts are concentrated and invoke the favors of Christian saints in ensuring a good harvest. The town of Pulilan celebrates the feast of San Isidro Labrador on the 15^th of May. Foreign and domestic tourists are drawn to the festival because it is highlighted by a parade of kneeling carabaos.

Devotees of San Pascual Baylon, Sta. Clara and the Virgin of Salambao dance in the streets of Obando from May 17 to 19 during the town’s fiesta. Most of the devotees are childless couples who dance to the gay tunes of brass band music as they petition the saints for children. Likewise there is the Santacruzan, or processions that depict the search for the Holy Cross. These processions are dazzling parades of the most beautiful maidens who depict various personages of the quest.

Fiestas are celebrated in the towns of Calumpit and Bocaue during the months of June and July. The highlights of the festivals are fluvial processions along the major rivers of these towns that bring the images of the town’s patrons onto barges decorated into elaborate ‘pagodas’ and festooned with bright and gay decorations.

Bulacan is also noted as the land of the Tagalog bard Francisco Balagtas. A monument was erected in the province in honor of this famous 19^th century poet whose immortal work, the romance in metered quatrains called ‘Florante at Laura,’ continues to be heralded as one of the most beautiful examples of Tagalog wit in verse. The Bulaquenos continue this metrical tradition by holding ‘balagtasan’ contests. These verbal jousts between poets are usually held during fiestas and are judged on the basis of the adept use of figurative speech and sharp wit in arguing a topic.

The images and relics of Bulacan’s history and culture are preserved and exhibited in various museums. Historic Barasoain Church has been refurbished and reconstructed as a lasting monument to the First Philippine Republic. The Hiyas ng Bulakan, a cultural center and a museum in Malolos, is the repository of mementos, artifacts, manuscripts and works of great men like Francisco Balagtas, Gregorio and Marcelo H. Del Pilar, Mariano Ponce.

Trade and Investments

Bulacan is next door to Metro Manila and is a natural catch basin for spill over development. Apart from its proximity to the national capital region, the province also boasts of a very rich agricultural soil that has sustained food production throughout the years. Bulacan’s farmlands produce rice sugar, corn and fruits as well as poultry and livestock. About 104,000 hectares are classified as forestlands, which produce timber and forest products. The coast of Bulacan also supports fishponds and pens that annually produce more than 124,000 metric tons of fish. The mountains of the province hold high-grade limestone commercially extracted by cement factories, as well as marble, clay and gypsum. As of 1995, the province had more than 1.7 million inhabitants. Of this number, 65 percent belong to a highly educated, highly-skilled and motivated labor force that more than adequately answers the manpower needs of the province and of nearby Metro Manila.

The MacArthur Highway and the North Luzon Expressway are the two main road arteries that link Bulacan to Metro Manila. Several major bus companies provide regular daily commuter runs to Bulacan. Telecommunications is provided by the government as well as five private firms and they offer local as well as international direct dial services. MERALCO now distributes power to the entire province and the Angat Dam and municipal water districts supply irrigation and water.

Bulacan has attracted small and medium scale businesses to its favorable location outside Metro Manila and along the major road networks to establish garments, light industrial, chemical, food processing and handicraft industries. The province is facilitating the pace of new investments by helping establish privately owned industrial estates, which provide investors with the facilities to conduct their business. The existing industrial estates like the Bulacan Agro-Industrial Subdivision, Intercity Industrial Estate, First Bulacan Industrial City, Meycauayan Industrial Subdivision, Muralla Industrial Park, Meridian Industrial Compound and the Sterling Industrial Park. All of these estates lie along the North Luzon Expressway.

Rice farming and the planting of high value crops remain important economic activities of the province. Building on this strong agricultural base, northwestern Bulacan is being developed into an agro-industrial center for food processing and agriculture based industries. Poultry and livestock processing, feeds manufacture, and fruit canning ventures are actively operating in this zone and more inverstments in these concerns are welcome.

Tourism development is also a major potential investment area. Bulacan’s vibrant and colorful culture, festivals and historical spots have traditionally drawn domestic tourists. Scenic hideaways, like the Biak na Bato cave system with its clear natural pools and points of historic significance can be developed into a major tourist destination within Central Luzon. Tourist related businesses like tour operation, hotels, accommodations, resorts, restaurants and souvenir shops can help realize this potential.

Partnership Initiatives

The province's rich cultural and historical heritage has proven to be a unique source of pride for Bulaquenos. Using the slogan "Bulacan Number One", the provincial government, in partnership with several NGOs, national government agencies and municipal LGUs instituted programs to instill a collective pride in the unique cultural and historical heritage of Bulacan to fuel the search for excellence of its people.

The provincial effort to stir a reawakening of pride in the province's heritage was premised on the belief that a strong social infrastructure was of primary importance to push other development programs. History and culture were popularized using creative and novel means to reach the people. All activities were to culminate in the annual celebration of the "Linggo ng Bulacan". Culture was also given an economic value through the Arts-Crafts-Enterprises synergy. Local traditional enterprises using Bulaqueno craftsmanship and raw materials such as jewelry making, furniture crafts and traditional food preparation were promoted as an adjunct to the cultural revival.

The efforts to build pride in Bulacan's culture has resulted in a push for xscellence among the province's constituents. In nationwide competitions in education, arts, sports, trade and industry Bulacan had consistently topped, if not excelled. It had the cleanest and greenest municipality, most outstanding PNP Command, and the biggest community cooperative in Asia.

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