Pulilan, Bulacan
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Pulilan, officially the Municipality of Pulilan (,
Kapampangan Kapampangan, Capampañgan or Pampangan may refer to: *Kapampangan people, of the Philippines *Kapampangan language Kapampangan, Capampáñgan, or Pampangan, is an Austronesian language, and one of the eight major languages of the Philippines. ...
: ''Balen ning Pulilan''), is a
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...
in the
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
of
Bulacan Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan (; ; ; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon Regions of the Philippines, region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on ...
,
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 108,836 people. The town is famous for its Carabao Festival where
carabao Carabaos () are a genetically distinct population of swamp-type water buffaloes ('' Bubalus bubalis kerabau'') from the Philippines.FAO 2013''Philippine Carabao/Philippines''In: Domestic Animal Diversity Information System. Food and Agriculture ...
s are paraded and kneel as they pass through San Isidro Labrador Parish Church, in honor to the town's patron saint, San Isidro Labrador. Many years ago, Pulilan was primarily a little-known rural town in the northern part of Bulacan where its economy heavily dependent on farming and poultry raising. Most of the population committed their entire lives on farming as their livelihood. Today, the town is moving towards commercialization and industrialization as it is becoming one of the major growth-rate area and center of commerce and industry in the province. Because of the major economic growth, due to presence of commercial establishments, real estates, industrial plants and major road projects. Pulilan has experienced increased in the total gross income in the past few years. The town's income in year 2016 was P323.86 million, an increase of P69.27 million from its previous income in 2014. It surpass the income of fifteen municipalities in
Bulacan Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan (; ; ; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon Regions of the Philippines, region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on ...
such as San Miguel, Bocaue, Plaridel, Hagonoy and
Calumpit Calumpit , officially the Municipality of Calumpit (, Kapampangan: ''Balen ning Calumpit''), is a municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 118,471 people. The name "''Calumpit' ...
. With the continuous expansion of
Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila ( ), commonly shortened to Metro Manila and formally the National Capital Region (NCR; ), is the capital region and largest List of metropolitan areas in the Philippines, metropolitan area of the Philippines. Located ...
, Pulilan is part of Manila's built-up area which reaches San Ildefonso, Bulacan at its northernmost part.


Etymology

In the beginning, Pulilan is neither its name nor a town. History has it that the place is a marshy or swampland which forms part of
Pampanga Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga (; ; ), is a province in Central Luzon in the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac to the north, Nueva Ecija to the northeast, Bulacan to the east, ...
, along the Candaba Bay. Because of the vastness of its area, Pulilan was created out of the districts of
Baliuag Baliwag, officially the City of Baliwag (; , Kapampangan: ''Lakanbalen ning Baliwag/Siudad ning Baliwag,'' also spelled as ''Baliuag''), is a component city in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...
and Quingua (now Plaridel) and coming from the Pampango word "''Kengwa''", meaning on the other side of the shore or kabilang ibayo. In 1794, the place was named ''San Isidro'' by the missionary Augustinian friars in honor of San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of the farmers. On January 20, 1796, it was called ''Pulilan''. There are no written records how the place is named Pulilan; but legend has it that is derived from ''Pulo ng Ilan'', literally, clusters of small communities or isles. According to Antoon Postma in his "The
Laguna Copperplate Inscription The Laguna Copperplate Inscription is an official acquittance ( debt relief) certificate inscribed onto a copper plate in the Shaka year 822 ( Gregorian A.D. 900). It is the earliest-known, extant, calendar-dated document found within the Phil ...
(LCI) – A Valuable Philippine Document" this copperplate with inscription discovered at Lumbang River near the Laguna Lake area in Laguna dates back to 900 A.D. In this inscription was mentioned the name ''Puliran'', as the old name for southeastern lake area. The toponyms or place names Puliran is Pulilan, Bulacan and Pulilan is in Laguna de Bay. However, Mr. Postma is convinced in his studies that Pulilan in the LCI is the Pulilan along the
Angat River The Angat River (also called Quingua River) is a river in the Philippines located in the province of Bulacan. It flows from the Sierra Madre mountain range to Manila Bay Manila Bay (; ) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila ( ...
, in the Province of Bulacan, north of
Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
.


History

The first time Pulilan was settled was unknown but if existing records of the towns of Calumpit and Baliuag, between which the town lies, be made a basis, it could be deduced that in the early part of the 17th century it could have had a sprinkling of settlers. However, the ancient town of Pulilan was first documented as Puliran in the
Laguna Copperplate Inscription The Laguna Copperplate Inscription is an official acquittance ( debt relief) certificate inscribed onto a copper plate in the Shaka year 822 ( Gregorian A.D. 900). It is the earliest-known, extant, calendar-dated document found within the Phil ...
, a pre-colonial oldest document of Philippines written in 900 A.D in Indianized
script Script may refer to: Writing systems * Script, a distinctive writing system, based on a repertoire of specific elements or symbols, or that repertoire * Script (styles of handwriting) ** Script typeface, a typeface with characteristics of handw ...
. The native population at the time of the document were ruled by the sovereign Lord Ka-Sumuran (see
Laguna Copperplate Inscription The Laguna Copperplate Inscription is an official acquittance ( debt relief) certificate inscribed onto a copper plate in the Shaka year 822 ( Gregorian A.D. 900). It is the earliest-known, extant, calendar-dated document found within the Phil ...
). During Spanish regime, an Augustian fray, Fray Vicente Villamanzaro, was made to declare the settlement of a town on January 20, 1796. It was assigned a patron saint, San Isidro Labrador, after whose name he wanted the town identified. On this time, the head of the town was called
Kapitan Capitan and Kapitan are equivalents of the English Captain in other European languages. Capitan, Capitano, and Kapitan may also refer to: Places in the United States * Capitan, Louisiana, an unincorporated community * Capitan, New Mexico, a villa ...
. It was only in 1819 that Pulilan has as its first Kapitan, Kapitan Francisco Paltao. In 1898, the first Presidente Municipal was Froilan Cahiwat. In 1904, when Anacleto Batongbacal was the Presidente Municipal, Pulilan was annexed to Quingua and became its sitio. In 1908, as the Pulilenos rallied behind the candidacy of their son Adriano Salvador, he was elected Presidente Municipal of Quinqua. Then in 1909, representations were made by Eugenio Tiangco, Hilario Esguerra, Adriano Salvador and others with Governor Teodoro Sandico to separate Pulilan from Quingua. It was granted. Pulilan then became a town, with Eugenio Tiangco as its Presidente. In 1946, Catalino Flores was appointed as the first Mayor of Pulilan. From the Spanish time to American occupation and lately the Japanese era, many sons of the town of Pulilan shed their blood. After long march to freedom, Pulilenos started to build from its small beginnings and from then on made a great stride in politics, economy, social standing and in other fields. The influence of the Spanish, American and Japanese occupations, have in a measure, contributed to the promotion of their welfare, but the Pulileños, as they are known, treasure their great heritage. San Isidro Labrador or Saint Isidore the Laborer, the patron saint of the farmers, is the patron saint of the town as well. The traditional date of his liturgical feast, which through not included in the General Roman Calendar has been celebrated for centuries in several countries and diocese is May 15. However, it is on the 14th day of May that Pulileños (people of Pulilan) celebrate the feast in honor of their saint by parading carabaos and making them kneel in front of the church as a sign of respect for their patron saint of farmers. Also included in the parade are cows, horses, street folk dancers, marching bands and floats of commercial establishments of the town.


Third Republic

Former government official Paquito Ochoa Sr. ran as a Liberal candidate for mayor in 1967 and won, defeating
Nacionalista The Nacionalista Party (Filipino language, Filipino and Spanish language in the Philippines, Spanish: ''Partido Nacionalista''; , NP) is a political party in the Philippines which is the oldest existing party in the country and in Southeast Asi ...
candidate Arsenio Sulit. On August 21, 1971, senator
Ninoy Aquino Benigno "Ninoy" Simeón Aquino Jr., (, ; November 27, 1932 – August 21, 1983) was a Filipino politician who served as a senator of the Philippines (1967–1972) and governor of the province of Tarlac (1963–1967). Aquino was the husban ...
attended Ochoa's birthday celebration in Pulilan, which resulted in Aquino avoiding the Plaza Miranda bombing that occurred on the same day in
Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
where his partymates were.


Geography


Topography

Pulilan is one of the 21 towns of Bulacan province, located in about its center—from north to south. It lies north-west of
Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
, the national capital, from
Malolos Malolos , officially the City of Malolos (), is a component city and capital of the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 261,189 people. It is the capital city of the province of Bulacan as the ...
, the provincial capital, and from Plaridel. It has an area of about 4,073 hectares (40.73 sq. kilometers). It is bounded on the north by
Apalit Apalit, officially the Municipality of Apalit (; ), is a municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 117,160 people. The town is famous for its Apung Iru Fluvial Procession, which i ...
in
Pampanga Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga (; ; ), is a province in Central Luzon in the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac to the north, Nueva Ecija to the northeast, Bulacan to the east, ...
; on the east by
Baliwag Baliwag, officially the City of Baliwag (; , Kapampangan: ''Lakanbalen ning Baliwag/Siudad ning Baliwag,'' also spelled as ''Baliuag''), is a component city in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...
; on the south by Plaridel; and on the west by
Calumpit Calumpit , officially the Municipality of Calumpit (, Kapampangan: ''Balen ning Calumpit''), is a municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 118,471 people. The name "''Calumpit' ...
. The
Angat River The Angat River (also called Quingua River) is a river in the Philippines located in the province of Bulacan. It flows from the Sierra Madre mountain range to Manila Bay Manila Bay (; ) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila ( ...
cutting its way through the eastern edge of Baliwag, and the southern fringes of Pulilan down to the tributary of
Manila Bay Manila Bay (; ) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the Manila, capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between the Philippines and ...
south-west of Calumpit, serves as the boundary with Plaridel. The municipality is generally of flat topography. Eleven (11) of its barangays are bounded by the Angat River. The rest are flat irrigated rice lands. Soil types vary from sandy loam to clay loam which makes the municipality suitable to a wide range of agricultural products. Most of the barangays in Pulilan have low susceptibility to flooding. Those portion with moderate to high susceptibility to flooding are barangays that are near or adjacent to creeks that are tributaries of the Angat River and barangays that are low-lying such as Dulong Malabon and Inaon.


Land use

Most of the existing municipal land use area is for agricultural purposes, about 27.92 square kilometres (10.78 sq mi) or 68.55% of the town's land area is primarily for crop production. While the 12.8076 square kilometres (4.95 sq. mi) or 31.45% of available land is dedicated for residential, commercial, industrial and institutional purposes.


Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification system, the climate is tropical in Pulilan. During most months of the year, there is significant rainfall in Pulilan. There is only a short dry season. According to Köppen and Geiger, this climate is classified as Am. The temperature here averages 27.2 °C. The average annual rainfall is 792 mm. The driest month is February. There is 4 mm of precipitation in February. Most precipitation occurs in July, with an average of 151 mm. With an average of 29.2 °C, May is the warmest month. In January, the average temperature is 25.5 °C. It is the lowest average temperature of the whole year. The precipitation varies 147 mm between the driest month and the wettest month. The average temperatures vary during the year by 3.7 °C.


Barangays

Pulilan is politically subdivided into 19
barangays The barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as ''barrio'', is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines. Named after the precolonial polities of the same name, modern barangays are political subdivisio ...
, as shown in the matrix below. Each barangay consists of
purok A ''purok'' () is an informal division within a barangay in the Philippines. While not officially considered a local government unit (LGU), a ''purok'' often serves as a unit for delivering services and administration within a barangay. ''Pur ...
s and some have
sitios A ''sitio'' (Spanish language, Spanish for "site") in the Philippines is a territorial enclave that forms part of a barangay. Typically rural, a ''sitios location is usually far from the center of the barangay itself and could be its own bar ...
. The biggest barangay in terms of land area is Dulong Malabon while the most populated barangay is Poblacion and the least populated barangay is Santa Peregrina.


Land area


Demographics

The municipality's population grew twice by 49,124 from 48,199 in 1990 to 97,323 in 2015. The continuous increase in the population of Pulilan may not only be attributed to growing population of the natives but also to the influx of migrants from nearby places. In the 2020 census, the population of Pulilan, Bulacan, was 108,836 people, with a density of .


Ethnic groups

The original settlers and natives in Pulilan are primarily
Tagalog people The Tagalog people are an Austronesian Ethnic groups in the Philippines, ethnic group native to the Philippines, particularly the Metro Manila and Calabarzon regions and Marinduque province of southern Luzon, and comprise the majority in the p ...
, one of the most widespread groups of people in the Philippines. Several Kapampangans also started settling here before. The municipality is currently experiencing influx of migrants by being a part of the
Greater Manila Area The Greater Manila Area () is the contiguous urbanization region surrounding the Metro Manila, Metropolitan Manila area of the Philippines. This built-up zone includes Metro Manila and the neighboring provinces of Bulacan to the north, Cavite and ...
(GMA), so there is also a considerably minor population of Bicolano, Ilocano, Ilonggo, Pangasinense and
Visayans Visayans ( Cebuano: ''mga Bisayà'' ) are a Philippine ethnolinguistic family group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, to the southernmost islands south of Luzon, and to a significant portion of Mindanao. They are composed of numerous d ...
.


Languages

Like other places in Luzon, the most spoken language in Pulilan is Tagalog. Some of its residents speak and use
Kapampangan language Kapampangan, Capampáñgan, or Pampangan, is an Austronesian language, and one of the eight major languages of the Philippines. It is the primary and predominant language of the entire province of Pampanga and southern Tarlac, on the southern p ...
due to its proximity to the province of
Pampanga Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga (; ; ), is a province in Central Luzon in the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac to the north, Nueva Ecija to the northeast, Bulacan to the east, ...
. However, in schools and other institutions, English and Tagalog are alternately use as medium of instruction.


Literacy

In 2008, the total number of households are 17,002. Ninety-nine percent of the total number of household members are literate. They are able to read and write a simple message in any language or dialect.


Religion

Like other municipalities in the Philippines, majority of the inhabitants of Pulilan are adherents of the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
. This is evident by their strong faith and devotion to the town's patron saint, San Isidro Labrador. Each barangay and sitio has their own respective chapel where they perform their mass and other liturgical services. The San Isidro Parish Church and Our Lady of Miraculous Medal are the parish churches in the municipality and it is under the jurisdiction of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Malolos The Diocese of Malolos (Latin language, Latin: ''Dioecesis Malolosinae''; Tagalog language, Tagalog: ''Diyosesis ng Malolos''; Spanish: ''Diócesis de Malolos'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church i ...
.
Iglesia ni Cristo The (INC; ; ) is an independent Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, church founded in 1913 and registered by Felix Manalo, Félix Manalo in 1914 as a corporation sole, sole religious corporation ...
also holds a strong presence in the municipality by establishing worship centers in barangay Cutcot, Dampol 2nd-A, Inaon and Santo Cristo. These locales are included in the Ecclesiastical District of Bulacan North. Other religious groups represented include the following:
Members Church of God International The Members Church of God International (), abbreviated as MCGI, is an international Christian religious organization with headquarters in the Philippines. It is popularly known in the Philippines as ''Ang Dating Daan'' (; abbreviated as AD ...
''(Ang Dating Daan)'', Jesus Is Lord Church,
Baptist Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
,
Jehovah's Witness Jehovah's Witnesses is a Christian denomination that is an outgrowth of the Bible Student movement founded by Charles Taze Russell in the nineteenth century. The denomination is nontrinitarian, millenarian, and restorationist. Russell co- ...
,
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
and other evangelical groups.


Economy

The municipality of Pulilan has basically an agri-based economy. Farming, fishing,
swine Suina (also known as Suiformes) is a suborder of omnivorous, non-ruminant artiodactyl mammals that includes the domestic pig and peccaries. A member of this clade is known as a suine. Suina includes the family Suidae, termed suids, known in ...
and poultry raising were the dominant economic industries and livelihood of the natives of the town. Structural changes in the economy become evident due to the rapid rate of urbanization characterized by increasing encroachment of industries and manufacturing establishments on productive agricultural land of the municipality. Now, the municipality is known as one of the emerging centers of trade and commerce in the province of Bulacan and continuously outshining its neighboring municipalities. According to the 2017 COA Annual Financial Report, the municipality has an annual income of 383.60 million, 59.74 million or 18% higher than its previous income. Making it one of the richest municipalities in Bulacan and
Central Luzon Central Luzon (; ; ; ; ), designated as Region III, is an administrative region in the Philippines. The region comprises seven provinces: Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga (with its capital, San Fernando City serving as the re ...
. The major income sources in the municipality come from flowers/ornamental plants, food/food processing, garments and embroidery, gifts/house decors, marble/marble processing, poultry and hog raising, furniture, crop production, and services.


Agriculture

Rice production and livestock/poultry raising are the most common agribusiness in Pulilan. In 2,226.75 hectares or 5,502.42 acres of irrigated area planted, 10,660.25 metric tons of rice are produced. While 65,470
swine Suina (also known as Suiformes) is a suborder of omnivorous, non-ruminant artiodactyl mammals that includes the domestic pig and peccaries. A member of this clade is known as a suine. Suina includes the family Suidae, termed suids, known in ...
and chickens are produced in 12 commercial farms/poultries and 638 swine are raised in 86 backyard farms.


Banking

There are 12 major and local commercial banks that provide financial services in the municipality. Some of these are the following:
Banco de Oro BDO Unibank, Inc., commonly known as Banco de Oro (BDO), is a Philippine banking company based in Mandaluyong, the Philippines. BDO Unibank is a member of the SM Group and so can be found at SM Malls throughout the country. BDO is the larges ...
(BDO), Metrobank, Landbank,
Philippine National Bank The Philippine National Bank (PNB, ; ; Hokkien in the Philippines, Hokkien ) is a major Filipino bank based in Pasay in the Philippines. It was established by the Philippine government on July 22, 1916, during the Insular Government, America ...
,
Philippine Savings Bank The Philippine Savings Bank (also known in Philippine Hokkien, Hokkien ; & Mandarin Chinese, Mandarin ) (shortened as PSBank or abbreviated as PSB) is a savings and loan association, savings bank based in the Philippines. It is a subsidiary of Me ...
(PSBank),
Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation The Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (), commonly known as RCBC (), is one of the largest universal banks in the Philippines with total consolidated resources of Ph₱ 1.2 trillion. It was established in 1960 as a development bank and is ...
(RCBC) and Bank of Florida (BoF). As of December 2017, Pulilan recorded a total deposits of 4.048 billion pesos by adding the demand/now deposits, savings deposits, time deposits and FCDU deposits. The municipality also has 30,785 registered accounts from its 12 banks.


Industry and Trade

Manufacturing is a dominant business and source of income and employment in the municipality. In 2010, there are 26 registered manufacturing businesses in Pulilan with 4,136 employees. The biggest manufacturers include the following: Nestle Philippines (''Tibag''), New Hope Agriculture Inc.(''Tibag''), Anderson Asphalt Philippines (''Tibag''), Feedmix Specialist Inc. II (''Dampol 2nd A''), Foster Foods Inc. (''Dampol 2nd A''), Leighton Contractors Asia (''Tibag''), Marquee Mills Manufacturing Corp. (''Dampol 2nd B''), Tyson Agro-Ventures (''Tinejero''), Jockers Food Industry (''Santo Cristo''), TJN Pasalubong (''Paltao''), Cargill Philippines, Inc. (''Dampol 1st''), R.M Foods (''Dampol 2nd B'') and Rombe (''Dampol 1st''). These manufacturing establishments are mostly situated in Dampol Industrial Area (DIA) and the Tabon-Dampol-Tibag Industrial Area (TDTIA).


Shopping malls

In 2010, Robinsons Supermarket, later renamed as Robinsons Townville, started to operate in Barangay Cutcot, in front of Pulilan Public Market. Massway Supermarket also established its branch in Barangay Santo Cristo and in 2017 SM Center was inaugurated in a 27,000 sq.m. lot in Barangay Santo Cristo along Pulilan-Plaridel Diversion Road, making it the very first full-service shopping mall in the municipality.


Government


Local government

Just like the national government, the municipal government of Pulilan is divided into three branches which are the executive, legislative, and judiciary. The Local Government Units (LGUs) have control of the executive and legislative branches. While the judicial branch is administrated solely by the Supreme Court (SC). The executive branch is composed of the mayor and barangay captain for the barangay. The legislative branch is composed of the Sanguniang Bayan (town council) and Sanguniang Barangay (Barangay council). The council is in charge of creating the municipality's policies in the form of ordinances and resolutions. The Mayor is the executive head and leads the municipal department in executing ordinances and improving public services. The Vice Mayor heads a council consisting of 10 members, 8 councilors, and 2 ex-officio members (''ABC President'' and ''SK Federation President''). All of the barangays in the municipality is administrated by its duly-elected barangay captain. The barangay captain is aided by the
Sangguniang Barangay The Sangguniang Barangay, known in English as the Barangay Council is the local government of a barangay, the smallest administrative division in the Philippines. Each of the 42,004 barangays in the country has its respective Sangguniang Baran ...
(Barangay Council) whose members, seven Barangay Kagawad (Councilors), are also elected. On the other hand,
Sangguniang Kabataan A Sangguniang Kabataan (abbreviated as SK; ) is a community council that represents the youth in a barangay in the Philippines. Established to provide young people with a platform for civic engagement and participation in Local government in ...
(SK) council represent the youth in each barangay.


Elected officials

Below is the list of the elected officials of the Municipality of Pulilan: * Incumbent mayor Maritz Ochoa-Montejo won her third and final term after she defeated vice mayor Ricardo Candido and former councilor Lauro Valenzuela. * Meanwhile, councilor Rolando Peralta, Jr. was named as the new municipal vice mayor. His opponent was Bgy. Santo Cristo Chairman and municipal ABC President Dennis Cruz. * Seven of the current councilors of Pulilan are from Nacionalista Party while the other one ran under the Aksyon Demokratiko party.


List of local chief executives

*Paquito Ochoa (1967–1971) *Aurelio Plamenco (1988–1998) *Elpidio C. Castillo (1998–2007) *Vicente Esguerra (2007–2016)


Barangay officials

* After multiple postponements, the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) finally took place on October 30, 2023. As per the ruling by the Supreme Court of the Philippines, the elected barangay officials are slated to serve a term of just two (2) years. The next BSKE election is set to happen on the first Monday of December 2025, with subsequent elections taking place every three years thereafter. However, this is still subject to changes as the Commission on Election (COMELEC) seeks to postpone the December 2025 BSKE elections to October 2026.


Municipal seal

The official seal of the municipality of Pulilan serves as the towns identity for many years. Each of the symbols incorporated into this emblem represents the glorious past of the town and its culture and traditions. It includes the following: * The Kneeling Carabao – is where the town is famous of. Every 14 May, the feast of the Kneeling Carabao is celebrated as a festival and at the same time a thanksgiving for their ever guiding patron saint San Isidro Labrador. * San Isidro Labrador Parish Church – the home of the town's patron saint. This is the religious center of the town where religious activities, particularly worship services are held. * Rice Fields – one of the major source of income in the municipality. * Nipa hut – the ancient house or residence of most of the Pulileños. * Mango tree – are abundant in the town and one of the major industry here. * Bamboo pieces – it serve as the border of the emblem. It also represents how Pulileños are resilient and optimistic in their life.


Tourism

Tourism is one of the emerging industry in the municipality of Pulilan. Every year, thousands of tourists visited this magnificent town. Most of the tourists come to witness the Kneeling Carabao Festival wherein the town is prominent. It is a bountiful occasion where different kinds of buffalos such as carabaos led the parade in the streets of the town together with the street dancers, marching bands and colorful floats. When they reach the church, they kneel in front of it as giving respect to their saint. This spectacular yet remarkable festivity is held every 14 May, one day before the feast of San Isidro Labrador, the town's patron saint. This is not only a tribute on their patron saint but also to the carabaos for their hard work during farming season. This festival is also a celebration for a year-long bountiful harvest. Pulilan is not only well known for its festival but also famous because of numerous tourist attractions located in the vicinity of the town.


Historical and religious edifices


San Isidro Labrador Parish Church

San Isidro Labrador Parish Church is where the carabaos during the feast are made kneel as tribute to their patron saint. This is a 19th-century baroque church located at the Kabayanan or the town's administrative center (Poblacion). It is also a famous pilgrimage site in Bulacan during the Holy Week or "Kuaresma". Aside from the St Augustine Parish church located in the nearby town of Baliwag, it is the only church that features more than 110 floats or Carozas in its Holy Week Processions. The Museo San Ysidro Labrador is also situated here.


Pulilan Municipal Trial Court

Museo de Pulilan is the new name of Pulilan Municipal Trial Court after it was restored in 2013. It is also known by the locals as the former Gabaldon Building located in Barangay Poblacion near the Municipal Hall Compound. Now, it is one of the famous tourist destinations not only in the municipality but in the whole province of Bulacan because of its cultural and historical features. Inside this museum are different sculptures, paintings and old documents about the flourishing history of the town.


Adriano Salvador Heritage House

It is dubbed as the "Malacañang of Pulilan", in 1908 this historical house served as the joint municipal of two ancient towns of Quingua (Plaridel) and San Isidro (Pulilan).


Casanova-Aguirre Ancestral House

This ancestral house is one of the most well-preserved old house in Bulacan. It is situated near the boundaries of barangay Poblacion and Lumbac. This is a famous tourist spot in the entire town because of its preserved beauty and scenic view. It is also known as the site of the 2006 Filipino romantic film, Moments of Love, starring Iza Calzado and Dingdong Dantes.


Aguirre Centennial House

This Centennial House is located inside the Butterfly Haven Resort and one of the main tourist attraction inside the resort because of its unique and distinct architecture. This 100-year-old house is owned by the family of Revenue Deputy Commissioner Lita Aguirre.


Mandalá Art Festival

Mandalá Art Festival is an annual gathering of visual artists and cultural workers from various parts of the country every month of May as part of Pulilan town fiesta. This cultural event showcases the best artistic skills and traditions of Central Luzon. During this occasion, several exhibitions are open to the public and mural painting activities (''Kalye Art'') in different locations around municipality are held. This has been led by Jefarca Arts and Historical Society Inc.,
National Commission for Culture and the Arts The National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines (NCCA; , ) is the official government agency for culture in the Philippines. It is the overall policy making body, coordinating, and grants giving agency for the preservation, d ...
(NCCA), Museo de Pulilan and the Municipality of Pulilan since its inception in 2012. The word Mandalá is based on a local term meaning "the best of the harvest".


Infrastructure


Transportation

Pulilan can be accessed through private vehicles, jeepneys,
tricycles A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to trike, is a human-powered (or gasoline or electric motor powered or assisted, or gravity powered) three-wheeled vehicle. Some tricycles, such as cycle rickshaws (for passenger transport) and freight trikes, ...
, and even
buses A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a motor vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van, but fewer than the average rail transport. It is most commonly used ...
. Public Utility Jeepneys (PUJs) are stationed at Robinsons Townville terminal which have routes passing through Pulilan Regional Road (or N115 of the Philippine highway network) and several barangays to Lumbac, Dampol 2nd-B (''Camachile'') and to its neighboring town of
Calumpit Calumpit , officially the Municipality of Calumpit (, Kapampangan: ''Balen ning Calumpit''), is a municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 118,471 people. The name "''Calumpit' ...
. Tricycles, on the other hand, serve the interiors of barangays and residential areas. Bus and
UV Express Utility Vehicle (UV) Express (formerly known as FX, Metered Taxi, and GT or Garage-to-Terminal Express) is a license to operate utility vehicles, particularly vans, as an alternative mode of public transport in the Philippines. The term also refe ...
are also common mode of transportation in the municipality. Buses and UV Express transport passengers in Pulilan to and from Grace Park, Divisoria, Monumento, and Cubao in
Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila ( ), commonly shortened to Metro Manila and formally the National Capital Region (NCR; ), is the capital region and largest List of metropolitan areas in the Philippines, metropolitan area of the Philippines. Located ...
. They commonly picked commuters along Pulilan junction and in SM Center Pulilan terminal. Several taxis also transport passengers from Metro Manila to Pulilan.


Road networks

North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) is the only expressway in Pulilan which passes through the municipality with 2 entrances and exits in Barangays Dampol II-A and Tibag. Main national highways include the
Pan-Philippine Highway The Pan-Philippine Highway, also known as the Maharlika Highway (; ), is a network of roads, expressways, bridges, and ferry services that connect the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao in the Philippines, serving as the country's p ...
or commonly called as Maharlika Highway (part of AH26, Pulilan to Baliwag), which passes through barangay Santo Cristo, Cutcot and Longos. Other arterial roads include Pulilan Regional Road ( N115, Pulilan to Calumpit), Pulilan–Plaridel Diversion Road which is connected to Plaridel Bypass Road, Old Cagayan Valley Road and Pulilan-Apalit Road. In May 2019, the Pulilan-Baliwag Diversion Road or commonly referred to as Pulilan Bypass Road was formally opened to motorists. The project is expected to alleviate the humongous traffic congestion in
Pan-Philippine Highway The Pan-Philippine Highway, also known as the Maharlika Highway (; ), is a network of roads, expressways, bridges, and ferry services that connect the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao in the Philippines, serving as the country's p ...
and Pulilan Regional Road and spur further developments in the municipality. This 9.62-kilometer diversion road transvers the barangays of Tibag, Dulong Malabon, Tabon, Peñabatan, Santa Peregrina, and Balatong B and ends in Barangay Tarcan in
Baliwag Baliwag, officially the City of Baliwag (; , Kapampangan: ''Lakanbalen ning Baliwag/Siudad ning Baliwag,'' also spelled as ''Baliuag''), is a component city in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...
. The project had a multi-year funding from the
Department of Public Works and Highways The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH; ) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for serving as the country's engineering and construction arm. It is tasked with implementing the government's policy to ...
(DPWH) infrastructure program amounting to PHP 582 million for civil works and PHP 150 million for road right of way acquisition.


Utilities

Power and Water Supply The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) is the sole company that provides electric services in Pulilan. All the 19 barangays have supply of electricity already. In 2003, 63.65 million kWh of power is being consumed by the municipality. The water system and services of Pulilan is provided by LWUA (Local Water Utilities Administration) through the Pulilan Water District in which its office is situated in Barangay Cutcot. The municipality will also be a beneficiary of P24.4-billion Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project (BBWSP) as it will soon provide additional water supply to its water district. Communication Services Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT),
Digital Telecommunications Philippines Digital Telecommunications Phils., Inc., commonly known as Digitel, was the second-largest fixed-line and the third-largest mobile telecommunications company in the Philippines. It was also the company that owned Sun Cellular, a mobile phone ...
(DIGITEL),
Smart Communications Smart Communications Inc., commonly referred to as Smart, is a wholly owned wireless communications and digital services subsidiary of PLDT Inc., a telecommunications and digital services provider based in the Philippines. As of November ...
and DATELCOM are the main landline telephone service provider in Pulilan while the three major cellular companies here are Smart Communications, Globe Telecom and Dito Telecommunity. Telegraph and express mail services are being provided by the municipal post office in Barangay Poblacion and private companies like LBC, Western Union, etc.


Social services


Education

Education had been a priority in Pulilan. It is evidently shown in having a literacy rate of 99%. The number of households that are literate is 16,832 out of 17,002, which are able to read and write a simple message in any language or dialect. Pulilan also had become an educational hub within the province. As it hosts numerous public and private-owned school where many of its constituents and neighboring locals went to study. As of 2016, there are 16 public schools in Pulilan. Several private schools can also be found in the municipality. Most of which offers primary and secondary education. There are also 5 tertiary institutions in the municipality. In 2013, Bulacan State University (BulSU) was established in Barangay Paltao where it started to operate an extension program aligned in education courses. While,
Polytechnic University of the Philippines The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP; ) is a public, coeducational, research university in Santa Mesa, Manila, Philippines. It was founded on 19 October 1904, as the Manila Business School (MBS) and as part of Manila's public sch ...
(PUP) resides in the former municipal hall building in Barangay Poblacion. There are also technical / vocational schools and training centers here. The private schools in Pulilan are members of Bulacan Private Schools Association (BULPRISA). On the other hand, all primary and secondary schools in the municipality are under the supervision of
Department of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
(DepEd) Schools Division of Bulacan.


Health

As of 2010, there are 25 medical facilities as well as 2 government operated rural health units that provide healthcare services in the municipality. Three of which are hospitals and that include the following: Our Lady of Mercy General Hospital (OLMGH) in Longos, The Good Shepherd Hospital in Poblacion and F.M. Cruz Orthopedic & Gen. Hospital in Santo Cristo. Several clinics can also be found in the municipality.


Peace and Order

In the area of peace and order, Pulilan is one of the more peaceful towns in the province. The crime rate is very minimal. Pulilan has a crime solution efficiency of 90.90% and an average crime rate of 1.8. It ranks third in the crime solution and in peace and order in Bulacan. As of 2010, the municipality is being served by 30 policemen and 9 firemen.


Notable personalities

* Mika Reyes is a Filipino
volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...
player. She is a middle hitter/blocker and is currently playing in the semi-professional league in the Philippines. * Aurelio Plamenco is a politician and then Mayor of Pulilan since 1988 to 1995 He became the Vice Governor of Bulacan in 1998 to 2007 under the leadership of then governor, Josie dela Cruz. *
Sharlene San Pedro Sharlene Santos San Pedro (; born April 5, 1999) is a Filipino actress, singer, and media personality. She made her first television appearance at the age of four when she joined ABS-CBN's talent search ''Star Circle Quest: Kids Edition'' in 2 ...
, is a Filipino actress and VJ. She made her first television appearance at the age of four when she joined ABS-CBN's talent search Star Circle Quest: Kids Edition in 2004. * Jamie Rivera, is a pop singer from the Philippines and also known as the Inspirational Diva. * Florentino Collantes, was a Filipino poet who was among the writers who spearheaded a revival of interest in Tagalog literature in the
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
in the 20th century. He was also called as the King of Balagtasan. * Gloria Dizon-Coronel, is one of the country's premier sopranos. She is also a voice mentor at the
University of Santo Tomas The University of Santo Tomas (UST; ), officially the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines or colloquially as ''Ustê'' (), is a Private university, private Catholic school, Catholic researc ...
Conservatory. * Brigido Batungbakal is a Filipino writer. He received the Gawad Dangal ni Balagtas, the highest recognition for a writer, from the
Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino The Commission on the Filipino Language (CFL), also referred to as the (KWF), is the official regulating body of the Filipino language and the official government institution tasked with developing, preserving, and promoting the various local ...
(KWF) in 1989 because of his contributions in
Philippine literature Philippine literature is literature associated with the Philippines from prehistory, through its colonial legacies, and on to the present. Characteristics According to journalist Nena Jimenez, the most common and consistent element of Philipp ...
.


Sister cities

* Dingalan,
Aurora An aurora ( aurorae or auroras), also commonly known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis), is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly observed in high-latitude regions (around the Arc ...


See also

* San Isidro Labrador Church *
Laguna Copperplate Inscription The Laguna Copperplate Inscription is an official acquittance ( debt relief) certificate inscribed onto a copper plate in the Shaka year 822 ( Gregorian A.D. 900). It is the earliest-known, extant, calendar-dated document found within the Phil ...
*
Angat River The Angat River (also called Quingua River) is a river in the Philippines located in the province of Bulacan. It flows from the Sierra Madre mountain range to Manila Bay Manila Bay (; ) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila ( ...


Gallery

File:Riverpuljf.JPG, Overview of La Pulilan Resort and Angat River from Pulilan-Plaridel Bridge File:Jf9996Pulilan Municipal Court Gabaldon Museum Housefvf 19.JPG, Pulilan Municipal Trial Court File:02341jfLongos Welcome Bridge Plaridel Pulilan Highway Bulacanfvf 07.JPG, Kneeling Carabao Statue in Longos File:02226jfLongos Angat River Resort Bridge Plaridel Pulilan Highway Bulacanfvf 24.JPG, View of Angat River File:Pulilan,HallBulacanjf9574 06.JPG, Gat.Jose P. Rizal Statue at Pulilan Plaza File:Pulilan,HallBulacanjf9587 10.JPG, Pulilan Gymnasium File:Pulilan_Kneeling_Carabaos_Festival_Bulacan_21.jpg, Pulilan Kneeling Carabaos Festival 2023


References


External links

*
www.pulilan.gov.phPulilan Bulacan
* Philippine Standard Geographic Codebr>Philippine Census Information
{{Authority control Municipalities of Bulacan