BALIUAG
| Municipality of Baliuag Bayan ng Baliwag | ||
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| — Municipality — | ||
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Municipality of Baliuag
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| Coordinates: 14°57′N 120°53′E | ||
| Country |  Philippines | |
| Region | Central Luzon (Region III) | |
| Province | Bulacan | |
| District | 2nd District | |
| Founded | 1752 | |
| Barangays | 27 | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Romeo Estrella | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 45.05 km2 (17.39 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 23 m (75 ft) | |
| Population (2010) | ||
| • Total | 143,565 | |
| • Density | 3,200/km2 (8,300/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+8) | |
| ZIP code | 3006 | |
| Dialing code | (+63) 44 | |
| Income class | 1st | |
| Website | baliuag.bulacan.ph | |
Baliuag (or Baliwag in Filipino) is a first class highly urban municipality in theprovince of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 143,565 inhabitants in 25,050 households.[1]
Baliuag was founded on 1732 by Augustinian friars and was incorporated by the Spanish Governor-General on 1733.The town was a part of Quingwa (now Plaridel) before.
Through the years of Spanish domination, Baliuag was predominantly agricultural. People had to depend on rice farming for main source of livelihood. Orchards andtumanas yielded fruits and vegetables, which were sold in the public market. Commerce and industry also played important contributions to the economy of the people. Buntal hat weaving in Baliuag together with silk weaving popularly known in the world as Thai silk; the manufacturer of cigar cases, pina fibers, petates (mats) and Sillas de Bejucos (cane chairs) all of fine quality became known in many parts of the world. The local market also grew. During the early part of the 19th century Baliuag was already considered one of the most progressive and richest town of Bulacan. The growth of the public market has significantly changed the mode of economy of the town.
Baliuag is the major commerce, transportation, entertainment and educational center of Northern Bulacan. 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.
History
| Population Census of Baliuag | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1995 | 103,054 | — |
| 2000 | 119,675 | 3.04% |
| 2007 | 136,982 | 1.95% |
| 2010 | 143,565 | 1.58% |
Five days before May 6, 1899, Henry Ware Lawton's troops marched to Baliuag, after the fateful and bloody encounter at the "Sabang, Baliuag Battle". Baliuag was the first Municipio ever created during the American regime in the Philippines, on May 6, 1899, five days before the fateful "Sabang Battle".
Augustinian friar, Fr. Joaquín Martínez de Zúñiga, OSA, in his "1803 Historia de las Islas Filipinas"[2] wrote that the Convent or Parochial house of San Agustin, in Baliuag, is the best in the whole Archipelago and that no edifice in Manila can be compared to it in symmetry and beauty amid its towering belfry, having been a viewing point of the town's panorama. The frayle further stated that the Convent was a repository of priceless parish records which dated to the founding of Baliuag as a "pueblo" or "parrochia" by the OSA or Augustinians in 1733. But it the first convent was erected at Barangay Sta. Barbara, Baliuag before the Parokya was formally established at the now Plaza Naning, Poblacion.
Fr. Joaquín Martínez de Zúñiga arrived in the Philippines on August 3, 1786 and visited Baliuag on February 17, 1802 with Ignacio Maria de Álava y Sáenz de Navarrete. Their host was Baliuag's Parish Priest, Fray Esteban Diez Hidalgo.[3] Fr. Diez served as the longest cura parroco of Baliwag from 1789, having built the church and convent from 1790 to 1801.
Spanish records ("Apuntes históricos de la provincia augustiniana del Santísimo Nombre de Jesús de Filipinas", año 1909: Filipinas, by P. Bernardo Martinez)[4] reveal that Fr. Juan de Albarran, OSA was assigned Parish Priest of Baliuag in 1733. The first baptism in Baliuag Church was ordered by Fr. Lector and Fr. Feliz Trillo, Provincial of the Province on June 7, 1933 while Baliuag was founded and began its de jureexistence on May 26, 1733. The town or pueblo was created in the provincial Chapter on May 15, 1734, with the appointment of Fr. Manuel Bazeta or Baseta as first Kura Paroko.[5]
In 1769-1774, the Church of Baliuag was built by Father Gregorio Giner. The present structure (the third church to be rebuilt, due to considerable damage during the 1880 Luzon earthquakes) was later rebuilt by Father Esteban Diaz using mortar and stone. The 1866 Belfry was also completed by Father Matias Novoa but the July 19, 1880 quake damaged the same which was later repaired by Father Thomas Gresa.[6][7]
The earthquake of June 3, 1863, one of the strongest to ever hit Manila, destroyed the Governor's Palace in Intramuros. Malacañang then, became the permanent residence of the head of the country. The massive quake also damaged the Baliuag Church.[8] In 1870, the reconstruction began when a temporary house of worship, the “Provincial”, along Año 1733 street, emerged as a narrow, and simple edifice which later used by the RVM Sisters of the Colegio de la Sagrada Familia (now St. Mary's College of Baliuag) as classroom. Antonio de Mesa, “Maestrong Tonio" fabricated the parts to have finished the Spanish-era Baliuag Church.
First Municipio
Baliwag had 30 curates (1733-1898): Fr. Esteban Diez Hidalgo and Fr. Fausto Lopez served 40 and 24 years, respectively. Fr. Lopez had 6 children with a beautiful native, Mariquita: Dr. Joaquin Gonzalez (politician), Francisco, the former Assemblyman Ricardo Lloret Gonzales (Legislative districts of Bulacan, 5th Philippine Legislature, and Jose the eldest who was widely known as “Pepeng Mariquita", inter alia. Spanish cura parroco, Fr. Ysidoro Prada served in Baliwag during the last decade of Spaniard regime.
The Philippine-American civil and military authorities supervised the first municipal elections, having chosen Baliuag as the site of the first Philippine elections of May 7, 1899.[9] The Filipinos gathered at the plaza of the St. Augustine church after the Holy Mass, and thereafter the officials were selected based on the qualifications for voters set by the Americans.[10]
The first town Gobernadorcillo (1789 title) of Baliuag was Capitan Jose de Guzman.[11] He was assisted by the Tribunal's teniente mayor (chief lieutenant), juez de ganadas (judge of the cattle), juez de sementeras (judge of the field) and juez de policia (judge of the police). In the History of the Philippines (1521–1898), the 1893 Maura Law, the title of Gobernadorcillo became "capitan municipal" and that of each juez to teniente. From Baliwag's independence from Quingua, now Plaridel, Bulacan to 1898, 49 served as capitan, 13 alcalde and 92 as Gobernadorcillo. Felix de Lara (1782) and Agustin de Castro (1789) were the 1st alcalde and Gobernadorcillo, respectively. Municipal President Fernando Enrile, in 1908 honored some of these officials, even naming some of Baliuag calles in their honor, later. But all these political officials remained under the thumbs and the habito, of the autocratic Augustinian friars, the Baliuag Kura Parokos.
Principalias or town castles, in the Hispanization of Baliwag, became the home of the rich and famous, who sported the titles of Don or Capitan (shrewd, hard-bargaining businessman, the highly successful professionals and even the parvenus, nouveaux riche).
The local government of Baliuag used as first Municipio under the American regime (History of the Philippines (1898–1946)) the Mariano Yoyongko (Gobernadorcillo in 1885) Principalia in Poblacion (now a part of the market site), which it bought from Yoyongko.[12]
On September 15, 1915, Baliuag municipality bought the heritage mansion and lot of Dr. Joaquin Gonzalez (politician). The Gonzalez old mansion served as Lumang Munisipyo (the Old Municipio or Town Hall Building, as seat of the local government) for 65 years. It is now the Baliuag Museum and Library .
Baliuag produced not less than 30 priests, including 3 during the Spanish-Dominican, and 2 Jesuits during the American regimes.
George Allan Tengco and Amy R. Tengco (wife of Lito S. Tengco), philanthropists, owners of Baliwag Transit and other chains of business establishments had been conferred the Papal Orders of Chivalry October 3, 2000 Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice and the 2012 Dame of the Order of St. Gregory the Great awards.[13]
Municipal government and politics
The political government's seat (executive, legislative and judicial) is located at the Baliuag Town Hall's Mayor's Office and Sangguniang Bayan Session Hall. The elected municipal officials are: Hon. Romy Estrella (Municipal Mayor), Hon. Ferdinand T. Cruz (Municipal Vice-Mayor); the Councilors: Hon. Christopher F. Clemente, Hon. Generoso S. Ligon, Hon. Roberto E. Santos, Hon. Enrique V. dela Cruz, Jr., Hon. Luciano B. Robes, Hon. Antonio S. Patawaran, Hon. Reynaldo M. Trinidad, Hon. and Romeo P. Tame.[14]
The judicial department is vested in the Municipal Trial Court (MTC Judge Salvador Santos), located at 2nd floor of the Town Hall.
Barangays
Baliwag is politically subdivided into 27 barangays.
- Bagong Nayon - highly urban
- Barangka
- Calantipay
- Catulinan
- Concepcion - urban
- Makinabang - urban
- Matangtubig
- Pagala - urban
- Paitan
- Piel
- Pinagbarilan
- Poblacion - highly urban
- Hinukay
- Sabang - highly urban
- San Jose - highly urban
- San Roque
- Santa Barbara - highly urban
- Santo Cristo - highly urban
- Santo Niño
- Subic - highly urban
- Sulivan - urban
- Tangos - urban
- Tarcan - urban
- Tiaong - urban
- Tibag - highly urban
- Tilapayong
- Virgen delas Flores - urban
- Bagong Nayon - highly urban
- Barangka
- Calantipay
- Catulinan
- Concepcion - urban
- Makinabang - urban
- Matangtubig
- Pagala - urban
- Paitan
- Piel
- Pinagbarilan
- Poblacion - highly urban
- Hinukay
- Sabang - highly urban
- San Jose - highly urban
- San Roque
- Santa Barbara - highly urban
- Santo Cristo - highly urban
- Santo Niño
- Subic - highly urban
- Sulivan - urban
- Tangos - urban
- Tarcan - urban
- Tiaong - urban
- Tibag - highly urban
- Tilapayong
- Virgen delas Flores - urban
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