APGC

PROFILE OF BULACAN
Bulacan is the land of Tagalog Bards, whose prosperous towns and rich agricultural lands have nurtured a most vibrant and colorful people. The province is part of the central plains of Luzon and lies just north of Metro Manila. It bounded in the north by Nueva Ecija, to the south by Rizal, to the west by Pampanga and to the east by Quezon. The southeast opens to the Manila Bay and this coastal region is characterized by swamps and tidal marshes. A central section rises east of the coastal region and is typically flat and well drained. Further east, the land changes into hills and meets with the Sierra Madre Range. The climate in Bulacan is similar to the rest of Central Luzon. There are two pronounced seasons, with a dry period from November to April and a wet period the rest of the year. 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 dailycommuter 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. Land area: 2,729 sq. kms.; Major dialects/languages: Tagalog, English; No. of Barangays: 568; Municipalities: (24) MALOLOS, Angat, Balagtas (Bigaa), Baliuag, Bocaue, Bulacan, Bustos, Calumpit, Dona Remedios, Trinidad, Guiguinto, Hagonoy, Marilao, Meycauayan, Norzagaray, Obando, Pandi, Paombong, Plaridel, Pulilan, San Ildefonso, San Jose del Monte, San Miguel, San Rafael, Santa Maria