San Rafael, Bulacan

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San Rafael
Municipality

New Municipal Hall

Seal

Map of Bulacan showing the location of San Rafael

San Rafael
Location within the Philippines

Coordinates:

1457N 12058ECoordinates:

1457N 12058E

Country

Philippines

Region

Central Luzon (Region III)

Province

Bulacan

District

3rd District

Founded

1758

Barangays

34

Government[1]
Mayor

Cipriano "Goto" Dungao Violago Jr.

Area[2]
Total

152.43 km2 (58.85 sq mi)

Elevation

23 m (75 ft)

Population (2015 census)[3]

Total

94,655

Density

620/km2 (1,600/sq mi)

Poverty rate

7.3%

Time zone

PST (UTC+8)

ZIP code

3008

IDD:area code

+63(0)44

Income class

1st class

Electricity

Manila Electric Company

Consumption

34.82 million kWh (2003)

Website

www.sanrafael.gov.ph

San Rafael is a first class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2015
census, it has a population of 94,655 people.[3]
Contents
[hide]

1Barangays
2History
o 2.1Spanish Era
o 2.2American Influence
o 2.3Japanese Occupation
o 2.4The Liberation of San Rafael
3Demographics
4Tourism
5Festivals
6Image gallery
7References
8External links

Barangays[edit]
San Rafael is politically subdivided into 34 barangays (5 urban, 29 rural).[2]

BMA-Balagtas - Urban
Banca-banca
Caingin - Urban
Capihan
Coral na Bato
Cruz na Daan - Urban
Dagat-Dagatan
Diliman I
Diliman II
Libis
Lico
Maasim
Mabalas-balas
Maguinao
Maronquillo
Paco
Pansumaloc
Pantubig
Pasong Bangkal
Pasong Callos
Pasong Intsik

Pinacpinacan
Poblacion - Urban
Pulo
Pulong Bayabas
Salapungan
Sampaloc
San Agustin
San Roque
Talacsan
Tambubong - Urban
Tukod
Ulingao
Sapang Pahalang

History[edit]
Spanish Era[edit]
The San Juan de Dios Church still stands as the silent witness of the bloody battles that the Filipino
insurgents fought during the Philippine Revolution of 1896. This church was used as military
barracks for almost three days, after the insurgents had destroyed all papers and documents they
found in the convents. When the Spanish Cazadores learned of these rebellious activities, they
entered the church and fought the insurgents.[4] The combatants fought heavily inside the church to a
point that blood was spilled all over the church floor. The patio in front of the church was littered by
dead bodies of Filipino insurgents. The gobernadorcillo ordered people to dig a common grave near
the church for the bodies of the insurgents.

American Influence[edit]
The Americans succeeded the Spaniards with their policy of benevolent assimilation. Schools were
established as a potent factor for pacification. In 1903, schools were opened in San Rafael. The
municipal building was used as a school house. Since then, with the supervision of the American
administrators, San Rafael has enjoyed the education and the progress which was denied to them
during the threecentury rule of the Spaniards.
In 1899, the Americans incorporated the town to Baliwag when Baliwag was intended to be the
Provincial Capital of Bulacan. However, due to a number of petitions of the people of San Rafael,
especially when the plan to make Baliwag the capital of Bulacan did not materialize, the Americans
where convinced to separate San Rafael as an independent town from Baliwag. Mr. Julian V. Valte
was appointed to be the first Presidente Municipal of San Rafael, and Mr. Emilio Reyes was the last.
In the year 1924 and 1927, with the help of some influential men, the Spaniards were able to get the
signatures of the land owners of San Rafael and San Ildefonso to an agreement purporting to show
their willingness to donate their lands to the Hospital of San Juan de Dios.
Thus the town of San Rafael and San Ildefonso became properties of the hospital and started to be
called Hacienda de Buenavista until 1944, when it got back its original name.

Japanese Occupation[edit]
The Commonwealth of the Philippines was invaded by the Empire of Japan in December 1941
shortly after Japan's declaration of war upon the United States of America, which controlled the
Philippines at the time and possessed important military bases there. The combined AmericanFilipino army was defeated by April 1942.

In May, 1942, the Japanese government opened schools and introduced the teaching of Nippon-go.
As part of its war drive, Japanese propaganda included phrases like "Asia for the Asians!" and talked
about the perceived need to liberate Asian countries from imperialist powers. Similarly, the
Philippines were propagandized about "American exploitation," "American Imperialism," and
"American tyranny," and blame was laid on the United States for starting the war.[5] They were
assured that the American forces would not return and that they were not Japan's enemies. The
effect of this was considerably undermined by the actions of the Japanese Army, and the Filipinos
soon waited for the return of the Americans to free them from the Japanese. Japanese education
condemned anything American, tried to infuse Japanese culture and to teach Filipinos the concept of
the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere under the Japanese influence.
Socioeconomic, educational and religious programs were largely non-existent. The people were
deprived of property, food, supplies and shelter. They were forced or resorted to eat camote,
wore jute sacks and tattered clothes. The people of San Rafael evacuated to Upig, Licheria, Coral
na Bato and Camachile. Schools were closed and the church was ordered to stop performing its
religious duties.
Guerrilla resistance against the Japanese continued throughout the war. Uncaptured Filipino army
units, a communist insurgency and supporting American agents all played a role in the resistance.
The people of San Rafael refused to be subjected to Japanese authority and they organized and
joined small guerrilla bands and harassed the units of the Japanese army stationed in the town
whenever there was a chance to do so. These small, organized guerrillas in San Rafael later
became members of BMA (Bulacan Military Area).

The Liberation of San Rafael[edit]

When the American forces landed in Leyte in October, 1944, the Japanese became more brutal.
Hundreds met their death in the hands of the enemy. One cruel incident occurred at Barrio Pulo.
Men and women who were assembled where tied together, dynamites were strapped to many of
them and these were later detonated by the Japanese captors. A lone survivor, Marcelo Mangahas,
told the world of the gory incident. Other atrocities followed. However, the unity of the people of San
Rafael and the heroism of the Filipino soldiers and guerrillas prevented further casualties and
destruction. When the Americans arrived, they found San Rafael liberated by the courageous
guerrillas with the Filipino troops of the Philippine Commonwealth Army 32nd, 35th and 36th Infantry
Division and the Philippine Constabulary 3rd Infantry Regiment that were mostly from San Rafael.
Local Filipino troops of the 32nd, 35th and 36th Infantry Division of the Philippine
Commonwealth Army and 3rd Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary liberated the town in
San Rafael, Bulacan and aided the guerrillas of the Bulacan Military Area (BMA) and defeated
Japanese soldiers and aftermath in World War II.[6]

Demographics[edit]
Population census of San Rafael
Year

Pop.

% p.a.

1990

49,528

1995

58,387

+3.13%

2000

69,770

+3.89%

2007

85,284

+2.81%

2010

85,921

+0.27%

2015

94,655

+1.86%

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[3][7]

In the 2015 census, the population of San Rafael, Bulacan, was 94,655 people,[3] with a density of
620 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,600 inhabitants per square mile.

Tourism[edit]
8 Waves Waterpark & Hotel is the prime resort of the Town, and is one of the biggest in the
Philippines.

8 Waves Waterpark & Hotel, DRT Highway, Ulingao

Big Rock Farm Resort is another notable resort of the Town which is located in Brgy. Coral na
Bato.
Malangaan Cave and Spring located in Brgy. Tukod is a large cave untouched by quarry
operations in San Rafael, Bulacan and according to the locals of the barangay, it was once a hiding
place of guerillas during World War II.

Festivals[edit]
Every year, the town celebrates its Angel Festival in honor of their 2nd patron saint, Saint Raphael,
together their town's pride, the Angel Festival, which attracts many tourists every year. It is a colorful
celebration in honor of the Seven Archangels. This is held every 29 September.
This is highlighted by a parade participated by children from the public and private schools in San
Rafael. More than a thousand children in angel costumes in the street make it look like heaven has
come down to the town of San Rafael. This is followed by an interpretative dancing competition by
all participant schools. The Angel Festival was started last September 29, 2002 through the initiative
of the San Juan de Dios Parish and the San Rafael Tourism Council.

Image gallery[edit]

San Rafael Fire & PNP Police Stations and Municipal Trial Court, inside the New San Rafael Municipal
Hall (Sampaloc)

St. Paul College San Rafael (Pantubig)

San Juan de Dios Church, a witness to the bloody 1896 Philippine Revolution (used as military barrack
of Filipino insurgents for 3 days)

MMPCI Ecology Center (Maronquillo), 2.3 hectare lot

Baywalk view (Lico, San Rafael) of Angat Dam-River & Sierra Madre (Philippines)