Malolos | |
|---|---|
| City of Malolos | |
.jpg) .jpg)    .jpg) .jpg) (From top, left to right): New Malolos City Hall,Malolos Cathedral, Robinsons Place Malolos,Bulacan Provincial Capitol,Barasoain Church, Malolos Casa Real, MacArthur Highway | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nickname(s): Cradle of the Philippines Carabao Capital of the World Renaissance City of Central Luzon | |
 Map of Bulacan with Malolos highlighted | |
OpenStreetMap  | |
.svg)  Malolos Location within thePhilippines | |
| Coordinates:14°50′37″N120°48′41″E / 14.8436°N 120.8114°E /14.8436; 120.8114 | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Central Luzon |
| Province | Bulacan |
| District | 1st district |
| Settled | 10th centuryCE (part of thekingdom of Ma-i) |
| Founded |
|
| Cityhood | December 18, 1999 |
| Founded by | |
| Barangays | 51 (seeBarangays) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Sangguniang Panlungsod |
| • Mayor | Christian D. Natividad |
| • Vice Mayor | Miguel Alberto T. Bautista |
| • Representative | Danilo A. Damingo |
| • City Council | Members
|
| • Electorate | 127,246 voters (2022) |
| Area | |
• Total | 67.25 km2 (25.97 sq mi) |
| • Land | 67.25 km2 (25.97 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 9.0 m (29.5 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 105 m (344 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | −4 m (−13 ft) |
| Population (2020 census)[3] | |
• Total | 261,189 |
| • Density | 3,900/km2 (10,000/sq mi) |
| • Households | 64,898 |
| Economy | |
| • Income class | 3rd city income class |
| • Poverty incidence | 8.99 |
| • Revenue | ₱ 1,561 million (2022) |
| • Assets | ₱ 3,036 million (2022) |
| • Expenditure | ₱ 1,097 million (2022) |
| • Liabilities | ₱ 796.7 million (2022) |
| Utilities | |
| • Electricity | Meralco |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)44 |
| Native languages | Tagalog |
| Catholic diocese | Diocese of Malolos |
| Website | www |
Malolos[maˈlɔlɔs], officially theCity of Malolos (Filipino:Lungsod ng Malolos), is acomponent city and capital of theprovince ofBulacan,Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 261,189 people.[3] It is the capital city of theprovince ofBulacan as the seat of the provincial government.[5]
Malolos was the site of theconstitutional convention of 1898, known as theMalolos Convention, that led to the establishment of theFirst Philippine Republic led byEmilio Aguinaldo, at the sanctuary of theBarasoain Church. The convent of theMalolos Cathedral served as the presidential palace at that time. The First Philippine Republic is sometimes characterized as the first proper constitutional republic in Asia,[6][7][8] although there were several Asian republics predating it – for example, theMahajanapadas of ancient India, theLanfang Republic, theRepublic of Formosa, or theRepublic of Ezo. Aguinaldo himself had led a number of governments prior to Malolos, like those established atTejeros andBiak-na-Bato which both styled themselvesRepública de Filipinas ("Republic of the Philippines"). Unlike the founding documents of those governments, however, the Malolos Constitution was duly approved by a partially elected congress and called for a true representative democracy.[9][10]
Miguel Lopez de Legazpi conquered the 8 villages along Malolos River and integrated it into one entity dated November 14, 1571, and constituted it as an Encomienda de Malolos[11][12] the Adelantado entrusted the settlements to conquistador Don Marcos de Herrera. On April 5, 1572, Legazpi merges the encomiendas of Malolos and Calumpit into a single entity to form a new town of Calumpit with Juan Moron and Herrera as co-encomenderos.
On April 15, 1572, Legazpi entrusted 6 villages along Atlag River and given it to Don Jeronimo Tirado.[13]
Nine years later, Malolos was officially established as a town and included it in Bulacan and dismembered on Alcaldia de Calumpit on June 11, 1580, and accepted as priory with Fray Matheo de Mendoza as its first minister in an Augustinian Council held in Tondo Convent but the civil administration still belongs to its encomendero at that time, Don Jeronimo Tirado.
TheTagalog constituted the majority of the Malolos populace although it is said that the town had aKapampangan origin; the name Malolos is a Spanish pronunciation of Kapampangan wordmaluslús.[14] They were led by prominent families, among them are descendants of the royal clans of Gatbontons, Gatmaitan, Gatsalian (Gatchalian), Dimagiba, Lakandola, Ladia and Lacancale and in the 17th-19th centuries,Chinese Filipino families throughTondo andBinondo, such as Chichioco, Cojuangco, Chiong, Chico, Cunanan, Tantocos, Tanchangco, Tanjosoy, Tengco, Tenjeco, Tiongson, Lomotan, Manahan, joined bySpanish Filipino families of Adriano, Bautista, Jacinto, Reyes, Santos, Rustia, de Leon, Agustin, Vasquez, Valenzuela, Crisostomo and Estrella.
Chinese Filipino traders settled in Malolos starting in 1670 for economic opportunity. The settlers increased, and Malolos began engaging with textile, rice production. However, the Chinese are expelled from the town on June 30, 1755, due to political and social issues.
On August 31, 1859, Malolos was divided into three independent towns; "Malolos", "Barasoain, and "Santa Isabel". These new towns are former districts of Malolos, with own respective Presidente Municipal and Parish priests. With the beginning of American rule in 1903, these towns were again reunited into a single municipality. The two other districts became barangays under the political jurisdiction of Malolos.
A major factor in the progress of Malolos was the opening of theManila–Dagupan railways in April 1892.
Malolos was first organized into a formal municipal unit in 1822 when the first "alcalde constitucional" or municipal head was appointed. He was Jorge de Victoria, a Filipino, who like all succeeding "alcaldes", served for one year. He was followed by thirty-one other "alcaldes", with Juan Dimagiba as the thirty-first. In 1859, Malolos was subdivided into three administrative districts; Malolos, Barasoain and Santa Isabel. Juan Dimagiba became the first "alcalde" of the down-scaled Malolos. There were 12 others who served as "alcaldes" from 1859 to 1879, the first one being Mariano C. Cristobal and the second being Capitan Tomas Tanchanco, whose term marked the start of civil turmoil in the town.[15]
Malolos is the historical site of the constitutional convention of 1898 that led to the establishment of theFirst Philippine Republic, the first republic in Asia, led byEmilio Aguinaldo. Malolos served as the capital of the short-lived republic from 1898 to 1899. In 1899, after the Malolos Constitution was ratified, the Universidad Scientifico Literaria de Filipinas was established in Malolos,Bulacan. It offered Law as well as Medicine, Surgery and Notary Public; Academia Militar,(the Philippine's First Military School) which was established on October 25, 1898; and The Burgos Institute, (the Philippine's first law school) and an exclusive school for boys.[citation needed]
The Congress of theRevolutionary Government of the Philippines convened in Barasoain Church in Malolos on September 15, 1898. On the 18th, Aguinaldo proclaimed Malolos as the capital of the Philippines. The first important act of the Congress was the ratification on September 29, 1898, of theindependence proclamation atKawit,Cavite of June 12, 1898. On October 19, 1898, by virtue of an act of Congress, the Universidad Literaria de Filipinas was established. It was in Malolos on December 20, 1898, when Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo declared December 30 of every year as a day of national mourning. The greatest achievement and for which the Malolos Congress was known was the framing of theMalolos Constitution, prepared by a committee headed by Felipe Calderón, was approved by the congress after amendments have been made on January 20, 1899, sanctioned by Aguinaldo the next day and promulgated on January 22. The last congressional act of the Malolos Congress was the inauguration of the Philippine Republic with Aguinaldo as the President on January 23, 1899, amidst the people's jubilation.[citation needed]
On March 31, 1899, at the height of thePhilippine–American War, Aguinaldo ordered Gen.Antonio Luna to set the Malolos Church including its huge silver altar on fire as part of their strategy called "Scorched-earth Policy" where everything will be rendered useless. Malolos was destroyed when the Americans captured the capital. Aguinaldo escaped toSan Fernando, Pampanga before the American Forces arrived at Malolos.[citation needed]
More than a year after the 1899 Battle of Malolos and the victory of and occupation by American forces, the national seat of power was officially conferred again toManila and on February 27, 1901, by the virtue of Act No. 88 of thePhilippine Commission, the commission officially transferred the provincial seat from the heavily damaged town ofBulakan to the nearby town of Malolos and it became the capital of Bulacan.[16] On January 12, 1904, by virtue of Act No. 1038, the former municipalities of Barasoain and Santa Isabel were merged with Malolos, with Barasoain designated as the municipal seat.[17]
The Casa Presidencia de Malolos was converted as the new Casa Real of Bulacan (became Casa Real Shrine) making it as the new Official Office and Residence of Governor until 1930 when the new Provincial Capitol Building in Barrio Guinhawa, also in Malolos was built.
On June 30, 1998, Malolos was the site again for anotherpresidential inauguration, this time ofJoseph Estrada when he was inaugurated atBarasoain Church as the 13thPresident of the Philippines. Estrada, whose real surname is Ejercito, traced his ancestry to the Ejercitos who were prominent in the history of Malolos.
The construction of the Malolos flyover in summer of 2004 marked a new milestone being the first in the city. The structure, part of the former Philippine PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo's Bridge Program, was constructed in a record-breaking 60 days only according to theDepartment of Public Works and Highways. The structure was built to solve daily traffic jams, which have become a bane to motorists and to employees in both private and government offices in the city. This remarkable feat hastened not only the city's development in commerce and trade but also that of its neighboring municipalities as well.
On July 28–30, 2008, the city hosted the first National Conference for Philippine-Spanish Relations. This is a project of both the Province of Bulacan's research arm, the Center for Bulacan Studies ofBulacan State University, and by the Samahang Pangkasaysayan ng Bulacan, Incorporated.
In February 1999,Bulacan's 1st congressional district representativeWilhelmino Sy-Alvarado authored a bill converting the then-municipality of Malolos into acomponent city, which was approved asRepublic Act No. 8754 on November 4.[19] The plebiscite for the ratification, along with that forTuguegarao,Cagayan (whose cityhood was approved throughRA No. 8755), was scheduled on December 18.[20]
A plebiscite was conducted in 402 precincts in 51barangays; wherein residents rejected the cityhood bid.[21] However, it was marred by a number of allegedirregularities[22] including improper counting of votes; the reason mayor Restituto Roque, along with two other individuals, on December 29, filed an electoral protest before theCommission on Elections, seeking the nullification of the plebiscite results and asking for a recount.[21][23]
| Choice | 1999 plebiscite | 2002 recount | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | |
| Yes | 9,321 | 44.69% | 10,746 | 56.12% |
| No | 11,535 | 55.31% | 8,402 | 43.88% |
| Result | No | Yes | ||
| Valid votes | 20,856 | 100% | 19,148 | 100% |
| Voter turnout | Around 20%–25%[22] of an estimated 80,000 registered voters.[24] | |||
| Source:[23] | ||||
After a recount, on October 8, 2002, the COMELEC Second Division, favoring the petition,[23] declared the ratification of the charter and reversed the earlier official vote count,[25] through its Resolution onElection Protest Case No. 99–2.[26][27] It was said that several ballots were written by a person, while others were missing.[23]
Malolos eventually became the second town in Bulacan to be a city, followingSan Jose del Monte. Danilo Domingo, who had opposed the cityhood and defeated Roque in the2001 elections, became the first city mayor.[25]
In 2010, the city government, through theCity Ordinance No. 24-2010, declared December 18 of every year to be the celebration of the cityhood.[28]
Legislative bills were filed in the14th Congress in 2007 to create a separate, lone legislative district for Malolos.[29][30]House Bill No. 3162 was filed on November 27, 2007 byBulacan first district representativeMa. Victoria Sy-Alvarado; it was converted toHB No. 3693,[31] filed on March 4, 2008, also by Sy-Alvarado, and was passed by theHouse of Representatives on April 29.[29] Meanwhile,Senate Bill No. 1986, filed on December 19, 2007 by SenatorMar Roxas. On October 6, 2008, the same day the committee report was issued, the bill was sponsored by SenatorBenigno Aquino III and co-sponsored by Senators Roxas andRichard Gordon. The bill was passed by theSenate on February 16, 2009.[29]
On May 1, 2009, the bill lapsed into law asRepublic Act No. 9591 without thepresident's signature, amending the city charter (RA No. 8754).[29][30][32]
In August, theCommission on Elections (COMELEC) issuedResolution No. 09-0544, on the allocation of a legislative district for Malolos, concerning the said law.[33]
However, on June 16, four individuals from the city had filed a petition, with the COMELEC as respondent, questioning the constitutionality ofRA No. 9591[30] which violatedthe 1987 Constitution and its Ordinance; both require a population of at least 250,000 for a city to have its own representative inCongress.[30][34]
On January 25, 2010, theSupreme Court voted, 7–6, to grant the petition, nullifyingRA No. 9591.[30][35] The court cited the failure to show official records that the city's population would reach that number in time forthe May elections.[34]
At the time the legislative bills were filed, the city's population was 223,069. The court explained thatHB No. 3693 cited an undated erroneous certification certification on demographic projections, issued by an unauthorizedNational Statistics Office personnel; while they used the city's annual population growth rate of 3.78% between 1995 and 2000 as basis for the law, their projected population in 2010 would be at least fifty thousand more than what is required,[30][34] contrary to the court's projection that the required number would be reached only by August.[34]
The ruling was affirmed on March 9.[36][37] The city was then reverted to Bulacan's first legislative district, which also currently comprises five municipalities.[30][34] At that time, the province was represented in Congress throughfour districts.[30]
In 2015, Sy-Alvarado filed another bill,House Bill No. 655. Domingo, currently serving as district representative, expressed his support.[38]
Malolos is 45 kilometers (28 mi) north ofManila, the capital city of the Philippines. It is one of the major suburbs conurbated to Metro Manila, situated in the southwestern part of Bulacan, in theCentral LuzonRegion (Region 3) in the island ofLuzon and part of theMetro Luzon Urban Beltway Super Region.
It is bounded by municipalities ofCalumpit on northwest,Plaridel on north,Guiguinto on east,Paombong on west,Bulakan on the southeast andManila Bay on the south.[39]
Malolos is relatively flat of about 0.81% to a gently sloping of 2.17%. The slope of the land descends towards west, southwest to southern direction. The highest land elevation is at about 6.0 m (19.7 ft) above sea level while the lowest is only 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in) below sea level. A network of natural waterways and rivers of various sizes and importance is traversing through the landscape of the town down south to Manila Bay.[39]
There are three soil types from the major type of Malolos, the soils of the alluvial landscape and these are the Quingua Series, San Manuel Series and the Tagulod Series. Other soil types comprised in the soil map of Malolos are the Matimbo Series and Masantol Series, which belong to the soils of the coastal landscape, Loamy Tidal Swamp and Mucky Tidal Swamp from the miscellaneous soil types.[39]
Malolos belongs to Type 1 category of the Philippine Climate Corona Classification, which has two pronounced seasons, i.e., wet and dry seasons. Wet during the months of June to November and dry from December to May.[39]
The northwest monsoon prevails over the area from October to January bringing in moderate and light rains, the last trade winds predominate from February to April but the high Sierra Madre Mountains interfere with the free circulation of making the area dry with almost no rains during the period, while from May to September the southwest monsoon prevail with strong winds and abundant rainfall, and generally associated with strong typhoon.[39]
| Climate data for Malolos, Bulacan | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 35 (95) | 34 (93) | 37 (99) | 39 (102) | 39 (102) | 37 (99) | 37 (99) | 34 (93) | 36 (97) | 35 (95) | 36 (97) | 34 (93) | 36 (97) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 28 (82) | 27 (81) | 30 (86) | 33 (91) | 33 (91) | 32 (90) | 31 (88) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 28 (82) | 30 (86) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 4.52 (0.18) | 37.21 (1.46) | 13 (0.5) | 19.52 (0.77) | 154.68 (6.09) | 162.09 (6.38) | 346.4 (13.64) | 739.92 (29.13) | 197.04 (7.76) | 251.11 (9.89) | 55.9 (2.20) | 79.5 (3.13) | 2,060.89 (81.13) |
| Average rainy days | 6 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 22 | 27 | 29 | 31 | 27 | 13 | 8 | 16 | 214 |
| Source: World Weather Online[40] | |||||||||||||
Malolos is politically subdivided into 51barangays that are spread over a land area of 7,725 hectares (19,090 acres) consisting of agricultural, commercial, industrial, residential, bodies of water, fishponds, marshes and roads. Many of the name of the barangays were derived from the name of common Philippine trees, because Malolos was once a vast virgin land and forests, before the Spaniards came and Christianized the natives. While others were named in honor of their patron saints.
Each barangay consists ofpuroks and some havesitios.
| Map | Barangay1 | Population (2000)2 | Population (2007)3 | Population (2010)[41] | Population (2015)[41] | May 1, 2020[42] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Anilao | 2,339 | 4,520 | 2,999 | 3,078 | 3,013 |
| Atlag | 4,635 | 5,028 | 5,101 | 5,294 | 4,675 | |
 | Babatnin | 788 | 817 | 969 | 958 | 741 |
 | Bagna | 4,368 | 5,427 | 5,061 | 5,321 | 4,947 |
| Bagong Bayan | 3,055 | 3,528 | 3,489 | 3,688 | 3,068 | |
| Balayong | 1,889 | 2,532 | 3,059 | 3,338 | 3,549 | |
| Balite | 2,017 | 2,425 | 2,579 | 2,813 | 3,468 | |
| Bangkal | 261 | 8,803 | 11,030 | 12,437 | 12,322 | |
| Barihan | 4,587 | 5,660 | 5,404 | 5,833 | 5,852 | |
| Bulihan | 10,235 | 12,732 | 13,134 | 13,510 | 15,865 | |
 | Bungahan | 1,983 | 2,461 | 2,731 | 2,965 | 3,025 |
 | Caingin | 5,804 | 7,874 | 6,867 | 6,899 | 7,348 |
 | Calero | 988 | 1,131 | 1,214 | 1,281 | 1,316 |
 | Caliligawan | 211 | 342 | 428 | 302 | 498 |
 | Canalate | 3,560 | 3,719 | 4,015 | 4,124 | 3,632 |
 | Caniogan | 5,039 | 5,158 | 5,239 | 5,132 | 5,219 |
 | Catmon | 1,961 | 1,828 | 1,988 | 3,282 | 2,248 |
| Cofradia | 3,183 | 4,853 | 3,815 | 3,937 | 4,608 | |
 | Dakila | 4,851 | 4,288 | 5,146 | 5,352 | 6,806 |
| Guinhawa | 1,686 | 1,446 | 3,003 | 4,086 | 4,217 | |
 | Ligas | 4,354 | 5,891 | 6,119 | 6,624 | 6,656 |
 | Liang | 1,248 | 1,575 | 1,564 | 1,661 | 1,338 |
 | Longos | 7,700 | 10,808 | 11,361 | 14,864 | 16,999 |
 | Look 1st | 4,788 | 5,922 | 5,614 | 6,808 | 9,611 |
| Look 2nd | 1,877 | 2,485 | 2,610 | 3,108 | 3,081 | |
 | Lugam | 3,012 | 3,966 | 4,355 | 4,711 | 4,744 |
 | Mabolo | 4,870 | 6,202 | 6,399 | 6,435 | 6,281 |
 | Mambog | 2,384 | 2,748 | 2,344 | 2,673 | 2,836 |
 | Masile | 790 | 744 | 884 | 832 | 772 |
| Matimbo | 5,685 | 6,254 | 6,455 | 6,516 | 6,649 | |
 | Mojon | 12,559 | 15,541 | 17,261 | 18,239 | 16,169 |
 | Namayan | 738 | 856 | 872 | 771 | 712 |
 | Niugan | 456 | 556 | 572 | 828 | 715 |
 | Pamarawan | 2,660 | 2,861 | 3,425 | 3,336 | 3,094 |
 | Panasahan | 6,874 | 8,024 | 8,612 | 8,818 | 9,484 |
 | Pinagbakahan | 1,617 | 3,816 | 5,653 | 6,087 | 7,563 |
 | San Agustin | 1,821 | 2,090 | 2,202 | 2,262 | 1,945 |
 | San Gabriel | 1,947 | 2,578 | 2,234 | 2,467 | 2,012 |
 | San Juan | 2,897 | 3,439 | 4,326 | 4,388 | 4,566 |
 | San Pablo | 4,958 | 4,954 | 5,035 | 5,240 | 4,991 |
 | San Vicente (Poblacion) | 1,981 | 2,007 | 2,529 | 2,790 | 2,402 |
 | Santiago | 1,771 | 1,875 | 1,972 | 1,973 | 1,534 |
 | Santisima Trinidad | 4,658 | 6,111 | 6,384 | 6,524 | 6,688 |
 | Santo Cristo | 1,730 | 1,714 | 1,929 | 2,025 | 2,035 |
 | Santo Niño (Poblacion) | 641 | 453 | 532 | 561 | 574 |
 | Santo Rosario (Poblacion) | 7,065 | 7,211 | 7,593 | 7,633 | 7,333 |
 | Santor | 3,285 | 6,868 | 8,046 | 8,646 | 8,550 |
 | Sumapang Bata | 1,600 | 2,087 | 2,424 | 2,645 | 2,442 |
 | Sumapang Matanda | 6,272 | 7,696 | 7,258 | 7,554 | 8,719 |
| Taal | 1,868 | 2,101 | 2,118 | 2,231 | 1,677 | |
 | Tikay | 7,745 | 9,064 | 8,992 | 10,094 | 12,600 |
Footnotes | ||||||
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1903 | 27,025 | — |
| 1918 | 26,109 | −0.23% |
| 1939 | 33,384 | +1.18% |
| 1948 | 38,779 | +1.68% |
| 1960 | 48,968 | +1.96% |
| 1970 | 73,996 | +4.21% |
| 1975 | 83,491 | +2.45% |
| 1980 | 95,699 | +2.77% |
| 1990 | 125,178 | +2.72% |
| 1995 | 147,414 | +3.11% |
| 2000 | 175,291 | +3.78% |
| 2007 | 225,244 | +3.52% |
| 2010 | 234,945 | +1.55% |
| 2015 | 252,074 | +1.35% |
| 2020 | 261,189 | +0.70% |
| Source:Philippine Statistics Authority[45][41][46][47] | ||
As of 2015, the Philippine Statistics Authority released the official result of 2015 census in which Malolos has a population of 261,189 people,[3] with a density of 3,900 inhabitants per square kilometer or 10,000 inhabitants per square mile, an increase of 17,129 people from the 2010 census. There are 52,547 households in the city. Majority of the Malolos households usually lives along the major roads. It has an average crime rate of 6.28% and has a crime solution efficiency of 97.11%.
The majority of the Maloleños (or Malolenyo inFilipino) traces their roots toTagalog ethnicity although there are alsoKapampangan and other ethnicities who migrated to the city. The vernacular language isFilipino, in the form ofTagalog, whilePhilippine English is the language most widely used in education and business throughout the city. Although Malolos is the city where the Filipinos established the Spanish as their only official language in the first constitution, the native speakers of Spanish still alive are reduced to the very old members of a handful of families.
The Christianization of Malolos was done by theAugustinian Order in May 1572 thru the effort of Fray Diego Vivar-Ordonez (parochial vicar of Calumpit, assistant to Fray Diego Herrera and Martin de Rada) and it became one of the visitas of Parish of Nicolas de Tolentino (became San Juan Bautista in 1576). Since 1572 the apostolic administration in Malolos was under the Convent of Calumpit. On June 11, 1580, the mission chapel was accepted by the Augustinians as House of Order and becameIglesia Convento y Malolos with visitas of Paombong, Matimbo, Mambog and Quingua in 1581. Later due to the frequent high tides that submerged the area, the friars moved the church to its present location in Poblacion in 1590 under the curate Fray Cristobal Tarique, where they started to build a church made of light materials and wood. In 1599 Fray Roque de Barrionuevo started to build a church made of stone and it was finished in 1673. The majority of the residents are Christians. Roman Catholic is the predominant religion in the city.
Until today, theRoman Catholic faith in Malolos remained intensive. It is evident through the existence of the three stone churches. (Malolos Cathedral, Barasoain Church, and the Santa Isabel Church)Being predominantly Catholic, Malolos, together with the whole province of Bulacan is constituted asVicaria dela Immaculada Concepcion in which the (Cura de Malolos is the Vicar Forane). It was part of the Archdiocese of Manila until March 11, 1962, whenPope John XXIII created the Diocese of Malolos making the Malolos Church its cathedral. In March 2012 the Diocese of Malolos will celebrate its 50th anniversary.It was highlighted by the Canonical Coronation of the patroness and queen of the city and the whole province,Virgen Inmaculada Concepción de Malolos enshrined at the cathedral's altar.
Other Christian religious groups, such asMethodists,Aglipayans,Adventists,Baptists,Mormons, and otherProtestant churches, as well asNontrinitarian churches (likeMembers Church of God International,Iglesia ni Cristo, andJehovah's Witness) can be found in the city.
Islam (Muslims) could also be found in the city.
The City of Malolos is quickly becoming commercialized due to its proximity toMetro Manila and for lying between Manila andClark, Pampanga. Many corporations have put up commercial sites and banking establishments in various places around the city. Many of the businesses and industries in the city include Banking;Business Process Outsourcing;Courier Service;Education;Food Service;Hospitals;Hotels,Resorts &Restaurants;Information and Communications Technology;Insurance;Manpower; ;Realty/Real Property Development;Trade;Transport Services; Travel &Tours; and other services. Robinsons Place Malolos is a major shopping mall owned and operated byRobinsons Malls, the Philippines' second largest mall operator. The mall is located alongMacArthur Highway, Barangay Sumapang Matanda.[56] Other shopping malls in Malolos include the Maunlad Malls 1 and 2, both owned and operated by theUnion Bank of the Philippines,[57] Graceland Mall, owned and operated by RMR Group of Companies,[58] Vista Mall, Waltermart and Bulacan Eco-Commercial Complex, owned by the Provincial Government of Bulacan.
Chimera Land is an amusement park under construction located in Barangay Sumapang Matanda. Once complete, it will be the first sustainable themed park in the Philippines.[59][60]
Malolos also serves as the Banking Capital of Bulacan, having the highest number of banking institutions in the province (the city hosts around 46[61]), majority of these are located prominent areas of the city, particularly along Paseo del Congreso Avenue.
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Due to its close proximity inManila and itsport, Malolos becomes industrialized. Industrial estates, such as First Bulacan Industrial City, where are more than 20 corporations and companies operating their factories inside the estate are a boom.Mighty Corporation, a major player in the Philippine tobacco industry, operates a tobacco factory in the city.
Other industries such asagribusiness, aquaculture, bag making, ceramics, construction, cement making, flowers/ornamentals, furniture, food processing, garments, gifts, houseware making, decor making, jewelry, leather tanning, marble polishing, metallurgy, printing, shoe manufacturing, and textile manufacturing are also present in the city.
Some of the food products produced in Malolos includeEmpanada de Kaliskis,Ensaymada Malolos, Inipit, Otap Bread, Atsara, and Bagoong.
Public transportation in Malolos is served by buses,jeepneys, andUV Express AUVs. The city is also served byTricycles, which offer their services on a for-hire basis. A bus stop located in Malolos Crossing is served by provincial buses operated by Baliwag Transit, First North Luzon Transit, and Victory Liner to Cubao and Monumento. Robinsons Place Malolos is the terminus of Point-to-point buses fromTrinoma, and modernized jeepneys fromSan Fernando, Pampanga.
Malolos is known for its Karatig Jeepneys which serves as an intra-city public transportation. The name itself came from the wordkaratig, which means nearby places or barangays. The Karatig jeepney is the smaller version of the jeepneys which usually have the size of about 3-meters long and can board 8-10 commuters at the back plus 2 passengers in the front seat. Longer models can accommodate about 10–12. Its capacity varies according to the jeep's length and size. There are two Karatig routes around Malolos.[62]
There was a railway service in the city served by thePhilippine National Railways (PNR). Estacion Ferrocaril de Malolos is part of Ferrocaril de Manila-Dagupan. It was named Estacion de Barasoain Y Malolos. The original was destroyed in 1945, and was replaced with the current one. Malolos was opened on March 24, 1891. Services from Manila to Dagupan commenced on November 24, 1892. It was later abandoned after the ending of northbound services by thePhilippine National Railways (PNR).
However, in 1988 the North Main Line of the PNR was closed and train services in Malolos ceased immediately.[63] On November 20, 2003, in an attempt to revive the railway service, North Luzon Railways Corporation and China National Machinery and Equipment Group (CNMEG) executed a Contract Agreement for the construction of Section I, Phase I of the North Luzon Railway System from Caloocan to Malolos on a turnkey basis. The project was worth $421,050,000. However, on February 13, 2006, a controversy arose from the project and the project was placed on halt indefinitely.[64] In 2017, the project was revived and was calledNorth South Commuter Railway with funds sourced from Japan through a loan. On January 5, 2018, the Department of Transportation broke ground for the first phase of the PNR Clark Line.[65][66][67] The New Malolos station of the Malolos Historic Town Center is currently being rebuilt as part of theNorth–South Commuter Railway project.[68]
When re-opened, theMalolos Station will serve as the temporary terminus until the completion of PNR Clark 2.
Water services are provided by the City of Malolos Water District (CMWD). The CMWD also provide water services on some barangays in the neighboring towns ofPaombong andHagonoy. Since 2012, the city is suffering from recurring water shortages.[69][70] Electric services are provided byMeralco, the sole electric power distributor in Malolos.
The city of Malolos is headed by theMayor of Malolos alongside the vice mayor and the members of theSangguniang Panlungsod, a 10-member city council whom are all elected once every three years. This is in pursuant of Article 6, Section 8 of the1987 Philippine Constitution.[71] The mayor and his/her fellow leaders is limited to three-consecutive, three-year terms and is prohibited to seek for re-election a fourth time. However, in certain circumstances, leaders would run for another set of three-consecutive terms after a term-interruption.
The city is led by Mayor Christian D. Natividad, often referred to his nickname "Agila". Natividad previously served as the local chief executive from 2010 to 2019[72] before unsuccessfully running forGovernor of Bulacan during the2019 Philippine general elections. Natividad lost to incumbent governorDaniel Fernando who previously served as vice-governor for three terms.[73] In 2022, he ran for Mayor for his fourth term as a whole, but his first term non-consecutively, defeating former tandem and running-mate Bebong Gatchalian.[74] The vice mayor is Miguel Alberto Bautista. Bautista was a third-party contender among the running mates of the mayoral candidates in the2022 Philippine general elections.
Danny A. Domingo is the incumbent member of the House of Representatives whom represents Malolos as part of the first district in the19th Congress of the Philippines. Domingo was the former mayor of the city of Malolos from 2001 to 2010 before beating then-incumbentJose Antonio Sy-Alvarado in 2022.
| Office | Officeholder | Term-in-office | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor of Malolos | Atty. Christian "Agila" D. Natividad | 30 June 2022 - present | NUP | |
| Vice Mayor of Malolos | Miguel Alberto T. Bautista | 30 June 2022 - present | NUP | |
| House of Representative Member | Danny "DAD" A. Domingo | 30 June 2022 - present | NUP | |
| City Council Members (10) | ||||
| Francisco J. Castro | 30 June 2022 - present | NUP | ||
| John Vincent G. Vitug III | NUP | |||
| Niño Carlo C. Bautista | NUP | |||
| Michael M. Aquino | NUP | |||
| Miguel Carlos B. Soto | Independent | |||
| Edgardo F. Domingo | Independent | |||
| Therese Cheryll B. Ople | PFP | |||
| Victorino M. Aldaba III | NUP | |||
| Emmanuel R. Sacay | NPC | |||
| Dennis D. San Diego | NUP | |||
| Malolos Historic Town Center | |
|---|---|
 The Historic Town Center of Malolos was declared as one of the Philippine Heritage Sites in August 2001. | |
| Location | City of Malolos,Bulacan,Philippines 3000 |
| Governing body | National Historical Commission of the Philippines |
Malolos is hailed as the Premiere Heritage City of Bulacan. Many ancestral houses from the Spanish and American periods, Spanish colonial churches and chapels, historical sites and landmarks, and even structures such as walls and bridges with heritage and historical value are found around the city. Some of these were already marked by National Historical Institute while others are marked by the City Government. The historic town center of Malolos was declared National Heritage Landmark on August 15, 2001, under the name of Malolos Heritage Town.[75]
TheBarasoain Church, erected in 1885, was the site of the very First Philippine Congress on September 15, 1898, and the inauguration of the First Philippine Republic on January 23, 1899. In this church the Oath of Office ofEmilio Aguinaldo andJoseph Estrada as Philippine presidents took place. Within the premises of Barasoain Church, there are other historical markers installed by National Historical Commission, such as the Universidad Literaria y Scienifico de Filipina at Malolos Convent, General Emilio Aguinaldo Monument at Barasoain patio, and First Philippine Republic marker installed at the left side of the main lateral wall of the church.
TheMalolos Cathedral, originally a visita of Tondo in 1572 and became town parish on June 11, 1580, serves the seat of theRoman Catholic Diocese of Malolos from 1962. It served asPresidential Palace during First Republic. It was marked by National Historical Institute in 1956.[76]
Casa Real de Malolos, originally built in 1580, served as Casa Tribunal and Casa Presidencia of the town gobernadorcillo. It became the Spanish treasury in 1673. Declared National Shrine on October 4, 1965. Now it is theMuseum of Philippine Political History
Gobierno Militar dela Plaza, ancestral house of Doña Gregoria Vasquez Adriano, became headquarters of Gobierno Militar de la Plaza during 1898–1899, marked and declared heritage site in 1998
Other historical heritage landmarks marked by the National Historical Institute are:
(Pook na Sinilangan ni Guillermo Tolentino, ancestral house of National Artist Guillermo Tolentino, marked by National Historical Commission of the Philippines in 2012.
Other sites that possess heritage and historical value but are not currently marked by the National Historical Institute:
Dubbed as the Bulacan's City of Festivals, Malolos boasts with many feasts and festivals every year. Some festivals are civic festivities and most are religious festivals.
The four holy processional icons are:
All of these antique and miraculous images are in the custody of the Bisitang Matanda ng Santisima Trinidad and can be visited and seen at the houses of the designated annual Hermano.
Robinsons Place Malolos is the 35th mall in Robinsons Malls' nationwide chain and its second in Bulacan. This four-storey shopping center with a multi-level parking area, has a department store, a supermarket and a cinema of its own. This mall also offers a wide selection of restaurants and fast-food outlets, fashion boutiques, tech and service stores as well as health and beauty clinics.
Malolos has sports venues, such as the Bulacan Sports Complex and Malolos Sports and Convention Center. The Bulacan Sports Complex houses a track field, a football field, basketball courts, an oval, and a lap pool. Both the Bulacan Sports Complex and Malolos Sports & Convention Center had hosted several regional, provincial, and city sports events, such as the 2017 Central Luzon Regional Athletic Association,[83] and the Republica Cup, an invitational sports tournament held annually.[84]
Malolos is hailed as one of the centers of education in Central Luzon region. It has several universities such as the government-fundedBulacan State University, and privately ownedSTI College Academic Center,Centro Escolar University at Malolos andLa Consolacion University Philippines. There are private tertiary schools. It also houses the most populous high school in Central Luzon,Marcelo H. del Pilar National High School, founded in 1905.
The city has 9 public high schools and 45 public elementary schools under the authority of Department of Education Division of City Schools of Malolos. The city schools are divided into two educational districts for representational purposes. There are also privately owned and church-operated schools established in the city. These private schools are members of Malolos City Private schools Association (MACIPRISA). Technical schools and computer colleges can also be found in the city.
The Malolos hosts more than 51 residential subdivisions and the Northville 8 Resettlement Project of the Philippine government.
The City Health Office of Malolos is responsible for the planning and implementation of the health care programs provided by the city government. It currently operates seven health centers. The Bulacan Medical Center (formerly Bulacan Provincial Hospital),[85] operated by the provincial government of Bulacan, is also located in the city.
Private hospitals can also be found in the city. Some of the private hospitals that operate in the city are Sacred Heart Hospital, Santos General Hospital, Malolos Maternity Hospital, Malolos San Ildefonso County Hospital, Ofelia Mendoza Maternity and General Hospital, and the Graman Medical and Maternity Hospital.
| Preceded by | Capital of the Philippines 1898–1899 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Capital ofBulacan 1901–present | Incumbent |
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