Obando, officially the Municipality of Obando (), is a municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people.

History

Obando was likely originally called Binuwangan according to 18th-century maps. In the 1734 map of the Philippine islands by Pedro Murillo Velarde, the places labeled Vinuangan, Polo (now Valenzuela), and Maycauayan were indicated separately and proximate to one another.

thumb|left|upright|Historical marker created by the [[National Historical Commission of the Philippines|National Historical Commission in 1973 to commemorate the town]]

In the 18th century, the present-day town of Obando formed part of Meycauayan, alongside the present-day cities of Valenzuela (formerly Polo) and San Jose del Monte. The towns of Polo and Obando formed a single barrio called Catanghalan. In the year 1623, the municipality of Polo was organized which included parts of modern Obando. By virtue of a decree promulgated during the time of Governor and Captain General, Francisco José de Obando y Solís, the town was created and separated from its mother town Polo on May 14, 1753. Upon the Governor-General’s untimely death at the hands of the British during the Seven Years' War, the creation and establishment of the town was made and attended by the Alcalde Mayor of the province, Don Francisco Morales y Mozabe, the Provincial Minister, S. Gregorio, Rev. Fr. Alejandro Ferrer, together with numerous religious devotees. The minister chosen for the new town was Rev. Fr. Manuel de Olivencia. On October 8, 1903, Obando was merged with Polo by virtue of Act No. 932 under the United States-run Insular Government.

On August 10, 1907, Obando was made an independent town of Bulacan. Through the untiring efforts of municipal officials, a portion of Gasak, Navotas was reclaimed to form a part of Obando. The municipal officials, believing that this portion was once a part of the municipality but adopted by Navotas in the course of time, effortlessly pushed through its claim to regain the area. The concerted action of all those concerned paid off when on January 30, 1975, by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 646, a portion of approximately 1.78 square kilometers of Gasak, Navotas was returned to Obando. This parcel of land is mostly fishpond and sandy beach and it is expected that, when fully developed, it would serve as a tourist attraction. By a resolution of the municipal council in 1975, the area was made into a barangay and named Nuestra Señora de Salambao in honor of one of the three patron saints.

Flat and low-lying coastal plains characterize the general topography of Obando. The area was formerly an estuary, but it filled up partially from the peripheral parts of sand bars and sand spits and formed up into the current area that mainly consists of a commercial district, partly industrial district, residential area and fishpond. Within the municipality are two rivers and three creeks, namely the Meycauayan River in the north, the Pinagkabalian River in the south, and Paco Creek, Hulo Creek and Pag-asa Creek traversing the town parallel to the provincial road.

| date = May 12, 2020

Demographics

In the 2024 census, the population of Obando was 61,073 people, with a density of .

In 2002, Obando had an estimated population of 58,245 wherein 49% were male and 51% were female. Of the current population, about 14% live in rural barangays while the rest constitute the urban population. There are 12,349 households. The average monthly income of a household is , slightly below the minimum for a family of 6 threshold set by Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Primary and elementary schools

  • Binuangan Ecumenical School of Tomorrow
  • Binuangan Elementary School
  • Catanghalan Elementary School
  • Lawa Elementary School
  • Obando Central School
  • Paco Elementary School
  • Panghulo Elementary School
  • Precious Vessels Christian Academy
  • Salambao Elementary School
  • San Pascual Elementary School
  • Tawiran Elementary School

Secondary schools

  • Obando National High School
  • Obando School of Fisheries
  • Obando Montessori, Inc
  • Riveridge School, Inc
  • Lux Mundi Academy, Inc
  • Holy Trinity School of Obando, Inc

Higher educational institution

  • Colegio de San Pascual Baylon
  • Bulacan Polytechnic College

Media

thumb|[[DZBB-AM transmitter]]

Obando is also the transmitter site of some AM stations, primarily broadcasting the Mega Manila area. Among them are:

  • Super Radyo DZBB 594 (GMA Network)
  • DWIZ 882 (Aliw Broadcasting Corporation)
  • DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 (Philippine Collective Media Corporation/ABS-CBN Corporation)
  • DZIQ Radyo Inquirer 990 (Trans-Radio Broadcasting Corporation, defunct)
  • DZEC Radyo Agila 1062 (Eagle Broadcasting Corporation)
  • INC Radio DZEM 954 (Christian Era Broadcasting Service International)
  • DZME 1530 (Capitol Broadcasting Center)

<gallery widths="200" heights="150">

File:San Pascual Baylon Church, Obando, Bulacan.jpg|San Pascual Baylon Parish Church

File: JfPublicMarketRiverObandoBulacanfvf 03.JPG|Obando Public Market

File:JfPaliwasFishPortObandoBulacanfvf 05.JPG|Municipal Fishport

File:Colegio de San Pascual Baylon, Obando, Bulacan, March 2023.jpg|Colegio de San Pascual Baylon

File:Obando School of Fisheries, March 2023.jpg|Obando School of Fisheries

File:Bulacan Polytechnic College - Obando Campus, March 2023.jpg|Bulacan Polytechnic College - Obando Campus

File:Paco Catholic Cemetery, Obando, Bulacan, March 2023.jpg|Paco Catholic Cemetery

File:Mangroves in Obando, Bulacan, March 2023.jpg|Mangroves beside Paliwas Road

File:Sunset in a fish pen in Obando, Bulacan.jpg|A fish pen in Obando

File:Obando People's Park, Bulacan, Aug 2024.jpg|Obando People's Park

File:Paliwas Road, Obando, Bulacan (1), March 2023.jpg|Paliwas Road

</gallery>

See also

  • Obando Fertility Rites
  • Obando Church
  • Colegio de San Pascual Baylon

References

  • Obando Bulacan
  • elgu2.ncc.gov.ph
  • [ Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
  • Philippine Census Information