Norzagaray Bulacan Philippines

Angat River Hydroelectric Plant

Brief History of Norzagaray

During the Spanish occupation NORZAGARAY was a remote wilderness. It was then called “CASAY”, ( a name derived from a well-known bird ), a mere barrio of the town of Angat. The people of Casay worked for social, political and economic reforms aimed primarily to be separated from the town of Angat. And on August 13, 1860, the Spanish government elevated the status of barrio Casay into a distinct town separate from that of Angat.
On August 27, 1860, through the order of the Alcalde Mayor then of Bulacan in the person of Don Eugenio Otadui, the town of Casay was given a new name called NORZAGARAY. The name Norzagaray was derived from the name of a Spanish Governor – General Gobernador Fernando de Norzagaray.

The Municipality of Norzagaray is located in the eastern portion of the province of Bulacan in the Central Luzon Region at coordinates approximately 14.55 degrees north altitude and 121.03 degrees east longitude.About 43 km. Northeast of Manila, it is bounded on the north and northwest by the municipalities of Doña Remedios Trinidad and Angat, on the east province of Quezon, on the south by the city of San Jose del Monte, and on the west by the municipality of Sta. Maria. Its total land area is about 22,150 hectares divided into twelve (12) barangays.
Norzagaray is accessible by land through three (3) different routes: from the north along the north expressway, via Sta. Rita (Pampanga); expressway taking the Bocaue-Sta. Maria road; and Quezon City via Quirino Highway-San Jose del Monte City route.

Attractions

The well-known BAKAS is located at Barangay Matictic. It is made up of great white stones situated at the center of the Angat River with foot markings of the legendary Bernardo Carpio and his pets – carabaos, cows, goats, dogs, cats and etc. The place presents a green scenery, with fresh air and cool, clean and calm flowing current.

There are two (2) well-known historical spots in the locality. One is the Pinagrealan Cave or Kuweba ng Pinagrealan at Barangay Minuyan. This cave is a subterranean network of caverns extending more than a kilometer deep. The katipuneros during the war against Spain used it as a camp in 1896 and again during the Filipino-American War in 1898 as hideout of General Emilio Aguinaldo. It was also used as a sunctuary by the Japanese Imperial Army when the Philippines was liberated by American Forces. The Shrine is located inside the Ipo Dam Compound. It symbolizes the heroism of the Filipino Guerillas that totally wrecked the last bastion of defense of the Japanese Imperial Army in Ipo Dam