Baliwag, officially the City of Baliwag (Tagalog: [bɐˈliʊag]; Filipino: Lungsod ng Baliwag, Spanish: Ciudad de Baliuag), is a 1st class component city in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 168,470 people.Baliuag was founded in 1732 by Augustinian friars and was incorporated by the Spanish Governor-General on May 26, 1733. It was carved out from the town of Quingua (now Plaridel).
Baliwag is 28 kilometers (17 mi) from Malolos and 51 kilometers (32 mi) from Manila.
Through the years of Spanish domination, Baliuag was predominantly agricultural. People had to depend on rice farming for the main source of livelihood. Orchards and tumanas yielded fruits and vegetables, which were sold in the public market. Commerce and industry also played important contributions to the economy of the people. Buntal hat weaving in Baliwag together with silk weaving popularly known in the world as Thai silk; the manufacturer of cigar cases, piña fibers, petates (mats), and Sillas de Bejucos (cane chairs) all of the fine quality became known in many parts of the world. The local market also grew. During the early part of the 19th century, Baliwag was already considered one of the most progressive and richest towns in Bulacan. The growth of the public market has significantly changed the model of the economy of the city.
Baliwag is the major commerce, transportation, entertainment, and educational center of Northern Bulacan. With the continuous expansion of Metro Manila, Baliwag is part of Manila's built-up area which reaches San Ildefonso, Bulacan at its northernmost part.
On July 22, 2022, Republic Act No. 11929 lapsed into law. The said measure will convert the municipality into a component city and standardize its name as the City of Baliwag. On December 17, 2022, a plebiscite was held, 17,814 residents voted in favor of conversion to a component city while only 5,702 voted against.
One of Baliwag's main products are the buntal hats, which is made from woven buri palm fibers.
There is one mall, and numerous supermarkets, mostly located at the highway outside downtown:
Baliwag was carved out of the municipality of Quingua (present-day Plaridel) in 1733, which used to cover a large area along the Angat River. The town's heritage church is also built in that year. In 1899, Baliwag was the site of the first democratic elections in the Philippines, and in Asia as well.
The town is home to Mariano Ponce, also one of the members of the Propaganda Movement led by Jose Rizal, Marcelo del Pilar, and Graciano Lopez-Jaena.
Baliwag is the economic and educational center for northern Bulacan, and it has that status since it the Spanish and American colonial periods.
