San Ildefonso, officially the Municipality of San Ildefonso (Tagalog: Bayan ng San Ildefonso) is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 115,713 people.[3]
San Ildefonso is 43 kilometers (27 mi) from Malolos and 66 kilometers (41 mi) from Manila.
History
Bahay na Pula, also known as the "Red House" (2014)
The early inhabitants called this town Bulak because of the abundant 'kapok' trees ('bulak' in vernacular) growing on the hill where the town is now.
Bulak was then a barrio of San Rafael. There were only about 3,000 inhabitants. The early inhabitants were people from neighboring towns and provinces who preferred to settle in this place because of its good agricultural prospects.
When the Spaniards came, the name Bulak was changed to Hacienda San Juan de Dios because 15,500 hectares of grazing and farming grounds were claimed by the friars. The people were told to pay tribute. Proceeds from the rentals were used to finance the operation of the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Manila. The Spanish friars, though antagonistic toward the Filipinos, admired the beauty of the natural scenery. They changed the name to Hacienda Buenavista (which means beautiful scenery in Spanish).
As the population grew, a chapel was constructed under the parochial jurisdiction of San Rafael. In 1809, Father Juan dela Rosa was named the first Filipino priest of the town. He held the position until 1811. He was responsible for changing the name Bulak to San Ildefonso in honor of Alfonso XII, then the king of Spain, and San Ildefonso, its patron saint. By the time it was given this name, a tribunal was created finally making it a town in 1877. Between 1903 and 1906, San Ildefonso was merged with San Miguel due to its low income and inability to finance its expenditures in operating the local government.[5]
As years went by, more and more people were induced to live in the town. The growth of population promoted an increase of income. The town became capable of meeting its expenses so it ceased being a barrio of San Miguel and became once again an independent town.[6]
San Ildefonso is politically subdivided into 36 barangays. Each barangay consist of 7 puroks and some have sitios.
There are 6 urban and 30 rural barangays.
Climate
Demographics
In the 2020 census, the population of San Ildefonso, Bulacan, was 115,713 people,[3] with a density of 900 inhabitants per square kilometer or 2,300 inhabitants per square mile.
Economy
Poverty incidence of San Ildefonso
Education
Public Schools
Elementary Education
The town has numerous public schools offering elementary and high school education. Some of the elementary public schools are:
South District
North District
Secondary Education
Some of the public high schools are:
Tertiary and College Education
Some of the tertiary schools are:
Private Schools
Some of the private schools offering education
Notable personalities
Yuka Saso – 2021 U.S. Women's Open Golf Champion. Filipino Japanese amateur golfer. Two-time Asian Games gold medalist in individual and team events.
Paula Carla Galvez-Tan – former town Mayor (2010-2013, 2016-2022) who grew popularity because of her efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic
^"2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
^ a b c dCensus of Population (2020). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
^"PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
^Act No. 932 (8 October 1903), "An Act Reducing the Twenty-five Municipalities of the Province of Bulacan to Thirteen", Senate of the Philippines Legislative Digital Resources, retrieved July 3, 2023
^"Bulacan, Philippines: San Ildefonso, Bulacan: History".
^"The house where the Philippines' forgotten 'comfort women' were held". BBC News. 16 June 2016.
^ a bCensus of Population and Housing (2010). "Region III (Central Luzon)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
^"San Ildefonso: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
^Census of Population (2015). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
^Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
