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- For other places by the name, see San Rafael (disambiguation).
San Rafael is a municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. A rural town in the middle of the Central Luzon plains, it counts heritage structures, nature reserves and swimming resorts among its tourist draws.
Understand
[edit | edit source]San Rafael was founded during the Spanish era in 1750 on the northern bank of the Angat River. For much of its history, its territory was contiguous with the Hacienda San Juan de Dios, a large agricultural estate owned by Catholic friars along the Angat River. The area became a major battleground during the Philippine Revolution against Spain in 1896 and again during World War II.
In the 20th century, the hacienda was broken up as part of land reform measures, resulting in the opening of vacant lands for development. San Rafael prospered with its inclusion in the Philippine highway network linking Metro Manila with Cagayan Valley. At the same time, this led to a profound shift in settlement patterns, as the old downtown (Poblacion) was bypassed by the Cagayan Valley Road further west, resulting in the establishment of a new commercial and political center in Barangay Cruz na Daan.
It is home to about 108,000 people (census, 1 July 2024) 
. It has a varied terrain, stretching from flatlands at the edge of Candaba Swamp in Pampanga to the west up to the rugged foothills of the Sierra Madre mountains marking the town's eastern boundary with the town of Doña Remedios Trinidad.
Get in
[edit | edit source]San Rafael lies along Maharlika Highway, also known as Asian Highway 26 (AH 26) and Cagayan Valley Road. It is a chronically snarled roadway, which has led the construction of the parallel Plaridel Bypass Road, which merges into Maharlika Highway near San Rafael's northern boundary with San Ildefonso. From Metro Manila, it is served by buses heading to Gapan and Cabanatuan in Nueva Ecija. Jeepneys also running between Gapan and Tabang in Plaridel, just off the Santa Rita Exit of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) leading to Maharlika Highway, also pass through San Rafael. Those taking Plaridel Bypass Road usually enter through its southern terminus at NLEX Balagtas Exit.
Tricycles can also be taken to the interior of San Rafael from Baliwag. The main terminal is in front of Baliwag Museum.
Get around
[edit | edit source]
Tricycles are the main form of transportation between barangays.
See
[edit | edit source]- 1 San Juan de Dios Parish Church (San Rafael Church), M. Valero Street, Poblacion, ☏ +63 927 283 2616, granadasanjuandedios@gmail.com. San Rafael's main Roman Catholic church, built during the Spanish era in the 19th century in a Baroque style. In 1896, it became the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the Philippine Revolution, when Spanish forces besieged some 800 Filipino revolutionaries and civilians sheltering inside before proceeding to butcher them amid fierce hand-to-hand combat, with accounts speaking of people having to wade in "knee-deep" blood afterwards. This has also given rise to rumors of the church being one of the most haunted religious structures in the Philippines. A panoramic painting near the main door recreates the event. There is also an ecclesiastical museum in the convent.
- 2 Bustos Dam, Lico. The longest rubber dam in Asia, at 79 metres (259 ft). It was built in 1926 as an irrigation dam to control the Angat River and is shared on one side by San Rafael and the town of Bustos on the other.
- 3 Dela Fuente-Villaroman Ancestral House (Casa dela Fuente), Barangay Road, Caingin. A large, two-story privately-owned colonial era mansion built for one of the town's elite families in the late 19th century. The site was declared a heritage house by the Philippine government in 2022
- 4 Simbahang Bato (Tukod Cave), Tukod. A cave and rock formation on the boundary with Doña Remedios Trinidad. Its name translates to "Stone Church", with formations and structure said to resemble a gothic cathedral.
- 5 Malangaan Cave, Tukod. A cave and rock formation downstream from Simbahang Bato. Nearby is Mount Secret, a popular hiking destination in town. The area served as a refuge for anti-Japanese guerrillas during World War II.
- 6 Old Municipal Hall, M. Valero Street, Poblacion. One of a few government buildings in the Philippines dating back to the colonial era. It now forms part of the Bulacan Polytechnic College campus.
- 7 San Rafael Baywalk, Poblacion. A small viewing point overlooking the Bustos Reservoir.
- 8 Diocesan Shrine and Parish of the Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, Maharlika Highway, Cruz na Daan. The main Roman Catholic church in the new town center. Its façade is modeled after Barasoain Church in Malolos, while its belfry somewhat resembles an East Asian pagoda.
Do
[edit | edit source]- 1 San Rafael River Adventure, Talacsan, ☏ +63 906 026 7988, teambuilding@sanrafaelriveradventure.com. A sprawling recreational and ecotourism resort along the banks of the Bustos Reservoir. It has swimming pools, a zipline, and boating and canoe rentals along the reservoir.
Buy
[edit | edit source]- 1 Poblacion Market, S. Valero Street, Poblacion.
- 2 San Rafael Public Market, Maharlika Highway, Cruz na Daan (beside WalterMart).
- 3 WalterMart San Rafael, Maharlika Highway, Cruz na Daan, ☏ +63 908 813 4643, +63 919 088 3729, +63 920 977 9646, wms.operations.sanrafael@waltermart.com.ph. 8AM-8PM.
- 4 Massway Supermarket, Maharlika Highway, Cruz na Daan (in front of the public market).
- 5 RCS Supermarket, Maharlika Highway, Cruz na Daan (beside Petron gas station).
Eat
[edit | edit source]San Rafael is famous for its longganisa (pork sausage) stuffed with garlic.
- 1 Bulacan's Prime, Plaridel Bypass Road, Diliman 1st, ☏ +63 968 888 0612, info@bulacansprime.com. The flagship grocery store of a major longganisa producer with branches across Bulacan.
Drink
[edit | edit source]Sleep
[edit | edit source]- 1 8 Waves Waterpark & Hotel, Maharlika Highway, Ulingao, ☏ +63 922 738 0942, +63 925 589 2837, +63 917 576 3767, +63 998 861 7315, toll-free: +63 44 766 5272, +63 44 766 5936, +63 44 766-5268, +63 2 742 0063, +63 44 766 6855, +63 44 766 6856, resort@8waveswaterpark.com. This resort complex was the first in Bulacan to have a wave pool when it opened in 2002, sparking a frenzy that has led to the proliferation of similar resorts across the province. The pool remains the grand dame of all such venues in Bulacan, with its 2,788.52 square metres (30,015.4 sq ft) surface area making it one of the largest in the country, and its generators belching out waves up to 8 feet (2.4 m) high in the morning and afternoon sessions to the tune of pop music beats. The complex is also open to daytrippers.
- 2 Sedona Court TraveLlers Inn, Maharlika Highway, Ulingao, ☏ +63 939 905 2816, sedonasanrafael@gmail.com.
Stay safe
[edit | edit source]Connect
[edit | edit source]The town's postal code is 3008 except in Barangay Cruz na Daan, which has a separate code of 3025.
Go next
[edit | edit source]| Routes through San Rafael |
| Cabanatuan ← San Ildefonso ← | N  S | → Baliwag → Malolos |