Hagonoy ( or ), officially the Municipality of Hagonoy (, Kapampangan: Balen ning Hagonoy), is a municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people.
Etymology The town was named after the "hagunoy" (Chromolaena odorata), a medicinal plant that used to be abundant in its river banks and along the seashores. The original populace used its leaves as their herbal remedy of choice for common illnesses and as food ingredients. Because of the medicinal value of the plant, the news of its effectiveness spread leading the people to call the place "Hagonoy".
Hagonoy's town legend In the 16th century, some friars took a boat from Manila to the province of Bulacan and reached what was then called "Quinabaloan" (from Kapampangan word kinabaluan meaning "had been known" or "pinag-alaman" in Tagalog—which was then still part of the town of Calumpit and is now the barangays of Santa Monica and San Jose). At that time, a very charming lass was so popular among the young men of the locality. She had many suitors and admirers. One day, she felt ill and she needed someone to get leaves of the hagonoy plant by the river (which is now called Sapang Pari because the friars and priests used this river to commute).
A man offered to promptly get some leaves of the plant and in deep gratitude, she promised to marry him. As he was gathering the leaves of the hagunoy plant for his dearly beloved, the group of friars in a passing boat stopped to ask him, "Quien vive?" (Where are we?). The man did not understand Spanish and was extremely intimidated by the guardia civil (Spanish civil guard) that escorted the friars. Thinking that they were asking what he was grasping in his hands, he quickly retorted "Hagunoy po!" (Hagunoy, sir!) and scampered away.
These were the first Augustinian friars that got into town and they noted the place's name as "Hagonoy". Hence, the origin of the illustrious town's name.Jose A. Salazar, 1981
History Hagonoy was first mentioned in the history of the Philippines in 1571. Even before the "blood compact" between the Spain's conqueror Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and the Philippines' Datu Sikatuna was made, the place was already known as Hagonoy. The land consists of archipelagic marsh and river tributaries going to the sea, where the first ancestors of this town probably took this way to reach Hagonoy.
Hagonoy first appeared in Philippine history when they formed part of the fleet of Tarik Sulayman of Macabebe, Pampanga that met Martin de Goiti at the Battle of Bangkusay in the initial defense of the Lusong against the Spaniards in 1571.Gaspar de San Agustin, Conquistas de las Islas Filipinas 1565-1615, Translated by Luis Antonio Mañeru, 1st bilingual ed [Spanish and English], published by Pedro Galende, OSA: Intramuros, Manila, 1998.
Hagonoy began as part of Alcaldia de Calumpit as its visita together with Apalit. It has huge convent having founded on April 22, 1581, with Fray Diego Ordonez de Vivar as its first minister according to Gaspar's "Conquistas delas Islas" Book 2 (Fray Diego having credited for the christiniazation of Calumpit, Malolos and Bulakan). At first, it was also included in the territorial part of Encomienda de Calumpit that was given by Governor General Gonzalo Ronquillo to Sargento Juan de Moron for his good service and loyalty to Spanish Crown. Sargento Juan Moron once trusted his land to the Augustinian friars, and that's how it was handed to Fray Diego Vivar.
It is also noted that primary source documents, such as Miguel de Loarca's "Relacion delas Islas" written in 1582 and Luis Perez de Dasmarinas report on King of Spain in June 1591, do not mention Hagonoy as an independent encomienda or town. Instead it is simultaneously with the much older town of Calumpit and it was officially established as a civil town in May 1671. According to records and old folks, there were already inhabitants in some places of this settlement.These places were Tibaguin and Pugad, coastal barrios sharing the coastline with the City of Malolos and towns of Bulakan, Obando and the City of Manila.
Magat Salamat, a revolutionary hero, and the last Prince of Tondo, once headed this town. He was the ancestor of the Salamat families now living in different barrios of this town.
By August 2026, several parts of Hagonoy were submerged for more than two weeks due to severe flooding, largely due to several typhoons and monsoon rains passing through the area. The residents blamed the incomplete flood control projects as a reason for the flooding.
Geography With a total land area of 103.10 square kilometers, Hagonoy is situated at the south-west corner of the province of Bulacan. It is bounded by the municipality of Calumpit on the north, municipality of Paombong on the east, municipality of Masantol, Pampanga on the west and Manila Bay on the south. The municipality is approximately 54 kilometers from Metro Manila or about an hour and a half drive. It can be accessed via North Luzon Expressway and MacArthur Highway.
Hagonoy is a long ridge with a lake on its edge by Manila Bay called "Wawa", which is now part of Barangays San Sebastian and San Nicolas. It is basically a fishing town with Manila Bay as its proximate fishing ground, which extends up to the provinces of Pampanga, Bataan, and Cavite. Its more adventurous fisherfolk brave the waves of the South China Sea northward and cross into the Philippine Sea in the Pacific Ocean on the eastern seaboard where they cast their nets and haul their catch to the fishing ports of Quezon province.
Barangays
Hagonoy is politically subdivided into 26 barangays - as shown in the matrix below - grouped into 5 clusters or kumpol for statistical purposes. All barangays are classified as urban by the Philippine Statistics Authority. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Change of barangay names Some barangays had a different name than it does now. Their names derived from events, legends, things or the condition of the place (indicated in the parentheses) as follows: Sagrada Familia (Malayak) San Agustin (Bantayan) San Juan (Burayag) San Nicolas (Bangos) San Pascual (Dita) San Roque (Bagong Baryo) San Sebastian (Wawa) Santa Elena (Marulaw) Santo Rosario (Tangos)
Climate
Demographics
In the 2020 census, the population of Hagonoy, Bulacan was 133,448 people, with a density of .
Economy
According to the Commission on Audit (COA) 2010 Annual Financial Report, Hagonoy ranked as the 8th richest municipality in Bulacan, surpassing the annual income of other municipalities like Bocaue, Calumpit, Plaridel, San Ildefonso and Balagtas.
Trade and commerce Trade and commerce in Hagonoy is concentrated at the town center where the public market, municipal hall, church, schools, hospital, clinics, and commercial spaces are situated. Major business activities include drugstores, banks, financial institutions, private consignacions, restaurants/food shops, groceries, and construction supplies.
Government
Elected officials The following officials were elected in the Philippine Elections on May 10, 2025, to serve a three-year term. Mayor: Ma. Rosario "Ate Charo" Sy-Alvarado Mendoza (Lakas-CMD) Vice Mayor: Jhane Dela Cruz (PFP)
Councilors Teton Tanjuan(NPC) Carlo Caudia. (PFP) Sir Juan Martin (Lakas-CMD) Elmer S. Santos (PFP) Dalisay "Baby" V. Ople (Lakas-CMD) Glenn Sarto (Lakas-CMD) Michael Darwin M. Cruz (Lakas-CMD) Pedro "KAP" Santos (Lakas-CMD)
List of mayors Don Francisco L. Sebastian (first mayor) Ramona S. Trillana Emilio G. Perez (1963–1972) Hermogenes B. Perez (1972–1986) Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado (1987–1998) Felix V. Ople (1998–2007) Angel L. Cruz Jr. (2007–2013) Raulito "Amboy" T. Manlapaz Sr. (2013–2022) Flordeliza "Baby" C. Manlapaz. (2022-2025)
List of vice mayors Nestor S. Santos (1963–1967) Maria Garcia (1967–1972) Eleazer F. Laderas (1988–1995) Maria G. Santos (1995–1998) Josefina Contreras (2001–2004) Marivic R. Sy-Alvarado (2004–2007) Elmer Santos (2007–2010) Reynaldo O. Santos (2010–2013) Pedro S. Santos Jr. (2013–2019) Angel L. Cruz Jr. (2019–2022) Ma. Rosario "Ate Charo" Sy-Alvarado Mendoza. (2022-2025)
Religion National Shrine and Parish of St. Anne in the Philippines
Hagonoy is deeply religious, in the town centre is the native's principal Church. The National Shrine of Saint Anne was originally a visita under the parish of Calumpit. It became a town church in 1731 with Fr. Juan Albarran, OSA, as its first curate. It was rebuilt in 1871 by Fr. Ignacio Manzanares, OSA. The church was taken over by the Filipino clergy in 1896 with Fr. Clemente Garcia as the first Filipino curate. He was succeeded by Dr. Mariano Sevilla from 1902 to 1922, Fr. Exequiel Morales, 1922–1936. Fr. Celestino Rodriguez OFM, curate since 1936 and improved the church. It was made into a national shrine to honor St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This church holds the relics of St. Anne from the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, the international shrine in Quebec, Canada and also the relics of St. Joachim, the husband of St. Anne.
It is composed of the sub-parish churches of San Agustin, San Jose, Santa Monica, San Nicolas, Santo Niño, San Sebastian, and Sitio Parong-Parong of Barangay San Agustin.
St. John the Baptist Parish Church
Situated in Barangay San Juan, and is composed by the barangays of San Juan, Tampok, San Isidro, and San Miguel. Inaugurated on March 23, 1948, through Bishop Miguel O'Doherty of Archdiocese of Manila. Fr. Elias Reyes served as its first curate. The church was step by step reconstructed in the curation of Fr. Jose Ingco, Fr. Serafin Riedo de Dios, Fr. Antonio Borlongan, and Fr. Generoso Jimenez with the cooperation of Bishop Rufino J. Santos and the good people of the community.
St. Helena Parish Church
The church became a parish on January 11, 1941, under the curation of its first curator Rev. Fr. Melchor A. Barcelona. It is composed of the sub-parish churches of Sagrada Familia, Sitio Buga, Sitio Tangos, Pugad and Tibaguin.
Saint Anthony of Padua Parish Church
The church is situated at Barangay Iba, Hagonoy, Bulacan. It is composed of the sub-parish churches of Carillo, Iba-Ibayo, and Palapat in Hagonoy, and Iba O'Este and Iba Este in the town of Calumpit up North.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish Church
The church is situated at Barangay San Pedro, Hagonoy, Bulacan. It is composed of the sub-parish churches of Abulalas and San Pablo in Hagonoy, and San Isidro II in the town of Paombong.
Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish Church
The church is situated at Barangay Santo Rosario, Hagonoy, Bulacan. It is composed of the sub-parish churches of Mercado, Santa Cruz, San Pascual, and San Roque.
Culture Annual fiestas are held to honor the town's and each barangays patron saints. The town's patron saint is St. Anne (the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary) or fondly called "Apo Ana" in the vernacular by the natives. She is enshrined at the church named after her in the poblacion. This church is a National Shrine. There are also small fiestas among the different puroks of the barangays, there are feasts for the: Sacred Heart of Jesus, Our Lady of the Rosary, and other commemorative feasts of the Catholic Church. The Holy Week observance includes self flagellants on the road, zarzuelas, the "pabasa" (the passion sang as a psalm), the Good Friday and Easter dawn processions, in all parish churches. The Good Friday processions of the Parishes like the Poblacion and the Santo Rosario parishes are attended by at least 15 to 30 Lenten icons. The fiestas and Holy Week rituals are deemed as a sacred tradition. Some barangays hold their feasts with extraordinary roadside decorations and buntings so elaborate that the road is almost covered with overhead decor sufficient to screen-off the sunlight at noontime.