Situated on the northern part of the province of Bulacan, the Municipality of San Rafael is bounded by two provinces, Quezon and Pampanga. Its land area is 16,525 hectares making it the third largest municipality in the province of Bulacan. It consists of 34 barangays with the southernmost barangay only 53 kilometers north of Manila. Its geographical position to the nation’s premier city makes it an ideal site for the establishment and development of industrial complexes.
San Rafael is predominantly an agricultural town, and its major crop is rice which accounts for the bulk of the people’s income, its secondary crops include corn, root crops, fruits, like mangoes and vegetables. Livestock and poultry production are the other agricultural activities in the municipality. The majority of the town’s population derives their income from agriculture.
The elements required for accelerating economic development are present in San Rafael, such as the establishment of small and bid industries in line with the program of the national government for the dispersal of industries outside of a 50 kilometer radius from Manila. Its location, topography and other land features contribute to this potential. This will mean increased economic activities in the town and better employment opportunities and economic status of the town’s people. This is also one of the measures that will lay the groundwork for increased commercial, industrial and social activities in the municipality similar to those of Baliuag, the town adjacent to the south.
San Rafael will have a wider development overview in the future if only its potentials and available resources can be tapped, develop and maintained in a systematic manner such as, what may be expected when an overall development is formulated and set into motion. It is also a potential tourist destination. The Malangaang Caves at Tukod, the San Rafael Church, the after bay Dam regulator, the San Rafael Retreat Farm, the Eight Waves Water Park resort with its swimming pools, conference rooms and overnight suites, and other resorts are among its potential tourist’s attractions. Altogether, the situation in San Rafael promises a bright future in relation to overall development.
