History
In
the 18th century, the municipalities now known as Meycauayan, Polo and
Obando comprised only one town, the Municipality of Meycauayan. The town
of Polo and Obando, formed a barrio called Catangalan. In the year
1623, the municipality of Polo, now called Valenzuela City was organized
which included the present-day territories of the Town of Obando. By
virtue of a decree promulgated during the time of Governor and Captain
General of the Archipelago, Don Francisco de Obando y Solis Marquez of
Obando, the town was created and separated from its mother town Polo on
May 14, 1753. In the Governor's untimely death at the hands of the
British during the Seven Year's War, the creation and establishment of
the town was made and attended by the Alcalde Mayor of the province, Don
Francisco Morales y Mozabe, the Provincial Minister, S. Gregorio, Rev.
Fr. Alejandro Ferrer, together with numerous religious devotees. The
minister who was chosen to administer the town was Rev. Fr. Manuel De
Olivendia. In the year 1907, Obando was made an independent town of
Bulacan. Then through the untiring efforts of the municipal officials, a
portion of Gasak, Navotas was reclaimed to form a part of Obando. The
municipal officials, believing that this portion was once a part of the
municipality but was adopted by Navotas in the course of time,
effortlessly pushed through its claim to regain the area. The concerted
action of all those concerned paid off when on January 30, 1975, by
virtue of a Presidential Decree No. 646, a portion of approximately 1.78
square kilometers of Gasak, Navotas was returned to Obando. This is
mostly fishpond and sandy beach and believed that when fully developed,
this will serve as a good tourist attraction. By resolution of 1975
Municipal Council, the area was made into a barangay and named it
Nuestra Señora de Salambao in honor of one of its patron saints.[1]
Geography
Flat
and low-lying coastal plains characterize the general topography of
Obando. The area was formerly an estuary, but it filled up partially
from the peripheral parts of each sand bar and sand spit and formed up
into current figure that mainly consisted of commercial district, partly
industrial district, residential area and fishpond. Within the
municipality are two rivers and three creeks namely Meycauayan River, in
the north, Pinagkabalian River, in the south and Paco Creek, Hulo Creek
and Pag-asa Creek traversing the town parallel to the provincial
road.[1]
Obando
has a land area of 52.1 km². It has an urban area which comprise 2
barangays, the other 9 barangays of rural area of the abovecited area,
82.50% are fishponds. Obando is politically subdivided into 11 barangays
(8 urban, 3 rural). Barangays Binuangan and Salambao are located along
the Paliwas River, and can only be reached by means of motorized
boats.[1]
1. Panghulo
2. Catanghalan
3. Pag-asa
4. Paliwas
5. San Pascual
6. Hulo
7. Lawa
8 .Paco
9. Tawiran
10. Binuangan
11. Salambao
