Bocaue, Bulacan

Bocaue Bokawe
Municipality
The Bocaue Municipal Hall
Seal
Nickname(s): Fireworks Capital of the Philippines
Map of Bulacan showing the location of Bocaue
Bocaue Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 14°48′N 120°56′E / 14.8°N 120.93°E / 14.8; 120.93Coordinates: 14°48′N 120°56′E / 14.8°N 120.93°E / 14.8; 120.93
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Luzon (Region III)
Province	Bulacan
District	2nd District
Founded	1582 (as a barrio of Meycauayan)
Incorporated	April 11, 1606 (as an independent town)
Founded by	Dayang Panginuan Fray Juan de Plasencia OFM
Barangays	19
Government
• Mayor	Eleanor J. Villanueva-Tugna (Liberal)
• Vice Mayor	Aldrin B. Sta. Ana (NPC)
• Sangguniang Bayan ng Bocaue	Municipal Councilors • Norielito E. German (Liberal) • Alvin Paul Cotaco (Liberal) • Donnabel Mendoza-Celestino (NPC) • Yboyh del Rosario, Sr. (Liberal) • Agapito Salonga (Liberal) • Josef Andrew Mendoza (Independent) • Dennis Carpio (NPC) • Emmanuel Cruz (NPC)
Area
• Total	31.87 km2 (12.31 sq mi)
Highest elevation	30 m (100 ft)
Population (2015 census)
• Total	119,675
• Density	3,800/km2 (9,700/sq mi)
• Poverty rate	4.2%
Demonym(s)	Bocaueño (male) Bocaueña (female)
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	3018
IDD : area code	+63 (0)44
Income class	1st class, urban municipality
Electricity	Manila Electric Company
• Consumption	109.20 million kWh (2003)
Website	www.bocaue.gov.ph

Bocaue (Filipino: Bukawe, Tagalog pronunciation: [boˈkawe]) is a first class urban municipality in the province of Bulacanin the Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 119,675.

With the continuous expansion of Metro Manila, the town is now part of the metropolis' built-up area, which reaches San Ildefonso municipality at Bulacan's northernmost part and continues on into Nueva Ecija province.

Three road crossings in the municipality are heavily congested during the rush hours: Lolomboy, Wakas, and Bocaue road crossings. The Bocaue River runs through most of the town.

Among its tourist attractions are a town museum located near the municipality's center and the town's river festival celebrated on the first Sunday of every July. The river festival is in commemoration of the Holy Cross of Wawa, believed to be miraculous by the town's predominating Roman Catholic populace.

The town's name comes from the Old Tagalog word "Bokawe" (Schyzostachyum lima), which refers to a type of long bamboo.

Bocaue was first established by Franciscan missionaries as a barrio and visita of Meycauayan in 1582 and as a town in April 11, 1606 under the advocacy of San Martin de Tours. It was the first town to be granted independence from the Old Meycauayan, which was then a very large town comprising the present Meycauayan, Marilao, Santa Maria, San Jose del Monte, Obando, and Valenzuela municipalities.

After the Philippine–American War, the Philippine Commission was established, part of whose functions was the reorganization of Philippine municipalities and provinces. In 1903, Bulacan province was reduced from having 26 to 19 towns. The town of Balagtas was annexed to Bocaue, which regained its independence and was reestablished as a town in 1911.