LAND USE PLAN

OF

BACOOR CITY

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Bacoor became a town in 1671, two
years after the influx of the first
settlers from the bustling public of
Paraaque or Palaag, the ancient
Tagalog name. In fact, Bacoor used to
be a part of Paraaque, separating the
latter from the two big neighboring
towns of Cavite el Viejo (now Kawit)
and Silang.

The name Bacood (derived from the

Tagalog word bakod, meaning fence) is
suggestive of its role as a suburb of
Paraaque, constituting the boundary
between the mother town and Cavite el
Viejo. In early Spanish times, Bacood
was thickly covered with bamboo groves
running from Sitio Zapote to Sitio
Talaba.
The first settlers of Bacoor
(modernized spelling of the original
name) bore such family names as Cuenca,
Bauan, Farolan, Pagtakhan, de Ocampo,
Gregorio, Guevarra and Garcia.
The
first Municipal President of Bacoor,
Felix Cuenca, was a direct descendant
of one of the original settlers

The town of Bacoor is famous in

Philippine history as the scene of
two fierce battles, popularly known
as the Battle of Zapote Bridge.
One of these took place on February
1897
when
the
Filipino
Revolutionary
Army
repulsed
the
advance of Spanish invaders.
In
this
battle,
Gen.
Edilberto
Evangelista,
who
was
also
a
brilliant
engineer,
fought
and
heroically died holding at bay the
advance of enemy forces.
The
second
encounter
by
the
revolutionary forces occurred in
1899 during the Filipino-American
war.
It is also noteworthy to remember
that one of the triple victims in
the so-called GOMBURZA martyrdom
was Father Mariano Gomez who was
the incumbent
parish priest
of
Bacoor when he was arrested and
executed in Bagumbayan Field on
February 17, 1872.

The town is also noted in history as the first capital of the revolutionary
government under General Emilio Aguinaldo. Sensing that the Americans under
the Admiral Expeditionary Force had something up their sleeves because they
would not commit themselves on the question of U.S. recognition of
Philippine Independence already proclaimed on June 12, 1898, Gen.Aguinaldo
on July 4 decided to transfer his headquarters from the mansion of Maximo
Inocencio in Cavite to the house of Juan Cuenca and Candida Chavez in
Bacoor.

Gargano was the revolutionary name given to Bacoor in line with the
victory of the Magdalo government based in Imus to abolish every vestige of
the countrys colonial past. Gil Ignacio was the Katipunan leader in Bacoor.
In the battle of Zapote on February 17, 1897, General Edilberto Evangelista,
the European-educated Filipino engineer and chief of the revolutionary army,
was killed by an enemy sniper.
Bacoor was recaptured by the Spaniards
during the counter-offensive launched by Spanish General Jose Achambre on
March 26, one day after the fall of the Magdalo capital of Imus.
Like other famous towns in Cavite province, Bacoor has also produced great
names, among whom are the late Governor Pedro Espiritu and the late Julian
Cruz Balmaceda, noted Filipino writer and Director of the Institute on
National Language. The original families/settlers had the following names:
Cuenca, Payao, Farolan, Pagtakhan, de Ocampo, Gregorio, Guevarra and Garcia.
Belonging to the principalia class as early as the first decades of the
nineteenth century were the Cuencas, the Espirirtus, the Cuevas, the
Mirandas, the Pagtakhan and the Narvaezes.
Most of them were Chinese
mestizos.

LAND USE
Land Area
Bacoor is at the northern tip of the
Province
of
Cavite.
It
lies
approximately
15
kilometers
southwest of the center of Manila,
and about 27 kilometers from Trece
Martires
City,
the
provincial
capital.
It is situated along the
Manila Bay and separated by Zapote
River on its eastern boundary from
the city of Las Pias, and the Imus
River on its western boundary.
It
is bounded on the west by the
municipalities of Imus and Kawit, on
the south by the municipality of
Dasmarias, on the north by Bacoor
Bay, and on the east by the cities of
Las Pias and Muntinlupa.
The
poblacion is located inland on the
northernmost part of the municipality
and lies along Bacoor Bay.

The municipality covers a total area

of approximately 4,397.79 hectares.
Its terrain ranges from plain to
slightly rolling.
The west and the
east sides are traversed by Imus and
Zapote Rivers and both provide salt
water for Bacoors salt farms that
double as fishponds during the rainy
season. During the wet season, water
flowing from the old dams and thus
filling up existing creeks serves as
natural
irrigation
for
the
municipality.
The provincial road,
which is traversed by municipal and
barangay roads linking all barangays
of Bacoor, intersects the national
road or the Aguinaldo Highway, running
north to south from Bacoor to Tagaytay
City.
Formerly noted for its salt
beds, Bacoor today is a bustling
commercial and business center.
Bacoor has a total of 73 barangays, of
which 10 are coastal and 63 are inland
barangays.

Topography
Physiography and Slopes
The
topography
of
Bacoor
is
characterized by a plain to slightly
rolling terrain. Slope grade of zero
to three percent (0 - 3%) covers
almost the entire area of Bacoor.
Map 2.1 shows the slope map.
Maps
2.2 and 2.3 reflect the land system
map
and
the
geological
map,
respectively.

Map 2.1.

Slope Map

Maps 2.2.

Land System Map

Maps 2.3.

Geological Map

Soil Type
According to the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), the soil types
found in Bacoor differ from one another only in the texture of the surface
soil.
The different soil types are: Hydrosol; Guadalupe Clay; Guadalupe Clay
Adobe; Guadalupe Silt Loam; Obando Sand; and Carmona Clay Loam.
The famous
Cavite Hydrosol and Obando Sand consisting of the submerged soils of the swamps
could be easily converted into fishponds and saltbeds. The rest are good types
of soil suitable for rice production purposes.
Climate and Rainfall
Bacoor has two pronounced seasons, dry from January to May and wet for the rest
of the year.
The average total rainfall in a year is 1,683.8 mm.
The wettest month is
August with an average rainfall of 460.5 mm. while the driest is February with
an average rainfall of 2.1mm.
The average total number of rainy days in a year
is 107 days.
Bacoor has reported an average annual temperature of 27.7 C. The hottest month
is April with monthly average temperature of 34.4 C.
The coldest month is
December with monthly average temperature of 23.6 C.
Hydro-Geology
The municipality of Bacoor has many rivers, creeks, and other tributaries. The
Zapote River traverses barangays Zapote, Aniban, Ligas, San Nicolas and Molino
on the eastern boundary.
One tributary to Zapote River runs across the
barangays of Zapote and Talaba while another tributary of the same river goes
out directly to Bacoor by traversing barangays Zapote, Talaba and Maliksi.
The Molino River that comes all the way from the Dasmarias area spills into
the Zapote River in the area of barangay San Nicolas.
The Imus River, on the other hand, traverses barangays Sineguelasan, Banalo,
Mabolo, Salinas, Real and parts of Molino on the western boundary.
Bacoor River traverses barangays Alima, Banalo, Mabolo, Daang Bukid, Habay and
other parts of Panapaan.

Creeks and Rivers

Bacoor has many rivers, creeks, and
other tributaries.
The Zapote
River
passes
through
Barangays
Zapote, Aniban, Ligas, San Nicolas,
and Molino on the eastern boundary
of Bacoor.
One tributary to the
Zapote River runs across the Zapote
River and the Talaba area while
another tributary of the same river
goes out directly to Bacoor Bay by
traversing
Barangays
Zapote,
Talaba, and Maliksi.
The Molino
River which comes all the way from
the Dasmarias area (meeting with
the Don Cella River at the Molino
Dam), spills into the Zapote River
in
the
area
of
Barangay
San
Nicolas.
Ilat Creek is another
tributary to the Zapote River which
also comes all the way from the
Dasmarias area.
The Zapote River
serves as the boundary between Las
Pias and Bacoor and consequently,
between Metro Manila and Cavite.

The Molino Dam is fed by two river

systems: the Don Cella River which
drains the eastern portion of the
upper watersheds, and the Molino River
which drains the western portion of
the upper watershed.
Spills from the
Molino
Dams
major
spillway
flow
through creek system and joins Zapote
River
in
San
Nicolas.
Several
discharge gates of the dam discharge
waters to other creek system within
Bacoor
previously
intended
for
agriculture.
On the other hand, the Imus River
traverses
Barangays
Sineguelasan,
Banalo, Mabolo, Salinas, Real and
parts
of
Molino
on
the
western
boundary.
It serves as the boundary
between the municipalities of Imus and
Bacoor on the western side.
Imus
River runs all the way from the
foothills of Tagaytay City, crossing
portions of Silang, Dasmarias, Imus
and Bacoor until it discharges finally
to Bacoor Bay.

Within Bacoor, its major tributary is the Bacoor River (also known
as Mestizo River), which drains areas of Barangays Alima, Banalo,
Mabolo, Daang Bukid, Habay and other parts of Panapaan.
The Daang
Bukid Creek, which is a tributary of Bacoor River, traverses many
coastal barangays such as barangays Alima, Campo Santo, Daang Bukid,
Dulong Bayan, Kaingin and Maliksi.
The Imus River has many other
tributaries throughout the town.
Maps 2.4, 2.5, and 2.6 show the surface water map, drainage map, and
infiltration map of Bacoor, respectively
Watersheds
The watersheds of the major surface waters found in Bacoor are those
that feed the Imus, Bacoor, and Zapote Rivers referred to as the
Imus River Watershed, Bacoor River Watershed and the Zapote River
Watershed, respectively.
The Imus Watershed covers areas at the mouth of the Imus River at
its discharge point in Bacoor Bay and stretches southward to the
foothills of the elevated areas of Tagaytay City.
It drains
portions within the municipalities of Imus, Bacoor, Dasmarias,
Silang, Amadeo and Tagaytay City totaling around 60.84 km2.
The Bacoor River Watershed which lies in the middle portion of
Bacoor has an approximate area of 26.63 km2 covering the lower areas
consisting of the coastal barangays and southern barangays. Some of
Bacoor Rivers tributaries cross the municipal boundary with
Dasmarias.
However, its extent narrows as some of the waters
drains into other adjacent watersheds.
The Zapote River Watershed has a total land area of 37.53 km2
consisting of areas drained by Zapote River (approximately 22.52 km2)
and areas drained by the Molino Dam River Systems (approximately
15.01 km2).
The Zapote River drains areas of Bacoor, Las Pias,
Muntinlupa and the northern portions of Gen. Mariano Alvarez.
The
watershed of the Molino Dam River System drains the southern portion
of Bacoor and the middle portions of Dasmarias.
Combining all these watershed areas feeding the surface waters
Bacoor, the aggregate watershed area totals approximately 125 km2.

flowing

into

Map 2.4.

Surface Water Map

Map 2.5.

Drainage Map

Map 2.6. Infiltration Map

If a typical strong storm drops around 10

inches of rain or 254 mm. in one day,
around 31,750,000 cubic meter of water
flows into the surface waters and has a
potential of flooding Bacoor up to 61 cm.
or 2 feet of water.
If this floodwater
accumulates in the northern and coastal
barangays and with a rough ratio of low
lying areas, say 40%, to those in higher
elevations,
the
estimated
flooding
potential in low areas will be around 5
ft.
Existing Land Uses
With the advent of urbanization, much has
changed
in
the
land
uses
of
the
municipality of Bacoor.
Within a span of
almost 20 years, the municipality has
largely lost its agro-fishery base for
residential, commercial, institutional and
industrial purposes.
Map 2.8 shows the existing land use of
Bacoor.
Table
2.5
below
shows
the
areal
distribution of existing land uses.

Table 2.5.

Existing Land Use, Bacoor, by Category, 2001

Land Use Type
Residential
Agricultural
Open Grasslands
Commercial
Institutional
Industrial
Cemetery
Total

Area (Has.)
4,030.61
198.24
264.30
91.95
23.30
42.88
19.92
4,671.00

% to Total
86.29%
04.24%
5.66%
1.97%
0.50%
0.92%
0.42%
100.00%

Source: 2001 data based on GIS maps

Built-up Area
The built-up area of Bacoor is a mixture of residential,
commercial, industrial, and institutional uses forming an urban
area of approximately 4,188.74 hectares or 89.68% of the total
land area of the municipality.
Residential Area
Residential use comprises the bulk of
Bacoors current land use, covering about
73
barangays.
These
include
the
following: Siniguelasan; Banalo; Mabolo
1; Tabing Dagat; Digman; Maliksi 1;
Talaba 1; Zapote 1,2,3; Ligas; Aniban
1,2,3,4,5; San Nicolas 1,2; San Nicolas
3; Niog 1,2,3; Panapaan 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8;
Real 1,2; Mambog 1,2,3,4,5; Salinas 3,4;
Habay
1,2;
Dulong
Bayan;
Molino
1,2,3,4,5,6,7; Queens Row West, Queens
Row East, and Queens Row Central.
In
most
of
these
barangays
are
found
residential subdivisions.

Map 2.7.

Watersheds of Bacoor.

Map 2.8.

Existing Land Use Map

The residential area has increased
over the years, due to the conversion
of agricultural land into residential
uses resulting from increased demand
for urban land brought about by high
population growth. Most subdivisions
located on the northern portion of
Bacoor are developed for high- and
medium- cost housing while those
located on the southern portion are
mostly
for
mediumand
low-cost
housing.
There are also residential
lots that were left undeveloped or
abandoned
by
developers.
Total
residential
area is estimated at
4,032.61 hectares or 86.29% of the
municipalitys total area.
Commercial Area
Commercial activities cover an area of
91.95 hectares (1.97% of total area).
Commercial establishments intersperse
the residential areas scattered in
different
barangays
of
the
municipality.
These commercial uses
are found in Mabolo 1; Dulong Bayan;
Habay
1-2;
Salinas
4;
Real
1;
Panapaan 1,2,4,5,6,7,8; Niog 1,2,3;
Talaba
2,3,5,6,7;
Zapote
1,3,4,5;
Aniban 1,4; Kaingin; Digman; Tabing
Dagat; Alima; Mambog 4; San Nicolas
3; Bayanan; and Molino 1,2,3,5

Major commercial activities lie along

Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, and the
highways of Tirona, Evangelista, Molino
and Talaba-Zapote.
The main commercial
centers can be found in the intersection
of Tirona and Aguinaldo Highways (where
SM City Bacoor is located) and in the
Aguinaldo Highway Extension leading to
Zapote, Las Pias City.

Institutional Area
Institutional areas consist of lands
which presently house the government,
academic and religious institutions as
well as other structures catering to the
provisions of public services and needs.
This covers 23.30 hectares (0.50% of
total area).
Institutional facilities are situated in
the
following
barangays:
Molino
1,2,4,5,7; Queens Row Central; Mambog 3;
Bayanan; San Nicolas 2; Real 1; Ligas 2;
Panapaan 1,2,3,5,7; Dulong Bayan; Salinas
1; Mabolo 1; Siniguelasan; Banalo; Alim;
Campo
Santo;
Tabing
Dagat;
Digman;
Maliksi 1,2,3; Niog 2; Aniban 1,2; Talaba
6; and Zapote 3,4.

Industrial Area
Industrial activities cover an area of 42.88
hectares
(0.92%).
Bacoor
has
existing
industrial warehouses that are scattered in
different areas such as along the Tirona
Highway and Aguinaldo Highway.
The towns
industrial activities are concentrated in Niog
3.
Agri-Fishery Area
Agri-fishery areas include all ricelands and
other productive agricultural lands and water
bodies or fishponds.
Based on 2001 GIS maps,
Bacoor has 198.24 hectares devoted to agrifishery (41.24% of total area).
Agricultural uses are located in Maliksi 1,2,3;
Kaingin; Panapaan 3; Talaba 1,2; Mabolo 2;
Dulong Bayan; Habay 1; Alima; and San Nicolas
1,2.
Open Grassland
On the southern part of the municipality, vast
grasslands can be found.
This area totals
264.30 hectares, covering 5.66% of the total
land area of Bacoor.
Grasslands are found in
Siniguelasan; Daang Bukid; Campo Santo; Habay
1; Salinas 1; Ligas 3; Niog 3; San Nicolas 1,2;
Bayanan; Molino 2; and Mambog 4.
Cemetery
Cemeteries cover an area of 19.82 hectares
(0.42%).
Cemeteries are found in Molino 2;
Ligas 2; Digman; Kaingin; and Panapaan 7.

2.2.4 Urban Form

Urban form in the municipality follows the
typical town under the Spanish colonial
government
where
the
government
and
religious structures are adjacent to each
other in the poblacion.
The urban area in Bacoor is characterized
by a relatively high concentration of
population.
The poblacion area includes
the barangays of Alima, Campo Santo,
Digman, Daang Bukid and Tabing Dagat. The
poblacion wherein buildings occupy almost
every available space is the most densely
populated area in the municipality.
The
main street, Evangelista Street, is very
narrow,
intersected
by
much
narrower
streets with no sidewalks for pedestrians.
There are not enough parking spaces on
both sides of the streets.
2.2.5
Environmentally-Constrained
Areas
Environmentally-constrained areas refer to
areas subject to natural or environmental
hazards such as earthquakes, typhoons,
tsunamis, volcanic eruption, flooding or
landslides.
It
also
pertains
to
proclaimed catchments and areas declared
as Network of Protected Agricultural Areas
for
Development
(NPAAD)
and
Strategic
Agricultural and Fishery Development Zone
(SAFDZ)
where
there
are
regulations,
management plans or covenants on land use.

These areas may be used but must not be

subjected
to
damaging
or
degrading
impacts.
In Bacoor, portions of San Nicolas 1 and
2 have been declared as a SAFDZ (Map
2.9).
These portions are currently
planted to seasonal crops such as corn,
vegetables, and palay.
Areas subject to natural hazards include
weather-related
hazards,
earthquakeinduced hazards and those subject to
volcanic hazards.
As regards fault
lines, these are areas where lateral or
vertical displacement/movement is still
likely to occur.
Episodic movements
along these active fault lines can
cause earthquakes, which may result to
the destruction of property and loss of
lives.
Areas subject to typhoon hazards cover
the
municipality,
especially
the
coastal
barangays,
and
the
entire
province
as
a
whole.
Typhoons
occasionally visit the province in a
seasonal distribution.
Flood prone
areas in the municipality include all
barangays except Barangays Queens Row
and Molino.
Also, Barangays Banalo,
Sineguelasan, Alima 1, Maliksi 1 and 2,
Tabing Dagat, Talaba 1 and 2 and Zapote
5
are
prone
to
moderate
seasonal
flooding during high tides when the
clogged rivers and their tributaries
could not handle the swelling waters.

Land Use Potentials/Advantages

Compact Urban Structure
The city has a relatively compact structure that: a)
allows for efficient service delivery and use of
infrastructure; b) encourages pedestrian movements;
and c) creates a well-defined urban image.
New and Pipeline Infrastructure Projects
New and pipeline infrastructure projects include the
following:
Construction of the Molino Boulevard to serve as an
alternate route for Molino Road.
Road Widening of the Tirona Highway.
Construction of Bus Way to serve as an alternate
for Aguinaldo Highway.
Extension of the Light Railway Transit (LRT).
Construction of Zapote-Coastal-Tanza Road.
Construction of Tanza-Muntinlupa Road.
These projects are intended
affecting the traffic network
projects will also strengthen
gateway to Cavite, serving as
link between the industrial
Cavite and Metro Manila.

to ease decongestion
in the area.
These
Bacoors role as the
an important physical
and tourism areas of

Land Use IssuesNeed to Manage CBD

GrowthThe
growth
of
the
central
business district (CBD) has to be
managed so
that future growth is
accommodated. CBD expansion areas have
to be defined to avoid or minimize
haphazard developments that conflict
with
adjacent
uses
or
cannot
be
supported
by
existing
and
future
infrastructure and services.
Need for Density Controls Given the
fast growth of the municipality, some
form
of
control
over
development
densities are needed since these will
affect the demand for infrastructure,
utilities, services, and the overall
quality of the environment.
Need for More Infrastructure SupportTo
support current and future land use
activities, infrastructure and services
such as transportation, water supply,
drainage
and
sewerage
should
be
augmented.
This need becomes more
pronounced in the light of Bacoors
role as the catchment area of residents
from Metro Manila as well as of migrant
population employed in the industrial
centers
of
Rosario,
Carmona,
and
Dasmarias.

Summary
Trends

of

Land

Use

Conditions

and

Bacoors roles as the Gateway to Cavite

and
the
Catchment
Area
for
the
residential population from Metro Manila
and industrial centers in Cavite have
largely influenced the land uses in
Bacoor.
Residential areas comprise the
majority of the land uses, followed by
open grassland, agri-fishery, commercial,
institutional,
and
industrial.
The
towns formerly agricultural character
has
given
way
to
a
predominantly
residential town.Land use potentials and
advantages include the towns compact
urban
structure,
and
infrastructure
projects
that
are
currently
being
implemented
or
being
planned
in
Bacoor.Land use concerns include the need
to manage CBD growth as well as the need
for
density
controls
and
more
infrastructure support.

PREPARED BY:

ALVAREZ, KIM BRIAN

APUYAN, JOHN
MICHAEL
CABASI, CANDACE
DELA CRUZ, CHARLENE
LABADO, REGINE MAE