Araw ng Norzagaray

Angat Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan

August 13th of every year is ARAW NG NORZAGARAY and a special non-working holiday throughout the 1st class municipality.  

It is in commemoration of a historic moment when the erstwhile barrio seceded from Angat as a distinct and independent political unit some 152 years ago. 

Araw ng Norzagaray symbolizes the dreams and aspirations of the townspeople to govern themselves and chart their own destiny.  

Araw ng Norzagaray and its proclamation as a special day was principally sponsored at the Sangguniang Bayan in 1996 by Councilor Teddy Gener.

Mabuhay ang Norzagaray!

- Konted

Ipo Dam

Sitio Bakas

Clean, clear and refreshing waters of Bakas. Legend has it that a huge footprint of giant  Bernardo Carpio is permanently stamped on one of the big rocks in Bakas together with the footprints of other animals. It is also said that one footprint is in Montalban, Rizal and another one is in San Miguel, Bulacan.

Sitio Bitbit

Bitbit Bridge. This bridge connects Brgy San Mateo where Ipo Dam is located and Brgy San Lorenzo where  Angat Dam is situated.  Bitbit is a Dumagat word.

One of three cement factories

An old limestone company

Planting season in Pinagkamaligan

Rice planting in Brgy. Tigbe

A rainbow appears near a lonely road in Brgy Bitungol

View from the highway of Norzagaray's vast agricultural land and the mountainous areas where 5 barangays are situated.   Norzagaray is the 3rd biggest town of Bulacan in terms of land area.  Its land area is 28,852 hectares. Total population as of latest count is 105,470.

Municipal Hall of Norzagaray.  Norzagaray is a 1st class municipality  with an annual income of P231,069,260.91 . 

Norzagaray Municipal Council.  At right is the town's Police Station

Statue of revolutionary hero Gen. Sinforoso Dela Cruz.  Through a resolution sponsored by Councilor Ted Gener and seconded by Councilor Marcelo Marcial, the statue was relocated from its old site near the public market to the present site in front of the Municipal Hall.

Present Mayor of Norzagaray is Dr. Feliciano Legaspi (right) who remains unbeaten since 1995.  At left is the incumbent Brgy. Captain of Poblacion, Rody "RCS" Santos

Barangay Hall of Poblacion

Bruce Lee's Crispy Pata

Bigger, tastier and meatier Crispy Pata of the Bernabes in Bayombon

Bernabe's Crispy Chicken

Halo Halo and Pancit Palabok at Elsa's Snack House in Sulucan

Norzagaray Central School at the town proper

Norzagaray Central School stands side by side with the Gener Family's residence  in Brgy Poblacion.  Part of the lot where the school stands was donated by the Gener Family to school authorities.

The Gener Family's residence

Regular meetings of the Federation of Senior Citizens used to be held here.

Former Municipal Councilor Ted Gener rests under the shade of a mango tree in the family's residence.

Konted's mountain hideaway near Ipo Dam

1997 photo showing #1 Town Councilor Ando Mendoza, Councilor  Ted Gener and Councilor  Julian Sumbillo  attending a school's graduation ceremonies.  Councilor Ted Gener was the principal sponsor of Araw ng Norzagaray and its proclamation as a special non-working holiday.  The three aldermen were close allies during their term.

Councilor Ted Gener drinks fresh buko juice during a campaign sortie.

Former Municipal Councilors Ted Gener (in blue shirt) and Danny "Baba" Rayo (in marroon) confer with Bigte Kagawad Jovina  La Madrd as two others listen. In background is Continental Cement Factory, now owned and managed by La Farge.

2001-2004 Sangguniang Bayan members:  Ted Gener,  Santi Ramos and Nory  Cruz.  The three have remained good friends up to this day .Councilor Ted Gener was the lone opposition candidate to win in the 2001 local elections.  He was the lone survivor in what was referred to as an "election massacre" where administration bets won all elective posts except one.  Kon Ted clinched the 8th and final slot, edging the 9th placer by a slim margin of 234 votes.  He credits his win to having been voted 2nd placer (out of 27 candidates) in vote-rich Brgy Poblacion (town proper).

3 Geners:  Ex-Municipal Councilor Ted Gener, Vice Mayor Abner Gener and Brgy Captain Bandong Gener

2002 photo shows then Vice Mayor Abner Gener, Councilor Bunso Santos, Councilor Erlinda Sumbillo, SK Federation President & Councilor Vanessa Palad, Councilor Ted Gener and Councilor Nory Cruz attending a National Congress of the Philippine Councilors League.

A voting precinct in Brgy Poblacion

Then Congressman Ricardo Silverio with Federation of Senior Citizens'  Chairman Emeritus Atty. Guillermina Gener

Iglesia Ni Cristo in Brgy Poblacion, Norzagaray

Cell tower site in Daang Tigbe, Norzagaray.   Kon Ted Gener, as Chairman of the Committee on Education and as member of the Local School Board,  was the principal sponsor of an ordinance prohibiting the installation of cell tower sites within 500 meters of any school throughout Norzagaray.

Minuyan National High School in Brgy Minuyan.  Kon Ted Gener, in coordination with school authorities, PTA and other organizations, sponsored a resolution asking financial assistance from Gov. Josie Dela Cruz for the purchase of a lot where the school now stands.

Part of  Minuyan National High School

One of seven gasoline stations operating in Norzagaray.  Kon Ted Gener, as Chairman of the Committee on Trade and Industry,  was the principal author of an ordinance prohibiting the use of cellphones within the forecourt of gasoline stations.  Norzagaray was one of the first few municipalities in the province's 3rd District to adopt such ordinance. 

A new gasoline station in Brgy Bigte

Another Shell gasoline station in Brgy Minuyan owned by former Councilor  Zosing Cruz

Fighting cocks at former ABC President Boy Gener's farm in Brgy Tigbe

Angat River in Norzagaray

Mangoes are in abundance throughout the town of Norzagaray.

Carabao is farmer's best friend.  Norzagaray is basically an agricultural  town. Throughout his tenure, Kon Ted Gener periodically distributed a wide variety of seedlings  to farmers in various barangays.  

Ex-Councilor Totie Gener Castillo was known for his fiery speeches  within the halls of the Sangguniang Bayan and  in  political rallies.

Welcome Landmark in Brgy Partida.  Norzagaray can be reached  via  the NLEX-Bocaue-Sta Maria route. In 1995,  Kon Ted Gener sponsored a Kapasiyahang Bayan citing the need to erect Welcome Landmarks in all entry points of  the municipality.  Mayor Fel Legaspi, with the support of the Soroptomists International,  quickly responded and erected a concrete one in Brgy Partida.

Part of the  national highway approaching the Norzagaray Rotunda

Operation Libreng X-Ray.  In his first term in office, Kon Ted Gener launched  Operation Libreng X-Ray where the Philippine Tuberculosis Society, Inc, through the intercession of Dra. Rosario Serapio Evangelista,  sent mobile x-ray vans to Brgys Poblacion, Bitungol, Tigbe, Bigte and San Mateo to provide medical services to the residents of said barangays.  This was at no cost to the municipal government.  

Operation Libreng Aklat.  In 1997 & 1998, Kon Ted Gener, as Chairman of the Committee on Education,  launched another project dubbed  Operation Libreng Aklat where free textbooks were distributed to students of Norzagaray Central School, Norzagaray National High School, Bitungol Primary School, Tigbe Elementary School, FVR Elementary School, San Mateo Elementary School and  Hilltop Elementary School.  This project was made possible through the kindness of Mr. Roland Robles, owner of Souvenir Publications, Inc. 

Another Welcome Landmark in Brgy Bigte.  Norzagaray can also be reached via the  Fairview-Lagro-San Jose Del Monte  route.

A cement mixer enroute to a cement factory in Norzagaray.

A Muslim park along Villarama Highway in Brgy Minuyan, Norzagaray

Mosque at Himlayang Liwanag

A beautiful fire tree along the national road approaching Brgy Bigte

A colorful tree  in Brgy Bitungol

A big, beautiful house in Brgy Poblacion

3-storey house in Bayombon

St. John Vianney Retreat House in Sitio Usboy, Brgy San Mateo in Norzagaray.  Sitio Usboy is  a historic site.  In WWII,  American Forces, with the support of the Marking Guerrilas, attacked a Japanese Military Detachment in Sitio Usboy and a heavy fire fight ensued.  Days later, the American Forces gained control of Ipo Dam

Old Memorial to all those who perished in the Battle for Ipo Dam in 1945.