Bocaue is a first-class urban municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

. The municipality of Bocaue lies 24.5 kilometers northeast of Manila

Manila

Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...

 through the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Highway

MacArthur Highway

The MacArthur Highway, formerly the Manila North Road, is a two to six-lane highway in the Philippines that stretches from Caloocan City to La Union, passing through Metro Manila and the provinces of Central Luzon and the Ilocos Region...

 and is located at the mid-southwestern portion of Bulacan. The town is bounded on the north by the municipalities of Balagtas

Balagtas, Bulacan

Balagtas is a 1st class urban municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 62,684 inhabitants in 11,834 households....

 and a portion of the municipality of Santa Maria

Santa Maria, Bulacan

According to the 2007 Census, the population of Sta. Maria grew by 60,976 from 144,282 in 2000 to 205,258 in 2007, making it the third biggest LGU in Bulacan in terms of population. The municipality has a population density of 2,257.56 persons per km² in 24 barangays.Total income in Santa Maria was...

; by the municipalities of Marilao

Marilao, Bulacan

Marilao is a first class urban municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 160,452 inhabitants in 22,363 households.- Built up area :...

 and Obando

Obando, Bulacan

Obando is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. It is 16 kilometers away from the Philippine capital Manila. Obando is landlocked, bordered by two cities from Metro Manila namely Valenzuela City in the east, Navotas and Malabon City in the south, Bulacan in the north,...

 on the south; a larger portion of Santa Maria

Santa Maria

Santa María or Santa Maria may refer to:*The name of the Blessed Virgin Mary or Mary, the mother of Jesus, in various languages such as Italian, Portuguese or SpanishIn nautical transport:...

 on the east; a portion of the municipality of Bulacan

Bulacan, Bulacan

Bulacan or Bulakan is a 1st class partially urban municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 72,289 people in 13,577 households. It is 35 km north of Manila...

 on the extreme southwestern side; and a portion of Balagtas, Bulacan on the western side.
The town's name comes from the old Tagalog

Tagalog language

Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...

 word "Bokawe" which refers to a type of long bamboo.