NUEVA ECIJA TRAVEL INFORMATION
Where to Stay in Nueva Ecija | Brief History | Nueva Ecija Descriptions
Historical and Cultural Attractions | Natural and Religious Attractions
Man-Made Attractions | Festivals and Special Interest Tours
BRIEF HISTORY
 In 1705, Spanish Governor General Fausto Cruzar created the province and named it Nueva Ecija after his hometown Ecija in Seville, Spain.
In 1818, Nueva Ecija annexed a long strip of territory facing the Pacific Ocean in the east that extended from Palawan (now in Isabela) in the north to Infanta in Tayabas (now Quezon) in the south. In 1848, it acquired the towns of Gapan, San Isidro, Cabiao. San Antonio and Casiguran were separated from Nueva Ecija and annexed to Tayabas. Palanan was transferred first to Nueva Ecija then to Isabela. With the subsequent separation of Infanta and Polilio Island, Nueva Ecija’s isolation from the sea became complete.
Nueva Ecija was one of the first eight provinces that took up arms against Spanish rule in 1896. During the Filipino-American War, General Emilio Aguinaldo retreated to the province and, on May 9, 1899, made Cabanatuan the temporary seat of his government until it was moved to Bamban, Tarlac. General Antonio Luna was killed on June 5, 1899 in the convent of the town’s church.
American forces, after occupying Nueva Ecija in 1899, established the provincial seat of government in San Isidro. Other provincial capitals had been Baler (now in Aurora), Bongabon, and Cabanatuan. On June 19,1965, Republic Act No. 4475 created the city of Palayan as the new capital.
NUEVA ECIJA DESCRIPTIONS
Nueva Ecija is the largest province and the biggest rice producer of Central Luzon, thus, often referred to as the “Rice Bowl of the Philippines.”
Among its main attractions is the Pantabangan River, the country’s first multi-purpose infrastructure, which stands today as a phenomenon in Filipino engineering feats. Another is the Pampanga river, cutting across a rich valley floor, famed for irrigation, the generation of hydroelectric power, and the mitigation of flood damage.
Geography
The province is the largest in Central Luzon. Its terrain begins with the southwestern marshes near the Pampanga border. It levels off and then gradually increases in elevation to rolling hills as it approaches the mountains of Sierra Madre in the east, and the Caraballo and Cordillera ranges in the north.
Political Subdivision
The province is divided into four congressional districts, which consists of 28 municipalities and four cities, namely: Cabanatuan, San Jose, Palayan, and Science City of Muñoz. The provincial capital is Palayan City.
Population
According to the NCSO, Nueva Ecija has a population of 1,310,829 of which 13.16% are concentrated in Cabanatuan City. The rural population totals 799,280 while the urban population is 511,549.
Language/Dialect
Tagalog is predominantly spoken by the Novo Ecijanos, comprising 67.7%, followed by the Ilocano dialect at 29.93%. Other dialects are Pampango, Pangasinan, Bicol, and Ilonggo.
Climate
Nueva Ecija has two pronounced seasons: the wet or rainy season from May to November and the dry season during the rest of the year.
Major Industries
Nueva Ecija is one of the top producers of agricultural goods in the country. Its principal crops are rice, corn, and onion. The province is often referred to as the “Rice Bowl of the Philippines.” Other major crops are mango, banana, eggplant, and garlic.
Fishponds are unevenly distributed throughout the province but the largest concentrations are in San Antonio, Sta. Rosa, and Cuyapo.
Several areas have mineral deposits. Copper and manganese have been found in Gen. Tinio, Carranglan, and Patabangan. The upper reaches of Carranglan and Palyan are said to contain gold.
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HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL TOURISTS ATTRACTIONS
Historical Attractions
Gapan
The first Augustinian mission in lowland Nueva Ecija was founded in Gapan in 1595. It is home to a Roman Catholic church of Byzantine architecture built from 1856 to 1872.
Historic Barrio Labi (Bongabon)
The resthouse of the Quezon family is located in this barrio, along the National Highway going to Baler Aurora. It is also the place of death of Mrs. Aurora Quezon, wife of former Philippine President Manuel Luis Quezon.
Tabacalera of San Isidro
Centuries-old brick walls of the Tabacalera in San Isidro remain as witness to the Novo Ecijanos’ 100-year oppression, from 1782 to 1882, when the province became the center of the tobacco monopoly in Central Luzon and was thus restricted from raising other crops.
Gen Luna Statue and Marker (Cabanatuan City)
A statue of Philippine hero General Antonio Luna astride a horse stands at the plaza in front of the cathedral on the exact spot where the brave general was assassinated in 1899 in the city that adopted him subsequently.
Apolinario Mabini Marker (Cuyapo)
Site of the arrest of Philippine hero Apolinario Mabini, known as “the sublime paralytic,” by the Americans on December 10, 1899.
Trial House
Owned by revolutionary leader and Novo Ecijano General Manuel Tinio. Built during the early Commonwealth period, it features ornately designed turn-of-the-century furniture and a life-size figure of esteemed Nove Ecijano Don Kapitan Berong in stained glass.
Sedeco of San Isidro
The Grand Sedeco house in San Isidro, which General Emilio Aguinaldo frequented, marks this gallant town that has proven time and again to be cradle of Filipino heroes. It was here that General Frederick Funston planned the capture of Aguinaldo, first President of the Philippine republic, during the Philippine-American war.
Wright Institute of San Isidro
One of the first high schools established outside Metro Manila during the American period.
Dalton Pass
Located in Capintalan, Carranglan, the five-hectare area blessed with a cool climate houses the monument of General Dalton and a tower that borders the provinces of Nueva Ecija and Nueva Viscaya. Uphill is a WW II memorial in black marble where a historical account of the war had been etched in English and Japanese.
Camp Pangatian (Cabanatuan City)
Began as a military training camp for twenty years until converted into a concentration camp for allied prisoners of war during the Japanese occupation. A popular tourist destination among war veterans by way of the WWII Veteran’s Homecoming Program.
Cultural Attractions
Churches of Puncan, Carrangcan, and Pantabangan
Church ruins of identical Augustinian architecture can still be found in the three upland missions.
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NATURAL AND RELIGIOUS TOURISTS ATTRACTIONS
Natural Attractions
Minalungao Park
Declared as a national park, it features a breathtaking view of the narrow but deep Penaranda River. On both sides of the river bank are 16 meter high limestone walls. The ridge formation of white sculptured limestone walls shows the might of the great river.
 General Luna Falls (Rizal)
The easternmost barrio of Rizal nestled uphill on the foot of the Sierra Madre mountain range boasts of one of Central Luzon’s hidden treasures: a towering waterfall of more than a hundred feet descending widely across a rocky mountain wall
Mt. Olivete (Bongabon)
A hundred-step stair leads to the church built by the Adarnista spiritual community on the mountaintop. Frequented by pilgrims who bathe in and drink the water of its springs believing it to be medicinal.
Gapintalan (Carranglan)
Maintained by the Kalanguya tribal community from Ifugao, its rivers and low-lying hill are ideal for hiking and communing with nature. A gateway to the Cagayan Valley, it was a strategic location during WWII’s liberation period. Tunnels, war artifacts, and stories of gold digging abound in the area.
Palaspas Falls
Located in San Jose City, it is ideal for picnics and bathing especially during summer.
Gabaldon Falls
The lure of Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija. The ten-feet falls are surrounded by huge rock formations and rippling ice-cold water. Located within the 200-hectare Sabani Estate Agricultural College.
Religious Attractions
Church of Penaranda (Nueva Ecija) – The church of Penaranda was erected in 1869 by Fr. Florentino Samonte. Construction was continued by Fr. Candicho San Miguel from 1879-1881 and by Fr. Santos Vega from 1887-1889. From 1889 to 1891, the parochial house of bricks and wood was built by Fr. Valentin Gatode la Fuente. Fr. Alvaro Callega built the original church with thatch-roof and stone walls
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MAN-MADE TOURISTS ATTRACTIONS
Diamond Park (San Jose)
Strategically located at the gateway to the Cagayan Valley, it is a haven for picnics and sightseeing. Its hundred-step stair leads to lamp-lit pagodas nestled on hilltops and offering a panoramic view of northern Nueva Ecija.
Pantabangan Dam
Built in 1974 along the Pampanga River to serve as reinforcement against flood, and provide irrigation, additional electricity in the entire Luzon island, the dam was built by Filipino engineers under the supervision of the National Irrigation Administration. Pantabangan Dam is now one of the most visited tourist spots in the province. The place offers a scenic view of the surrounding area. Tourists will also appreciate the dam's engineering wonders.
Philrice
The Philippine Rice Research Institute, located at Maligaya, Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, is the central station of agricultural experimentation, it is the only one of its kind throughout the country. It was created to develop and implement a natural rice research and development program, sustain the grains made in rice production and solve location-specific problems of the rice industry. A variety of rice wine is produced at the center.
Central Luzon State University (CLSU)
Located in the outskirts of the town of Munoz, Nueva Ecija, the 658-hectare main campus of CLSU is famous for its old shady trees, model farm, vegetable and ornamental plant gardens. Nueva Ecija has been referred to as the “Agricultural Central of Luzon.”
Agricultural Museum (CLSU)
A socio-cultural arm for information in Central Luzon, it is the first and the only one of its kind in the country. The materials on display are preserved and maintained to promote the cultural heritage of Filipinos in Central Luzon. The museum has six sections: rice and vegetable planting implements; household ingredients utensils; personal apparel; hunting and fishing implements.
Living Fish Museum (CLSU)
Showcases indigenous and tropical freshwater fishes collected form different provinces in Luzon.
Rubber Dam
Llnera, Nueva Ecija - Asia's first and only rubber dam
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FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL
INTEREST TOURS
Festivals
 Taong Putik Festival of Aliaga
At the crack of dawn, scores of mud-covered, barely dressed devotees make their appearance, asking for alms and candles form the wide awake town folks. This practice mimics a biblical myth about St. John the Baptist, who was said to have done the same thing in his lifetime. A special mass culminates the occasion, reinforcing its spiritual nature to the people of Aliaga.
Holy Week Rituals of Puncan
The unique Holy Week rites of Puncan, one of the oldest towns in Nueva Ecija, are woven in folklore. Aside from the differing dialect, Pangasinense, widely used in Puncan, its distinct Lenten rituals include a hide-and-seek routine between the “Flagellante” and “Hudyo,” a chidren’s parade, and a choreographed version of Christian penitential rites in which participants with charcoal-smeared faces beat bamboos.
Special Interest Tours
Farm Tours
Tour of agri-based institutions of Muñoz in Nueva Ecija, including a farming technology tour at the Central Luzon State University and plant tour of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (Philrice) and Philippine Carabao Center.
Gross Ostrich Farm
San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija
Located in Brgy. Tagumpay, San Leonardo, Gross Ostrich Farm grows, breeds and propagates imported ostriches both for human consumption and for tourism such as sale of decorative eggs, leather wallets, colorful feathers and other by-products. Ostriches reach a height of about 7 - 8 feet, weighs 110 - 130 kgs, runs at a speed of 60 km/h, has a lifespan of 50 - 80 years and a breeding life of 20 - 25 years. Tha farm produces fillet meat at P600/kl, steak at P500/kl and stir fry at P400/kl. On-site farm visits to view the "big birds" in their natural habitat are organized for students and professionals alike. For furher information, contact Liza Gross, Tel. No. (63 44) 486-4946 or eMail: mikegross@mozcom.com or grossostrich@yahoo.com
CLSU Concrete Tank Culture for Tilapia
Munoz, Nueva Ecija - This one-of-a-kind breeding farm showcases intensive culture of tilapia in concrete circular tanks, with provisions for continuous water exchange and aeration. Each tank is stocked with 6,000 tilapia fingerlings. Estimated output is 1,000 kg. of table-size fish after four months of culture.
Philippine Carabao Center
(Munoz, Nueva Ecija) The Philippine Carabao Center was created in 1993 as an offshoot of the Carabao Development Program, through Republic Act 7307. It is an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture, mandated to "conserve, propagate and promote the carabao as a source of draft animal power, meat, milk and hide, to benefit the rural farmers." Services at the center include: artificial insemination, bull loan, production of quality breeding animals and germplasm, technical assistance and training and carabao-based enterprise development. The center breeds and cross-breeds, through artificial insemination, animals called Murrah Buffaloes, a species of the dairy type from India, Bulgaria and some countries like North and Latin America. This type can produce an average of eight liters of milk daily in 300 days. Top-performing ones can produce 12 - 15 liters per day.
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Where to Stay in Nueva Ecija | Brief History | Nueva Ecija Descriptions
Historical and Cultural Attractions | Natural and Religious Attractions
Man-Made Attractions | Festivals and Special Interest Tours
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