A Brief History of the Province of Nueva Ecija-Philippines

“Rice Bowl of the Philippines”

(Provincial Capitol at Palayan City)

Nueva Ecija was created as a military commandancia in 1777 by Governor General Narciso Claveria, with the capital at Baler (present-day capital of Aurora province). It was formerly part of the province of Pampanga. From its humble beginning, its land area grew to cover almost the entire island of Luzon. Spanish records in the Philippines recognize two Spanish countries in the Pacific--Las Islas Filipinas and Nueva Ecija. Poverty was only the reason why Nueva Ecija was not given recognition as a separate country from the Philippines by the king of Spain in 1840’s. From 1777 to 1917, Nueva Ecija’s territory was however subdivided to give way to the creation of other provinces. The province of Tayabas (now Aurora and Quezon) including the Polillio Islands, the provinces of Palanan (now Isabela), Cagayan, the province of Nueva Vizcaya, the territory which became part of the province of Quirino, and the province of Manila, north of the province of Tondo in 1867, and the district of Morong (now Rizal) were among those created out of Nueva Ecija.

The province was named after the old city of Ecija in Seville, Spain. In 1896, Nueva Ecija became one of the first provinces to revolt against Spanish rule, and one of the provinces which declared its independence in 1898.

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”.

CITY/MUNICIPALITY	POPULATION
ALIAGA	57,805
BONGABON	59,343
CABANATUAN CITY	272,676
CABIAO	72,081
CARRANGLAN	37,124
CUYAPO	59,396
GABALDON (BITULOK & SABANI)	32,246
GAPAN CITY	101,488
GENERAL MAMERTO NATIVIDAD	36,720
GENERAL TINIO (PAPAYA)	42,634
GUIMBA	104,894
JAEN	67,057
LAUR	32,205
LICAB	26,187
LLANERA	36,200
LUPAO	40,931
SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ	75,462
NAMPICUAN	13,303
PALAYAN CITY (Capital)	37,219
PANTABANGAN	27,353
PEÑARANDA	27,410
QUEZON	36,660
RIZAL	57,145
SAN ANTONIO	73,074
SAN ISIDRO	47,800
SAN JOSE CITY	129,424
SAN LEONARDO	58,120
SANTA ROSA	64,503
SANTO DOMINGO	50,983
TALAVERA	112,515
TALUGTUG	21,291
ZARAGOZA	44,124
TOTAL POPULATION	1,955,373