Nueva Ecija, Philippines

Cabanatuan City | Gapan City | Muñoz City | Palayan City | San Jose City |
Aliaga | Bongabon | Cabiao | Carranglan | Cuyapo | Gabaldon | General Mamerto Natividad | General Tinio | Guimba | Jaen | Laur | Licab | Llanera | Lupao | Nampicuan | Pantabangan | Peñaranda | Quezon | Rizal | San Antonio | San Isidro | San Leonardo | Santa Rosa | Santo Domingo | Talavera | Talugtug | Zaragoza

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Nueva Ecija Philippines Philippines

Brief History of Nueva Ecija

The province of Nueva Ecija was created in 1705 by the Spanish Governor General Don Fausto Cruzar y
Gongora. Looking then at the undulating ripples of the Pampanga River, Spanish Governor Cruzar was struck by this nostalgic longing of his homeland “Ecija” – it’s an old town on the left bank of the gentle river Genil in the province of Seville, Southern Spain. Being a native Ecijan, he called his new foundland “Nueva Ecija” – his “New Ecija”.

Gov. Cruzar’s creation of the new commandancia (fort) extended from the Pacific Ocean in the east, to southern tip of what is now Isabela in the north, and the territorial limits of the provinces of Bulacan in the south and Pampanga in the west.

Despite its huge size, Nueva Ecija, in 1845 only had population of 9,165. the overland travel was both difficult and hazardous in the new territory. As set up, the coastal towns of the province progressed first. In an attempt to hasten the development of the territory, the populated towns of Pampanga such as Cabiao, San Antonio, San Isidro, Gapan and Aliaga were annexed. Soon, the province had a population of 69,000.

In 1853, the coastal towns of Baler and Casiguran were separated from Nueva Ecija and were annexed to Tayabas (now Quezon) province. This land partition was followed by the transfer of the town of Palanan to the new created province of Nueva Ecija. Finally the town of Binalonan and Polilio along Pacific Ocean were separated from the province which completed the isolation of Nueva Ecija from the sea.

Demographers and historians claim through the years that it was this isolation that retarded the growth of the province for many years.

When the Philippine Revolution broke out in 1896, Nueva Ecija was one of the first eight provinces that revolted against the Spanish government. Because of its strategic location, it became the center of military operations during the infamous Filipino-American War. General Emilio Aguinaldo’s refuge in the province made it a rebel territory until his eventual surrender in 1901.

During the pacification of the province, a new government under the American was formed in 1898 headed by Felino Cajucom as governor. After cessation of hostilities, a civil government was established in 1901. In 1912, the provincial capital was returned to Cabanatuan, where it has remained until a recent decree created the city of Palayan and thereafter, named it the capital of Nueva Ecija.