Nueva Ecija – Rice Bowl of the Philippines

Since time immemorial, Nueva Ecija has been blessed with fertile land ideal for agriculture. It became the biggest rice producer of Central Luzon, thus, earning the title, "Rice Bowl of the Philippines."

This land-bound province takes pride in notable historical and agricultural milestones. The Brains of the Revolution, Apolinario Mabini was arrested in Cuyapo. The Battle of Dalton Pass commenced in the borders of Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya. Camp Pangatian housed several prisoners of war during World War II. The construction of the Pantabangan Dam became an engineering marvel in the seventies. Finally, the Philippine Rice Research Institute served as the prime research center for rice development in Asia.

Demographics

1. Population – 1,853,853 (as of 2007 Census)
2. Land Area – 5,284.3 sq. km
3. Capital – Palayan City
4. Language/Dialect –Ilocano, Tagalog, Pampango, Pangasinan, Bicol, Ilonggo, English, and Filipino
5. Divisions

Cities (5)

• Cabanatuan City
• Gapan City
• Palayan City
• San Jose City
• Science City of Muñoz

Municipalities (20)

• Aliaga
• Bongabon
• Cabiao
• Carranglan
• Cuyapo
• Gabaldon (Bitulok & Sabani)
• General Mamerto Natividad
• General Tinio
• Guimba
• Jaén
• Laur
• Licab
• Llanera
• Lupao
• Nampicuan
• Pantabangan
• Peñaranda
• Quezon
• Rizal
• San Antonio
• San Isidro
• San Leonardo
• Santa Rosa
• Santo Domingo
• Talavera
• Talugtug
• Zaragoza

Pantabangan Dam
This infrastructure symbolizes a milestone in Philippine engineering history. The dam also serves as a hydroelectric plant which supplies additional energy for Luzon.

Taong Putik Festival of Allaga.
Celebrated in Barangay Biblicat in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija, locals dress up with dried bananas, vegetable vines and wigs covered in mud to commemorate the feast of St. John the Baptist.

Minalungao National Park
A scenic viewpoint of the Penaranda River, this national park is enveloped by lush greenery composed of several flora and fauna. The ridge formation of white sculptured limestone walls shows the might of the great river.

Diamond Park
Its hundred-step stair leads to lamp-lit pagodas nestled on hilltops and offering a panoramic view of northern Nueva Ecija.

Camp Pangatian
This military training camp turned concentration camp of the Japanese Imperial Army is a popular destination for World War II veterans.

Cultural

Agricultural Museum
Location: Central Luzon State University, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija
This is the first and the only museum dedicated to agriculture in the country. The museum has six sections: rice and vegetable planting implements; household ingredients utensils; personal apparel; hunting and fishing implements.

Living Fish Museum
Location: Central Luzon State University, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija
Live tropical freshwater fish displays in the museum came from different provinces of Luzon.

Gross Ostrich Farm
Location: Brgy. Tagumpay, San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija
The farm is a favorite destination for educational field trip. Imported ostriches are bred and propagated for both for human consumption and for tourism such as sale of decorative eggs, leather wallets, colorful feathers and other by-products.

Historical

Camp Pangatian
Location: Brgy. Pangatian, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija
For twenty years. It served as a military training camp. At the advent of World War II, it was turned into a concentration camp of the Japanese Imperial Army. Most of those who were detained here were survivors of the Bataan Death March.

Tabacalera of San Isidro
Location: San Isidro, Nueva Ecija
From 1782 to 1882, the province became the center of the tobacco monopoly in Central Luzon and was thus restricted from raising other crops. The Tabacalera serves a reminder of the 100-year oppression experienced by the Novo Ecijanos

Gen. Antonio Luna Statue and Marker
Location: Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija
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.

Apolinario Mabini Marker
Location: Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija
The house of Don Zacarias B. Flores served as the hiding place of Apolinario Mabini, the "Sublime Paralytic", and "the Brains of the Revolution. He was arrested on December 10, 1899 by the American forces. He died on May 13, 1903 of cholera.

Sedeco of San Isidro
Location: San Isidro, Nueva Ecija
The Grand Sedeco House was where General Frederick Funston planned the capture of Philippine President Emilio Aguinaldo during the Philippine-American war.

Wright Institute of San Isidro
Location: San Isidro, Nueva Ecija
Now known as San Isidro Central School, this is one of the first high schools established outside Metro Manila during the American period

Dalton Pass
Location: Brgy. Capintalan, Carranglan, Nueva Ecija
The Dalton Pass, borders the provinces of Nueva Ecija and Nueva Viscaya. Named after brigadier general James Dalton II, the pass is where 17,000 Japanese, American, and Filipino soldiers died in battle during World War II. Dalton was killed in action by a Japanese sniper during the battle.

Man-made

Diamond Park
Location: San Jose City, Nueva Ecija
An ideal site for for picnics and sightseeing, the park is located at the gateway to the Cagayan Valley Its hundred-step stair leads to lamp-lit pagodas nestled on hilltops and offering a panoramic view of northern Nueva Ecija.

Pantabangan Dam
Location: Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija
Construction of the Pantabangan Dam started on March 3, 1971 and was completed in August 1974. In the seventies, it was considered as one of Asia’s largest infrastructure. The dam also serves as reinforcement against flood, and provider of irrigation and additional electricity for the entire Luzon island.

Philippine Rice Research Institute
Location: Brgy. Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija
The Philippine Rice Research Institute (Philrice) is the central station of agricultural experimentation. 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.

Baka Dam
Location: Brgy. San Vicente, Llanera, Nueva Ecija
This is the first rubber dam in Asia. It was built in 1983 to 1984.

Natural

Minalungao National Park
Location: Brgy. Minalungao, Gen. Tinio, Nueva Ecija
This national park was created by virtue of Republic Act No. 5100 enacted in June 17, 1967. It is enveloped by lush greenery composed of several flora and fauna. 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

Gen. Luna Falls
Location: Rizal, Nueva Ecija
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 into over twenty pools of varying levels and depths.

Palaspas Falls
Location:Brgy. Manicla, San Jose City, Nueva Ecija
The site has natural scenic beauty where once stood a forbidding forest, its quant existence enhanced only by the sound of cascading waterfalls inadvertently concealed behind its snarling tree branches and thick undergrowth.

Gabaldon Falls
Location: Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija
Its water comes from the Sierra Madre Mountains above it. The water is so cool, clear and clean, it is actually potable.

Pahimis Festival
Place: Amadeo, Cavite
Date: last week of February
Coffee is the major agricultural product of Amadeo. In this feast, locals participate in street dancing, coffee creativity contests, photo contests and more.

Sinagingan Festival
Place: Palocpoc, Mendez, Cavite
Date: May 15
The Sinagingan Festival was created in order to promote planting and harnessing of banana, the main product of the barangay. Banana became the major crop of Palocpoc after the production decline of coffee. In this event, locals dress up their homes using banana tree parts. Street dancing and cultural events are also held.

Wagayway Festival
Place: Imus, Naic, Cavite
Date: May 24 - 28
May 28 is celebrated as National Flag Day. The province started to celebrate it as Wagayway Festival in 2008 and dubbed Imus as the Flag capital of the country. Activities include float parade, beauty contest, cultural activities, plays portraying the creation of the flag, its ban during the US occupation, and the re-enactment of the Battle of Alapan, the 'baptism of blood' of the Philippine Flag.

Kalayaan Festival
Place: Kawit, Cavite
Date: May 28 - June 12
The end of the Wagayway Festival marks the beginning of the Kalayaan Festival. The event is filed with cultural shows, street dancing, float parade and the re-enactment of the Acta de la Independencia, the Philippine Declaration of Independence at the Aguinaldo Shrine.

Regada (Water Festival)
Place: Cavite City
Date: June 24
The feast venerates Nuestra Señora dela Soledad Porta Vaga. In Regada, sprinklers are installed all over the streets of Cavite and the merrymakers receive different kinds of shower.

Maytinis Festival
Place: Kawit, Cavite
Date: December 24
It is a dramatic retelling of St. Joseph and the Virgin Mary's search for a place to stay, which will lead to the birth of the Child Jesus in a stable. After the drama, the town is filled with street dancers celebrating the birth of the Emmanuel.