Everything about Nueva Ecija totally explained
Nueva Ecija is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is Cabanatuan City. Nueva Ecija borders, from the south clockwise, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya, and Aurora.
People and culture
Nueva Ecija ("New
Écija") was settled in the last century by thousands of Tagalogs, Kapampangans, and Ilocanos from adjoining provinces such as Pampanga, Tarlac, Bulacan, Pangasinan, and Ilocos. Today Nuevo Ecijanos are descendants of these settlers and many still hold on to folk traditions that trace their ancestry to other provinces. About 77% of the people speak Tagalog as their first language. Much of the remainder are Kapampangan and Ilocano speakers and they're concentrated in the towns of the south and north, respectively. There are small communities of Ilongots along the Caraballo and Sierra Madre Range as well as Agtas or Negritos.
Agriculture is the main industry of the people because of its naturally rich soil. Lowland crops such as rice, corn, onions, vegetables and sugarcane are produced in great quantities and Nueva Ecija is widely referred to as the Rice Bowl of the country. Agriculture has played a vital role in molding the culture of the people. The typical Nuevo Ecijano family is tightly knit and is the basic working unit on the farm.
The May and June Festivals in Nueva Ecija are important Christian observances that are also occasions to ask for favors in ensuring a good harvest. In May, the Nuevo Ecijanos celebrate the feast of the patron of farmers, San Isidro. Food is served to overflowing in the belief that generosity results in bounty.
In barangay Bibiclat, Aliaga, there's a unique practice among the devotees of Saint John the Baptist. They cover their bodies with mud and dry leaves and vines to denote the humble origins of the Saint. Known as the taong-putik or the mud people, they ask alms and candles from the people and offering them to the Church during the special mass celebrated at 7:00 in the morning. They believe that such a practice will cure sickness and bring a bounty in the harvest.
Economy
Nueva Ecija is considered the main rice growing province of the Philippines; also, the leading producer of onion (in the Municipality of Bongabon) in South East Asia.
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 Granary 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 Pantabangan. The upper reaches of Carranglan and Palayan City are said to contain gold.
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
The governor as of 2007 is Aurelio Matias Umali, who assumed his governatorial duties after winning the
2007 election.
The province is divided into four congressional districts which consists of 27
municipalities and 5
cities.
Nueva Ecija is a landlocked
province of the
Philippines located in the
Central Luzon region. Its capital is
Palayan City. Nueva Ecija borders, from the south clockwise,
Bulacan,
Pampanga,
Tarlac,
Pangasinan,
Nueva Vizcaya, and
Aurora.
Cities
Municipalities
Physical
History
Nueva Ecija was created as a
military comandancia in
1777 by
Governor General Clavería, with the capital at
Baler (now part of Aurora). 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 recognizes 2 Spanish countries in the Pacific--
Las Islas Filipinas and
Nueva Ecija. Poverty was the only reason why Nueva Ecija wasn't given recognition as a separate country from the Philippines by the
King of Spain in
1840s. 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 Polillo 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.
During
World War II the Imperial Japanese Army entered the province and
Nueva Ecija was taken in
1942. In
February,
1942, under the leadership of
Luis Taruc the
Hukbalahap (
Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon-People's Army Against the Japanese) which was the military arm to the
Communist Party of the Philippines, began to attack Japanese forces from the villages of Sitio, Bawit, Baryo, San lorenzo and
Cabiao. Thousands of these Filipino guerillas would engage the Japanese in
Nueva Ecija occupation of the Philippines.
In
1945, American and Filipino forces liberated
Nueva Ecija with Filipino guerillas continuing to harass the Japanese at every opportunity. On
January 30,
1945 American Army Rangers,
Alamo scouts and Filipino guerillas conducted a
raid to liberate Allied civilians and prisioners of war in Cabanatuan, this was successful with over 516 rescued. By
January 31,
1945, the liberated civilians and POWs reached
Talavera, the rescue is commemorated in
Talavera.
The Province was named after the old city of
Écija 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.
Tourist Attractions
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.
Nueva Ecija is also the agri-tourism pilot site in Central Luzon due to the presence of the
Central Luzon State University in the province.
Its other worthwhile attractions include the Minalungao National Park, Rizal Hot Spring, Burburayok Springs and Pajanutic Falls, Barrio Puncan in the town of Carranglan, among others.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Nueva Ecija'.
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