Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija

History
Cabanatuan, officially the City of Cabanatuan is a city in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines.
It is the largest city in Nueva Ecija, and 5th in Central Luzon with a population of 272,676 in 2010.
The city is popular for being home to more than 30,000 tricycles. It prides itself as the "Tricycle
Capital of the Philippines" and its strategic location along the Cagayan Valley Road has made the
city a major economic, educational, medical, entertainment and transportation center in Nueva
Ecija and nearby provinces in the region such as Aurora and Bulacan. It has earned the moniker
"Gateway to the North".
Cabanatuan remained as Nueva Ecija's capital until 1965 when the government created Palayan
City as the new provincial capital. Nueva Ecija's old capitol and other government offices are still
used and maintained by the provincial administration.
Cabanatuan was founded as Barrio of Gapan in 1750 and became a Municipality and capital of La
Provincia de Nueva Ecija in 1780. Cabanatuan is the site of the historical "Plaza Lucero" and the
Cabanatuan Cathedral, where General Antonio Luna was ambushed on his way to Palanan.
Cabanatuan lost the title of provincial capital in 1850 when the capital of Nueva Ecija was moved
to San Isidro, another historic town. It was only in 1917, when the Administrative code was
enacted, that Cabanatuan was restored as capital of the Province. However, in 1965, Congress
created Palayan City, which has been the capital ever since.
During World War II, the occupying Japanese built Cabanatuan Prison Camp, where many
American soldiers were imprisoned, some of whom had been forced to endure the infamous Bataan
Death March. In January 1945, elements of the U.S. Army 6th Ranger Battalion marched 30 miles
(48 km) behind enemy lines to rescue the prisoners in what became known as the Raid at
Cabanatuan. As a result of the raid, on January 30, 1945, victorious Filipino guerrillas and
American troops of the U.S. Army 6th Ranger Battalion celebrated having obtained the freedom
of 500 American POWs. Soon thereafter, Philippine and American forces re-established the
presence of military general headquarters and military camp bases of the Philippine
Commonwealth Army, Philippine Constabulary 2nd Infantry Regiment, and the United States
Army here in Cabanatuan from February 1945 to June 1946 during the Allied Liberation. Before
long, the combined Philippine Commonwealth and American armed forces, in cooperation with
local guerrilla resistance fighters and Hukbalahap Communist guerrillas, had liberated Central
Luzon from Japanese Imperial forces, a campaign that lasted from January until August 1945.

In 1957, the barrios of Mataas na Kahoy, Balangkare Norte, Balangkare Sur, Sapang Kawayan,
Magasawang Sampaloc, Talabutab Norte, Talabutab Sur, Platero, Belen, Pecaleon, Piñahan,
Kabulihan, Pasong-Hari, Balaring, Pulong Singkamas, Panaksak, Bravo, Sapang Bato, Burol,
Miller, Tila Patio, Pula, Carinay, and Acacia were separated from Cabanatuan and constituted into
a separate and independent municipality known as General Mamerto Natividad.
Cabanatuan was the epicenter of a massive earthquake at roughly 3 p.m. on July 16, 1990. The
earthquake leveled some buildings, including the Christian College of the Philippines (Liwag
Colleges) in the midst of class time. At 7.7 on the Richter scale, it killed 1,653 people.

Products and Services

Cabanatuan City is credited for its good access to commercial banks making the city ranked as one
of the most liveable cities in the Philippines together with Makati City in terms of banking. There
are 60 commercial banks in the city, including the major players and their multiple branches
citywide. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has a branch in the city’s business district. Globe
Telecom, Smart Communications and Sun Cellular also have their business offices located in the
city. The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) have their business office at
General Tinio St., while Digitel is in Mabini Extension. TV and Radio Stations are also present in
the city.
Tourist Spots
General Luna Statue – General Antonio Luna a Philippine national hero – a brave general who
stand on his great principle which was assassinated in 1899 on this exact spot.
Cabanatuan Catholic Church
Festivals and Celebrations
Longanisa Festival – this week-long celebration is held in the vicinity of the public market along
Paco Roman Street. Apart from the local meat traders and costumers, tourists from nearby town
are also joining the celebration. Highlights of this festival are the cooking contests and the different
preparations for longanisa (native sausage), including spaghetti and “binagoongan”.

Bonifacio District, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija

Bonifacio District, formerly Poblacion, is a barangay in the city of Cabanatuan, in the province of
Nueva Ecija. Its population as determined by the 2015 Census was 2,917. This represented 0.97%
of the total population of Cabanatuan.
One can find the museum of Lazaro Francisco in the Purok 1 of the Bonifacion District. His simple
and unpretentious family residence on Rizal Street in Barangay Bonifacio, a structure he himself
designed, is maintained by his children as a writer’s museum to honour their father.
At the back of the house is a special shrine where his remains are. The large public school in the
neighbourhood around the corner, the Lazaro Francisco Integrated School bears his name.
References:
 opinion.inquirer.net/119742/remembering-lazaro-francisco#ixzz60kZ7fa7K
 www.philatlas.com
 www.lcp.org.ph
 philippinescities.com