Cabanatuan

Cabanatuan
Component City
City of Cabanatuan
(clockwise): Camp Pangatian Memorial Shrine, Gen. Antonio Luna Equestrian Statue, San Nicolas de Tolentino Cathedral, Old Nueva Ecija Provincial Capitol, Camp Pangatian WWII Memorial
Seal
Nickname(s): Gateway to the North, Tricycle Capital of the Philippines
Motto(s): Pagbabago, Progreso, Disiplina
Map of Nueva Ecija with Cabanatuan highlighted
Cabanatuan Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 15°29′N 120°58′E / 15.48°N 120.97°E / 15.48; 120.97Coordinates: 15°29′N 120°58′E / 15.48°N 120.97°E / 15.48; 120.97
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Luzon (Region III)
Province	Nueva Ecija
District	3rd
Founded	1750
Cityhood	June 15, 1950
Barangays	89 (see Barangays)
Government [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Panlungsod
• Mayor	Julius Cesar V. Vergara
• Vice Mayor	Emmanuel Antonio M. Umali
• Representative	Rosanna V. Vergara
• Electorate	201,995 voters (2016)
Area [2]
• Total	192.29 km2 (74.24 sq mi)
Population (2015 census)[3]
• Total	302,231
• Density	1,600/km2 (4,100/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Cabanatueños (Male), Cabanatueñas (Female), Cabanatuenean
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	3100
PSGC	034903000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)44
Climate type	Tropical monsoon climate
Income class	1st city income class
Revenue (₱)	1,500,358,316.23 (2017)
Native languages	Kapampangan Tagalog
Website	www.cabanatuancity.gov.ph

Cabanatuan, officially the City of Cabanatuan, (Tagalog: Lungsod ng Cabanatuan; Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Cabanatuan; Ilokano: Siudad ti Cabanatuan; Kapampangan: Lakanbalen ning Cabanatuan; Pangasinan: Siyudad na Cabanatuan; also known as Cabsy), or simply Cabanatuan City is a 1st class city in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 302,231 people,^[3] making it the most populous city in Nueva Ecija and the 5th populous in Central Luzon.

The city is popular for being home to more than 30,000 tricycles, thus priding itself as the "Tricycle Capital of the Philippines"^[4] and its strategic location along the Cagayan Valley Road has made the city a major economic, educational, medical, entertainment shopping and transportation center in Nueva Ecija and nearby provinces in the region such as Aurora and Bulacan. It has also earned the moniker "Gateway to the North".

Cabanatuan remained as Nueva Ecija's capital until 1965 when the government created nearby 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.

History

Marker of Gen. Antonio Luna's Death Place

Cabanatuan was founded as a 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 assassinated by Captain Pedro Janolino and members of the kawit battalion. 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.

Map of the routes taken by the US Rangers in their Raid at Cabanatuan

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 Constabulary Regiment, and the United States Army in Cabanatuan from February 1, 1945 to June 30, 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.^[5]

Cabanatuan was the epicenter of a very strong earthquake at roughly 3 P.M. on July 16, 1990. It leveled some buildings, including the Christian College of the Philippines (Liwag Colleges) in the midst of class time. At 7.8 on the surface wave magnitude scale, it killed 1,653 people.

Geography

Cabanatuan City is located in the rolling central plains of Luzon drained by the Pampanga River. The city is seated 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) southwest of the provincial capital Palayan City and 120 kilometres (75 mi) north of Manila. The geographic coordinates of Cabanatuan City are 15° 29' 22 N, 120° 58' 14 E.

Demographics

Economy

Circumferential Road-Maharlika Highway junction

Cabanatuan is the economic heart of Nueva Ecija. More than 640,000 people live in its metropolitan area comprising the city and its adjacent municipalities. As a hub, many people in Nueva Ecija commute to the city during the day. This causes the city's daytime population to swell to about a million.^[17] Although Cabanatuan does not have significant manufacturing industries, its dynamic service sector together with the thriving agriculture drives the economy forward.

The city is a vital financial center housing a good number of banks, non-bank financial institutions and headquarters of some of the largest rural banks in Central Luzon. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) maintains a branch in the city that performs cash operations and cash administration. Approximately 39 billion pesos in deposit liabilities is kept in the city's 62 banks as of June 2017.^[18] This amount constitutes more than half of the province's deposits. In terms of banking convenience, the city ranks as one of the most livable in the country together with Makati City.^[19]

Cabanatuan Electric Corporation (CELCOR) generate electric power and distribute electricity to the Cabanatuan City. CELCOR main offices are located at Maharlika Highway, Barangay Bitas, Cabanatuan City. Collection offices are strategically located at CELCOR's Commercial Building in Burgos Avenue, Cabanatuan City and at the CELCOR's Commercial Building in Burgos Avenue, Cabanatuan City and at the Main Office in Bitas. First Cabanatuan Ventures Corp. (FCVC) 12.8 Megawatts Power Plant and First Cabanatuan Renewable Ventures Inc. (FCRV) 10.6 Megawatts Solar Power Plant to generate electric power to Cabanatuan City.

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.

The motor vehicle industry is a notable part of the city economy. Popular global automotive companies has established dealerships in the city's metropolitan area. Existing car/truck dealerships include Toyota (Toyota Cabanatuan Inc. being the 604th largest Philippine corporation^[20]), Mitsubishi, Kia, Isuzu, Mazda, Ford, Nissan, Peugeot, Hyundai, Suzuki, and Mahindra, all in Cabanatuan; Foton and Honda in Santa Rosa town; Chevrolet and Hino in San Leonardo town. Motorcycle dealerships are common like in most Philippine mid-sized cities.

The city is also a distribution and logistics center for goods and commodities; a number of distribution warehouses and sales offices of various companies serve the whole of Nueva Ecija and parts of neighboring provinces. The NFA warehouses in the city play an important role in regulating Nueva Ecija's burgeoning rice industry. The city acts as a trading place or bagsakan of agricultural produce from the surrounding farming communities.

Income of Cabanatuan LGU (2003-2015)

Indicators reflect Cabanatuan's economic achievements in the past few years.^[21] Annual business registrations in the city grew 31.7% last 2015^[22] while locally sourced taxes grew 14.81% annually in the five years to 2015.^[23] Residential buildings and subdivisions, numbering more than a hundred, are taking up lands on the fringes of the downtown.

The presence of big land developers such as Sta. Lucia Realty, Vista Land and Ayala Land ensures competition and quality in the new suburban homes. New commercial buildings are springing up in the CBD and along Maharlika Highway on the average of seventy-five per year.

Cabanatuan nowadays is gradually becoming a major investment hub and is considered as one of the most competitive cities for doing business in the country. Investors in banking, real estate, retail and other business and industrial enterprises are similarly drawn to the city because of its adequate infrastructure and investor support services. Its continuing urbanization is also luring investors into its suburban municipalities as well.

To further explore its economic potentials, Cabanatuan is seeking to have a share of the IT-BPO boom. The first call center in Nueva Ecija was successfully established in the city in 2008. The city government is providing prospective investors fast business applications processing, low business taxes, and other incentives to attract big-ticket projects.^[23]

In 2015, the city's total assets amounted to PHP 3.719 billion and the total income reached PHP 1.696 billion,.^[24]

Shopping centers

Robinsons Townville Cabanatuan

SM Megacenter Cabanatuan

The shopping centers of Cabanatuan draw a lot of people from the province and nearby places. The downtown has three out of the six established malls: NE Mall, Waltermart and SM Megacenter. A fourth downtown mall will soon be built by Robinsons Land.^[26] Another cluster of shopping malls can be found along Maharlika Highway south of the city center: NE Pacific Mall; Robinsons Townville, which is connected to NE Pacific Mall; and SM City Cabanatuan, the largest mall north of Metro Manila by gross floor area (154,020 sqm).^[27]

Mid-section, SM City Cabanatuan

SM City Cabanatuan is built as a regional SM supermall. It features a garden park, a roof park, and the first ever SM Large Screen Cinema^[28] in the country.

Other shopping centers include Savemore supermarkets, Puregold, a chain of NE supermarkets, and many small department stores.

The warehouse club store S&R opened recently, forming a sprawling shopping district with NE Pacific Mall and Robinsons Townville.

Vista Mall, CityMall and Robinsons Place are the upcoming malls in the city.

Transportation

Buses in Cabanatuan City Central Terminal

Cabanatuan City Central Terminal

The city is a major hub of transportation services in Central Luzon. Cabanatuan City has a large number of bus companies operating provincial and regional routes, with the Cabanatuan Central Transport Terminal serving as the terminus. Jeepney operators serve routes within the province with some reaching as far to Dingalan, Baler and Dilasag in Aurora, Olongapo City, San Fernando and Dau in Pampanga, Mariveles and Balanga in Bataan, Baguio City in Benguet, Dagupan City and Tarlac City. Much of the city's population rely on public transportation such as tricycles and jeeps to get around the city.

Maharlika Highway (or Pan-Philippine Highway) is the main highway traversing the city where most vehicles going to Cagayan Valley pass through. Nueva Ecija - Aurora Road links Cabanatuan to Baler, Aurora, passing through rural towns in eastern Nueva Ecija. Burgos Avenue and Del Pilar Street serve as the city's main thoroughfare inside the downtown area. Other major roads include the General Tinio and Rizal Streets which run through the city proper in an east-west direction; Mabini Street, where two of the city's three universities are situated and the Circumferential Road that connects the downtown area to the Kapitan Pepe residential district. Two bypass roads were constructed during the early 2000s to decongest the Maharlika Highway and to spur new developments outside the downtown area. The 10.3-kilometer Felipe Vergara Highway provides a direct route to Cagayan Valley, while Emilio Vergara Highway links Santa Rosa to Nueva Ecija - Aurora Road, avoiding traffic bottleneck along Maharlika Highway.

Cabanatuan was served by the Manila Railroad Company way back in the 1900s through the Balagtas - Cabanatuan line and was later abandoned after the war when scavengers have looted pieces of the rail tracks. Rail service was later resumed in 1969 after the rehabilitation of the rail tracks as mandated by a government order, the service was again abandoned in the 1980s when the route didn't fare much to the commuters. The old Cabanatuan Railway Station is located at Barangay General Luna and is converted to a day care center with the original structure remaining.

Infrastructure improvements are ongoing with projects done by administration. All key intersections in the city are already signalized. Bicycle and tricycle lanes are currently being built while road widening of the Maharlika Highway from the present four lanes to eight lanes is on the drawing board. Road widening of all city and arterial roads from one/two-lane highway to three-lane highway is also being considered.

Two proposed expressways will pass through Cabanatuan City if built. These are the North Luzon East Expressway (Quezon City to Cabanatuan) and the Central Luzon Link Expressway (SCTEx-TPLEx to San Jose City).

Intercity/interprovincial buses from Manila serve the city, and are usually operated by Baliwag Transit, Inc., Five Star, Victory Liner, Genesis Transport Service Inc., GV Florida Transport, and Pangasinan Solid North. Jeepneys provide

Attractions

Freedom Park

Gen. Antonio Luna Monument

Historical sites found in the city include:

• Cabanatuan Railroad Station in Barangay General Luna, built in the early 1927 as the terminus of the now abandoned Balagtas-Cabanatuan line. The building has since been converted into a barangay civic center and day care center, with the original structure preserved.
• Camp Pangatian (Prisoner of War Memorial Shrine)(Now Cabanatuan American Memorial), began as a military training camp for twenty years until converted into a concentration camp for allied prisoners of war during the Japanese occupation. A popular tourist destination among war veterans by way of the WWII Veteran's Homecoming Program. Camp Pangatian's liberation of World War II American prisoners of war held by the Japanese forces in January 1945 was the most successful rescue operation ever executed by the American military aided by the Filipino guerillas who were fighting the invaders. That tactical operation was immortalized in the movie The Great Raid.
• Freedom Park is a provincial park located in front of the Old Provincial Capitol of Nueva Ecija, civic spaces as well as various monuments and memorials can be found inside the park which includes a monument dedicated to General Antonio Luna who was assassinated in the nearby Cathedral of San Nicolas de Tolentino.
• Gen. Antonio Luna Statue and Marker in Plaza Lucero, 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 in the city that adopted him subsequently.
• Old Provincial Capitol of Nueva Ecija located along Burgos Avenue, the old provincial capitol was designed by prominent American architect William E. Parsons who also designed government buildings in Manila, Cebu and Laguna during the American Colonial Period. The old edifice has since been renovated and expanded.

Festivals and celebrations:

• Banatu Festival celebrates its founding anniversary as a chartered city. From its humble beginning in 2015, "Banatu Festival" aims to showcase the history, culture, talent, beauty and craftsmanship of Cabanatueños.
• Longganisa Festival one of activities in "Banatu Festival" and 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 like "batutay", "longanisang bawang" and "longanisang matamis"), including spaghetti and “binagoongan”.

City Tourist Spot:

• Banatu Box Food Park the city's premiere food destination harboring different local entrepreneurs, Located M. De Leon Ave. Kapitan Pepe Subdivision.

Education

Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology

Cabanatuan is the one of the region's educational center being home to more than 40 higher education institutions, 1 science high school, more than 50 public and private high schools, and more than 100 public and private primary schools. Most of the students of the province go to Cabanatuan to study and build their career in the city.

Universities and colleges:

• ABE International College
• Acatech Aviation College
• AMA Computer College
• Asian College of Science and Technology
• Asian Institute of Computer Studies (AICS)
• Asian Institute of E-commerce (AIE)Cabanatuan
• Araullo University (Main Campus)
• Araullo University-South
• College for Research & Technology
• College of the Immaculate Conception
• Datamex Institute of Computer Technology - Cabanatuan City
• Dr. Gloria Lacson Foundation Colleges
• Eduardo L. Joson Memorial College (School of Scholars)
• First Asian International Systems College
• Good Samaritan Colleges
• Interface Computer College (closed)
• La Fortuna College
• Midway Maritime Foundation
• M.V. Gallego Foundation Colleges
• Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology Sumacab (Main Campus)
• Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology – General Tinio Street Campus
• North Central Academy for Culinary Arts
• Our Lady of Fatima University (Nueva Ecija Colleges)
• Philippine Statesman College
• Provincial Manpower Training Center
• St. Augustine Foundation College
• St. John Regis Health Care Institute Inc.
• Skill Power Institute
• Wesleyan University (Philippines)

Catholic seminary:

• Maria Assumpta Seminary

Health services

Many hospitals and clinics can be found in the city, most are private and with modern facilities which made Cabanatuan City the center for medical operations and research in the province. Most residents of the province go to Cabanatuan for their check ups and appointments in hospitals and clinics within the city.

Nueva Ecija Doctors' Hospital

List of Hospitals: (3) Public and (5) Private

• Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center
• Eduardo L. Joson Memorial Hospital (Nueva Ecija Provincial Hospital)
• M. V. Gallego Cabanatuan City General Hospital
• Immaculate Concepcion Medical Center of Central Luzon
• Nueva Ecija Doctors' Hospital
• Nueva Ecija Good Samaritan General Hospital
• Premiere Medical Center
• Wesleyan University General Hospital and Cardiovascular Center

Sister cities

• Angeles City, Pampanga
• Tarlac City, Tarlac
• Quezon City, Metro Manila
• Baguio City, Benguet
• Taguig City, Metro Manila
• Davao City, Davao del Sur
• Cebu City, Cebu
• Manila, Metro Manila
• San Fernando, Pampanga
• Gapan City, Nueva Ecija
• Calamba City, Laguna
• Aliaga, Nueva Ecija
• Santa Rosa, Nueva Ecija
• Santa Rosa City, Laguna

Notable people from Cabanatuan

• Ameurfina Melencio-Herrera, Filipino lawyer and jurist who served as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 1979 to 1992. Herrera is a granddaughter of Emilio Aguinaldo.
• Willie Revillame, television host, actor, comedian and a recording artist grew up in Cabanatuan.
• Vic Sotto, Multi-awarded Filipino actor, television host, comedian.
• Cristy Fermin, showbiz reporter, talk show host, and journalist.
• Paolo Ballesteros, Filipino actor, TV host and model. He is also a mainstay host of Eat Bulaga
• Nestor de Villa, Filipino actor frequently cast in musical films. He was a gifted dancer, often paired with frequent on-screen partner Nida Blanca in both movies and television. His dancing talent led some people to call him the "Fred Astaire of the Philippines"
• Heber Bartolome, Filipino folk and folk rock singer, songwriter, composer, poet, guitarist, bandurria player, bluesman, and painter.
• Kathryn Bernardo, Filipina actress, singer and dancer. She is best known for her role as Mara in the primetime Filipino drama, Mara Clara.
• Ruel S. Bayani, Filipino film and television director, writer, producer, who is best known for directing movies like One More Try, and No Other Woman and co-directing television shows like Budoy, Kokey, Mula Sa Puso.
• Andrea Torres, Filipina actress, television host, dancer and commercial mode
• John Paul Lizardo, also known as Japoy Lizardo, is a Filipino taekwondo Asian Games bronze medalist, actor and commercial model.
• Yen Santos, filipina actress and dancer. Part of ABS-CBN's Star Magic. Has appeared in Growing Up, teleserye Pure Love and current teleserye Dream Dad.
• Samboy de Leon, Filipino professional basketball player who last played for the Star Hotshots of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAASCU), where he was awarded the league MVP in 2014 played for CEU Scorpions.

References

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Cabanatuan.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cabanatuan.