Guimba, Nueva Ecija

Guimba came from the Ilocano term 'Gebba' which was the process of heating molded clay pots in a pit until they turn reddish and durable. Tree stumps were made into large pieces of charcoal. The live charcoals were placed underneath the clay pots. After a few hours these were hardened and ready to bring out from the pit and ready for use.

The story goes, once a Spanish visited the place where most of the residents are engaged in pottery making. The foreigner stopped and asked the earth-bakers this question in a nasalized manner, 'Que lugar este?'. The foreigner asked what this place was. The natives misunderstood the question and were asked what they were doing, so they answered “GEBBA” pointing to the ground. The Spaniard repeated the word as they left the place “GHEBHA” after years have gone by the name of the place was hispanized into Guimba when the Spaniard founded the town as Pueblo en la provincia de Nueva Ecija. This pottery-making tradition is prevalent even in other barangays outside the central area of the town. An example is Barangay Pasong Intsik, which was named after 'old jars containing Chinese remains' were once found beneath a bridge.

The early Ilocano settlers brought with them the wonder image of Apo San Juan so they called the place San Juan de Guimba. In the American period, a resolution on the town separated the term 'Guimba' from 'Apo San Juan', thus its present name. But Apo San Juan remains as its Patron Saint. The pottery traditions of the indigenous settlers were later disintegrated and lost due to population influx from the Ilocos region and other areas in the south.

What is now the town of Guimba was once a vast ecological rainforest which was part of the Central Luzon Rainforest during precolonial time, before the arrival of the Spanish. The area is believed to be inhabited by no permanent communities, rather, it is inhabited by hunter-gatherer societies, mainly Ilonggots. The area was once part of the huge territory that the Empire of Tondo, with its capital in a much forested Manila. In the collapse of the Empire of Tondo after the subjugation of Brunei, the area was transitioned into a free zone once again, where hunter-gatherers abounded. The area is also believed to once have been visited by migrating Aetas, Cordillerans, Ilokanos, and Ilonggots.

The first Ilocano settlers, arriving in wooden carts and horsebacks, cleared the thick forests and planted the first rice seeds in February 20, 1865, according to an old and brownish record found by Guimba's former Parish priest, Rev. Agustin "Gus" Polong, MSC. They called the area 'San Juan de Guimba' in honor of the patron saint the settlers brought from Ilocos, San Juan, and combined it with the pot-making industry called 'gebba' which they used to do in the old land. Since then, rice became the primary agricultural crop in the area. Due to this, it became the province of Nueva Ecija's traditional top rice-producing area in the 20th century.

More settlers arrived mostly from the old towns of Bacarra, Paoay, and Candon of the Ilocos provinces. Among the families who came were the Galapons, Mateos, Cudals, Padres, Cayogs, Romanos, Silvestres, Capinpuyans, Batangans, Faigals, Ramoses, Sumawangs, and Catabonas. What would be the town of Guimba is a relatively organized community when the Spanish colonialists arrived and appointed Don Luis De Ocampo as the first Gobernadorcillo, and later, Don Pablo Ramos and Santiago Cudal.

The Spanish left and the Americans came and in 1912, the town's name was abbreviated to Guimba with Don Alfonso Faigal as the first Alcalde Mayor. St. John the Evangelist though remains to be its patron saint. The first municipal hall was also built during this year in what is now known as Faigal Street. The Plaza Municipal evolved and what will become the public market started its commerce.

A foot bridge was constructed during the administration of the late Agustin Vigilia, Alcalde Mayor. This foot bridge was constructed across the Binituran River leading to the northern barrios like San Andres, Balbalino, Gueset, Baybayabas, Cinence, Nangabulan to barangay Talugtug from the Parairo Street.

Later this wooden bridge was demolished and transferred it to the present site north of the Faigal St. This was known as Faigal Bridge going to the north, to the municipality of Talugtug. Other infrastructures were put up with the public market and cleared the space for the Municipal Plaza, now the midtown municipal park.

In 1941, during the Japanese regime the late Juan Villamar was appointed Municipal Mayor. During World War II, the Imperial Japanese military forces entered and occupied Guimba in 1942. At daybreak of January 26, to August 15, 1945, advance reconnaissance units of the American troops under the U.S. Army 6th Infantry Division and aided by the local Filipino soldiers of the Philippine Commonwealth Army 2nd, 22nd, 25th and 26th Infantry Division liberated Guimba and, within hours, established outposts nine miles farther to the east along the Licab River and La Paz. Combined U.S. and Philippine Commonwealth military forces liberated the town of Guimba in 1945 and ended World War II.

In 1963, Dr. Virgilio Calica was the Mayor and it was during his term that the old Municipal Hall was constructed, the present site of our new municipal hall constructed in year 2004. This building was demolished during the administration of Jose Bopet Dizon and the new Municipal Hall was constructed and occupied in 2006.

In 2006, Guimba became a First Class municipality. The municipality is now known not just for its agriculture significance but also for its festival, Ragragsak Ti-Guimba.

Guimba is in the western part of Nueva Ecija Province. It is 153 kilometres (95 mi) north-west of Manila. It is 36 kilometres (22 mi) from Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija and 33 kilometres (21 mi) from Tarlac City.

The Guimbanians speaks two dialects namely Tagalog and Ilocano.

Majority of the population are Roman Catholic, while other religions such as Iglesia ni Cristo, Methodist, Seventh Day Adventist, Jehovah's Witness, Born Again, Islam, and others also exist.

Native and Adapted Culture: Guimba up to this day is practicing Filipino traditions like pamanhikan, sinadag, sinakulo, hugas kalawang, Holy Week, Santa Cruzan, Flores de Mayo, Patronal feast and town fiesta. An annual home coming ball is also held every December by the Guimba New Year Association while its national festival, Ragragsak Ti Guimba is held for the town's foundation anniversary.

Most Guimbanians derive their income from agriculture. As such, the agriculture sector ranks first in terms of generating employment for the populace. At the end of year 2006, Guimba had a total labor force of 38,120

Guimba economy revolves mainly on agriculture. However, there are also cottages, small and medium scale industries. Local producers are involved in the manufacture of furniture, food processing, panara making, native rice cakes, palay buying, auto parts, clothing, subdivisions, cosmetics, medicine, and construction.

As of 2017, Guimba has a Total Income of P289,497,138.89;Assets of P556,825,821.59;Liabilities of P165,318,650.14 and Equity of P296,965,545.59[9]

The town has an employment rate of 74%.

Shopping Centers and Supermarkets

• Puregold
• Primark Town Center Guimba
• Friendship Supermarket
• Novo

Municipal elected official (2013–present):

• Jose R. Dizon, Mayor
• Leonardo Garcia, Vice Mayor
• Councilors:
  • Jose Eulogio Rosalino M. Dizon
  • Florante "Tony" D. Agapito
  • Edgardo "Gary" P. Mangalino
  • Casimiro Galapon Jr.
  • Felix D. R. Lumang
  • Eric Mateo
  • Lino "Jay-ar" Padre Jr.
  • Rodolfo B. Payog

• ROADS and Total length in km.
  • • a) National roads....................... 41.760
    • b) Provincial roads..................... 44.700
    • c) Municipal............................ 15.600
    • d) Barangay............................. 153.720
• BRIDGES in length (m)
  • Bridge along National Road
    • Barangay___________________Length (m)
    • 1. Bunol.................................5.00
    • 2. Bacayao..............................36.00
  • Bridge along Provincial Road
    • 1. Cavite...............................24.00
    • 2. Tampac I..............................5.00
  • Bridge along Barangay Road
    • 1. Sinulatan............................12.00
    • 2. Santa Lucia...........................24.00
    • 3.1 Santa Ana............................12.00
    • 3.2 Bonsobre............................12.00
    • 4.1 Macapabellag........................12.00
    • 4.2 Macapabellag.........................6.00
    • 5. Balbalino............................36.00
    • 6. Casongsong...........................16.00
    • 7. Macamias.............................36.00
    • 8. San Miguel............................6.00
    • 9.1 Nagpandayan.........................36.00
    • 9.2 Nagpandayan..........................6.00
    • 10. Yuzon................................6.00
    • TOTAL:.................................220.00 m.
• DAM / SWIP ( small water impounding project)
  • Covering Barangays:
    • a) Barangay San Marcelino..................(8 has.)
    • b) Barangay Catimon........................(5 has. 15 km long)
    • c) Barangay Lennec (San Felipe)...........(60 has.)
• NIA (Phase I / Casecnan)
  • Covering Barangays
    • 1) Naglabrahan
    • 2) Bunol
    • 3) Cabaruan
    • 4) Culong
    • 5) Triala
    • 6) San Bernardino
    • 7) Caballero
    • 8) Santa Cruz
    • 9) Tampac II & III
    • 10) Tampac I
    • 11) Manacsac
    • 12) Cardinal
    • 13) Nagpandayan
    • 14) Agcano
    • 15) San Roque
    • 16) Bantug
    • 17) Banitan
    • 18) Catimon
    • 19) Casongsong
    • 20) Narvacan II

More than half of Guimba's energy is taken from hydro power plants, making it a sustainable town.

Its communications is mainly handles by Digitel, while Globe, Touch Mobile, Sun Cellular, and Smart are the predominant cellphone services used.

Education in Guimba is taught by various educational institutions in the municipality which offer mostly Information Technology, Hotel and Restaurant Management, and Teacher Education. Other courses are subsidized by Nueva Ecija's only state university, Central Luzon State University, located in the municipality of Munoz and other colleges in Cabanatuan City, the province' regional economic center. Guimba's educational institutions include:

• Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College, Inc or OLSHCO formerly OLSHA (Barangay St. John)
• La Fortuna College Guimba Branch (Barangay Santa Veronica)
• AMA Computer Learning Center Guimba Branch (Ongjianco St, Barangay St. Veronica)
• College for Research and Technology or CRT (Saranay District)
• World Citi College or WCC (Barangay Saranay)
• ETO School of Science and Technology (Barangay Santa Veronica)
• BLUN - Bonifacio Luz Natividad Educational Foundation (St. John District, Guimba, Nueva Ecija)
• Bartolome Sangalang National High School (formerly, Guimba National High School. Barangay St. John)
• Triala National High School (Barangay Triala)
• Nagpandayan High School (Barangay Nagpandayan)
• Galvan National High School (Barangay Galvan)
• San Andres National High School(Barangay San Andres)
• Pacac High School (Barangay Pacac)
• Manacsac High School (formerly Nagpandayan High School Annex. Barangay Manacsac)
• Bartolome Sangalang National High School Annex (Barangay Macatcatuit)
• College of Advance Technology and Management (Barangay San Roque)

Guimba has a literacy rate of 97%.

• Guimba General Hospital, Inc. - Address: Bagain St. Santa Veronica District, Guimba, Nueva Ecija
• Guimba Community Hospital (Guimba Meternity & Lying-in Clinic)
• other clinics and brgy. health centers served the populace around the Municipality of Guimba.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Guimba, Nueva Ecija.

• Guimba Profile at PhilAtlas.com
• Guimba Official Site
• Pasyalan Nueva Ecija
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System