Nueva Ecija: Rice Granary Of The Philippines

Nueva Ecija is dubbed as the "rice granary of the Philippines" because of its immense plantation of rice. Located in the Central Plain Of Luzon (Region III). The province is a self-sustaining producer of basic commodity like rice, garlic, onions etc. The North Pampanga River supplies water towards entire nueva ecija province. Augustinians were the first missionaries to stage evangelical mission in the province. Later, the mission was aborted by virtue of a royal decree from King Carlos III of Spain. Thus, Franciscans took over the evangelization and infrastructure project of the entire province including irrigation system in Pantabangan and promotion of agriculture. The province was derived from the upper Pampanga after the siege of Pampango Empire of Malay conquistadores before the colonization of Spain. Malays were later overpowered by the Spaniards. Only in 1848, when Nueva Ecija finally became an independent Province separated from Pampanga. Now, the province is comprised of 5 component cities and 27 municipalities.

Political Boundary located between Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija and La Paz, Tarlac

Way back, Governor General Fausto Cruzat (1690-1701) was a former Spanish official who named the province as Nueva Ecija---named after his city in Spain---Ecija. At that time, Cruzat was detailed in the humid and mountainous place of "Carranglan"(now known to the province as little Baguio) to establish military encampment to safeguard friars' evangelical mission and political assertion against tribe of head-hunters headed by Ilonggots when realization spurred of naming it after his city in Spain because of the same humidity.