From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coordinates: 15°29′23″N 120°58′14″E / 15.48972°N 120.97056°E / 15.48972; 120.97056

The City of Cabanatuan (Ilokano: Ciudad ti Cabanatuan; Kapampangan: Lakanbalen ning Cabanatuan/Siudad ning Cabanatuan; Pangasinan: Siyudad na Cabanatuan/Lunsod na Cabanatuan; Filipino: Lungsod ng Cabanatuan) is a first class, urban city in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. It is considered the commerce, industrial and educational hub of the province. According to the latest census, it has a population of 259,267 people in 45,424 households. It is a bustling city home to many jeepneys and tricycles. It bears the title as the "Tricycle Capital of the Philippines", because it has about over 38,202 (as of September 2009) registered tricycles.

The old provincial capitol of Nueva Ecija is located here and is still used by the provincial government and the governor.

History

Cabanatuan was founded as Barrio of Gapan in 1750 and became a Municipality and capital of La Provincia de Nueva Ecija in 1780. In 1899, Emilio Aguinaldo moved the Capital of the First Philippine Republic from Malolos to Cabanatuan. 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 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 US Army marched far behind enemy lines to rescue the prisoners in what became known as the Raid at Cabanatuan.

Cabanatuan was also 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 1653 people.

Historical Sites

• Camp Pangatian (Pangatian Memorial Shrine), 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 WWII American prisoners of war held by the Japanese forces in January 1945 was the most succesful rescue operation ever executed by the American military aided by the galliant Filipino guerillas who are fighting the invaders. That tactical operation was immortalized in the movie, "The Great Raid".

• 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.

Transportation

The city is a major hub of transportation services within the province. It is often called as "Tricycle Capital of the Philippines" with over 30,000+ registered tricycles that roams around the city. The Cabanatuan City Central Transport Terminal was constructed to handle all passengers and transport vehicles going in and out of the city. Within the city, tricycles are used as a major mode of transportation since buses and jeepneys are mostly headed outside the city.

Roads

Maharlika Highway is the main highway in Cabanatuan City. All vehicles coming from and to Cagayan Valley passes through this highway. Nueva Ecija-Aurora Highway is also a main road in the city connecting Cabanatuan City and parts of Aurora Province. The newly constructed 10 kilometer four lane Felipe Vergara Highway links town of Talavera to Brgy. Sumacab Este to ease the traffic congestion along the busy Maharlika Highway. Other major roads include Circumferential Road 1 and 2, Burgos Avenue, Mabini Street and del Pilar Street. The Felipe Vergara Highway was constructed along Maharlika Highway to reduce traffic congestion to all vehicles going to Manila.

The proposed North East Luzon Expressway will pass through the city from Manila all the way to Tuguegarao City, and also Tarlac-Nueva Ecija-Aurora Expressway that will link Tarlac to Dingalan Bay.

Banking

Cabanatuan City was credited for its good access to commercial banks that is why the city was ranked as one of the most livable cities in the Philippines together with Makati City in terms of banking. There are 50 commercial banks in the city, including the major players and their multiple branches citywide.

Communications

Globe Telecom, Smart Communications and Sun Cellular had their business offices here in the city all located at Robinsons Cabanatuan. Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company had their office at General Tinio St. while Digitel is in Mabini Extension. TV and Radio Stations are also present in the city.

Education

Cabanatuan City is the center for education in the province and as well as in Central Luzon Region. The city is a university town with over 18 Tertiary Educational Institutions, 20 High Schools, 1 Science High School, 3 Universities and over 60 Elementary Schools. Notable institutions include Wesleyan University (Philippines),College of the Immaculate Conception, La Fortuna College, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology and Araullo University.

Medical Institutions

The city has numerous medical institutions, both private and public hospitals. One of the biggest hospitals in the region, Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center is a 500-bed hospital that caters the province and its nearby provinces particularly Bulacan and Aurora Province. Another hospital that caters to the poor is the Eduardo L. Joson Memorial Hospital located in Daan Sarili, along the Maharlika High Way. It is a secondary hospital that has a 100 bed capacity. Bed capacity will be added upon the completion of the second building at the back of this hospital. This hospital is the center for nurse volunteership and training for newly graduates and passers. The first ever successful open heart surgery in Luzon Island outside Metro Manila was done in Wesleyan University - Philippines Cardiovascular and Medical Center. Premiere Medical Center was judged as one of the cleanest hospitals in Central Luzon.

Barangays

Cabanatuan City is administratively subdivided into 89 barangays.

External links

• Cabanatuan City Official Website
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Nueva Ecija High School