The Science City of Muñoz is a 5th class city in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 65,586 people in 13,940 households. In 2000, the municipality of Muñoz was converted into a city named the Science City of Muñoz.[1] It earned the new title due to numerous scientific institutions situated within the town which include Central Luzon State University (CLSU), Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE), Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR),PhilSCAT, Philippine Seed Center.
Barangays
Muñoz is politically subdivided into 37 barangays.
Bagong Sikat
Balante
Bantug
Bical
Cabisuculan
Calabalabaan
Calisitan
Catalanacan
Curva
Franza
Gabaldon
Labney
Licaong
Linglingay
Mangandingay
Magtanggol
Maligaya
Mapangpang
Maragol
Matingkis
Naglabrahan
Palusapis
Pandalla
Poblacion East
Poblacion North
Poblacion South
Poblacion West
Rang-ayan
Rizal
San Andres
San Antonio
San Felipe
Sapang Cawayan
Villa Isla
Villa Nati
Villa Santos
Villa Cuizon
History
FROM SITIO TO BARRIO
In 1886, Papaya was changed into 'Muñoz' to honor Don Francisco Muñoz, the province’s alcalde mayor, and the community’s first appointed gobernadorcillo. Muñoz was annexed as a barrio of San Juan de Guimba municipality. Settlers trickled in from Bulacan and the Ilocos Region. In 1911, Factoria (now San Isidro town), the provincial capital, was totally flooded. Muñoz was then considered a possible new capital of the province.
At about the same time, the people of Barrios Muñoz and San Antonio, also in San Juan de Guimba town, and Palusapis in Sto. Domingo municipality, together with Sitios Kabisukulan, Rang-ayan, Mataas na Lupa, Siniguelas, Purok Agrikultura, and Pulong Maragul in Talavera town, were organizing themselves to be separated from their three respective municipalities to become a new independent municipality. They were prepared to construct a municipal hall and a school building for the emerging town.
FROM BARRIO TO TOWN
Upon recommendation of the Provincial Board of Nueva Ecija, then headed by Governor Isauro Gabaldon, and with approval of then Acting Governor General Newton Gilbert, the organized barrios and sitios were granted independence as a regular municipality on January 10, 1913 under the name of Muñoz. The seat of the fledgling municipal government was positioned in erstwhile Barrio Muñoz. Thus, the municipality of Muñoz was born, and steadily grew to become today an Agricultural Science City in-the-making.
Muñoz owes a tremendous lot to its early leaders — Tranquilino Delos Santos, and other homesteaders Luis Ramos, Ambrosio Medina, Cayetano Caisip, Victorino Pornuevo, and Precy Hill Delos Santos. A municipal hall, a church building, and a small public market were erected in Lumang Bayan (now Poblacion North). A road linking the young Muñoz town with the national highway from Barangay Bacal, Talavera was also constructed.
Muñoz continued to attract more settlers. More barrios were established and were named after their peoples’ ideals and aspirations, landmarks, and personalities such as Rang-ayan (prosperity), Linglingay (recreation), Mangandingay (company), Magtanggol (defense), and Villa Isla (in a leader’s honor).
Muñoz was not spared from the pains of the Second World War. Being the last stronghold of the Japanese Imperial Army while scampering to the Cordilleras, the American liberation offensive razed the town to the ground in a matter of days. But Muñoz has risen from the ashes slowly but surely under its dedicated leaders, and now, as a first-class town, has the full confidence to welcome and prosper further in the third millennium.
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