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Cabanatuan, officially the City of Cabanatuan ( fil, Lungsod ng Cabanatuan; ilo, Siudad ti Cabanatuan), is a 1st class
component city A city ( fil, lungsod/siyudad) is one of the units of local government in the Philippines. All Philippine cities are chartered cities ( fil, nakakartang lungsod), whose existence as corporate and administrative entities is governed by their own ...
in the
province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
of
Nueva Ecija Nueva Ecija, officially the Province of Nueva Ecija ( tgl, Lalawigan ng Nueva Ecija , also ; ilo, Probinsia ti Nueva Ecija; pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Nueva Ecija; Kapampangan: ''Lalawigan/Probinsia ning Nueva Ecija''), is a landlocked province ...
,
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 327,325 people, making it the most populous city in Nueva Ecija and the fifth-most populous in Central Luzon. The city is popular for being home to more than 30,000 motorized tricycles, making it the "Tricycle Capital of the Philippines" 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 Tarlac, Aurora, and Bulacan. It has also earned the moniker "Gateway to the North". Cabanatuan remained 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. After the campaign for the city's designation as a Highly Urbanized City failed, a motion was made to convert the city into a lone district instead.


History

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 Cabanatuan Cathedral ( fil, Katedral ng Cabanatuan), officially known as the Saint Nicholas of Tolentino Parish Cathedral ( fil, Parokyang Katedral ni San Nikolas ng Tolentino), is the ecclesiastical seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cabanatua ...
, where General
Antonio Luna Antonio Narciso Luna de San Pedro y Novicio Ancheta (; October 29, 1866 – June 5, 1899) was a Filipino army general who fought in the Philippine–American War before his assassination in 1899. Regarded as one of the fiercest generals of hi ...
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. 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 The Bataan Death March (Filipino: ''Martsa ng Kamatayan sa Bataan''; Spanish: ''Marcha de la muerte de Bataán'' ; Kapampangan: ''Martsa ning Kematayan quing Bataan''; Japanese: バターン死の行進, Hepburn: ''Batān Shi no Kōshin'') wa ...
. In January 1945, elements of the U.S. Army 6th Ranger Battalion and two teams of
Alamo Scouts The Alamo Scouts (U.S. 6th Army Special Reconnaissance Unit) was a reconnaissance unit of the Sixth United States Army in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II. The unit is best known for its role in liberating American prisone ...
marched 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, American troops of the U.S. Army 6th Ranger Battalion and
Alamo Scouts The Alamo Scouts (U.S. 6th Army Special Reconnaissance Unit) was a reconnaissance unit of the Sixth United States Army in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II. The unit is best known for its role in liberating American prisone ...
celebrated having obtained the freedom of 500 American
POWs A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of w ...
. 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.


Cityhood

Cabanatuan became a city by virtue of
Republic Act This article contains a partial list of Philippine laws. Sources of Philippine laws ;Notes : *Customs may be considered as supplementary source of law, however, customs which are contrary to law, public order or public policy shall not be ...
No. 526, approved on June 16, 1950.


Highly Urbanized City (HUC)

In 1998, Cabanatuan was declared by then-president Fidel V. Ramos as a highly urbanized city however it failed ratification after the majority of votes in the plebiscite was negative. Cabanatuan was declared as highly urbanized city by President Benigno S. Aquino III under Presidential Proclamation No. 418 on July 14, 2012. A plebiscite scheduled in December 2012 was moved by the Commission on Elections to January 25, 2014, so as not to burden the poll body during its preparation for the 2013 local elections in the province. Incumbent Governor Aurelio Matias Umali, who had a strong voter base in the city, opposed the conversion and submitted a petition to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order on January 24, 2014. On April 23, 2014, voting 9-5-1, the Supreme Court granted a petition for certiorari filed by Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali and declared as null and void Comelec Minute Resolution No. 12-0797 dated September 11, 2012, and Minute Resolution No. 12-0925 dated October 16, 2012, setting a date for the conduct of a plebiscite in which only registered voters of Cabanatuan would be allowed to vote. The province-wide plebiscite was rescheduled for November 8, 2014, but cancelled again because the Cabanatuan City government could not provide the necessary funds. No new date is to be set until the city government certifies that 101 million is available for the holding of the plebiscite.


1990 Luzon Earthquake

Cabanatuan was near the epicenter of the infamous 1990 Luzon earthquake, which registered a 7.8 on the surface wave magnitude scale, at roughly 3 pm on July 16, 1990. It leveled some buildings, most notably the Christian College of the Philippines (Liwag Colleges) in the midst of class time, and killed 1,653 people. Around 154 people were said to be killed inside the CCP building. Unlike in Baguio, local and international journalists were able to arrive at Cabanatuan City hours after the tremor, and media coverage of the quake in its immediate aftermath centered on the collapsed school, where rescue efforts were hampered by the lack of heavy equipment to cut through the steel reinforcement of fallen concrete.


Geography

Cabanatuan City is located in the rolling central plains of Luzon drained by the
Pampanga River The Pampanga River is the second largest river on the island of Luzon in the Philippines (next to Cagayan River) and the country's fifth longest river. It is in the Central Luzon region and traverses the provinces of Pampanga, Bulacan, and Nueva ...
. The city stands southwest of the provincial capital Palayan City and north of Manila.


Climate

Cabanatuan has a
tropical wet and dry climate Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry winter) and ''As'' (for a dry summer). The driest month has less than of p ...
(
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
: ''Aw''), with year-round warm weather and distinct dry and wet seasons. It is touted as one of the hottest cities in the country; in the summer season of 2011 Cabanatuan reached its hottest temperature at 39.8 °C, also the hottest in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
in that same year, and on June 4, 2015
PAGASA Pagasa may refer to: * ''Pagasa'' (genus), an insect genus in the family Nabidae * PAGASA, an acronym for the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration *"May Pagasa", a pen-name of José Rizal José Prot ...
reported a heat index for the city, which is the hottest yet recorded.


Natural Disasters

According to the fifth Annual Natural Hazards Risk Atlas (NHRA) report in 2015, Cabanatuan City was ranked as the sixth city in the Philippines with extreme exposure to a myriad of natural hazards, especially typhoons and flooding. Notable disasters have struck Cabanatuan City in the past decades, including the 1990 Luzon earthquake, 2013 Typhoon Santi, and 2015 Typhoon Lando. The 2013 Typhoon Santi brought extreme winds measuring up to 120 km/h, causing widespread infrastructure damages and power loss to the city. Later in 2015, Typhoon Lando caused massive damage in the form of severe flooding in Central Luzon, including Cabanatuan City. The city experienced severe flooding, which hampered the operations of many establishments. Most roads going to the major districts of Cabanatuan were not passable to light vehicles for two to three days after the storm.


Barangays

Cabanatuan is administratively subdivided into 89 barangays.


Demographics


Religion

Roman Catholicism has been the predominant religion in the city, being host to a major cathedral – the St. Nicholas of Tolentino Cathedral which serves as the seat of the bishop of the Diocese of Cabanatuan. There are three other major Catholic structures located within the city: the Mother of Perpetual Help Parish, the Carmelite Sisters Convent and the Maria Assumpta Seminary. Local chapels/parishes are also present in most barangays. Iglesia ni Cristo also maintains a sizable presence in Cabanatuan with its large house of worship in Barangay Zulueta that seats up to 5,000 people. The
United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...
also has many local churches with a large congregation within the city. The United Methodist Church owns Wesleyan University Philippines and the Wesleyan University of the Philippines-Cardiovascular and Medical Center. Other Philippine-based Christian denominations are also present in the city, such as Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide, Jesus Miracle Crusade and
Members Church of God International Member may refer to: * Military jury, referred to as "Members" in military jargon * Element (mathematics), an object that belongs to a mathematical set * In object-oriented programming, a member of a class ** Field (computer science), entries in ...
. The Islamic faith also has a presence in Cabanatuan, specifically within the districts of Imelda and Isla. Two large mosques exist in the city, with the largest located at Imelda District.


Economy

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. Although Cabanatuan does not have significant manufacturing industries, its dynamic service and agricultural sectors drive 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 The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (; commonly abbreviated as BSP in both Filipino and English) is the central bank of the Philippines. It was established on July 3, 1993, pursuant to the provision of Republic Act 7653 or the New Central Bank Ac ...
(BSP) maintains a branch in the city that performs cash operations and cash administration. , approximately 43 billion pesos in deposit liabilities is kept in the city's 65 banks. 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 Makati ( ), officially the City of Makati ( fil, Lungsod ng Makati), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. Makati is the financial center of the Philippines; it has the highest concentration ...
.


Water, Electricity, and Telecommunications

Most of the water supply of the city is provided for by the Cabanatuan City Water District (CCWD), founded in 1974 through a resolution enacted by the Honorable City Council of Cabanatuan City, pursuant to PD 198. In recent years, the CCWD has entered into a JVA (Joint Venture Agreement) with PrimeWater Infrastructure Corporation, a private water service provider delivering quality services in the design of water distribution systems. It continues to provide most of the city's water supply. Unlike the majority of Nueva Ecija, most of the electric services in the city are provided by the Cabanatuan Electric Corporation (CELCOR). Power generation companies like FCVC and FCRV operate a 12-8 MW diesel power plant and a 10-MW solar power plant, respectively. Major telecommunication companies like Globe Telecom, PLDT-Smart Communications, and Dito Telecommunity have also their respective infrastructures and business offices in the city. Local TV and Radio Stations, such as the city's main local channel CabTV 16 and radio broadcast channel, Big Sound FM 101.5, are also present.


Automotive Industry

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 Mitsubishi,
Kia Kia Corporation, commonly known as Kia (, ; formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry and Kia Motors Corporation), is a South Korean multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It is South Korea's second lar ...
, Isuzu,
Mazda , commonly referred to as simply Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan. In 2015, Mazda produced 1.5 million vehicles for global sales, the majority of which (nearly one m ...
,
Ford Ford commonly refers to: * Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford * Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river Ford may also refer to: Ford Motor Company * Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company * Ford F ...
, Nissan,
Peugeot Peugeot (, , ) is a French brand of automobiles owned by Stellantis. The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was founded in 1810, with a steel foundry that soon started making hand tools and kitchen equipment, and the ...
, Hyundai, Hyundai Trucks and Buses, Suzuki, and Mahindra, all in Cabanatuan;
Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...
, Foton and
Honda is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a producti ...
in Santa Rosa town; Chevrolet and Hino in San Leonardo town. Motorcycle dealerships are common like in most Philippine mid-sized cities.


Logistics and Distribution

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


Real Estate and Investment

The presence of big land developers such as Santa Lucia Realty, Vista Land, and
Ayala Land Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) is a real estate firm based in the Philippines. It is a subsidiary of Ayala Corporation. It began as a division of Ayala Corporation until it was spun off and incorporated in 1988. It became publicly listed in the Phi ...
ensures competition and quality in the new suburban homes. New commercial buildings are springing up in the CBD and along Maharlika Highway at an average of seventy-five per year. Cabanatuan nowadays is gradually becoming a major investment hub and is considered 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 with fast business applications processing, low business taxes, and other incentives to attract big-ticket projects. In 2015, the city's total assets amounted to PHP 3.719 billion and the total income reached PHP 1.696 billion.


Shopping Centers

Cabanatuan City serves as a major shopping hub in the province and other nearby localities. Major Philippine mall chains such as Robinsons Malls, SM Supermalls, Walter Mart, and Puregold Price Club, Inc. have established their presence in the city. Currently, major shopping centers in the city include:
NE Pacific Mall NE Pacific Mall is a shopping mall located along Pan-Philippine Highway, Maharlika Highway in Brgy. Hermogenes Concepcion, Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines. It was developed by Landco Pacific Corporation and was managed by the NE Group of Com ...
; SM Megacenter; Robinsons Townville Cabanatuan;
SM City Cabanatuan SM City Cabanatuan is a shopping mall owned by SM Prime Holdings with a gross floor area of . It is the second SM Supermall in Cabanatuan after SM Megacenter Cabanatuan. It is located along Brgy. Hermogenes Concepcion, Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, Phi ...
which is built as a regional SM supermall with amenities such as a roof park, an indoor park, and a large-screen cinema; AllHome, and Waltermart. Cabanatuan has also multiple grocery and department stores including a chain of Savemore Supermarkets, Puregold Supermarkets, NE Supermarkets, and the warehouse club store, S&R. The city has also numerous hardware centers like Ace Hardware, Citi Hardware, and Wilcon Depot. In terms of future developments, Robinsons Land Corp. expressed plans for their second mall in the city. The plan has since received backlash from groups that were against the decision to build it in the site of Nueva Ecija's Old Provincial Capitol. Cabanatuan is also building a new main public market that is set to open on December 2023, after its old public market burnt down in April 2020. In the meantime, a temporary public market is built in Melencio Street Ext., Brgy. Kapitan Pepe. It will soon be converted into the city's convention center. The government will also be building another temporary market in Brgy. San Isidro while the Magsaysay Market in Brgy. Sangitan is under renovation.


Hotels and Restaurants

The city has numerous accommodation and lodging establishments such as hotels, motels, inns, and resorts. In recent years, the local food scene in the city has experienced growth. Several restaurants, fast-food chains like
Jollibee Jollibee is a Filipino chain of fast food restaurants owned by Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC). As of December 2021, JFC had a total of about 1,500 Jollibee outlets worldwide, with restaurants in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, East Asia ...
,
McDonald's McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechristened their business as a hambur ...
, and KFC, bars, coffee shops, and nightclubs are also located in the city. The local food scene offers a variety of culinary choices such as local delicacies, Japanese cuisine, and Korean cuisine. Food joints have also been established in Kapitan Pepe Subdivision, such as Banatu Box Food Park, which is billed as one of the city's top food destinations.


Transportation


Public Transportation


Land

Cabanatuan City is a major hub of land transportation services in Central Luzon. The city has many bus companies operating provincial and regional routes, with the Cabanatuan Central Transport Terminal serving as the terminus. Much of the city's population rely on public transportation such as tricycles and jeeps to get around the city. The jeepney was patterned after U.S. Army jeeps and have been in use since the years immediately following World War II. Almost all types of public road transport plying Cabanatuan are privately owned and operated under government franchise. Jeepney and van 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 in Benguet, Dagupan City, and Tarlac City. Tricycle operators serve local routes in the city and sometimes to nearby towns of Santa Rosa and Talavera.Intercity and interprovincial buses from Manila serve the city, and are usually operated by Baliwag Transit, Inc.,
Five Star Five Star (also styled as 5 Star) are a British pop group, formed in 1983 and comprising siblings Stedman, Lorraine, Denise, Doris and Delroy Pearson. Between 1985 and 1988, Five Star had four top 20 albums and 15 top 40 singles in the UK, ...
, Victory Liner, Genesis Transport Service Inc., GV Florida Transport, ES Transport Inc., and Pangasinan Solid North. Cabanatuan is accessible via the major expressway networks such as
NLEX The North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), signed as E1 of the Philippine expressway network, partially as N160 of the Philippine highway network, and R-8 of the Metro Manila arterial road network, is a limited-access toll expressway that connects M ...
(from either Bulacan or Pampanga), SCTEX (from either Pampanga or Tarlac) and TPLEX (from Tarlac or Pangasinan). Then, the main access roads leading to Cabanatuan are the
Pan-Philippine Highway The Pan-Philippine Highway, also known as the Maharlika Highway ( tl, Daang Maharlika; ceb, Dalang Halangdon), is a network of roads, expressways, bridges, and ferry services that connect the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao in t ...
, Santa Rosa –Tarlac Road, and the Nueva Ecija – Aurora Road.


Air

The nearest airfield to Cabanatuan is the Fort Magsaysay Airfield, the largest military reservation of the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
located in the nearby town of Santa Rosa.


Road Network


National Highway

Maharlika Highway The Pan-Philippine Highway, also known as the Maharlika Highway ( tl, Daang Maharlika; ceb, Dalang Halangdon), is a network of roads, expressways, bridges, and ferry services that connect the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao in t ...
(or Pan-Philippine Highway) is the main highway traversing Cabanatuan where most vehicles going to Cagayan Valley pass through. The city's portion of the Maharlika Highway starts from the city's southernmost barangay, Brgy. Sumacab Este, and ends at Brgy. Caalibangbangan. Another highway that traverses Cabanatuan is the Nueva Ecija - Aurora Road. The highway links Cabanatuan to
Baler, Aurora Baler, officially the Municipality of Baler ( tl, Bayan ng Baler; ilo, Ili ti Baler), is a 3rd class municipality of the Philippines, municipality and capital of the province of the Philippines, province of Aurora (province), Aurora, Philippine ...
, passing through rural towns in eastern Nueva Ecija.


Arterial Roads

Burgos Avenue and Del Pilar Street both serve as the city's main thoroughfare in the downtown area. Other major roads include the General Tinio and Rizal Streets that 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. Cabanatuan was previously served by the
Manila Railroad Company The Manila Railroad Company (MRR) was a Filipino state-owned enterprise responsible for the management and operation of rail transport in the island of Luzon. It was originally established by an Englishman named Edmund Sykes as the private Manil ...
in 1905 through the Balagtas – Cabanatuan line which was abandoned after the war because scavengers looted pieces of the rail tracks. Rail service was resumed in 1969 after the rehabilitation of the rail tracks as mandated by a government order. The service was again abandoned in the 1980s. The old Cabanatuan Railway Station is located at Barangay General Luna and is converted to a daycare center with the original structure remaining.


Expressways and Toll Roads

Cabanatuan shall also be serviced by future expressways once completed. These are the North Luzon East Expressway (
Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 2,960,048 people. It was fou ...
to Cabanatuan), and the partially completed
Central Luzon Link Expressway The Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX), also known as the Central Luzon Link Freeway, is a partially operational expressway in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. It will connect the Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and the ...
( SCTEX- TPLEX to San Jose City). Both expressways will shorten the usual travel time between the neighboring provinces and Cabanatuan City, also stimulating the economy of the towns that the carriageway will pass through as a direct consequence. The full length of Central Luzon Link Expressway from Tarlac City is set to open in 2023. It is still unknown when NLEE will be completed.


Bypass Roads

During the early 2000s to decongest the
Pan-Philippine Highway The Pan-Philippine Highway, also known as the Maharlika Highway ( tl, Daang Maharlika; ceb, Dalang Halangdon), is a network of roads, expressways, bridges, and ferry services that connect the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao in t ...
and to spur new developments outside the downtown area, two bypass roads were constructed in Cabanatuan: the 10.3-kilometer Felipe Vergara Highway provides a direct route to Cagayan Valley, and the 12.35-kilometer Emilio Vergara Highway which links Santa Rosa to Nueva Ecija - Aurora Road, avoiding traffic bottleneck along Pan-Philippine Highway. There are present efforts being made to extend the Emilio Vergara Highway to Talavera. Two flyovers are currently being constructed to ease prevailing traffic congestions in the city: * The 278-meter Nueva Ecija - Aurora Road - Emilio Vergara Bypass Flyover will be an extension of the Emilio Vergara Highway towards the Leopoldo Vergara Bridge, and will end at the boundary of Cabanatuan at Talavera, near the partially-completed CLLEX. * The 330-meter Emilio Vergara Bypass - Lakewood Intersection Flyover. Another flyover will also be built from
Jollibee Jollibee is a Filipino chain of fast food restaurants owned by Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC). As of December 2021, JFC had a total of about 1,500 Jollibee outlets worldwide, with restaurants in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, East Asia ...
Sumacab Este to Emilio Vergara Bypass in the future. Cabanatuan is also building major dike roads that shall serve as access roads to far-flung barangays in the city, such as Barangay Samon and Barangay Caudillo.


City Traffic

Infrastructure improvements by the administration are ongoing. A Unified Command Center (UCC) for the city's traffic light system is currently under construction at 25 major intersections. Separate tricycle lanes are also present within the perimeter of the Public Market. Road extension, and road widening of the Emilio Vergara Highway from two to six lanes is nearing its completion. The widening of all city and arterial roads from one- to two-lane highway to three-lane highway is also being considered.


Tourism

Historical sites found in the city include: * Cabanatuan Railroad Station is found in Barangay General Luna. It was built in 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 The Cabanatuan American Memorial is a World War II War memorial, memorial located in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija in the Philippines. It is located on the site of what was once Camp Pangatian, a military training camp which operated for twenty years un ...
''), 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 ''The Great Raid'' is a 2005 war film about the Raid at Cabanatuan on the island of Luzon, Philippines during World War II. It is directed by John Dahl and stars Benjamin Bratt, James Franco, Connie Nielsen, Marton Csokas, Joseph Fiennes with Motok ...
''. * 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 found in Plaza Lucero. This 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. In May 2022, alongside Plaza Lucero, the statue was renovated and re-opened to the public. * Old Provincial Capitol of Nueva Ecija is 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 the 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 customers, tourists from nearby towns also join the celebration. Highlights of this festival are the cooking contests and the different preparations for
longganisa Longaniza (, or ) is a Spanish sausage (embutido) similar to a chorizo and also closely associated with the Portuguese linguiça. Its defining characteristics are interpreted differently from region to region. It is popular in the cuisines ...
(native sausage like "batutay", "longganisang bawang" and "longganisang matamis"), including spaghetti and “binagoongan”.


Government

Cabanatuan City's seat of government, the city hall, is located at Barangay San Josef Sur. The local government structure is composed of one mayor, one vice mayor, and ten councilors. Each official is elected publicly to a 3-year term and can be re-elected up to 3 terms in succession. The day-to-day administration of the city is handled by the city administrator.


Education

Cabanatuan is a regional educational hub. The city more than forty higher education institutions including four universities, a science high school, more than fifty public and private high schools, and more than a hundred public and private primary schools. Schools, 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 Campus *Cabanatuan East Central School *Cabanatuan City Senior High School *Camp Tinio National High School *Cesar E. Vergara Memorial High School *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 *First Asian International Systems College *Good Samaritan Colleges *Great Values Learning Center *Honorato C. Perez Sr. Memorial Science High School * La Fortuna College *Lazaro Francisco Integrated School *Little Merry Hearts Montessori Center *Maria Assumpta Seminary *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 *Philippine Statesman College *Provincial Manpower Training Center *St. Augustine Foundation College *St. Bernadette Montessori Academy *St. John Regis Health Care Institute Inc. *Skill Power Institute * Wesleyan University (Philippines)


Healthcare

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. There are three (3) notable public and six (5 fully constructed, 1 under construction) private hospitals in Cabanatuan City:


Notable personalities

* Paolo Ballesteros, Filipino actor, TV host and model. He is also a host of Eat Bulaga. *
Heber Bartolome Heber Gonzalez Bartolome (November 4, 1948 – November 15, 2021) was a Filipino folk and rock singer, songwriter, composer, poet, guitarist, bandurria player, bluesman, and painter. His music was influenced by the "stylistic tradition" of Phi ...
, Filipino folk and folk rock singer, songwriter, composer, poet, guitarist, bandurria player, bluesman, and painter. * 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 ''No Other Woman'' is a 2011 Filipino romantic drama film starring Anne Curtis, Derek Ramsay, and Cristine Reyes. The film is notable for breaking box office records in the Philippines. It currently holds the title of third highest grossing Fi ...
'' and co-directing television shows like '' Budoy'', '' Kokey'', '' Mula Sa Puso''. * Kathryn Bernardo, Filipina actress, singer and dancer. She is best known for her role as Mara in the primetime Filipino drama, ''
Mara Clara ''Mara Clara'' is a Philippine drama television series on ABS-CBN, which aired from August 17, 1992 to February 14, 1997, replacing ''Sebya, Mahal Kita'' and was replaced by ''Esperanza''. The series stars Judy Ann Santos and Gladys Reyes. It w ...
'' and her lead roles in ''
The Hows of Us ''The Hows of Us'' is a 2018 Philippine romantic comedy-drama film directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina and starring Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla. They were recognized as ''Phenomenal Box Office Stars'' and was given the Golden Jury Award ...
'' and '' Hello, Love, Goodbye'', two of the highest-grossing Filipino films of all time. *
Vic Sotto Marvic Valentin Castelo Sotto (; born April 28, 1954), professionally known as Vic Sotto, is a Filipino actor, singer and comedian known far and wide for his various television and film projects on the major Philippine television networks GMA ...
, multi-awarded Filipino actor, television host, comedian. He was the former vocalist for the band
VST & Company VST & Company (commonly abbreviated as VST & Co. or simply VST) was a Filipino disco band from Manila, Philippines, founded by Vic Sotto, Spanky Rigor, and Tito Sotto. Hailed as one of the most successful Filipino bands of the late 1970s, the g ...
, played a lead role in the sitcom
Iskul Bukol ''Iskul Bukol'' is a Philippine situational comedy show that aired on the IBC-13 network from October 1978 to 1988. It starred Filipino comedians Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon. The show centered around student life in the fictional Wanbo ...
and is a pioneer host of Eat Bulagabr>
*
Manuel Chua Manuel Chua (born ) is a Filipino model, actor, businessman, and politician. Acting career He was discovered in the Filipino version of a reality game show, ''Pinoy Fear Factor'', which was aired on ABS-CBN from November 2008 to February 200 ...
, Filipino male model and actor. * Samboy de Leon, Filipino professional basketball player for
TNT KaTropa The TNT Tropang Giga is a professional basketball team currently owned by Smart Communications, a subsidiary of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) since 1990. The fr ...
of the
Philippine Basketball Association The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of twelve company-branded franchised teams. Founded in 1975, it is the first professional basketball league in Asia and is the se ...
. * Nestor de Villa, Filipino actor frequently cast in musical films and often paired with on-screen partner Nida Blanca. His dancing talent led some people to call him the "Fred Astaire of the Philippines". * Frederick Kriekenbeek, exorcist and priest in
Cebu Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 16 ...
. * John Paul Lizardo, Filipino
taekwondo ''Taekwondo'', ''Tae Kwon Do'' or ''Taekwon-Do'' (; ko, 태권도/跆拳道 ) is a Korean martial arts, Korean form of martial arts involving punching and kicking techniques, with emphasis on head-height kicks, spinning jump kicks, and fast k ...
Asian Games bronze medalist, actor and commercial model. * Bert Matias, Filipino actor, known for Book of Swords, Renegade Force and
Fred Claus ''Fred Claus'' is a 2007 American Christmas comedy film directed by David Dobkin, screenplay by Dan Fogelman and a story by Dan Fogelman and Jessie Nelson, and starring Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Miranda Richardson, John Michael Higgins, Eliz ...
. *
Ameurfina Melencio-Herrera Ameurfina Melencio-Herrera (born Ameurfina Aguinaldo Melencio; 11 May 1922 – 12 October 2020) was a Filipino lawyer who served as an Associate Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court from 1979 to 1992. She was the second woman appointed to the ...
, Filipino lawyer and jurist who served as
Associate Justice Associate justice or associate judge (or simply associate) is a judicial panel member who is not the chief justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the Supreme Court of the United States and some sta ...
of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 1979 to 1992. Herrera is a granddaughter of Emilio Aguinaldo. * Kurt Perez, former child actor *
Willie Revillame Wilfredo Buendia Revillame (; born January 27, 1961), popularly known as Willie Revillame, is a Filipino television host, comedian, singer, songwriter, actor, and businessman. Career Revillame started out as the host of GMA Network's noontime ...
, television host, actor, comedian, recording artist and businessman. He was the host for the variety show Wowowee at ABS-CBN and currently hosts Wowowin at GMA Network. *
Yen Santos Lilieyen Santos (born November 20, 1992), better known as Yen Santos, is a Filipina actress. She debuted on the reality show '' Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Clash 2010'', and gained mainstream recognition in '' Pure Love'', a Philippine drama adaptatio ...
, Filipina actress and dancer. A part of ABS-CBN's Star Magic, she has appeared in '' Growing Up'', '' Pure Love'' and ''
Dream Dad ''Dream Dad'' is a 2014 Philippine comedy-drama television series directed by Jeffrey R. Jeturian, starring Jana Agoncillo and Zanjoe Marudo. The series premiered on ABS-CBN's ''Primetime Bida'' evening block and worldwide on The Filipino Channel ...
''.


Sister cities

Cabanatuan has the following
sister cities A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...
:


References


External links

* * * Philippine Standard Geographic Code {{Authority control Cities in Nueva Ecija Populated places established in 1780 1780 establishments in the Philippines Populated places on the Pampanga River Former national capitals Former provincial capitals of the Philippines Component cities in the Philippines