Muñoz, Nueva Ecija


', officially the ', is a of the Philippines| in the province of,. According to the, it has a population of people.
Situated north of the capital Manila and due to its rich topography and tropical climate, it is now home to agricultural research and technology centers, committed to the production of information and technological breakthroughs to promote rural development, productivity and food security.
From its lowly origins as “Sitio Papaya”, it was renamed as Muñoz in 1886 in honor of Spanish Governor Don Francisco Muñoz. It was in 1913, under Executive Order No. 72, when Muñoz was declared as a new and independent municipality. By the virtue of Republic Act 8977 signed on November 7, 2000, Muñoz formally elevated to a city and country's only city with "Science" in its formal name.

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, 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 Santo 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 and Science City

On the 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. The municipality of Muñoz was born and steadily grew to become an agricultural Science City in the making.
A municipal hall, a church, and a small public market were erected in Lumang Bayan. A road linking the young Muñoz town with the national highway from Barangay Bacal, Talavera was constructed. In World War II, Muñoz was the last stronghold of the Japanese Imperial Army; the Allied liberation in Muñoz by the joint United States and Philippine Commonwealth forces offensive razed the town to the ground in a matter of days.
In 2000, after achieving cityhood status, universities and scientific research institutes sprung up. The local government used and, after ratified, adopted the Science city status.

Barangays

Muñoz is politically subdivided into 37 barangays:

Climate

Demographics

Religion

Churches:
There are many new establishments in Munoz in the past few years. Notable are Friendship Supermarket, Inc, and the Villa-Mendoza Training Institute, both are now major landmarks on the city.
With a bustling market center with rice trading as a major economic activity, it has transformed into its present status as a Science City by virtue of Republic Act 8977 on December 9, 2000. Being a science city, Muñoz was acknowledged as one of the members of League of Cities of the Philippines and became a pilot city of achieving the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals.
Research and development centers:
As with most towns in Central Luzon, inter-city transport is through the Pan-Philippine Highway, the country's principal transport backbone. The principal mode of transport is through Jeepneys with fixed routes, or through tricycles, whom you need to tell where to go.
Buses from Cagayan Valley to Manila and vice versa stops here.
From Manila, you can ride a public bus going to San Jose City, Nueva Ecija or take the North Luzon Expressway and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and take La Paz Exit. And continue until reaching the city. You can also ride a public bus plying Cagayan Valley which exits at TPLEX Pura Exit; they continue to traverse through N114 up to Baloc, Santo Domingo; and they turn left going to AH26 until you reach Muñoz.

Land use

Education