Far Eastern University

INSTITUTE OF ACCOUNTS, BUSINESS AND FINANCE

DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTANCY AND INTERNAL AUDITING

“BASTA NOVO ECIJANO, PANALO!”

FA #2: Local Culture
Art Appreciation

Submitted by:
Cruz, Veronica Mae M.
Julian, Roland Vincent P.
Section 75

March 2022
 “BASTA NOVO ECIJANO, PANALO!”

Introduction

One of the notable characteristics of being a Novo Ecijano is that they are very

hospitable and cheerful. They are often good at communicating and are well-acquainted with

one another (Buenaventura, 2021). Fortunately, these characteristics have been proven and

tested when both of us, a 3rd-year student who came from the same city - Cabanatuan, Nueva

Ecija, met and teamed up in a group once and became friends up until now. Even though we

just met recently, we immediately built a friendship since we have a lot of things in common

- one of which is that we came from the same city. Although we grew up in the same town,

we had different views and perceptions regarding Nueva Ecija. Our province has a lot more

to offer; hence, we will further illustrate what it is like to be a Novo Ecijano.

History

Being hailed as the “Rice Granary of the Philippines”, Nueva Ecija had managed to

retain its title as the biggest rice producer of Central Luzon. Having rice as the staple food of

the Philippines, Central Luzon is popular to be the main source of rice production in the

country – with the region contributing 20.4% of the total rice production. Our province,

Nueva Ecija, had been the main contributor, yielding over 760,000 metric tons of rice

(Galang, 2020).

Unbeknownst to many, Nueva Ecija was formerly a part of the province of Pampanga

throughout the Spanish period. It was initially referred to as “Upper Pampanga'', but was

later on renamed as “Nueva Ecija” when Governor-General Claveria made the province a
military district (comandancia) in 1777. In 1848, Nueva Ecija formally became a regular

province (Santiago, 2015). Nueva Ecija is composed of twenty-seven (27) municipalities and

five (5) cities - with Palayan City as its capital (Guia, 2012).

Photo from Google

Aside from its geographical background, Nueva Ecija is also known to be one of the

first eight provinces to courageously defied and revolted against Spaniards in 1896. It then

declared its independence in 1898. Aside from this, General Emilio Aguinaldo retreated to

the province of Nueva Ecija and made the Cabanatuan the temporary seat of his government

during the Filipino-American war.

Our hometown, Cabanatuan, a city in Nueva Ecija, is widely known because of its

historical site: Plaza Lucero and Cabanatuan Cathedral - a place where General Antonio Luna

was ambushed (Philippine Cities, 2022). In commemoration of General Luna, a statue of him
riding a horse stands at the plaza, named “Gen Luna Statue and Marker”. It stands in the exact

spot in front of the cathedral where he was assassinated.

Photo from Judgefloro

Indeed, Nueva Ecija is a perfect spot to visit in terms of the province's historical

background. However, Nueva Ecija does not only offer a reputable image regarding its past,

but it is also a home to different festivals, food, tourist spots, and the like. Here, we will

explore the culture and tradition of our province and the reason why Nueva Ecija is worth

the time and visit.

Festivals

Nueva Ecija is a noteworthy territory with beautiful and amazing celebrations. This

territory, with 5 urban communities and 27 districts, has assorted social practices that

became a huge piece of Novo Ecijanos culture and custom. Examples of festivals that

originated from Nueva Ecija are:

• Taong Putik Festival

• Banatu Festival
 • Tanduyong Festival.

Taong Putik Festival:

Photo from Google

Celebrated every June 24, Aliaga, Nueva Ecija is known for its Taong Putik Festival.

The festival is a religious ritual called “pag sa-San Juan”, a celebration to honor Saint John the

Baptist – their patron. Devotees cover their whole bodies with mud and wrap themselves in

dry banana leaves or coconut leaves to hide their identity during the procession. This is done

to imitate the Saint John the Baptist who was the chosen one to baptize Jesus Christ . He hid

himself by wearing animal skin in order to not be killed by the people as soon as he was

recognized. After the procession, devotees wash up, which symbolizes rebirth. A special

mass is held where the priest explains the symbolism of mud as our sins, but God still loved

us despire the dirt we have (Guia, 2013).

 Banatu Festival

Photo from Google

Happening every January 29-February 4, Banatu Festival is one of the grand festivals

held in Nueva Ecija. The festival got its name from the word banatu, which means “vine”. As

a vine they say, Cabanatueños bind themselves in the pursuit of progress and prosperity

(Crisologo, 2015). Banatu festival aims to represent the pride of Cabanatueños – their

history, culture, talent, beauty, and craftmanship (Colorful Festivals, n.d.).

Tanduyong Festival

Photo from Google
 Citizens of San Jose City, Nueva Ecija, celebrate a remarkable festival every fourth

Sunday of April - the Tanduyong Festival. On the exact day, dancers in colorful and multi-

hued costumes fill the main street. It is done to celebrate the blessing of the harvest of the

tanduyong - a type of onion abundant in the area. Consequently, the Nueva Ecija was named

as the "Onion Capital of the Philippines" (Colorful Festivals, n.d.).

Tourist spots

Minalungao National Park

Photo from: itsmielara

The 2,018-hectare Minalungao National Park is one of the most famous spots in Nueva

Ecija. The name of the park was derived from the words - mina and lungao, which means

“mine of gold in caves”. Although the park may not possess actual gold, it has remained to be
Nueva Ecija's best-kept secret and a tourist spot that the province is proud of (Mayuga,

2021). The wide Peñarada River is the main attraction of the park. It flows in between 16-

meter-high limestone rocks. Furthermore, its clean and turquoise river is exceptionally

appealing for activities such as cliff jumping, swimming, and bamboo rafting (Lambac, 2021).

Gabaldon Falls

Photo by: Veronica Mae Cruz

One of the mesmerizing places to visit in our province is the Gabaldon Falls. The ten-

feet falls are surrounded by green foliage and huge rock formations. Along with this, the ice-

cold rippling water of the falls, which came from the Sierra Madre mountain, is considered

to be its main attraction. Furthermore, it has been recognized as the cleanest water source

in the Philippines (Decio, 2012).

 When I was a kid, we would always pay a visit at the falls during summer break, since

the view from there is breathtaking. The picture above dated back way 2007 – the first time

I visited Gabaldon. As a child, I had a vague memory of what happened during that time, I can

only remember how my slippers got carried away by the water while I was attempting to sit

on one of the rocks. Growing up, I had learned to appreciate Gabaldon falls as it is not only a

tourist spot, but also it holds one of the best memories of my childhood that I would always

carry with me whenever I go. -Veronica Mae Cruz

Mt. Batong Amat

Photo taken by: Roland Vincent Julian

 Another beautiful sight from Nueva Ecija is Mount 387, also known as Mt. Batong

Amat from Carranglan, Nueva Ecija. It is known for the chocolate hills of the North. Since we

are from Cabanatuan, it only took one hour and thirty minutes to arrive at Mount 387, so we

left Cabanatuan at 1:00 am and arrived at the jump-off before 3:00 am. We decided to eat a

light meal to at least have the needed energy required for hiking. Registration is required

before hiking, and we decided to hire a guide to brief us before starting the climb. We left the

jump-off at 3:00 am while it was still dark. As we went higher, fewer and fewer trees and

greens could be seen. The top surprised us with a view of brown, rolling slopes that reminded

me of our other hiking experiences.

We concluded that Mount 387 was one of the hardest experiences we had because of

the steep slopes when we were on our way to the famous Aloha Falls. But our adventure

didn’t stop at the falls. As we were returning back to the jump-off, we did multiple river

crossings and had a beautiful view of the mountain range now at a worm’s eye view. We

finished our climb with a sumptuous lunch prepared by the locals. -Roland Vincent Julian

Delicacies

After a tiring hike or a long tour to the tourist spots in Nueva Ecija, we all deserve an

amazing treat of delicacies that will surely make tourist salivate. Nueva Ecija is home to

famous dishes and treats that would make visiting to the province worthwhile. It offers a

variety of foods that are unique and have a significance with the Nueva Ecija’s culture.

Batutay and Garlic Longganisa

Photo from: Lessandra

Nueva Ecija would not be complete without its delicacy that it is best known for – the

Batutay and the Garlic Longganisa. Batutay is made of pure beef that is coated with sweet

sauce, which gives the meat a unique taste. The batutay is well-known in the city of

Cabanatuan. On the other hand, the garlic longganisa or also called Cabanatuan longganisa,

is for those people who likes savory rather than sweet. In contrast to Batutay, the garlic

longganisa is typically made of ground pork. It has a strong aroma and flavor that stands out

from the rest (Santos, 2017).

 We personally love garlic longganisa as compared to the batutay. It is because of its

strong spices that makes the taste even better every bite. Our staycation in Cabanatuan will

never be complete without bringing a kilo of Longganisa that we bring to the Manila with us.

For us, no other longganisa is as legitimate as the ones made in Cabanatuan, which is why it

is worth to try for foodies who want to have a delicious dish served to them.

Carabao’s Milk Dairy Products

Photo by: Martin San Diego

Nueva Ecija is a popular destination for tourists who want to taste carabao’s milk. It

is said that Carabao’s milk contains a high percentage of milk fat, which made its milk richer

and creamier than that of a cow and a goat. The province is known for the Philippine Carabao

Center (PCC) located at the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. It is an attached agency of

Department of Agriculture that manages Milka Krem – the dairy product outlet which sells

various products like chocolate milk, pastillas, yogurt, etc. It was established “to conserve,

propagate, and promote the Carabao as a source of milk, meat, draft power and hide to
benefit the rural farmers” (Philippine Carabao Center, n.d.). Milka Krem’s products are

guaranteed to be fresh since the raw milk needed to process the product came from the

healthy animals supported by the PCC (Lessandra, 2021).

Puno’s Ice Cream

Photo source: RJ Abellera

Lastly, Puno’s ice cream tops the list when it comes to homegrown ice creams in

Nueva Ecija. Atanacio and Simeona Puno established Puno ice cream to send their nine

children to school. Now, it has been offering the ice cream to Novo Ecijanos for six decades

already. Puno ice cream has been widely known due to its affordable price and unique

flavors. Its bestseller is Cheese Cashew Macapuno, along with other flavors such as Buko

Sherbet with Lychee, Ube Cheese, and many more (Guzman, 2017).

Puno ice cream had been a part of our childhood; our weekend could not be complete

without asking the elderly to buy the ice cream for us. It is also served in every occasion,

which is why we become overly excited to come to parties or occasions because of the Puno
ice cream that awaits us. Us, Novo Ecijanos, are not only appreciative in savory and sweet

treats; we are also appreciative in arts, which can be seen from the famous personalities who

rose to fame because of their extraordinary talent.

Famous Personalities

Novo Ecijanos’ pride and joy do not end solely on the magnificent natural wonders of

the province, along with its famous delicacies. We believe that what truly makes the Nueva

Ecija a mesmerizing place to visit is the people living in it - the Novo Ecijanos. As

aforementioned, Novo Ecijanos are known to be very hospitable and cheerful. Once we get

acquainted with one another, we tend to build strong bonds and treat each other as families.

Not only do we possess a pleasing personality, but we are also talented and dedicated people

(Buenaventura, 2021). It is evidenced by the famous personalities who rose to fame due to

their admirable talents.

Mario Parial

Mother and Child (1991)
 One of the renowned artists in the Philippines is Mario Parial. Born in Gapan, Nueva

Ecija, Parial is a painter, printmaker, and photographer, best known for his festive canvas

works. His works depicted folk religious imagery, rural landscape, and mythical figures -

integrated with plants and other organic forms. Most of his paintings are intensely colored

and have a strong decorative appeal. In 1965, Parial held his first solo exhibition, which

featured thirty-five (35) of his artworks. In the following year, 1966, he won the first prize

for “Flight of the Sun” at the Art Association of the Philippines competition (Osental, 2017).

Elito Circa

Photo from: Amangpintor.net

Another notable artist is Elito Circa or also known as “Amangpintor”. Circa is a

contemporary folk artist from Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija, who uses indigenous human hair

and blood fluids as his medium, thus recognizing him as the “First Hair and Blood Painter”.
He gained national renown for his artwork of the image of President Rodrigo Duterte and

the boxer Manny Pacquiao, which he painted using his own blood. Most of his paintings are

thematic; he uses the legends of his place to symbolize and metaphorize the struggles of the

people and the beauty of his hometown (Tejero, 2017).

Ramon H. Lopez

“Love is in the Air” (2014)

Lastly is the author who was born in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija, who is known to be

the First Filipino Rustpainter - Ramon H. Lopez. Determined to create a unique painting style,

Lopez started to collect rusting objects from trash and carefully segregated the rust particles

to make a process that he uses for his artworks - thereby using rust as his medium. He also

uses acrylic with a combination of rust to incorporate in his painting. His themes are usually

erotica, abstract, and Filipiniana (Art pavilion>Ramon H. Lopez, 2021).

Conclusion

Nueva Ecija is named the Rice Granary of the Philippines due to its rice fields, which

is why vacation spots like beaches are quite rare across its five urban areas and 27 towns.

However, there are still places to visit in Nueva Ecija. It might not have any seashore to offer

like the rest, but it has mesmerizing spots and a couple of delicious treats available. Visiting

the places of interest in Nueva Ecija will shockingly require three entire days; the primary

explanation is that most are situated a long way from one another.

We recommend you base your visit at our city, Cabanatuan City, as it is the town you

can reach through open vehicles and there is a lot of good food places inside the area.

Ultimately, our hometown has a lot to offer aside from the abovementioned spots and

delicacies. We hope that once you pay a visit, you will realize the beauty of our hometown

and see through the pride of the Novo Ecijanos.

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