General Tinio, officially the Municipality of General Tinio (, Ilocano: Ili ti Heneral Tinio), is a first-class municipality in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people. It was known as Papaya until 1957.

The town is at the foot of the Sierra Madre Mountains, adjoining the Fort Magsaysay Army Reservation on the northeastern side.

History

According to the story passed on through generations, the town got its name because of a miscommunication between the natives and the Spanish colonizers. A native settler, when asked by a Spanish soldier, "Llama el pueblo?"(“what is the name of this town?”) replied, not understanding the Spanish language, "Papaya," referring to the particular fruit tree growing abundantly in the place. The name stuck with the Spanish colonizers, and the place from then on was called "Papaya."

Papaya was a sitio of Mapisong, which was then a barrio of Gapan. Mapisong became a town in 1851, changing its name to Peñaranda after Spanish engineer Jose Maria Peñaranda. Papaya became one of its barangays. Papaya became a town on January 1, 1921, through the collaborative efforts of Capitan Mamerto Padolina, who was then the Secretary of the Governor of the Province, Judge Segundo Bernardo, and Francisco Padolina.

Congressman Celestino Juan sponsored a congressional act changing the name of Papaya to General Tinio in honor of General Manuel Tinio, a revolutionary leader against the Spaniards who hailed from Nueva Ecija. The act was signed into law on June 20, 1957, as Republic Act No. 1665. The new name of the town was inaugurated days later, on August 19, 1957.

Geography Barangays General Tinio is politically subdivided into 13 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Padolina (Barangay 1) Concepcion (Barangay 2) Rio Chico (Barangay 3) Pias (Barangay 4) Nazareth (Barangay 5) Bago (Barangay 6) Poblacion West (Barangay 7) Poblacion Central (Barangay 8) San Pedro (Barangay 9) Sampaguita (Barangay 10) Poblacion East (Barangay 11) Pulong Matong (Barangay 12) Palale (Barangay 13)

Climate

Demographics

Economy

Farming is the livelihood of the majority of the residents. Even though the municipality is located at the foot of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range, the topography is generally ideal for agricultural products such as palay and vegetables. A number of poultry broiler contract growers are also located in the municipality. Other industries include furniture and fixtures, backyard poultry, cattle and livestock, vegetable production, and minor agricultural livelihoods such as duck raising.

The remittances of numerous sons and daughters of Papaya abroad also help keep the economy of the town afloat. Papayanos can be relied to answer calls of assistance for the town's development.

Minalungao National Park is also one of the biggest attractions in the town, catering to numerous visitors each day.

Government Local government

The following have led the town from its birth in 1921 to what it had become today. Cristobal Mangulabnan Vice Martin Ramos 1921–1922Getulio Bote, Sr. Vice Martin Pajarillaga 1922–1925 Martin Pajarillaga Vice Marcos Bote Sr. 1925–1931Marcos Bote Sr. Vice Daniel Padolina 1931–1934Melquiades Ronquillo, Sr. Vice Santiago Bolisay 1934–1937MayorVice MayorTermMelquades Ronquillo, Sr. Vice Damaso Bolisay 1937–1940Getulio Bote Vice Pedro Bulacan 1940–1944 Getulio Bote Vice Angeles Bote 1945Republic EraGerardo Rivera Vice Angeles Bote 1946–1947 Gerardo Rivera Vice Diosdado Bote 1948–1951Gerardo Rivera with Victorino Bote 1952–1955Bienvenido B. Abes Vice Victorino Bote 1956–1959Gerardo Rivera Vice Banaag Leodones 1960–1963Santos Bote Vice Getulio Bote, Jr. 1964–1967Mariano Ronquillo Vice Manuel Domingo January 1–15, 1968Manuel Domingo Vice Perfecto M. Bote 1968–1971Nicanor B. Aves Vice Alfonso Pajimna 1972–1980Nathaniel Bote, Jr. Vice Venancio Bote 1981–1986OIC Gerardo Rivera Vice Antonio Abes 1986–1988Placido M. Calma Vice Bernardino R. Abes 1988–1995Placido M. Calma Vice Elsa Bote 1995–1998Placido M. Calma Vice Bernardino R. Abes 1998–2004Isidro Tinio Pajarillaga Vice Indira P. Dayupay 2004–2007Virgilio A. Bote Vice Marcelo B. Abes 2007–2010Virgilio A. Bote Vice Engr. Ferdinand P. Bote 2010–2016Engr. Ferdinand P. Bote Vice Atty. Melvin S. Pascual 2016–2018Atty. Melvin S. Pascual Vice Anna Rouselle Busalpa 2018-2019Isidro Tinio Pajarillaga Vice Atty. Melvin S. Pascual 2019–2025Sherry Ann Bolisay Vice Atty. Melvin S. Pascual 2025–present

Education The Gen. Tinio Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public educational institutions ranging from primary to secondary schools.

Primary and elementary schools

Bago Elementary School BC Achievers' Integrated School Bethany Ecumenical School Bulak Primary School Christian Lights Academy Gawad Kalinga Community Elementary School Gen. Tinio Central School Gen. Tinio East Central School Gen. Tinio West Central School Gethsemane Christian School Greenland Elementary School IEMELIF Learning Center Mapedya Elementary School Minalungao Elementary School Nazareth Elementary School Padolina Elementary School Palale Elementary School Patindig-Araw Elementary School Pias Elementary School Rio Chico Elementary School Sibug Elementary School

Secondary schools

General Tinio National High School Irenea Integrated School Leonor M. Bautista High School Lino P. Bernardo National High School Pagtalunan High School Palale High School Rio Chico National High School

Higher educational institution St. Anthony Center of Science and Technology

Culture Roman Catholic is the most prevalent religion, with Iglesia ni Cristo, IEMELIF, Baptist, Methodist, and others attracting its own followers. The town's patron saint, the Santo Cristo or the Holy Cross is feted every May.

The town is best known for having the most number of brass bands in the Philippines with 15 organized bands. The Family Band has won national brass band competition titles in categories including majorette exhibitions, solo flute, solo clarinet, solo trumpet, and French horn.

The town also has other places of interest, notably the Minalungao National Park, which is a favorite swimming destination in the summer, especially during Black Saturday when it is usually filled with local bathers and visitors. Minalungao, literally meaning "mine of gold in a cave", houses several caves which can explored. The river also has a portion where a stone ledge located about 15 meters high from the river can be used as spring board.

A Papaya Festival is also commonly celebrated, coinciding with the municipality's Foundation Anniversary. Parades of different school students around the town would wear colourful costumes inspired by the fruit, which was the area's name prior to the change in 1957.

Gallery

See also List of renamed cities and municipalities in the Philippines

References

External links

[ Philippine Standard Geographic Code] Philippine Census Information