Cabanatuan City is a component city of the province of Nueva Ecija and is located at the heart of the so-called rice granary of the Philippines. It is right smack in the middle and is a melting pot not only among Novo Ecijanos but of people in the Northeastern part of Luzon.
Rice being the staple food of Filipinos, the plains of Nueva Ecija and Cabanatuan City are rich and fertile making it the main produce of the whole province. It is in the great plains of Luzon which produced most of the rice being consumed by the whole country.
Being a component city means independence from the mother province. Nueva Ecija has been self-reliant. Thanks to its leaders, past and present, for maintaining that kind of progressive autonomy through the years - laudable governance, indeed.
Proof to Cabanatuan City's growth is the proliferation of commercial establishments such as shopping malls and other businesses that cater to the needs of its people, that of the whole province and neighboring provinces.
Business is flourishing in the city. Despite the malls being built, other small-scale businesses are also doing well. The usual market is teeming with people who still go there for their usual wet market needs.
Being the central point of the Nueva Ecija, it is not unusual that students study there for their educational needs. Big schools, colleges and universities, both public and private, are full in student population.
Nourishment for the body and soul can also be found in Cabanatuan City. Their Nueva Ecija Doctors' Hospital has modern amenities for the health needs of the people. The St. Nicholas of Tolentino Cathedral cater to their spiritual needs.
The city's transportation hub is an efficient way of transporting people to and from the city. Buses and jeepneys utilize the said terminal and passengers have the discipline to go there to ride their preferred mode of transportation going in and out of Cabanatuan City.
Both Nueva Ecija and Cabanatuan City have their great share in the Philippines' history. The Antonio Luna Death Place marker is a fitting remembrance of one of our national heroes who fought during the Spanish colonization while the Cabanatuan World War II Memorial Shrine and the Cabanatuan American Memorial are fitting tributes to those who fought during the Japanese colonization.
With the many times that I have visited the city, I have fond memories of Cabanatuan City which urge me to visit it again soon. I have done fashion shows in different venues in the city and I hope to be back again for work or for leisure.
Credit to the owners of the photos.
