San Jose, Nueva Ecija

The town got its name after Saint Joseph, the patron saint of the place. Before the city was founded by the Spanish colonizers, it is known as Kabaritan, named for the plant commonly seen in the area. ==History==

Years before it became a town, San Jose was a wilderness and a veritable hunting ground of the inhabitants of its neighboring towns. The earliest inhabitants were known as Negritos (Baluga) headed by Kapitan Danding, a Negrito convert to Christianity residing in Pinagcuartelan. These early inhabitants depended mostly on hunting and fishing for their livelihood. Some hunters from the neighboring towns considered San Jose to be a good place for settlers due to its wide and uncleared agricultural land. The first group of settlers made some clearings (kaingin) on the outskirts of the present town. Originally, San Jose was a part of the town of Puncan, but later on, because of its nearness to Lupao, it was made a barrio of the latter. The early history of this town was coupled with the early history of Puncan and Lupao. Formerly, San Jose was known as a barrio of "Kabaritan", referring to the barit, an Ilocano term for a plant related to rattan and was abundant in the place. Spanish colonial era On March 19, 1894, San Jose became a full-fledged town, with an interim government headed by a capitán municipal. Kabaritan was separated from Lupao and renamed after Saint Joseph, its patron saint. It was from this time that growth of the town began. American era When the Revolution broke out and upon the surrender of the Spanish forces in 1898, a revolutionary government was set up in San Jose. The town remained as such until the establishment of local government under the Americans in 1901. became a progressive town. Its inhabitants enjoyed more political, economic, intellectual and religious rights than before. This was due to the establishment of various schools, churches, public buildings and the construction of roads and bridges, which hastened the progress of the town. From 1898 to 1900, the Philippines was placed under an American military government. With the help of his vice-president and other municipal officials, he focused on land reform, which paved the way for equal distribution of property. The Municipal President-elect of 1908–1910, Valerio Escobar concentrated on the construction of roads from Sibut to San Agustin. He also founded the barrios of Santa Barbara and Kapisungan (now Bagong Sikat). Desiderio de Guzmán was elected in 1910 and served till 1912. Cityhood On August 4, 1969, by virtue of Republic Act 6051, San Jose was converted into a city, making it as the third city in Nueva Ecija after Cabanatuan and Palayan. == Demographics ==

Languages The current population of San Jose City is 129,424 people in 23,191 households as of May 2010. The majority language used is Tagalog, more than 72 percent of the population speak it as their native tongue, followed by Ilocano, Kapampangan, and Pangasinense. Religion On February 16, 1984, the Diocese of San Jose was created by Pope John Paul II. The creation of the new diocese bisected the province horizontally into the Diocese of Cabanatuan in the south, and the Diocese of San Jose in the north, both the suffragans of the Archdiocese of Lingayen–Dagupan. 80% of the city residents are Catholics and the patron saint is Saint Joseph. The feast is celebrated every March 19 annually. The diocese now has 17 parishes administered by 22 priests working under one bishop. Among its Catholic institutions are 9 high schools, 4 elementary schools, 6 kindergarten schools, 1 diocesan catechetical center, and the Don Bosco Training Center. ==Geography==

San Jose City is from Cabanatuan, from Palayan, from the Philippine capital Manila, and from Bayombong. Barangays San Jose City is politically subdivided into 38 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios. Climate San Jose has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen-Geiger system: Aw), The average annual temperature is in San Jose. Precipitation here averages . The city of San Jose lies at 15° 47' North, 120° 59' East in Central Luzon. The estimated elevation at these coordinates is approximately or 360.4 feet above mean sea level. The city has two pronounced seasons, rainy season from the months of May to November and the dry season in the remaining months. {{Weather box == Economy ==

Agriculture is the prime revenue of San Jose City since it is a part of the rice granary of the Philippines. However other agri-based produce are vegetables, fruits and onions. The city is now a leading producer of onions in the country. The city's local crops range from rice, corn, and onion; thus the city is also referred to as the "City of the Golden Harvests" and “Rice Bowl of the Philippines.” Other crops are mango, banana, eggplant, and garlic. ==Tourism==

;Tayabo Nature Park: The park is situated at the gateway to the Cagayan Valley, at the foot of Mount Caraballo. It has a hundred step stairs leading to lamp-lit pagodas in the hilltop, and from the park can be seen Nueva Ecija. ;Palasapas Falls: This waterfall is located in the outskirts of the city, in the barrio Manicla, seven kilometers away from the Poblacion. ;Christmas Capital: In 2018, the city has been named as the Christmas Capital of Nueva Ecija for its grand Christmas lights. ;Amangpintor Art Museum: is the first of its kind in Nueva Ecija, Philippines, and stands out as a unique museum in the country for its focus on Indigenouism Art. This art form features works created using natural pigments, such as sap from fruits and other indigenous materials, including blood and hair. Festivals in 2013 • Tanduyong Festival: San Jose City prides itself as the "Onion Capital of the Philippines" and is a leading producer of onion, garlic, rice and vegetables. Tanduyong is a variety of onion grown in the area. Every year, on the fourth Sunday of April, the people of San Jose celebrate the Tanduyong Festival. ==Transportation==

Major bus companies from Metro Manila ply the route going to San Jose City along the Pan-Philippine Highway. Baliwag Transit, Inc. has terminal in Pasay and Cubao, Quezon City has buses that travel specifically to and from Nueva Ecija. Bus companies going to San Jose City: • Baliwag Transit From Cubao/Caloocan • Saulog Transit From Olongapo City • Arayat Express From Olongapo City • Genesis Transport From Mariveles, Bataan/San Fernando City, Pampanga • Golden Bee Transport and Logistics Corporation From Cubao/Pasay • Viron Transit From Narvacan, Ilocos Sur • Victory Liner From Cubao Former PNR Station in San Jose The Philippine National Railways (then Manila Railroad Company) used to have a branch line northwards from Tutuban station in Manila and branches out from the mainline in Tarlac City going to San Jose City. The Tarlac-San Jose line, which served the towns of Guimba, Muñoz and San Jose, was initially constructed in the 1920s and was completed in 1939. However, in 1988, the North Main Line was closed (see Philippine National Railways) and subsequently dismantled. The concrete ruins of the old PNR station of San Jose are located along San Roque Street in Barangay Abar 1st. Expressways and Bypass Roads San Jose City shall also be serviced by a future expressway, which is the partially completed Central Luzon Link Expressway (SCTEX-TPLEX to San Jose City), when finished. The expressway will shorten the usual travel time between the neighboring provinces and San Jose City also stimulating the economy of the towns that the carriageway will pass through as a direct consequence. To decongest the Pan-Philippine Highway, San Jose City Bypass Road was constructed. It passes through barangays Caanawan, Abar 2nd, Sto. Niño 1st and 2nd, Malasin, Manicla and Kita-kita; and ends at San Jose-Lupao Road, serving as an easier access going to Tarlac and Umingan, Pangasinan. ==Education==

San Jose City has many private and public schools. Private schools: • Bethany Christian Academy • Bettbien Montessori • Bascos San Jose School • Bettbien High School • College for Research & Technology- San Jose City Campus • Core Gateway College • Hope Of Manitoba Essential Academy (HOME Academy) • Mount Carmel Montessori Center • Nieves Center for Education, Inc. -San Jose City • San Jose Christian Colleges • School of the Sacred Heart of San Jose City • St. Joseph School • Gracious Shepherd Christian Academy • Keanney-Diaz Educational Institute • Elim School for Values and Excellence • Evangelical Christian Academy • St. John's Academy • STI College San Jose City • St. Augustine Foundation Colleges of Nueva Ecija Inc. San Jose City • Araullo University San Jose Campus Public schools: • San Jose East Central School • San Jose West Central School • Abar Elementary School • Bagong Sikat Integrated School • Caanawan National High School • Caanawan Elementary School • Calaocan Elementary School • CLSU Laboratory High School-Pinili • San Jose City National High School (Formerly CPNHS) • Constancio Padilla National High School Kita-kita Annex • Porais National High School • Porais Elementary School • Pinili Elementary School • San Agustin Integrated School • Santo Tomas Elementary School • Santo Niño 3rd High School • Tayabo Elementary School • Tayabo High School – CPNHS Annex • Tondod High School == Notable personalities ==

• Lino Brocka – Director and National Artist for Film • Manuel Chua – Actor, Model and Politician • Ramon H. Lopez – painter • Kokoy Salvador – representative, Nueva Ecija's 2nd district • Aniceto Sobrepeña – Filipino businessman, civil servant and civic leader • Oscar Solis – Bishop of Salt Lake City in Utah since 2017, first Filipino-American Catholic bishop • Joseph Gilbert Violago – representative, Nueva Ecija's 2nd district ==References==