“Gapang”, which means to crawl. Local lore states
that when Spanish soldiers arrived and asked for the name of the
place, locals—misunderstanding the question—thought they were
asking about the natives who were crawling through the thick, muddy
underbrush to clear the land. Historically, it was organized by
Augustinian friars in 1595, making it the oldest town in Nueva
Ecija and one of the oldest in the Philippines. It originally
encompassed a massive pueblo that stretched as far as Cabanatuan.
Gapan formally converted into a component city on August 25, 2001,
under Republic Act No. 9022.
Gapan City is strategically tucked in the southernmost section of
Nueva Ecija, serving as the southern gateway into the province from
Bulacan. Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority census data,
the city records a thriving population of 129,610 residents. It
serves as a prime cultural and commercial hub in Central Luzon,
widely visited for heritage gems like Lumang Gapan
(dubbed the Little Vigan of the North) and the National
Shrine of La Virgen Divina Pastora. To celebrate its rich
cultural identity, the city hosts the annual Tsinelas
Festival every August, a colorful thanksgiving celebration
honoring its core local artisan trade.
Local Officials
Mayor: Emary Joy “Joy” David Pascual
Vice Mayor (SB Presiding Officer): Maximus Rodrigo “Max” P. Howley
Councilors:
- Jeffrey “Jeff” D. Bautista
- Jay Mariano
- Gemma Pangilinan
- Nani Yu
- Idol Tecson
- Gerry Matias
- Amy Hernandez
- Tarat De Guzman
- Omeng Bautista
- Ser Padiernos
