Guimba

The name Guimba originated from the Ilocano word
“Gebba”, which refers to the traditional process
of heating and firing clay pots in pits until they hardened. Local
history states that when early Spanish visitors passed by and
asked the working natives for the name of the place, the locals
misunderstood the question and replied “Gebba”. The foreigners
misheard and repeated the term with a nasalized accent as
“Ghebha”, which eventually evolved into the hispanized name
Guimba. It was incorporated by a royal decree from the King of
Spain in 1897 and originally bore the full name
San Juan de Guimba in honor of their patron
saint, St. John the Evangelist.

Guimba is strategically tucked in the northwestern section of
Nueva Ecija. According to the latest official Philippine
Statistics Authority census data, the municipality records a
population of 131,468 residents, making it the second most
populous town in the entire province. It serves as a prime
agricultural and heritage hub in Central Luzon, widely known for
its vast expanses of green fields and historic religious
structures like the St. John the Evangelist Parish
Church. To celebrate its cultural heritage, the town
hosts its annual festive gatherings like the
Ragragsak Ti Guimba, a colorful thanksgiving
celebration honoring the local farming community’s abundant
harvests and agricultural success.