Barrio Papaya during the Spanish era before it
was renamed in 1886 in honor of Don Francisco
Muñoz, the province’s alcalde mayor (governor) and the
community’s first appointed gobernadorcillo. For a long time, it
existed as a barrio under San Juan de Guimba. It was officially
established as an independent municipality on January 10, 1913,
by virtue of an executive order issued by Governor-General
Francis Burton Harrison. In a historic milestone, Muñoz formally
achieved cityhood on December 9, 2000, under Republic Act No.
8979, becoming the first and only Science City in the Philippines
due to its dense concentration of agricultural research centers.
Muñoz is strategically tucked in the northern-central section of
Nueva Ecija, nestled within the province’s second legislative
district. Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority census
data, the component city records a booming population of 85,061
residents. It serves as a prime education, aquaculture, and
research hub in Central Luzon, widely visited for prestigious
institutional destinations like Central Luzon State
University (CLSU), the Philippine Rice Research
Institute (PhilRice), and the Philippine Center
for Postharvest Development and Mechanization
(PHilMech). To celebrate its cultural heritage, the city
hosts the annual Uhay Festival (coinciding with
the Ani ng Sining at Agham) every December, a vibrant thanksgiving
celebration showcasing molecular-themed street dances and
agro-scientific innovation.
Local Officials (2025–2028 Term)
City Mayor: Baby Armi L. Alvarez
City Vice Mayor (SP Presiding Officer): Nestor L. Alvarez
Sangguniang Panlungsod Members (City Councilors):
- Marianito C. Pacheco Jr.
- Jerry S. Fulgencio
- Rommel G. Abon
- Henry G. Agaloos
- Altreb S. Castañeda
- Cesar T. Viloria Jr.
- Allan S. Pingol
- Carmelita J. Umagat, M.D.
- Vincent DV. Alvarez
- Rodney S. Cabrera
