“Papaya”. According to local lore, the old name
originated from a misunderstanding between a Spanish soldier and a
native settler who unknowingly blurted out the name of the
abundant papaya fruit tree growing in the area. Organized initially
as a visita of Gapan in the 1520s, it officially became an
independent municipality in 1921. On June 20, 1957, through
Republic Act No. 1665, the town was renamed General Tinio in honor
of General Manuel Tinio, the youngest general of
the Philippine Revolutionary Army and a former governor of Nueva
Ecija.General Tinio is strategically tucked in the southeastern section
of Nueva Ecija, sitting right at the foot of the majestic Sierra
Madre mountains and adjoining the Fort Magsaysay Army Reservation.
Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority census data, the
municipality records a population of 58,093 residents. It serves
as a prime eco-tourism and adventure hub in Central Luzon, widely
visited for its breathtaking limestone formations and natural
wonder spots like the Minalungao National Park.
To celebrate its cultural heritage and thanksgiving, the local
community gathers annually to commemorate its colorful founding
traditions, reflecting its legacy as the historical “Egg Basket of
the Philippines” in the 1950s.
Local Officials
Mayor: Sherry Ann D. Bolisay (the town’s first-ever female mayor)
Vice Mayor (SB Presiding Officer): Atty. Melvin S. Pascual
Councilors (Sangguniang Bayan Members):
- Dr. Angelo J. Bote
- Bando B. Bandoja
- Mike Medina
- Sacul Donna Bandoja
- Tito Catague
- Pane Jalmar Flores
- Toto Jessie Juanica
- Adolphus Pueda
