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Gapan | |
|---|---|
| City of Gapan | |
.jpg)     (From top, left to right): Lumang Gapan • Gapan City Ferris Wheel • Gapan City Public Market • La Divina Pastora National Shrine • Gapan City Hall | |
 Seal | |
| Nickname: Tsinelas Capital of the Philippines | |
 Map of Nueva Ecija with Gapan highlighted | |
 Interactive map of Gapan | |
.svg)  Gapan Location within thePhilippines | |
| Coordinates:15°18′44″N120°56′56″E / 15.3122°N 120.9489°E /15.3122; 120.9489 | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Central Luzon |
| Province | Nueva Ecija |
| District | 4th district |
| Founded | 1732 |
| Cityhood | August 25, 2001 |
| Barangays | 23 (seeBarangays) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Sangguniang Panlungsod |
| • Mayor | Emary Joy David Pascual |
| • Vice Mayor | Maximus Rodrigo P. Howley |
| • Representative | Emerson D. Pascual |
| • City Council | Members
|
| • Electorate | 96,721 voters (2025) |
| Area | |
• Total | 118.00 km2 (45.56 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 41 m (135 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 440 m (1,440 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 6 m (20 ft) |
| Population (2024 Census) | |
• Total | 129,610 |
| • Density | 1,098.4/km2 (2,844.8/sq mi) |
| • Households | 30,186 |
| Demonym | Gapanense/Gapanenses |
| Economy | |
| • Income class | 3rd city income class |
| • Poverty incidence | 12.26 |
| • Revenue | ₱ 1,059 million (2022) |
| • Assets | ₱ 1,988 million (2022) |
| • Expenditure | ₱ 916.7 million (2022) |
| • Liabilities | ₱ 227 million (2022) |
| Service provider | |
| • Electricity | Nueva Ecija 1 Electric Cooperative (NEECO 1) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| ZIP code | 3105 |
| PSGC | |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)44 |
| Native languages | Kapampangan Tagalog Ilocano |
| Website | www |
Gapan[gɐˈpan], officially theCity of Gapan (Filipino:Lungsod ng Gapan,Ilocano:Siudad ti Gapan,Kapampangan:Ciudad/Lakanbalen ning Gapan), is acomponent city in theprovince ofNueva Ecija,Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 129,610 people.[4]
It is nicknamed the "Footwear Capital of the North" due to the thriving footwear making industry in the city.
Historical records called the townIbon, which in the 16th century was a town ofPampanga.[citation needed]
During Spanish rule, in 1595, Gapan was reinstituted as a Catholic town by the Spanish priests Contres Tendilla, Caballo, and Salazar. This makes Gapan the oldest town in Nueva Ecija and one of the oldest in the Philippines. The town had a large jurisdiction embracing an area as far asCabanatuan to the north (which was itsbarangay with the name Cabanatuan before it separated in 1750); theSierra Madre to the east;San Miguel,Bulacan to the south; and,Candaba,Pampanga to the west.
Most of the original settlers in Gapan were Tagalogs fromBulacan and Morong (nowRizal Province) and Kapampangans. Other early settlers came from Ilocos and Tayabas (nowQuezon Province). Gapan, along with Aliaga, Cabiao, San Antonio, and San Isidro, was transferred to the province of Nueva Ecija in 1848.
After the 1898 Philippine independence, some of the town's former districts became separate towns until what remained comprised only what are now the towns ofPeñaranda,General Tinio, andSan Leonardo (formerly called Manikling), all of which are part of Nueva Ecija.
February 12, 1982 saw one of the prominenthuman rights abuses of the Marcos dictatorship in the form of the "Gapan massacre", in which armed soldiers strafed the residence of the Bautista family in the town, resulting in the death of the Bautista couple and all three of their children.[5][6]
By virtue ofRepublic Act No. 9022 and its ratification in a plebiscite subsequently held on August 25, 2001, Gapan was converted into acomponent city ofNueva Ecija. Ernesto L. Natividad became the first city mayor of Gapan.
Tagalog is the main language in Gapan.Kapampangan andIlocano are also used.
Gapan is located in the southern part of the province. It is bounded to the north byPeñaranda andSan Leonardo, to the east by theGen. Tinio, to the south bySan Miguel in neighboringBulacan province, and to the west bySan Isidro.
Gapan is 23 kilometers (14 mi) fromCabanatuan, 37 kilometers (23 mi) fromPalayan, and 93 kilometers (58 mi) fromManila.
Source:[7]
Gapan is politically subdivided into 23barangays. Each barangay consists ofpuroks, and some havesitios.
| Name of barangay | Population |
|---|---|
| Bayanihan | 6,629 |
| Bulak | 2,776 |
| Kapalangan | 6,108 |
| Mahipon | 2,821 |
| Malimba | 4,170 |
| Mangino | 13,618 |
| Marelo | 2,138 |
| Pambuan | 15,993 |
| Parcutela | 1,273 |
| San Lorenzo | 6,934 |
| San Nicolas | 12,360 |
| San Roque | 9,574 |
| San Vicente | 9,304 |
| Santa Cruz | 3,991 |
| Santo Cristo Norte | 6,234 |
| Santo Cristo Sur | 4,917 |
| Santo Niño | 5,455 |
| Makabaclay (Makabaklay) | 2,901 |
| Balante | 2,031 |
| Bungo | 2,840 |
| Mabunga | 878 |
| Maburak | 4,086 |
| Puting Tubig | 2,579 |
| Total Population : 129,610 | |
Population census of Gapan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Source:Philippine Statistics Authority[8][9][10][11][12] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Climate data for Gapan, Nueva Ecija | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28 (82) | 30 (86) | 31 (88) | 33 (91) | 33 (91) | 31 (88) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 20 (68) | 20 (68) | 20 (68) | 22 (72) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 23 (73) | 22 (72) | 21 (70) | 22 (72) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 4 (0.2) | 4 (0.2) | 5 (0.2) | 11 (0.4) | 66 (2.6) | 99 (3.9) | 127 (5.0) | 113 (4.4) | 99 (3.9) | 84 (3.3) | 35 (1.4) | 14 (0.6) | 661 (26.1) |
| Average rainy days | 2.2 | 1.9 | 3.2 | 5.3 | 16.1 | 20.8 | 23.5 | 22.8 | 22.2 | 16.5 | 8.9 | 3.5 | 146.9 |
| Source: Meteoblue(modeled/calculated data, not measured locally)[13] | |||||||||||||
Current major sources of income within Gapan City include agriculture. As a town of Nueva Ecija, majority comes from farming, while fishponds, poultry and piggeries also contribute.
The city of Gapan holds tremendous promise not only in its natural resources but also in its potentials in agri-base industries and in footwear industries which help sustain its virtual role in agricultural and industrial production.
It also generates income in slipper making and commercial establishments. Commercial and trade activities in Gapan are further accelerated by the influx of financing lending institution and new businesses sprouting across the city's main district.
Like its sister city, Cabanatuan, Gapan also houses major shopping hubs in the province.
The two major Philippine mall chains,Walter Mart andRobinsons Malls, have already established their presence in the city.
Currently, major shopping centers in the city include:
Gapan has also several local grocery, department, and hardware stores.
Gapan's current seat of government, the city hall, is located at Maharlika Highway The local government structure is composed of one mayor, one vice mayor, and ten councilors. Each official is elected publicly to a 3-year term and can be re-elected up to 3 terms in succession. The day-to-day administration of the city is handled by the city administrator.
Source:[22]
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| District representative (4th Legislative District of the province of Nueva Ecija) | Emerson D. Pascual |
| Chief executive of the City of Gapan | Mayor Emary Joy D. Pascual |
| Presiding officer of the City Council of Gapan | Vice Mayor Max Pascual Howley |
| Members of the city council | Jeffrey D. Bautista |
| Jay Mariano | |
| Gemma Pangilinan | |
| Nani Yu | |
| Idol Tecson | |
| Gerry Matias | |
| Amy Hernandez | |
| Tarat De Guzman | |
| Omeng Bautista | |
| Ser Padiernos |
Gapan serves many bus companies operating provincial and regional routes. Intercity and interprovincial buses from Manila serve the city, and are usually operated byBaliwag Transit, Inc.,Five Star,Victory Liner,Genesis Transport Service Inc., and ES Transport Inc.
Jeepney operators serve routes within the province with some reaching as far to nearby towns in Nueva Ecija. Much of the city's population rely on public transportation such as tricycles and jeeps to get around the city.
Two main highways serve the city of Gapan:Maharlika Highway andJose Abad Santos Avenue.Maharlika Highway (or Pan-Philippine Highway) is the main highway traversing the city where most vehicles going to Cagayan Valley pass through. It links Gapan to its nearby city of Cabanatuan and town of San Miguel in the province of Bulacan. It also allows travelers to reach towns of Sta. Rosa and San Leonardo. On the other hand,Jose Abad Santos Avenue is the highway that links Gapan to the towns ofSan Isidro andCabiao, where the road continues straightforward, again turning westward then eastward, enteringPampanga, and passes throughPampanga River.
One proposed expressway will pass through Gapan if built: it would be theNorth Luzon East Expressway (Quezon City to Cabanatuan).
The city of Gapan can also be accessed through the 22-kilometer bypass road that also links other towns of Nueva Ecija, such asPeñaranda, San Isidro, and Cabiao. The entry and exit point is located in Brgy. Sto Cristo Norte.
Tourist sites in the city include:
Some prominent schools and colleges within the city include:
Some notable personalities who hail from Gapan include:
Places adjacent to Gapan | |
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Authority control databases: Geographic |
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