| Flag Size: | 120x80px | ||
| Seal Size: | 100x80px | ||
| Image Map1: |
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| Pushpin Map: | Philippines | ||
| Pushpin Label Position: | left | ||
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the | ||
| Subdivision Type: | Country | ||
| Subdivision Name: | Philippines | ||
| Subdivision Type1: | Region | ||
| Subdivision Type2: | Province | ||
| Named For: | Francisco Muñoz | ||
| Subdivision Type3: | District | ||
| Established Title: | Founded | ||
| Established Date: | 1913 | ||
| Established Title1: | Cityhood | ||
| Established Date1: | December 9, 2000 | ||
| Parts Type: | Barangays | ||
| Parts Style: | para | ||
| P1: | 37 (see Barangays) | ||
| Leader Name: | Baby Armi L. Alvarez | ||
| Leader Title1: | Vice Mayor | ||
| Leader Name1: | Nestor L. Alvarez | ||
| Leader Name2: | Joseph Gilbert Violago | ||
| Leader Title3: | City Council | ||
| Leader Title4: | Electorate | ||
| Leader Name4: | voters (electorate_point_in_time}}|) | ||
| Elevation Max M: | 822 | ||
| Elevation Min M: | 22 | ||
| Population Density Km2: | auto | ||
| Population Blank1 Title: | Households | ||
| Timezone: | PST | ||
| Utc Offset: | +8 | ||
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code | ||
| Demographics Type1: | Economy | ||
| Demographics1 Title2: | Poverty incidence | ||
| Demographics1 Info2: | % | ||
| Demographics1 Title3: | Revenue | ||
| Demographics1 Title4: | Revenue rank | ||
| Demographics1 Title5: | Assets | ||
| Demographics1 Title6: | Assets rank | ||
| Demographics1 Title7: | IRA | ||
| Demographics1 Title8: | IRA rank | ||
| Demographics1 Title9: | Expenditure | ||
| Demographics1 Title10: | Liabilities | ||
| Demographics Type2: | Service provider | ||
| Demographics2 Title1: | Electricity | ||
| Demographics2 Title2: | Water | ||
| Demographics2 Title3: | Telecommunications | ||
| Demographics2 Title4: | Cable TV | ||
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | Native languages | ||
| Blank2 Name Sec1: | Crime index | ||
| Blank1 Name Sec2: | Major religions | ||
| Blank2 Name Sec2: | Feast date | ||
| Blank3 Name Sec2: | Catholic diocese | ||
| Blank4 Name Sec2: | Patron saint | ||
Muñoz, officially the Science City of Muñoz (Filipino; Pilipino: Lungsod Agham ng Muñoz,[1] Ilocano: Siudad ti Siensia ti Muñoz), is a 4th class component city in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 84,308 people.
It is situated from Cabanatuan, from Palayan, and north of the capital Manila. Due to its rich topography and tropical climate, it is now home to agricultural research and technology centers, committed to the production of information and technological breakthroughs to promote rural development, productivity and food security.
From its lowly origins as “Sitio Papaya”, it was renamed as Muñoz in 1886 in honor of Spanish Governor Don Francisco Muñoz. It was in 1913, under Executive Order No. 72, when Muñoz was declared as a new and independent municipality. By the virtue of Republic Act 8977 signed on November 7, 2000, Muñoz formally elevated to a city and country's only city with "Science" in its formal name.
The town got its name in honor of Don Francisco Muñoz, being the alcalde mayor and gobernadorcillo.
The Science City title was because of the presence of many state universities and colleges in the city, alongside many technological, vocational and industrial structures sprung up in the city.
In 1886, Papaya was changed into 'Muñoz' to honor Don Francisco Muñoz, the province's alcalde mayor, and the community's first appointed gobernadorcillo. Muñoz was annexed as a barrio of San Juan de Guimba municipality. Settlers trickled in from Bulacan and the Ilocos Region, with Pangasinenses & Kapampangans. In 1911, Factoria (now San Isidro town), the provincial capital, was totally flooded. Muñoz was then considered a possible new capital of the province.
At about the same time, the people of Barrios Muñoz and San Antonio, also in San Juan de Guimba town, and Palusapis in Santo Domingo municipality, together with Sitios Kabisukulan, Rang-ayan, Mataas na Lupa, Siniguelas, Purok Agrikultura, and Pulong Maragul in Talavera town, were organizing themselves to be separated from their three respective municipalities to become a new independent municipality. They were prepared to construct a municipal hall and a school building for the emerging town.
On the recommendation of the Provincial Board of Nueva Ecija, then headed by Governor Isauro Gabaldon, and with approval of then Acting Governor General Newton Gilbert, the organized barrios and sitios were granted independence as a regular municipality on January 10, 1913, under the name of Muñoz. The seat of the fledgling municipal government was positioned in erstwhile Barrio Muñoz. The municipality of Muñoz was born and steadily grew to become an agricultural Science City in the making.
A municipal hall, a church, and a small public market were erected in Lumang Bayan (now Poblacion North). A road linking the young Muñoz town with the national highway from Barangay Bacal, Talavera was constructed. In World War II, Muñoz was the last stronghold of the Japanese Imperial Army; the Allied liberation in Muñoz by the joint United States and Philippine Commonwealth forces offensive razed the town to the ground in a matter of days.
See main article: Cities of the Philippines. In 2000, after achieving cityhood status, universities and scientific research institutes sprung up. The local government adopted and later ratified the Science city moniker.
Science City of Muñoz is politically subdivided into 37 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
The National Government has an ongoing move to transfer the Talavera barangays of Matingkis (Talavera), Bakal 1, Bakal 2 and Bakal 3 to become part of Science City of Munoz for the reason that the said barangays are geographically and strategically within the said city. This was favored by most of the residents of the said barangays but opposed by the Municipal Government of Talavera.
Also there is a proposed separation of Villa Pinili (Bantug West) and San Juan (CLSU) which will include PNR (CLSU), and Sawmill (CLSU) from Barangay Bantug into two independent separate barangay.
Churches:
There are many new establishments in Munoz in the past few years. Notable are Jollibee Munoz, Mang Inasal Munoz, 7/11, BDO, Land Bank, Novo, Lucky 99, Friendship Supermarket, Inc (FSi), and the Villa-Mendoza Training Institute, are now major landmarks on the city.
In terms of commercial and shopping sector, Robinsons, Savemore and Puregold has also initially identified locations in the city for future construction. Fast-food chain operator Jollibee already established their store in the city.
With a bustling market center with rice trading as a major economic activity, it has transformed into its present status as a Science City by virtue of Republic Act 8977 on December 9, 2000. Being a science city, Muñoz was acknowledged as one of the members of League of Cities of the Philippines and became a pilot city of achieving the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals.
| District Representative (2nd Legislative District of the Province of Nueva Ecija) | Joseph Gilbert Violago |
| Chief Executive of the City Muñoz | Mayor Baby Armi L. Alvarez |
| Presiding Officer of the City Council of Muñoz | Vice Mayor Nestor L. Alvarez |
| Members of the City Council | Jose A. Ruiz Jr. |
| Romeo A. Ruiz | |
| Jerry S. Fulgencio | |
| Allan S. Pingol | |
| Henry G. Agaloos | |
| Rommel Abon | |
| Altreb S. Castañeda | |
| Herminio F. Salcedo | |
| Vincent DV. Alvarez | |
| Edmond Balmeo | |
As with most towns in Central Luzon, inter-city transport is through the Pan-Philippine Highway (also known as Maharlika Highway/ Asian Highway 26), the country's principal transport backbone. The principal mode of transport is through Jeepneys with fixed routes, or through tricycles, whom you need to tell where to go.
Buses from Cagayan Valley to Manila and vice versa stops here.
From Manila, you can ride a public bus going to San Jose City, Nueva Ecija or take the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and take La Paz Exit. And continue until reaching the city. You can also ride a public bus plying Cagayan Valley which exits at TPLEX (Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway) Pura Exit; they continue to traverse through N114 (Pangasinan–Nueva Ecija Road) up to Baloc, Santo Domingo; and they turn left going to AH26 until you reach Muñoz.
| Land use | Hectares | |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural | 9,819 | |
| Residential | 2,847 | |
| Commercial and industrial | 784 | |
| Institutional | 740 | |
| Forest hills and pasture | 1,215 | |
| Roads | 246 | |
| Water bodies | 516 | |
| Open spaces | 138 | |
| Total | 16,305 |