Bongabon

Bongabon, officially the Municipality of Bongabon (; ), is a municipality in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people.

Bongabon is the leading producer of onion in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia. Each barangay in Bongabon has its own fiesta. The town fiesta, celebrated annually from the 1st to 2nd week of April, is known as the Sibuyasan (Onion) Festival.

Bongabon is from Palayan, from Manila, and from Baler.

History

Spanish colonial era

Bongabon was the capital of Nueva Ecija after Baler. The Augustinian missionaries who preached Catholicism in Pampanga extended their outposts into what is now the province of Nueva Ecija by following the Rio Grande de Pampanga. Thus, Santol (present day Barangay Santor) was part of Pantabangan and established in 1659. In 1760, Bongabon was named as a town and parish under the patronage of St. Francis of Assisi. The natives of the area are Bugkalot and Aeta or Dumagat. The name of Bongabon was derived from Bungamong, which in turn derived from bunga, the Bugkalot term for areca nut or betel nut, which is abundant in the town.

Migrant-settlers of the community were mostly Tagalog and Ilocanos from the Ilocos Region and Pangasinan, with some Kapampangans from Pampanga and Tarlac.

Geography

Barangays

Bongabon is politically subdivided into barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Antipolo
Ariendo
Bantug
Calaanan
Commercial (Poblacion)
Cruz
Digmala
Curva (J. Tomacruz)
Kaingin (Poblacion)
Labi
Larcon
Lusok
Macabaclay
Magtanggol (Poblacion)
Mantile (Poblacion)
Olivete
Palo Maria (Poblacion)
Pesa
Rizal (Poblacion)
Sampalucan (Poblacion)
San Roque (Poblacion)
Santor
Sinipit (Poblacion)
Sisilang na Ligaya (Poblacion)
Social (Poblacion)
Tugatug
Tulay na Bato (Poblacion)
Vega Grande

Climate

Demographics

Religion

The majority of the people of the municipality are Roman Catholic. The members of the Iglesia ni Cristo are growing in number and are second to the Catholics in membership. Other sects in the municipality are the Methodists, Iglesia ng Dios, Seventh-day Adventists, etc.

Economy

Tourism

Sibuyas Festival is celebrated as a form of thanksgiving every 10 April, and a way to promote and show their town as one of the largest producers of onion in Asia.
Ilog Jordan at Barangay Olivete – This place is a popular Lenten destination for people seeking spiritual rejuvenation and healing.
Falls Deepsap at Barangay Labi – A good place to visit during summer, the falls offers a cold shimmering water perfect to beat heatwaves. Its water comes from the untainted Sierra Madre Mountain.
Mount Labi Peak at Barangay Labi.
The first leg of the UCI Gravel World Series was held in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija, Philippines on April 3, 2022.

Healthcare

Bongabon District Hospital, a government hospital located at Barangay Curva, Bongabon, Nueva Ecija

Education

The Bongabon Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.

Primary and elementary schools

Antipolo Elementary School
Ariendo Elementary School
Bantug Elementary School
Bongabon Central School
Calaanan Elementary School
Camp Martyr Elementary School
Cruz Elementary School
E. Gotangco Elementary School
E. Pesa Elementary School
Hiniero Elementary School
i-Achievers Academy
J. Tomacruz Elementary School
Jaime L. Gamilla Elementary School
Jesus C. Ilagan Elementary School
Labi Elementary School
Lusok Elementary School
Macabaclay Elementary School
Marian Formation Center
Olivete Elementary School
R. Vijandre Elementary School
Rita De Lara Elementary School
Rosa A. Ilagan Elementary School
Santor Elementary School
St. Francis of Assisi Diocesan School (SFADS)
Tamale Elementary School
Vega Elementary School

Secondary schools

Bongabon National High School
Bongabon Senior High School
Macabaclay National High School
Santor National High School
Vega National High School