Jun Torres

November 12, 2008
The Philippine STAR
San Isidro pushed as ‘heritage town’

This town which became famous for being the seat of the national government and the target of a historic revolt against Spanish rule over a century ago, is being pushed as a “heritage town” by local government officials for its cultural and historical past.

Mayor Sonia Lorenzo said resident of this town can take pride in the significant role their place played during the “Unang Sigaw ng Nueva Ecija (First Cry of Nueva Ecija)” when Filipino revolutionaries, armed only with bolos and pointed sticks, took up arms against Spain on September 2, 1896.

She said the town should also be remembered for being the capital of the Philippines for six months when President Emilio Aguinaldo transferred the seat of the national government here.

“Our town has a vast repository of historical events in our country. Many of the buildings here are a living testament of what happened in the past,” she said, adding the municipal government is lobbying for the national government to grant this town the official distinction as “heritage town.”

The revolt from Spain in 1896, led by Gen. Mariano Llanera of the nearby town of Cabiao, went on for three days and led to the freeing of jailed leaders and members of the revolutionaries.

For its role in the revolution, Nueva Ecija was etched in the annals of history, earning the distinction of landing as one of the eight rays in the Philippine flag. Each ray symbolizes the province that rose up in arms against Spanish rule.

The capital of Nueva Ecija from 1852 to 1912, this town also hosted the Wright Institute established during the American rule, considered the first high school outside of Manila.

The school later came to be known as Nueva Ecija High School.

The municipal government, Lorenzo said, has preserved the house used by Aguinaldo, Gov. Gen. James Wright and Col. Frederick Funston. - Manny Galvez