Lupao, Nueva Ecija - History

History

During the Spanish rule, the territorial jurisdiction of the province of Nueva Ecija extended to as far south at Cabiao and the towns of San Quintin, Rosales, Balungao and (H)umingan in the north, which later on formed part of the province of Pangasinan. Lupao was a component barrio of Umingan. It remained so until 1871 when some residents led by a Señor Calderon petitioned the Governor General for the segregation of Lupao as a barrio of Umingan and the eventual creation of Lupao as “Tenencia Absoluta” to be headed by a Teniente Absoluto. On September 28, 1871, the Govierno Superior Civil de Filipinas decreed the creation of Lupao as Tenencia Absoluta. It signified the formal segregation as barrio and the eventual creation as “pueblo” of the province of Nueva Ecija. Under the Spanish rule, a pueblo is created through the Laws of the Indies and represented a local government unit. The pueblo was an agency of the Central Government.

Salvacion was the first barrio of Lupao. Its initial territory also included Barrio Cabaritan now known as San Jose City. Barangay San Roque was known as Odiao and San Isidro as Macaniaoed. Among the first leaders of the municipality during the twilight years of Spanish Rule were Benito Romualdo as “Capitan Municipal” and Celestino Jabalde as ‘Juez de Paz”.

In 1898, soon after the Treaty of Paris (1898) was signed and the payment of 20 million pesetas for the possession of the Philippines, the United States Military Government (USMG) issued General Order No. 43 proclaiming the establishment of municipal governments. The Second Philippine Commission (the Taft Commission) acting as the upper house of a bicameral legislature then issued Act No.82 in 1901, “The 1901 municipal code” provided for popularly elected presidents (mayor), vice presidents (vice-mayor), and councillors to serve on municipal boards.

It was only in 1913 that Lupao became a town mainly through the concerted efforts of Gen. Manuel Tinio and Assemblyman Isauro Gabaldon of the Philippine Assembly (lower house). Its founding fathers were Victoriano Joanino, Calixto Laureta, Felix Carpio, Juan Briones, Anacleto Ganareal, Luis Mamaligaa, Gregorio Babagay, Sicto Baclig, Remigio Blas Caoile and Candido Mata.

During the Second World War, Japanese Imperial forces was occupied and entering the invaded the towns of Lupao in 1942.

In 1945, the combined U.S. and Philippine Commonwealth military ground troops was liberated and re-invasion the towns at Lupao and defeats Japanese Imperial forces started the Battle of Lupao and ended World War II. The established of the main headquarters of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and United States Army was active on 1945 to 1946 and stationed in Lupao, Nueva Ecija after the Battle of Lupao on 1945 between the Japanese and the combined Filipino-American troops.