Peñaranda, Nueva Ecija

Peñaranda
Mapisong
Municipality
Municipality of Peñaranda
Downtown area
Downtown area
Flag of Peñaranda
Flag
Official seal of Peñaranda
Seal
Map of Nueva Ecija with Peñaranda highlighted
Map of Nueva Ecija with Peñaranda highlighted
Interactive map of Peñaranda
Peñaranda is located in Philippines
Peñaranda
Peñaranda
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 15°21′11″N 121°00′06″E / 15.3531°N 121.0017°E / 15.3531; 121.0017
CountryPhilippines
RegionCentral Luzon
ProvinceNueva Ecija
District 4th district
Named afterJosé Maria Peñaranda
Barangays10 (see Barangays)
Government
 [1]
 • TypeSangguniang Bayan
 • MayorJoselito "Joey" A. Ramos
 • Vice MayorGenefer "Efer" Aves
 • RepresentativeEmerson D. Pascual
 • Municipal Council
Members
  • Rosano A. Corpuz
  • Sonny D. Reyes
  • Melchor A. Paderes
  • Herminia Gedo C. Castillo
  • Samuel P. Vallarta
  • Nerio M. Gonzales
  • Jenny Lynn A. Alarilla
  • Conrado M. Aberin
 • Electorate23,503 (2019)
Area
[2]
 • Total
95.00 km2 (36.68 sq mi)
Elevation
38 m (125 ft)
Highest elevation
79 m (259 ft)
Lowest elevation
20 m (66 ft)
Population
 (2024 census)[3]
 • Total
33,043
 • Density347.8/km2 (900.9/sq mi)
 • Households
7,635
Economy
 • Income class4th municipal income class
 • Poverty incidence
15.6
% (2021)[4]
 • Revenue₱ 192.7 million (2022)
 • Assets₱ 366 million (2022)
 • Expenditure₱ 166.2 million (2022)
 • Liabilities₱ 140.5 million (2022)
Service provider
 • ElectricityNueva Ecija 2 Area 2 Electric Cooperative (NEECO 2 A2)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
3103
PSGC
0304921000
IDD : area code +63 (0)44
Native languagesTagalog
Ilocano

Peñaranda, officially the Municipality of Peñaranda (Tagalog: Bayan ng Peñaranda, Ilocano: Ili ti Peñaranda), is a municipality in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 33,043 people.[5]

In 2012, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the ICHCAP of UNESCO published Pinagmulan: Enumeration from the Philippine Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The first edition of the UNESCO-backed book included Nueva Ecija's Arakyo, signifying its great importance to Philippine intangible cultural heritage. The local government of Nueva Ecija, in cooperation with the NCCA, is given the right to nominate the Arakyo in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.[6]

Etymology

The area was originally called Mapisong and was a part of the municipality of Gapan. It was organized into a municipality by José Maria Peñaranda, a Spanish engineer, and subsequently named after him.

Geography

Previous Peñaranda map in June 8, 2008

The municipality of Peñaranda is bounded by the municipalities of General Tinio and San Leonardo and the city of Gapan.

Barangays

Peñaranda is politically subdivided into 10 barangays, as shown below.[7] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

  • Callos
  • Las Piñas
  • Poblacion I
  • Poblacion II
  • Poblacion III
  • Poblacion IV
  • Santo Tomas
  • Sinasajan
  • San Josef
  • San Mariano (Maugat)

Climate

Climate data for Peñaranda, Nueva Ecija
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 29
(84) 		30
(86) 		31
(88) 		34
(93) 		33
(91) 		31
(88) 		30
(86) 		29
(84) 		29
(84) 		30
(86) 		30
(86) 		29
(84) 		30
(87)
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)
Average precipitation 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[8]

Demographics

Religion

Majority of the people is Roman Catholic. Other religious groups have churches and places of worship in the municipality.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Peñaranda

10
20
30
40
2000
32.31
2003
23.76
2006
16.40
2009
11.31
2012
15.02
2015
13.66
2018
4.25
2021
15.60

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]

Primarily depends on rice & vegetable farming, poultry and piggery. Peñaranda was once known for its high-quality crop called ikmo, a plant used by older Filipinos as a chewing substance. Recently however, the crop is on the brink of extinction. Rice remains a flourishing farm produce.

Culture

Every May, Peñaranda residents stage a musical drama called "Araquio", a re-enactment of Christians' quest led by Queen Helena and King Constantine for the Holy Cross where Jesus Christ was nailed. Actors and actresses garbed in colorful and cute costumes dramatize this century old tradition which features sword fights between the Christians and Moros.

Peñaranda is also known for its mouth-watering, native rice cakes such as espasol, putong puti and sapin-sapin .

Education

The Peñaranda 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.[22]

Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology Peñaranda Off-Campus opened in 2005. This is a joint undertaking of the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology and the Local Government Unit of Peñaranda. It is located at the vicinity of the Peñaranda National High School.

Primary and elementary schools

  • God's Family Christian Academy
  • Kapt. Pedro Villanueva Elementary School
  • Peñaranda Central School
  • Peñaranda North Central School
  • San Josef Elementary School
  • San Mariano Elementary School
  • St. Andrew Christian Academy
  • St. Francis Development Center
  • Sto. Tomas Elementary School
  • Westside Montessori Centrum

Secondary schools

  • Callos Integrated School
  • Las Piñas Integrated School
  • Peñaranda National High School
  • Welcome marker
    Welcome marker
  • Town hall, seat of the Government
    Town hall, seat of the Government
  • Peñaranda Campus
    Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology
  • Santo Tomas Elementary School
    Santo Tomas Elementary School
  • Parish of St. Francis of Assisi
    Parish of St. Francis of Assisi
  • Plaza of the Church
    Plaza of the Church

References

  1. ^  Municipality of Peñaranda | (DILG)
  2. ^ "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  3. ^ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  4. ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  5. ^ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  6. ^ "ICHCAP | e-Knowledge Center". Archived from the original on 2015-03-09.
  7. ^ "Philippine Standard Geographic Code (PSGC) | Philippine Statistics Authority". psa.gov.ph. Retrieved 2019-05-27.
  8. ^ "Peñaranda: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  9. ^ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  10. ^ Census of Population (2015). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  11. ^ Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region III (Central Luzon)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  12. ^ Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region III (Central Luzon)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
  13. ^ "Province of". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  14. ^ "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  15. ^ "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
  16. ^ "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
  17. ^ "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
  18. ^ "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
  19. ^ "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
  20. ^ "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  21. ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  22. ^ "Masterlist of Schools" (PDF). Department of Education. January 15, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
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