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Who we are

Our history

Where Muñoz came from, and how MUSA came to be.

Where we come from

Before it was a Science City, it was Papaya

MUSA exists for a town with a long memory. This is that town's story, in brief.

1855

Papaya becomes a pueblo

1913

Muñoz becomes its own municipality

2000

The Philippines' first Science City

A wide panorama of ripening rice fields beside a road on the edge of Muñoz, with distant mountains under a blue sky.
Rice fields on the edge of the Science City of Muñoz, 2013. Photo: Ramon F. Velasquez, CC BY-SA 3.0
A brown creek winding between thick green banks, seen from a bridge.
The creek at Bical, one of the waterways that still thread through Muñoz, 2015. Photo: Judgefloro, public domain
A white cow resting on the grass bank of an irrigation canal beside a gravel road, rice fields beyond.
An irrigation canal at San Andres, 2015. Photo: Judgefloro, public domain

1855

A settlement called Papaya

The area now known as the Science City of Muñoz was originally a forested settlement inhabited by indigenous Baluga communities along the fertile creeks and waterways of present-day Balante, Catalanacan, and Matingkis. It was called Papaya and was initially a sitio of Barrio San Antonio in the municipality of Guimba. With the arrival of Christian settlers, including immigrants from Bulacan and the Ilocos Region, the community gradually developed into a pueblo in 1855.

Along the creeks of

  • Balante
  • Catalanacan
  • Matingkis

Settlers from

  • Bulacan
  • the Ilocos Region
A statue of Andres Bonifacio raising a bolo and a red flag on a red pedestal, in front of the Muñoz city hall.
The Andres Bonifacio monument before city hall, 2013. Photo: Ramon F. Velasquez, CC BY-SA 3.0
A weathered metal plaque listing the officers and members of the Muñoz chapter of the Veteranos de la Revolución.
Its plaque names the town’s veterans of the Revolution who raised it. Photo: Ramon F. Velasquez, CC BY-SA 3.0

1886

Papaya becomes Muñoz

In 1886, Papaya was renamed Muñoz in honor of Don Francisco Muñoz, a provincial alcalde mayor and the community’s first appointed gobernadorcillo. The area subsequently became a barrio of San Juan de Guimba. As its population grew, residents began seeking greater independence and local administration.

Papaya was renamed

Muñoz

Named for Don Francisco Muñoz, alcalde mayor and the first gobernadorcillo

The long two-storey city hall of Muñoz with a green-roofed entrance, a bare tree and a Philippine flag in the plaza before it.
City hall, the seat of the town government, 2013. Photo: Ramon F. Velasquez, CC BY-SA 3.0

1913

A town of its own

In 1912, residents of the barrios of Muñoz and San Antonio in San Juan de Guimba, Palusapis in Sto. Domingo, and several sitios in Talavera petitioned to form a separate municipality. Their request was approved through Executive Order No. 72, and Muñoz officially became an independent municipality on January 10, 1913. The new town’s first municipal government was established in the area now known as Poblacion North. Early development included the construction of a municipal hall, church, public market, and roads connecting the town to the national highway.

Muñoz continued to attract settlers and expand economically and socially. Several barrios were established, many named after local ideals, landmarks, or community leaders. Agriculture became the foundation of the local economy, supported by the town’s fertile land and favorable location in Nueva Ecija.

On the record

Executive Order No. 72

Independence
January 10, 1913
Petitioned by
Muñoz and San Antonio (San Juan de Guimba), Palusapis (Sto. Domingo), and sitios of Talavera
First seat
Present-day Poblacion North
Huge acacia trees arching over a shaded street, with carts of woven goods parked beneath them.
Old acacias shade a street in the town proper, 2013. Photo: Ramon F. Velasquez, CC BY-SA 3.0
A wide street through the Muñoz business district, lined with low shops and power lines.
The central business district, 2019. Photo: Judgefloro, CC0
A small yellow wooden post office with a red roof and carved eaves on the Central Luzon State University campus.
The old post office on the CLSU campus, 2017. Photo: Ryomaandres, CC BY-SA 4.0
Golden rice fields stretching to a line of trees and blue mountains on the horizon.
Rice land in Muñoz, 2013. Photo: Ramon F. Velasquez, CC BY-SA 3.0
The National Historical Commission marker for Central Luzon State University, written in Filipino.
CLSU’s national historical marker records that the campus was used as Japanese quarters from 1941 to 1945 and as an American army field hospital in 1945. Photo: Ryomaandres, CC BY-SA 4.0

1945

January 31 – February 7, 1945

The town is destroyed, and rebuilt

Like much of the Philippines, Muñoz suffered greatly during the Second World War. It became the site of a fierce battle between American liberation forces and the retreating Japanese Imperial Army from January 31 to February 7, 1945. The town was virtually destroyed, and many lives were lost. Despite the devastation, Muñoz gradually rebuilt itself under successive local leaders.

A tall dark obelisk, the CLSU centennial monument, on a paved walk in front of the university's administration building.
The centennial monument at Central Luzon State University, 2014. Photo: Judgefloro, CC BY-SA 3.0
The PhilRice sign between two large sculpted rice grains, on a lawn at the institute's grounds.
The Philippine Rice Research Institute, 2015. Photo: Judgefloro, CC BY-SA 4.0

1993

A Science Community

A major transformation began in the 1990s under Mayor Efren L. Alvarez, whose administration pursued the development of Muñoz as a center for science, technology, agriculture, and agro-industry. The presence of major institutions such as Central Luzon State University (CLSU), the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), and other agricultural and scientific agencies provided the foundation for this vision.

On September 3, 1993, the Department of Science and Technology declared Muñoz a Science Community. This designation led to the preparation of a Master Plan for its development and eventually to efforts to convert the municipality into a city dedicated to agricultural science and technology.

On the record

Science Community

Declared
September 3, 1993
By
The Department of Science and Technology
A road passing beneath the red-pillared welcome arch lettered Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines.
The welcome arch of the Science City of Muñoz, 2014. Photo: Judgefloro, public domain

2000

The Science City of Muñoz

After several years of legislative and community efforts, Republic Act No. 8977 was signed on November 7, 2000, converting Muñoz into a component city officially known as the Science City of Muñoz. The law was ratified through a plebiscite on December 9, 2000, in which the overwhelming majority of voters approved the conversion.

On the record

Republic Act No. 8977

Signed
November 7, 2000
Ratified
December 9, 2000, by plebiscite
Made Muñoz
A component city
The entrance of the city hall, a white building with columns framed in green under the words Science City of Muñoz.
The city hall entrance, lettered with the new name, 2013. Photo: Ramon F. Velasquez, CC BY-SA 3.0

From its beginnings as a small indigenous settlement called Papaya, Muñoz evolved into an independent municipality in 1913 and, nearly nine decades later, became the Philippines’ first Science City.

Its history reflects the combined influence of indigenous communities, immigrant settlers, agricultural development, wartime sacrifice, and the growth of scientific and educational institutions.

1991

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles

While Muñoz was setting out to become a center for science and agriculture, Muñozonians living in the United States founded MUSA to send support back home.

A granite monument of two triangular slabs flanking a pillar lettered MUÑOZONIAN USA in gold, under trees.
A monument in Muñoz bearing MUSA’s name. Photo: Ramon F. Velasquez, CC BY-SA 3.0

MUSA, 1991 to today

It started with a handful of people who missed home

Eight presidents have carried this since 1991. The work has never been large, and it has never stopped.

  • June 22, 1991

    Founded in Los Angeles

    Muñozonians living in the United States incorporate MUSA Inc. in California. Lita Angeles Llaneza serves as founding president through 1993.

  • 1991 onward

    Scholarships at CLSU High School

    The first scholarships go out to students in Muñoz. The program has run every year since.

    A student holds her scholarship check between her teacher and a MUSA officer, in front of the Central Luzon State University quality-policy board.
    A scholarship award at CLSU High School, from our archive.

  • December 2020

    Adopt-A-Family reaches 60 households

    Noche Buena and Media Noche baskets delivered to 60 families — 30 in Barangay Poblacion West, 30 in Poblacion East.

    Women in face masks stand spaced apart in a church, a wrapped Noche Buena basket on the floor beside each of them.
    Wrapped Noche Buena baskets at the December 2020 distribution.

  • 2020–2021

    Tulong Laban sa COVID

    Relief distributed across the barangays of Muñoz in partnership with San Sebastian Parish.

    A yellow Muñozonian USA (MUSA Inc.) banner listing the officers, hung on an iron gate.
    The MUSA banner at a Tulong Laban sa COVID distribution.

  • December 2021

    Adopt-A-Family: Noche Buena

    The Christmas basket program continues after the pandemic years.

    A Noche Buena basket in a green bucket lettered Muñozonian USA 2021, wrapped in plastic with a red ribbon.
    A 2021 Noche Buena basket, packed in a MUSA bucket.

  • Today

    Ten volunteer officers across California and Illinois

    Still all-volunteer, still funding scholars in Muñoz.

All about who we are

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