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Fire Hits 2 Stores In Gapan Market
....... (Source: NuevaEcijaJournal)
A grocery store and a gift shop near the city market were destroyed by fire early morning August 23, 2002. Faulty electrical wiring was suspected to have caused the fire. The fire’s spread to adjoining shops was prevented by firewalls.
The two stores lost were owned by siblings Nori Uytingco-Figueroa and Ed Uytingco. It was reported that the Figueroas narrowly escaped being trapped by the flames and were only roused from their bedroom quarters by the alarm sounded by neighbors. The alarm was sounded by stones thrown at the Figueroas smoking building.
The grocery store that burnt down is reported to be Gapan’s “oldest grocery store”.
Gapan's First May 1st Fiesta As A City
....... (Source: Manila Bulletin)
Community leader and businessman Gay Padiernos, Mayor Eto Natividad, the City Council and the city's barangays provided the people of Gapan City and their guests a grand May 1st celebration last April 30 and May 1.
A week before the fiesta, a variety of sports events were held. The day before the fiesta was marked with a parade of marching bands, floats with celebrities, fireworks at the city plaza, and a concert featuring a popular band, celebs (like Patricia Javier, Leandro Munoz and Michelle Bayle), wellknown comedians, dancers and other surprise personalities.
On the fiesta day itself, another concert featuring big screen actress Assunta de Rossi, Ynes Veneracion and Beverly Salviejo.
Gapan's fiesta had been held for hundreds of years in honor of the town's (now a city) patron saint, the miraculous Divina Pastora.
Gapan Businessman In Trade Mission To China
....... (Source: Nueva Ecija Journal)
Oscar Tinio, a prominent Gapan businessman, was a member of a trade and goodwill mission to the People’s Republic of China last April 21-27, 2002. The mission was led by Nueva Ecija Governor Tomas Joson III. One objective of the mission was to explore trade and investment exchanges with China.
The other members of the mission were Nathaniel Bote and Rudy de Leon (4th District Board Members); Rodolfo Lopez (President, Federation of Associations of Barangay Captains); Jose Salonga of San Antonio (President, League of Municipalities); Mayor Nestor Alvarez of Munoz; Mayor Blas Canlas of Laur; Mayor Sonia Lorenzo of San Isidro; Quirino V. dela Cruz (Provincial Administrator); Quirico Javier (Provincial Trade and Industry Officer); Eduardo Gabata (Provincial Engineer); Antonio Chua, Andres Cornejo, and Antonio Nangel (the last three representing the business sector.
Barangay Chief Ambushed In Mangino
....... (Source: Nueva Ecija Journal)
Mangino’s Barangay Chairman Emmanuel Pangilinan and his driver were shot about noontime March 7, 2002 in Mangino by five men. Both men died of multiple gunshot wounds in the head and body.
The Barangay captain and his driver were on their way home after having lunch with Gapan City Mayor Ernesto Natividad. The assailants were on a white jeepney and heavily armed with M-16 Armalite rifles and .45 caliber pistols.
Five days after the incident, a suspect, a male identified as Ed Talavera, was apprehended by Gapan City police. Talavera was tracked at a local hospital where he was recuperating from a gunshot wound in the leg. Two other suspects in the shooting, a male named Eric Pascual and a certain Ambet were later identified. The other two remaining assailants have yet to be identified.
Our Beloved Gapan - A Short History
Excerpted from "Our Beloved Gapan - An Open Letter"
Author: Efren Pascual, NESHS '58 Alumnus
Publisher: NESHS '58 1998 Reunion Commemorative Magazine, May 1998
Based on written accounts, the first mission from Spain—composed of four Catholic priests, Fathers Contreras, Tendilla, Caballo and Salazar—was established in the year 1595. The mission took as its first task the clearing of forestlands in the province of Pampanga. One of the areas that they cleared became Gapan.
Bucana: main gateway to Gapan. [Click pic for full size]
During that time, Gapan was known as Ibon (Bird). One day, according to historic accounts, while some Spanish soldiers were wandering around the forest, they came about some natives who were on their knees, as if crawling (Pagapang), while clearing the forest. Wanting to find out where they exactly were, the soldiers asked the natives the name of that particular place.
The "laryuhan" area near Bucana. [Click pic for full size]
The natives, not understanding the Spanish language, presumed they were being asked what they were doing and responded by saying Gumagapang kami, ("We are crawling"). The Spanish soldiers went on their way thinking that they were told that the name of the place was Gapang. At the turn of the century, the last letter G was dropped and the town since then became known as Gapan.The original Gapan included the towns of Penaranda, General Tinio and San Leonardo (all in Nueva Ecija) and San Miguel (in Bulacan). Gapan has a total land area of 155.9 square kilometers or 15.590 hectares more or less.
Bottom: The Gapan-San Leonardo Bridge. [Click pic for full size] . . . Right: "Inang Bayan" monument - a town landmark.
It has today passed the 100,000-population level, 90% of which are Catholics and 10% are from different sects. Gapan, having only one rural bank some years before, now has 14 banks, 40 groceries and 8 drug stores. Gapan is also now classified as a first class municipality.
. . . . . . .Right: Gapan's Municipal Building. [Click pic for full size].
Three Kings Parish Church
The old altar was artistically made out of wood. It had withstood the many changing of season, but unfortunately, termites damaged the wood to such an extent that restoring it was no longer possible.
Far left: The old church before renovation.
Near left: The new church (circa 1998).
In 1470, Gapan was assigned its first parochial priest Father Francisco Medalla (1740-1742). The present church however, was built a century later. It was built on layers of bricks adopting Byzantine Architecture during the sixteen-year term of Father Llaredo, Cornejo and Llanera. The church since then served as a boundary of the barrios for San Lorenzo and San Vicente.After the May First town Fiesta in 1970, it was finally torn down and replaced by the present marble altar (Shown on left). The entire church was also renovated, taking care that the church’s original architecture and appearance were kept intact.
The present parish priest of the Three Kings Parish of Gapan is Monsignor Felipe Dayao.