Upon recommendation of the Provincial Board of Nueva Ecija, then headed by Governor Isauro Gabaldon, and with approval of then Acting Governor General Newton Gilbert, the organized barrios and sitios were granted independence as a regular municipality on January 10, 1913 under the name of Muñoz. The seat of the fledgling municipal government was positioned in erstwhile Barrio Muñoz. Thus, the municipality of Muñoz was born, and steadily grew to become today an Agricultural Science City in-the-making.
Muñoz owes a tremendous lot to its early leaders — Tranquilino Delos Santos, and other homesteaders Luis Ramos, Ambrosio Medina, Cayetano Caisip, Victorino Pornuevo, and Precy Hill Delos Santos. A municipal hall, a church building, and a small public market were erected in Lumang Bayan (now Poblacion North). A road linking the young Muñoz town with the national highway from Barangay Bacal, Talavera was also constructed.
Muñoz continued to attract more settlers. More barrios were established and were named after their peoples’ ideals and aspirations, landmarks, and personalities such as Rang-ayan (prosperity), Linglingay (recreation), Mangandingay (company), Magtanggol (defense), and Villa Isla (in a leader’s honor).
Muñoz was not spared from the pains of the Second World War. Being the last stronghold of the Japanese Imperial Army while scampering to the Cordilleras, the Allied liberation in Muñoz by the country by joint United States and Philippine Commonwealth forces offensive razed the town to the ground in a matter of days.
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