Aliaga, Nueva Ecija

Aliaga
Municipality
Municipality of Aliaga
Municipal Hall
Seal
Map of Nueva Ecija with Aliaga highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Aliaga Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 15°30′13″N 120°50′42″E / 15.5036°N 120.845°E / 15.5036; 120.845
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Luzon
Province	Nueva Ecija
District	1st district
Founded	1849
Named for	Aliaga, Spain
Barangays	26 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Gilbert Moreno
• Vice Mayor	Erwin Dyan D. Javaluyas
• Representative	Estrellita B. Suansing
• Municipal Council	Members Aurora D. Moreno Ruth M. Macalinao Jomar G. Manubay Juanito V. Derone Mario D. de Leon Bernabe P. Gaya June D. Aguilar Susana D. Ramos
• Electorate	49,634 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	90.04 km2 (34.76 sq mi)
Elevation	26 m (85 ft)
Highest elevation	43 m (141 ft)
Lowest elevation	19 m (62 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	70,363
• Density	780/km2 (2,000/sq mi)
• Households	16,853
Demonyms	Aliagueño (Male), Aliagueña (Female), Aliaguenean
Economy
• Income class	2nd municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	13.79 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 190.7 million (2020), 88.41 million (2012), 95.12 million (2013), 103.7 million (2014), 115.6 million (2015), 125 million (2016), 151 million (2017), 159.2 million (2018), 170 million (2019), 206.7 million (2021), 278.8 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 823.9 million (2020), 234.5 million (2012), 281.1 million (2013), 300 million (2014), 334.4 million (2015), 390.6 million (2016), 496.1 million (2017), 558.5 million (2018), 698.9 million (2019), 938.8 million (2021), 1,007 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 131.1 million (2020), 53.76 million (2012), 64.6 million (2013), 68.08 million (2014), 97.61 million (2015), 91.8 million (2016), 151 million (2017), 159.2 million (2018), 108.2 million (2019), 113.3 million (2021), 203.5 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 246.9 million (2020), 139.2 million (2012), 176.9 million (2013), 168.6 million (2014), 200.8 million (2015), 222.8 million (2016), 223.1 million (2017), 194.5 million (2018), 216.3 million (2019), 255.1 million (2021), 331.3 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Nueva Ecija 2 Area 1 Electric Cooperative (NEECO 2 A1)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	3111
PSGC	034901000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)44
Native languages	Tagalog Ilocano
Website	www.aliaga-ne.com

Aliaga, officially the Municipality of Aliaga (Tagalog: Bayan ng Aliaga, Ilocano: Ili ti Aliaga), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 70,363 people.^[3]

The town of Aliaga, Nueva Ecija was founded on January 3, 1849. This is much earlier than the traditionally commemorated date of February 8, 1849. This historical correction springs from a 2023 archival research. The research finds solid backing from pertinent 1849 records found at the Archdiocesan Archives of Manila. More importantly, the same date is inscribed clearly in the Decree of Establishment of the Aliaga Parish, also found at the Archdiocesan Archives. Additionally, these newly revisited records indicate that the canonical establishment of the Aliaga Parish took place on February 27, 1849, instead of April 26, 1849.

More significantly, the research also supplies the correct name of Aliaga's first Gobernadorcillo (town mayor): Aniceto Maria Muñoz. Previous documents have introduced him as Aniceto Ferry. The birth record of Don Aniceto Maria Muñoz reveals that his family hailed from Los Navalucillos in Toledo, Spain. This corrects an earlier misattribution, claiming that the gentleman came from the Spanish town of Aliaga.

In eastern Spain, Aliaga is a municipality located in the province of Teruel. Teruel is bordered by the provinces of Tarragona, Catellon, Valencia, Cuenca, Guadalajara, and Zaragoza. Aragon is an Autonomous Community, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. It comprises three provinces: Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel, with Zaragoza as its capital.

Looking back at how towns were established in the Spanish colony of the Philippines, the research team surmises that the local name Aliaga recalls the Spanish town intimately known to Don Aniceto. Other than Aliaga, familiar place names which had been taken from Spain include Jaen, Talavera, and Zaragoza. Thousands of miles away, in the Spanish colony of the Philippines, these towns quietly found their counterpart territories, next to Aliaga, all of them situated in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines.

Don Aniceto Maria Muñoz y Ramos was born on March 30, 1813, in the town of Los Navalucillos in Toledo, Spain (Quiñones 2022). His parents were Segundo Muñoz and Dorotea Ramos, both natives of Los Navalucillos. He married Doña Clementina Leonor Marti y Arnedo who was born on April 18, 1842. Her parents were Jose Marti and Josefa Arnedo, from Alpera in La Mancha. The couple were married on July 31, 1863. The chronology suggests a wide age gap between the couple: Don Aniceto was already 50 years old when he married his 21-year old bride.

Don Aniceto was a lawyer by profession, a proprietor, and Alcalde Mayor (Governor) of Nueva Ecija. Archival documents kept in Talavera, Nueva Ecija show that on August 31, 1852, he presented a petition to the Governor General in Intramuros, creating Catuguian (later known as Talavera) as yet another town of Nueva Ecija.

Don Aniceto was Aliaga's first town mayor. He held this post in 1849, 1855, and 1859. At the age of 67, he died from a stroke back in his homeland on December 31, 1880.

The barrio of Bibiclat was established earlier than Aliaga. This barrio came into being in 1836, 13 years before Aliaga gained township. This information is the fruit of Isidro Gregorio's historical research, as one of Aliaga's dedicated historians. However, it is not until 1889 when Bibiclat would officially gain the name Barrio San Juan Bautista (Villamayor 2021).

Today, Bibiclat enjoys national fame for one unique tradition, carried out by devotees of its patron saint, San Juan Bautista. During the feast day of their patron saint, devout residents would dress up as “Taong Putik” (Mud People). Another way in which the faithful understand the ritual is to call it as “Pagsa-San Juan”—a mimetic gesture of assuming the character of St. John himself, negotiating the biblical wilderness.

Days before the great feast, the devotees would spend time fashioning their ritual cloak, usually made of vines or dried banana leaves. First, these are soaked in mud, even as the devotees themselves roll in the mud. Instead of a procession, the costumed devotees would ply the streets, begging for alms. At the conclusion of this ritual, they would spend whatever they had received, buying candles which would eventually be lit in church.

Since 1632, the municipality of Los Navalucillos in Spain has held a devotion, lighting votive candles to the Nuestra Señora La Virgen De Las Saleras. On September 8 each year, Don Aniceto's hometown would hold a fiesta lauding Our Lady of Salt. The celebration would include competitions, processions, cabezudos, and fireworks (Saleras Fiesta 2022).

The association with salt may be because Aliaga is located in an area consisting of a group of mines, because of sedimentary rocks still intact from the Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Tertiary Ages. The mine area is known for lignite, a type of brown coal used to generate electricity.

This region is called Cuencas Mineras, situated north of the province of Teruel. This geo-tourism paradise projects a strong and deep-rooted mining identity. For this reason, Aliaga holds the national record for developing Spain's first geological park. The Geological Park of Aliaga boasts of rock formations almost unique in the world, with layers stacked one on top of the other. Yet while Aliaga shines because of this group of famous rock mines, it does not have a salt mine. It may have lignite and coal to offer in abundance but not a grain of salt.

Another possible explanation for the association with the biblical image of salt are based on Don Aniceto's hometown of Los Navalucillos.

For this town, history declares that until the middle of the 18th century, the faithful continued to address their beloved patroness as Our Lady of Grace. Over time, though, this old and sacred name would gradually fade, in favor of a new one. Following lore, the residents gradually began hailing the Virgin as Nuestra Señora de Las Saleras. To this very day, believers repeat the beguiling story about the Virgin appearing to a shepherd, enabling him to give salt to his famished flock. This apparition has inspired a deep-rooted custom in the area which compensates for the deficient supply of salt in the pastures.

Don Aniceto was the moving force in selecting the Nuestra Señora La Virgen de las Saleras of his birthplace as the town's patron saint. However, Aliaga's patron saint enjoys a different feast day, celebrated annually on 26 April.

The parish of Nuestra Señora De Las Saleras in Aliaga was long thought to have been founded on April 26, 1849. However, historical records indicate the actual founding date was February 27, 1849. This discrepancy has led to the question: Why is the feast of Nuestra Señora De Las Saleras celebrated on April 26?

The name of Nuestra Señora De Las Saleras came to be officially associated with the parish only in the late 1880s, notably, after the parish had to be rebuilt following a devastating typhoon on September 17, 1887. The Augustinian Friars, who were overseeing the parish, chose April 26 as the feast day in honor of the Feast of the Mother of Good Counsel, a significant day for the Augustinian Order.

They likely intended for the Mother of Good Counsel, whom they deeply revered, to be recognized, too, as Nuestra Señora De Las Saleras, thus offering her protection and guidance to the parish from 1887 onwards. This decision would align the parish's celebration with an existing Augustinian tradition, giving the parish a renewed spiritual focus after the destruction it had endured.

There is an important hermitage in the square called “Ermita de Nuestra Señora de las Saleras”. It was inaugurated on April 14, 1632, centuries before Don Aniceto was born. Within walking distance, one can find the Plaza Mayor and the Oficina de Correos, or the post office. The temple has a Renaissance look to it, its interior tracing the shape of a Latin cross. At 120 square meters, the church of Don Aniceto's childhood has undergone several renovations over time.

Like the parish of San Sebastian in Los Navalucillos, the hermitage sustained extensive damage from the furious fires of the Civil War. For three years, from 1936 to 1939, it was converted into a school. Back then, a wall of the central nave was demolished to create large windows. It would take until 1943 for the nave's original features to be restored.

Fronting the church is a double-leaf wooden door installed in 1963. There is a small transept in the center which contains an altarpiece from the late 17th century. At its helm stands the figure of the Patroness of Los Navalucillos, venerated as the Virgen de las Saleras. Inside the temple, fresco paintings adorn the dome. These were made in 1822, reflecting allegorical moments in the life of the Virgin Mother.

The altar features a modest monstrance displaying the original head of the Virgen de las Saleras. The venerated image of the patroness shows the Virgin gazing upon her little shepherd and his goats being nurtured with salt. This statue plies the streets of the town during the annual procession on September 8.

Left of the temple hangs a copy of El Greco's painting, depicting the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. Since March 2013, the faithful have maintained a devotion, praying to an image of the crucified Christ, through a generous donation from the Bravo Caballero family. They call this image the “Christ of Faith”. This Christ is framed and located to the right of the nave, visible as soon as you enter the temple.

In the Philippines, certain Marian images that were carved locally provide evidence about the creation of Nuestra Señora De Las Saleras. These Marian images include Our Lady of Orani in Bataan and Our Lady of Amorseco in San Fernando, Pampanga. Like Nuestra Señora De Las Saleras, these images enjoy a strong wave of devotion in their local areas. However, such devotion did not spread to other parts of the country the way popular devotions have surged, in honor of the Santo Nino (the Infant Jesus), the Nazareno (Black Nazarene), and some other Marian images.

Aliaga, Nueva Ecija is the lone Catholic parish featuring Our Lady of Las Saleras as its patroness. No other parish in the country has sustained a devotion to the Blessed Mother as Our Lady of Salt. The only other known visual expression of Mary as Our Lady of Salt is found in Las Navalucillos, Spain.

Faith's Harvest: Aliaga's Spiritual Journey, 1849-1928

In the late 19th century, the barrio of San Juan de Dios in Aliaga became a beacon of faith. On September 23, 1868, during the feast of their patron saint, San Juan de Dios, the community received the approval for its fervent petition, allowing the celebration of Mass within their modest chapel. The chapel, a humble edifice, became a testament to the community's devotion, as the faithful gathered with pious hearts, affirming their religiosity and adherence to the Church's commandments.

The spiritual ardor of Aliaga's faithful was not confined to San Juan de Dios. By February 25, 1871, the leaders of Barrio San Vicente, inspired by their neighbors, also sought ecclesiastical independence, aspiring to erect their own parish. Their petition echoed a collective yearning for a spiritual sanctuary, a yearning that would allow them to nurture their faith more intimately.

Months later, on December 16, 1871, the collective voice of San Vicente, Santiago, and other barrios reached the Augustinian Provincial, pleading for the formation of a new parish. This move was more than administrative; it was a profound expression of a community's desire to deepen their spiritual roots and expand their place within the Church.

In the ensuing years, the spiritual tapestry of Aliaga was enriched by similar stories from Barrio Santa Maria and Barrio Toro, whose residents celebrated their patron saints’ feast days with Mass in their chapels, granted on July 14 and November 10, 1873, respectively. These celebrations were more than mere observances; they served as vibrant displays of faith and community, with each barrio cherishing its unique spiritual identity while remaining part of a greater whole.

As the years passed, the narrative of faith in Aliaga unfolded through the personal sacrifices of its clergy. The year 1928 marked a poignant chapter when Pe. Pedro Victoria, grappling with ill health amidst his parish's humid climate sought solace in a transfer. Yet, the Manila Archbishop's response, while acknowledging his plight, was a call to spiritual fortitude—a reminder that the trials he was facing were as much a part of his pastoral journey as the joys.

Through the collective and individual stories of its people, the narrative of faith in Aliaga is one

of enduring devotion, communal unity, and the intensifying quest to create a sacred space where the divine and earthly commune. It is a story that continues to be written with every Mass celebrated, every feast day observed, and every prayer uttered within the hearts of its parishioners.

Aliaga's Parish Priests and Their Journey of Faith, 1849-1928

In Aliaga, a lineage of Parish Priests has quietly sculpted the town's spiritual journey. Each priest, with his distinct touch, has contributed to the town's tale of faith.

In 1865, Fr. Joaquin Garcia took the helm at a time when the church was in disrepair. He reached out to the ecclesiastical hierarchy, seeking permission for renovations. His efforts were not merely for the church's structural integrity but as an affirmation of the community's collective faith.

Around 1862, Fr. Nicolas Zugadi took charge of the parish's finances with great care. His prudent management ensured that the church would remain a sanctuary for the community, a testament to his understanding that faith also required fiscal stewardship.

At the turn of the century, in 1898, Fr. Nicanor Gonzales OSA arrived as a new spiritual guide. His presence signified a fresh chapter for the parish, reinforcing the church's role as the heart of Aliaga's spiritual life.

A letter dated November 1, 1926 mentions Fr. Teofilo Dimaliwat writing to the Archbishop regarding a possible transfer to Manila. The Archbishop of Manila wrote back, asking whether there was adequate housing, a “convent” that could accommodate a parish priest, should a new one be assigned following his transfer. This request reflects the practical considerations of clergy assignments and the importance of ensuring continuity in pastoral care.

On the other hand, Fr. Pedro Victoria dealt with significant health issues while serving as Parish Priest. On May 18 and July 28, 1928, he communicated to the Archbishop of Manila his struggles with a liver condition and rheumatism, both, exacerbated by Aliaga's humid climate. His condition was so challenging that he requested a transfer to a less taxing environment; he even contemplated a year's vacation to recover.

In response, the Archbishop of Manila encouraged him to be resilient, to offer his sufferings for the conversion of his parishioners, and to remember that the difficult “black hours” of the rainy season would eventually give way to sunnier days. This interaction not only highlights the physical and emotional toll of pastoral duties but also the support and counsel provided by the church hierarchy during times of personal hardship for their priests.

The story finds apt continuity in Fr. Carlos Bernardo, who in 1937 informed the Archbishop of Manila

of his commitment to lead the parish in Aliaga. Fr. Bernardo's tenure as Parish Priest began on a day of promise—June 7, 1937. His arrival, reported dutifully to Archbishop O'Doherty, signaled a fresh chapter in the town's spiritual leadership. Fr. Bernardo assumed the mantle during a period that called for both spiritual guidance and the navigation of societal shifts that the late 1930s presented.

Lastly, the appointment of Rev. Fr. Felix David, though undated, signifies the unbroken legacy of pastoral leadership, a continuation of the spiritual guardianship that has been the hallmark of Aliaga's faith history.

Each of these priests, from Fr. Garcia to Fr. David, played pivotal roles in nurturing the community's spiritual welfare. They were the custodians of the town's faith, guiding their flock through services, celebrations, and personal tribulations. Their stories are interwoven with  Aliaga's religious fabric, each thread representing their unwavering service and commitment to the town's spiritual growth.

Through Fire and Storm: Aliaga's Triumph Over Calamity, 1852-1887

Aliaga, Nueva Ecija, has demonstrated remarkable fortitude, enduring the ravages of time and the elements. The community's spirit has been tested by fires, typhoons, and floods, yet it stands resilient through each trial.

On November 12, 1852, a violent typhoon unleashed its fury upon the town. Fr. José Tombo, parish steward at that time, had to be resolute in the face of adversity. The very next day, he secured permission to allocate around 600 pesos from the parish funds to repair the storm's toll on the church.

A catastrophic fire in 1880 left the church and convent in ruins, reducing them to ashes. The parish responded by erecting temporary structures—a humble nipa and bamboo church and a rented wooden room for the convent. By September 2, 1884, with the spirit unbroken, the parish confidently planned to rebuild, backed by a fund of 23,000 pesos, a testament to their resolve to restore their sacred spaces.

The parish found its strength tested again on September 17, 1887, when a typhoon devastated the church. The parish acted promptly, informing the Archbishop of the damage and, subsequently, on September 29–30, faced yet another storm that called for a revision of the repair budget. Through these repeated trials, the community, supported by its clergy, maintained its dedication to repair and renew.

The narrative of Aliaga, as chronicled by these events and the actions of its parish community, is one of unwavering resilience. The town has continually risen from the ruins, driven by a collective faith and the leadership of the church, transforming each catastrophe into an opportunity for rebirth and renewed hope.

Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora De Las Saleras, Brgy. Centro, Aliaga, Nueva Ecija: Diocese of Cabanatuan

MGA NAGING KURA PAROKO NG PAROKYA NG NUESTRA SENORA DE LAS SALERAS (1949–2024)

Diocesan Shrine of St. John the Baptist, Brgy. Bibiclat, Aliaga, Nueva Ecija: Diocese of Cabanatuan

General Manuel Tinio, a revolutionary leader who fought against the Spanish colonizers. General Tinio was born in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija, on June 17, 1877. He joined the Katipunan, a secret society that was fighting for Philippine independence, in 1896. He was a brilliant military strategist, and he played a key role in many of the battles against the Spanish. After the Spanish were defeated, General Tinio continued to fight for Philippine independence against the Americans. He died of liver disease on February 22, 1924, in Cabanatuan City.

Manuel Tinio y Bundoc (June 17, 1877 – February 22, 1924) was the youngest General of the Philippine Revolutionary Army, and was elected Governor of the province of Nueva Ecija, Republic of the Philippines in 1907. He is considered to be one of the three "Fathers of the Cry of Nueva Ecija", along with Pantaleon Valmonte and Mariano Llanera.

Aliaga-Nueva Ecija: the Birth Place of Gen. Tinio

The Tinio family, whose most illustrious son is Manuel Tinio, is conceivably the most prominent and wealthiest family in the province of Nueva Ecija. Too, the family was the largest landowner in Central Luzon, if not the entire Philippines, prior to the declaration of Martial Law.

The Tinios, like the Rizals, are of Chinese descent. An archival document from San Fernando, Pampanga dated 1745 describes a certain Domingo Tinio as a Chino Cristiano or baptized Chinese.

Juan Tinio, the first ancestor on record had twin sons who were baptized in Gapan in 1750. In the baptismal record he is described as an indio natural, a native Filipino. From this it can be deduced that either his grandfather or an earlier ancestor was a pure-blooded Chinese. (Juan Tinio became the first middleman of the Tobacco Monopoly when it was established in 1782 and held the position for two years.)

Juan Tinio's great-grandson, Mariano Tinio Santiago, was the father of Manuel Tinio. Mariano and his siblings, originally named Santiago, changed their family name to Tinio, their mother's family name, in accordance with Gov.-Gen. Narciso Claveria's second decree of 1849 requiring all Indios and Chinese mestizos to change their family names if these were saints’ names.

Although he was a native of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija, Mariano eventually settled in Licab, then a barrio of Aliaga beside Lake Canarem, and carved out rice fields from the heavily forested area. Having served as Cabeza de Barangay of the place, he came to be known as ‘Cabezang Marianong Pulang Buhok’ (Cabezang Mariano the Red-Haired). Although he eventually became a big landowner, he lived very simply on his lands. Mariano was a man of strong principles, and even led a petition to the Governor-General denouncing the corruption and abuses of the Alcalde Mayor, the governor of Nueva Ecija, and asking for his recall. Cabesang Mariano married several times and, in the fashion of the time, engaged in extramarital affairs, siring numerous progeny. His fourth and last wife was Silveria Misadsad Bundoc of Entablado, Cabiao. He died on October 11, 1889, in Licab. Silveria, a woman of very strong character, lived on until the second decade of the 20th century.

Manuel Tinio was born to Silveria on June 17, 1877, in Licab, a barrio of Aliaga that became an independent municipality in 1890. He was the only son and had two sisters, the eldest, Maximiana, married Valentin de Castro of Licab and Catalina, the youngest, married Clemente Gatchalian Hernandez of Malolos, Bulacan. Manuel was his mother's favorite, his father having died when Manuel was twelve.

The passionate rebels reorganized their forces the moment Spanish pursuit died down. Tinio and his men marched with Gen. Llanera in his sorties against the Spaniards. Llanera eventually made Tinio a captain.

The aggressive exploits of the teen-aged Manuel Tinio reached the ears of General Emilio Aguinaldo, whose forces were being driven out of Cavite and Laguna, Philippines. He evacuated to Mount Puray in Montalban, Rizal and called for an assembly of patriots in June 1897. In that assembly, Aguinaldo appointed Mamerto Natividad Jr. as commanding general of the revolutionary army and Mariano Llanera as vice-commander with the rank of Lt.-General. Manuel Tinio was commissioned a Colonel and served under Gen. Natividad.

The constant pressure from the army of Gov. Gen. Primo de Rivera drove Aguinaldo to Central Luzon. In August, Gen. Aguinaldo decided to move his force of 500 men to the caves of Biac-na-Bato in San Miguel, Bulacan because the area was easier to defend. There, his forces joined up with those of Gen. Llanera. With the help of Pedro Paterno, a prominent Philippines lawyer, Aguinaldo began negotiating a truce with the Spanish government in exchange for reforms, an indemnity, and safe conduct.

On August 27, 1897, Gen. Mamerto Natividad and Col. Manuel Tinio conducted raids in Carmen, Zaragoza and Peñaranda, Nueva Ecija. Three days later, on the 30th, they stormed and captured Santor (now Bongabon) with the help of the townspeople. They stayed in that town till September 3.

On September 4, with the principal objective of acquiring provisions lacking in Biac-na-Bato, Gen. Natividad and Col. Manuel Tinio united their forces with those of Col. Casimiro Tinio, Gen. Pío del Pilar, Col. Jose Paua and Eduardo Llanera for a dawn attack on Aliaga. (Casimiro Tinio, popularly known as ‘Capitan Berong’, was an elder brother of Manuel through his father's first marriage.)

Thus began the Battle of Aliaga (September 4–5, 1897, between the Philippine revolutionaries of Nueva Ecija and the Spanish forces of Governor General Primo de Rivera), considered one of the most glorious battles of the rebellion. The rebel forces took the church and convent, the Casa Tribunal and other government buildings. The commander of the Spanish detachment died in the first moments of fighting, while those who survived were locked up in the thick-walled jail. The rebels then proceeded to entrench themselves and fortify several houses. The following day, Sunday the 5th, the church and convent as well as a group of houses were put to the torch due to exigencies of defense.

Spanish Governor General Primo de Rivera fielded 8,000 Spanish troops under the commands of Gen. Ricardo Monet and Gen. Nuñez in an effort to recapture the town of Aliaga. A column of reinforcements under the latter's command arrived in the afternoon of September 6. They were met with such a tremendous hail of bullets that the general, two captains and many soldiers were wounded, forcing the Spaniards to retreat a kilometer away from the town to await the arrival of Gen. Monet and his men. Even with the reinforcements, the Spaniards were overly cautious in attacking the insurgents. When they did so the next day, they found the town already abandoned by the rebels who had gone back to Biac-na-Bato. Filipino casualties numbered 8 dead and 10 wounded.

Gen. Natividad and Col. Manuel Tinio shifted to guerrilla warfare. The following October with full force they attacked San Rafael, Bulacan to get much-needed provisions for Biac-na-Bato. The battle lasted several days and, after getting what they came for, they left a detachment in Bo. Kaingin to hold back the Spanish reinforcements from Baliwag, Bulacan. To divert Spanish forces from Nueva Ecija, Natividad and Tinio attacked Tayug, Pangasinan on Oct. 4, 1897, occupying the church in the heart of the poblacion.

Meanwhile, peace negotiations continued and in October Aguinaldo gathered together his generals to convene a constitutional assembly. On Nov. 1, 1897 the Constitution was unanimously approved and on that day the Biac-na-Bato Republic was established.

However, Gen. Natividad, who believed in the revolution, opposed the peace negotiations and continued to fight indefatigably from Biac-na-Bato. On Nov. 9, while leading a force of 200 men with Gen. Pío del Pilar and Col. Ignacio Paua, Natividad was killed in action in Entablado, Cabiao. Col. Manuel Tinio brought the corpse back to the general's grieving wife in Biac-na-Bato. (Incidentally, Gen. Natividad's widow, Trinidad, was the daughter of Casimiro Tinio–"Capitan Berong".) With the death of the army's commanding general, Col. Manuel Tinio was commissioned Brigadier General and designated as commanding general of operations on Nov. 20, 1897. Gen. Tinio, all of 20 years, became the youngest general of the Philippine Revolutionary Army. (Gregorio del Pilar, already 22, was only a Lt. Colonel at that time.)

On Dec. 20, 1897, the Pact of the Biac-na-Bato was ratified by the Assembly of Representatives. In accordance with the terms of the peace pact, Aguinaldo went to Sual, Pangasinan, where he and 26 members of the revolutionary government boarded a steamer to go into voluntary exile in Hongkong. The Novo-Ecijanos in the group were Manuel Tinio, Mariano and Eduardo Llanera, Benito and Joaquin Natividad, all signatories of the Constitution.

In Hongkong, the exiles agreed among themselves to live as a community and spend only the interest of the initial P400,000 the Spanish Government had paid in accordance with the Pact of the Biac-na-Bato. The principal was to be used for the purchase of arms for the continuation of the revolution at a future time. The Artacho faction, however, wanted to divide the funds of the Revolution among themselves. The Novo-Ecijanos did not vote with the opportunist Artacho ‘faction’, and, being relatively well off, thanks to a relative who provided them with funds (Trinidad Tinio vda. de Natividad), "they got a house where they lived like a republic", as they said.

It has a comparatively cool and healthful climate, and is situated about midway between the Pampanga Grande and the Pampanga Chico rivers, in a large and fertile valley. Historically, the principal products were mostly agricultural such as rice, tomato, eggplant, squash.^[5]

Aliaga is politically subdivided into 26 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Tagalog and Ilocano are the most important and the major languages of the municipality, minority speaks Kapampangan.

Poverty incidence of Aliaga

The Taong Putik Festival is an annual festival held in the municipality on the feast day of Saint John the Baptist every 24th day of June. The religious festival is celebrated by the locals and devotees to pay homage to Saint John the Baptist by wearing costumes patterned from his attire. Devotees soak themselves in mud and cover their body with dried banana leaves and visit houses or ask people for alms in the form of candles or money to buy candles which is them offered to Saint John the Baptist.

• Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija

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