General Tinio, officially the Municipality of General Tinio (Tagalog: Bayan ng Heneral Tinio, Ilocano: Ili ti Heneral Tinio), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 55,925 people.^[3]

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Quick Facts Papaya, Country ...

General Tinio Papaya
Municipality
Municipality of General Tinio
Welcome Arch
Seal
Map of Nueva Ecija with General Tinio highlighted
OpenStreetMap
General Tinio Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 15°21′N 121°03′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Luzon
Province	Nueva Ecija
District	4th district
Founded	1921
Named for	General Manuel Tinio
Barangays	13 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Engr. Isidro T. Pajarillaga
• Vice Mayor	Melvin S. Pascual
• Representative	Emerson D. Pascual
• Municipal Council	Members June B. Abesamis Ma. Charmaine Dayupay Mario P. delos Santos Eric E. Serrano Luther A. Pajarillaga Marvin G. Pajarillaga Lazaro B. Gonzales Maximo S. de Guzman
• Electorate	39,556 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	245.29 km2 (94.71 sq mi)
Elevation	56 m (184 ft)
Highest elevation	113 m (371 ft)
Lowest elevation	32 m (105 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	55,925
• Density	230/km2 (590/sq mi)
• Households	13,137
Economy
• Income class	1st municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	5.10 % (2018)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 242.3 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 433.3 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 213.8 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 238 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Nueva Ecija 2 Area 2 Electric Cooperative (NEECO 2 A2)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	3104
PSGC	034910000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)44
Native languages	Southern Alta Tagalog Ilocano
Website	www.generaltinio.gov.ph

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It was known as Papaya until 1957.

The town is at the foot of the Sierra Madre Mountains, adjoining the Fort Magsaysay Army Reservation on the northeastern side.

According to the story passed on from one generation to another, the town got its name because of miscommunication between the natives and the Spanish colonizers. A native settler when asked by a Spanish soldier "Llama el pueblo?" replied "Papaya" referring to the particular fruit tree growing abundantly in the place (not understanding the Spanish language). The name stuck to the Spanish colonizers and the place from then on was called "Papaya".

Papaya was a sitio of Bo. Mapisong which was then a barrio of Gapan. Bo. Mapisong became a town in 1851 changing its name to Peñaranda after a Spanish engineer Jose Maria Peñaranda. Papaya became one of its barangays. Papaya became a town on January 1, 1921, through the collaborative efforts of Capitan Mamerto Padolina who was then the Secretary of the Governor of the Province, Judge Segundo Bernardo and Francisco Padolina.

Congressman Celestino Juan sponsored a congressional act changing the name of Papaya to General Tinio in honor of General Manuel Tinio, a noble and prominent revolutionary leader against the Spaniards who hailed from the Nueva Ecija. The act was signed into law on June 20, 1957, as Republic Act No. 1665.^[5] The new name of the town was inaugurated days later, on August 19, 1957.

Recently, the municipal council approved a resolution to rename the town back to its original name, "Papaya".

Poverty Incidence of General Tinio

Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority^{[11][12]
[13][14][15][16][17][18]}

Farming is the livelihood of majority of the residents. Even though located at the foot of the Sierra Madre Mountain Ridges, the topography is generally plain ideal to agricultural products such as palay and vegetables. A number of poultry broiler contract growers are located in the municipality. Other industries include furniture and fixtures, backyard poultry, cattle and livestock, vegetable production and minor agricultural livelihoods like duck raising. "Ikmo" or betel leaves production is one dying symbol of the town. The practice of chewing betel leaves by the older generation was not adopted by the younger generation even though of its reported natural anti-cancer formula.

The remittances of numerous sons and daughters of Papaya abroad also help keep the economy of the town afloat. Papayanos can be relied to answer calls of assistance for the town's development.

Minalungao National Park is also one of the biggest attraction of the town catering to numerous visitors each day.

Roman Catholic is the most prevalent religion, with Iglesia ni Cristo, IEMELIF, Baptist, Methodist, and others attracting its own followers. The town's patron saint, the Santo Cristo or the Holy Cross is being feted every May.

The town is best known for having the most number of brass bands in the Philippines with 15 organized bands. These bands are sought after to enhance entertainment ambience in fiestas and other traditional rites such as wakes. The Family band is the most popular one and have produced champions in majorette exhibition, solo flute competition, solo clarinet competition, solo trumpet competition, French horn competition, etc., in national brass band competitions.

The town also has other places of interest notably Minalungao National Park which is a favorite swimming destinations in summer, specially during Black Saturday when it is usually filled with local bathers and visitors. Minalungao, literally meaning "mine of gold in a cave", has several caves which can explored. The river also has a portion where a stone ledge located about 15 meters high from the river can be used as spring board.

Papaya Festival is also celebrated coincide with its Foundation Anniversary, Parade of different school students around the town wearing colourful costume inspired by the fruits Papaya which this town got its name until it was change to General Tinio

• Town hall
• Sports center
• Old Santo Cristo Parish Church
• New Holy Cross Parish Church
• Public market
• Cory Aquino memorial
• Minalungao National Park
• The Upper Tabuating Dam at Brgy. Nazareth

• List of renamed cities and municipalities in the Philippines