# Santo Domingo, Nueva Ecija

Santo Domingo, officially the Municipality of Santo Domingo (Ilocano: Ili ti Santo Domingo; Tagalog: Bayan ng Santo Domingo), is a municipality in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 61,092 people.

## Etymology

The town got its name from Saint Dominic, which became the town's patron saint.

## History

During the last quarter of the 17th century, Ilocos and Bulacan natives and Tagalogs from Cabanatuan migrated to Santo Domingo. They found in the settlement buri palms. Therefore, these people called the site, Pulong Buli. Santo Domingo de Guzman became their Patron saint. The settlement became a Municipio but was later demoted to a mere barangay of Talavera, Nueva Ecija in 1903. It was later reverted to the political status of Municipality. The Alejos, Juans, Samatras, Salamancas, Andreses, Pascuals and Tomases were the descendants of the founders of the town.
During the Japanese Occupation from 1942 to 1945, various local guerrillas and Hukbalahap communist groups fought side by side at Santo Domingo, aided by the Filipino soldiers of the Philippine Commonwealth Army units. Following the Allied liberation in 1945, over 4,500 Filipino soldiers and guerrillas had been killed or wounded, and 29,000 Japanese troops killed or captured in action.

## Geography

Santo Domingo is bordered by the municipalities of Talavera to the east, Quezon to the west, Science City of Muñoz to the north, Guimba to the northwest, and Aliaga to the south.

### Barangays

Santo Domingo is politically subdivided into 24 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
* Baloc
* Buasao
* Burgos
* Cabugao
* Casulucan
* Comitang
* Concepcion
* Dolores
* General Luna
* Hulo
* Mabini
* Malasin
* Malayantoc
* Mambarao
* Poblacion
* Malaya (Pook Malaya)
* Pulong Buli
* Sagaba
* San Agustin
* San Fabian
* San Francisco
* San Pascual
* Santa Rita
* Santo Rosario

### Climate

Climate data for Santo Domingo, Nueva Ecija :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28 (82) | 29 (84) | 31 (88) | 33 (91) | 32 (90) | 31 (88) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 28 (82) | 30 (86) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 20 (68) | 20 (68) | 21 (70) | 23 (73) | 24 (75) | 25 (77) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 23 (73) | 22 (72) | 21 (70) | 23 (73) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 6 (0.2) | 4 (0.2) | 6 (0.2) | 17 (0.7) | 82 (3.2) | 122 (4.8) | 151 (5.9) | 123 (4.8) | 124 (4.9) | 99 (3.9) | 37 (1.5) | 21 (0.8) | 792 (31.1) |
| Average rainy days | 3.3 | 2.5 | 3.6 | 6.6 | 17.7 | 22.2 | 25.2 | 23.7 | 23.2 | 17.9 | 9.2 | 5.2 | 160.3 |
| Source: Meteoblue ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1903 | 3,249 | — |
| 1918 | 6,431 | +4.66% |
| 1939 | 12,163 | +3.08% |
| 1948 | 12,730 | +0.51% |
| 1960 | 16,983 | +2.43% |
| 1970 | 22,828 | +3.00% |
| 1975 | 25,306 | +2.09% |
| 1980 | 29,013 | +2.77% |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1990 | 35,864 | +2.14% |
| 1995 | 40,992 | +2.54% |
| 2000 | 45,934 | +2.47% |
| 2007 | 47,960 | +0.60% |
| 2010 | 50,983 | +2.25% |
| 2015 | 57,943 | +2.47% |
| 2020 | 61,092 | +1.05% |
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority :

### Religion
#### St. Dominic Parish Church

The 1896 St. Dominic Parish Church (Real St., Poblacion, Santo Domingo, 3133 Nueva Ecija) belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose. Most. Rev. Roberto Calara Mallari, D.D. (since 15 May 2012) is the head of the Diocese. The Church's Parish Priest is Very Rev. Mnsgr. Rolando Mabutol, Hp and its Parish Administrator is Rev. Fr. Ian Christopher D. Andal (Acting Parish Priest) (Vicariate of St. Dominic - Diocesis Sancti Josephi in Insulis Philippinis, Suffragan of Lingayen-Dagupan; created: February 16, 1984, erected July 14, 1984, comprising the City of San Jose and the Science City of Muñoz and 12 other municipalities in Northern Nueva Ecija; Titular: St. Joseph the Worker, May 1). Its Vicar Forane is Fr. Bonifacio P. Flores Saint Dominic Parish Titular: Saint Dominic de Guzman; Year of Establishment: 1929.
Founded in 1896 as part of the Manila Archdiocese, in 1929, the Church was established and in 1950, the Parish became part of the Diocese of Cabanatuan. In 1977 the Baloc Parish was severed from Santo Domingo. On July 14, 1984, the Diocese of Cabanatuan was split into 2, and the San Jose Diocese had 16 Parishes including Santo Domingo Parish. The first Parish Priest of Santo Domingo was Fr. Emilio Gutierez and the 19th, the incumbent is Fr. Edwin I. Bravo. The Parish has a population of 21,677 Catholics: 75%.

#### St. Jerome Parish Church

The St. Jerome Parish Church (Barangay Baloc, Santo Domingo, 3133 Nueva Ecija) belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose. Most. Rev. Roberto Calara Mallari, D.D. (since 15 May 2012) is the head of the Diocese (Vicariate of St. Dominic - Diocesis Sancti Josephi in Insulis Philippinis, Suffragan of Lingayen-Dagupan; created: February 16, 1984, erected July 14, 1984, comprising the City of San Jose and the Science City of Muñoz and 12 other municipalities in Northern Nueva Ecija; Titular: St. Joseph the Worker, May 1). Its Vicar Forane is Fr. Bonifacio P. Flores and its Parish Priest: Fr. Rosalito F. Cabanting. The Population is 45,049 Catholics -8%.

#### Iglesia Filipina Independiente, San Geronimo Church

The Iglesia Filipina Independiente, San Geronimo Church is also one of the landmark religious heritage of Santo Domingo.

#### Dambana ni San Geronimo

Fr. Resty Valenzuela Ahyong Baloc established his own Dambana ni San Geronimo when he transferred from the Roman Catholic Church. The people of Baloc, Santo Domingo Nueva Ecija became religious because of Him. He wrote a book about the life of St. Jerome.

## Economy

Poverty incidence of Santo Domingo
* 10
* 20
* 30
* 40
* 2006 30.80
* 2009 20.32
* 2012 18.71
* 2015 14.32
* 2018 4.59
* 2021 11.57
* Source: Philippine Statistics Authority
As an agricultural town, Santo Domingo is famous for its scenic agricultural landscape amid its Philippine duck raising industry.

## Government
### Local government

Santo Domingo, belonging to the 1st congressional district of the province of Nueva Ecija, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.

### Elected officials

Members of the Municipal Council (2022–2025) :
| Position | Name |
| District Representative (Nueva Ecija's 1st congressional district) | Mikaela Angela Suansing |
| Governor | Aurelio Umali |
| Mayor | Imee L. De Guzman |
| Vice-Mayor | St. James Domingo |
| Councilors | Angge Paulino |
| Councilors | Arland Ryan Andres |
| Councilors | Junior Bugaoan |
| Councilors | Olive Pascual |
| Councilors | Edgar De Leon Jr. |
| Councilors | Willy Maniego |
| Councilors | Emerson Matias |
| Councilors | Jojo Gozum |

## Gallery

* Rice fields are alternatively used for duck feeding
* Basketball court and gymnasium
* St. Dominic Parish Church
* Nueva Ecija-Pangasinan Road (Maharlika Highway, Baloc)
* Hen. Mariano Noriel Centennial Park
* Public market