Licab Nueva Ecija
Formerly a “sitio” and part of the town of Aliaga, known as “Pulong Samat”. It was a vast, forested unoccupied area surrounded by rivers wherein thirty families composed of Ilocanos, Tagalog and Kapampangan. In 1853, the group of Don Dalmacio with his brother came and settled in this area.
Led by Don Dalmacio, his brothers and the rest of the residents toiled to scrape off the flowing thick leaves, grasses and trees, cleared the place using hoes, ax, and bolos. The place became productive of fruits and vegetables.
As the town progresses and population increases, Don Dalmacio organized “GUNGLO”, a group which served as council or government of Pulong Samat. This group started changing the name of this barrio into “LICAB” after an Ilocano saying; “Nagsayaat ti pagay, kaskada “AGLIKKAB” iti panag-ani ti pagay da”. Due to the very rich fertile soil that made an abundance of harvest of palay and vegetables that this saying became a byword of the residents.
Year 1882 when a committee was formed under the leadership of Don Dalmacio whom together with leaders of Sta. Maria, Licab, Bantog and different “sitios” filed a petition to Civil Administration to grant them the establishment of a new town independent from Aliaga.
Ten years later, after the conditions given by Spanish Government in the Philippines have been met by the petitioners, in the incumbency of Governor General Ramon Blanco, the petition was approved and Licab became a town on March 28, 1894.
On March 28, 2008, Licab celebrated it’s 114th Foundation Anniversary. As a fitting tribute to the Founding Father a historical seremony and a heroes reinternment took place. The remains of Don Dalmacio were transferred from the former site of the First Catholic Church to the foot of its monument in Liwasang Dalmacio which Mayor Willy S. Domingo caused to be built.