General Tinio, formerly known as Papaya, is a first-class municipality in the 4th district of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 58,093 people. It was known as Papaya until 1957, when it was renamed in honor of General Manuel Tinio through Republic Act No. 1665.The municipality is located at the western foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains, adjoining the Fort Magsaysay Army Reservation on the northeastern side.

Papaya is first documented in the mid-19th century in the Diccionario Geográfico, Estadístico, Histórico de las Islas Filipinas (Vol. 2, 1851) by Manuel Buzeta and Felipe Bravo, where it is described as a visita (chapel-community) of the town of Gapan in the then province of Pampanga. This classification indicates that Papaya was already a settled community with its own population and economic activity during the Spanish colonial period, although it remained administratively and ecclesiastically dependent on Gapan. Ecclesiastical supervision was exercised through the parish centered in Gapan, now known as the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of La Virgen Divina Pastora (Three Kings Parish), one of the earliest church institutions in the province.

Prior to Spanish documentation, the area that would become Papaya was already inhabited by indigenous groups. Mid-20th century historical accounts describe the presence of Dumagat (Aeta-related) populations in the forested and upland areas surrounding the settlement, coexisting with lowland communities along river systems such as the Rio Chico. These groups formed part of the earliest known inhabitants of the region and contributed to its early socio-cultural landscape.

Archaeological evidence further supports early human activity in the area. The Arubo 1 site in present-day General Tinio has yielded stone tools, including proto-handaxes and Levallois-like flakes, suggesting habitation dating back to the Lower or Middle Paleolithic period. This evidence situates the area within a broader pattern of early human occupation in Central Luzon.

Papaya was originally part of Barrio Mapisong under the jurisdiction of Gapan. In 1851, Mapisong was established as a separate pueblo and renamed Peñaranda in honor of Spanish engineer José María Peñaranda. Papaya was subsequently transferred to the jurisdiction of Peñaranda and remained one of its component barrios during the late Spanish and early American periods.

During the American colonial period, Papaya developed formal governance structures, including barrio officials and civic institutions. Historical records document the presence of local leaders drawn from resident families who participated in administration and community organization. Among those recorded is Mamerto Padolina, listed among individuals involved in the civic and administrative life of the barrio.

The same records also document the expansion of public institutions such as schools and community organizations, reflecting the gradual institutionalization of governance in the area.

Papaya was constituted as an independent municipality effective January 1, 1921, through Executive Order No. 30 issued by Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison. The municipality was formed from the barrios of Papaya, Pias, and Rio Chico, with Papaya designated as the poblacion.