Cagayan is situated at the northeastern tip of Luzon.
It is bounded on the north by the Balintang Channel,
on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the west
by Ilocos Norte and Kalinga-Apayao, and on the
south by Isabela.
The province forms the lower basin of the Cagayan River. The
eastern coast is hilly and mountainous because of the Sierra
Madres. The northern coast is low and marshy, while the
western boundary with Kalinga-Apayao is either hilly or low
and swampy. Between the low mountains are large valleys.
The Babuyan Islands, about 40 to 60 km north of the Luzon
mainland, are part of Cagayan. The group is noted for active
volcanoes, such as Babuyan Claro and Camiguin Volcano.
Didicas Island was once known as Didicas Rock until a
submarine volcano erupted in 1952 and formed the island.
The general in the Sierra Madres in the east has rainfall that is
more or less evenly distributed throughout the year. The rest of
the provinces is relatively dry from November to April and wet
the rest of the year.
The province could have gotten its name from the Ilocano word
carayan or "big river," referring to the Rio Grande De Cagayan,
the longest river in the country, which bisects its valley from
north to south. Or it could have been derived from the tagay
trees (tall hardwood) that grew along the river banks. It is
possible that the area was called Catagayan, meaning "where
the tagay abounds." The earliest inhabitants were the Aetas,
short dark-skinned nomads belonging to the Negrito family.
They were followed by Indo-Malay immigrants who came to be
known as Ibanags. Before the Spaniards banks and were trading
with the Chinese and other merchants from
neighboring countries.
In 1572, Juan de Salcedo explored Cagayan Valley. By 1583, all
the territories east of the Cordillera Central Mountains and
north of the Caraballo Mountain Range formed one political
unit called "La Provincia de Cagayan." Its capital was Nueva
Segovia (now the town
of Lal-lo, near Aparri).
Ilocano migrants now outnumber the native
groups, the majority of which are
the Ibanags and Gaddangs. Smaller groups
include the Isneg, the Malaueg,
and the Itawes who live along the western
boundaries. The Negrito population
is variously known as Aetas, Agtas, Pugots,
and Dumagatas.
The province's agricultural production is
concentrated on two areas. The Cagayan Rover
Delta produces rice, corn, vegetables, and
rootcrops. The region near the boundary with
Isabela contains a number of large tobacco
plantations. The mountain ranges yield good
hardwoods, as well as rattan and other forest
products used in cottage industries. Fishing is a
major industry in the coastal areas.
The Province of Batanes also called the Batanes Islands, is
a Philippine province comprising ten islands that are located in
the Luzon Strait between the islands of Luzon and Taiwan. It is the
northernmost part of the Philippines and is also the
smallest province, both in terms of population and land area.The
island group is located about 162 km north of Luzon and about 190
kilometers south of Taiwan, separated from the Babuyan Islands
of Cagayan Province, Luzon, by the Balintang Channel and
from Taiwan by the Bashi Channel. The provincial capital
is Basco on Batan Island and the only other inhabited islands
are Itbayat and Sabtang. The northernmost island of the province,
making it the northernmost island in the Philippines, is Mavudis
(Yami) Island. Other islands in the chain are Misanga,Siayan, Ivuhos,
and Dequey. The province is officially in the region of Cagayan
Valley. The islands are part of the Luzon Volcanic Arc.
The ancestors of today's Ivatans are descended from Austronesians
who migrated to the Batanes Islands 4000 years ago during the
Neolithic period. They lived in fortified mountain areas called
idjangs and drank sugar-cane wine, or palek. They also used gold
as currency and produced a thriving agriculture-based industry.
They were also seafarers and boat-builders. In 1687, a crew of English
freebooters headed by William Dampier came with a Dutch crew
and named the islands in honor of their country's monarchs. Itbayat
was named "Orange Isle" in honor of William of Orange, and Batan
was named "Grafton Isle" after Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton.
Sabtang Isle was named "Monmouth Isle" after the James Scott,
1st Duke of Monmouth. Capt. Dampier stayed for less than three
months, and did not claim the islands for the British crown. Toward
the end of the Spanish regime, Batanes was made a part of Cagayan.
In 1909, however, the American authorities organized it into an
Independent province. Because of its strategic location, the Batanes
island group was one of the first points occupied by the invading Japanese
imperial forces at the outbreak of the Pacific War. During the American
colonial period, public schools suddenly boomed, and more Ivatan
became more aware of their place in the Philippines. One of the first
School Superintendents was Victor De Padua, an Ilocano, who in 1942-45
during the Japanese occupation was made Provincial Governor.
The people of Batanes are called Ivatan and share prehistoric cultural and
linguistic commonalities with the Babuyan on Babuyan Island and the Tao people
of Orchid Island. This divided homeland is a result of the Dutch invasion of
Taiwan in 1624 ( Dutch Formosa ) and Spanish invasion in 1626 ( Spanish Formosa ).
The northern half of the Ivatan homeland, Formosa and Orchid Island which were
formally part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, fell to the Dutch who were in turn
expelled in 1662 by forces of the Chinese Ming Dynasty, led by the Chinese pirate
Koxinga who then set himself up as The King of Taiwan. The southern half of the
Ivatan homeland, the islands of the Batanes, was reinforced and fortified by Spanish
refugees from Formosa before being formally joined in the 18th century with the
Spanish government in Manila. The main languages spoken in Batanes are Ivatan,
which is spoken on the islands of Batan and Sabtang, and It bayaten, which is spoken
primarily on the island of Itbayat. The Ivatan which is dominant in the province is
considered to be one of the Austronesian languages. From college level down to
elementary level, the language is widely spoken
Batanes is subdivided into 6 municipalities. Batanes
has only
one congressional district.
Municipalities
Basco
Mahatao
Itbayat Ivana
Sabtang Uyugan
Cagayan (pronunciation: the "Land of Smiling Beauty", is a province
Cagayan
, the
"Land of Smiling
Beauty",
is a province
the
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in the
Cagayan
Valleyofregion
in Luzon. Its capital is
Philippines
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in
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capital
is
Tuguegarao
Cityof the island of
Tuguegarao City and is located at the northeastern corner
and is located at the northeastern corner of the island of Luzon. Cagayan also
Luzon.
also to
includes
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includes
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Babuyan Islands
the north.
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Ilocos
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Norte
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to to
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andborders
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the west,
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and Isabela
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Cagayan
province
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Mindanao
named
Cagayan
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and
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away
from
south. Cagayan province is distinct from the city in Mindanao named Cagayan
Cagayancillo of Palawan or Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi Island in the Sulu Sea.
de Oro, and is far away from Cagayancillo of Palawan or Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi
Present day chroniclers say that the name was derived from the word “tagay,”
Island
in the
Sulu Sea.
Present
day
chroniclers
sayprovince.
that the
name was derived
a kind
of plant
that grows
abundantly
in the
northern
part of the
Thus,
“Catagayan”
means
a placeawhere
tagay grows
was shortened
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from thewhich
word
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kind the
of plant
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grows abundantly
in the
“Cagayan,”
the
present
name
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the
province.
part of the province. Thus, “Catagayan” which means a place where the tagay
grows abundantly was shortened to “Cagayan,” the present name of the
province.
In 1581, Captain Juan Pablo Carreon came to Cagayan with one hundred
fully equipped soldiers with their families by order ofGonzalo Ronquillo de Peñaloza,
the fourth Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines, to explore the Cagayan Valley
and to force the conversion of the natives to Catholicism as well as to establish
ecclesiastical missions and towns throughout the valley. This was the first batch of
Spanish settlers in the Cagayan Valley who introduced Spanish culture and Latin
civilization, subverting native culture, customs, and tradition. On June 29, 1583,
Juan de Salcedo traced the northern coastline of Luzon and set foot on the Massi
(Pamplona), Tular, and Aparri areas. The Spanish friars soon established mission
posts in Camalaniugan and Lal-lo(Nueva Segovia), which became the seat of the
Diocese established by Pope Clement VIII on August 14, 1595. The Spanish influence
can still be seen in the massive churches and other buildings that the Spaniards
built for the spiritual and social welfare of the people. With the Treaty of Paris
was signed in 1898, ending the Spanish-American War, America took over the
Philippines and influenced the culture, most notably in agriculture and education
as well as in public works and communications. At the close of the 18th century,
there were 29 municipalities in the province of Cagayan. When the Philippines came
under American sovereignty in 1902, 35 municipalities have been founded. Since then,
however, on account of the tendency at centralization and shifting of population as
a result of the opening of roads and public agricultural lands, only 29 municipalities
now remain.
The province is bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the east; on the south
by Isabela province; on the west by the Cordillera Mountains; and on
the north by the Balintang Channel and theBabuyan Group of Islands.
About two kilometers from the northeastern tip of the province is the
island of Palaui; a few kilometers to the west is Fuga Island. The Babuyan
Group of Islands, which includes Calayan, Dalupiri, Camiguin, and Babuyan Claro,
is about 60 nautical miles (110 km) north of Luzon mainland. The province
comprises an aggregate land area of 9,002.70 square kilometers, which
constitutes three percent of the total land area of the country, making it
the second largest province in the region. Cagayan has 28 municipalities
and one city divided into three congressional districts. It has 820 barangays.
Tuguegarao City (as of December 18, 1999) is the provincial capital, regional seat,
and center of business, trade, and education. It has a land area of 144.80 square
kilometers and a population of 120,645 as of 2000.
City
Tuguegarao City
Municipalities
Abulug
Alcala
Allacapan
Amulung
Aparri
Baggao
Ballesteros
Buguey
Calayan
Camalaniugan
Claveria
Enrile
Gattaran
Gonzaga
Iguig
Lal-Lo
Lasam
Pamplona
Peñablanca
Piat
Rizal
Sanchez-Mira
Santa Ana
Santa Praxedes
Santa Teresita
Santo Niño (Faire)
Solana
Tuao
Isabela is the second largest province of the Philippines next
to Palawan. It is located in the Cagayan lley Region in Luzon.
Its capital is Ilagan and borders, clockwise from the
South, Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao,
Mountain Province, Kalinga, andCagayan. This primarily
agricultural province is the rice and corn granary
of Luzon due to its plain and rolling terrain.
Prior to 1856, there were only two provinces in the Cagayan Valley Region
Cagayan and Nueva Vizcaya. The Province of Cagayan at that time consisted
of all towns from Tumauini to the north in Aparri and all other towns from
Ilagan, Roxas southward to Aritaocomprised the Province of old Nueva
Vizcaya. In order to facilitate the work of the Catholic missionaries in
the evangelization In the Cagayan Valley, a royal decree was issued on May 1,
1856 that created the Province of Isabela consisting of the towns
of Gamu,Old Angadanan (now Alicia), Bindang (now Roxas) and Camarag
(now Echague), Carig (now Santiago City) and Palanan, all detached from
Nueva Vizcaya; while Cabagan and Tumauini were taken from the Cagayan
province. The province was put under the jurisdiction of a governor with the
capital seat at Ilagan, where it remains at the present. It was initially
called Isabela de Luzon to differentiate from other places in the Philippines
bearing the name of Isabela. The new province was named in honor
of Queen Isabela II of Spain. Although the province did not play a major role
in the revolt against Spain, it was in Palanan that the final pages of
the Philippine Revolution were written when the American forces led by
General Frederick Funston finally captured General Emilio Aguinaldo on
March 23, 1901.
According to the latest Philippine Census, Isabela is the most
populated province among the five provinces in Cagayan Valley
(Region II). It has a population of 1,401,495 people and comprising
45.93 percent of the 3 million people in the region. At the national
level, the province contributed 1.58 percent to the total population
of 88.57 million. There are 254,928 households in the province.
For all ages, the sex ratio in Isabela was about 105 with 660,627
males and 626,948 females in the 2000 Census of Population and
Housing (Census 2000). There are more males than females below
50 years old. Ilocanos are the most prominent group in Isabela.
Of the total household population, 68.71 percent classified
Themselves as Ilocanos. The next two prominent groups(ethnic) are
Ibanag(14.05 percent) and Tagalog (10.02 percent). The remaining
7.22 percent are either Gaddang, Paranan, Yogad, or are from
other ethnic groups.
Cities
Cauayan City
Santiago City
Municipalities
Alicia
Angadanan
Aurorast
Benito Soliven
Burgos
Cabagan
Cabatuan
Cordon
Delfin Albano (Magsaysay)
Dinapigue
Divilican
Echague
Gamu
Iligan
Jones
Luna
Maconacon
Malilig
Naguilan
Palanan
Quezon
Quirino
Ramon
Reina Marcedes
Roxas
San Agustin
San Guiliermo
San Isidro
San Manuel
San Mariano
San Mateo
San Pablo
Santa Maria
Santo Tomas
Tumauni
Agriculture is the major industry of the people of Isabela. Farming
is highly mechanized as most of the agricultural lands are irrigated.
With the presence of the Isabela State University, joint ventures
and other foreign assisted projects and the Magat Dam contribute
to the high productivity in agriculture. It is also the hub of trade
and commerce and other economic activities due to its central
location
in the region. The wood industry used to be a top earner for the
province but due to the logging ban imposed in the Cagayan Valley
Region, activities in this industry considerably declined. However,
furniture making using narra and other indigenous forest materials
continue to exist. Potential investments are in fisheries and tourism.
Isabela has a fertile fishing ground on the Pacific Coast. The reservoir
of the Magat Dam is utilized for fish cage operations for tilapia
Production for domestic markets. Tourism is relatively a new industry
being developed in the province. Support services and
accommodation facilities are likewise being developed.
Quirino is a land-locked province in the Philippines located
in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon. Its capital
is Cabarroguis and was named after Elpidio Quirino, the
sixth President of the Philippines. The province
borders Aurora to the southeast, Nueva Vizcaya to the west,
and Isabela to the north. Quirino used to be part of the
province of Nueva Vizcaya, until it was separated in 1966.
Long before its formal creation as an independent province, Quirino
was the forest region of the province of Nueva Vizcaya, inhabited
by tribal groups known as the Negritos. They roamed the hinterlands
and built their huts at the heart of the jungle. Quirino lies in the
southeastern portion of Cagayan Valley. It is situated within the
upper portion of the Cagayan River basin and bounded by Isabela
on the north, Aurora on the east and southeast, and Nueva Vizcaya
on the west and southwest.The Ilocano dialect is used widely in the
lowlands of the province’s various municipalities while Ifugao is
predominant in the uplands. Quirino province acquired its juridical
personality as a result of the division of the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya
and Isabela on June 18, 1966 under RA 4734. Quirino, named after
the late president Elpidio Quirino, was created as a sub-province
of Nueva Vizcaya in 1966. It became a full province in 1971.
Agriculture is the main industry in Cagayan Valley, together with rice
and corn as major crops. These supply the demand of neighboring
provinces and the metropolis. Banana as well as banana chips are major
products sold in Metro Manila and Pampanga. Small scale industries
Like furniture making, basketry, rattan craft, and dried flower
production are prevalent.
Quirino is subdivided into 6 municipalities.
Aglipay
Cabarroguis(capital)
Diffun
Maddela
Nagtipunan
Saguday
Nueva Vizcaya (Filipino: Bagong Biskaya) is a province of
the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon.
Its capital is Bayombong. It is bordered by, clockwise from the
north, Ifugao, Isabela, Quirino, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan,
and Benguet.
The name was derived from the Spanish province Vizcaya in the
Basque Country. The province of Nueva Vizcaya used to be a territory
of the vast Cagayan Valley which was once an integral political unit
with one governor. In 1839, then-Governor Luis Lardizabal issued
an order transforming Nueva Vizcaya into a politico-military province
upon the advice of the alcalde mayor ofCagayan. The order was
approved by a Royal Decree on April 10, 1841. The province had its
first taste of civil governance in 1902 when it was organized by the
Philippine Commission. The present territory of Nueva Vizcaya was
the result of changes emanating from the formal creation of the
province of Isabela in May 1865, wherein a great portion of its
northern territory was ceded to the newly-born province. In 1908,
the organization of the province of Ifugao further reduced the area
of Nueva Vizcaya which was forced to give up its northwest territory.
The survey executed by the Bureau of Lands in 1914 further caused the
diminution of its area and reduced again upon the enactment of the
Administrative Code of 1917.
On January 11, 2008, the Cagayan Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources (BFAR) stated that tilapia (species of cichlid fishes from
the tilapiine cichlid tribe) production grew and Cagayan Valley is
now the Philippines’ tilapia capital (Saint Peter’s fish). Production
supply grew 37.25% since 2003, with 14,000 metric tons (MT) in 2007.
The recent aquaculture congress found that the growth of tilapia
production was due to government interventions: provision of fastgrowing species, accreditation of private hatcheries to ensure supply
of quality fingerlings, establishment of demonstration farms, providing
free fingerlings to newly constructed fishponds, and the dissemination
of tilapia to Nueva Vizcaya (in Diadi town). Former cycling champion
Lupo Alava is a multi-awarded tilapia raiser in Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya.
Chairman Thompson Lantion of the Land Transportation Franchising
and Regulatory Board, a retired two-star police general, has fishponds
in La Torre, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya. Also, Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Luisa
Lloren Cuaresma also entered into similar aquaculture endeavors in
Addition to tilapia production.
Nueva Vizcaya is subdivided into 15 municipalities.
Alfonso Castañeda
Ambaguio
Aritao
Bagabag
Bambang
Bayombong
Diadi
Dupax del Norte
Dupax del Sur
Kasibu
Kayapa
Quezon
Santa Fe
Solano
Villaverde