Cagayan
Encyclopedia
Cagayan the "Land of Smiling Beauty", is a province
of the Philippines
in the Cagayan Valley
region
in Luzon
. Its capital is Tuguegarao City
and is located at the northeastern corner of the island of Luzon. Cagayan also includes the Babuyan Islands
to the north. The province borders Ilocos Norte
and Apayao to the west, and Kalinga and Isabela
to the south. Cagayan province is distinct from the city in Mindanao
named Cagayan de Oro
, and is far away from Cagayancillo of Palawan
or Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi Island in the Sulu Sea
.
Present day chroniclers say that the name was derived from the word “tagay,” a kind of plant that grows abundantly in the northern 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.
, 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.
Beginning the Second World War, the air raid of the Japanese fighters and bomber planes was invaded, bombed and destroyed around the province of Cagayan and founded in 1942, the Japanese Imperial forces entered in Cagayan.
During the Second World War under the Japanese Occupation, over several pre-war infantry divisions and regular units of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was re-established from 1942 to 1946 at the general headquarters, camps and garrisoned here the province of Cagayan and begins the battles and invasions for the Anti-Japanese Operations in Cagayan Valley included to sending the province of Cagayan and Isabela and helping the local soldiers of the 11th and 14th Infantry Regiment of the USAFIP-NL, the local guerrilla fighters and the U.S. liberation forces was defeated and fought against the Japanese Imperial forces from 1942 to 1945.
The Battle of Cape Engaño on October 26, 1944, is held off Cape Engaño
. At the time, when American carrier forces attacked the Japanese Northern Force to end and became the conclusion of the Battle of Leyte Gulf
. The Japanese lost 4 carriers, 3 light cruisers and 9 destroyers.
In 1945, the combined United States and Philippine Commonwealth ground troops together with the recognized guerrillas took in Cagayan by the attack from the Japanese troops during the liberated in Cagayan province was under the Filipino soldiers of the 1st, 2nd, 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, 1st Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary and the 11th and 14th Infantry Regiment of the United States Armed Forces in the Philippines – Northern Luzon or USAFIP-NL from the Battle of Cagayan Valley during the Second World War.
The Hotel Delfino siege is a bloody coup attempt happened on March 4, 1990, when suspended Cagayan governor Rodolfo Aguinaldo and his armed men of 200 seized Hotel Delfino in Tuguegarao, Brigader General Oscar Florendo, his driver and four members of the civilian staff, and several other people were held hostage for several hours. A gunfight was launched to kill Aguinaldo and his men but one of the suspended governor's men was found dead in a checkpoint shootout, Brig. Gen. Florendo and 12 others were also dead and 10 more wounded. Aguinaldo is also slightly wounded in a car gunfight until eventually escaped and hid into the mountains.
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 the Babuyan 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 (111.1 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 barangay
s. 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.
descent, mostly from migrants coming from the Ilocos Region
. Originally, the more numerous group were the Ibanags, who were first sighted by the Spanish explorers and converted to Christianity
by missionaries. This is why the Ibanag language
spread throughout the area prior to the arrival of Ilocanos.
Aside from Ilocanos and Ibanags, Malauegs, Itawits, Gaddangs, groups of nomadic Aetas, as well as families of Ibatans who have assimilated into the Ibanag-Ilocano culture make Cagayan their home. More recently, a new group from the south, the Muslim Filipinos, have migrated to this province and have made a community for themselves. In addition to this, Tagalog-speaking people from the Southern Luzon have also settled in the area. Because of this influence from other majority groups like the Ilocano from the west and the Tagalog from the south, the smaller ethnic groups living in the valley could potentially go extinct.
is a planned airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan
. The airport
will be built to support the Cagayan Special Economic Zone
in northern Cagayan, which also serves seaborne traffic through Port Irene. The airport project will involve the construction of a 2,200-meter runway, with a width of 45 meters, following the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization
. Once completed, the planned international airport can accommodate large aircraft such as the Airbus A319-100 and Boeing
regional jets of comparable size. SM City Aparri
will soon be built once the towns of Aparri
, Santa Ana
and Lal-lo
attained its cityhood.
Others:
Since Cagayan faces the Pacific Ocean
an extensive shoreline sprawls along the coastal towns of Sanchez Mira, Sta. Praxedes, Claveria, Buguey, Buguey, Aparri, Ballesteros, Abulug, and the Islands of Palaui, Fuga, and Island Municipality of Calayan. Sanchez Mira, Claveria, and Sta. Praxedes have facilities for excursion stays while Fuga Island
is being developed as a world class recreation and tourism center. Whale watching
at the Calayan Islands are the most sought after and scuba diving
, snorkeling
and fishing
are the most famous in Palaui Island in Sta. Ana. The airstrip at Claveria could be used as a jump-off point to Fuga Island.
There are a lot of recreation and things to do in Cagayan for tourist and locals alike with its famous Sambali Festival celebrated throughout and in commemoration of its founding. Activities in the province are unlimited with its green sorroundings, floras and faunas, caves and historical churches. Also there are lots of nice places to stay such as the Governors Garden Hotel, Hotel Candice, Hotel Roma and Hotel Kimikarlai all in Tuguegarao City.
Claveria is also blessed with a wealth of scenic attractions which include the following: the Lakay-Lakay Lagoon, the rocky formation along the Camalaggaon Caves, the Roadside Park overlooking the Claveria Bay, Macatel Falls with its crystal waters that run in abundance throughout the year, the Pata Lighthouse that offers a breathtaking experience, and the Claveria Beach Resort along the serene white sand coasts.
Provinces of the Philippines
The Provinces of the Philippines are the primary political and administrative divisions of the Philippines. There are 80 provinces at present, further subdivided into component cities and municipalities. The National Capital Region, as well as independent cities, are autonomous from any provincial...
of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
in the Cagayan Valley
Cagayan Valley
Cagayan Valley is a region of the Philippines, also designated as Region II or Region 02. It is composed of five provinces, namely: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino...
region
Regions of the Philippines
In the Philippines, regions are administrative divisions that serve primarily to organize the provinces of the country for administrative convenience. Currently, the archipelagic republic of the Philippines is divided into 17 regions...
in Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
. Its capital is Tuguegarao City
Tuguegarao City
Tuguegarao City is the city capital of Cagayan, Philippines and the regional capital of Region 02 . Tuguegarao is the economic center of the Cagayan Valley Region; it is located on a peninsula in the Cagayan Valley. It is sheltered by the Sierra Madre Mountains in the East; Cordilleras in the...
and is located at the northeastern corner of the island of Luzon. Cagayan also includes the Babuyan Islands
Babuyan Islands
The Babuyan Islands form an archipelago located in the Luzon Strait north of Luzon island in the Philippines. It is separated from Luzon by the Babuyan Channel and from the Batanes Islands to its north by the Balintang Channel....
to the north. The province borders Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Its capital is Laoag City and is located at the northwest corner of Luzon Island, bordering Cagayan and Apayao to the east, and Abra and Ilocos Sur to the south...
and Apayao to the west, and Kalinga and Isabela
Isabela province
Isabela is the second largest province of the Philippines next to Palawan. It is located in the Cagayan Valley Region in Luzon. Its capital is Ilagan and borders, clockwise from the south, Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga, and Cagayan...
to the south. Cagayan province is distinct from the city in Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
named Cagayan de Oro
Cagayan de Oro City
Cagayan de Oro; , officially the City of Cagayan de Oro, is the provincial capital city of the province of Misamis Oriental in the Philippines...
, and is far away from Cagayancillo of Palawan
Palawan
Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region or Region 4. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the...
or Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi Island in the Sulu Sea
Sulu Sea
The Sulu Sea is a body of water in the southwestern area of the Philippines, separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipelago. Borneo is found to the southwest and Visayas to the northeast.Sulu Sea contains a number of...
.
Present day chroniclers say that the name was derived from the word “tagay,” a kind of plant that grows abundantly in the northern 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.
History
In 1581, Captain Juan Pablo Carreon came to Cagayan with one hundred fully equipped soldiers with their families by order of Gonzalo Ronquillo de PeñalozaGonzalo Ronquillo de Peñaloza
Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa , sometimes spelled as Gonçalo Ronquillo Peñaloza was the fourth Spanish governor and captain-general of the Philippines from April 1580 until his death in 1583...
, the fourth Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines
Governor-General of the Philippines
The Governor-General of the Philippines was the title of the government executive during the colonial period of the Philippines, governed mainly by Spain and the United States, and briefly by Great Britain, from 1565 to 1935....
, to explore the Cagayan Valley
Cagayan Valley
Cagayan Valley is a region of the Philippines, also designated as Region II or Region 02. It is composed of five provinces, namely: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino...
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
Juan de Salcedo
Juan de Salcedo was a Spanish conquistador. He was born in Mexico in 1549 and he was the grandson of Miguel López de Legazpi and brother of Felipe de Salcedo. Salcedo was one of the soldiers who accompanied the Spanish colonization of the Philippines in 1565...
traced the northern coastline of Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
and set foot on the Massi (Pamplona), Tular, and Aparri areas. The Spanish friars soon established mission posts in Camalaniugan
Camalaniugan, Cagayan
Camalaniugan is a 4th class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 22,489 people in 4,106 households.-Barangays:Camalaniugan is politically subdivided into 28 barangays.-History:...
and Lal-lo
Lal-Lo, Cagayan
Lal-lo is now a 1st class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 39,607people in 7,443 households....
(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
Treaty of Paris (1898)
The Treaty of Paris of 1898 was signed on December 10, 1898, at the end of the Spanish-American War, and came into effect on April 11, 1899, when the ratifications were exchanged....
was signed in 1898, ending the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, 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.
Beginning the Second World War, the air raid of the Japanese fighters and bomber planes was invaded, bombed and destroyed around the province of Cagayan and founded in 1942, the Japanese Imperial forces entered in Cagayan.
During the Second World War under the Japanese Occupation, over several pre-war infantry divisions and regular units of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was re-established from 1942 to 1946 at the general headquarters, camps and garrisoned here the province of Cagayan and begins the battles and invasions for the Anti-Japanese Operations in Cagayan Valley included to sending the province of Cagayan and Isabela and helping the local soldiers of the 11th and 14th Infantry Regiment of the USAFIP-NL, the local guerrilla fighters and the U.S. liberation forces was defeated and fought against the Japanese Imperial forces from 1942 to 1945.
The Battle of Cape Engaño on October 26, 1944, is held off Cape Engaño
Cape Engaño
Cape Engaño is a cape and northern point of Palaui Island, an island off the northeasternmost point of the island of Luzon in the Philippines....
. At the time, when American carrier forces attacked the Japanese Northern Force to end and became the conclusion of the Battle of Leyte Gulf
Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the "Battles for Leyte Gulf", and formerly known as the "Second Battle of the Philippine Sea", is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.It was fought in waters...
. The Japanese lost 4 carriers, 3 light cruisers and 9 destroyers.
In 1945, the combined United States and Philippine Commonwealth ground troops together with the recognized guerrillas took in Cagayan by the attack from the Japanese troops during the liberated in Cagayan province was under the Filipino soldiers of the 1st, 2nd, 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, 1st Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary and the 11th and 14th Infantry Regiment of the United States Armed Forces in the Philippines – Northern Luzon or USAFIP-NL from the Battle of Cagayan Valley during the Second World War.
The Hotel Delfino siege is a bloody coup attempt happened on March 4, 1990, when suspended Cagayan governor Rodolfo Aguinaldo and his armed men of 200 seized Hotel Delfino in Tuguegarao, Brigader General Oscar Florendo, his driver and four members of the civilian staff, and several other people were held hostage for several hours. A gunfight was launched to kill Aguinaldo and his men but one of the suspended governor's men was found dead in a checkpoint shootout, Brig. Gen. Florendo and 12 others were also dead and 10 more wounded. Aguinaldo is also slightly wounded in a car gunfight until eventually escaped and hid into the mountains.
Geography
The province is bounded by the Pacific OceanPacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
on the east; on the south by Isabela province; on the west by the Cordillera Mountains
Cordillera Central, Luzon
The Cordillera Central is a massive mountain range situated in the northern central part of the island of Luzon, in the Philippines. Several provinces bound it, namely Benguet, Abra, Kalinga, Apayao, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and Baguio, a chartered city located entirely within Benguet...
; and on the north by the Balintang Channel
Balintang Channel
The Balintang Channel is the small waterway that separates the Batanes and Babuyan Islands, both of which belong to the Philippines, in the Luzon Strait....
and the Babuyan Group of Islands
Babuyan Islands
The Babuyan Islands form an archipelago located in the Luzon Strait north of Luzon island in the Philippines. It is separated from Luzon by the Babuyan Channel and from the Batanes Islands to its north by the Balintang Channel....
. 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 (111.1 km) north of Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island 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
Municipalities of the Philippines
A municipality is a local government unit in the Philippines. Municipalities are also called towns . They are distinct from cities, which are a different category of local government unit...
and one city
Cities of the Philippines
A city is a tier of local government in the Philippines. All Philippine cities are chartered cities, whose existence as corporate and administrative entities is governed by their own specific charters in addition to the Local Government Code of 1991, which specifies the administrative structure...
divided into three congressional districts. It has 820 barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
s. Tuguegarao City
Tuguegarao City
Tuguegarao City is the city capital of Cagayan, Philippines and the regional capital of Region 02 . Tuguegarao is the economic center of the Cagayan Valley Region; it is located on a peninsula in the Cagayan Valley. It is sheltered by the Sierra Madre Mountains in the East; Cordilleras in the...
(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.
Municipalities
|
Iguig, Cagayan Iguig is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 26,096 people in 4,159 households.-Barangays:Iguig is politically subdivided into 23 barangays.... Lal-Lo, Cagayan Lal-lo is now a 1st class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 39,607people in 7,443 households.... Lasam, Cagayan Lasam is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 36,646 people in 6,634 households.Lasam was created in 1950 from the barrios of Gattaran, Cagayan west of the Cagayan River.... Pamplona, Cagayan Pamplona is a 4th class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 21,889 people in 3,787 households.-Barangays:Pamplona is politically subdivided into 18 barangays.* Abanqueruan... Peñablanca, Cagayan Peñablanca is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 40,336 people in 6,690 households.-Barangays:Peñablanca is divided into 24 barangays.* Aggugaddan* Alimanao... Piat, Cagayan Piat is a 4th class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 22,211 people in 3,975 households. Piat is now dubbed as the "Pilgrimage Center of Cagayan Valley" because of the thousands of devotees and tourists who come here to pay... Rizal, Cagayan Rizal is a 5th class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 16,791 people in 2,904 households.-Barangays:Rizal is politically subdivided into 29 barangays.* Anagguan* Anurturu... Sanchez-Mira, Cagayan Sanchez-Mira is a 4th class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 23,044 people in 4,139 households.-Barangays:Sanchez-Mira is politically subdivided into 18 barangays.* Bangan... Santa Ana, Cagayan Santa Ana is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 25,833 people in 4,101 households.Santa Ana is the home of the Cagayan Special Economic Zone.-Barangays:... Santa Praxedes, Cagayan Santa Praxedes is a 5th class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines, named after St. Praxedes. According to the latest census, it has a population of 3,379 people in 601 households.-Barangays:... Santa Teresita, Cagayan Santa Teresita is a 4th class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 16,578 people in 2,776 households.-Barangays:Sta... Santo Niño, Cagayan Santo Niño is a 4th class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. It is formerly known as Faire. According to the latest census, it has a population of 25,688 people in 4,387 households.-Barangays:... (Faire) Solana, Cagayan Solana is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 71,475 people in 12,945 households.-Barangays:Solana is politically subdivided into 38 barangays.* Andarayan North... Tuao, Cagayan Tuao is now a 1st class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 57,154 people in 10,390 households.-Barangays:Tuao is politically subdivided into 32 barangays.*Accusilian*Alabiao... |
Demographics
The majority of people living in Cagayan are of IlocanoIlocano people
The Ilocano or Ilokano people are the third largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group. Aside from being referred to as Ilocanos, from "i"-from, and "looc"-bay, they also refer to themselves as Samtoy, from the Ilocano phrase "sao mi ditoy", meaning 'our language here.' The word "Ilocano" came from...
descent, mostly from migrants coming from the Ilocos Region
Ilocos Region
The Ilocos region or Region I is a Region of the Philippines and is located in the northwest of Luzon. It borders to the east the regions of the Cordillera Administrative Region and Cagayan Valley and to the south the region of Central Luzon...
. Originally, the more numerous group were the Ibanags, who were first sighted by the Spanish explorers and converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
by missionaries. This is why the Ibanag language
Ibanag language
The Ibanag language is spoken by up to 500,000 speakers in the Philippines, in the northeastern provinces of Isabela and Cagayan, especially in Tuguegarao City, Solana, Cabagan, and Ilagan and with overseas immigrants in countries located in the Middle East, UK and the U.S.A....
spread throughout the area prior to the arrival of Ilocanos.
Aside from Ilocanos and Ibanags, Malauegs, Itawits, Gaddangs, groups of nomadic Aetas, as well as families of Ibatans who have assimilated into the Ibanag-Ilocano culture make Cagayan their home. More recently, a new group from the south, the Muslim Filipinos, have migrated to this province and have made a community for themselves. In addition to this, Tagalog-speaking people from the Southern Luzon have also settled in the area. Because of this influence from other majority groups like the Ilocano from the west and the Tagalog from the south, the smaller ethnic groups living in the valley could potentially go extinct.
Economy
Agricultural products are rice, corn, peanut, beans, and fruits. Livestock products include cattle, hogs, carabaos, and poultry. Fishing various species of fish from the coastal towns is also undertaken. Woodcraft furniture made of hardwood, rattan, bamboo, and other indigenous materials are also available in the province. The Northern Cagayan International AirportNorthern Cagayan International Airport
The Northern Cagayan International Airport is a planned airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan. The airport will be built to support the Cagayan Special Economic Zone in northern Cagayan, which also serves seaborne traffic through Port Irene....
is a planned airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan
Lal-Lo, Cagayan
Lal-lo is now a 1st class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 39,607people in 7,443 households....
. The airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
will be built to support the Cagayan Special Economic Zone
Cagayan Special Economic Zone
The Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport in the Philippines, also known as Cagayan Freeport, was established by virtue of Republic Act No. 7922, otherwise known as the Cagayan Economic Zone Act of 1995...
in northern Cagayan, which also serves seaborne traffic through Port Irene. The airport project will involve the construction of a 2,200-meter runway, with a width of 45 meters, following the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization
International Civil Aviation Organization
The International Civil Aviation Organization , pronounced , , is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth...
. Once completed, the planned international airport can accommodate large aircraft such as the Airbus A319-100 and Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
regional jets of comparable size. SM City Aparri
SM Supermalls
SM Supermalls, owned by SM Prime Holdings, Inc., is a chain of shopping malls in the Philippines, with 42 malls across the Philippines as well as branches in China....
will soon be built once the towns of Aparri
Aparri, Cagayan
Aparri is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Luzon, Philippines. According to the latest census, Aparri has a population of 69,024 people.Aparri has an approximate income of Php 90,000,000.00...
, Santa Ana
Santa Ana, Cagayan
Santa Ana is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 25,833 people in 4,101 households.Santa Ana is the home of the Cagayan Special Economic Zone.-Barangays:...
and Lal-lo
Lal-Lo, Cagayan
Lal-lo is now a 1st class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 39,607people in 7,443 households....
attained its cityhood.
Tourism
- Duba Cave (Baggao) - is not only a wet river cave but a swimming caveCaveA cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
. Almost all passages with water, which is about 70% of the way to the Skylight FallsFallsFalls may refer to:* Waterfalls* Falls, North Carolina* Belfast Falls ** Falls Road, Belfast in Belfast, Northern Ireland** Belfast Falls ** Belfast Falls...
, have large breakdowns or walls without handholds along the side so the only way through is to swim. Because of this, it is highly recommended that personal floatation devices (PFDs) are used by all entering the cave. This will ensure a safe return trip especially after the long swims in.
- Rio Grande de Cagayan (Cagayan River) - the PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
’ mightiest watercourse – the longest and widest river in the country. Small streamsSTREAMSIn computer networking, STREAMS is the native framework in Unix System V for implementing character devices.STREAMS was designed as a modular architecture for implementing full-duplex I/O between kernel or user space processes and device drivers. Its most frequent uses have been in developing...
originating form Balete Pass, Cordillera, Caraballo and Sierra MadreSierra Madre (Philippines)The Sierra Madre is a mountain range in The Philippines. It is located along the north-eastern coast of Luzon Island, running north/south. Quezon National Forest Park is situated in the range.-Geography:...
Mountains meet other streams. It passes from AparriAparri, CagayanAparri is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Luzon, Philippines. According to the latest census, Aparri has a population of 69,024 people.Aparri has an approximate income of Php 90,000,000.00...
traversing Isabela as far as Aurora ProvinceAurora provinceAurora is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is Baler and borders, clockwise from the south, the provinces of Quezon, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, and Isabela. To the east of Aurora is the Philippine Sea.Before 1979, Aurora was part of...
.
- Claveria Coast - "The Coastal Paradise of the Cagayan North"
- Callao Cave (Penablanca) - a caveCaveA cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
with seven chambers. It is one of the best known tourist attractions of the province. It is located in Barangays Parabba and Quibal, Peñablanca, near Tuguegarao, the capital city of the Province of Cagayan. It has a natural cathedral located at the first chamber, which was turned into a chapelChapelA chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
by the local people. The conditions inside the cave cause stalactites and stalagmites, particularly in the deeper chambers. Every chamber has natural crevices, which let light get into the cave, serving as illuminationIlluminationIllumination, an observable property and effect of light, may also refer to:* Illumination , the use of light sources* Illumination , the use of light and shadow in art...
for the otherwise dark areas of the place.
- Magapit Bridge (Lal-lo) - "The golden gate of Cagayan". It is AsiaAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
's first suspension bridge, built in 1978. It spans the Cagayan River at Lallo and is 0.76 kilometers long. The hanging bridge links the first and second districts of Cagayan going towards the Ilocos Region via the scenic Patapat Road.
- Calvary Hills (Iguig) - consist of 11 hectares of rolling hills. It features larger-than-life concrete statuesStatuesStatues is a popular children's game, often played in Australia but with versions throughout the world.-General rules:# A person starts out as the "Curator" and stands at the end of a field. Everyone else playing stands at the far end...
in tableau settings of the 14 Stations of the CrossStations of the CrossStations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...
, depicting Jesus Christ’s suffering and death on Mount Calvary.
- Basilica Minore Nuestra Senora de PiatOur Lady of PiatOur Lady of Piat is a 16th century Roman Catholic icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the central figure at the altar of her shrine in Piat in the province of Cagayan...
(Piat) - "Primary Pilgrimage Center of the North". The patroness of Cagayan Valley housed at the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat, has become the religious fulcrum of people wanting for favors of any kind. Visitors may view her history at the Basilica Museum which houses an extensive collection of religious items and Our Lady’s vestments and accessories.
- Bukal ng Buhay (Piat) - "Spring of Life". Said to be a miraculous water that can heal diseases of any kind. It is located below the hill where the Basilica of Our Lady of Piat stood.
- Sta. Ana Beaches - from pristine blue waters and fine sand, to rolling hills and enchanting colonial structures, to mystical caves and endearing people. It is dubbed as “Untouched Paradise”, “Gateway to the Pacific”, “Game Fishing Mecca”, “Luzon’s Last Frontier” and “Marine Sanctuary”.
- Kalesa (horse-drawn carrier) - In Cagayan, kalesas are common, especially in Tuao and many other municipalities. In Tuguegarao City, they are mixed in traffic with private cars, motorcycles, sidecar motorcycles, jeepneys, trucks, and bicycles.
- Calayan Island (Calayan) - The islandIslandAn island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
-town which is only a two-hour boat ride from Aparri. It is rich in natural attractions like excellent beaches, archeological sites, endemic floraFloraFlora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
and faunaFaunaFauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
, virgin forest, crystal clear blue waters, plus the hospitable and gentle people with colorful history.
- Ar-Aro Cave (Gattaran) - Nobody from among the old-timers of Barangay Naddungan, with a population of not more than 800, remembers how this cave got its name as the Ar-aro cave. Only a few locals, particularly fishermen, know the place. And it was discovered by some of their old folks only as a fishing ground for eels and Araro, a freshwater fish.
- Kalamudinan Falls (Baggao) - located 26 kilometers from the center of Santa Margarita, Baggao, Cagayan. More than 100 meters high and rich of shrimps (locally called udang) and fishes.
Others:
Since Cagayan faces the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
an extensive shoreline sprawls along the coastal towns of Sanchez Mira, Sta. Praxedes, Claveria, Buguey, Buguey, Aparri, Ballesteros, Abulug, and the Islands of Palaui, Fuga, and Island Municipality of Calayan. Sanchez Mira, Claveria, and Sta. Praxedes have facilities for excursion stays while Fuga Island
Fuga Island
Fuga Island is an island in the municipality of Aparri, Cagayan, with an area of 100 km². Together with its nearshore western neighbor islets Barit and Mabag it constitutes one of 42 barangays of the city of Aparri. It is located in the northernmost part of the Philippines as part of the...
is being developed as a world class recreation and tourism center. Whale watching
Whale watching
Whale watching is the practice of observing whales and other cetaceans in their natural habitat. Whales are watched most commonly for recreation but the activity can also serve scientific or educational purposes. A 2009 study, prepared for IFAW, estimated that 13 million people went whale watching...
at the Calayan Islands are the most sought after and scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
, snorkeling
Snorkeling
Snorkeling is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters, a wetsuit may also be worn...
and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
are the most famous in Palaui Island in Sta. Ana. The airstrip at Claveria could be used as a jump-off point to Fuga Island.
There are a lot of recreation and things to do in Cagayan for tourist and locals alike with its famous Sambali Festival celebrated throughout and in commemoration of its founding. Activities in the province are unlimited with its green sorroundings, floras and faunas, caves and historical churches. Also there are lots of nice places to stay such as the Governors Garden Hotel, Hotel Candice, Hotel Roma and Hotel Kimikarlai all in Tuguegarao City.
Claveria is also blessed with a wealth of scenic attractions which include the following: the Lakay-Lakay Lagoon, the rocky formation along the Camalaggaon Caves, the Roadside Park overlooking the Claveria Bay, Macatel Falls with its crystal waters that run in abundance throughout the year, the Pata Lighthouse that offers a breathtaking experience, and the Claveria Beach Resort along the serene white sand coasts.
Notable Residents
- Juan Ponce EnrileJuan Ponce EnrileJuan Ponce Enrile is a Filipino politician. As a protege of President Ferdinand Marcos, he served as Justice Secretary and then Defense Secretary under the Marcos regime. He later became one of the leaders of the 1986 People Power Movement that drove Marcos from power...
- he served as Justice Secretary and then Defense Secretary under the Marcos regime. He later became one of the leaders (along with General Fidel V. RamosFidel V. RamosFidel "Eddie" Valdez Ramos , popularly known as FVR, was the 12th President of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. During his six years in office, Ramos was widely credited and admired by many for revitalizing and renewing international confidence in the Philippine economy.Prior to his election as...
) of the 1986 People Power Movement that drove Marcos from power. Enrile has continued to be a prominent politician since then; he has been President of the Senate of the PhilippinesSenate of the PhilippinesThe Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines...
since November 2008.