REGION II- CAGAYAN VALLEY

I. Introduction

Cagayan Valley (Lambak ng Cagayan in Filipino) 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. It has three cities; Cauayan City, its
regional center-Tuguegarao, and its commercial center-Santiago City.

Most of the region lies in a large valley in northeastern Luzon, between the Cordilleras and
the Sierra Madre mountain ranges. The Cagayan River, the country's longest river runs
through its center and flows out to Luzon Strait in the north, in the town of Aparri, Cagayan.
The Babuyan and Batanes island groups that lie in the Luzon Strait also belong to the
region.

Administrative Divisions

Provinces Cities Municipalities

Batanes Basco, Itbayan, ivana, Mahatao, Sabtang, Uyugan

Cagayan Tuguegarao Penablanca, Enrile, Calayan, Solana, Santa Ana, Santa

City Praxedes, Claveria, Gattarran, Rizal, Aparri, Lal-lo, Piat,
Lasam, Santa Teresita, Baggao, Tuao, Alcala, Iguig, Buguey,
Camalaniugan, Amulung, Santo Nino, Sanchez-Mira,
Allacapan, Ballesteros, Abulug, Gonzaga, Pamplona

Isabela Cauayan, Alicia, Angadanan, Aurora, Benito Soliven, Burgos,

Santiago, Cabagan, Cabatuan, Cordon, Delfin Albano, Dinapigue,
Ilagan Divilacan, Echague, Gamu, Jones, Luna, Maconacon, Mallig,
Naguillian, Palanan, Quezon, Quirino, Ramon, Reina
Mercedes, Roxas, San Agustin, San Guillermo, San Isidro,
San Manuel, San Mariano, San Mateo, San Pablo, Santa
Maria, Santo Tomas, Tumauini
 Nueva Bayombong, Solano, Aritao, Villaverde, Bambang, Diadi,
Vizcaya Santa Fe, Kasibu, Bagabag, Dupax Del Norte, Kayapa,
Alfonso Castaneda, Quezon, Dupax Del Sur, Ambaguio

Quirino Aglipay, Cabarruguis, Diffun, Maddela, Nagtipunan

(Abbag), Saguday

The Cagayan Valley Region comprises of 5 provinces, 4 cities, 89 municipalities, and 2,311
barangays.

II. History
Figure 1. Agta or Atta Figure 2. Tobacco Cultivation

Archaeology indicates that the Cagayan Valley has been inhabited for half a million years,
though no human remains of any such antiquity have yet appeared. The earliest inhabitants
are the Agta, or Atta (Figure1), food-gatherers who roam the forest without fixed abodes.
A large track of land has lately been returned to them. The bulk of population are of Malay
origin. For centuries before the coming of the Spanish, the inhabitants traded with Indians,
Malays, Chinese and Japanese. In the nineteenth century the prosperity found in tobacco
cultivation (Figure 2) caused many Ilokano to settle here. Tobacco is still a major factor in
the economy of Cagayan, though a special economic zone and free port has been created to
strengthen and diversity in the provincial economy.

According to researches, the most important event in the

history of Cagayan Valley took place in 1572 when Spanish
Conquistador Don Juan de Salcedo (Figure 3) traced the
northern coast and landed at the mouth of the Pamplona
River. Before his visit, early Cagayanos reveled in
civilization of their own. He was the grandson of Miguel
Lopez de Legazpi and one of the soldiers who accompanied
the Spanish Colonization of the Philippines in 1565. In
Figure 3. Don Juan de Salcedo
1567, Salcedo led an army of about 300 Spanish and Mexican
soldiers and 600 Visayan allies along with Martin de Goiti for their conquest of Islamic
Manila (then under occupation by the sultanate of Brunei). There they fought a number of
battles against the Muslim Leaders. The Spanish officers, Mexican recruits and Filipino
warriors coalesced in 1570 and 1571 to attack the islamised areas of Luzon, for control of
lands and settlement.

In May 1572, Salcedo led an exploration of 45 spaniards northward. Leaving 30 of his men
at Vigan, Salcedo proceeded to sail around the northern coast, and down the eastern shore,
with 15 men in 2 open boats. He returned to Manila 3 months later with 50 pounds of gold.

III. Physical Geography

a. Size of the region

Located at the Northern part of mainland Luzon, Cagayan Valley Region has a land area of
28,228.83 sq. km. (Table1)
Province Land Area
(sq.km.)
Batanes 219.0 sq.km.
Cagayan 9,295.8 sq.km.
Isabela 12,414.9 sq.km.
Nueva Vizcaya 3,975.7 sq.km.
Quirino 2,323.5 sq.km.
Total Land Area 28,228.8 sq.km.
 Table 1. Land Area of Region 2

b. Territory

Cagayan Valley is the 4th largest region in the Philippines and has rugged terrain
along its boundaries, with the Pacific Ocean bounding it on the east, the Provinces of Nueva
Ecija on the South, Quezon on the southeast and protective mountain ranges of Caraballo
and Cordillera ranges on the west. Between the ranges is the valley where most of the
population live and is criss-crossed by the mighty Cagayan River, the longest and widest in
the country and its tributaries which in turn flow into the Balintang Channel. The mainland
is also skirted by the Pacific Ocean on the east coast and the Bashi Channel on the North.
c. Map

Pacific Ocean

Pacific Ocean
Caraballo Mountain
Ranges

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Figure 4. Cagayan Valley Region in Figure 5. Cagayan Valley Region

Philippine Map Boundaries

d. Topography
Region 2 is located in the northeastern portion of the main island of Luzon and includes the
scattered Island of Batanes-Babuyan Groups, which occupy the northern most tip of the
archipelago.

It is bounded by three (3) mountain ranges, Sierra Madre Mountain on the east; Caraballo
Mountain on the south and Cordillera Mountain, and north of Caraballo Mountain.

IV. Demographics

a. Population

Province Population

Batanes 17,246

Isabela 1,593,566

Nueva Vizcaya 452,287

Cagayan 1,199,320

Quirino 188,991

Total 3,451,410

b. Famous People
Juan Furagganan Ponce Enrile
Born February 14, 1924, is a Filipino politician and lawyer. He was a
protégé of president Ferdinand Marcos, and served as Justice
Secretary and then Defense Minister under the Marcos Regime. He
later became one of the leaders of the 1986 People Power Revolution
that drove Marcos from power and into exile.
Figure 6. Juan Ponce Enrile

Diosdado P. Banatao
 (born May 26, 1946 in the small barrio of Malabbac in the town of Iguig, Cagayan) He is a
Filipino-American entrepreneur and engineer working in the high-tech industry, credited
with having developed the first 10-Mbit Ethernet CMOs with silicon coupler data link
control and transreceiver chip, the first system logic chip set for IBMs PC-XT
and the PC-AT, and the local bus concept and the first Windows Graphics
Figure 7. Diosdado Banatao
accelerator chip for personal computers.

c. Ethnic Groups

Ilocano was the most prominent ethnic group in

Cagayan. Of the total household population, 68.57
percent classified themselves as Ilocanos. The next three
prominent ethnic groups were the itawit, ibanag, and
itawis.
Figure 8. Ilocanos

The people of Batanes are called Ivatan and share

prehistoric cultural and linguistic communalities with the
Babuyan on Babuyan Island and the Tao people of Orchid
Island.

Figure 9. Ivatans

The Ibanag (also Ybanag and Ybanak or Ibanak) are an

ethnolinguistic minority numbering a little more than
half a million people, who inhabit the provinces of
Cagayan, Isabela, and Nueva Vizcaya. They are one of
the largest ethnolinguistic minorities in the Philippines.
Figure 10. Ibanags
One of the ethnic groups of Cagayan Valley is Itawes
which they got their name from the combination of
the prefix “I” and word “tawid” which means “people

Figure 11. Itawes

 across the river”. Some people may know them as “itawit”, “tawish”, “itaves”, “itawiq”
and so on.

d. Religion

Majority of the population of Cagayan Valley Region were Roman Catholics (76.15
percent). Evangelicals (4.24 percent) and Aglipayans (3.66 percent) followed. 15.65
percent belonged to other religious affiliation.

V. ECONOMY

Cagayan Valley is composed of five Provinces and four cities. The region is hailed as the
“Tilapia Capital of the Philippines”. Fishing is prevalent in the coast of Cagayan, Isabela,
Batanes and Magat Dam in Isabel. According to Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
or (BFAR), Tilapia production in Cagayan Valley is surging, reaching in all-time high.
 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.

Figure 15-19. Some Examples of crafts and agricultural products of Cagayan Valley Region
Agricultural products are rice, corn, peanut, beans, tobacco, and fruits. The fertile
soil of Cagayan Valley, nourished by the mighty Cagayan River, resulted in the production
of quality burley tobacco that is now sought after by cigarette manufacturers worldwide.

Cagayan Province remains to be the top tourist destination in Cagayan Valley Region,
Department of Tourism reported. Cagayan recorded 434,464 influx of tourist in 2017
followed by Santiago City with 167,353, Tuguegarao City with 134,117 then Nueva Vizcaya
with 132,426. Last year, 1.036 million tourists visited the mainland Cagayan Valley Region
in which 744,819 were domestic tourists while 292,144 were foreign visitors.

VI. LANGUAGE

a. Dialects

The locals speak Ilocano, Ibanag, Itawes, and Tagalog. In Batanes, the people speak
Ivatan. English is generally understood and spoken regionwide.

b. Sample Phraseologies
 English Tagalog Ilokano

Good morning Magandang umaga Naimbag nga bigat

Good afternoon Magandang hapon Naimbag nga malem

Good evening Magandang gabi Naimbag nga rabii

Thank you Salamat Agyamanak

What is your name? Ano ang ngalan mo? Anya ti nagan mo?

Let’s eat Kain tayo Mangan rayon

Yes Oo Wen

No Hindi Madi

What is this? Ano ito? Anya datoy?

How much? Magkano? Sagmamano?

God bless you Pagpalain ka ng dyos Dios ti kumuyog apo

Where is? Saan? Ayanna?

Beautiful Maganda Napintas

VI. TRANSPORTATION

Many of the provinces in Region II can be reached by provincial buses from Manila.
The only province that requires air travel is Batanes. One can get there via small planes
from either Tuguegarao or Laoag in Ilocos Norte.

a. Land Transport and Terminals

Here are the Bus companies that provides Transportation from Manila:

Transit line Terminal Inbound – Travel Time

 Destination
Aladdin Transit 1310 Espana CNR. Cagayan Valley in 12hours
Corporation Galicia St. Sampaloc, extreme north of
Manila Luzon
Autobus Transport Dimasalang St. CNR. Cagayan Valley, 12hours
Systems Incorporated Laong Laan St. Isabela
Sampaloc, Manila
Franco Frederico Sampaloc, Manila Cagayan and Ilocos 12hours
Lines Region

Figure 10. Aladdin transit Corporation Figure 21. Autobus Transport System Inc.

b. Water Transport and Seaports

Aparri Port. One of the oldest ports in the country.

Aparri was made one of the major Spanish ports of
the Galleon trade. In the years before the outbreak
of World War II, it became a transshipment point
for smuggled goods from China, Taiwan and other
Figure 22. Aparri Port neighboring Southeast Asian Nations.

Port Irene. Located in Cagayan’s northernmost

Pacific’s major international shipping lanes, is one
of the jewel of the Cagayan Economic Zone and

Figure 23. Port Irene

 Freeport, but poor port conditions and inadequate infrastructure have set back its
development.

c. Air Transport and Airports

Airlines Terminal Inbound – Destination Travel Time

Philippine Airlines Ninoy Aquino Cauayan Airport 1h 10minutes

International
Cebu Pacific Airport Rd. Cauayan,
Airport ,Manila
Philippines

Tuguegarao Airport 1h 10minutes

Brgy. Pengue – Ruyu,
Tuguegarao City, Cagayan

Basco Airport
Basco, Batanes 2hours

Figure 24. Tuguegarao Airport Figure 25. Cauayan Airport Figure 26. Basco Airport

IX. FESTIVALS

Payuhwan Festival (June 26. Batanes)

This is the annual Foundation Anniversary of the Province of Batanes. The event will be
opened by a mass and a street parade showcasing the culture and historical arts of Batanes.

Figure 34. Payuhwan Festival

 Aggao nac Cagayan (Cagayan)
First held in 1971 and was originally celebrated during the week of
August 12-16. Aggao nac Cagayan is a celebration of the past for the
Cagayanos, reflection of their present and inspiration for
developments of their future.
Figure 35. Aggao Nac Cagayan

Bambanti Festival (May 1-11. Isabela)

The festival derives its name from the Ilocano word for “scarecrow”
and the Bambanti have become the iconic symbol for the farming
communities of Isabela.
Figure 36. Bambanti Festival
Grand Ammungan Festival
(May 19-24. Nueva Vizcaya)

It was a colorful convergence of indigenous

cultures as Nueva Vizcaya celebrated the Grand
Ammungan Festival. Ammungan is the Gaddang
word for ‘gathering”, while its Ilocano counterpart is
Figure 37. Grand Ammungan Festival ummungan, which also has the same meaning.

Panagdadapun Festival
September 8-10. Quirino

Quirino Province celebrates its annual Festivity, dub as

“Panagdadapun festival” an Ilocano word which means

Figure 38. Panagdadapun Festival

assembly or the gathering of every Quirinian.

Gawagaway-yan Festival

March 30-April 13. Cauayan City

Gawagaway-yan Festival of Cauayan City Is a

celebration of the city’s bountiful livelihood and

Figure 39. Gawagaway-yan Festival merriment for the ethno-linguistic groups residing in
Cauayan.
 Pattraday Festival
May 1-5. Santiago City

Pattraday unifies the city’s 14 ethno-linguistic groups and focuses on the unity despite the
artistic and cultural diversity of the people.

Figure 20. Pattraday Festival Pav-vurulun Festival

August 10-17. Tuguegarao City

Pav-vurulun is an ibanag word which means get

together or a sense of belongingness. Tuguegarao
City annually celebrates its
Figure 41. Pav-vurulun Festival
patronal fiesta. The patronal
fiesta is in honor of Saint Hyacinth, the city’s patron saint.

Piat Sambali Festival

June 23-July 2. Piat Basilica Minore

A celebration of culture and faith depicting the

conversion of the pagan itawit to Christianity through
the intercession of Our Lady of Piat.

Figure 42. Piat Sambali Festival

X. PRODUCTS

a. Delicacies and Sampling

Delicacies mostly served in the Cagayan Region include Rice Cakes, Pinakbet, Pansit
Cabagan, Tapang baka, Ginisa nga Agurong, Tuguegarao Longganisa, Pancit Batil
Patung,and the Guinataang Alimasag (crab in coconut milk) of Batanes.

Pancit Batil Patung is a popular noodle dish in

Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. It is composed of two
parts: the noodles with toppings, and the sauce which
looks like an egg drop soup. Poached egg along with
sautéed meats and vegetables are topped over the

Figure 43. Pancit Batil Patung

 fresh miki noodles, while a piece of egg is cracked and stirred-in simmering beef stock and
poured in a bowl.

Pancit Cabagan is a pansit version from the town of Cabagan in

Isabela, Philippines. It can be considered as one of the most popular
food in the province. This pansit version makes use of miki noodles,
lechon carajay and eggs similar to that of Pancit Batil Patung.
However, the eggs are boiled and not poached. Quail eggs are
commonly used to make this dish.
Figure 44. Pancit Cabagan

Longganisang Tuguegarao
is somewhat similar to Vigan longganisa. It is tangy,
salty, garlicky, and cooked on its own rendered
fat. While, locals would even call Tuguegarao
as the city of garlic longganisa.

Figure 45. Tuguegarao Longganisa

Ginisa nga Agurong is an exotic dish that you will

find surprisingly delicious. Snails cooked in coconut
milk that you will enjoy the richness flavor together
with vegetables. You can try this dish if your looking

Figure 46. Ginisa nga Agurong for a mouth-watering recipe that will surely agree to
your taste.

c. Crafts and Pasalubong

Crafts

Bakwat

The Gaddangs of Nueva Vizcaya are known for their

crafts and textiles. Gaddang weavers are known for
their bakwat, a belt used by mothers after giving

Figure 47. Bakwat

birth. This cloth unlike the ikat of the ifugaos, is usually made of white with beads as
accents and patterns of rivers and mountains with beadworks on the control portion of the
cloth.

Vakul

Vakul of Batanes is a headgear designed to protect the

wearer from sun and rain. It is made from abaca fiber
of the vuyavuy palm.

Figure 48. Vakul

Pasalubong

Bukayo – Batanes

Bukayo is a Filipino dessert made from sweetened

coconut strips. It is made by simmering strips of
young gelatinous coconut in water and then mixing
with white or brown sugar. Coconut based bukayo is
soft and crunchy at the same time.
Figure 49. Bukayo

Dried Arayu (Dorado fish) – Batanes

The arayu fishing season or “mataw”, which ends this

May, starts with a sacred ritual called
kapayvanuvanuwa in early March. A kilo of sun dried
arayu, a food staple for most indigenous ivatans during
Figure 50. Dried Arayu the rainy days, sells for 600-800 pesos.
 Hopia Ibanag – Cagayan

This kind of hopia is made from flour, sugar, corn oil, onion and garlic. The texture is said to
be complex; a bit crunchy outside and very soft and smooth on the inside.

Figure 31. Hopia Ibanag

Alcala’s Milk Candy – Cagayan

Hailing from Alcala, Cagayan, this famous product in

the said municipality is rectangular in shape and is
made from pure and fresh carabao milk.
Figure 52 Alcala’s Milk Candy

Moriecos – Isabela

Moriecos is a huge cylindrical suman made with

ground bongkitan sticky rice and sugar stuffed with a
latik mixture made by stirring coconut milk.

Figure 53. Moriecos

Inatata – Isabela

Wrapped in banana leaves, inatata is a sweet

delicacy made from sticky rice, coconut, and
sugar. This delicacy, a known pasalubong to
those coming from Ilagan, is
Figure 54. Inatata
sweet, delectable, and sticky.

Fossilized Flowers – Quirino

Known in Quirino as “fossilized Flowers”, these

blooms are made of dried leaves, are made of dried
leaves, meticulously dried, dyedand arranged to

Figure 55. Fossilized Flowers

create lifelike bouquets. Fossilized flowers use fibrous leaves such as guyabano, guava,
avocado and alugbati.

Malunggay Noodles – Quirino

Another treat in Quirino is fresh pancit noodles made

with malunggay. One kilo of noodles costs P150 and is
good enough for seven to eight people.

Figure 56. Malunggay Noodles

XI. TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

To be able to see the Philippines in its entirely is to be in Cagayan Valley. With lots of
low land in between hills that seem like waves in position, cool breeze of fresh mountain
air, blue seas, evergreen tropical forests, majestic waterfalls, strangely beautiful caves, huge
farms, conventional watercrafts, native products, picturesque old churches, Chinese
temples, Muslim mosques, and its various populace that live in peace and friendship –
Cagayan Valley is truly a one-stop hop for the curious travelers wanting to get a good view
of what’s there to behold in all the corners of this magnificent country.

a. Religious Sites

Name and Location Description Photos

Church of Sto. Established in 1783, it is the oldest

Domingo de Basco and most important church in
Batanes. To give the façade stability
(Basco Cathedral)
and strength against earthquakes
and typhoon winds, the church
walls were buttressed with massive
pilasters from foundation to top.
The church is dedicated to the
Immaculate Concepcion, patroness Figure 57. Basco Cathedral
of Batanes.
Evangelization Cross The cross is believed to be 300
years old and was installed at a park
(Lal-lo, Cagayan)
in front of the Lal-lo church to
commemorate the 400th anniversary
of the arrival of the Our Lady of Piat
image in Lal-lo from Macau, China.
Across is the mighty Cagayan River.

Figure 58. Evangelization

San Pablo Church

(Isabela) Built in 1624, it is said to be the

oldest in the province. Its lofty bell
tower of six layers including the
circular apex made of adobe is the
tallest in the Cagayan Valley. San
Pablo, the oldest town of Isabela,
was founded by Padre de Sto.
Figure 59. San Pablo
Tomas, 210 years before Isabela Church

was made a province.

St. Vincent Ferrer

Church
One of the oldest and biggest
(Nueva Vizcaya) churches in North Luzon,
th
constructed in the 16 century as
commissioned by two Augustinian
priests. Declared by the National
Museum as a National Culture
Treasure, it features a belltower
that is among the town’s well-
preserved Spanish colonial
monuments and an ecclesiastical
Figure 60. St. Vincent Ferrer
museum. Beside the church is what Church
is acclaimed as the oldest acacia tree
in Luzon, planted by settlers from
 Nueva Vizcaya in 1880.

b. Natural
Sabtang Island

(Batanes) Chosen as one of the 12 Best

Destinations in the Philippines by
the Department of Tourism in 1994,
this island southwest of Batan
Island remains undisturbed and
unspoiled. Intermittent white sand
beaches, steep mountains, and deep Figure 61. Sabtang Islands
canyons with small level areas
sporadically found along the
coastline.

Jackpot Cave Located at SitioTumallo, Barangay

Quibal in Peñ ablanca. At 115
(Cagayan)
meters, it is the second deepest cave
in the Philippines. The cave has a
walking-size passage, shafts and
drops of varying depths that
provide for a lot of rope works.
Meandering streams and gour pools
of varying size abound. A sump of
undetermined depth backs up on Figure 42. Jackpot Cave
wet season flooding the lower
aection of the cave to the roof as
evidenced by large logs jammed in
the roof of the caves.
Northern Sierra Madre
Natural Park
The Largest protected area in the
(Isabela) country with more than 300,000
hectares of rainforest, and the
lowest at 800 feet above sea level.
Declared number one in
biodiversity and also one of the top
10 biodiversity “hotspots” in the
Figure 63. Northern Sierra
world.
Madre Natural Park

Mt. Pulag National The gateway to Mt. Pulag, the

Park country’s 2nd highest peak at 2,922
feet above sea level. Accessible by
(Nueva Vizcaya)
foot from the capital town of
Bayombong and located west
towards the boundary of Nueva
Vizcaya and Benguet. The trail in
Ambaguio town 20 km. from
Bayombong, promises a different Figure 64. Mt. Pulag national
kind of terrain from gradual ascent Park
to rugged path amid mossy forests
and cold temperature. Before the
peak lies an area of Bonzai Forests
followed by grasslands with dwarf
bamboos. The park is home to rare
plants like the giant pitcher plant
and rare cloud rat and whiskered
pitta.
Aglipay Caves A series of 38 caves, seven of which
have been developed as tourist
(Quirino)
spots. Located in the midst of rolling
hills and verdant forests, the caves
boast of an underground river and
well preserved stalagmites and
stalactites. They interlink with each
other and run to a depth of 20
meters. Figure 65. Aglipay Caves

c. Man Made
Limestone Houses and Are traditionally two-storey with
Churches Buildings meter thick cogon roofs believed to
last 60 years. These houses were
(Batanes)
built around 1795 with the help of
imported masons, stone cutters and
carpenters from the Province of
Cagayan. These stone houses, found
all over Batanes, are worthy
subjects for photography. Figure 66. Limestone Houses
and Churches

Buntun Bridge Situated 2.5 kilometers from

Tuguegarao City proper. Its length
(Cagayan)
of 1.1124 kilometers makes it the
longest river bridge in the country.
It offers an unobstructed view of the
Cagayan River.

Figure 67. Buntun Bridge

Magat Dam Tourism Asia’s biggest dam project at the
Complex time of its construction. It serves as
the primary function of power
(Isabela)
generation and irrigation. Its
reservoir area of 4,450 hectares has
a great potential for water-based
recreation like fishing, boating and
water skiing, among others. The
plant is accessible by passenger
jeepney and bus from Santiago City. Figure 68. Magat Dam Tourist
Complex

Nueva Vizcaya Capitol A study of architectural ingenuity,

Complex the complex built by Governor
Patricio Dumlao has a park with
(Nueva Vizcaya)
exotic plants species, concrete
benches and sidewalks lighted with
giant mercury lamps, a water pool,
and a man-made lagoon ideal for
rowing the colorful miniboats that
are offered for rent and managed by
a group of handicapped workers. Figure 69. Nueva Vizcaya
Capitol Complex

d. Historical

San Vicente Ferrer

Church
Another church modeled after the
(SabtangIslands, one in Basco. Following an
unfortunate incident in 1790, when
Batanes)
Spanish emissaries sent to procure
goods from the parish were killed
by some natives, the people of
Sabtang were forcibly resettled
across the channel to Ivana and not
Figure 70. San Vicente Ferrer
allowed to return until 1844 when Church
 the foundations of the present
church were laid.

Lallo

(Cagayan) Known as the home of the

“mestizas” in northern Cagayan.
The town whose former name was
featured in the annals of Philippine
history as “Nueva Segovia; the
chosen capital of Cagayan Valley in
the 16th Century and the capital of Figure 71. Lallo
Cagayan Province until 1839.

Aguinaldo Shrine

(Isabela) In Palanan, Isabela is the historical

place where General Emilio
Aguinaldo was captured by the
American forces, thus ending the
Philippine Revolution in 1901.

Figure 72. Aguinaldo

Shrine
Dalton Pass

(Nueva Vizcaya) Rugged piece of terrain where

Caraballo Sur reaches sounth and
Joins with the Sierra Madre. Being
the only access between Pampanga
at Cagayan Valley, the Pass became
the scene of much bloody fighting
during the final stages of WW II and
bore witness to the death of almost
Figure 73. Dalton Pass
17,000 Japanese, American, and
Filipino soldiers. The Dalton Pass
National Shrine commemorates the
death of General Dalton by a
sniper’s bullet during WW II.

AglipayTown A history-laden town that got its

name from Fr. Gregorio Aglipay, a
(Quirino) priest belonging to the Philippine
Independent church who rebelled
against the Spanish colonizers and
settled at the banks of the town’s
Addalam River.

Figure 5

e. Cultural

The Ivatans The friendly Ivatans of Batanes,

considered as “True Insulares”, can
(Batanes)
be found greeting visitors and
tourists walking along the streets of
the island-province.

Figure 75. The Ivatans

Cagayan Provincial Located at the Provincial Capitol
Museum & Historical Complex, it was conceived by the
Research Center Provincial Board in 1971 and
became operational on its
(Cagayan) inauguration on August 15, 1973
during the traditional Aggaonac
Cagayan. It is a general museum and
houses an extensive collection of Figure 76. Cagayan Provincial
artifacts, antiques, ethnographics, Museum & Historical
tradewares, heirloom pieces and Research Center
liturgical works of the province, and
fossils of animals that once roamed
the valley. The center is only five
kilometers from Tuguegarao City.

Isabela Museum and The repository and custodian of the

Library rich historical and cultural heritage
of the Isabelinos. Features a gallery
(Isabela) exhibit & collection of antiques such
as artifacts, fossils, ethnographic
items, heirloom pieces, visual arts,
historical and cultural dioramas,
miniature models of provincial
landmarks among others.
Figure 77. Isabela
Museum and Library

People’s Museum and Adjacent to the St. Dominic

Library Cathedral is this historic building
which houses the Novo Vizcayano
(Nueva Vizcaya) history, culture and heritage.

Figure 78. People’s Museum

and Library
 f. Special Interests

Batanes Trekking- Popular activity at Marlboro Hills

and Naidi Hills.

Surfing- Popular activity at Madiwedved,

Mahatao.

Bird Watching at Cuyab- Observe the

Migratory birds from China that flock the

Figure 79-80. Surfing and Bird Watching

islands in search of a warmer climate every
October

Cagayan Scuba diving, snorkeling and Game Fishing-

at Palaui Island in Sta. Ana.

Surfing- at Claveria and Sanchez Mira.

Mountaineering & Trekking- Town of

Peñ ablanca and Baggao.

Bird Watching and Bonsai Exploration- at

Peñ ablanca.
Figure 81-82. Bonsai exploration and Whale
watching Whale Watching- at Calayan Islands
Isabela Trekking, mountaineering, camping and
exploration- at Palanan, Dinapigue,
Maconacon and Divilacan forest area.

Diving and Snorkeling- at Dicotcotan Beach

River Cruise- at Palanan River

Crocodile Watching- at San Mariano at

Figure 83-84. Snorkeling and Crocodile watching
night.

Nueva Vizcaya Trekking/Spelunking- at Alayan Caves and

Malabing Rainforest

Citrus Farms- at Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya.

Figure 85-86. Trekking and Citrus Farms

Quirino Spelunking- at the Aglipay Caves and

Nagbukel

Caves Trekking- the towns of Nagtipunan.

Maddela white river rafting and kayaking-

at the Governor Rapids (famous for gigantic
perpendicular walls of limestone jutting
out from one side of the Cagayan River and
framing the Sierra Madre mountain as well
Figure 87-88. Caves Trekking and Kayaking
as swift blue turbulent deep blue waters).