REGION II

THE
CAGAYAN
VALLEY A rep
Jezreel Ducsa and Michelle
BTVTED FSM 2
Some trivia about Cagayan Valley
According to Fr. Francisco Rojano, the great
chronicler of the province, Cagayan got its name
from the Ilocano word “karayan” or river referring to
the Rio Grande de Cagayan. The early Spanish
settlers also called it “Rio Ibanag”. The river runs
from south in Quirino to the north bisecting the
whole valley.
 Cagayan Valley
Cagayan is part of one of the largest valleys in the
Philippines formed by the majestic Sierra Madre and
Cordillera mountain ranges. It is traversed by the
mighty 330-km long Cagayan River and its various
tributaries.
 Cagayan Valley
There are 3 major ethnic groups of people in
Cagayan: the Ybanags, Itawits and Malawegs. The
Ybanags, the dominant group, are known to be the
tallest among the ethno-linguistic groups all over the
Philippines.
Brief History of Cagayan Province
Cagayan was one of the early provinces that existed during the Spanish
colonial period. Called La Provincia de Cagayan, its borders essentially
covered the entire Cagayan Valley, which included the present provinces of
Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Batanes and portions of Kalinga, Apayao,
and Aurora.
The former capital was Nueva Segovia, which also served as the seat of
the Diocese of Nueva Segovia.[4] Today, only 9,295.75 square kilometres
(3,589.11 sq mi)[1] remain of the former vastness of the province. The
entire region, however, is still referred to as Cagayan Valley.
Brief History of Cagayan Province
A folk legend holds that the name was originally
derived from the tagay, a plant that grows abundantly in
the northern part of the province. The term Catagayan,
"the place where the tagay grows" was shortened to
Cagayan.[4] Linguists, however, hold that cagayan comes
from an ancient, lost word that means "river". Variations
of this word—karayan, kayan, kayayan, and kalayan—all
mean river
Topography of the Cagayan Province
Situated within the Cagayan Valley
region, the province is bounded by
the Philippine Sea 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.
Topography of the Cagayan Province
The eastern coast forms the northern portion of the
Sierra Madre mountain range, while the western
limits are generally hilly to low in elevation. The
central area, dominated by a large valley, forms the
lower basin of the country's longest river, the
Cagayan.[4] The mouth is located at the northern
town of Aparri.

The province of Cagayan comprises an aggregate land

area of 9,295.75 square kilometres (3,589.11 sq mi)
[14] which constitutes approximately three percent
of the total land area of the country, making it the
second largest province in the region.
Administrative divisions of the Cagayan Province
Cagayan comprises 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 and the only city in the
province.
Brief History of Isabela Province
The province was carved by royal decree from the
provinces of Cagayan and Nueva Vizcaya on May 1, 1856. It
was named after Queen Isabela II of Spain. Palanan,
Isabela became a historical place when General Emilio
Aquinaldo was captured by the American forces led by
General Funston on March 23, 1901.
Topography of the Isabela Province
Isabela comprises an aggregate land area of 12,414.93
square kilometres (4,793.43 sq mi),[26] representing almost
40 percent of the regional territory. It is the largest province
in the island of Luzon and the second largest province in the
Philippines by land area. Occupying the central section of
the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon, Isabela is bordered by
Cagayan to the north, Kalinga to the northwest, Mountain
Province to the central-west, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya to
the southwest, Quirino to the south, and Aurora to the
south. To the east lies the Philippine Sea, making Isabela
one of the typhoon-prone provinces in the country.
Administrative divisions of the Isabela Province
Isabela is politically subdivided into thirty-four (34)
municipalities, two component cities and one independent
component city. The province is represented in the
Philippine House of Representatives with six legislative
districts.[26]

The province has ten first class municipalities, two second

class cities and one first class independent component city.
Ilagan City, which became a city thirteen years after its
failed cityhood proposal in 1998, it is now Luzon’s largest
and the country’s fourth biggest city after Davao City, Puerto
Princesa and Zamboanga City by land area.
Administrative divisions of the Isabela Province
The 34 municipalities and 3 cities of the
province comprise 1,055 barangays, with
Rizal in Santiago City as the most populous in
2010, and Catalina in Cauayan as the least. If
cities are excluded, Bugallon Proper
(Poblacion) in Ramon has the highest
population, and Uauang-Tuliao in Santo
Tomas has the lowest. [34]
Brief History of Nueva Vizcaya Province
The Province of Nueva Vizcaya used to be a territory of
the vast Cagayan Valley Region, which was once an integral
political unit with one governor. In 1839 then Governor
Luis Lardizabal issued an order creating Nueva Vizcaya into
politico-military province upon the advice of the alcalde
mayor of Cagayan.
Topography of Nueva Vizcaya Province
The province has a total land area of
3,975.67 square kilometres (1,535.01 sq mi).
[9] The southernmost province in the
Cagayan Valley region, Nueva Vizcaya lies
approximately 268 kilometres (167 mi) north
of Metro Manila and can be reached by land
via the Cagayan Valley Road (Maharlika
Highway).
Administrative divisions of Nueva Vizcaya Province
Nueva Vizcaya comprises 15 municipalities, with
Bayombong as the provincial capital and major educational
center, Bambang (the agricultural hub) and Solano (the
financial district) as the major commercial centers, and
Kayapa as the summer capital and "vegetable bowl" of the
province. All municipalities are encompassed by a lone
legislative district.[9]

Geographically, the western half of Nueva Vizcaya is part of

the main Cordilleras, while its eastern half is part of the
Caraballos, the meeting point of the Cordilleras and the
Sierra Madre. There have been grassroot moves to reunify
Nueva Vizcaya with the Cordilleras due to cultural and
geographical harmony, however, none have been
introduced in Congress.
Brief History of Quirino Province
The youngest Province in Cagayan Valley Region II consist
of only six (6) municipalities namely Cabarroguis, (its
capital) Diffun, Saguday, Aglipay, Maddela and Nagtipunan.
During its creation on the year 1970 it has an estimated
population of 49,767. After thirty (30) years of existence,
on census year 2000 it has a total population of 147,100
with a 2.50% annual growth rate.
Brief History of Quirino Province
Quirino Province acquired its juridical personality as a
result of the division of the Province of Nueva Vizcaya on
June 18, 1966 under R.A. 4734. It was named in the honor
of the then President Elpidio A. Quirino. The municipalities
of Diffun, Maddela, Saguday and Aglipay composed the
newly born sub-province and the first elected Lieutenant
Governor in the 1967 general elections was Hon. Jose B.
Aquino.
Topography of the Quirino Province
The province of Quirino is seated at the southern part of
Region 02. Quirino’s total land area of 305,720 hectares
consisted of six municipalities, namely: Diffun at the
northern tip, inwardly facing south is the capital town of
Cabarroguis, Saguday at the east, Aglipay at the center,
followed by Maddela and the southernmost town of
Nagtipunan. It constitutes 11% of the Region’s total land
area.

Geographically, the province of Quirino is bounded by the

province of Nueva Vizcaya in the west and southwest,
province of Isabela in the north and northeast, and the
province of Maria Aurora in the south.
Brief History of Batanes Province
Batanes was settled early in this pattern of migration.
The first Ivatans, as the natives of Batanes are now
called, were in fact early Austronesians from Taiwan
that came 4,500 years ago, based on archeological
studies of Dr. Peter Bellwood of the Australian
National University.
Brief History of Batanes Province
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 islands was one of the first points
occupied by the invading Japanese imperial forces at
the outbreak of the Pacific War
Topography of the Batanes Province
The island-province of Batanes is the smallest
province in the Philippines with a land area of 230
square kilometers and was created by a series of
volcanic activities and other geologic forces when
Mt. Iraya erupted around 325 BC

The province has a total area of 219.01 square

kilometres (84.56 sq mi)[15] comprising ten islands
situated within the Luzon Strait between the
Balintang Channel and Taiwan. The islands are
sparsely populated and subject to frequent
typhoons. The three largest islands, Batan, Itbayat,
and Sabtang, are the only inhabited islands.
Topography of the Batanes Province
Almost one-half of Batanes is hills and mountains.
Batan Island is generally mountainous on the north
and southeast. It has a basin in the interior. Itbayat
Island slopes gradually to the west, being
mountainous and hilly along its northern, eastern
coast. As for Sabtang, mountains cover the central
part, making the island slope outward to the coast.
Topography of the Batanes Province
The province is hilly and mountainous, with only
1,631.5 hectares or 7.1% of its area level to
undulating, and 78.2% or 17,994.4 hectares varying
from rolling to steep and very steep. Forty-two
percent (42%) or 9,734.40 hectares are steep to very
steep land. Because of the terrain of the province,
drainage is good and prolonged flooding is non-
existent. The main island of Batan has the largest
share of level and nearly level lands, followed by
Itbayat and Sabtang, respectively
 FOOD AND CULTURE
There are many differences between Cagayan
and Manila people and less of the same. One
of the only similarities is that they wear the
same clothes every day. The difference is that
the Cagayan people are very close to their
parents while the people of the city do not as
leave some of them just their parents in the
old house of the age and do not care for them.
 FOOD AND CULTURE
Beliefs and Traditions
1. Clothing -They wear simple clothes. Old women wore fun and kimono while
men used Camisa de Chino or the barong tag. The Japanese have influence.
2. The family is very close. All stay with their parents.
3. Before marriage, Ilocano children will ask for approval of the same set of
parents first. Parents decide if they want to agree to let their children get
married. It was his parents who would pay the dowry and finance the
marriage. An argument is when a boy expresses his desire for the girl to marry
his parents.
4. They sing old songs, proverbs, and poems alongside puzzles, melodies, and
the vocabulary produced by Ibanags.
 FOOD AND CULTURE
Products and Crops

1. Palay
2. Corn
3. Pig(Hog)
4. Chicken
5. Banana
6. Carabao
 FOOD AND CULTURE
People and Their Behavior

1. English and Filipino are spoken in Cagayan. Other

languages ​are Ilocano, Ybanag, States, and Malang.
Pangasinense and Maranao.

2. The people in Region 2 are simple. Wear these

simple clothes and use simple agricultural equipment.
 REGION II
Knowing
One’s culture
is by their
foods
Authentic Dishes in the Region II

The Region II is famous for their

Pancit and food products made
with carabeef and many more
innovations
 Authentic Dishes in the Region II
Batil Patong- If there’s only one dish you have to try
while in Cagayan, most locals would recommend Pancit Batil
Patung. This iconic noodle dish that originated in
Tuguegarao City is made of fresh miki noodles topped with
poached egg and assorted toppings like sautéed meat, bean
sprouts, vegetables and chicharon.

What makes it really unique is the use of carabeef or

carabao meat, which has a distinct gamey flavor. A special
sauce of stirred-in, simmering beef stock and can be poured
into the bowl, along with chopped onions and vinegar dip
 Authentic Dishes in the Region II
Pancit Cabagan- a pansit version from the
town of Cabagan, Isabela. In fact, it is
considered one of the province’s most popular
dishes. Furthermore, this pansit version uses
miki noodles, Lechon Carajay, and eggs similar
to that of Pancit Batil Patung of Tuguegarao
City. However, the eggs are boiled and not
poached. Also, quail egg is a common
ingredient in making this dish.
 Authentic Dishes in the Region II
How is Pancit Cabagan different from the
Tuguegarao's Pancit Batil Patung? The biggest
difference between the two is that Pancit Batil
Patung is topped with an egg, aside from the
medley of veggies. "Batil Patung (or Patong)"
directly translated means to "beat the egg"
and "place on top".
Authentic Dishes in the Region II
Moriecos - "sticky rice cake stuffed with latik,
or coconut milk curds, steamed and wrapped
in banana leaf“

Inatata suman - "suman made from cooked

whole glutinous rice, lightly sweetened, and
then wrapped in banana leaves into small
cylinders before being steamed; since they are
small, they are tied into batches of 10 like
ammunition belts of a machine gun;" an Ilagan
specialty
Authentic Dishes in the Region II
Binallay, Dendelot - Cabagan's version of
suman, which uses rice flour instead of whole
rice grains; also called Binallay con laro, "rice
flour, water and salt with a generous slather of
latik and typically made every Holy Week;"
traditionally, a "blood-red syrup" is used.

Pinataro - a warm dessert of young coconut

strips, sago balls, and sweet corn in coconut
cream
Authentic Dishes in the Region II
Carabeef longganisa- Carabao meat is really considered a
staple protein in the whole of Cagayan Valley and is used in
various meat products. Two popular meat-based products
include carabeef tapa (dried or cured beef) and carabeef
longganisa (smoke-cured sausage)

Chicharabao- Unlike the typical fried pig skin variant,

carabao chicharon resembles puffy, crisp, and airy
cracklings. This popular souvenir item that’s comes in
regular, garlic, and spicy flavors, is best dipped in vinegar
and paired with beer as bar chow.
Authentic Dishes in the Region II
Carabao milk candy- Tuguegarao is also famous for its
sweets that make use of carabao milk like pastillas or
carabao milk candy. Unlike the soft type of pastillas, the
local carabao milk candy comes in the form of chewy
rectangular chips.
Sinanta- a Filipino noodle dish from Cagayan Valley
which is prepared with flat egg noodles, rice vermicelli,
spring onions, clams, chicken and pork in an annatto
infused broth.
Authentic Dishes in the Region II
Pawa- is a delicacy from Piat, Cagayan. This bite sized
snack is actually a steamed bun made of ground sticky
rice and filled with ground and sweetened peanuts

The Lechon Carnero (lamb lechon) from San Felipe,

Isabela is a delectable blend of marinated lamb lechon
in oyster sauce, lemon juice, and red wine. It’s the same
marinade that goes into the lechon as well. In fact, it is
one of the celebration dishes that the province of
Isabela is genuinely proud of.
Authentic Dishes in the Region II
LSB Reto and Buko Pie- they have a special take on the
buko pie but their secret ingredient is on a delicacy
courtesy. But the Clue is the milk when making the LSB’s
buko pie from Nueva Vizcaya
Royal Tubikoy- A mouth-watering dish that locals swear by is the
Royal Tubikoy. Made out of tupig, bibingka, and tikoy, this sweet
delicacy is definitely irresistible even to those who are not used
to eating regionally native dishes such as these. This famous
favorite can be found in one of the province’s six municipalities –
Diffun, where it costs 65 PHP.
Authentic Dishes in the Region II
Adobong Tateg-One of Quirino’s most well-known native dishes is the
Adobong Tateg. In Tagalog, it means “tadpole or larvae soup” and consists
of many different ingredients (some might say over 20!). But then, one
thing that really makes this dish stand out is that one of the traditional
ingredients used to make this popular Filipino delicacy is a beetle found in
wood logs!

Guinataang Alimasag- Ivatans (people of Batanes) and tourists alike enjoy

having the Guinataang Alimasag mainly because the usual size of the crab
plated here is the largest living arthropod in the world and is a type of
hermit crab that is known to have large pincers strong enough to crack
coconuts and eat its contents. These crabs from Batanes are not only
known for its unusually large size, but are also known for its creamy crab
meat which has the aftertaste of a coconut when its sac is squeezed.
Authentic Dishes in the Region II
Uved-It’s basically made of finely-grated corn (which is found at the base of
a trunk of a banana plant) that’s mixed with ground meat (beef or pork),
and minced fish. Afterward, it is seasoned with onion, garlic, salt, and
pepper. This will be rolled into balls or served as-is and can either be with
or without its broth.
Supas- Always a staple during fiestas or festivals, supas or balencyana (as
called in Itbayat Island) is rice cooked in turmeric pulp (yellow ginger) that’s
often mixed with garlic and pork.
Luñis-This is a different version of the popular Filipino dish, adobo, because
luñis is rather served dry. Lasting for quite a while, this traditional dish is
made of pork cooked with rock salt until its fat is rendered and it turns
golden brown. Back in the old days, it is stored in its own lard in jars for
months to ensure continuous supply.