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Abra
derives its name from the Spanish word abrir, which means to open. The big
river, which divides the rocky mountain range and areas along its course, was
named “Abra.” It is assumed that intruders from the outside penetrated the
province to the Ilocos region and used as means of transporting logs, bamboo
and other wares not only within the province but also to the neighboring Ilocos
provinces. The mountain range separating Abra and Ilocos Norte partially
encloses the basin of the Abra River. The Abra River originates in
Lepanto-Bontoc and flows through Abra and Ilocos Sur to its mouth in the China
Sea near Vigan, the capital town of Ilocos Sur.
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Bangued,
the provincial capital, is one of the country’s oldest towns. It was founded by
Augustinian missionaries. Being the capital tow, it is the trade center of the
province.
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In
1598, a Spanish garrison was established in Bangued to protect the Ilocanos who
were converted to Christianity from Tingguian or Itneg raids. During the
British invasion, Gabriela Silang and her army fled to Abra from Ilocos and
continued the revolt begun by her slain husband, Diego. She was captured in
Abra and hanged by the Spaniards in 1763.
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Most
of the inhabitants of Abra are descendants of Ilocano settlers and members of
the Tingguian/Itneg tribe. However, due to frequent intermarriages, many
Ilocanos today are actually Christianized Tingguians/Itnegs. Although many have
embraced Roman Catholicism, still some Abrans believe in ancient and supernatural
spirits to this day. Most tingguians/Itnegs are farmers who cultivate rice in
kaingins and rice terraces.
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Ilocanos
and Tingguians/Itnegs are predominant languages in Abra
Geographic Location
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Abra
province in Northern Luzon is located in the Cordillera Central mountain range
which separates it from Cagayan province and the municipality of Bontoc, Mt.
Province. Abra is landlocked by Ilocos Norte in the northwest, by Ilocos Sur in
the southwest, Kalinga and Apayao provinces in the east, and Mountain Province
in the southeast. Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur belong to Region 1, which is the
Ilocos Region, while Kalinga, Apayao and Mountain Province are under the
Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). Abra has an extremely rugged terrain,
with mountains and hills rising along its perimeter and interior. The plains
are drained by the Abra River, which flows northward from Mt. Data in Mountain
Province. It has a land area of 3, 975.5 square kilometers, which is much
bigger than that of Ifugao (2, 507 square kilometers). The climate is
characterized by two distinct seasons, dry from November to April, and wet the
rest of the year.
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Abra
used to be a part of the old Ilocos province. In 1818, through Act 2683, the
Ilocos province was divided into two provinces, namely: Ilocos Norte and Ilocos
Sur. Abra was part of Ilocos Sur. In 1846, Abra was created as
political-military provinces. It remained so until the arrival of the Americans
in 1899. Because of financial difficulties, the Philippine
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Commission
annexed Abra to Ilocos Sur in 1908. But on March 9, 1917, the Philippine
Assembly reestablished Abra as a province. With the issuance of Executive Order
No. 220 in July 1987 by the President of the Philippines, Abra became one of
the provinces of CAR.
Abra River-is the most popular among the numerous river criss-crossing the valleys of the province, being the biggest and the longest with a length of 55 miles or about 92 kilometers, of which 30 miles can be traversed by bamboo rafts. This river is one of the largest rivers in Luzon. It is ideal for fishing where the water is clear and for swimming during summer time.
Tanagdan Channel- is a long tunnel located along the
Abra-Ilocos Sur national road. It can be reached through Narvacan Junction
after passing through a 9-kilometer winding road cutting through the hills
bordering Abra and Ilocos Sur. The tunnel is a popular landmark to natives as
well as visitors since it is the place where dignitaries and other prominent
visitors are being welcomed.
Casamata National
Park-is located
atop a hill overlooking the town of Bangued and the neighboring municipalities
of Tayum, La Paz, Pidigan and Penarrubia. A swimming pool is available for
public use.
Don Mariano Marcos
Bridge-is located
along the Abra-Kalinga National Road, the third longest bridge in the country
today with a total length of 886.812 lineal meters. This bridge is
strategically located between the boundaries of Tayum, Lagangilang, and
Dolores, a scenic portion of the Abra River.
Tourist
Spots and/or Points of Interest in the Province
Borokibok Resort-is located in San Miguel, Bucay,
Abra. It can be reached through the 16-kilometer winding Penarrubia-Bucay Road.
It offers cool, shady and cozy picnic grounds with a heart-shaped swimming pool
and a dancing-conference square under tall trees.
Mary Barbero Park-is located in the town plaza of the
municipality of Tayum, which is 5.6 kilometers northeast of Bangued. It boasts
of a man-made lagoon and a playground. Century-old acacia trees surround the
landscaped town plaza. This park was named in honor of Mrs. Mary V. Barbero,
the wife of the late Governor Carmelo Z. Barbero.
Lusuac Dam-is a gravity irrigation dam located
in the municipality of Layagan. It can be reached by traveling along the
Abra-Ilocos Norte Road and Lapaz-Layagan Provincial Road, large portion of
which are gravel. The artificial lake is ideal for fishing and swimming with
the dam’s clear waters.
Malanas Dam-is a gravity irrigation dam located
in the municipality of San Juan. Malanas River provides the water that
irrigates most of the rice fields in San Juan. The dam is accessible through an
asphalted road coming from Bangued and passing through the town of Dolores.
Bolinay Hot Spring-is located in Barangay Bani of the
town of Boliney, Abra. The place offers hot and cold swimming facilities. Going
to the Hot Spring affords one the opportunity to experience traveling through
winding roads.
Don Teodoro Brilliantes
Family Museum- is a
private museum housing the collection and mementos/relics of the Brilliantes’.
It is a reminder of Spanish cultured influence.
Lombo Lake-is a second lake located in
Villaviciosa. Through not as popular as the Kimkimay Lake, it offers a good
place for camping tp mountain climbers and hikers it is not usually accessible
though any means of transportation but can only be reached though hiking.
Sagsagacat Spring
Resort-is a
breath-taking spot in Penarrubia located 3 kilometers away from Bangued.
Facilities for swimming, picnics and accommodations are available. Two swimming
pools with adequate shower rooms plus accommodation make the resort attractive
to tourist liking to enjoy the scenic beauty of Abra.
Municipalities
of Abra
·
Bangued
(Capital)
·
Boliney
·
Bucay
·
Bucloc
·
Daguioman
·
Danglas
·
Dolores
·
La
Paz
·
Lacub
·
Lagangilang
·
Lagayan
·
Langiden
·
Licuan-Baay
(Licuan)
·
Luba
·
Malibcong
·
Manobo
·
Penarrubia
·
Pidigan
·
Pilar
·
Sallapadan
·
San
Isidro
·
San
Juan
·
San
Quintin
·
Tayum
·
Tineg
·
Tubo
·
Villaviciosa
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