Cordilleras: IFUGAO

Brief History of Ifuago and its People

• Ifugao derived its name from the word “Pugo” which means hills in the native dialect. Except for some distinction, the Ifugaos are similar to their tribal neighbors of Mountain Province, Kalinga and Apayao provinces, who are generally known as “Igorots.”

• The culture of the Ifugaos dates back some 3,000 years ago. Some historians believed that this tribe first migrated from the highlands of Burma and Indonesia through the vast continents of Asia as evidence by their art forms and rituals, which are similar to those of Borneo, Sumatra and other Indonesian tribes. Wherever they came from, the relatively short, well-built Ifugaos have acquired a reputation as fierce resisters to foreign domination and as headquarters. They conjure an image of warriors G-strings with a spear in one hand and a wooden shield in the other. Despite the influence of Christianity in the Cordilleras, the Ifugaos still maintain their centuries-old traditions. Sacrificial animals are butchered before crop planting although most of the colorful rituals are held during harvest time. The village chief is the first to harvest, then for two days the community celebrates by feasting on chickens, pigs, or even carabaos (water buffaloes) for those who can afford, amidst dancing and the beating of gongs. This celebration is locally known as “Caniao.” The people speak a dialect which is called Ifugao, that is distinct from the other “Igorot” tribes.

• Ifugao has long dry season from November to May and the wet or rainy season, from June to October. It can be very wet during the rainy season such that roads are often impassible, thus, isolating the province from the Benguet province side.   

  

Geographic Location

Ø  Ifugao is in the Cordillera Central Mountains of Northern Luzon surrounded by rugged peaks except in the eastern portion. The Polis Mountain shuts off Ifugao from Benguet on the west and Mountain Province on the north. Nueva Vizcaya lies on its southern portion and Isabela on the eastern part. It has a land area of 2,517.8 sq. km., representing only 0.84% of the total land area of the country.

Ø  Ifugao used to be a part of Nueva Vizcaya when it was created in 1839 during the Spanish domination of the Philippines. When the Philippines Commission created the original Mountain Province in 1908, Ifuago became one of its sub-provinces.

Ø  By virtue of Republic Act Nos. 4695 dated June 18, 1966, the original Mountain Province was partitioned into four regular provinces, namely: Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga-Apayao, and Mountain Province Ifugao and Kalinga-Apayao were administratively attached to the Cagayan Vlley Region until 1987 when they became part of the newly created Cordillera Administrative Region together with the provinces of Benguet, Mountain Province and Abra. To date, Ifugao is still part of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

• In the 1980 Census of Population and Housing, there were 7 municipalities that compromised the province of Ifugao with Lagawe as its provincial capital. Lagawe used to be known as Burnay prior to June 18, 1961. The other six municipalities were the following: Banaue, Hungduan, Kiangan, Lamut, Mayoyao and Potia, which was renamed to Alfonso Lista on December 15, 1988 under Republic Act Nos. 6687.

Tourist Spots and/or Points of Interest in the Province

Ø  Banaue Trade Center is a 20-minute hike from the Banaue Hotel where souvenir items are sold. Saturday is a big market day.

Ø  Tam-an Village, a typical Ifugao village situated 240 steps down the Banaue Hotel’s swimming pool. Woodcarving and hand-woven products are produced and sold.

Ø  Village of Amsalto is about 500 meters from the new Banaue Trade Center. This village can be reached through trails and rice paddles, passing along the path is the tomb of Banaue’s last chieftain, Ponchillan and a few meters above it is the elevated sealed tomb of the famous Dr. Otley Bayer, an American anthropologist who married an “Igorota” and spent his lifetime in Banaue.

Ø  Bocos village is about 12 kilometers from Banaue Hotel and 2-hour hike uphill through mountain trails; one can see Battad Rice Terraces shaped like an amphitheater. A 20-minute hike fro, the village gives the visitor a glimpse of a cascading waterfall with its enormous pool for swimming.

Ø  Banaue Viewpoint is a 20-minute drive north of Banaue Hotel. It is a perfect spot for taking pictures of the rice terraces at a broader magnitude.

Ø  Village of Bang-an is 14 kilometers east of Banaue Hotel where one can take pictures of a fully terraced mountain with a typical village at the foot or base.

Ø  Guihod Natural Pool is a 4-kilometer drive from the poblacion, hopping and jumping over huge boulders, one reaches the crystal clear waters of Guihod for cool and refreshing swim.

Ø  Ducligan Hot Spring is found at the bank of Banaue-Ducligan River and adjacent to a deep pool.

Ø  Philippine War Memorial Shrine located in the poblacion of Kiangan. It is pyramid-shaped concrete building constructed as a shrine with a vantage view on the poblacion.

Ø  Surrender Site of General Tomoyuki Yamashita is a home-economics building where the General and his staff informally surrendered to captain of the US Army 6^th Division in the Philippines, then was brought to Baguio City for the formal surrender to US Army General on September 3, 1945.

Ø  Million Dollar Hill is a hill overlooking the poblacion of Kiangan. It got its name from the last world war when the allied forces spent millions of dollars worth of bombs and ammunitions to annihilate the enemies in the area. 

Ø  Ambuyaya Lake is a lake that according to legend became a lake because of the killing of a leech by children. The lake is deep and ideal for boating and swimming. The shaded surroundings are ideal for picnicking and are now a site of research on fish culture.

Ø  Ahin Salt Spring is located in a distant barangay of Hungduan and is a 12-hour kilometer from Kiangan.

Ø  Tucacan Hot Spring is located also in Hungduan and is about 2-hour hike from Ahin hot spring

Ø   Mt. Napulawan is mountain in Hungduan where the soldiers of the Japanese Army under the command of General Yamashita were buried. A lake lies on top of the mountain where dwarf oak and pine trees abound.

Ø   Bintacan Cave-is located in the rocky slope of Ibulao, Lagawe. It is a 3-room cave with drippings of limewater that formed into stalactites and stalagmites of varied beautiful shapes.

Municipalities of Ifuago

·         Aguinaldo

·         Alfonso Lista (Potia)

·         Asipulo

·         Banaue

·         Hingyon

·         Hungduan

·         Kiangan

·         Lagawe (Capital)

·         Lamut

·         Mayoyao

·         Tinoc

Cordilleras: APAYAO

Brief History of Apayao and its People

Ø  The Indonesian immigrants who came to Luzon many years ago are said to be the ancestors of the present-day Kalingas and Apayaos. During the Spanish era, Dominican missions were established in Tabang and Piat along the Chico River in 1604, and in Tuga, 25 km. south of tuao, in 1688. The Spaniards set up military posts at Balbalasang, a town located near the Saltan River, and at Balikoton town, situated near the Pacil River. When the Philippine Revolution broke out in 1896, both the Spanish soldiers and missionaries, withdraw from the Cordillera Mountains.

Ø  When the old Mountain Province was created in 1908, Kalinga and Apayao were two of its sub-provinces. On June 18, 1966, Republic Act No. 4695 divided the old Mountain Province into 4 regular provinces, the sub-provinces of Kalinga and Apayao were merged to form one province.

Ø  The Apayao, known also as Isnegs derived their name from the river where they obtain their food. They are skilled hunters and fisherman and carry axes and woven rattan and bamboo baskets for keeping their catch. The men wear a blue or black G-string and under it is a bag containing tobacco or betel nut and lime. The women wear decorated dark shirts and long sleeved blouses and have elaborate costumes reserved for rituals and festive occasions. The Apayaos, the most heavily tattooed mountain people, live in complex traditional houses with an elongated floor and gabled roof and granaries between the houses.

Ø  The Isnegs are animist, believing in the existence of spirits. They do not believe in a Supreme Being but in good and bad spirits. A “shaman” is a village high priestess who communicates with the spirits. Shaman is always women.

Ø  Two of the more important ceremonies of the Isnegs are the “say-am” and the “pilday” performed after successful headquarter trips. During a “say-am” and “pildap” ceremony, heads taken in forays used to be offered to the “Anglabbang”, the spirits of the headquarters.

• Four dialects are spoken along the Abulug-Apayao area, and one in the Matalag river area. The Isneg dialect of the Apayaos has sounds similar to those of the dialects spoken by the Kalinga, Tinggian, Ilocano and Ibanag.

Geographical Location

Ø  Apayao is one of six provinces comprising the Cordillera Administrative Region or CAR. It was created in 1995 through Republic Act No. 7878, authored by Congressman E.K. Balut, which divided the former province of Kalinga-Apayao into two independent and distinct provinces-the Province of Apayao and the Province of Kalinga.

Ø  The province of Apayao is bounded in the north by Ilocos Norte, in the east by Cagayan and Isabela, and in the south by the provinces of Kalinga. It is covered with wide tracts of flat lands and floodplains among its main rivers, namely Abulug, Talibago, Matalak and Sinundungan. The climate is relatively dry from November to April and generally wet during the rest of the year.

Ø  Apayao occupies about 4,120.6 sq. km. of land area and is subdivided into seven (7) municipalities, namely, Calanasan (Bayag), Conner, Flora, Luna, Pudtol, Sta. Marcela and Kabugao, the provincial capital. The municipality of Calanasan occupies the largest land area, some 1,256.2 sq. km., while Sta. Marcela occupies the smallest area, only 240.1 sq. km.

 

Tourist Spots and/or Points of Interest in the Province

• The Agamatan National Park and Wild Life Sanctuary and the unpolluted Apayao River are the main national attractions of the province. The Agamatan National Park and Wild Life Sanctuary is located in Calanasan along its Western boundary with the municipality of Solsona, Ilocos Norte. The area covers sharp peaks and plateaus embedded in the highest mountain ranges of the area which give a commanding view of the Ilocos Norte shorelines including the city of Laoag in the west. The mountain vegetation consists of pine stands and mossy forest and bushes that thrive only at high altitudes and in cool places. The area is located only a couple of hours drive from Laoag City.

• The unpolluted Apayao River is still covered with old growth of Philippine hard wood such as molave, yacal, and narra. When navigated by speed boats, wildlife and fishes are visible in the waters along its banks. The river provides a venue for adventurers, vacationists and wildlife lovers.     

Municipalities of Apayao

·         Calanasan (Bayag)

·         Conner

·         Flora

·         Kabugao

·         Luna

·         Pudtol

·         Sta. Marcela

 

Cordilleras: ABRA

Brief History of Abra and its People

Ø  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.

Ø  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.

Ø  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.

Ø  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.

Ø  Ilocanos and Tingguians/Itnegs are predominant languages in Abra

 

Geographic Location

Ø  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.

Ø  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

Ø  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.

The 1903 Population Census of the Philippines Islands shows that Abra was one of the provinces/military districts and included the following 12 municipalities: Bangued, Bucay, Dolores, La Paz, Pidigan, Pilar, San Gregorio, San Jose, San Juan, San Quintin, Tayum, and Villavieja. Bangued was the provincial capital.

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.

Sibud-Sibud Cave-can be found along the newly constructed road of Tineg Nature lovers will enjoy a visit to this beautiful place.

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