Cagayan

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Cagayan (

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, kahayan, kayayan, kagayan and kalayan—all mean river, referring to Cagayan River. It is said to have also shared etymology with Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao with the similar reference, also called Cagayan River.^[4][5][6]

Cagayan has a prehistoric civilization with rich and diverse culture. According to archaeologists, the earliest man in the Philippines probably lived in Cagayan thousands^[specify] of years ago.^{[citation needed]}

In the classical era, Gattaran and Lal-lo was the home of hunter-gatherers who specialized in hunting mollusks. These hunter-gatherers have stockpiled their leftover mollusk shells in numerous sites in Gattaran and Lal-lo, until eventually, the shells formed into the largest stock of shell-midden sites in the entire Philippines.

The Atta or

Cagayan was a major site for the Maritime Jade Road, one of the most extensive sea-based trade networks of a single geological material in the prehistoric world, operating for 3,000 years from 2000 BCE to 1000 CE.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Even before the Spaniards came to Cagayan, the Cagayanos have already made contact with various civilizations like the Chinese, Japanese and even Indians, as evidenced by various artifacts and even the presence of minor to moderate foreign linguistic elements in the languages of the natives.

Various other peoples, mainly the Ilocanos, Pangasinenses, Kapampangans and Tagalogs, as well as Visayans, Moros, Ivatans, and even foreigners like the Chinese, Indians, Arabs, Spaniards and others were further infused to the native Cagayanes to become the modern Cagayano that we know today.

The north coast was also the site of a Wokou state when the Japanese pirate-lord Tay Fusa^[11] set up his stronghold there before its destruction during the 1582 Cagayan battles.

In 1581, Captain Juan Pablo Carreon arrived in Cagayan with a hundred fully equipped soldiers and their families by order of

On June 29, 1583, Spanish conquistador

A founding population of 200 Spanish citizens from Europe accompanied by 100 soldiers set up settlements across Cagayan Valley.^[12] These people were in turn supplemented by 155 Latin American soldiers recruited from Mexico^[13] By the end of the 1700s, Zambales had 9,888 native families.^{[14]: 539 [15]: 31, 54, 113}

The see was moved in 1758 to Vigan because of its relative distance. The Spanish influence can still be seen in the massive churches and other buildings.

In 1839, Nueva Vizcaya was established as a politico-military province and was separated from Cagayan. Later, Isabela was founded as a separate province on May 1, 1856, its areas carved from southern Cagayan and eastern Nueva Vizcaya territories.^[4]

During the late 18th century, the

When the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1898, ending the Spanish–American War, the United States took over the Philippines. It influenced the culture, most notably in agriculture and education, as well as in public works and communications. A naval base also increased interaction between local Filipinos and American sailors and administrators. At the close of the 18th century, there were 29 municipalities in the province of Cagayan. After the Philippines came under American sovereignty in 1902, more municipalities were founded. Since then, due to centralization and shifting of populations, the number of municipalities is back to 29. A new wave of immigration began in the late 19th and 20th centuries with the arrival of another group of the Ilocano settlers who came in large numbers. They now constitute the largest group in the province, and it was only in this large-scale Ilocano immigration & settlement that made Ilocano language replaced Ibanag as the lingua franca of the province.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2015)

During the

The

In 1945, the combined United States and Philippine troops, together with the recognized guerrillas, took Cagayan. Part of the action were the Filipino soldiers of the 11th and 14th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Commonwealth Army, USAFIP-NL liberated the province of Cagayan during the Second World War.^[further explanation needed]

After World War II Baldomero Perez of Tuguegarao was temporarily appointed as Governor of Cagayan by the Philippine Civil Affairs Unit, serving until he was replaced by Peregrino R. Quinto in 1946.

Beginning in the 1970s, Cagayan became known as a bailiwick of

During that time, logging concessions were awarded in the province by the Marcoses to Enrile and other cronies, leading to the severe degradation of forest cover in the province that contributed to widespread flooding and other environmental issues that persist today.[36]^[37]

Cagayan saw incidents of political violence during the 1986 Philippine presidential election, including the fatal shooting by militiamen of opposition leader Euginio Coloma in the municipality of Buguey.^[38]

A number of Cagayanon politicians played parts in the People Power Revolution two weeks after the election, and in the following one year in which the Philippines was under an interim provisional revolutionary government between 1986 and 1987. This included Enrile, whose failed^[39] attempt to lead a coup against Marcos was one of the precipitating events behind the revolution,^[40] and former Cagayan Governor Teresa J. Dupaya, who supported the opposition during the election and was re-appointed to her old post as Governor when the provisional government was established.^[41]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (May 2024)

Cagayan was also the site of the

Cagayan has been heavily impacted by changing weather patterns resulting from climate change,^[42] with the 2020 Ulysses flood being noted as one of the most severe examples.^[43]

In November 2020, Typhoon Vamco (locally known in the Philippines as Typhoon Ulysses) crossed the country, dams from all around Luzon neared their spilling points, forcing them to release large amounts of water into impounds, including Magat Dam. The dam opened all of its 7 gates at 24 metres (79 ft), releasing over 5,037 cubic metres (1,331,000 US gal) of water into the Cagayan River flooding numerous riverside towns. Waters under the Buntun Bridge went up as high as 13 metres (43 ft), flooding the nearby barangays up to the roofs of houses.^[44][45]

Because there was very little media coverage of the flooding in the area in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdown in Luzon and the Shutdown of ABS-CBN broadcasting earlier that year,^[46] residents resorted to social media to request the national government for rescue.^[47] As a result of the catastrophe, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) indicated that it would review its protocols regarding the release of water in Magat Dam and improve its watershed.^[48]

Situated within the

The province of Cagayan comprises an aggregate land area of 9,295.75 square kilometres (3,589.11 sq mi)[49] which constitutes approximately three percent of the total land area of the country, making it the second largest province in the region.

Cagayan comprises 28

The 28 municipalities and 1 city of the province comprise a total of 820

Cagayan has a tropical savannah climate (Aw) with hot days and warm nights that last year round.

The population of Cagayan in the 2020 census was 1,268,603 people,^[3] with a density of 140 inhabitants per square kilometre or 360 inhabitants per square mile.

The majority of people living in Cagayan are of

Aside from Ilocanos and Ibanags,

Major languages spoken are Ilocano followed by Ibanag, Yogad and Gaddang. Ilocanos and Ibanags speak Ilocano with an Ibanag accent, as descendants of Ilocanos from first generation in Cagayan who lived within Ibanag population learned Ibanag; same situation with Ilocano tinged by Gaddang, Paranan, Yogad, and Itawis accents when descendants of Ilocanos from first generation in Cagayan who lived within Gaddang, Paranan, Yogad, and Itawis populations learned their languages. People especially in the capital and commercial centers speak and understand English and Tagalog/Filipino. Tagalogs, Ilocanos, and Ibanags speak Tagalog with an Ibanag accent, as descendants of Tagalogs from first generation in Cagayan who lived within Ibanag population learned Ibanag. Other languages native in the province are Isnag, Itawis, & Ivatan, the latter is native in Babuyan Island. Languages not native in the province are also spoken there such as Maranao, Maguindanaon, Tausug, Pangasinan, Kapampangan, Cebuano and Hiligaynon to varying degrees by their respective ethnic communities within the province.

There are two endangered indigenous languages in Cagayan. These are the Dupaninan Agta language (with fewer than 1400 remaining speakers) and the Central Cagayan Agta language (with fewer than 799 remaining speakers); both of these are listed as Vulnerable according to the

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.[4]

The

Claveria is host to several scenic attractions which include: the Lakay-Lakay Lagoon, the rocky formation along the Camalaggaon Caves, the Roadside Park overlooking the Claveria Bay, Macatel Falls with its clear waters that run in abundance throughout the year, the Pata Lighthouse, and the Claveria Beach Resort along the white sand coasts.[64]

The flag of the province of Cagayan is a horizontal triband of blue, gold and green, charged with the provincial coat-of-arms ringed by 29 white, five-pointed stars. It was adopted on March 11, 1970, by the virtue of Provincial Board Resolution No. 319.^[65]

Cagayan is one of the few Philippine provinces to have a distinctly-designed flag, deviating from the standard flag design of the provincial seal on a colored field. The flag has a proportion of 1:2, the same as the flag of the Philippines.

The colors of the flag has the following symbolisms:^[65]

• Sky blue: signifies justice, honor, and nobility of the province's inhabitants, their sincerity and traditionally peaceful ways. Also represents the azure skies.
• Gold: symbolizes the wealth of the province and represents the color of the bright sun.
• Green: depicts the fertile soil of the province and also seeks to inspire hope among the people. It also represents the verdant mountains and plains of the province.

The 29 white, five-pointed stars ringing the coat-of-arms represent the 29 component city and municipalities comprising the province.^[65]

The coat-of-arms has the following symbolisms:^[65]

• Yellow (or Gold) color: symbolizes the wealth of the province
• Blue color: stands for justice, honor, nobility of the people, their sincerity and traditional peaceful ways;
• Blue column dividing the shield: depicts the Cagayan River, which served as the border between the two original congressional districts of Cagayan;
• Small islands at the top portion of the shield: represent the small islands on the northern part of the province;
• Tobacco plants (left) and rice stalks (right): represent agriculture; rice and tobacco—along with corn and peanuts—are the province's main agricultural crops, and are major sources of income for its people.

The length of the flag is twice its width, and the horizontal stripes are of equal size.^[65]

The coat-of-arms (shield) is drawn in black outline, and placed off-centered towards the hoist of the flag.^[65] The shield's height is approximately 1 and 1/4 the width of any of the stripes^[65] (or 5/12 of the flag width). The shield's width is calculated to be at 5/14 of the flag width (or 5/28 of the flag length), given that the specification for the width-to-height ratio of the shield is set at 6:7.^[65]

The position of the shield in the flag is determined by first measuring two shield widths (5/7 of the flag width, or 5/14 of the flag length) from the edge of the fly, and then centering the shield in the remainder of the field.^[65] The exact horizontal position of the center of the shield is therefore at the point measuring 9/28 of the flag length from the hoist. The shield abuts the blue stripe, straddles the gold stripe, and extends into the green stripe.

• Danilo Ulep – Catholic Bishop From Tuguegarao City
• Ramon Paul L. Hernando – Associate Justice of the Supreme Court From Tuguegarao City
• Ricardo Baccay – Bishop Emeritus of Alaminos City and current Archbishop of Tuguegarao
• Robert Empedrad – Former Chief, Philippine Navy from Tuguegarao City
• Sofronio Aguirre Bancud – Bishop of Cabanatuan City From Tuguegarao City
• Eulogio Balao - former Secretary of the Department of National Defense and former Senator from Tuguegarao.
• Orestes Ojeda - film actor and an art enthusiast, who was born and raised in Tuguegarao.
• Lucho Ayala - Filipino Actor from Tuguegarao City
• Rommel Adducul - former professional basketball player who currently serves as an assistant coach for both the Blackwater Elite of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and the Lyceum Pirates of the NCAA. From Tuguegarao City
• Benito Antonio Templo de León - a retired military officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). While a Roman Catholic, he was conferred the rare Muslim-Maranao honorary title of Sultan a Romapunut for his peace efforts. De León held the Army rank of Major General and was the commander of the Philippine Army 5th Infantry Division until his designation as Inspector General of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. From Tuguegarao City Cagayan
• Eulogio Balao - was a Filipino soldier and politician. From Tuguegarao City

• Noel A. Coballes - a retired Filipino Lieutenant General and a two-time Distinguished Conduct Star recipient for combat actions in Maguindanao, and thrice recipient of Distinguished Service Star. He also was awarded five Gold Cross Medals
  , two Bronze Cross Medals, and more than one Military Merit Medals. He is the former Commanding General of the Philippine Army. From Tuguegarao City

• Troy Rosario - professional basketball player for TNT Ka Tropa of the PBA from Abulug
• Melecio Arranz – Former Senator From Alcala
• Francisco Roman
  – Revolutionary leader From Alcala
• Domingo Lim Siazon Jr. – Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs From Aparri
• Maja Salvador – Actress, Singer and Model From Aparri
• Kakai Bautista - actress and comedian from Aparri .
• Shirley Agrupis – President, Mariano Marcos State University From Aparri
• Cesar Adib Majul - historian[65] best known for his work on the history of Islam in the Philippines[66] and on the life of Apolinario Mabini. From Aparri
• Domingo Lim Siazon Jr. - He served as the Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization from 1985 to 1992, the 18th Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs from 1995 to 2001, and the Philippine Ambassador to Japan from 1993 to 1995 (1st term) and 2001 to 2010 (2nd term). From Aparri
• Edgar B. Aglipay – Former PNP Chief From Calamaniugan
• Arthur Tugade – Secretary, Department of Transportation From Claveria
• Lincoln Cortez Velasquez - known as CongTV vlogger from Claveria.
• Thelma Garcia Buchholdt - a Filipino American community activist, politician, historian, public speaker, cultural worker, and author. She was elected to the Alaska House of Representatives From Claveria

• Juan Ponce Enrile - Former Defense Secretary, Former Senate President and Currently Chief Presidential Legal Counsel under the Marcos administration from Gonzaga.
• Lilia Cuntapay - actress, also known as the "Queen of Philippine Horror Films", from Gonzaga.
• Guillermo Capati - Retired Adjunct Professor from Tuguegarao.

• Callao Man
• Our Lady of Piat
• Malaueg Church
• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuguegarao
• Lal-lo and Gattaran Shell Middens