Apayao

This article is about the Philippine province. For other uses, see Apayao (disambiguation).

Apayao
Province
Seal
{{#property:P242}} Location in the Philippines
Coordinates:
Country	[[{{#property:P17}}]]
Region	[[{{#property:P131}}]] (CAR)
Founded	February 14, 1995
Capital	Kabugao*
Government
• Type	Province of the Philippines
• Governor	Elias C. Bulut, Jr. (Liberal Party)
• Congresswoman	Eleanor C. Bulut-Begtang (Nationalist People's Coalition)
• Vice Governor	Hector Pascua (Liberal Party)
Area
• Total	4,413.35 km2 (1,704.00 sq mi)
Area rank	29th out of 81
Population (2010)
• Total	112,636
• Rank	78th out of 81
• Density	26/km2 (66/sq mi)
• Density rank	81st out of 81
Divisions
• Independent cities	0
• Component cities	0
• Municipalities	7
• Barangays	133
• Districts	Lone district of Apayao
Time zone	PHT (UTC+8)
ZIP code	3807 to 3814
Dialing code	{{#property:P473}}
ISO 3166 code	{{#property:P300}}
Spoken languages	Ilocano, Isnag (Ymandaya, Imallod and Dibagat-kabugao), Tagalog, English
Website	{{#property:P856}}
* Kabugao is the officially-recognized capital and seat of government, although the province carries out many of its operations in a new government center established in Luna.

Apayao (Ilocano: Probinsya ti Apayao, Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Apayao), is a landlocked province in the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital town is Kabugao.

The province borders Cagayan to the north and east, Abra and Ilocos Norte to the west, and Kalinga to the south. Prior to 1995, Kalinga and Apayao comprised a single province named Kalinga-Apayao, which was partitioned to better service the needs of individual ethnic groups.

With a population of 112,636 (as of 2010) covering an area of 4413.35 square kilometers, Apayao is the least densely-populated province in the Philippines.

History

Spanish period

Although Apayao, which was then part of Cagayan, was among the earliest areas penetrated by the Spaniards in the Cordilleras, the region, inhabited by the Isneg tribe, remained largely outside Spanish control until late in the 19th century. As early as 1610, the Dominican friars established a mission in what is now the town of Pudtol. In 1684, the friars again made attempts to convert the people and established a church in what is now Kabugao.

The Spanish authorities were then able to establish in Cagayan the comandancias of Apayao and Cabugaoan in 1891, which covered the western and eastern portions of what is now Apayao. The comandancias, however, failed to bring total control and the Spanish government only maintained a loose hold over the area.

American period

The Americans established the Mountain Province on August 13, 1908, with the enactment of Act No. 1876. Apayao, along with Amburayan, Benguet, Bontoc, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Lepanto, became sub-provinces of this new province.

World War II

In 1942, Japanese Imperial forces entered Apayao, starting a three-year occupation of the province during the Second World War. Local Filipino troops of the 1st, 2nd, 12th, 15th and 16th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the military forces of the USAFIP-NL 11th and 66th Infantry Regiment, supported by the Cordilleran guerrillas, drove out the Japanese in 1945.

Kalinga-Apayao

On June 18, 1966, the huge Mountain Province was split into four provinces with the enactment of Republic Act No. 4695. The four provinces were Benguet, Bontoc (renamed Mountain Province), Kalinga-Apayao and Ifugao. Kalinga-Apayao, along with Ifugao, became one of the provinces of the Cagayan Valley region in 1972.

On July 15, 1987, the Cordillera Administrative Region was established and Kalinga-Apayao was made one of its provinces.

Kalinga-Apayao splitting

Finally, on February 14, 1995, Kalinga-Apayao was split into two distinct provinces with the passage of Republic Act No. 7878.

The merged outlines of Apayao and Kalinga resemble a bust of a man akin to former President Ferdinand Marcos (looking toward his home province, Ilocos Norte) whom the media called as the "Great Profile" during the Marcos Era.

Geography

Dibagat River in Kabugao

Climate

The prevailing climate in the province falls under Corona's Type III Classification. It is characterized by relatively dry and wet seasons, from November to April, and wet during the rest of the year. Heaviest rain occurs during December to February while the month of May is the warmest.

Physical

Apayao is basically on a mountainous area traversed by many rivers. Region I, II and other provinces assemble its boundaries. Plains and valleys are used for farming. Apayao is basically composed of farmlands.

Administrative divisions

Apayao is subdivided into 7 municipalities, all encompassed by a lone legislative district.

Municipality Area (km²) Population (2010) Density (per km²) No. of barangays ZIP code Income class Coordinates Calanasan (Bayag) 1,256.15 11,568 9.2 20 3814 1st Conner 694.30 24,811 35.7 21 3807 2nd Flora 324.40 16,743 51.6 16 3810 3rd Kabugao † 935.12 16,170 17.3 21 3809 1st Luna (Macatel) 606.04 18,029 29.7 22 3813 3rd Pudtol 401.02 13,305 33.2 22 3812 4th Santa Marcela 196.32 12,010 61.2 13 3811 5th  †  Provincial capital Coordinates mark the town center vicinity, and are sorted according to latitude. Italicized names are former names.

Political map of Apayao

Barangays

The 7 municipalities of the province comprise a total of 133 barangays, with Poblacion in Kabugao as the most populous in 2010, and Eleazar in Calanasan as the least.

Further information: List of barangays in Apayao

Demographics

Native Dibagat homes

Population census of Apayao
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1990	74,720	—
1995	83,660	+2.14%
2000	97,129	+3.25%
2007	103,633	+0.90%
2010	112,636	+3.08%
Source: National Statistics Office

Based on the 2000 census survey, half of the population is Ilocano 50.82% and almost 1/3 of the population is Isnag 29.95%. Other ethnic groups living in the province are the Malaueg 3.69%, Isneg 3.48%, Kalinga 3.08%, Ibaloi 1.01%, Kankanaey 1.24% and Bontoc 1.04%.

Economy

Apayao is devoted to agricultural production, particularly food and industrial crops such as palay, corn, coffee, root crops and vegetables. Main fruits produce are lanzones, citrus, bananas and pineapples. Rice production totals 42,602 metric tons annually, as food crops totals 96,542 metric tons.

Economic activity is also based on livestock and poultry breeding such as swine, carabao, cattle, goat and sheep. Other additional investment includes manufacturing, food processing, furniture, crafts and house wares making.

Updated records of the Department of Trade and Industry Provincial Office reveal that existing industries in the province are furniture, garment craft, food processing, gifts and house wares, and agricultural support.

Festivals

Say-Am Festival

festival of Apayao celebrated every February 14, in celebration of the founding anniversary of the province and Isnag’s grandest feast or celebration. A feast featuring and ushering the traditional way of Isnag’s thanksgiving to the Higher Supreme unseen being called “ALAWAGAN” executed and commenced through rituals spiced with pep songs, native chants and dances called the “TALIP and TAD-DO”. The holding and celebration of Say-am in the older days connotes status – that the family is respectable and well-to-do. The Festival highlights the Agro-Tourism and trade fair which showcase the different products and beauty of natures of Apayao, Isnag Indigenous games, sports, street dancing and the Search for Miss Dayag ti Apayao which showcase the Beautiful and intelligent Ladies of Apayao.

Calanasan Annual Town Fiesta/Say-am Capital of Apayao

Celebrated every 3rd week of March. The Festival highlights the Agro-industrial and trade fair which showcase the different products of Calanasan, Isnag Indigenous games, sports, street dancing and the Search for Miss Dam-ag naya Calanasan which showcase the glamorous Ladies of Calanasan.

Pudtol Town Fiesta

Celebrated in Pudtol every last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of May. Features Agro-Trade Fair Pageant and Sports.

Connor Franta

3rd Week of May, cultural presentations, trade fair, pageant and sports activities.

Fruit Harvest Festival

September and October in Kirikitan, Conner. Harvest season of Rambutan, lanzones, durian, oranges and pomelo.

Luna Foundation Day

October in Luna. Showcasing agro-trade fair, pageant and sports fest.

Pudtol Foundation Day

2nd Week of December in Pudtol. Showcasing agro-trade fair, pageant and sports fest.

Balangkoy Festival

Celebrated at the municipality of Santa Marcela

External links

• Geographic data related to Apayao at OpenStreetMap

1. REDIRECT Template:Administrative divisions of the Philippines