Isabela (province)

Isabela
Province

Flag

Seal
Nickname(s):
Queen Province of the Philippines
Top Corn Producer of the Philippines
Rice Bowl of the North

Location in the Philippines
Coordinates: 17°00′N 122°00′E / 17.000°N 122.000°E / 17.000; 122.000Coordinates: 17°00′N 122°00′E / 17.000°N 122.000°E / 17.000; 122.000
Country Philippines
Region Cagayan Valley (Region II)
Founded May 01, 1856
Capital Ilagan City
Government
  Type Province of the Philippines
  Governor Faustino G. Dy III (NPC)
  Vice Governor Antonio T. Albano (Independent)
Area[1]
  Total 12,414.93 km2 (4,793.43 sq mi)
Area rank 2nd out of 81
  Includes Santiago
Highest elevation[2] (Mount Dos Cuernos) 1,785 m (5,856 ft)
Population (2010)[3]
  Total 1,622,449
  Rank 17th out of 81
  Density 130/km2 (340/sq mi)
  Density rank 66th out of 81
  Includes Santiago
Demonym(s) Isabeliño (m) / Isabeliña (f)
Isabelan
Divisions
  Independent cities 1
  Component cities 2
  Municipalities 34
  Barangays 1,018
including independent cities: 1,055
  Districts 1st to 4th districts of Isabela (shared with Santiago City)
Time zone PHT (UTC+8)
ZIP code 3300 to 3336
Dialing code 78
ISO 3166 code PH-ISA
Spoken languages Ilocano, Ibanag, Gaddang, Tagalog, English
Website provinceofisabela.ph

Isabela is the second largest province of the Philippines, and the largest in the island of Luzon in terms of land area. Its capital is the city of Ilagan. Situated within the Cagayan Valley region, it is bordered by the provinces of Aurora on the southeast, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya on the southwest, Ifugao and Mountain Province on the west, Kalinga on the northwest, Cagayan on the north and the Pacific Ocean on the east.

This primarily agricultural province is the rice and corn granary of Luzon due to its plain and rolling terrain. In 2012, the province was declared as the country's top producer of corn with 1,209,524 metric tons.[4]

Isabela is the 10th richest province in the Philippines in 2011, the only province of Northern Luzon to be included in the list. The province has four trade centers in the cities of Ilagan, Cauayan, Santiago and the municipality of Roxas.

History

Prior to 1856, the Cagayan Valley was divided into only two provinces: Cagayan and Nueva Vizcaya. The Province of Cagayan at that time consisted of all towns from Tumauini to Aparri in the north. All other towns from Ilagan southward to Aritao comprised the Province of the old Nueva Vizcaya. In order to facilitate the work of the Catholic missionaries in the evangelization of the Cagayan Valley, a royal decree was issued on May 1, 1856 creating the Province of Isabela consisting of the towns of Gamu, Old Angadanan (now Alicia), Bindang (now Roxas) and Camarag (now Echague), Carig (now Santiago City) and Palanan, all detached from the Province of Nueva Vizcaya; while Cabagan and Tumauini were taken from the Province of Cagayan. The province was placed under the jurisdiction of a governor with Ilagan as the capital seat, where it remains up to present. It was initially called Isabela de Luzon to differentiate from other places in the Philippines bearing the name of Isabela. The new province was named in honor of Queen Isabella II of Spain.[5]

Although the province did not play a major role in the revolt against Spain, it is in Palanan that the final pages of the Philippines Revolution was written when the American forces led by Gen. Frederick Funston finally captured General Emilio Aguinaldo in the area on March 23, 1901. Isabela was re-organized as a province under the American regime through Act No. 210, passed August 24, 1901.[6]

Humanitarian aid for victims of Super Typhoon Megi in Divilacan.

The Americans built schools and other buildings and instituted changes in the overall political system. However, the province’s economy remained particularly agricultural with rice replacing corn and tobacco as the dominant crop. World War II stagnated the province's economic growth but it recovered dramatically after the war. In 1942, the Japanese Imperial forces occupied Isabela. In 1945, liberation of Isabela commenced with the arrival of the Philippine Commonwealth troops under the Philippine Army, Constabulary and USAFIP-NL units and recognized guerrillas attacked by the Japanese Imperial forces in World War II. Today, Isabela is the premier province of the northern Philippines, the richest in the valley and one of the most progressive in the country.

A new wave of immigration began in the late 19th and 20th centuries with the arrival of the Ilokano who came in large numbers. They now constitute the largest group in the province. Other ethnic groups followed that made Isabela the "Melting Pot of the Northern Philippines".[5]

In 1995, Republic Act Number 7891 was passed legislating that Isabela be divided into two new provinces: Isabela del Norte and Isabela del Sur.[7][8] A referendum was held on the same year with a strong majority voting not to separate the province.[9]

In 2012, the capital town of Ilagan officially became a city, after winning 96% of the votes in the plebiscite conducted in August 11, 2012.[10][11] The night after the plebiscite, COMELEC Commissioner Armando Velasco declared Ilagan as the new component city of the province.[12]

Geography

View of the Sierra Madre from Cabagan

Isabela comprises an aggregate land area of 10,665 square kilometres (4,118 sq mi), 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 in terms of land area. It is located on the right-most part of the Northern Luzon facing the Pacific Ocean and encompassing parts of the Sierra Madre Mountains. Isabela is one of the typhoon-prone provinces in the country due to its location.

Physical

The province is divided into three physiographic areas. The eastern area, straddled by the Sierra Madre mountain range, is rugged and thickly forested. A substantial portion is uncharted. These unexplored hinterlands are home to a rich variety of flora and fauna, and some are under government reservations. It is home to one of the world’s largest remaining low-altitude rainforests, with numerous unknown endemic species of flora and fauna and exceptional biological diversity in the protected area known as the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park. Isabela has 600,000 hectares (1,500,000 acres) of Cagayan Valley’s 900,000 hectares (2,200,000 acres) of forest cover.[13][14]

The highest point of the province is located near the border with Cagayan. Mount Dos Cuernos peak has an elevation of 1,785 metres (5,856 ft) located in the municipality of San Pablo near the border with the municipality of Maconacon. Other notable peak in the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park is Mount Cresta in the municipality of Divilacan with an elevation of 1,672 metres (5,486 ft).[15]

The western area is a sprawling fertile valley hemmed by the Central Cordillera. It is criss-crossed by the mighty Cagayan River, Siffu river, and Magat River.

Mallig Plains Region

Mallig Plains Region is a region in the western part of the province of Isabela. Its name was derived from the rolling terrains or kilometers of plain lands in western Isabela. The municipality of Roxas serves as the business center of the region. It consists the municipalities of Quezon, Mallig, Quirino, Burgos, Aurora, San Manuel and Roxas.

Administrative divisions

Isabela is politically subdivided into thirty four (34) municipalities, two (2) component cities and one (1) independent component city. The province is represented in the Philippine House of Representatives with four (4) legislative districts.[16]

The province has ten (10) first class municipalities, two (2) third class cities and one (1) 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 in terms of land area. The municipality of San Mateo is the Munggo capital, and the provincial government fully supports the municipality to become the Philippines' first agro-ecological city.[17]

City or
municipality
District[16] Area
(km²)[16]
Population
(2010)[16][18]
Density
(per km²)
No. of
barangays
ZIP
code
Income
class[16]
Coordinates

Alicia 3rd 154.1 64,687 419.8 34 3306 1st 16°46′44″N 121°41′57″E / 16.7789°N 121.6992°E / 16.7789; 121.6992 (Alicia)
Angadanan 3rd 204.4 40,143 196.4 59 3307 3rd 16°45′24″N 121°44′53″E / 16.7568°N 121.7480°E / 16.7568; 121.7480 (Angadanan)
Aurora 2nd 115.56 33,045 286 33 3316 3rd 16°59′26″N 121°38′21″E / 16.9906°N 121.6392°E / 16.9906; 121.6392 (Aurora)
Benito Soliven 2nd 184.4 27,337 148.2 29 3331 4th 16°59′05″N 121°57′41″E / 16.9847°N 121.9615°E / 16.9847; 121.9615 (Benito Soliven)
Burgos 2nd 73.1 22,521 308.1 14 3322 4th 17°04′05″N 121°41′37″E / 17.0680°N 121.6937°E / 17.0680; 121.6937 (Burgos)
Cabagan 1st 430.4 45,732 106.3 26 3328 1st 17°25′35″N 121°45′54″E / 17.4263°N 121.7649°E / 17.4263; 121.7649 (Cabagan)
Cabatuan 3rd 72 37,299 518 22 3315 3rd 16°57′15″N 121°40′11″E / 16.9542°N 121.6698°E / 16.9542; 121.6698 (Cabatuan)
Cauayan[1] 3rd 336.4 122,335 363.7 65 3305 3rd 16°56′03″N 121°46′00″E / 16.9343°N 121.7666°E / 16.9343; 121.7666 (Cauayan)
Cordon 4th 144 40,877 283.9 26 3312 3rd 16°40′26″N 121°27′58″E / 16.6739°N 121.4662°E / 16.6739; 121.4662 (Cordon)
Delfin Albano (Magsaysay) 1st 189 25,422 134.5 29 3326 4th 17°18′16″N 121°46′44″E / 17.3044°N 121.7788°E / 17.3044; 121.7788 (Delfin Albano)
Dinapigue 4th 574.4 5,484 9.5 6 3336 1st 16°31′29″N 122°15′47″E / 16.5248°N 122.2631°E / 16.5248; 122.2631 (Dinapigue)
Divilacan 1st 889.49 5,034 5.7 12 3335 2nd 17°19′47″N 122°17′46″E / 17.3297°N 122.2961°E / 17.3297; 122.2961 (Divilacan)
Echague 4th 680.8 74,680 109.7 64 3309 1st 16°43′00″N 121°41′00″E / 16.7168°N 121.6832°E / 16.7168; 121.6832 (Echague)
Gamu 2nd 129.4 28,657 221.5 16 3301 4th 17°02′50″N 121°50′00″E / 17.0472°N 121.8333°E / 17.0472; 121.8333 (Gamu)
Ilagan [2] 1st 1166.26 135,174 115.9 91 3300 17°08′39″N 121°53′20″E / 17.1442°N 121.8889°E / 17.1442; 121.8889 (Ilagan)
Jones 4th 670.14 44,218 66 42 3313 1st 16°33′33″N 121°42′13″E / 16.5593°N 121.7036°E / 16.5593; 121.7036 (Jones)
Luna 3rd 45.7 18,091 395.9 19 3304 5th 16°58′06″N 121°43′45″E / 16.9683°N 121.7293°E / 16.9683; 121.7293 (Luna)
Maconacon 1st 538.66 3,615 6.7 10 3333 3rd 17°23′21″N 122°14′23″E / 17.3893°N 122.2398°E / 17.3893; 122.2398 (Maconacon)
Mallig 2nd 133.4 28,345 212.5 18 3323 4th 17°12′41″N 121°36′40″E / 17.2114°N 121.6112°E / 17.2114; 121.6112 (Mallig)
Naguillan 2nd 169.81 29,491 173.7 25 3302 4th 17°01′23″N 121°50′06″E / 17.0231°N 121.8350°E / 17.0231; 121.8350 (Naguilian)
Palanan 1st 880.24 16,094 18.3 17 3334 1st 17°03′46″N 122°25′45″E / 17.0628°N 122.4292°E / 17.0628; 122.4292 (Palanan)
Quezon 2nd 189.9 24,522 129.1 15 3324 4th 17°18′41″N 121°36′21″E / 17.3114°N 121.6059°E / 17.3114; 121.6059 (Quezon)
Quirino 2nd 126.2 22,285 176.6 21 3321 4th 17°09′10″N 121°45′19″E / 17.1529°N 121.7554°E / 17.1529; 121.7554 (Quirino)
Ramon 4th 135.17 49,812 368.5 19 3319 2nd 16°46′53″N 121°32′06″E / 16.7815°N 121.5351°E / 16.7815; 121.5351 (Ramon)
Reina Mercedes 3rd 57.14 23,497 411.2 20 3303 4th 16°59′15″N 121°49′07″E / 16.9875°N 121.8186°E / 16.9875; 121.8186 (Reina Mercedes)
Roxas 2nd 184.8 57,699 312.2 26 3320 1st 17°07′18″N 121°37′11″E / 17.1218°N 121.6198°E / 17.1218; 121.6198 (Roxas)
San Agustin 4th 278.4 21,797 78.3 23 3314 3rd 16°30′24″N 121°44′51″E / 16.5067°N 121.7474°E / 16.5067; 121.7474 (San Agustin)
San Guillermo 3rd 325.49 18,423 56.6 26 3308 4th 16°43′11″N 121°48′31″E / 16.7198°N 121.8087°E / 16.7198; 121.8087 (San Guillermo)
San Isidro 4th 71.9 22,758 316.5 13 3310 5th 16°44′03″N 121°38′01″E / 16.7343°N 121.6337°E / 16.7343; 121.6337 (San Isidro)
San Manuel (Callang) 2nd 112.77 30,407 269.6 19 3317 4th 17°01′20″N 121°37′54″E / 17.0223°N 121.6318°E / 17.0223; 121.6318 (San Manuel)
San Mariano 2nd 1469.5 51,438 35 36 3332 1st 16°59′01″N 122°00′46″E / 16.9835°N 122.0127°E / 16.9835; 122.0127 (San Mariano)
San Mateo 3rd 120.6 60,792 504.1 33 3318 1st 16°52′52″N 121°35′16″E / 16.8812°N 121.5878°E / 16.8812; 121.5878 (San Mateo)
San Pablo 1st 637.9 22,040 34.6 17 3329 2nd 17°26′54″N 121°47′43″E / 17.4483°N 121.7952°E / 17.4483; 121.7952 (San Pablo)
Santa Maria 1st 140 22,939 163.9 20 3330 4th 17°28′17″N 121°45′09″E / 17.4713°N 121.7524°E / 17.4713; 121.7524 (Santa Maria)
Santiago[3] 4th 255.5 132,804 519.8 37 3311 1st 16°41′15″N 121°32′41″E / 16.6875°N 121.5446°E / 16.6875; 121.5446 (Santiago)
Santo Tomas 1st 60.7 21,688 357.3 27 3327 4th 17°23′59″N 121°45′57″E / 17.3998°N 121.7658°E / 17.3998; 121.7658 (Santo Tomas)
Tumauini 1st 467.3 58,463 125.1 46 3325 1st 17°16′26″N 121°48′35″E / 17.2739°N 121.8098°E / 17.2739; 121.8098 (Tumauini)
   Provincial capital and component city      Independent component city      Component city      Municipality
  • Coordinates mark the city/town center vicinity, and are sorted according to latitude.
  • Income classifications for cities are italicized.
  • Italicized names are former names.
  • Dashes (—) in cells indicate unavailable information.

1 Became a component city on March 30, 2001 under Republic Act 9017.
2 Became a component city on August 11, 2012 under Republic Act 10169.[19][20]
3 Became an independent component city on July 6, 1994 under Republic Act 7720.

Barangays

The 34 municipalities and 3 cities of the province comprise a total of 1,055 barangays, with Rizal in Santiago City as the most populous in 2010, and Catalina in Cauayan City 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.[16][18]

Further information: List of barangays in Isabela

Government

Governors

After Isabela was re-organized as a province under the American regime in 1901, its first provincial governor was Rafael Maramag, a former Municipal President and also the first Municipal President of the capital town Ilagan. He was succeeded by his brother, Gabriel. Afterwards, Isabela was ruled by the Dy family for 34 years (1969-2004). The dynasty was started by the patriarch of the family, Faustino N. Dy, Sr., who served as the Mayor of Cauayan from 1965 to 1969 and sat as the provincial governor of Isabela for 22 years (1969–1992). He was succeeded by his son, Benjamin G. Dy, in the gubernatorial seat from 1992 to 2001. Another Dy took over the gubernatorial seat in 2001 when Faustino Dy Jr. won the 2001 elections after having served as the district representative of the 2nd Legislative District of the province from 1992 to 2001. It was only in the 2004 elections that the family's control of the gubernatorial seat ended when Grace Padaca won over Faustino Dy Jr. She was the first woman to serve as the governor of the province. After serving for six years (2004-2010), she was defeated in the 2010 National Elections by Faustino "Bojie" G. Dy III, who is currently serving for his 2nd term since 2010.

Demographics

Population census of
Isabela
YearPop.±% p.a.
1990 1,080,341    
1995 1,160,721+1.35%
2000 1,287,575+2.25%
2007 1,401,495+1.18%
2010 1,489,645+2.24%
Source: National Statistics Office[3]

According to the 2010 Philippine Census, Isabela is the most populated province among the five provinces in Cagayan Valley (Region II). It has a population of 1,489,645 people: 46 percent of the 3.2 million people in the region. At the national level, the province contributed 1.58 percent to the total population of 88.57 million. There were 254,928 households in the province in 2007.

For all ages, the sex ratio in Isabela was about 105 with 660,627 males and 626,948 females in the 2000 Census of Population and Housing (Census 2000). There are more males than females below 50 years old.

Ilokano are the most prominent group in Isabela. Of the total household population, 68.71 percent classified themselves as Ilokanos. The next two prominent groups (ethnic) are the Ybanag (14.05 percent) and Tagalog (10.02 percent). The remaining 7.22 percent are either Gaddang, Paranan, Yogad, or from other ethnic groups.

Major languages in Isabela are Ilokano followed by Ibanag, Yogad, Gaddang. People especially in the capital and commercial centers speak and understand English and Tagalog/Pilipino.

Religion

Roman Catholicism is the predominant faith followed by about 80% of the people. Other religions practiced are Aglipayan and various Protestant churches such as Iglesia Ni Cristo, Baptist, Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints, Seventh-day Adventist, other Charismatic Christians and Jehovah's Witnesses. There are also small number of Muslims.

Economy

The economy of Isabela is at the fulcrum of an ever increasing growth curve. In terms of income classification, it is rated as first-class province and considered among the richest and most progressive province in the Philippines and the most progressive in Region 02 courtesy of the three key cities strategically located in the province. The three cities and some towns in the province are showing signs of progress.

Trade and Industry

Ilagan, Isabela

Strategically located at the center of Cagayan Valley region, Isabela is acknowledged to have demonstrated strengths in business and industry. Thus, it has come to be known as the Regional Trade and Industrial Center of north-eastern Luzon.

The cities of Cauayan and Santiago and the capital city of Ilagan are the principal commercial centers of Isabela. Metro Manila-based malls and fast food chains have recently opened in these key trading hubs. To date, 172 banking branches operate in the province, with most of the commercial banks providing automated teller machines for the convenience of their clients.

Since the start of 21st century, a growing number of foreign and local investors have selected Isabela as site of their business ventures. Heading the list are Isabela’s top three investors, namely: Mindanao Grains Processing Company, Inc. in Reina Mercedes, SN Aboitiz Power- Magat Inc. in Ramon.

Universal Leaf Philippines has built a tobacco processing plant in Reina Mercedes. The Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc. subsidiary and San Miguel Corporation’s Cosmos division both operate bottling plants in Ilagan City, while RC Cola and Pepsi Cola have beverage operations in Cauayan City and Santiago City, respectively.

In the rice industry, substantial investments have been made by Valiant Rice Mills Corporation in San Mateo, Family Choice Grains Processing Center in Cabatuan, Golden Season Grains Center in Luna, Herco Agro Industries in Santiago City, JDT Silver Grains Center, New Cauayan Goldyluck Grains in Cauayan City and the La Suerte Rice Mill Corporation in San Manuel.

Retail giants SM and Robinsons have set up shops in the cities of Ilagan and Santiago and in the municipalities of Tumauini, Roxas and Echague with the opening Savemore and Robinsons Supermarket, respectively. They are located in Isabela’s new malls, Northstar Mall, Talavera Square Mall and Xentro Mall (with branches in Santiago City, Roxas, Ilagan City and Tumauini) owned and operated by homegrown investors. Fast food chains such as Jollibee, McDonalds, Greenwich, Chowking, Mang Inasal, KFC, Shakey's, Classic Savory, Max's, Gerry's Grill, Goldilocks and Red Ribbon all have outlets in Isabela. Puregold, a large retail chain is currently operating supermarkets in Cauayan City, Santiago City, Roxas and Tumauini while San Miguel Pure Foods Company, Inc. have managed set up their field offices and plant in Santiago City, Reina Mercedes and Echague, respectively.

SM Prime constructed its first SM Supermall in the province, the SM City Cauayan which opened in May 30, 2014. It is located in Cauayan City. The second largest mall operator in the Philippines, Robinsons Land, also opened its first mall in the region, Robinsons Place Santiago in February 19, 2014.[21] It is located along National Highway, Mabini, Santiago City. The company is also set to construct their second mall in the province which will be in Cauayan City.

The "big three" oil companies- Shell, Petron and Chevron – have numerous gasoline stations in Isabela, as do new petroleum industry players Total, Eastern Petroleum, Flying V and SEAOIL Philippines. Land transportation operators Victory Liner, Five Star Bus Company, Dagupan Bus Company Inc., Dalin Liner, GV Florida Transport and Northern Luzon Bus Company have terminals and depots in the province.

Leading car, motorcycle and truck manufacturers such as Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi Motors, Isuzu Motors, Kia Motors, Nissan, Ford, Chevrolet, Suzuki, Hyundai, Foton, Peugeot, MAN SE, Yamaha and many other companies entered the province over the past years.

Telecom firms Globe, PLDT/Smart and Digitel/ Sun Cellular operate cellular sites and fixed telephony facilities throughout Isabela.

Big real estate developers like Vista Land and Lifescapes, Inc. entered the province with the opening of Camella Isabela and Camella Santiago in Santiago City and Camella Cauayan in Cauayan City.

The province of Isabela is the richest in Cagayan Valley. It is also the Top 10 Richest Province in the Philippines last 2011, being the only province of Northern Luzon to be included in the list.[22]

Agriculture

Agriculture is the biggest industry in Isabela. As the country’s top corn producing province, it contributes 21% of the annual national yellow corn production. Asia’s largest post-harvest corn processing facility, the Mindanao Grains, is located in the town of Reina Mercedes.

As second highest rice-growing province nationwide, Isabela produces 15% of the aggregate national rice production on an annual basis. Being a surplus producer of the Filipinos’ staple crop, the province’s rice sufficiency rate is at 224%, which means that Isabelinos produce more than they consume and are in fact responsible for supplying the rice requirements of Metro Manila and many other provinces. The unprecedented increase in palay production of Isabela made the province the Hybrid Rice Champion of the Philippines.

High-value agricultural crops grown in Isabela include monggo, tobacco, coffee, banana, and mango. Its livestock and poultry industries are also on the rise, especially dairy processing, hog production, cattle breeding, and commercial poultry raising.

Farming is highly mechanized as most of the agricultural lands are irrigated. With the presence of the Isabela State University, joint ventures and other foreign assisted projects and the Magat Dam contribute to the high productivity in agriculture. It is also the hub of trade and commerce and other economic activities due to its central location in the region. The wood industry used to be a top earner for the province but due to the logging ban imposed in the Cagayan Valley Region, activities in this industry considerably declined. However, furniture making using narra wood and other indigenous forest materials continue to exist.

Isabela is one of the most progressive provinces of the Philippines having been adjudged as the most outstanding province on food security in the Gawad Sapat Ani Awards 2000. For corn production, Isabela ranks first among the top ten corn producing provinces for cy 2004, contributing 15.70% to national production. On 2013, the Department of Agriculture declared Isabela as the Best Corn-Quality Awardee.[23] Ilagan City was proclaimed as the Corn Capital of the Philippines for being the top corn producer among the 34 municipalities and 2 cities of the province as well as in the whole country.

Forestland

Forests in Palanan

Forestland covers 54.37% or 579,819 hectares of Isabela's total land area of which 62% is protected forest and 38% is production forest. The best quality of timber resources in the Philippines are found in Isabela's forest. Isabela's vast forest resources are now being ecologically manage to effect sustainable forest-based resource not only for the wood working industry but to secure a balanced ecosystem. Some 54% of the province`s total area is covered by forestland, of which 62% is part of the protected area while 38% is designated as production forest. The woodwork industry continues to operate under a regulated system, particularly the making furniture using indigenous materials.

Fisheries

Isabela's coast in Divilacan

Potential investments in fisheries are being developed by the government and other private business entities. Isabela has a fertile fishing ground on the Pacific Coast. The reservoir of the Magat Dam is utilized for fish cage operations for tilapia production for domestic markets. Another thriving industry in Isabela is aquaculture, sustained by inland fishing through 1,108 hectares of developed freshwater fishponds and 450 hectares of fish cage culture at Magat Dam Reservoir. Rich marine resources could be found in Isabela’s coastal seaboard municipalities of Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan, and Dinapigue.

Mineral and energy

Large deposits of copper, gold, zinc & chromite,manganese and nickel have been found in Isabela. It also has extensive deposits of non-metallic minerals such as limestone, clay, marbles, guano, sand & gravel, and boulders. Indigenous energy sources such as natural gas and hydroelectric capabilities have been found to be abundant in the valley. Many of its mineral reserves have yet to be fully tapped.

Power

Magat Dam in the municipality of Ramon

Solar and biomass power plants in the city of Cauayan and in the town of Alicia have started their full-blown operation in 2015 to supplement the region’s high energy demand.

The planned online solar power plant in Cauayan City is capable supplying at least 20 megawatts while the biomass power plant in Alicia can produce another 20 megawatts. Both systems provide clean and renewable energy.

According to the Department of Energy (DOE), the P2 billion power facility established by the Isabela Biomass Energy Corporation (IBEC) would not only augment power supply in Cagayan Valley but would also help contribute to healthy environment.

According to the authorities, "The use of biomass as fuel makes the power plant carbon neutral and sustainable. The plant is also expected to produce 100 percent renewable energy that does not harm the environment."

The biomass power facility in province is the first in the region and is expected to provide economical source of energy as well as job opportunities to residents of the host town/city.

In Cauayan City, the city government is negotiating with Korean investors to put up the 20-megawatt solar power plant. This would augment energy produced from hydro-electric energy especially during summer and El Niño season when the rivers run dry and water provided by the dam is not enough to run the day’s water turbines. Also, some South Korean investors who visited the city recently had signified their intention to invest in a multimillion-dollar solar power plant here. The solar farm will be constructed in a 24-hectare land in the village of Tagaran in the said city.

As of now, authorities and investors are still on the process of finalizing the draft feasibility study and once it is completed, the construction is expected to start within the last quarter of 2015. The local government would also benefit in the proposed project as it is expected to supply continuous power to the city and other government installations such as health facilities and other future projects. Meanwhile, the government-administered irrigation agency is implementing a rotational irrigation water supply scheme in the Lower Magat irrigation system in the province as a result of the absence of rainfall in the hot summer days of 2015.

Officials of the National Irrigation Administration — Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-MRIIS) said they are adopting the scheme due to the "continuous drop" of water level of Magat Dam which is now at 176 meters or one meter above the normal level.

In May 27, 2015, the service contract of the largest solar PV power plant in the country has been approved by the Department of Energy (DOE). According to some experts, the P7-billion worth 100 MW Solar PV project in the city of Ilagan will help reduce the current shortage in electricity that causes regular blackouts that results to industry closures as well as inconvenience to the consumers. The solar power facility will be constructed at a 100-hectare land at Barangay Cabannungan, several kilometers away from the city proper.

Transportation

A road in Ramon, Isabela

Isabela is accessible by all means of transportation. Almost 180-kilometers of the Pan-Philippine Highway pass through the different towns and cities of the province. Several bus companies have already set-up their terminals and depots in some chosen areas to offer daily trips to different routes like Manila, Dagupan, Baguio and Ilocos vice versa. Also, public utility vans and small time bus operators ply daily trips from Tuguegarao City in Cagayan to Santiago City vice versa while jeepneys and tricycles are commonly used as the basic mode of transportation within the province's jurisdiction.

Ilagan-Divilacan Road

The construction of an 82-kilometer road through the protected Sierra Madre mountains is on-going to open access to three coastal towns of the province, despite opposition from environmentalists and leaders of the Catholic Church in the province. The P2.28-billion project will pass through the foothills of the 359,486-hectare Northern Sierra Madre mountain ranges and will take three years to complete. The project will improve an old logging road used by the defunct Acme Logging Corp. until the 1990s. It will start in Barangay Sindon Bayabo in the capital city of Ilagan and will end in Barangay Dicatian in the coastal town of Divilacan.

Travel to the coastal towns of Divilacan, Palanan and Maconacon is often made by boat or by plane. There are no roads that links the capital city of Ilagan to the coastal areas, depriving villagers of basic necessities and social services, such as health. Only light planes and boats are the available modes of transportation there, making it difficult to reach the coastal towns in times of emergencies and calamities. Once completed, the road project is expected to boost the economies of the coastal areas, citing Divilacan’s 119-hectares beach and freshwater areas that have lured tourists. The Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) issued Resolution No. 11, which reclassifies portions of the Sierra Madre as a special-use zone. The Agta and Dumagat in the area have also signed a memorandum of agreement with the provincial government, expressing their consent to the road project. At least 1,800 Agta and Dumagat have been staying in the park areas. But the impact of the road on the protected forest has alarmed the leaders of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ilagan, who feared that the project may damage its forests and ecosystems. Even a former climate change advocate has urged provincial officials to put up safeguards and ensure that the Sierra Madre will be protected while the road is being built. The project was delayed in the recent years due to concerns about the road’s potential impact on the environment. The Cagayan Valley Regional Development Council required the project’s proponents to study the full impact of the road on the area’s biodiversity.

Airports and sea ports

There are three airports in the province. The Cauayan Airport is the primary airport in the province serving a trip to Manila and Tuguegarao. The other two are the Palanan Airport in Palanan and Maconacon Airport in Maconacon. The country’s leading passenger airline Cebu Pacific services the Cauayan-Manila-Cauayan Route. Light planes operated by Cyclone Airways and WCC Aviation’s Sky Pasada Have flights from Cauayan Domestic Airport to the community airports in Palanan and Maconacon. The province has two minor seaports, the Divilacan Port and Palanan Port in the coastal towns of Divilacan and Palanan. The trade going to the ports come primarily from major seaports in Cagayan such as Port of Aparri in Aparri, Cagayan, and Port of San Vicente and Port Irene, both in Santa Ana, Cagayan.

Education

Isabela is one of the primary centers of education in the Cagayan Valley Region. There are several public and private educational institutions offering courses in the fields of Medicine, Engineering, Architecture, Nursing, Law, Commerce, Education, Information Technology, Science & Technology, Criminology, Hospitality & Industry, Tourism and others. They are strategically located in the different municipalities and cities of the province. The most notable is the Isabela State University, a government owned and controlled public university that caters mostly to sons and daughters of Isabelinos who are economically poor and marginalized. Its main campus is located in Echague and satellite campuses in Cauayan City, Ilagan City, Angadanan, Cabagan, Jones, Palanan (extension), Roxas, San Mariano, San Mateo and Santiago City (extension).

Notable residents

References

1. http://provinceofisabela.ph Official Website of the Province of Isabela. Retrieved October 3, 2014

2. http://www.tourism.gov.ph/sitepages/FestivitiesList.aspx?festivityCode=292&monthCode=05. Retrieved October 8, 2014

3. http://www.philstar.com/nation/2014/02/01/1285254/isabelas-bambanti-festival-lures-thousands Bambanti Festival. Retrieved October 8, 2014

4. http://provinceofisabela.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=168&catid=95. Retrieved October 8, 2014

5. http://provinceofisabela.ph/index.php/tourism/festivals?showall=&limitstart=. Retrieved October 8, 2014

6. http://www.rogerswebpoint.com/historyofcabatuan.htm Retrieved October 8, 2014

7. http://www.spcicdtourism.com/#!festival/ccp2 Retrieved October 10, 2014

8. http://www.manilatimes.net/renewable-energy-plant-to-rise-in-isabela/172957/ Renewable energy plant to rise in Isabela. Retrieved June 15, 2015

9. http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/481433287402/p7-b-solar-power-plant-to-rise-in-isabela P7-B solar power plant to rise in Isabela. Retrieved June 15, 2015

10. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/742119/construction-of-p2-28-b-road-thru-sierra-madre-starts-amid-protests#ixzz3xK3EqC2O P2.28B road project for Ilagan-Divilacan Road Retrieved January 18, 2016

Notes

  1. "List of Provinces". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  2. U.S. Corps of Engineers (1953). "Ilagan (topography map)". University of Texas in Austin Library. Retrieved on 2014-09-28.
  3. 1 2 "Population and Annual Growth Rates for The Philippines and Its Regions, Provinces, and Highly Urbanized Cities" (PDF). 2010 Census and Housing Population. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  4. "Isabela, top producer of corn". Bureau of Agricultural Statistics. Department of Agriculture (Philippines). Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  5. 1 2 "Brief History of Isabela". Fly Philippines. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  6. Act No. 210, passed August 24, 1901.
  7. Republic of the Philippines, Commission on Elections (26 May 1995). "Resolution No. 2796 .". Manila Standard Today. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  8. Robles, Chan. "Republic Act No. 7891 - An Act Dividing the Province of Isabela Into Two Provinces Namely: Isabela del Norte and Isabela del Sur". Philippine Laws, Statutes & Codes, and Republic Acts. Chan Robles Virtual Law Library. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  9. Catindig, Raymund (February 28, 2011). "Marcos Mania still alive in Isabela 25 years after EDSA". Valley Journal News Online. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  10. Isabela's Ilagan now a component city Philippine Star. Retrieved 08-15-2012
  11. Ilagan now 4th city in Cagayan Valley Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 08-15-2012
  12. [Ilagan Kicks Off Cityhood Bid http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/368552/ilagan-kicks-off-cityhood-bid] Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 08-11-2012
  13. gmanews.tv/story, Isabela gov sees big job ahead vs illegal logging
  14. iWitness: Si GOB at ang mga BUGADOR, 08/25/2008
  15. "Mount Cresta, Divilacan, Cagayan Valley, Philippines". Google Maps. Retrieved on 2014-09-28.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Province: Isabela". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority - National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  17. More than ‘munggo’: Isabela’s San Mateo is an agro-ecological city in the making , Business Mirror, July 06, 2013. Retrieved July 08, 2013
  18. 1 2 "Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay: as of May 1, 2010 (Cagayan Valley)" (PDF). 2010 Census of Population and Housing. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  19. "Republic Act No. 10169; An Act Converting the Municipality of Ilagan in the Province of Isabela into a Component City to be Known as the City of Ilagan" (PDF). Senate of the Philippines. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  20. Ilagan cityhood gets Senate nod Philippine Star. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  21. "Robinsons Place Santiago Grand Opening Invitation". Flickr. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  22. Top 10 Highest earning Philippine province Nobert Bermosa website. Retrieved 06-17-2012.
  23. "P3-M premyo ng Isabela bilang Best Corn Quality Awardee". Bombo Radyo. Retrieved 19 October 2013.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Isabela (province).

Geographic data related to Isabela (province) at OpenStreetMap

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