Cabagan, Isabela

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Cabagan
Municipality

View of the Sierra Madres from Cabagan

Seal

Motto: Cabagan Ating Mahalin

Map of Isabela showing the location of Cabagan

Cabagan
Location within the Philippines

Coordinates:

1726N 12146ECoordinates:
1726N 12146E

Country

Philippines

Region

Cagayan Valley (Region II)

Province

Isabela

District

1st District of Isabela

Barangays

26

Government[1]
Mayor

Rodolfo B. Albano

Area[2]
Total

430.40 km2 (166.18 sq mi)

Population (2010)[3]
Total

45,732

Density

110/km2 (280/sq mi)

Time zone

PST (UTC+8)

ZIP code

3328

Dialing code

78

Income class

1st class; rural

Cabagan is a first class municipality in the province of Isabela. According to the 2010 census, it had
a population of 45,732 people.[3]
Cabagan had been the business center of three nearby towns (Santa Maria, San Pablo and Santo
Tomas) before they had their own market. It is locally known for its pancit Cabagan. Its people are
called Ybanags. Nowadays, Ybanags are well educated and the source of the province's top
politicians, professionals and a world class athlete.
During Christmas, the Cabagan Square Park could be seen flashing brightly with many Christmas
lights and lanterns. Cabagan's top schools are Cabagan Science Elementary School, Saint
Ferdinand College - Cabagan Campus, Isabela State University and Science and Technology High
School.
The Malasi Lake is a sanctuary for migratory birds located in barangay San Antonio and has been
hailed by the DENR. The biggest gymnasium in Isabela and in the whole Region 2 is located in this
town and the century-old well that was built by the Spaniards, located at St. Ferdinand College,
Cabagan Campus.The carousel in Cabagan Square Park has been dubbed by the townspeople as
the largest in the Philippines.

Contents
[hide]

1 Barangays
2 History
o 2.1 Various Cabagan
o 2.2 Foundation
o 2.3 New Cabagan (Cabagan Nuevo)
3 Demographics
o 3.1 Language
4 Notable people of Cabagan
5 Festivals
6 References
7 External links

Barangays[edit]
Cabagan is politically subdivided into 26 barangays.[2]

Aggub
Anao
Angancasilian
Balasig
Cansan
Casibarag Norte
Casibarag Sur
Catabayungan
Cubag
Garita
Luquilu
Mabangug
Magassi
Ngarag
Pilig Abajo
Pilig Alto
Centro (Pob.)
San Bernardo
San Juan
Saui
Tallag
Ugad
Union
Masipi East
Masipi West
San Antonio

History[edit]
Etymologically, the name Cabagan may have originated from the native word bag or bajaque, not
because "G-strings" were used here or made in Cabagan, but most probably because there were
stores in the village, Cabagan could have also been derived from the word cabbagang, meaning
"pilgrim" or stranger. Based on the fact that Cabagan at the time, was in constant contact with
members of the "pagan tribes" from Diffun, namely southern Isabela as well as with the "Kalingas",
of the neighboring Cordillera mountains.

Various Cabagan[edit]
The Cabagan of old, that existed from 1646 to 1877 was simply called, "Cabagan". In 1877, the
Spaniards decided to transfer present-day Cabagan to a new site, abandoning the old Cabagan. In
1888, the Spaniards resurrected the abandoned Cabagan, into a new town. With this development,
there were now two Cabagans. The Spaniards rectified the predicament by naming the first
Cabagan as Cabagan Viejo, and the second Cabagan as Cabagan Nuevo or the new Cabagan.
Apparently, the name was not to the liking of the new rulers, the Americans. When the Americans
came to rule the Philippines after the Spaniards, they renamed Cabagan Nuevo as simply
"Cabagan", and the old namesake, as the town of San Pablo.

Foundation[edit]
The old Cabagan, Cabagan Viejo which is now called "San Pablo", was the key town in the
colonization of the Irrayas and to some extent Diffun, i.e., southern Isabela. The Irraya rebelled and
the only ones that the Spaniards could claim, were some three hundred families who agreed to

establish the village of Maquilla, near Tuguegarao City. Cabagan became a charter town in
November 30, 1646 and ecclesiastically in May 15, 1647 with Saint Paul the Apostle as the patron
saint.

New Cabagan (Cabagan Nuevo)[edit]

The new Cabagan came to exist, because the Spanish government decreed that in January 25,
1877, the old Cabagan or San Pablo of today, be transferred from its old site, to the one that is now
occupying. The brainchild of the transfer of Cabagan, was parish priest Pedro Ricart, who then made
representations with the Spanish government, for the transfer. Father Jose Burgues History of
Cagayan Valley gave the unhealthiness of the old site, the reason for the transfer. Others had stated
though, that Cabagan was transferred because progress appeared to be bypassing the old
Cabagan, in favor of the villages to the south, near Cabagan's present site. The new site was the
area between the villages of Ugad and Luquilu, villages that exists up to this day. The site is not far
from the old, with the church of the new Cabagan just some three kilometers or so, south from that
of the old. The transfer was not without friction though. A number of Cabagan's inhabitants opposed
the transfer. But the missionary's will had prevailed. In contempt, as it were of the natives'
opposition, the missionary uprooted the Church of the old Cabagan and brought the images and
other vestments, to the new Cabagan. When the Spaniards established a new town, they also
endeavored to build a massive church and convent made of stone, brick and mortar. From 1877,
when the new Cabagan was established, and culminating with the Philippine Revolution that
deposed the ruling Spaniards 19 years later (1896), the then governing Spaniards were still not able
to complete all constructions needed, for the new Cabagan. Cabagan is a known meeting place
among revolutionaries during the Spanish occupation.

Demographics[edit]
Population census of Cabagan
Year

Pop.

% p.a.

1990

34,999

1995

35,054

+0.03%

2000

41,536

+3.70%

2007

43,562

+0.66%

2010

45,732

+1.78%

Source: National Statistics Office[3]

Language[edit]
Cabagan, as part of the Irraya region and its language, was Irraya. The Spaniards however, made
the Ibanag "The Official Language of the Valley", and had exerted all efforts that everyone speak the
dialect. Since then, the Irraya tongue gradually disappeared from the Cabagan psyche.

When some people utter Irraya before, they were discouraged or forbidden to speak, because that
was the language of the "pagans" at that time, the Kalingas. Whenever the townsfolk enter the
poblacion, none would speak of Irraya, for they would be considered despicably as, a "Kalinga" or as
"ignorant persons", living in the mountains.
Today, no one speaks Irraya. There are however, a few barrios in Cabagan today, like San Bernardo
and Tallag, wherein the Ibanag dialect gets interspersed with Irraya. However, some older
generation townsfolk, could also remember sentences in Irraya.
Ilocano is also spoken in parts of Cabagan because of migration of poor Ilocanos from other parts of
Luzon to seek opportunities.

Notable people of Cabagan[edit]

Alex Pagulayan, the 2004 world champion in billiards hails from San Juan, a remote barangay of
Cabagan.
Philippines Vice President Jejomar Binay's mother is an Ybanag that hails from Cabagan.
Diosdado Aenlle Talamayan, D.D., Ph.D., S.T.D. (Born October 19, 1932) is the Archbishopemeritus of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tuguegarao in the province of Cagayan, on the
island of Luzon, Philippines after his retirement on June 15, 2011.
New York's Grace Gollayan Baldisseri, a poet, published author and stage director, one of the
100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the United States (2007) has roots in Cabagan.
Rodolfo B. Albano, former chairman of the Energy Regulatory Commission.