7/24/2020 Mountain Province - Wikipedia

Coordinates: 17°05′N 121°10′E

Mountain Province
Mountain Province (Filipino: Lalawigang Bulubundukin) is a landlocked province of the
Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is Bontoc. Mountain Province
Province
Mountain Province was formerly referred to as Mountain in some foreign references. The name
is usually shortened by locals to Mt. Province. The province was named so for being in the
Cordillera Central mountain range found in the upper realms of Luzon island.

Mountain Province was also the name of the historical province that included most of the current
Cordillera provinces. This old province was established by the Philippine Commission in
1908,[3][4][5] and was later split in 1966 into Mountain Province, Benguet, Kalinga-Apayao and
Ifugao.[6][7][8]

The province is also known for its mummy caves, which contain naturally mummified bodies,
and for its hanging coffins.[6]
Overlooking the Maligcong Rice Terraces
in Bontoc

Contents
History
Spanish period
American period Flag Seal
Post-war era
Geography
Administrative divisions
Barangays
Demographics
Religion
Tourism
Government
List of former governors
References
External links

History

Spanish period
Location in the Philippines
The area of the Cordillera mountains proved difficult to control by the Spaniards. From 1566 to Coordinates: 17°05′N 121°10′E
1665, they sent expeditions to conquer the land but the rugged terrain and hostile indigenous Country Philippines
population at the time were major obstacles to complete subjugation.[9] Region Cordillera
Administrative
Formerly called La Montañosa by the Spanish colonizers due to its mountainous terrain,[6][10] Region (CAR)
the area was subdivided into 6 comandancias politico-militar.[11] Founded 1908
Capital Bontoc
The 6 former Comandancias Politico-Militar of La Montañosa [11]
Government
Comandancia Year established Comandancia Year established
• Type Sangguniang
Benguet 1846 Amburayan 1889 Panlalawigan
• Governor Bonifacio C.
Lepanto 1852 Kayapa 1891 Lacwasan Jr.
Bontoc 1859 Cabugaoan 1891 • Vice Governor Francis O. Taulif
• Representative Maximo Y. Dalug
Jr.
American period Area[1]
• Total 2,157.38 km2
On August 19, 1908, during the American rule, the Philippine Commission enacted Act No. 1876, (832.97 sq mi)
which organized the entire area of the Cordilleras into one large province, named Mountain Area rank 58th out of 81
Province.[3][5][6][12]
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The first governor was Samuel Cane, and the town of Bontoc was made the capital. It was Highest elevation 2,717 m (8,914 ft)
originally composed of the sub-provinces of Amburayan, Apayao, Benguet, Lepanto-Bontoc, (Mount Singakalsa)
Ifugao and Kalinga.[5][10] Population (2015 census)[2]
• Total 154,590
Amburayan was later abolished in 1920 and its corresponding territories were transferred to the • Rank 76th out of 81
provinces of Ilocos Sur and La Union. Lepanto was also reduced in size and its towns were • Density 72/km2
integrated into the sub-provinces of Bontoc and Benguet, and to the province of Ilocos Sur.[9][13] (190/sq mi)
[14]
• Density rank 75th out of 81
Divisions
Historical sub-provinces of Mountain Province under Act No. 1876[3][5][11][14]
• Independent cities 0
Sub-province Abolished? Notes • Component cities 0
• Municipalities 10
Amburayan Yes, in 1920 Territories annexed to Ilocos Sur and La Union[5][14]
Barlig
Apayao No Bauko
Benguet No Eastern towns annexed to Ilocos Sur and La Union in 1920[14] Besao
Bontoc
Ifugao No
Natonin
Kalinga No Paracelis
Sabangan
Lepanto-Bontoc Yes, in 1920 Territories annexed to Ilocos Sur, Bontoc and Benguet[5][14]
Sadanga
Sagada
Tadian
• Barangays 144
• Districts Lone district of
Mountain
Province
Time zone UTC+8 (PHT)
ZIP code 2616–2625
The province in 1918 Bontoc sub-province in IDD : area code  +63 (0)74
1918 ISO 3166 code PH
Spoken languages Bontoc ·
Kankana-ey ·
Ilocano · Tagalog
· English
Website mountainprovince
.gov.ph (http://mo
untainprovince.go
v.ph)

Post-war era

Effective on April 7, 1967, Republic Act No. 4695 abolished the old Mountain Province, converting its sub-provinces into 4 independent
provinces: Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga-Apayao and Mountain Province (corresponding to the former Bontoc sub-province).[6][8][10] On June
15, 1987, the Cordillera Administrative Region was established upon the issuance of Executive Order 220 by then-President Corazon
Aquino, and Mountain Province was made one of its provinces.[9][15][16]

Geography
Mountain Province covers a total area of 2,157.38 square kilometres (832.97 sq mi)[17] occupying the
central section of the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. The province is bordered on the north
by Kalinga, south by Ifugao, southwest by Benguet, west by Ilocos Sur, and northwest by Abra.

Situated within the Cordillera Central, Mountain Province is 83% mountainous while 17% make up hills
and levels. The province has many rivers, waterfalls, mountains, and caves. The central and western
areas of the province are characterized by rugged mountains and steep cliffs, while the eastern portion The Chico River with the capital
has generally sloping terrain.[6][10] town of Bontoc in the background

Administrative divisions

Mountain Province comprises ten municipalities, all encompassed by a lone legislative district.[17]

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Political divisions

Municipality [i] Population ±% p.a. Area[17] Density (2015) Barangay

(2015)[2] (2010)[18] km2 sq mi /km2 /sq mi

Barlig 3.1% 4,819 5,838 −3.59% 228.64 88.28 21 54 11

Bauko 20.1% 31,065 30,172 +0.56% 153.00 59.07 200 520 22
Besao 4.6% 7,040 7,818 −1.98% 173.62 67.04 41 110 14

Bontoc † 15.9% 24,643 23,980 +0.52% 396.10 152.94 62 160 16

Natonin 6.6% 10,272 10,048 +0.42% 252.00 97.30 41 110 11

Paracelis 18.2% 28,121 26,476 +1.15% 570.16 220.14 49 130 9

Sabangan 6.0% 9,315 8,741 +1.22% 72.04 27.81 130 340 15
Sadanga 5.7% 8,799 9,181 −0.81% 83.30 32.16 110 280 8
Sagada 7.2% 11,127 11,244 −0.20% 83.32 32.17 130 340 19
Tadian 12.5% 19,389 20,689 −1.23% 145.20 56.06 130 340 19
T 154,590 154,187 +0.05% 2,157.38 832.97 72 190 144

†  Provincial capital  Municipality

i. The globe icon marks the town center.

Barangays

Mountain Province has 144 barangays comprising its 10 municipalities.[18]

As of 2010, the most populous barangay in the province is Poblacion in the municipality of Paracelis, with a total of 5,687 inhabitants.
Balintaugan in the municipality of Bauko has the least population with only 144.[18]

Demographics
The population of Mountain Province in the 2015 census was 154,590 people,[2] with a density of 72 inhabitants per square kilometre or 190
inhabitants per square mile.

Population census of Population by ethnicity (2000)[20]

Ethnicity Number
Mountain Province Kankanaey   72,694 (51.80%)
Year Pop. ±% p.a. Balangao / Baliwon 18,886 (13.46%)
Bontoc 17,234 (12.28%)
1990 116,535 —
Ilocano 6,968 (4.97%)
1995 130,755 +2.18%
Applai 2,947 (2.10%)
2000 140,631 +1.57% Binontok 2,510 (1.79%)
2007 148,661 +0.77% Kalinga 2,468 (1.76%)
2010 154,187 +1.34%

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2015 154,590 +0.05% Other local ethnicity 16,197 (11.54%)
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[2][18][19] Other foreign ethnicity 22 (0.02%)
Not Reported 413 (0.29%)

Based on the 2000 census survey, Kankana-ey comprised 51.8% (72,694) of the total provincial population of 140,339. Balangao/Baliwon
came in second at 13.46% (18,886), and Bontoc at 12.28% (17,234). Other ethnicities were the Ilocano at 4.97% (6,968), Applai at
2.1% (2,947), Binontok at 1.79% (2,510), and Kalinga at 1.76% (2,468).[20]

Religion

Anglicanism predominates in the province with approximately 60% adherence with the other religions
such as Roman Catholicism, Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Iglesia Filipina Indepiendente, Iglesia ni
Cristo and Free Believers.

Mountain Province is the only predominantly Protestant province in the Philippines.

Tourism
The province has several rice terraces in seven of its different towns:[10] An Anglican church in Sagada

Ambasing Rice Terraces — Sagada

Bangaan Rice Terraces — Sagada
Bangen Rice Terraces — Bauko
Barlig Rice Terraces — Barlig
Bayyo Rice Terraces — Bontoc
Besao Rice Terraces — Besao
Bontoc Poblacion Rice Terraces — Bontoc
Bucas Rice Terraces — Besao
Bulongan Rice Terraces — Sagada
Dalican Rice Terraces — Bontoc
Fidelisan Rice Terraces — Sagada
Focong Rice Terraces — Sadanga
Kapayawan Rice Terraces — Bauko
Kiltepan Rice Terraces — Sagada
Maligcong Rice Terraces — Bontoc
Natonin Rice Terraces — Natonin
Sadanga Rice Terraces — Sadanga
Suyo Rice Terraces — Sagada
Tanulong Rice Terraces — Sagada

The mountainous province also offers excellent mountain climbing experiences with two of its
mountains among the top 10 highest points in the Philippines:

Mount Kalawitan, 2,714+msl - Sabangan

Mount Amuyao or Mount Finaroy, 2,702+msl - Barlig

Sagada rice terraces Rice terraces in Barlig

Government

List of former governors

2001–2004 — Sario M. Malinias
2004–2010 — Maximo B. Dalog

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2010–2016 — Leonard G. Mayaen
2016–present — Bonifacio C. Lacwasan Jr.
References
1. "List of Provinces" (http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/listpr
ov.asp). PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National
Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
2. Census of Population (2015). Highlights of the Philippine
Population 2015 Census of Population (https://www.psa.gov.ph/s
ites/default/files/attachments/hsd/pressrelease/2015%20populati
on%20counts%20Summary_0.xlsx). PSA. Retrieved 20 June
2016.
3. Worcester, Dean C.; Philippine Commission (1908). Seventh
Annual Report of the Secretary of the Interior to the Philippine
Commission for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1908 (https://arc
hive.org/stream/report00integoog/report00integoog_djvu.txt)
(Digitized by Google on 23 Nov 2005 (Original file from the
University of Michigan)). Manila: U.S. Government Printing
Office. pp. 17–19. Retrieved 2 January 2015. "(Google Books
link (https://books.google.com/books?id=68VyqI5KpVsC))"
4. Keesing, Felix Maxwell; Keesing, Marie Margaret; Keesing,
Marie Martin; Institute of Pacific Relations (contributor);
International Research Committee (contributor) (1934). Taming
Philippine Headhunters: A Study of Government and of Cultural
Change in Northern Luzon (https://books.google.com/books?id=
A0OsAAAAIAAJ). Stanford University Press. p. 69.
ISBN 9780804721103. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
5. Ingles, Raul Rafael (2008). 1908 :The Way it Really was :
Historical Journal for the UP Centennial, 1908-2008 (https://book
s.google.com/books?id=lGHghPeg7qIC). Diliman, Quezon City:
University of the Philippines Press. p. 339.
ISBN 9789715425803. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
6. Lancion, Jr., Conrado M.; de Guzman, Rey (cartography) (1995).
"The Provinces". Fast Facts about Philippine Provinces (https://b
ooks.google.com/books?id=r0EOAQAAMAAJ) (The 2000
Millenium ed.). Makati, Metro Manila: Tahanan Books. pp. 108–
109. ISBN 971-630-037-9. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
7. "Natural Attractions found in Atok" (http://www.benguet.gov.ph/in
dex.php?
option=com_content&view=article&id=261&Itemid=275).
Province of Benguet. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
8. "Republic Act No. 4695: An Act Creating the Provinces of
Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao and Kalinga-Apayao" (http://
www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno4695.html).
Chan Robles Virtual Law Library. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
9. "Mt. Province" (http://www.visitmyphilippines.com/index.php?title
=Mt.Province&func=all&pid=415). VisitMyPhilippines.com The
Ultimate Travel Guide for Tourists. Department of Tourism.
Retrieved 23 December 2013.
10. "Facts & Figures: Mountain Province" (https://web.archive.org/we
b/20160901025930/http://www.nscb.gov.ph/rucar/fnf_mprov.htm)
. Philippine Statistics Authority - National Statistical Coordination
Board - Cordillera Administrative Region. Archived from the
original (http://www.nscb.gov.ph/rucar/fnf_mprov.htm) on 1
September 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
External links
Media related to Mountain Province at Wikimedia Commons
Geographic data related to Mountain Province (https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/52301) at OpenStreetMap
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mountain_Province&oldid=964594248"
This page was last edited on 26 June 2020, at 12:14 (UTC).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Province
Mountain Province - Wikipedia
11. "Benguet History" (https://web.archive.org/web/2014101921125
7/http://www.benguet.gov.ph/index.php?Itemid=268). Province of
Benguet (official website). Archived from the original (http://www.
benguet.gov.ph/index.php?Itemid=268) on 19 October 2014.
Retrieved 22 October 2014. "Benguet was once part of Mountain
Province."
12. "Act No. 1876" (https://web.archive.org/web/20141015173149/htt
p://philippinelaw.info/statutes/act1876.html). PhilippineLaw.info.
18 August 1908. Archived from the original (http://philippinelaw.in
fo/statutes/act1876.html) on 15 October 2014. Retrieved
22 October 2014.
13. Philippines. Census Office; Buencamino, Felipe; Villamor,
Ignacio (1920). Census of the Philippine Islands Taken Under
the Direction of the Philippine Legislature in the Year 1918,
Volume 1 (https://books.google.com/books?
id=BZ8wAQAAIAAJ). Bureau of printing. p. 68.
14. "Cordillera Administrative Region History" (http://cordilleraconnec
tion.blogspot.com/2009/08/cordillera-administrative-region.html).
Cordillera Connection (Blogspot). 14 August 2009. Retrieved
22 October 2014.
15. "Regional Profile: Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)" (http
s://web.archive.org/web/20141022184555/http://countrystat.bas.
gov.ph/?cont=16&r=14). CountrySTAT Philippines. Archived from
the original (http://countrystat.bas.gov.ph/?cont=16&r=14) on 22
October 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
16. "The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)" (http://ati.da.gov.p
h/car/about/cordillera-administrative-region-car). Department of
Agriculture. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
17. "Province: Mountain Province" (https://psa.gov.ph/classification/p
sgc/?q=psgc/citimuni/144400000). PSGC Interactive. Quezon
City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved
8 January 2016.
18. Census of Population and Housing (2010). Population and
Annual Growth Rates for The Philippines and Its Regions,
Provinces, and Highly Urbanized Cities (https://psa.gov.ph/sites/
default/files/attachments/hsd/pressrelease/Population%20and%2
0Annual%20Growth%20Rates%20for%20The%20Philippines%2
0and%20Its%20Regions%2C%20Provinces%2C%20and%20Hi
ghly%20Urbanized%20Cities%20Based%20on%201990%2C%2
02000%2C%20and%202010%20Censuses.pdf) (PDF). NSO.
Retrieved 29 June 2016.
19. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Cordillera
Administrative Region (CAR)" (https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/file
s/attachments/hsd/pressrelease/Cordillera%20Administrative%2
0Region.pd%66). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality
and Barangay. NSO. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
20. "Mountain Province – Home of the Kankanais; Table 4.
Household Population by Ethnicity and Sex: Mountain Province,
2000" (https://web.archive.org/web/20020615185430/http://www.
census.gov.ph/data/pressrelease/2002/pr0212tx.html). Philippine
Statistics Authority. 6 February 2002. Archived from the original
(https://www.census.gov.ph/data/pressrelease/2002/pr0212tx.ht
ml) on 15 June 2002. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
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