Adrian Benedict Agpalo BSEDSS 1-1D

Lara Marie Aguirre Geography 2

John Mark Balane Dr. Manolito San Jose

Philippine Geography

Region 2 (Cagayan Valley)

Cagayan Valley is the second-largest Philippine administrative region by land area

covering an area of 28, 228.83 km2 or 10, 899 sq. mi. Most of the region lies in a large valley,
between the Cordilleras and the Sierra Madre mountain ranges. The eponymous Cagayan
River, the country's largest, runs through its center and flows south to north from the Caraballo
Mountains to the Luzon Strait, in the town of Aparri, Cagayan. The official region includes the
outlying Babuyan Island and Batanes Islands to the north. Cagayan Valley is a land of beauty,
plenty of natural resources and conveys different development potentials such as fertile
farmlands, forests and grasslands, and marine resources. Region 2 is considered the “last
frontier” of the Philippines, being one of the few regions with existing watersheds.

It is composed of five Philippine provinces: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya,

and Quirino. The region has four official cities: Cauayan, Isabela, Ilagan, Santiago,
and Tuguegarao as the regional center. Previously, it had seven provinces but because of the
creation of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), its territorial jurisdiction was lessened
into only five provinces that excluded the provinces of Ifugao, and the Province of Kalinga
Apayao which was eventually divided into two provinces under CAR.

The Sierra Madre is the longest mountain range in the Philippines. It is located in the
east of the region. It is also known as the “backbone of Luzon.” It covers the northeast coast of
Luzon island, serving as a natural shield against typhoons coming from the Pacific Ocean. The
Cagayan River is the longest river in the country. It supports the lives of numerous endemic and
endangered species, like the Luzon bleeding-heart pigeon (Gallicolumba luzonica), Philippine
eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) and a rare riverine fish called ludong (Cestreaus plicatilis). The
river drains a fertile valley that produces a variety of crops, including rice, corn, banana,
coconut, citrus, and tobacco. As of 2005, a total of 6,402 irrigation systems made use of the
Cagayan River and its tributaries as their main source of water.

The Magat River Irrigation System Dam in Ramon, Isabela is the primary source of
irrigation water in the province. Magat Hydro Electric Power Plant is one of the top hydroelectric
power plants in the country. Water from the Magat Reservoir is released through the four
penstocks at 120 cms each. Through large turbines, this is used to generate electricity of up to
360 MW. Matuno, Imugan, Santa Cruz and Sante Fe rivers have been the alternative reservoir
of the Nueva Vizcaya. The Dibulo Waterfalls in Dinapigue has an estimated length of 100
meters. It is being studied as a possible power and energy sources.
 The region is considered as Philippines’ tilapia capital, posting an all-time high record
production of the fish, known also as Saint Peter’s fish. The Ilagan City of Isabela was formally
declared as the “Corn Capital of the Philippines.” The city has 17, 685 hectares of corn area that
harvests 168.774 metric tons every year. The domestic supply of citrus is insufficient to meet
local demand. To address this concern, Nueva Vizcaya joined the program, “Citrus Resources
Research for Development in Cagayan Valley (CRR4DCV).” Funded by DOST-PCAARRD, the
program is expected to help the local citrus industry elevating Cagayan Valley as the “Citrus
Capital of the Philippines.”

Due to Cagayan Valley’s location, especially in Isabela which is near the water bodies,
they are most likely to be prone to having flash floods. In Cagayan River, The main problem is
the insufficient structural facilities to regulate floodwaters during the rainy season and the water
quality of the river is deteriorating due to improper waste disposal, heavy use of chemicals of
the people. Cagayan Valley is rich in mineral resources; the mining industry is common in the
region but too much mining could result in nature destruction and accidents. In agriculture,
producing tobacco is one of the biggest markets in the region, but too much production of this
product can harm farmlands as it can result to mono-cropping. Logging is another industry in
Cagayan Valley. The region also produces more logs than any other region in Luzon. But
excessive logging can put the biodiversity at risk.

Guide Questions:

1. The Cagayan Valley has one of the richest and fertile agricultural lands among the
country but the risk of wide commercialization in the region is prevalent. How will we
preserve the natural resources despite the threat of commercialization?

2. How will you relate the Cagayan River to the famous river that served as the frontier of
civilization in history such as the Tigris-Euphrates River system in ancient
Mesopotamia?

3. Cagayan Valley is home for many indigenous peoples, what do you think are their
importance in the region?

4. The Region is habitat to country’s endangered species like the Luzon bleeding-heart
pigeon and Philippine eagle. How will the Republic Act 9147 protect these animals?

5. How important the Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges to the region in terms of safety and
livelihood?