REGION 2- CAGAYAN VALLEY

The Region II, or Cagayan Valley Region, is the

second largest in the Philippines, with a land
area of 2,826,520 ha. It is comprised of 5
provinces namely: Batanes, Cagayan (including
Babuyan Islands), Isabela, Quirino, and Nueva
Vizcaya. It has four cities namely: Cauayan City
(the industrial center), Tuguegarao (its regional
center), City of Ilagan (its investment hub) and
Santiago City (its Premier City).
The people of Batanes, Ivatans, racially
originated from the Malays. The native
language that they speak is also called Ivatan,
although English and Filipino could be widely
understood. One of the distinct characteristics
of their culture is the evident adaptation to
strong winds and typhoons due to their
geographic location. A product of this
adaptation is seen in the construction of their
houses made of stone walls and thick cogon
roofs that could withstand strong typhoons.
They have a unique food production and
consumption pattern due to the scarcity of
resources in some of the months. They also
have rituals and festivities, which include native
songs and dances that are associated with food
production such as planting and fishing.