Region II (Cagayan Valley Region)

Area and location

- Located on the northeastern part of mainland Luzon
- Covering an area of about 26,858.79 square kilometers.
- Bounded on the east by the sierra Madre Mountain Range, on the west by the Caraballo and
Cordillera Ranges, and on the north by the South China Sea

Geographic Profile
- Climate is dry from December up to May and wet from June to November
- Hot months are from March to May, sometimes extending up to June

People
- As of 2000, the population was registered as 2,813,159
- Speaks Ilocano, Ibanag, Itawes, and Tagalog
- Ivatan in Batanes and English is generally understood

Political profile
- Composed of five provinces, namely; Cagayn, Isabela, Batanes, Quirino, And Nueva Vizcaya

How to get there

- By land through buses
- The only province that requires air travel is Batanes
- Can get Tuguegarao or Laoag in Ilocos Norte via small planes

Cagayan
Capital: Tuguegarao City

Area and location

- Lies on the northeastern part of Luzon
- Has an aggregate land area of 9,002.70 square kilometers, which constitutes three percent of the
total land area of the country, making it the second largest province in the region
- Bounded by the mountain range of the Sierra Madre on the east extending up to the beaches of
the coastal towns, on the south by Isabela Province, on the west by the Cordilleras, and on the
north by the Balintang Channel, Babuyanes, and the South China Sea
Geographic profile
- Two kilometers from the northeastern tip of the province is the island of Palaui; a few kilometers
to the west is Fuga Island

How to get there

- Domestic airplanes fly to Tuguegarao on regular schedules
- Bus companies like Victory liner leave Manila for Cagayan everyday

Tourist Attractions
1. Aggao Nak Cagayan (Province-wide)
- Also known as Cagayan Day
- Celebrate every June 29
2. Aparri Delta (Aparri)
- Is an impressive expanse of water that is located where the Cagayan River meets the South China
Sea
- From the jetty, one can see the awesome mouth of the Cagayan River

3. Buntun Bridge (Buntun, Tuguegarao)

- At 1.124 kilometers, this bridge is the second longest in the country and offers an unobstructed
view of the Cagayan River
- Located some 2.5 kilometers from the Tuguegarao town proper

4. Cagayan River or Rio Grande de Cagayan (Large parts of the province)

- The Philippines mightiest watercourse
- The longest and widest river in the country
- Originates from small steams coming from Balete Pass, Cordillera, Caraballo, and the Sierra
Madres that meet other streams and rivers in the area
5. Callao Caves (Aggugagdan, Peñablanca)
- Boast massive limestone and other rock formations, skylights and a chapel
- The circadian flight of thousands of bats from their cave at dusk is also a major attraction

6. Iguig Calvary Hills (Iguig)

- A duplicate of the 14 Stations of the Cross is situated atop an 11-hectare rolling terrain
overlooking the Cagayan River

7. Oldest Bell in Southeast Asia (Calamaniugan)

- Forged in 1595
- It was brought to Manila in February 1937 as part of the attractions during the 33 rd International
Eucharistic Congress

8. St. Peter’s Cathedral (Poblacion, Tuguegarao)

- The seat of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao
- A picture of it hangs in the Basilica in Rome
- Considered one of the most beautiful works at art in the world
 St. Peter the Martyr Parish Church

St. Peter Metropolitan Church

9. The Miraculous Lady of Piat (Piat)
- Considered the “Antipolo of Northern Luzon” the Mecca of the devoted, and the pilgrimage
center of Cagayan Valley.

Isabela
Capital: Ilagan

Area and location

- 10, 665 square kilometers
- Comprises of 40 percent of the regional territory, making it the largest province in the region and
the second largest province in the country in term of land area
- Located in the northeastern part of Luzon, bounded on the north of Cagayan, on the south by
Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and Aurora, on the west by Kalinga, Apayao, Ifugao and Mountain
Province, and on the east by the Pacific Ocean

Geographic profile
- Rugged and thickly forested

How to get there

- special flights offer to Cauayan Airport in Isabela
- from Manila by land through buses

Tourist Attractions
1. Aguinaldo Shrine (Palanan)
- was where Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was captured by American forces, ending in the Philippine
Revolution in 1901
2. Church of Alicia (Alicia)
- famous for its antique Spanish architecture

3. Church of Echague (Echague)

- has a unique architecture that is hardly found anywhere in the Philippines

4. Dibulo Waterfalls (Dinapigue)

- has an estimated length of 100 meter
- it is being studied as a possible power and energy source

5. Magat Dam Tourism Resort Complex (Brgy. Aguinaldo, Ramon)

- Asia’s biggest dam project
- The reservoir area is suitable for fishing, swimming, boating, sight-seeing, and picnicking
6. Our Lady of Visitation Church (Guibang)
- Visited it many devotees, especially every July 2, which is Her feast day

7. Palanan Rainforest (Palanan)

- The Philippines largest existing rainforest
- Situated at 1800 feet above sea level
- Home to numerous unknown endemic species of flora and fauna and has exceptional biodiversity

8. St. Mathias Church (Tumaini)

- An 18th-century ultra-baroque church unique for its extensive use of baked clay both for the
walling finishing and for ornamentation
- Also has a unique cylindrical bell tower

9. San Pablo Church (San Pablo)

- Built in 1625 under the supervision of Spanish Missionary Padre de Santo Tomas
 - The oldest church in the province

10. Nuestra Señora de Atocha (Alicia)

- One of the oldest churches in the province
- Built during the Spanish period

11. St. Rose de Lima Church (Gamu)

- One of the oldest Spanish churches in the province

12. Sta. Victoria Caves (Fuyo Natinal Park, Ilagan)

- Famous of its stalactites and stalagmites, the site is ideal for spelunking

Batanes
Capital: Basco
Area and location
- Has a total area of 230 square kilometers
- 860 kilometers north of Manila and 190 kilometers south of Taiwan

Geographic profile
- Made up of three major islands, Batang, Sabtang, and Itbayat
- The land area is small, about 4,500 square kilometers
- The terrain is quite rugged, with 42 percent of the land being steel hills and mountains
- All the islands have intermittent stretches of sandy beaches and rocky shorelines

How to get there

- By air – flight is three hours from Manila, and one hour from Tuguegarao
- A ferry servicing the Ilocos and Batanes route can also be used

Tourist Attractions
1. Batanes Day (Basco)
- Held to commemorate the founding of the islands as
province
- Held every June 26 and features street parades and
local contest

2. Itbayat Island (Itbayat)

- Located north of Batan, Itbayat is shaped like a giant
bowl
- Surrounded by massive boulders and cliffs rising from 20 to 70 feet above sea level with no
shorelines

3. Marlboro Country
- Mostly wide open spaces with almost no inhabitants
- The major inhabitants are cows that are let loose to graze
- All around is nothing but the panoramic landscape and seascape

4. Mt. Iraya (Basco)

- Is a dormant volcano rising 1,517 meters above sea level
- Its last eruption was in 505AD
- Good source of fertile soil
5. Naidi Hills (Basco)
- Offer a panoramic view of the Basco town proper
- Rugged seascapes that Batanes is famous for
6. Sabtang Island (Sabtang)
- Undisturbed and unspoiled island that has intermittent white sand beaches, steep mountains, deep
canyons, and small level areas along the coastline.

7. San Carlos Borromeo Church (Mahatao)

- Was completed in 1789 and still remains its
centuries-old features

8. San Jose Church (Ivana)

- Was built in 1814
- Has a crenellated fortress like campanile

9. Y’ami (Northernmost Island of the province)

- Also called Orchid Island
- One can see Taiwan from here on a clear day
 - Tatus and coconut crabs abound in the island as well as many other marine life

Nueva Vizacaya
Capital: Bayombong

Area and location

- Located 210 kilometers north of Manila
- The southern gateway to Cagayan
- Occupies a land area of approximately 3,903.90 square kilometers, which is about 10.72 percent
of the regional land area and 1.30 percent of the total land area of the country

Geographic profile
- Numerous mountains and forests and is considerable number of rolling hills, plains, and valleys
characterize the terrain of Nueva Vizcaya
- Surrounded by notable mountain ranges such as the Sierra Madre on the east and the Caraballo on
the south, and the Cordillera on the west

How to get there

- Accessible by land
- Buses going to Isabela and Cagayan pass through here

Tourist Attractions
1. Dalton pass (Nueva Vizcaya)
- Aside from being the gateway to the Cagayan valley region
- Also offers the only direct route between Pampanga and Cagayan Valley
- According to history, the pass became the scene of much bloody fighting before the final stages
of World War II

2. Dalton Pass Historical Shrine (Sta. Fe)

- Standing at about 3,000 feet above sea level, the shrine was built in commemorate of the battle at
Balete Pass during World War II
3. Dupax Del Sur Church (Dupax Del Sur)
- Covering an area of 7,200 square meters
- One of the oldest and biggest church in the valley
- Its architectural design is said to be similar to that of Tuguegarao’s St. Peter’s Cathedral

4. Kirang Pass (Kirang, Aritao)

- Monument to honor of the gallantry of the Filipinos soldiers during World War II

5. Mt. Pulag National Park (Kayapa)

- Serves as a gateway to tha country’s second highest
peak
- Arises 9,630 feet above sea level
- Occupies parts of Nueva Vizcaya and Benguet

6. Nueva Vizcaya Capitol (Bayombong)

- A study of architectural ingenuity, the capitol has a
park with exotic plant species, concrete benches,
sidewalks lighted with giant mercury lamps and a
man-made lagoon ideal for rowing
- It also houses all the provincial government officers
7. Salinas Salt Spring (Bambang)
- A natural wonder consisting of hills made entirely of petrified white salt

8. St. Dominic Cathedral (Bayombong)

- Is a living vestige of the grandeur that was the old town, maintaining its original 18 th-century
Spanish-style facade
- It is said to have been the first cathedral in the province

9. Capisaan caves (Capisaan)

- Wonder features impressive limestone formation
- One can have a great adventure exploring this site
Quirino
Capital: Cabarroguis

Area and location

- Occupies a total area of 3,057.18 square kilometers approximately 8.4 percent of the total
regional area and about 1.02 percent of the total land area of the country
- Located the southeastern part of Cagayan Valley

Geographic profile
- Provides a natural barrier on the eastern and southern border
- About 80 percent of the land area is mountainous

How to get there

- 375 kilometers from Manila, approximately six hours away by bus
- Take any of the buses that regularly go to Isabela or Cagayan and get off at Cordon.
- Take jeep-neys and minibuses ply route to
Quirino

Tourist Attractions
1. Aglipay Caves (Cabarroguis)
- A series of 38 caves, seven of which have
already been developed for tourism
- Located in an area of undulating hills and rich
forest reserve
- Also features an underground river

2. Aglipay Town (Aglipay)

- Got its name from Fr. Gregorio Aglipay, a Filipino priest who rebelled against the Spanish
colonizers and founded the Philippine Independent Church

3. Araw ng Quirino (Quirino)

- Commomerate the birth of the province
4. Bisangal Waterfalls (Quirino)
- Situated in a virgin forestland that is considered a haven for wildlife and endangered species.

5. Cabarroguis Falls (Cabarroguis)

- One of the many natural attractions in the province which has a potential for tourism development

6. Governor Rapids (Maddela)

- Offers swift, turbulent, crystal-clear waters
ideal for water activities such as river rafting
 - Also famous for its giant wall of limestone jutting out from one side of the Cagayan River

7. Nagbukel Cave (Diffun)

- Located inside a dome-shaped
mountain frequented by domestic
tourists during the Holy Week
- An ideal site for hiking and picnicking

8. Nagtipunan Town (Nagtipunan)

- Surrounded by virgin forest and is currently being developed as a gateway to Quezon Province

9. Pongo River Valley

- A natural area that offers scenic opportunities and perhaps some nature activities to the visitors

10. Upper Cagayan River Basin (Nagtipunan)

- Source of Cagayan River
- Develop as a camp and picnic grove
11. Victoria Falls (Barrio Sangbay, Nagtipunan)
- Believed to be one of the source of the Cagayan River that cuts the valley into two and ends at the
Aparri Delta
- Aparri Delta