Coordinates: 17°N 122°E

Isabela (province)
Isabela, officially the Province of Isabela (Ilocano: Probinsia ti Isabela; Ibanag: Provinsia na Isabela;
Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Isabela) is the second largest province in the Philippines in land area located in Isabela
the Cagayan Valley region. Its capital and the largest local government unit is the city of Ilagan. It is
Province
bordered by the provinces of Cagayan to the north, Kalinga to the northwest, Mountain Province to the
central-west, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya to the southwest, Quirino and Aurora to the south, and the Province of Isabela[1]
Philippine Sea to the east.

This primarily agricultural province is the rice and corn granary of Luzon due to its plain and rolling
terrain. In 2012, the province was declared as the country's top producer of corn with 1,209,524 metric
tons.[7] Isabela was also declared the second-largest rice producer in the Philippines and the Queen
Province of the North.[8][9][10] Flag Seal
Nickname(s):
Isabela is the 10th richest province in the Philippines as of 2011.[11] The province has four trade centers Queen Province of the North
in the cities of Ilagan, Cauayan, Santiago and the municipality of Roxas. Santiago City, one of Isabela's Rice Bowl of the North
cities, is considered to have the fastest-growing local economy in the entire Philippines.[12]
Corn Capital of the Philippines
Sentro ng AGRIkultura[2]

Contents
Etymology
History
Spanish colonial period
American era
Independent era
Geography
Mallig Plains region
Administrative divisions
Barangays
Government
Governors
Legislative districts
Demographics
Location in the Philippines
Religion
OpenStreetMap
Economy
Trade and industry
Agriculture
Forestland
Fisheries
Mineral and energy
Power
Transportation
Ilagan-Divilacan Road
Airports and sea ports
Coordinates: 17°N 122°E
Education
Colleges and universities Country Philippines
Region Cagayan Valley
Tourism
Founded May 01, 1856
Places of interest
Churches Capital Ilagan
and largest city
Notable personalities Government
Notes • Type Sangguniang
Panlalawigan
Further reading
• Governor Rodolfo T.
External links Albano III (PDP–
Laban)
• Vice Governor Faustino G. Dy III
Etymology (NPC)
• Legislature Isabela Provincial
Board
The province was named after Isabella II, who was queen regnant of Spain from 29 September 1833
until 30 September 1868, when she was deposed in the Glorious Revolution, and her formal abdication Area[3]
two years later. • Total 12,414.93 km2
There have been proposals to change the name to something more indigenous, but these were rejected (4,793.43 sq mi)
by the people of Isabela. • Rank 2nd out of 81
(includes
Santiago)
History Highest elevation[4] 1,736 m
(Mount Dos Cuernos) (5,696 ft)
The province of Isabela used to be a vast rainforest where numerous indigenous ethnolinguistic groups
lived. Many of the same ethnic groups still live in the province. Shell midden sites and other Population (2020 census) [5][6]
archaeological sites throughout the province constitute the material culture of those groups during the • Total 1,697,050
classical era. • Rank 15th out of 81
• Density 140/km2
(350/sq mi)
Spanish colonial period • Rank 67th out of 81
(Includes
During the Spanish era, prior to 1856, the Cagayan Valley was divided into only two provinces: Santiago)
Cagayan and Nueva Vizcaya. The Province of Cagayan at that time consisted of all towns from Demonym(s) Isabeliño (m)
Tumauini to Aparri in the north. All other towns from Ilagan southward to Aritao comprised the Isabeliña (f)
Province of the old Nueva Vizcaya. In order to facilitate the work of the Catholic missionaries in the Isabelan
evangelization of the Cagayan Valley, a royal decree was issued on May 1, 1856, creating the Province
of Isabela consisting of the towns of Gamu, Old Angadanan (now Alicia), Bindang (now Roxas) and Divisions
Camarag (now Echague), Carig (now Santiago City) and Palanan, all detached from the Province of • Independent cities 1
Nueva Vizcaya; while Cabagan and Tumauini were taken from the Province of Cagayan. Santiago
(Independent
The province was placed under the jurisdiction of a governor (Lieutenant Colonel of Cavalry Francisco Component City)
Contreras y Urtasun) with Ilagan as the capital, where it remains up to present. It was initially called • Component cities 2
Isabela de Luzón to differentiate from other places in the Philippines bearing the name of Isabela. The
Cauayan
new province was named after Queen Isabella II of Spain.[13]
Ilagan
• Municipalities 34
American era Alicia
Angadanan
Although the province did not play a major role in the revolt against Spain, it is in Palanan that the final Aurora
pages of the Philippine Revolution were written when United States troops, led by General Frederick Benito Soliven
Funston, finally captured General Emilio Aguinaldo in the area on March 23, 1901. To commemorate
Burgos
this historical event, Dr. Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS (now a cardiac surgeon in Las Vegas,
Cabagan
Nevada, and Munster, Indiana, USA) then a 26-year-old medical missionary volunteer to the Work-A-
Year-With-The-People's project of then Senator Raul S. Manglapus, Manuel Quezon, Jr., and Ramon Cabatuan
Magsaysay, Jr., in 1962, while ministering to the health needs of the people in Palanan in his medical Cordon
office at the Carmelite Convent, succeeded in convincing the town officials to construct a marker, a Delfin Albano
monument by the Palanan City Hall, right on the spot where General Aguinaldo was captured, to Dinapigue
memorialize the historical event. The monument was inaugurated on June 12, 1962, Philippine Divilacan
Independence Day, and still stands today. Echague
Gamu
Isabela was re-organized as a province under the American military government through Act No. 210,
Jones
passed August 24, 1901.[14]
Luna
The Americans built schools and other buildings and instituted changes in the overall political system. Maconacon
However, the province's economy remained particularly agricultural with rice replacing corn and Mallig
tobacco as the dominant crop. World War II stagnated the province's economic growth but it recovered Naguilian
dramatically after the war. In 1942, Imperial Japanese occupied Isabela. In 1945, the liberation of Palanan
Isabela commenced with the arrival of the Philippine Commonwealth troops under the Philippine Quezon
Army, Constabulary, and USAFIP-NL units and recognized guerrillas attacked by the Japanese Quirino
Imperial forces in World War II. Ramon
Reina Mercedes
A new wave of immigration began in the late 19th and 20th centuries with the arrival of the Ilokano
Roxas
who came in large numbers. They now constitute the largest group in the province. Other ethnic groups
followed that made Isabela the "Melting Pot of the Northern Philippines".[13] San Agustin
San Guillermo
San Isidro
Independent era San Manuel
San Mariano
In 1975, construction began on the Magat Dam on the boundary of Ramon, Isabela with neighboring San Mateo
Ifugao Province, becoming a catchbasin for 8 rivers upstream in Ifugao[15] and serving multiple San Pablo
functions, including: irrigating of agricultural lands; flood control; and power generation. The Santa Maria
construction was protested by the Ifugao people due to the flooding of their ancestral lands,[16] but the
Santo Tomas
dam was eventually completed in 1982, partially funded through a loan from the World Bank.[17]
Tumauini
In 1995, Republic Act 7891 was passed, legislating that Isabela be divided into two new provinces: • Barangays 1,018
Isabela del Norte and Isabela del Sur.[18][19] A referendum was held on the same year with a slight including
majority voting against partitioning the province.[20] independent cities:
1,055
In 2012, the capital town of Ilagan officially became a city, after the move gained 96% of the votes in • Districts Legislative
the plebiscite conducted on August 11, 2012.[21][22] The night after the plebiscite, Ilagan was declared districts of
as a component city of the province.[23]
 Isabela (shared
Geography with Santiago City)

Time zone UTC+8 (PHT)

Isabela comprises an aggregate land area of 12,414.93 square kilometres (4,793.43 sq mi),[24]
representing almost 40 percent of the regional territory. It is the largest province in the island of Luzon ZIP code 3300–3336
and the second largest province in the Philippines by land area. Occupying the central section of the IDD : area code +63 (0)78
Cagayan Valley region in Luzon, Isabela is bordered by Cagayan to the north, Kalinga to the ISO 3166 code PH-ISA
northwest, Mountain Province to the central-west, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya to the southwest, Quirino Spoken languages Ilocano
to the south, and Aurora to the south. To the east lies the Philippine Sea, making Isabela one of the Ibanag
typhoon-prone provinces in the country. Gaddang
The province is divided into three physiographic areas. The Tagalog
eastern area, straddled by the Sierra Madre mountain range, is Yogad
rugged and thickly forested. A substantial portion is uncharted. English
These unexplored hinterlands are home to a rich variety of flora Website provinceofisabela
and fauna, and some are under government reservations. It is .ph (http://provinc
home to one of the world's largest remaining low-altitude eofisabela.ph)
rainforests, with numerous unknown endemic species of flora
and fauna and biological diversity in the protected area known as the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park.
View of the Sierra Madre Isabela has 600,000 hectares (1,500,000 acres) of Cagayan Valley’s 900,000 hectares (2,200,000 acres) of
forest cover.[25][26]

The highest point of the province is located near the border with Cagayan. Mount Dos Cuernos peak has an elevation of 1,785 metres (5,856 ft) located
in San Pablo near the border with Maconacon. Other notable peaks in the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park is Mount Cresta in Divilacan with an
elevation of 1,672 metres (5,486 ft).[27]

The western area is a fertile valley hemmed by the Central Cordillera. It is crisscrossed by the mighty Cagayan River, Siffu River, and Magat River.

Mallig Plains region

Mallig Plains is a region in the western section of the province. Its name was derived from the rolling terrains or kilometers of plain lands in western part
of Isabela. The municipality of Roxas serves as the business center of the region. The Plains encompassing the municipalities of Quezon, Mallig,
Quirino, Burgos, Aurora, San Manuel and Roxas.

Administrative divisions

Isabela is politically subdivided into thirty four (34) municipalities, two component cities and one independent
component city. The province is represented in the Philippine House of Representatives with six legislative
districts.[24]

The province has ten first class municipalities, two second class cities and one first class independent component
city. Ilagan City, which became a city thirteen years after its failed cityhood proposal in 1998, it is now Luzon’s
largest and the country’s fourth biggest city after Davao City, Puerto Princesa and Zamboanga City by land area.

† Provincial capital and component city

^ Independent component city
∗ Component city
Municipality

City or ±%
District[28] Population Area[24] Density Barangay Coordinates[A]
municipality p.a.
(2020) [5] (2015) [29] km2 sq mi /km2 /sq mi
16°46′44″N
Alicia 3rd 4.4% 73,874 71,504 0.62% 154.10 59.50 480 1,200 34
121°41′57″E
16°45′24″N
Angadanan 3rd 2.7% 44,977 43,061 0.83% 204.40 78.92 220 570 59
121°44′53″E
16°59′26″N
Aurora 5th 2.2% 36,621 35,017 0.86% 115.56 44.62 320 830 33
121°38′21″E
16°59′05″N
Benito Soliven 2nd 1.8% 29,752 29,624 0.08% 197.52 76.26 150 390 29
121°57′41″E
17°04′05″N
Burgos 5th 1.5% 26,040 23,784 1.74% 73.10 28.22 360 930 14
121°41′37″E
17°25′35″N
Cabagan 1st 3.2% 53,897 50,174 1.37% 430.40 166.18 120 310 26
121°45′54″E
16°57′15″N
Cabatuan 3rd 2.4% 39,990 39,413 0.28% 72.00 27.80 560 1,500 22
121°40′11″E
16°56′03″N
Cauayan[1] ∗ 6th 8.5% 143,403 129,523 1.96% 336.40 129.88 430 1,100 65
121°46′00″E
Cordon 4th 2.7% 46,477 42,926 1.52% 144.00 55.60 320 830 26 16°40′26″N
121°27′58″E
17°18′16″N
Delfin Albano 1st 1.8% 29,928 26,614 2.26% 189.00 72.97 160 410 29
121°46′44″E
16°31′29″N
Dinapigue 4th 0.3% 5,821 5,005 2.92% 1,031.93 398.43 5.6 15 6
122°15′47″E
17°19′47″N
Divilacan 1st 0.3% 5,827 5,687 0.46% 889.49 343.43 6.6 17 12
122°17′46″E
16°43′00″N
Echague 6th 5.2% 88,410 79,094 2.14% 648.38 250.34 140 360 64
121°41′00″E
17°02′50″N
Gamu 2nd 1.8% 30,655 29,904 0.47% 129.40 49.96 240 620 16
121°50′00″E
17°08′39″N
Ilagan[2] † 1st 9.3% 158,218 145,568 1.60% 1,166.26 450.30 140 360 91
121°53′20″E
16°33′33″N
Jones 4th 2.7% 45,628 45,666 −0.02% 670.14 258.74 68 180 42
121°42′13″E
16°58′06″N
Luna 5th 1.2% 20,697 19,326 1.31% 44.94 17.35 460 1,200 19
121°43′45″E
17°23′21″N
Maconacon 1st 0.2% 3,977 4,253 −1.27% 538.66 207.98 7.4 19 10
122°14′23″E
17°12′41″N
Mallig 5th 1.9% 32,208 30,459 1.07% 158.55 61.22 200 520 18
121°36′40″E
17°01′23″N
Naguilian 2nd 2.0% 33,788 31,902 1.10% 169.81 65.56 200 520 25
121°50′06″E
17°03′46″N
Palanan 2nd 1.0% 17,684 17,260 0.46% 880.24 339.86 20 52 17
122°25′45″E
17°18′41″N
Quezon 5th 1.6% 27,037 25,860 0.85% 207.07 79.95 130 340 15
121°36′21″E
17°09′10″N
Quirino 5th 1.5% 25,023 24,501 0.40% 126.20 48.73 200 520 21
121°45′19″E
16°46′53″N
Ramon 3rd 3.3% 56,523 52,707 1.34% 135.17 52.19 420 1,100 19
121°32′06″E
Reina 16°59′15″N
2nd 1.6% 27,900 26,998 0.63% 57.14 22.06 490 1,300 20
Mercedes 121°49′07″E
17°07′18″N
Roxas 5th 3.9% 65,839 61,773 1.22% 139.95 54.03 470 1,200 26
121°37′11″E
16°30′24″N
San Agustin 4th 1.3% 22,096 22,880 −0.66% 278.40 107.49 79 200 23
121°44′51″E
16°43′11″N
San Guillermo 6th 1.2% 20,915 20,200 0.66% 457.35 176.58 46 120 26
121°48′31″E
16°44′03″N
San Isidro 6th 1.6% 27,044 24,861 1.62% 71.90 27.76 380 980 13
121°38′01″E
17°01′20″N
San Manuel 5th 2.0% 34,085 31,896 1.27% 112.77 43.54 300 780 19
121°37′54″E
16°59′01″N
San Mariano 2nd 3.5% 60,124 55,370 1.58% 1,459.16 563.38 41 110 36
122°00′46″E
16°52′52″N
San Mateo 3rd 3.9% 66,663 64,505 0.63% 242.10 93.48 280 730 33
121°35′16″E
17°26′54″N
San Pablo 1st 1.6% 26,320 25,384 0.69% 637.90 246.29 41 110 17
121°47′43″E
17°28′17″N
Santa Maria 1st 1.5% 25,758 25,382 0.28% 124.90 48.22 210 540 20
121°45′09″E
16°41′15″N
Santiago[3] ^ 4th 8.8% 148,580 134,830 1.87% 255.50 98.65 580 1,500 37
121°32′41″E
17°23′59″N
Santo Tomas 1st 1.4% 24,528 23,005 1.23% 80.58 31.11 300 780 27
121°45′57″E
17°16′26″N
Tumauini 1st 4.2% 70,743 67,650 0.85% 471.68 182.12 150 390 46
121°48′35″E
(see GeoGroup
Total[B] 1,697,050 1,593,566 1.21% 13,102.05 5,058.73 130 340 1,055
box)

A. ^ Coordinates mark the city/town center, and are sortable by latitude.

B. ^ Total figures include the independent component city of Santiago.

1 Became a component city on March 30, 2001 under Republic Act 9017.
 2 Became a component city on August 11, 2012 under Republic Act 10169.[30][31]
3 Became an independent component city on July 6, 1994 under Republic Act 7720.

Barangays

The 34 municipalities and 3 cities of the province comprise 1,055 barangays, with Rizal in Santiago City as the most populous in 2010, and Catalina in
Cauayan City as the least. If cities are excluded, Bugallon Proper (Poblacion) in Ramon has the highest population, and Uauang-Tuliao in Santo
Tomas has the lowest. [32]

Government

Governors

After Isabela was re-organized as a province under the American regime in 1901, its first provincial governor
was Rafael Maramag, a former Municipal President and also the first Municipal President of the capital town
Ilagan. He was succeeded by his brother, Gabriel. Afterwards, Isabela was ruled by the Dy family for 34 years
(1969-2004). The dynasty was started by the patriarch of the family, Faustino N. Dy, Sr., who served as the
Mayor of Cauayan from 1965 to 1969 and sat as the provincial governor of Isabela for 22 years (1969–
1992).Around 1987, former mayor of Santiago, mayor Dodo Miranda planned to run as governor of isabela but Isabela Provincial Capitol
was ambushed by an unidentified gunman in Reina Mercedes. The reason Santiago City is independent to
Isabela was because of that incident. He was succeeded by his son, Benjamin G. Dy, in the gubernatorial seat
from 1992 to 2001. Another Dy took over the gubernatorial seat in 2001 when Faustino Dy Jr. won the 2001 elections after having served as the district
representative of the 2nd Legislative District of the province from 1992 to 2001. It was only in the 2004 elections that the family's control of the
gubernatorial seat ended when Grace Padaca won over Faustino Dy Jr. She was the first woman to serve as the governor of the province. After serving
for six years (2004-2010), she was defeated in the 2010 National Elections by Faustino "Bojie" G. Dy III who served as governor of the province for
three consecutive terms (2010-2019).

Members of the Isabela Provincial Council (2019-2022)

Position Provincial Official

Provincial Governor Rodolfo T. Albano III

Provincial Vice Governor Faustino G. Dy III

Rep. Antonio T. Albano (1st District)

Rep. Ed Christopher S. Go (2nd District)

Rep. Ian Paul L. Dy (3rd District)

District Representatives
Rep. Sheena Alyssa T. Dy (4th District and Santiago City)

Rep. Faustino Michael Carlos T. Dy III (5th District)

Rep. Faustino A. Dy V (6th District)

Delfinito Emmanuel L. Albano (1st District)

Emmanuel Joselito B. Añes (1st District)

Ed Christian S. Go (2nd District)

Edgar R. Capuchino (2nd District)

Ramon Juan N. Reyes (3rd District)

Randolph Joseph P. Arreola (3rd District)

Provincial Board Members
Abegail V. Sable (4th District)

Clifford R. Raspado (4th District)

Faustino U. Dy IV (5th District)

Edward S. Isidro (5th District)

Marco Paolo A. Meris (6th District)

Afredo V. Alili (6th District)

Legislative districts

On September 27, 2018, Republic Act No. 11080, an act reapportioning the province of Isabela into six legislative districts from four, was signed into
law and the reapportioned districts elected its representatives starting in the 2019 midterm elections.[33][34] Accordingly, the six districts[35] are as
follows:
 First District: Cabagan, Delfin Albano, Divilacan, Ilagan City, Maconacon, San Pablo, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas and Tumauini.
Second District: Benito Soliven, Gamu, Naguilian, Palanan, Reina Mercedes and San Mariano.
Third District: Alicia, Angadanan, Cabatuan, Ramon and San Mateo.
Fourth District: Cordon, Dinapigue, Jones, Santiago City and San Agustin.
Fifth District: Aurora, Burgos, Luna, Mallig, Quezon, Quirino, Roxas and San Manuel.
Sixth District: Cauayan City, Echague, San Guillermo and San Isidro.

Demographics
Population census of Isabela The population of Isabela in the 2020 census was 1,697,050 people, [5] making it the most
Year Pop. ±% p.a. populated province among the five provinces in Cagayan Valley (Region II). It had a density of 140
1903 76,431 — inhabitants per square kilometre or 360 inhabitants per square mile.
1918 112,960 +2.64%
In 2010, Isabela had a population of 1,489,645 people: 46 percent of the 3.2 million people in the
1939 219,864 +3.22%
region at that time. At the national level, the province contributed 1.58 percent to the total
1948 264,495 +2.07%
population of 88.57 million. There were 254,928 households in the province in 2007.
1960 442,062 +4.37%
1970 648,123 +3.90% For all ages, the sex ratio in Isabela was about 105 with 660,627 males and 626,948 females in the
1975 730,386 +2.43% 2000 Census of Population and Housing (Census 2000). There are more males than females below
1980 870,604 +3.57% 50 years old.
1990 1,080,341 +2.18%
1995 1,160,721 +1.35% Ilocanos are the most prominent group in the province. Of the total household population, 68.71
2000 1,287,575 +2.25% percent classified themselves as Ilocanos, followed by the Ibanags (14.05 percent), and Tagalogs
2007 1,401,495 +1.18% (10.02 percent). The majority ethnic group were the Ibanags, who were first seen by the Spanish
2010 1,489,645 +2.24% explorers and converted to Christianity by missionaries, the reason why the Ibanag language had
2015 1,593,566 +1.29% spread throughout the valley region prior to the arrival of the migrating Ilocanos. The remaining
2020 1,697,050 +1.24% 7.22 percent are either Gaddang, Paranan, Yogad, or from other ethnic groups who have assimilated
[29] [32] [36][37] into the Ibanag-Ilocano culture . More recently, a new group from the south, the Muslim Filipinos,
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority
have migrated to this province and have made a community for themselves. In addition to this,
Tagalog-speaking peoples from Central Luzon (mostly from Nueva Ecija) and Southern Luzon have also settled in the area, as well as a few
Pangasinans and Kapampangans from the Central Luzon.

Major languages spoken are Ilocano followed by Ibanag, Yogad, and Gaddang. Ilocanos and Ibanags speak Ilocano with an Ibanag accent, as
descendants of Ilocanos from first generation in Isabela who lived within Ibanag population learned Ibanag; same situation with Ilocano tinged by
Gaddang, Paranan, Yogad, and Itawis accents when descendants of Ilocanos from first generation in Isabela who lived within Gaddang, Paranan,
Yogad, and Itawis populations learned their languages. People especially in the capital and commercial centers speak and understand English and
Tagalog. Tagalogs, Ilocanos, and Ibanags speak Tagalog with an Ibanag accent, as descendants of Tagalogs from first generation in Isabela who lived
within Ibanag population learned Ibanag.

Religion

Roman Catholicism is the predominant faith followed by about 80% of the people. Other religions practiced are Aglipayan, United Methodist Church
and various Christian churches such as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Iglesia ni Cristo,and Protestant Churches Baptist, Seventh-day
Adventist, other Charismatic Christians and Jehovah's Witnesses. There are also small number of Muslims.

Economy
Poverty Incidence of Isabela

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[38][39][40][41][42][43][44]

In terms of income classification, Isabela is rated as first-class province and considered among the richest and most progressive province in the
Philippines and the most progressive in Region 02 courtesy of the three key cities strategically located in the province.[45]

Trade and industry

Strategically located at the center of Cagayan Valley region, Isabela is acknowledged to have demonstrated strengths in business and industry. Thus, it
has come to be known as the Regional Trade and Industrial Center of north-eastern Luzon.[46]

The province of Isabela is the richest in Cagayan Valley. It is also the Top 10 Richest Province in the Philippines last 2011.[47]

The cities of Cauayan, Ilagan, Santiago and the town of Roxas are the principal commercial centers of the province. Metro Manila-based malls and fast
food chains have recently opened in these key trading hubs. To date, 192 banking branches operate in the province, with most of the universal and
commercial banks providing automated teller machines for the convenience of their clients.

Since the start of the 21st century, a growing number of foreign and local investors have selected Isabela as site of their business ventures. Heading the
list are Isabela's top investors, namely: Mindanao Grains Processing Company, Inc., SN Aboitiz Power- Magat Inc., Universal Leaf Philippines, Coca-
Cola FEMSA Philippines, Inc., San Miguel Corporation, RC Cola and Pepsi Cola.
In the rice industry, substantial investments have been made by Valiant Rice Mills Corporation, Family Choice Grains Processing Center, Golden
Season Grains Center, Herco Agro Industries, JDT Silver Grains Center, New Cauayan Goldyluck Grains and the La Suerte Rice Mill Corporation.

Retail giants like SM Prime, Robinsons and Puregold Price Club, Inc. have set up shops like Savemore, Robinsons Supermarket and Puregold,
respectively. In 2014, these retail companies opened its pioneer malls in the region, the SM City Cauayan and Robinsons Place Santiago.[48]

Land transportation operators Victory Liner, Five Star Bus Company, Dalin Liner, GV Florida Transport, EMC Transportation, Inc., Solid North
Transit Inc., and Northern Luzon Bus Company (NELBUSCO) have terminals and depots in the province.

Leading car, motorcycle and truck manufacturers such as Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi Motors, Isuzu Motors, Kia Motors, Nissan, Ford, Chevrolet,
Suzuki, Hyundai, Mazda, Foton, Peugeot, MAN SE, Yamaha and many other companies entered the province over the past years.

Telecom firms Globe, PLDT/Smart and Digitel/ Sun Cellular operate cellular sites and fixed telephony facilities throughout Isabela.

Big real estate developers like Vista Land and Lifescapes, Inc. entered the province with the opening of Camella Isabela, Camella Santiago, Camella
Santiago Trails and Lessandra Santiago in Santiago City, and Camella Cauayan and Lumina Isabela in Cauayan City. Vista Malls is set to launch its first
high end mall in Santiago City.

Agriculture

Agriculture is the biggest industry in Isabela. As the country's top corn producing province, it contributes 21% of the annual national yellow corn
production. Asia's largest post-harvest corn processing facility, the Mindanao Grains, is located in the town of Reina Mercedes.

As second highest rice-growing province nationwide, Isabela produces 15% of the aggregate national rice production on an annual basis. Being a
surplus producer of the Filipinos’ staple crop, the province's rice sufficiency rate is at 224%, which means that Isabelinos produce more than they
consume and are in fact responsible for supplying the rice requirements of Metro Manila and many other provinces. The unprecedented increase in
palay production of Isabela made the province the Hybrid Rice Champion of the Philippines.

High-value agricultural crops grown in Isabela include monggo, tobacco, coffee, banana, and mango. Its livestock and poultry industries are also on the
rise, especially dairy processing, hog production, cattle breeding, and commercial poultry raising.

Farming is highly mechanized as most of the agricultural lands are irrigated. With the presence of the Isabela State University, joint ventures and other
foreign assisted projects and the Magat Dam contribute to the high productivity in agriculture. It is also the hub of trade and commerce and other
economic activities due to its central location in the region. The wood industry used to be a top earner for the province but due to the logging ban
imposed in the Cagayan Valley Region, activities in this industry considerably declined. However, furniture making using narra wood and other
indigenous forest materials continue to exist.

Isabela is one of the most progressive provinces of the Philippines having been adjudged as the most outstanding province on food security in the
Gawad Sapat Ani Awards 2000. For corn production, Isabela ranks first among the top ten corn producing provinces for cy 2004, contributing 15.70%
to national production. In 2013, the Department of Agriculture declared Isabela as the Best Corn-Quality Awardee.[49] Ilagan City was proclaimed as
the Corn Capital of the Philippines for being the top corn producer among the 34 municipalities and 2 cities of the province as well as in the whole
country.

Forestland

Forestland covers 54.37% or 579,819 hectares (1,432,760 acres) of Isabela's total land area of which 62% is
protected forest and 38% is production forest. The best quality of timber resources in the Philippines are found
in Isabela's forest. Isabela's vast forest resources are now being ecologically managed to effect sustainable
forest-based resource not only for the wood working industry but to secure a balanced ecosystem. The
woodwork industry continues to operate under a regulated system, particularly the making of furniture using
indigenous materials.
Forests in Palanan
Fisheries

Isabela has a fertile fishing ground on the Pacific Coast. The Magat Dam reservoir is utilized for fish cage operations
for tilapia production for domestic markets. Another thriving industry in the province is aquaculture, sustained by
inland fishing through 1,108 hectares of developed freshwater fishponds and 450 hectares of fish cage culture at
Magat Dam Reservoir. Rich marine resources could be found in Isabela's coastal seaboard municipalities of
Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan, and Dinapigue.

Mineral and energy

Large deposits of copper, gold, zinc and chromite, manganese and nickel have been found in Isabela. It also has
extensive deposits of non-metallic minerals such as limestone, clay, marbles, guano, sand and gravel, and boulders.
Indigenous energy sources such as natural gas and hydroelectric capabilities have been found to be abundant in the
valley. Many of its mineral reserves have yet to be fully tapped. Isabela's coast in Divilacan

Power
 Solar and biomass power plants in the city of Cauayan and in the town of Alicia have started operating in 2015
to supplement the region's high energy demand. The online solar power plant in Cauayan City is capable of
supplying at least 20 megawatts while the biomass power plant in Alicia can produce another 20 megawatts.
Both systems provide clean and renewable energy. The P2 billion power facility established by the Isabela
Biomass Energy Corporation (IBEC) was built to augment power supply in the Cagayan Valley region. The
use of biomass as fuel makes the power plant carbon neutral and sustainable. This biomass power facility is the
first in the region and is designed to provide economical source of energy as well as job opportunities to
residents of the host town/city.

Magat Dam in Ramon On May 27, 2015, the service contract of the largest solar PV power plant in the country has been approved by
the Department of Energy (DOE). The P7-billion worth 100 MW Solar PV project in the city of Ilagan is
designed to reduce the current shortage in electricity that causes regular blackouts that results to industry
closures as well as inconvenience to the consumers. The solar power facility will be constructed at a 100-hectare land at Barangay Cabannungan,
several kilometers away from the city proper.

Transportation
Isabela is accessible by all means of transportation. Almost 180-kilometers of the Pan-Philippine Highway pass
through the different towns and cities of the province. Several bus companies offer daily trips to different routes
like Manila, Dagupan, Baguio, Ilocos, and vice versa. Public utility vans and small-time bus operators ply daily
trips from Tuguegarao in Cagayan to Santiago City vice versa, while jeepneys and tricycles are commonly used
as the basic mode of transportation within the province's jurisdiction.

Ilagan-Divilacan Road
A road in Ramon
The construction of an 82-kilometer route across the Sierra Madre National Park is intended to improve access
to the province's three coastal communities. The project's authorized budget contract, worth P1.5 billion, will
traverse across the foothills of the Northern Sierra Madre mountain ranges, which cover 359,486 hectares. The idea is to rehabilitate an ancient logging
route that was utilized until the 1990s by a defunct logging firm. It will begin in Barangay Sindon Bayabo in Ilagan City and end at Barangay Dicatian
in Divilacan's seaside town. The project is scheduled to conclude in 2021.[50][51]

The secluded coastal settlements of Divilacan, Palanan, and Maconacon are frequently accessible only by boat or plane, making them difficult to reach
at times of emergencies and calamities. There are no highways connecting Ilagan's capital city to the coastal districts, denying locals access to basic
commodities and social services such as health care. Once completed, the route is projected to bolster coastal economies, citing Divilacan's 119-hectare
beach and freshwater areas that have attracted tourists. Resolution No. 11 of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) reclassifies areas of the
Sierra Madre as a special-use zone. Additionally, the Agta and Dumagat communities in the vicinity have signed a memorandum of understanding with
the provincial administration expressing their support for the road project. At least 1,800 Agta and Dumagat have made their homes in park areas.
However, the road's impact on the protected forest has upset neighbors, who believe the project will harm the region's woods and ecosystems. The
project has been delayed in recent years due to worries about the road's possible environmental impact. The Cagayan Valley Regional Development
Council required that the road's proponents conduct a comprehensive analysis of the road's impact on the area's biodiversity.[52]

Airports and sea ports

There are three airports in the province. The Cauayan Airport is the primary airport in the province serving a trip to Manila, Palanan, and Maconacon.
The other two are the Palanan Airport in Palanan and Maconacon Airport in Maconacon. The country's leading passenger airline Cebu Pacific services
the Cauayan-Manila-Cauayan Route. Light planes operated by Cyclone Airways and WCC Aviation's Sky Pasada Have flights from Cauayan
Domestic Airport to the community airports in Palanan and Maconacon. The province has two minor seaports, the Divilacan Port and Palanan Port in
the coastal towns of Divilacan and Palanan. The trade going to the ports come primarily from major seaports in Cagayan such as Port of Aparri in
Aparri, Cagayan, and Port of San Vicente and Port Irene, both in Santa Ana, Cagayan. The other two airstrips are found in Divilacan, and in Magat
River Management Project Site.

Education
Isabela is one of the primary centers of education in the Cagayan Valley Region. There are several public and private educational institutions, the most
notable being the Isabela State University, a government-owned and controlled public university. Its main campus is located in Echague and satellite
campuses in Cauayan City, Ilagan City, Angadanan, Cabagan, Jones, Palanan (extension), Roxas, San Mariano, San Mateo and Santiago City
(extension).

Colleges and universities

Among the most notable higher educational institutions found in the province of Isabela are the following:

AMA Computer College (City of Santiago Campus)
Cagayan Valley Computer and Information Technology
College, Inc. (City of Santiago Campus)
East Asia International System College (City of Cauayan
Campus)
Honorato Guzman Baquiran College (HGB College; Tumauini
Campus)
International Technological Institute of Arts and Tourism (City of
Ilagan Campus)
Isabela State University (Angadanan Campus)
Isabela State University (Echague; Main Campus)
Isabela State University (Cabagan Campus)
Isabela State University (City of Cauayan Campus)
Isabela State University (Jones Campus)
 Isabela State University (City of Ilagan Campus)
Isabela State University (Roxas Campus)
Isabela State University (San Mariano Campus)
Isabela State University (San Mateo Campus)
Isabela State University (Palanan Extension Campus)
Isabela State University (City of Santiago Extension Campus)
Isabela College of Arts and Technology (City of Cauayan
Campus)
Mallig Plains Colleges (Mallig Campus)
National Police College Regional Training School (City of
Cauayan Campus)
Northeastern College (City of Santiago Campus)
Northeast Luzon Adventist College (Alicia Campus)
Our Lady of the Pillar College (City of Cauayan Campus)
Our Lady of the Pillar College (San Manuel Campus)
La Patria College (City of Santiago Campus)
Philippine Normal University (Alicia, Isabela Campus)
Saint Clare College of Region 2 (City of Cauayan Campus)
Saint Ferdinand College (Cabagan Satellite Campus)
Saint Ferdinand College (City of Ilagan; Main Campus)
Santiago City Colleges
Santiago City Polytechnic College
STI College (City of Cauayan Campus)
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (City of
Ilagan; TESDA Accredited Competency Assessment Center)
University of La Salette (City of Santiago Campus)
University of Perpetual Help System (City of Cauayan, Isabela
Campus)

Tourism
Since the early 2000s, tourism has become an income-generating industry for Isabela. New hotels and resorts have opened, mostly in the cities of
Ilagan, Cauayan and Santiago, and the towns of Tumauini, Gamu, Roxas, Alicia, Burgos, Ramon, San Mariano and Cordon. Top tourist attractions are
the centuries-old churches; Magat Dam Tourism Complex, which houses Southeast Asia's biggest dam; Santa Victoria Caves, Pinzal Falls and Ilagan
Sanctuary at Fuyot National Park; the white sand beaches in the coastal municipalities of Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan, Dinapigue and islands of
coastal Isabela; the world's biggest wooden lounge chair or butaka in Ilagan City; and various festival and fiestas, including the Bambanti Festival
annually celebrated every February, and the commemoration of the birth of the province during Isabela Day every May.

Places of interest
 Tourist attraction Location
Abuan River Ilagan City
Aguinaldo Shrine — Historic capture AND heroism of General Emilio Aguinaldo Palanan
Balai na Ilagan Ilagan City
Balay Segundo Museum Ramon
Balay na Santiago Santiago City
Bonifacio Park Ilagan City
Bonsai Park Dinapigue
Borubor Falls Roxas
Burmurbur Falls Ilagan City
Camp Samal — "Haven of Scouts" Tumauini
Camp Vizcarra Ramon
Crocodile Watching (Crocodylus mindorensis) San Mariano
Department of Agriculture - Cagayan Valley Research Center Agro Eco-Tourism Farm Ilagan City
Desert Island Divilacan
Dibulo Falls Dinapigue
Dicotcotan Beach Palanan
Dilaknadanum — is the home Agta people, a minority group on the coast of Isabela. Features forests, beaches,
Palanan
rivers and small farmsteads uprivers.
Palanan—San
Dimanek Falls Mariano boundary
ridge
Dinapigue Sea Wall Dinapigue
Hacienda De San Luis Cauayan
Hanging Bridge Maconacon
Honeymoon Island Divilacan
Ilagan Sanctuary Ilagan City
Ilagan Japanese Tunnel Ilagan City
Isabela Museum and Library Ilagan City
La Salette Shrine — located in Balintocatoc Hills, contains life-sized statues of religious icons. Santiago City
Maconacon Falls Maconacon
Magat High Rise Dam — Asia’s biggest dam project at the time of its construction. It serves the primary function
of power generation and irrigation. Its reservoir area of 4,450 hectares has a great potential for water-based Ramon
recreation like fishing, boating and water skiing, among others.
Mororan Tumauini
Museo de Pattaraday Santiago City
Obelisk Jones
Pinzal Falls Ilagan City
Punta Amelita Resort Cordon
Ilagan City (in front
Queen Isabela II Monument and Park of the Isabela
Provincial Capitol)

Isabela's eastern
Sierra Madre Natural Forest Park
coast
Sinavulluan Caves Tumauini
Spring Garden Resort Santiago City
Santa Maria Triangular Park Santa Maria
Santa Victoria Caves Ilagan City
Villa Diana Resort Cordon
Water Impounding Dam Roxas
 Waterworld Grand Resort Ramon
Dinapigue,
Palanan, and
White Sand Beaches — Typical of coastal areas along the Sierra Madre mountains of Cagayan Valley.
Divilacan coastal
towns
World's Largest Butaka — It is 11 feet 4 inches high, 20 feet 8 inches long, and 9 feet 7 inches wide. It weighs 2,368
Ilagan City
kilos and was constructed by 25 workers in 29 days.

Churches
San Pablo Church in San Pablo, the oldest town of Isabela founded by Padre de Santo Tomas on Churches in Isabela
Nov. 30, 1646 (about 210 years before Isabela was made a province). Its six-level bell tower including
the circular apex is made of adobe. It is said to be the oldest in Isabela and the tallest in Cagayan
Valley.
Saint Rose of Lima Church in Gamu is known for its Spanish architectural design. Built in 1726
during the Spanish time, the church façade was made of layered bricks and stones dating back during
the 17th century and considered a pilgrimage church because of its antiquity. The feast of their patron, San Pablo de Cabigan
Saint Rose of Lima is celebrated every 23 August. Church Ruins in San Pablo
Parish Church of St. Mathias in Tumauini was first built of light materials by Fray Francisco Muńez, that was started in 1735
O.P., and dedicated to Patron Saint Matthias, 1707. Separated from Cabagan and became regular
parish, 1751. The church of stone with a unique cylindrical bell tower. The only of its kind in the
Philippines was constructed by Father Domingo Forto in 1783 and completed, 1805. The town
became the capital of Isabela for a short time in the 1890s. It is an ultra-baroque church unique for its
extensive use of baked clay both for wall finishing and ornamentation and bears Chinese ancestry.
Partly damage during World War II and repaired into its original form by the faithful of Tumauini. This
church was declared as a National Cultural Treasure on 24 February 1989. The Church of Saint Rose of
Our Lady of Atocha in Alicia was originally built by the Spaniards in the 18th century. Passing by Lima in Gamu
Angadanan on 12 February 1805, Fr. Manuel Mora, OP wrote that "Angadanan has a convent of
bricks, though not totally finished. Its church is timber, wood, and bamboo. The number of inhabitants is
791." The church and convent as seen today in the town of Alicia, was built by Fr. Tomas Calderon, OP
and inaugurated in 1849, with Fr. Francisco Gainza, OP, then vicar of Carig (now Santiago City). The
church was dedicated to the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, more popularly known today as Our Lady of
Atocha. The church is known for its antique Castilian architectural design and can be found along the
Maharlika Highway and is accessible by land transport. The St. Mathias Parish
Church in Tumauini with its
Our Lady of the Pillar Parish Church in Cauayan was constructed by Fray Juan Prieto with the first
wedding cake-style bell tower
class materials with galvanized roofing and a ceiling of bricks, dedicated to Nuestra Señora del Pilar. It
had a tower which was later destroyed by a violent earthquake. Now, only the façade of the Cauayan
Church remains in its original form. The original belfry is in ruins while a new nave and belfry was
constructed and like the St. Mathias Church in the town of Tumauini, the facade has much interesting
bas relief and portions of the bricks have numbers and symbols etched on it.
Saint Ferdinand Parish Church (Ilagan City) — This church can't be seen on the highways or the
main national road as it was located in the center of the city of Ilagan. The church features very high Our Lady of Atocha Church
ceilings and walls made of bricks. It was around 1696 and 1700 that Fr. Miguel Matos, OP, built the in Alicia
church of stone and bricks. A typhoon in 1866 destroyed the roof of the church. Desiring to make the
church bigger, Fr. Pablo Almazan, OP, demolished the solid walls of the church, which, unfortunately,
was never built. The walls of the church today are of modern make. It is known to house one of the
oldest bells in the region. The church is dedicated to the patron saint of the Diocese of Ilagan, San
Fernando.
National Shrine of Our Lady of the Visitation of Guibang is located in town of Gamu, frequented by
travelers passing by the Maharlika Highway. It comes alive every year on the month July when Our Lady of the Pillar Church
religious pilgrims visit to offer prayers during its feast day. The image of the Our Lady of the Visitation in Cauayan
was canonically crowned by the Most Rev. Carmine Pocco, Papal Nuncio to the Philippines on May
26, 1973, at the former St. Ferdinand Cathedral (now St. Ferdinand Parish Church) in Ilagan City. The
Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines at its 52nd Annual Bishop's Meeting held in Tagaytay on January 24–26, 1986 have
approved the petition of Miguel Purugganan, former Bishop of the Diocese of Ilagan for the Church of Our Lady of the Visitation of
Guibang to be called a National Shrine.
Saint James the Apostle Parish Church (Santiago City)
Poor Saint Clare Monastery (Gamu)
Cathedral of Saint Michael the Archangel (Gamu)
Our Lady of La Salette Parish Church (Roxas)
Saint Joseph the Worker Parish Church (Echague)
San Isidro Labrador Parish Church (San Isidro)
San Roque Parish Church (The only Parish Church in the province that entrusted in the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette)
(Ramon)

Festivals
 Festival City/town Notes
A survey revealing quite number of ranches in San Pablo led to the establishment of the Baka
Baka Festival San Pablo Festival. Held every January 15, it aims to promote the local cattle industry. The festival also
showcases cowboys of San Pablo displaying skills reminiscent of the American Wild West.
In San Mateo, mungo beans are packed with economic potential that it is referred to as "black
Balatong Festival San Mateo gold". In previous years, the annual town fiesta promoted duck-related products during the
Pato Festival.
Celebrated annually by the entire province to honor the province's bountiful harvest and its
emerging agro-industrial prowess. The festivity showcases the scarecrow dancing spectacles
and agricultural booths. The municipalities and cities exhibit their respective culture, beliefs,
Province of
Bambanti Festival traditions, origins and products. Annually, the event can drew at least 250,000 crowds all over
Isabela
the Cagayan Valley region, the biggest in the history of annual festivities in the region. It has
become Isabela's showcase of its rich cultural heritage and pristine natural beauty. Bambanti
is an iluko word for "scarecrow".
Ilagueños have made the binallay a symbol of the noble characteristics they aspire to have.
These include being masipag (hardworking), matiyaga (patient), matalino (intelligent), and
makadiyos (God fearing). According to them, they are patient because the process of
preparing binallay is tedious and involves steaming the rice cake twice, hardworking because
it is difficult to prepare the rice cake (the glutinous grains are ground the traditional way, with a
Binallay Festival Ilagan City stone mill), intelligent because it requires a special technique to peel the wrapper off so that
none of the cake is wasted and God fearing because it is a delicacy associated with the Holy
Week. They regard the white cake as a representation of the body of Christ and the laro as his
blood. As part of their penitence during Holy Week, Binallay is the only food that Ilagueños eat.
Every May, their signature product takes center stage twice, once during the festival itself and
during the Isabela Day celebrations earlier in the month when it usually has a wider audience.
A yearly celebration of Pagay Festival (Palay Festival) held every July 4. The Festival was
popularly known as the Araw ng Roxas Celebration but it was declared formally as Pagay
Festival during the reign of Mayor Benedict Calderon. It is celebrated because of the rich
agricultural bounty of Roxas, being one of the towns that produce large stocks of rice. The
festival features a parade mostly of politicians and participating schools from different parts of
Binnadangan Festival Roxas Roxas, kuliglig contest and cooking of the biggest rice cake that was also featured in the
national television. Major events include a Street Dance Competition from different schools
and Palarong Bayan. Due to a conflict in the name of the festival, by which the town of Alicia
celebrates the same. It was changed to Binnadangan Festival by then Mayor Harry Soller. The
Binnadangan comes from an Ilocano word meaning bayanihan and was also derived from the
former name of the town during the 1600s. The festival ends with a long Pyromusical.
Known for being an agricultural municipality, Aurora annually celebrates its Dikit Festival every
28th to 30 April. Dikit is an Ilocano term for "glutinous rice". The festival is celebrated to
Dikit Festival Aurora showcase this delicacy and its by-products which are bibingka, muriecos, inangit, tupig,
kalamay and tinudok, among others. Farmers in Aurora plant this glutinous rice served to
guests during special occasions.
An annual festival held at the Cagayan River. Participants of the festival offer fruits,
vegetables, poultry, and livestock as thanksgiving for their abundant bounty. The practice also
reminds Angadanians of their tradition of planting crops and raising poultry in their own
backyards for their own consumption. The Gakit Festival also aims to show Angadanians that
Gakit Festival Angadanan progress can only be achieved if they are united as one. A key detail of the festival is the
hand-made bamboo rafts which are used by the participants. Each bamboo pole, if alone, has
no value. It cannot float reliably on a river nor can it be used to transport anything. But if many
bamboo poles are tied together as one, it can be made into a raft which can float and sail on
calm or rough waters while transporting people and products.
The City Fiesta and the Feast of Our lady of the Pillar are celebrated annually on April 10–13
and October 10–12 respectively. Since its conversion into a component city on March 30,
2001, the City Government started to celebrate its founding anniversary with the conduct of
Gawagaway-yan
Cauayan City "Gawagaway-yan Festival" aimed to preserve the rich cultural heritage of the city. It is
Festival
highlighted by street dancing, beauty contest, trade fair, cultural parade, parlor games, free
concert, band exhibition and other variety shows performed by local and Manila-based talents
as well.
Anniversary of the establishment of the civil government of Isabela in honor of Queen Isabella
II of Spain. Activities like agro-industrial trade and tourism fairs, parades, sports events are
Province of conducted to entertain visitors. Also, one of the highlights of the celebration is the Miss
Isabela Day
Isabela Isabela, an extravagant colorful pageant featuring the candidates from each town/city of the
province who exemplify Isabela's youth and vibrancy. A grand fusion of fashion, music and
dance with particular focus on Isabela's tourism attractions and its leader.
Celebrated in Cabatuan, showcasing native delicacies made of glutinous rice. Mayor Alma
Kankanen Festival Cabatuan Dayrit and the Rural Improvement Club started this annual tradition in 2003 and done on the
Foundation Day rites of every year.
Mammangui Festival Ilagan City Celebrated by Ilagueño farmers as a thanksgiving activity for a bountiful harvest, Mammangui
is an Ybanag word which means to harvest corn, the primary crop in the city. Since the
assumption in office of Mayor Josemarie L. Diaz, Mammangui Festival was proclaimed as the
official festivity of the city. During the celebration, different activities such as parlor games,
cultural and trade fairs, colorful street dance, cook fest, sports events, cheerdance
competitions, float parade and many others are conducted by the city government to
showcase the past to present day transition of Ilagan's rich tradition and cultural heritage.
 Highlights of the celebration are the annual beauty pageants namely Little Miss Mammangui,
Miss Gay Mammangui and the Miss Mammangui, which is one of the most prestigious of its
kind in the valley and a free concert featuring local celebrities. It is annually celebrated every
29–31 May.
Corn (Zea mays) was one of the plants that came aboard the Spanish galleons to become one
of the primary crops of the Philippines. The late National Artist for Dance, Ramon Obusan
Mangi Festival Tumauini
traced the origins of a traditional dance inspired by the crop to Tumauini. Thus, a corn-inspired
festival seemed especially appropriate for Tumauini.
Nateng Festival Mallig
Cariada Festival San Manuel
The carabao (Bubalus Bubalis Carabanesis), which remains a farmer's indispensable
helpmate in the fields, is honoured in the Nuang Festival of San Agustin as are the products
the carabao enables farmers to produce. The town boasts of over 300 heads and farmers
bring them over to the poblacion (town center) for the festival. To get the cattle there, they
Nuang Festival San Agustin either guide the animals onto the ferry and keep them quiet for the short river crossing or find
the shallowest point of the river, take off their clothes then lead them across. San Agustin
supplies carabao milk to other towns where carabao milk candy is produced. The festival also
serves as a venue for promoting other major products such as maize (Zea mays) and
bananas (Musa paradisiaca L.).
Held annually every September 28 in conjunction with the founding anniversary of the town of
Alicia. It used to be called Alicia Town Festival, but was redefined and renamed to Pagay
Festival in 2010 by Mayor Cecilia Claire N. Reyes. The festival aims to uphold the town's
cultural identity and heritage and to promote the municipality's primary agricultural product
called, pagay (Ilocano word for rice) - the municipality's major livelihood economy and trade
Pagay Festival Alicia
mark. The festival is widely participated by the community which features various
competitions (e.g., rice planting, harvesting, and cooking among others), street dance
showdown, beauty pageant (Mutya ng Alicia), battle of the bands, and exhibits. However, the
Pagay Parade is the main highlight of the festival that features decorated carabaos, various
rice crop floats, and people marching with colorful costumes.
Pansi Festival is the official festivity of Cabagan.Pansi is an Ybanag word for pansit, a noodle
Pansi Festival Cabagan dish topped with chopped karajay or lechon kawali in Tagalog. The town became noted for its
well-known local product, the "Pansit Cabagan".
From pattaraday, an Ybanag word for "unity", the festival is celebrated in the city of Santiago to
honor its founding anniversary, and the unity of the ethnolinguistic groups that have merged in
the city to make it the melting pot of culture of Region II and contributed to the city's progress
and development-unity in action. Highlighted with the presentation of the Comedia – a moro-
Pattaraday Festival Santiago City
moro dance made famous by the Spaniards to stress the power of Christian Religion over the
Moorish non-believers; other activities include beauty pageant, grand batalla presentations and
a grand street dancing parade and exhibition with performers from other cities, provinces and
regions.
Pinilisa Festival Jones
Held every March in Palanan, the festival is named after the local name for pandan (Pandanus
tectorius) which is plentiful in the town. The people of Palanan are fine craftsmen who weave
Sabutan Festival Palanan dyed and natural colored strips into a variety of bags, hats, and placemats, among other items
that have both traditional and contemporary designs. For the festival, the sabutan products are
not only sold, these are also used as a theme and are fashioned into costumes and décor.
Sinag-Banga Festival San Isidro
On the year 2014, a new festival was conceptualized by the city government to celebrate
Santiago's cityhood anniversary. Balamban which means butterfly is a cultural dance of
Balamban Dance
Santiago City lowland Christians that originated in Santiago City. The dance depicts the graceful movement
Festival
and fluttering of butterflies that throng Dariuk Hills' scented gardens. It is usually danced during
wedding celebrations in Santiago.

Notable personalities
General Mateo Noriel Luga - (Tumauini, Isabela) - War veteran/revolutionist
Florence Finch — (Santiago, Isabela) — Filipino-American member of the World War II resistance against the Japanese occupation
of the Philippines.
Heherson Alvarez — (Santiago, Isabela) - former Senator[53]
Grace Padaca — former Governor of Isabela and former Commissioner of the Commission on Elections, recipient of the Ramon
Magsaysay Award for Public Service in 2008.
Bishop Miguel Purugganan - (Ilagan, Isabela) - Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ilagan who protested the Human rights
abuses of the Marcos dictatorship, and is honored at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani[54]
Freddie Aguilar — (Santo Tomas, Isabela) - Singer/composer
Jejomar Binay — (Cabagan, Isabela) - 13th Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines
Ruthlane Uy Asmundson — (Gamu, Isabela) - Mayor of Davis, California, USA
Silvestre Bello III — (Ilagan, Isabela) - Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment
Gilbert Teodoro — former secretary of the Department of National Defense
Mutya Datul — (Santa Maria, Isabela) - Miss Supranational 2013 and Binibining Pilipinas - Supranational 2013
 Rogemar Menor — (Roxas, Isabela) - PBA Player
Ricky Calimag — (Echague, Isabela) — PBA player
Val Acuña - (Ilagan, Isabela) - Professional Basketball player from Alab Pilipinas of the ASEAN Basketball League
Mark Clemence Telan — PBA Player

Notes
1. (Ilocano: Probinsia ti Isabela; Ibanag: Provinsia na Isabela; Gaddang: Probinsia na Isabela; Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Isabela)
2. "Isabela, Sentro ng AGRIKultura" (https://m.facebook.com/IsabelaSentrongAGRIkultura/). Facebook.com. Isabela PIO. Retrieved
31 May 2018.
3. "List of Provinces" (https://web.archive.org/web/20130111015112/http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/listprov.asp). PSGC
Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Archived from the original (http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activ
estats/psgc/listprov.asp) on 11 January 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
4. U.S. Corps of Engineers (1953). "Ilagan (topography map)" (http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/philippines/txu-oclc-6539351-ne51
-10-450.jpg). University of Texas in Austin Library. Retrieved on 2014-09-28.
5. Census of Population (2020). "Region II (Cagayan Valley)" (https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/attachments/ird/pressrelease/Regio
n%202.xlsx). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. PSA. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
6. "POPULATION PROJECTIONS BY REGION, PROVINCE, CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES, 2020-2025" (https://www.doh.gov.ph/no
de/15619). www.doh.gov.ph. Department of Health. August 27, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
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Further reading
http://provinceofisabela.ph Official Website of the Province of Isabela. Retrieved October 3, 2014
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/sitepages/FestivitiesList.aspx?festivityCode=292&monthCode=05. Retrieved October 8, 2014
http://www.philstar.com/nation/2014/02/01/1285254/isabelas-bambanti-festival-lures-thousands Bambanti Festival. Retrieved
October 8, 2014
http://provinceofisabela.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=168&catid=95. Retrieved October 8, 2014
http://provinceofisabela.ph/index.php/tourism/festivals?showall=&limitstart=. Retrieved October 8, 2014
https://web.archive.org/web/20141014040136/http://www.rogerswebpoint.com/historyofcabatuan.htm Retrieved October 8, 2014
http://www.spcicdtourism.com/#!festival/ccp2 Retrieved October 10, 2014
http://www.manilatimes.net/renewable-energy-plant-to-rise-in-isabela/172957/ Renewable energy plant to rise in Isabela. Retrieved
June 15, 2015
https://web.archive.org/web/20150630234413/http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/481433287402/p7-b-solar-power-plant-to-rise-in-
isabela P7-B solar power plant to rise in Isabela. Retrieved June 15, 2015
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/742119/construction-of-p2-28-b-road-thru-sierra-madre-starts-amid-protests#ixzz3xK3EqC2O P2.28B
road project for Ilagan-Divilacan Road Retrieved January 18, 2016

External links
Media related to Isabela (province) at Wikimedia Commons
Geographic data related to Isabela (province) (https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/1504761) at OpenStreetMap
Philippine Standard Geographic Code (https://web.archive.org/web/20120413163013/http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/defau
lt.asp)

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