REGION 2: CAGAYAN

VALLEY
REGION 2 OR THE CAGAYAN VALLEY IS STRATEGICALLY LOCATED ON THE
NORTHEASTERN PART OF MAINLAND LUZON. WITH A TOTAL LAND AREA OF
26,388 SQUARE KILOMETERS THE CAGAYAN VALLEY IS THE SECOND
LARGEST REGION IN THE PHILIPPINES

CAGAYAN VALLEY ALSO KNOWN AS “LAND OF BEAUTY”. IT HAS PLENTIFUL

OF NATURAL RESOURCES.
• IT IS BOUNDED TO THE WEST BY THE CORDILLERA MOUNTAIN RANGE,
TO THE EAST BY THE SIERRA MADRE, TO THE SOUTH BY THE
CARABALLO MOUNTAINS, AND TO THE NORTH BY THE LUZON STRAIT.
THE MOUNTAINS IN THE EAST SERVE AS NATURAL BARRIERS FROM
DEVASTATING WINDS DURING TYPHOON SEASON
• REGION 2 IS COMPOSED OF 5 PROVINCES, NAMELY, THE VALLEY
PROVINCES OF CAGAYAN AND ISABELA, THE MOUNTAIN PROVINCES OF
QUIRINO AND NUEVA VIZCAYA, AND THE ISLAND PROVINCE OF BATANES.
HERE ARE THE CITIES IN CAGAYAN VALLEY REGION (REGION 2):

1. TUGUEGARAO CITY

2. CAUAYAN CITY

3. ILAGAN CITY

• 4. SANTIAGO CITY
• PREDOMINANT LOCAL LANGUAGES ARE ILOCANO, YBANAG, YTAWES AND MALAUEG.
PANGASINENSE, MARANAO AND OTHER DIALECTS ARE ALSO USED IN SOME AREAS
WHERE MIGRANTS ABOUND.
CULTURE
• THERE ARE 3 MAJOR ETHNIC GROUPS OF PEOPLE IN CAGAYAN: THE
YBANAGS, ITAWITS AND MALAWEGS. THE YBANAGS, THE DOMINANT
GROUP, ARE KNOWN TO BE THE TALLEST AMONG THE ETHNO-
LINGUISTIC GROUPS ALL OVER THE PHILIPPINES. THEY ARE KNOW FOR
THEIR EXCELLENCE IN MAKING SEACRAFTS AND BLACKSMITHING. THE
ITAWITS, ON THE OTHER HAND, ALMOST LOOK THE SAME AS THE
YBANAGS. HOWEVER, THEY ARE MORE KNOWN FOR THEIR KNOWLEDGE
IN POTTERY AND BASKET-WEAVING. LASTLY, THE GROUP OF MALAWEGS
ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR SKILLS IN AGRICULTURE, MAINLY LOWLAND
RICE AND CORN.
• THE CAGAYAN VALLEY REGION IS ABUNDANT IN AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCTS SUCH AS RICE, CORN, PEANUT, BEANS, AND FRUITS MAKING
REGION 02 KNOWN AS THE TOP CORN PRODUCER AND SECOND IN PALAY
PRODUCTION IN THE PHILIPPINES. AMONG THE PRIORITY SECTORS
BEING PROMOTED FOR DEVELOPMENT BY DTI R02 INCLUDES
AGRIBUSINESS (COFFEE, CACAO, COCONUT, PINEAPPLE, PEANUT,
MANGO, ROOT CROPS, BANANA, CITRUS, RICE AND CORN PROCESSING,
WASTE PROCESSING OF RICE HULL AND CORN HUSK), BAMBOO, HOME
STYLE & WEARABLES (FURNITURE AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES), IT BPM
AND E-COMMERCE, AND TOURISM/AGRI-TOURISM.
• AS A TOURISM DESTINATION, CAGAYAN HAS A VARIETY OF AREAS WITH
OUTSTANDING SCENIC BEAUTY RANGING FROM BEACHES, PICTURESQUE
MOUNTAINS, BIRD SANCTUARIES, GAME REFUGES, LIMESTONE CAVES,
FLUVIAL ATTRACTIONS, MUSEUMS, HISTORICAL LANDMARKS AND
CENTURIES-OLD CHURCHES.
• SIERRA CAVE (PEÑABLANCA)- 20 METERS AWAY FROM THE FAMOUS
CALLAO CAVES. ITS BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS THROUGH CRAWLING A
VERY LOW AND NARROW OPENING CALLED CELICA’S PASSAGE. THE
CAVE’S ATTRACTIONS INCLUDE CALCITE FORMATIONS WHICH LOOK
LIKE A POPCORN OR A CAULIFLOWER WHEN MAGNIFIED BY A MACRO
LENS. FLOWSTONES, COLUMNS, STALACTITES AND STALAGMITES ALSO
EXIST.
• CAMALANIUGAN BELL (CAMALANIUGAN)- ONE OF THE OLDEST BELL IN
THE PHILIPPINES, FORGED IN THE YEAR 1595, IT WAS BROUGHT TO
MANILA IN FEBRUARY 1987 AS ONE OF THE ATTRACTIONS DURING THE
33RD INTERNATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS.
• ST. PETER’S CATHEDRAL (TUGUEGARAO)- THE SEAT OF THE
ARCHDIOCESE OF TUGUEGARAO, THE BIGGEST SPANISH BUILT CHURCH
IN THE PROVINCE.ST. PETER’S CATHEDRAL (TUGUEGARAO)- THE SEAT OF
THE ARCHDIOCESE OF TUGUEGARAO, THE BIGGEST SPANISH BUILT
CHURCH IN THE PROVINCE.
• CAGAYAN MUSEUM AND HISTORICAL RESEARCH CENTER
(TUGUEGARAO)- AN EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF FOSSILS, ARTIFACTS,
ANTIQUES, ARTWORKS, ENTHNOGRAPHIC AND LITURGICAL WORKS OF
THE PROVINCE ARE HOUSED IN THE MUSEUM.
THE POPULATION OF REGION II – CAGAYAN VALLEY AS OF 01 MAY 2020 IS
3,685,744 BASED ON THE 2020 CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING (2020
CPH). THIS ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 3.38 PERCENT OF THE PHILIPPINE
POPULATION IN 2020.

• THE 2020 POPULATION OF THE REGION IS HIGHER BY 234,334 FROM THE

POPULATION OF 3.45 MILLION IN 2015, AND 456,581 MORE THAN THE
POPULATION OF 3.23 MILLION IN 2010. MOREOVER, IT IS HIGHER BY
872,585 COMPARED WITH THE POPULATION OF 2.81 MILLION IN 2000.
• ON THE PROVINCIAL DATA, BATANES REGISTERED THE LOWEST
POVERTY INCIDENCE RATE AT 2.6% WHICH MEANS THAT IT REMAINS TO
BE CONSIDERED THE RICHEST AMONG THE FIVE PROVINCES IN THE
REGION.