Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya

Bagabag is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines. It is approximately 20 kilometers away from the capital town of Bayombong and 286 kilometers away from Manila. It is located at the northeastern part of Nueva Vizcaya with a total land area of 260 square kilometers or 26,000 hectares. It is bounded in the west by the municipality of Villaverde, in the east by the municipality of Diadi, in the north by the municipality of Lamut, Ifugao, in the southwest by Solano, and in the south by the municipality of Quezon. Bagabag is the gateway to the famous Banaue Rice Terraces.

Bagabag is considered the pineapple region of Nueva Vizcaya. The main crops include rice, corn, rattan, onion, camote, cassava, banana, coconut, mango, and pineapple. Bagabag is also the largest producer of tilapia in the province and is famous for its delicious buko pie in the Cagayan Valley. Located in the northern part of the town is the Bagabag Airport which currently serves the town and is the only airport of Nueva Vizcaya.

History

The town of Bagabag was founded on October 7, 1741, during the Spanish regime by Padre (Pe.) Antonio del Campo, a Spanish friar, at sitio “Nagcumventuan” a place now located between Pogonsino, Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya and Bangar, Solano, Nueva Vizcaya. The present name of the sitio bears proof to the fact that the Spanish priest constructed a church in the original town site. The first priest was Pe. Luis Sierra who came in 1743, and Pe. Alejandro Vidal, who was the Vicar Provincial, organized it in 1754. Due to the continuous erosion and flood from the Magat River and for its increasing population and growth, Pe. Vidal later transferred the town site to “Nassa” a place that is presently located between Barangays Lantap and Santa Lucia. The latter place is an open and muddy throughout the year. For the third time, Pe. Vidal transferred the town site to its present site where numerous buri palms were then growing. It was from this buri palm plant the name of Bagabag originated, the same being called by the natives as “bagbag”. No account could be given on the date of the year, the present town of Bagabag was founded as the records were destroyed during World War II. in 1945 the United States and the Philippine Commonwealth troops entered in Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya together with the local Filipino guerillas by the attack of the Japanese Imperial forces in the Battle of Bagabag continue in World War II.

Tilapia industry

On January 11, 2008, the Cagayan Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) stated that tilapia (species of cichlid fishes from the tilapiine cichlid tribe) production grew and Cagayan Valley is now the Philippines’ tilapia capital (Saint Peter’s fish). Production supply grew 37.25% since 2003, with 14,000 metric tons (MT) in 2007. The recent aquaculture congress found that the growth of tilapia production was due to government interventions: provision of fast-growing species, accreditation of private hatcheries to ensure supply of quality fingerlings, establishment of demonstration farms, providing free fingerlings to newly constructed fishponds, and the dissemination of tilapia to Nueva Vizcaya (in Diadi town). Former cycling champion Lupo Alava is a multi-awarded tilapia raiser in Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya. Chairman Thompson Lantion of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, a retired two-star police general, has fishponds in La Torre, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya. Also, Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Luisa Lloren Cua­resma also entered into similar aquaculture endeavors in addition to tilapia production. [ [http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=105350 Abs-Cbn Interactive, Cagayan Valley country’s tilapia capital] ]

Population

According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 30,652 people in 6,271 households. The natives of Bagabag are the Ga'dangs or Gaddangs whose ancestors originally came from the Cagayan and Isabela provinces. Presently, there are lots of Ilocanos and Tagalogs who migrated and lived in Bagabag.

Barangays

Bagabag is politically subdivided into 17 barangays.

Elected Officials

Mayor: Nestor M. Sevillena

Vice-Mayor: Lita B. Castillo

Sangunian Bayan Members (Councilors)
*Revelita L. Jallorina
*Sonny B. Daniel
*Ed G. Afalla
*Rodolfo S. Abon, Sr.
*Melchor B. Dumangeng
*Lenita P. Rebuta
*Catalina A. Leodivico
*Elpidio A. Torio

chools

* Aurora High School
* Bagabag Child Development Center
* Bagabag Central School
* Bagabag National High School
* Bagabag North Elementary School
* Bagabag South Elementary School
* Bagabag United Methodist Church Learning Center
* Careb Elementary School
* Lantap Kiddie Learning Center
* Murong Elementary School
* Murong National High School
* Murong United Methodist Church Learning Center
* Paniki High School
* Paniki United Methodist Learning Center
* Saint Jerome's Academy
* Santa Cruz Elementary School
* Tuao High School
* Tuao Kiddie Learning Center

Notable Residents

* Glenn Afan, incumbent board member of the province of Nueva Vizcaya, former vice mayor and councilor of Bagabag
* Lupo Alava, cyclist winner of 1980 Marlboro Tour of Luzon's Rookie of the Year and 2002 Outstanding Fisherfolk (fish category) by the Gawad-SAKA Awards Search for Outstanding Agricultural Achievers
* Dr. Glorietta Z. Ang-Fonte, U.S.-based physician sponsor of the annual Christmas medical mission
* Clemente Bacani, youngest provincial secretary and board member of the province of Nueva Vizcaya
* Rev. Fr. Percy Juan Bacani, former CICM, Vicar of the Missionaries of Jesus, a moral theologist and superintendent of high schools operated by the Diocese of Baguio. He is professor and lecturer , Institute of Formation for Religious Studies and Institute for Consecrated Life for Asia and the East Asian Pastoral Institute
* Don Roque Callangan, donor of the entire piece of land of Bagabag Central and National High Schools
* Padre Antonio del Campo, founder of Bagabag
* Capt. Jose Placido Castillo (Ret.), former mayor, master mariner, and member of the Philippine Board of Examiners for Deck and Engineer Officers
* Dr. Jovito Bayaua Castillo, a distinguished scholar and educator from the University of the Philippines and former Dean of the College of Education, Far Eastern University
* Lourdes Castillo-Corotan, Mapua Institute of Technology graduate top ten of the chemical engineering board examination
* Maria Castillo-Lopez, Midwifery examination 2nd placer
* Carlo Guieb, cyclist winner of 1993-1994 Marlboro Tour of Luzon
* Catalina Leodevico, first female Kagawad of Bagabag
* Gualberto Lumauig, former assemblyman of the province of Ifugao
* Amado Mamuric, successful businessman and former executive officer of Cocobank
* Gen. Emmanuel Navarette (Ret.), former general of the Philippine Air Force
* Lt. Airene B. Somera, one of the first female graduates of the Philippine Military Academy
* Leoncita "Nene" Valderey-Schols, benefactor of financial scholarships in St. Jerome's Academy
* CMC Donald Whigan, USN, Command Master Chief of Camp Pendleton, California, USA
* Martti Keith B. Dumangeng, one of the first chess champion in Palarong Pambansa 96, elementary division.

External Links and References

* [http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/default.asp Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
* [http://www.batch2006.com/visit_bagabag.htm More photos and information on Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya]
* [http://www.bagabag-nvizcaya.gov.ph/index.php?cat1=11&cat2=2&cat3=3 Local Government Unit of Bagabag]

References