Tuguegarao

Tuguegarao
Component City

Seal
Nickname(s): Tugue

Location in the province of Cagayan
Tuguegarao

Location within the Philippines

Coordinates: 17°37′N 121°43′E / 17.617°N 121.717°E / 17.617; 121.717Coordinates: 17°37′N 121°43′E / 17.617°N 121.717°E / 17.617; 121.717
Country Philippines
Region Cagayan Valley (Region II)
Province Cagayan
Congr. district 3rd District of Cagayan
Township May 9, 1604
Patronal Feast Day August 17
Cityhood December 18, 1999
Barangays 49
Government[1]
  Type Mayor–council
  Mayor Jefferson Soriano
  Vice-Mayor Englebert Caronan
  City Council
Area[2]
  Total 144.80 km2 (55.91 sq mi)
Population (May 1, 2010)[3]
  Total 138,865
  Density 960/km2 (2,500/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Tuguegaraoeños
Time zone PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code 3500
Dialing code 78
Income class 3rd class[2]
Website www.tuguegaraocity.gov.ph

Tuguegarao is a 3rd-class city and capital of the province of Cagayan in the Philippines.[2] It is the regional and institutional center of Cagayan Valley region.

The city, on the southern border of the province, is located where the Pinacanauan River empties into the Cagayan River and is surrounded by the Sierra Madre Mountains to the east, Cordillera Mountains to the west, and the Caraballo Mountains to the south.

The population of the city as of the May 1, 2010 census is 138,865 people.[3] Most inhabitants are Ilokano, Ibanag, Tagalog, and Itawes. Some are of Chinese and Indian descent.

The highest temperature ever recorded in the Philippines -- 42.2 °C (108.0 °F)—was recorded in Tuguegarao on April 29, 1912 and again on May 11, 1969.[4] Average temperature during March and April is 38 °C (100 °F), one of the highest in the country.

Barangays

The city is politically subdivided into 49 barangays.[2] 31 of these barangays have been classified by the city as urban. Most of the rural barangays have agricultural territories, although some of the urbanized ones have mixed commercial, residential, and agricultural sites.

The 49 barangays of the city:
Barangay Classification Population (2010)
Annafunan East Urban 3,811
Annafunan West Urban 3,122
Atulayan Norte Urban 3,186
Atulayan Sur Urban 4,367
Bagay Rural 3,393
Buntun Urban 4,360
Caggay Urban 5,841
Capatan Rural 3,166
Carig Norte (Reyes) Rural 2,095
Carig Sur (Regional Center) Urban 4,081
Caritan Centro Urban 4,062
Caritan Norte Urban 2,931
Caritan Sur Urban 1,115
Cataggaman Nuevo Urban 7,947
Cataggaman Pardo Rural 3,104
Cataggaman Viejo Rural 4,099
Centro 01 (Bagumbayan) Urban 1,205
Centro 02 Urban 520
Centro 03 Urban 294
Centro 04 Urban 784
Centro 05 (Bagumbayan) Urban 1,426
Centro 06 Urban 346
Centro 07 (Plaza) Urban 294
Centro 08 Urban 248
Centro 09 (Bagumbayan) Urban 1,239
Centro 10 (Riverside) Urban 2,270
Centro 11 (Balzain East) Urban 2,425
Centro 12 (Balzain West) Urban 1,771
Dadda Rural 1,076
Gosi Norte Rural 995
Gosi Sur Rural 1,185
Larion Alto Rural 1,336
Larion Bajo Rural 2,144
Leonarda Urban 1,589
Libag Norte Urban 2,246
Libag Sur Urban 2,452
Linao East Rural 6,417
Linao Norte Rural 2,982
Linao West Rural 1,628
Namabbalan Norte Rural 1,355
Namabbalan Sur Rural 623
Pallua Norte Rural 2,391
Pallua Sur Rural 2,469
Pengue-Ruyu Urban 5,222
San Gabriel Urban 6,065
Tagga Rural 1,310
Tanza Urban 4,946
Ugac Norte Urban 8,122
Ugac Sur Urban 8,810

Etymology

There are several versions of legends looming about the origin of the name of the city of Tuguegarao. One is the abundance of "tarrao" trees in the area. Another is from the word "tuggi" meaning fire. Another recorded version is, the town was formerly called Tuerao by the people of the northern towns. Still another is that the name Tuguegarao comes from two Ibanag words "tuggi" (fire) and "aggao" (day), possibly referring to a daytime fire that happened in the town. The most accepted version of the legend is the Ibanags' reply to the Spaniards when the latter asked for the name of the place - "Tuggi gari yaw", meaning "This used to be fire", or the town was carved out of the wilderness by clearing and burning. On the other hand, a historical evidence that might provide clues to the origin of the city's name comes from the fact that in 1591, the place was listed as a Spanish encomienda (land grant), which was originally a pre-colonial settlement called Tubigarao.[5]

History

The Ermita de Piedra de San Jacinto (Stone Chapel of Saint Hyacinth) established in 1604.

The community was governed as a barangay established by the Dominicans as a mission until the Spaniards gave it the status of pueblo (municipality) on May 9, 1604, making it one of the political units of the province of Cagayan. The settlement was a small in terms of population but was big in territory, which then included what would later become the provinces of Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino till the 1850s. As a mission pueblo and with assigned encomendero (landlord) to Tuguegarao, the inhabitants (as tenants) were made to pay taxes in the form of poultry products and other food products. Resentments later flared and the people of Tuguegarao revolted in 1605, killing the encomendero. Again, the people of Tuguegarao revolted in 1718 and then 1761 under a leader named Rivera.

The first parochial building of Tugugarao was constructed in 1604, a chapel that became the foundation of what is now the Ermita de Piedra de San Jacinto (Stone Chapel of Saint Hyacinth) dedicated to Saint Hyacinth, the patron saint of Tuguegarao. The present chapel is the latest in a process of rebuilding that started in 1724 when it was rebuilt by Fr. Bernabe de la Magdalena, O.P..

Tuguegarao became the capital of Cagayan province in 1839 when the provincial seat of power was relocated from Lal-lo. The decline of Lal-lo became the transformation of Tuguegarao as the most important town in Cagayan.

Tuguegarao was occupied by American troops on December 12, 1899. During World War II, the city and its airfield of some significance was captured by the Japanese Imperial Army on December 12, 1941 as part of the Japanese invasion of Aparri. The General Headquarters of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, Philippine Constabulary and the USAFIP-NL units was actived on 1942 to 1946 and stationed in Tuguegarao. The city and airfield were bombed by the US and Philippine regularly between January and May 1945, and attacked by Donald Blackburn's guerrilla forces in June 1945.[6]:299–302 The local recognized guerrillas helped by entering the town, Philippine Commonwealth troops under the Philippine Army and Constabulary units and USAFIP-NL military units came in early June; the town was officially liberated on June 25, 1945.

Sitio Capatan was elevated into a barrio (or barangay) Capatan of Tuguegarao on April 3, 1959 by Republic Act no. 2107.[7]

Tuguegarao was once the only first class municipality in the province of Cagayan. It has served as the provincial capital of Cagayan since 1839 because of the notable socio-economic progress of the town. In 1975, Tuguegarao was declared as the capital and seat of the regional government of Cagayan Valley (Region II) being the region's geographic center with adequate facilities and amenities needed by such.

New barangays were formed in the 1970s that by 1981, Tuguegarao had 49 barangays, 12 of which were urban. The late 1980s saw the gradual expansion of the urban core of Tuguegarao to the outlying barangays of Ugac, Caritan and Atulayan. With the fast rising prices of real estate in the poblacion (city center), residents found it profitable to sell their properties in the poblacion and buy lots in the surrounding barangay neighborhoods, but still close to avail the amenities of the city.

By 1980, Tuguegarao had a population of 73,507. The increase in population could be attributed to various factors. One is the increasing peace and order problems in the other towns in the region driving the people to Tuguegarao, which is relatively free of the insurgency problem with the visible presence of the military and its geographic location. Another factor is the presence of the schools, whose quality of education is highly comparable to that of Metropolitan Manila. Others come because of the increase in trade and industry. The completion of the Maharlika Highway made Region II more accessible to people from other areas.

The year 1983 marked the quadricentennial celebration of the establishment of the civil government of the Province of Cagayan. In the week-long celebration held in Tuguegarao, several Philippine cabinet ministers visited the town and province.

Of very great consideration is the town's tremendous improvement in social services and infrastructure facilities since 1975. In the 1980s and 1990s, multistory buildings were constructed in the poblacion greatly changing Tuguegarao's skyline. Other changes included landscaped schools and homes, cable television, air-conditioned buses, jet flights, telegraph and telex services, door-to-door delivery services, domestic and overseas long-distance calls, luxurious social amenities and other trappings of a highly urbanized town.

Tuguegarao became a component city after it was affirmed in a plebiscite held on December 18, 1999. Randolph Sera Ting is the first mayor of the new city. On July 2, 2007, Delfin Telan Ting (who was then a municipal mayor from 1988 to 1998) was elected to become the second mayor of the city.

Hotel Delfino siege

The Hotel Delfino siege was a bloody coup attempt that happened on March 4, 1990, when suspended Cagayan governor Rodolfo "Agi" Aguinaldo and his armed men of 200 seized Hotel Delfino in Tuguegarao. Brigader General Oscar Florendo, his driver and four members of the civilian staff, and several other people were held hostage for several hours. A gunfight was launched to kill Aguinaldo and his men but one of the suspended governor's men was found dead in a checkpoint shootout, Brig. Gen. Florendo and 12 others were also dead and 10 more wounded. Aguinaldo was slightly wounded in a car gunfight but eventually escaped and hid into the mountains.

Demographics

Population of
Tuguegarao City
YearPop.±% p.a.
1918 17,000    
1939 19,300+0.61%
1948 10,500−6.54%
1960 27,600+8.39%
1970 59,200+7.92%
1980 73,507+2.19%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1990 94,787+2.58%
1995 107,275+2.35%
2000 120,645+2.55%
2007 129,539+0.99%
2010 138,865+2.56%
Source: National Statistics Office & Jan Lameyer

Climate

Tuguegarao experiences a topical climate, with only a slight difference between summer and iwinter temperatures, and high year-round humidity

Climate data for Tuguegarao City
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 37
(99)
37
(99)
40
(104)
42
(108)
41
(106)
41
(106)
41
(106)
38
(100)
37
(99)
38
(100)
36
(97)
38
(100)
42
(108)
Average high °C (°F) 28
(82)
30
(86)
33
(91)
36
(97)
36
(97)
36
(97)
34
(93)
34
(93)
33
(91)
31
(88)
30
(86)
28
(82)
32.4
(90.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) 23
(73)
24
(75)
26
(79)
29
(84)
29
(84)
29
(84)
28
(82)
28
(82)
27
(81)
26
(79)
25
(77)
24
(75)
26.5
(79.6)
Average low °C (°F) 19
(66)
18
(64)
20
(68)
22
(72)
23
(73)
23
(73)
22
(72)
22
(72)
22
(72)
22
(72)
21
(70)
20
(68)
21.2
(70.2)
Record low °C (°F) 12
(54)
13
(55)
14
(57)
17
(63)
17
(63)
18
(64)
18
(64)
19
(66)
18
(64)
18
(64)
12
(54)
12
(54)
12
(54)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 31.2
(1.228)
23.0
(0.906)
27.7
(1.091)
28.1
(1.106)
113.5
(4.469)
141.4
(5.567)
176.4
(6.945)
236.6
(9.315)
224.9
(8.854)
247.7
(9.752)
222.9
(8.776)
178.0
(7.008)
1,651.4
(65.017)
Average rainy days 10 6 5 5 13 12 15 15 15 17 16 15 144
Average relative humidity (%) 82 76 73 71 72 75 79 79 80 82 84 85 78.2
Mean daily sunshine hours 11.6 11.9 12.4 12.9 13.4 13.6 13.5 13.1 12.6 12.1 11.7 11.5 12.52
Source #1: World Weather Online[8]
Source #2: Weatherbase[9]

Economy

Tuguegarao City's Calle Commercio (commercial street) in 2010.

Within the past three decades, its economy gradually shifted from agriculture to secondary/tertiary economic activities such as trading, commerce and services. The shift was ushered by Tuguegarao's role as the provincial and regional government center and one of the centers of commerce in Northern Luzon. Banking, educational, commercial, industrial and tourism-related activities proliferate in the area.

As of 2013, there were 4,210 registered business establishments for which more than half are located in the Poblacion and less than one-third (1/3) are in the urban barangays. Of these registered establishments, 53.48% are wholesale and retail trade establishments. Financing, insurance and real estate firms contributed 8.54%, and the remaining 37.98% consist of service enterprises and social amenities to include business, recreational, personal, utility and other services. At present, there are 31 banks operating in the city.

Festivals

In 2014, a new edition of the festival is introduced. It is named as the Pavvurulun Afi Festival, a fire-themed festival. Afi is an Ibanag word which means fire, signifying the city's etymology. A highlight of the celebration was the lighting of bamboo torches by more than 3,000 college students from Cagayan State University as part of the kick-off activities. The organizers used citronella oil instead of kerosene, as a safety precaution, to ignite the torches.[10]

Places of interest

Buntun Bridge
Saint Peter Metropolitan Church
Horno used to prepare bricks

Local government

City Officials (01 July 2013-30 June 2016)
Position Name
City Mayor Atty. Jefferson P. Soriano
City Vice-Mayor Atty. Engelbert C. Caronan
City Councilors Bienvenido "Ben-Ben" Chua de Guzman
Pastor Rosauro Resuello, CPA
Ronaldo S. Ortiz
Perla C. Tumaliuan, MPA
Maila Rosario Ting Que
Atty. Noel A. Mora
Jude T. Bayona
Loreto B. Valdepeñas, LLB
Engr. Kendrick S. Calubaquib
Estelita U. Dayag
Dr. Aurora A. Ave, Ph.D.
Anthony C. Tuddao
Hilario Larry S. Ting (Ex-Officio, Liga ng mga Barangay)

Transportation

Tuguegarao City's main transportation vehicle is the tricycle

Tuguegarao serves as a vital transportation and communication hub. It can be reached using buses with en route to Tuguegarao, Baggao, Aparri, and also Santiago. Bus services that operate in Tuguegarao include Victory Liner, GV Florida Transport, Five Star Bus Company, Dalin Liner, Northern Luzon Bus Line, Everlasting Transport Inc., Universal Guiding Star Bus Line, Northstar Transport Inc., EMC Transportation Inc. and many smaller feeder minibuses which offers services like Sleeper, Super Deluxe, Deluxe, Air conditioned, and Ordinary Fare.

There are also some vans that plies to Claveria, Sta.Praxedes, Aparri, Sta.Ana, Alcala, Lasam and Junction Luna, Abulug in Cagayan, Santiago City, Roxas, Ilagan City and Cauayan City in Isabela, Luna and Kabugao in Apayao. There are also mini buses plying to Lasam, Allacapan, Claveria, Santiago City and Roxas. There are jeeps with routes to Iguig, Tuao, Enrile, Tabuk and Rizal in Kalinga and some mountainous barrios in Cagayan. The tricycle and calesa are common modes of public transport in the city.

The Tuguegarao City Domestic Airport is a facility located 21.036 meters or 69 feet above sea level and is capable of handling Boeing-737-sized aircraft. Small aircraft, helicopters and army cargo aircraft also utilize the airport. Cebu Pacific, Sky Pasada and PAL Express are the available domestic airline companies which provide daily flights to and from the city.

References

  1. "Official City/Municipal 2013 Election Results". Intramuros, Manila, Philippines: Commission on Elections (COMELEC). 11 September 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Province: CAGAYAN". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay: as of May 1, 2010" (PDF). 2010 Census of Population and Housing. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  4. (2013-04-04). "PAGASA: Hottest day so far this year in NCR at 35.2 degrees Celsius". GMA News Online. Retrieved on 2013-08-02.
  5. Taken from the City's Official Website as written by Maria Fe B. Agu-Villania, CPA, CSEE, the City's Planning and Development Coordinator
  6. Harkins, P., 1956, Blackburn's Headhunters, London: Cassell & Co. LTD
  7. "An Act Creating the Barrio of Capatan in the Municipality of Tuguegarao, Province of Cagayan". LawPH.com. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
  8. "Tuguegarao, Philippines: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". World Weather Online. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  9. "Tuguegarao, Philippines Travel Weather Averages (Weatherbase)". Weatherbase. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  10. http://filamstar.net/lifenhomenews/2051-tuguegarao-city-s-festival-of-fire.html
  11. Foley, M. (1912). "Tuguegarao". The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved from New Advent on 2013-08-01.
  12. "Cultural Tourism". http://www.cagayan.gov.ph. Retrieved 23 November 2014. External link in |website= (help)

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