Cabagan

Cabagan, officially the Municipality of Cabagan (Ili nat Cabagan; Ili ti Cabagan; Bayan ng Cabagan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Isabela, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 53,897 people.

Etymology
Etymologically, the name Cabagan may have originated from the native word bag or bajaque, not because "G-strings" were used here or made in Cabagan, but most probably because there were stores in the village. Cabagan could have also been derived from the word cabbagang, meaning "pilgrim" or "stranger". Based on the fact that Cabagan at the time was in constant contact with members of the "pagan tribes" from southern Isabela as well as with the "Kalingas", of the neighboring Cordillera mountains.

Various Cabagans
The Cabagan of old, which existed from 1646 to 1877 was simply called, "Cabagan". In 1877, the Spaniards decided to transfer present-day Cabagan to a new site, abandoning the old Cabagan. In 1888, the Spaniards resurrected the abandoned Cabagan, into a new town. With this development, there were now two Cabagans. The Spaniards rectified the predicament by naming the first Cabagan as Cabagan Viejo, and the second Cabagan as Cabagan Nuevo or the new Cabagan.

During the American period, the names of the two Cabagans caused confusion for the colonial authorities which led them to rename Cabagan Nuevo as simply "Cabagan", and the old namesake as San Pablo.

Foundation
The old Cabagan, Cabagan Viejo which is now called "San Pablo", was the key town in the colonization of the Irrayas and southern Isabela. In 1621, the Irraya rebelled and the Spanish relocated three hundred loyalist families who agreed to establish the village of Maquilla, near Tuguegarao. Cabagan became a charter town on November 30, 1646, and ecclesiastically on May 15, 1647, with Saint Paul the Apostle as the patron saint.

New Cabagan (Cabagan Nuevo)
The new Cabagan was established after a Spanish government decree on January 25, 1877, wherein the old Cabagan or San Pablo, be transferred to its present site. The brainchild of the transfer was parish priest Pedro Ricart, who had aggressively lobbied the Spanish government. Father Jose Burgues' History of Cagayan Valley gave the unhealthiness of the old site as the reason for the transfer. Others state that Cabagan was transferred because economic activity appeared to shifting to the villages to the south, namely between the villages of Ugad and Luquilu, around three kilometers away.

The transfer was not without friction though. A number of Cabagan's inhabitants opposed the transfer. But the missionary's will prevailed. To underline his resolve, the missionary uprooted the Church of the old Cabagan and brought the images and other vestments to the new Cabagan.

When the Spaniards moved the town, they also endeavored to build a massive church and convent made of stone, brick and mortar. From 1877, until the Philippine Revolution in 1898, the Spaniards were still not able to complete the constructions needed for the new town.

Geography
Cabagan is a land-locked municipality in the Cagayan River valley in the north of Luzon Island. The town center is located on the eastern banks of the Cagayan River.

Cabagan is 50 km from Ilagan and 448 km from Manila.

Barangays
Cabagan is politically subdivided into 26 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

There are three barangays that are considered urban (highlighted in bold).


 * Aggub
 * Anao
 * Angancasilian
 * Balasig
 * Cansan
 * Casibarag Norte
 * Casibarag Sur
 * Catabayungan
 * Centro (Poblacion)
 * Cubag
 * Garita
 * Luquilu
 * Mabangug
 * Magassi
 * Masipi East
 * Masipi West (Magallones)
 * Ngarag
 * Pilig Abajo
 * Pilig Alto
 * San Antonio (Candanum)
 * San Bernardo
 * San Juan
 * Saui
 * Tallag
 * Ugad
 * Union

Demographics
In the 2020 census, the population of Cabagan was 53,897 people, with a density of undefined PD/km2.

Language
Cabagan was part of the Irraya region and its language was Irraya. The Spaniards however, made the Ibanag language "The official language of the Valley", and had exerted all efforts to make everyone speak the dialect. Since then, the Irraya tongue gradually disappeared from the Cabagan psyche. When people uttered Irraya before, they were discouraged or forbidden to speak, because that was the language of the "pagans" at the time, the Kalingas. Whenever the townsfolk enter the poblacion, none would speak of Irraya, for they would be considered despicably as, a "Kalinga" or as "ignorant persons", living in the mountains.

Today, no one speaks Irraya. There are however, a few barrios in Cabagan today, like San Bernardo and Tallag, wherein the Ibanag dialect gets interspersed with Irraya. However, some older generation townsfolk, could also remember sentences in Irraya. Ilocano is also spoken in parts of Cabagan because of migration of Ilocanos. English, being one of the official languages is used primarily in communication for government publications, local newsprints, road signs, commercial signs and in doing official business transactions. Tagalog, another official language and is also considered the national language is used as verbal communication channel between residents.

Pancit Cabagan
Cabagan is famous for its eponymously named 'Pansit Cabagan', a local dish that was introduced by Chinese trader Sia Lang in 1887 and has gained popularity in different parts of Luzon. There are several popular restaurants (locally called 'Panciterias') serving this dish along the main highway in Barangays Centro, Anao, Ugad and Cubag.

Tourism

 * Malasi Tree Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, a bird sanctuary located in Barangay San Antonio, declared by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as a critical habitat for Philippine ducks and migratory and endemic species of birds are spotted regularly
 * Cabagan Square Park in Barangay Centro, with its carousel which is the largest in the Philippines
 * Fort Cabagan (former military fort), Municipal Hall at Barangay Centro
 * Triangle Park, located at Barangay Ugad, where a towering led TV was installed and the giant kalesa can be seen
 * Aggabao Hall, old entertainment hall of Cabagan located at Barangay Centro
 * Josefina T. Albano Sports and Cultural Complex or the Cabagan Gymnasium, located at Barangay Centro
 * Biwag Shrine at Barangay Tallag
 * Tulap Falls, a recently discovered waterfalls in Barangay Masipi East
 * Bonsur Creek, Bananao Rice Terraces at Barangay Masipi East
 * St. Paul the Apostle Parish Church in Barangay Centro
 * Religious Cross, Century Church bell, Century Well, Spanish Kiln near St. Paul the Apostle Parish Church


 * Pansi Festival
 * Kalesa-Kabayu-Kalaseru (KKK) Festival
 * Sambali Dance

Local government
As a municipality in the Province of Isabela, government officials in the provincial level are voted by the electorates of the town. The provincial government have political jurisdiction over local transactions of the municipal government.

The municipality of Cabagan is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.

Barangays are also headed by elected officials: Barangay Captain, Barangay Council, whose members are called Barangay Councilors. The barangays have SK federation which represents the barangay, headed by SK chairperson and whose members are called SK councilors. All officials are also elected every three years.

Congress representation
Cabagan, as a municipality, belongs to the first legislative district of the province of Isabela. The current representative is Hon. Antonio T. Albano.

Education
The Schools Division of Isabela governs the town's public education system. The division office is a field office of the DepEd in Cagayan Valley region. The office governs the public and private elementary and public and private high schools throughout the municipality.

Media

 * 99.5 MHz DWSA Friendly FM Community Radio

Notable personalities

 * Alex Pagulayan, a Filipino-Canadian professional pool and snooker player, the 2004 world champion in billiards, hails from Barangay San Juan.
 * Rodolfo Albano III, Filipino politician, Representative of the First District of Isabela (1998-2001, 2004-2010, 2013-2019), Vice Governor (2010-2013) and governor of Isabela (since 2019)