Santa Ana, Cagayan

Santa Ana, officially the Municipality of Santa Ana (Ili nat Santa Ana; Ili ti Santa Ana; Bayan ng Santa Ana), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. In the 2020 census, it had a population of 35,688 people.

The municipality contains the north-easternmost point of Luzon and also includes Palaui Island. It is the home of the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and the Camilo Osias Naval Base in Barangay San Vicente. Santa Ana is 154 km from Tuguegarao and 635 km from Manila.

History
The first inhabitants of the region were the Negritos and hacheros (woodcutters) under Don Julián Astigarraga (Capitan Vasco 1854-1901 ) of Aparri. Some fishermen from Minanga came and settled in Palawig. In 1891, Felipe Agarpao organized a gimong (society) called Inanama with some settlers. The purpose of the organization was to acquire and occupy land in the area. That same year, Briccio Campañano of Lapog, Ilocos Sur and others from Ilocos came to Palawig to apply for homesteads in the sitio of Marede. These settlers organized another gimong called Dagupan.

In 1900, the woodcutters from Aparri arrived by boat. The clearing of forests began shortly after.

From 1919 to 1935, several groups of settlers from the Ilocos Region came to claim territory aboard virays (light boats). The once-forested areas were only accessible via rivers and the sea. Before reaching the settlements in the northern and eastern portions of the region, they had to navigate along the Palawig River.

The name Palawig was coined from the local term pasawig, meaning mouth of the river.

In 1935, the gimongs Inanama and Dagupan fused into one group called Da Inanama. Headed by Navarro, they began to work for the separation of Palawig as a municipality independent from Gonzaga. Their application was held in abeyance because their population did not meet the needed number required by law. The move was suspended in 1941 and not carried out due to World War Two.

Barrio Palawig and its neighboring barrios were separated from Gonzaga and the town was created by President Elpidio Quirino via Executive Order No. 289 on 21 October 1949. Contrary to the usual assumption, it is not named for Saint Anne but is an acronym of the surnames of the then-three provincial officials: Governor Nicasio Arranz and Provincial Board members Federico Navarro and Roberto Avena. The association to the saint was a back-formation in keeping with traditional Hispanicised toponyms.

Barangays
Santa Ana is politically subdivided into barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios. The town is divided into two sections by the Palawig River, east and west.


 * Casagan - E
 * Casambalangan (Port Irene) - W
 * Centro (Poblacion) - W
 * Diora-Zinungan - W
 * Dungeg - E
 * Kapanikian - W
 * Marede - E
 * Palawig - E
 * Batu-Parada - E
 * Patunungan - E
 * Rapuli (Punti) - W
 * San Vicente (Fort) - E
 * Santa Clara - E
 * Santa Cruz - E
 * Tangatan - E
 * Visitacion (Poblacion) - W

Climate
Santa Ana has a tropical monsoon climate (Am according to the Köppen climate classification) with hot, humid conditions prevailing year round. The average annual high temperature is 28 C and the average annual low temperature is 23 C. Santa Ana receives 1,818 mm of precipitation annually.

Demographics
In the 2020 census, the population of Santa Ana, was 35,688 people, with a population density of undefined PD/km2.

Economy
The economy of Santa Ana is composed of both agriculture and the commercial sector. Most of the commercial and industrial activities are at Port Irene as part of the Cagayan Special Economic Zone in Barangay Casambalangan.

Some of its agricultural and aquatic products are rice, corn, peanut, fish, lumber, shells, etc. Among its natural resources are limestone deposits at Bawac Mountain, coal at Carbon Mountain, Santa Clara and guano deposit at Kapannikian Cave.

Tourism
Aside from the Cagayan Special Economic Zone which host casinos and other gaming facilities, Santa Ana has other scenic spots and historical landmarks. These include:
 * Cape Engaño Lighthouse/Cove (USA Survivor 27 and 28 filming area)
 * Siwangag Cove (USA Survivor 27 and 28 filming area)
 * White beaches like Anguib Beach, Mapurao Beach, Nangaramoan Beach, and Puzo Robo Beach
 * Gotan mangrove forest and waterfalls
 * Suncity Casino in Barangay Tangatan
 * Buwacag Falls at Santa Clara (open for public), Padlas Falls at Casambalangan, and Lamesa Falls at Casagan (not yet ready for public)
 * Dumasag River at Rapuli
 * Riding Takuli (a traditional kayak) and firefly watching at Barangay Casagan
 * Belt Fishing Activity at Diora-Zinungan

Santa Ana is the game fishing hub of the Philippines. It has hosted international decathlons, where athletes run through the rugged terrain of Punta Verde to Cape Engaño, then swim in the Philippine Sea.

Local government
Santa Ana, belonging to the first legislative district of the province of Cagayan, 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 elections held every three years.

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

Culture
Every year from May 26 to May 30, the town hosts the Viray Festival, organized by the local government with the support of the regional tourism office and the private sector. Launched in June 2005, the Viray Festival was conceived to dramatize the significance of the viray, which played a key role in the lives and history of the town.

A viray is a large, flat wooden boat which, before the emergence of gasoline-fed engines in the early 1950s, was propelled by sails. Traders used large virays measuring 18 m long, 5 m wide and 3.5 m high. Fishermen, on the other hand, used smaller ones, usually 11 m long, 5 m wide and 2.5 m high. Equipped with oars to reach nearby fishing grounds, these types sailed for longer distances.

Due to its capacity to carry great quantities of cargo, the viray was the only means of transport used by the first settlers of Santa Ana.

Leaders and well-off families gained income from the services of the viray, ranging from fishing, commerce and trading to means of transport during the years when Santa Ana was in its prime. They used the viray for fishing, as the boats could carry fishing gear, provisions, supplies, and people. It was assisted by small bancas during fishing operations.

An annual fluvial parade of colorful boats is held during the first day. The second day of the festival features a grand carabao parade where each of the sixteen barangays composing the municipality take their turn to show off their artistic talents. On the third day, both locals and visitors line up along the main street to watch people participating in the street dancing competition.

Sports
Santa Ana is also known as a site for kiteboarding and windsurfing. In 2015, the Philippine Windsurfing Association and the Philippine Kiteboarding Association organized a competition off Anguib Beach.

In 2016, the Beach Volleyball Republic league hosted the third leg of the Nationwide On Tour on Anguib Beach. Beach volleyball players Charo Soriano and Filipino-American Alexa Micek won the third leg of the tournament.

Media

 * 107.9 MHz TAPS Radio Santa Ana