Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya

Santa Fe, officially the Municipality of Santa Fe (Ili na Santa Fe; Ili ti Santa Fe; Bayan ng Santa Fe), is a 3rd class, landlocked municipality in the province of Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 18,276.

It is the only town in Nueva Vizcaya that borders Pangasinan and is a typical bus stop for commuters going to the provinces of Isabela and Cagayan. This town is the end point of the Dalton Pass, a zig zag road from San Jose and Carranglan, Nueva Ecija. It is also where the infamous Battle of Balete Pass where Brigadier General James Dalton II was killed during the Second World War.

Etymology
According to the official website of Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya, the town's former name "Imugan" derives from the combination of "imug", a Kalanguya word and "gone", an English term, both of which have the same meaning, while the current name was derived from the town's patron saint San Jose de Santa Fe.

History
The town's original inhabitants were the Kalanguya, an ethnic minority belonging to the Igorot people then later on followed by the Ilocanos, Pangasinenses and the Tagalogs.

Spanish era
Santa Fe was formerly an Igorot settlement during the Spanish era called Imugan. It was one of the settlements discovered during the mission of Ituy, which later became part of the jurisdiction of the Commandancia of Kayapa. It became part of Aritao before it finally stood independently as a town.

American era
The Municipal district of Imugan was founded by Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison in 1917 by virtue of Executive Order No. 39. The first appointed municipal president was a certain Kalanguya chief named Licodan who served until 1910.

On November 7, 1923, the Route 5 also known as San Jose–Santa Fe Road (Now part of the Maharlika Highway) was informally opened allowing easy access from Central Luzon to the Cagayan Valley.

Japanese occupation
During the Second World War, the Japanese Imperial Army established a puppet government in the country. Two strategic locations, Dalton Pass in Tactac and Salacsac Pass in Malico, witnessed significant combat between the retreating Japanese Army and the pursuing Allied Forces. Brigadier General James Dalton II of the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) lost his life in the battle of Balete Pass on May 16, 1945, which is now known as "Dalton Pass" in his memory. Similarly, a shrine was built in Salacsac Pass to honor the unknown soldiers who displayed heroism during the war.

Post-war era
On 9 November 1950, Executive Order No. 368, signed by President Elpidio Quirino, abolished the municipal district structure in government and attached Imugan to Aritao and Kayapa. The place gradually developed to become a progressive municipal district. Republic Act. No. 2179 was enacted on May 6, 1959, recreating the Municipal district of Imugan and changing its name to Santa Fe in honor of the Patron Saint San Jose de Santa Fe. By virtue of Executive Order No., 77 dated July 18, 1967 it was converted from a municipal district to a regular municipality by President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

Contemporary period
In December 2000, around 50 NPA rebels raided the town's police station located at the municipal town hall. They ransacked and occupied the town hall for nearly two hours and leaving six policemen dead.

Geography
Santa Fe is located in the southwest part of Nueva Vizcaya and is borders the municipalities of Aritao in the northwest, Kayapa in the northeast, Carranglan, Nueva Ecija in the south, Itogon, Benguet in the east, San Nicolas, and Natividad, Pangasinan in the southwest.

Santa Fe is 50 km from Bayombong and 215 km from Manila.

Barangays
Santa Fe is politically subdivided into 16 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.


 * Atbu
 * Bacneng
 * Balete
 * Baliling
 * Bantinan
 * Baracbac
 * Buyasyas
 * Canabuan
 * Imugan
 * Malico
 * Poblacion
 * Santa Rosa
 * Sinapaoan
 * Tactac
 * Unib
 * Villaflores

Boundary dispute
Santa Fe currently has a boundary dispute with San Nicolas, Pangasinan, in which Santa Fe claims the territory of barangay Malico. The Nueva Vizcaya provincial board passed a resolution on September 21, 2022, urging San Nicolas officials to respect a memorandum of agreement between the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), Pangasinan, and Nueva Vizcaya about twenty years ago. On the same day, the Nueva Vizcaya provincial board held a special session in Barangay Malico and issued a resolution requesting San Nicolas officials to refrain from building infrastructure projects within the barangay's boundaries. Said resolution also instructed San Nicolas officials to "respect the boundary" of Santa Fe as well as "the rights of the Kalanguya tribe and their ancestral domain rights."

On July 2024, the Pangasinan provincial government has allocated for projects and services in Malico. Governor Ramon Guico III asserted Malico's affiliation with Pangasinan, emphasizing the province's commitment to enhancing local infrastructure and services regardless of the territorial dispute. Nueva Vizcaya Governor Jose Gambito warns of potential legal repercussions for Pangasinan's investments in the area. He also said that the two government agreed to pay for every NAMRIA survey but Pangasinan allegedly did not fulfill its promises.

Demographics
According to the 2020 census, Santa Fe has a population of 18,276 in 4,496 households, the 13th most populated and 3rd least populated in the province of Nueva Vizcaya just higher than Ambaguio and slightly lower than Diadi. The population has grown by 2.42% compare to 2015. The population density of the municipality is 46 people per square kilometer (120/sq mi).

Kalanguya (Ikalahan)
The municipality is one of the contiguous areas where the Kalanguya people, part of the Igorot people currently living. They are noted for production of basketry and brooms. In 1972, they founded the Kalahan Educational Fundation (KEF) to secure their ancestral lands. As of 2015, Kalanguya is the largest ethnic group in the municipality amounting to 14,500.

Iwak
Iwak (or I'kaw) people was one of the tribes present in the municipality, mostly found in Barangay Buyasyas. They are noted for making "Kabang", an all purpose basket which they sold in shops across the town. As of 2000, there were 368 Iwak in the town.

Ilocanos
Nueva Vizcaya as a whole was one of the place where the Ilocanos migrated into during early 20th century and Santa Fe is one of this places. Ilocanos mostly settled in the lower territory of town specifically along the rivers and roads. As of 2000, Ilocanos are the second largest ethnic group in Santa with 3,207.

Tagalogs
Tagalogs migrated to Santa Fe at the same time as the Ilocanos. As of 2000, there are 1,772 Tagalogs in the municipality making it the 3rd largest ethnic group in the town.

Religion
According to the 2000 census by the National Statistics Office (NSO), majority of the people of Santa Fe adhere to some form of Christianity. There were 62 people adhering to folk/tribal religion.

Roman Catholic
Santa Fe has one Roman Catholic Parish Church named "Church of Our Mother of Perpetual Help". The church is under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Bayombong. As of 2000, there were 4,296 people adhering to Roman Catholicism.

Iglesia Ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo in the municipality is under the church district of Nueva Vizcaya. There were 2 church in the municipality namely, "Local of Santa Fe" located in Barangay Villaflores and "Local of Baliling" located in Barangay Baliling. As of 2000, 622 people adhering to Iglesia ni Cristo.

Language
Ilocano and Filipino is widely spoken across Nueva Vizcaya including the municipality of Santa Fe. Kalanguya language is also widely spoken in the municipality most commonly by the Kalanguya people.

Kalanguya Festival
Kalanguya Festival is a town fiesta held every March to promote Kalanguya culture. It features activities such as dance competition by various ethnic groups in the municipalities, float completion, beauty pageants, and various traditional Kalanguya games such as arm wrestling or hanggol and dapapnikillum or pig catching.

Economy
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, as of 2021, 16.18% of the population of Santa Fe have is living in poverty. It decrease by 1.47% since 2018. It is the 4th highest poverty incidence in the province of Nueva Vizcaya, slightly higher than Alfonso Castañeda and lower than Kasibu.

Local products include brooms, strawberry jam, strawberry wine, peanut butter, orchids and quilts.

Local government
Santa Fe, belonging to the lone congressional district of the province of Nueva Vizcaya, 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.

Education
The Schools Division of Nueva Vizcaya 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.

Some of the schools in Santa Fe are:
 * Santa Fe National High School (Villaflores)
 * Kalahan Academy (Imugan)
 * Santa Fe Central School (Baliling)
 * Canabuan National High School (Canabuan)

Imugan Falls
Imugan Falls is a 35 ft two level waterfall located 1 km from the barangay proper of Imugan.

Balete Pass National Park
Balete Pass National Park also known as Dalton Pass is a 144.09 ha national park where the famous Battle of Balete Pass between the US army and the Japanese Imperial Army happen in 1945. It features the white cross in the Japanese memorial site with the text “Peace Forever.”