Gonzaga, Cagayan
Encyclopedia
Gonzaga is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines
.
, and 607 kilometers from Manila
.
Gonzaga has a total land area of 56,743 Ha, the majority of which remains undeveloped. It has large stretches of virgin forests, especially throughout the mountainous areas of the Sierra Madre mountain range. The highest elevation in the municipality is 1,130 meters above sea level, located at Mount Cagua (see Cagua Volcano
) in Barangay Magrafil.
The majority of the municipality's 40.2 km coastline is mostly along the Babuyan Channel to the north, although it is also bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the southeast. The eleven coastal barangays contain a total of 139 Ha of beaches, 69 Ha of mangrove forests, and 348 Ha of coral reefs.
s, especially members of Aeta
tribes. The first recorded name of the area was Gampao, an Aeta word meaning 'mountainous;' later this was changed to Wangag, meaning 'river.' In the eighteenth century, groups of Ilocano-speaking immigrants arrived in several waves by sea and land, gradually displacing the Aeta in the lowland areas.
Wangag was given ecclesiastical recognition on February 23, 1869, as a barrio of the Municipality of Buguey. In 1917 it was renamed Rumang-ay, an Ilocano word meaning 'to be progressive.' The following year, however, it would change once again in honor of the first Filipino Governor of Cagayan, Gracio P. Gonzaga. By executive order of Governor General Francis Burton Harrison
, the independent Municipality of Gonzaga officially came into being on January 1, 1918.
s, including four urban barangays which constitute the Poblacion
area.
Gonzaga is primarily an agricultural municipality, with more than half of the workforce employed primarily as either farmers of fishers. Approximately 5,500 Ha of agricultural land are currently under production, the majority of which are dedicated to rice farming.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Physical description
Gonzaga is located at the northeastern tip of the province of Cagayan, bordered by the municipality of Santa Ana to the northeast, the municipality of Santa Teresita to the west, and the municipality of Lal-lo to the south. It is approximately 45 kilometers from Aparri, the nearest commercial center, 125 kilometers from the provincial capital of Tuguegarao CityTuguegarao City
Tuguegarao City is the city capital of Cagayan, Philippines and the regional capital of Region 02 . Tuguegarao is the economic center of the Cagayan Valley Region; it is located on a peninsula in the Cagayan Valley. It is sheltered by the Sierra Madre Mountains in the East; Cordilleras in the...
, and 607 kilometers from Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
.
Gonzaga has a total land area of 56,743 Ha, the majority of which remains undeveloped. It has large stretches of virgin forests, especially throughout the mountainous areas of the Sierra Madre mountain range. The highest elevation in the municipality is 1,130 meters above sea level, located at Mount Cagua (see Cagua Volcano
Cagua Volcano
Cagua Volcano is one of the active volcanoes of the Philippines. It has erupted twice in recorded history.- Geography :Cagua, one of the active volcanoes in the Philippines, is located in the province of Cagayan. Specifically, it lies in the Cagayan Valley region, of northern Luzon island...
) in Barangay Magrafil.
The majority of the municipality's 40.2 km coastline is mostly along the Babuyan Channel to the north, although it is also bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the southeast. The eleven coastal barangays contain a total of 139 Ha of beaches, 69 Ha of mangrove forests, and 348 Ha of coral reefs.
History
The original inhabitants of Gonzaga were NegritoNegrito
The Negrito are a class of several ethnic groups who inhabit isolated parts of Southeast Asia.Their current populations include 12 Andamanese peoples of the Andaman Islands, six Semang peoples of Malaysia, the Mani of Thailand, and the Aeta, Agta, Ati, and 30 other peoples of the Philippines....
s, especially members of Aeta
Aeta
The Aeta , Agta or Ayta are an indigenous people who live in scattered, isolated mountainous parts of Luzon, Philippines. They are considered to be Negritos, who are dark to very dark brown-skinned and tend to have features such as a small stature, small frame, curly to kinky afro-like textured...
tribes. The first recorded name of the area was Gampao, an Aeta word meaning 'mountainous;' later this was changed to Wangag, meaning 'river.' In the eighteenth century, groups of Ilocano-speaking immigrants arrived in several waves by sea and land, gradually displacing the Aeta in the lowland areas.
Wangag was given ecclesiastical recognition on February 23, 1869, as a barrio of the Municipality of Buguey. In 1917 it was renamed Rumang-ay, an Ilocano word meaning 'to be progressive.' The following year, however, it would change once again in honor of the first Filipino Governor of Cagayan, Gracio P. Gonzaga. By executive order of Governor General Francis Burton Harrison
Francis Burton Harrison
Francis Burton Harrison was an American statesman who served in the United States House of Representatives and appointed Governor-General of the Philippines by President of the United States Woodrow Wilson...
, the independent Municipality of Gonzaga officially came into being on January 1, 1918.
Demographics
According to the most recent census, Gonzaga has a population of approximately 35,424 people in 6,039 households. It is politically subdivided into 25 barangayBarangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
s, including four urban barangays which constitute the Poblacion
Poblacion
A Poblacion or Población, literally "town" or "Population" in Spanish, is the name commonly used for the central barangay or barangays of a Philippine city or municipality. Common features of the poblacion include a town plaza, church, market, school and town hall. It is sometimes shortened to...
area.
Gonzaga is primarily an agricultural municipality, with more than half of the workforce employed primarily as either farmers of fishers. Approximately 5,500 Ha of agricultural land are currently under production, the majority of which are dedicated to rice farming.
Barangays
Gonzaga is politically subdivided into 25 barangays.
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Municipal Mayors
Francis Torres Leandro Zuniega Teodoro Castro Francisco Torres Cesario Peralta Frederico Navarro Caytano de la Cruz Delfin Baltazar Claro P. Nuñez Romarico Salvanera Francisco T. Baclig Hermogenes T. Baclig Juan B. Naval Ricardo M. Paddayuman Aresenio P. Gonzales Epifanio G. Gaspar Rosendo P. Abad Engr. Carlito S. Pentecostes, Jr. | 1918-1921 1922-1924 1925-1927 1928-1931 1932-1940, 1945–1946 1941 1942-1945, 1948–1951, 1960–1967 1952-1955 1956-1959 1967 1968-1986 1986-1987 1987 1988 1988-1998 1998-2007 2007-2010 2010–present |