Santa Ana, Cagayan
Encyclopedia
Santa Ana is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines
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...

. According to the latest census, it has a population of 25,833 people in 4,101 households.

Santa Ana is the home of the Cagayan Special Economic Zone
Cagayan Special Economic Zone
The Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport in the Philippines, also known as Cagayan Freeport, was established by virtue of Republic Act No. 7922, otherwise known as the Cagayan Economic Zone Act of 1995...

.

Barangays

Santa Ana is politically subdivided into 16 barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...

s.
  • Barangays (Number: 16)

Name (Urban/Rural Population Place of Interest/Landmark)
  • Casagan Rural = 581
  • Casambalangan Rural = 3547 Port Irene
  • Centro (Pob.) Urban = 4056 Municipal Hall, Sta. Ana National High School, St Anthony of Padua Parish Church
  • Diora-Zinungan Rural = 867
  • Dungeg Rural = 608
  • Kapanikian Rural = 600
  • Marede Rural = 1270
  • Palawig Rural = 2223
  • Batu-Parada Rural = 662
  • Patunungan Rural = 1060
  • Rapuli Rural = 2476
  • San Vicente Rural = 4206 Naval Base Camilo Osias (Naval Operating Base San Vicente), San Vicente Port, Palaui Island
  • Santa Clara Rural = 668
  • Santa Cruz Rural = 537 St. Anthony’s College and Hospital
  • Visitacion Rural = 753
  • Tangatan Rural = 1719

History

The first inhabitants were the Negritos and "hatcheros" (woodcutters) under Don Julian Astigarraga of Aparri. Then, some fishermen from Minanga, a barrio of Gonzaga came and resided in Palawig. In 1891, Felipe Aragpao with some settlers organized a "gimong" (society) called "Inanama." The purpose of the organization was to acquire and occupy lands around the place. That same year, Briccio Campañano of Lapog, Ilocos Sur
San Juan, Ilocos Sur
San Juan, formerly Lapog, is a 4th class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 23,808 people in 4,866 households....

 together with some others from Ilocos
Ilocos
Ilocos collectively refers to two provinces in the Philippines: Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. Inhabitants are called Ilocanos and they speak the language Iloko, also called Ilocano.The Ilocos Region, containing four provinces, is named after 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 led by Don Julian Astigarraga arrived by the first boat. Thus, began the clearing of settlements.

From 1919 to 1935 several group of settlers from the Ilocos region came to claim lands aboard virays (light seagoing boats). The once forested areas were accessible only through rivers and the sea. Before reaching the settlements in the northern and eastern portions, they had to navigate through 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 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 unluckily, the war broke out
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 and the move was not carried out.

Barrio Palawig and its close barrios were separated from Gonzaga
Gonzaga, Cagayan
Gonzaga is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines.-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...

 and the town was created by an Executive Order No. 289 of then President
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...

 Elpidio Quirino
Elpidio Quirino
Elpidio Rivera Quirino was a Filipino politician, and the sixth President of the Philippines.A lawyer by profession, Quirino entered politics when he became a representative of Ilocos Sur from 1919 to 1925. He was then elected as senator from 1925–1931...

, dated October 21, 1949 . The town was not named after any saint but the word "ANA" came from the first letter of the family names of then three provincial officials, namely: then Governor Nicasio Arranz, Federico Navarro, and Roberto Avena, then members of the provincial board.

Economy

Santa Ana is a mix of agricultural, commercial and agricultural economy. Most of the commercial and industrial activities were at Port Irene as the Cagayan Special Economic Zone
Cagayan Special Economic Zone
The Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport in the Philippines, also known as Cagayan Freeport, was established by virtue of Republic Act No. 7922, otherwise known as the Cagayan Economic Zone Act of 1995...

.

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, scenic spots and historical landmarks are present in this town. These include:
  • Cape Engaño Lighthouse at Punta Verde point
  • White beaches like Anguib Beach, Mapurao Beach
  • Gotan mangrove forest and waterfalls.


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 dipped in the crystal clear water of the Philippine Sea
Philippine Sea
The Philippine Sea is a marginal sea east and north of the Philippines occupying an estimated surface area of 2 million mi² on the western part of the North Pacific Ocean...

.

Festivities

Every May 26 to May 30 of the year, the town plays host to 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 conceptualized to dramatize the significance of the viray, which played a key role in the lives and history of the town.

An annual fluvial parade of colorful boats were held during the first day.

A viray is a large wooden flat boat which, before the use of gasoline-fed engines in the early 1950s, was propelled by sails. Comerciantes (traders) used large virays measuring 18 meters long, 5 meters wide and 3.5 meters high.

Fishermen, on the other hand, used smaller ones, usually 11 meters long, 5 meters wide and 2.5 meters 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, viray was the only means of transport used by the first settlers of Santa Ana.

Leaders and well-off families derived income from the services of the viray ranging from fishing operation, commerce and trade to means of transport during the years when Santa Ana was at its prime. Used for daklis (trawl net), sapiao (net) and sirut (ring net) fishing, viray could carry the fishing gears, provisions, supplies, and manpower. It is assisted by small bancas during the fishing operation.

The second day of the festival features a grand carabao parade where each of the 16 barangays composing the municipality had their turn to show off their artistic talents.

On the third day, local folks and visitors alike lined up along the main street to watch colorful bodies participating in the street dancing competition.

External links

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