Cabatuan, Isabela


', officially the ', is a of the Philippines| in the province of,. According to the, it has a population of people.
Being a major rice producing town, it is the home of several rice mills and rice traders, dubbed as the Land of the Golden Grains.

Geography

Cabatuan occupies a land area of 7,200 hectares. It lies in the south-western part of the Province of Isabela bounded on the north by the Municipality of Aurora, on the east by the Municipality of Luna, on the west by the Municipality of San Mateo and on the south by the Municipality of Cauayan. Its territorial boundaries are more specifically delineated under Executive Order 293 issued by President Elpidio Quirino on November 5, 1949.

Barangays

Upon the creation of Cabatuan in 1949, twelve barrios were extracted from the mother-town of Cauayan. They were: Cabatuan, Buenavista, Caggong, Canan, Culing, Diamantina, Luzon, Macalaoat, Magdalena, Namnama, Tandul Viejo and Villa Visaya. The three sitios were: Nueva Era, Sampaloc and Saranay.
In 1951, a major re-organization was made creating the new barrios of: Calaocan, Centro East, Centro West, La Paz, Nueva Era 1, Nueva Era 2, Sampaloc and Saranay. Barrio Buenavista, on the other hand, was joined with Barrio Caggong while Barrio Villa Visaya was also incorporated with Barrio Diamantina.
In 1956, two additional barrios were formed. Barrio Del Pilar was created from Magdalena while Barrio Del Corpuz was extracted from Nueva Era 1.
In 1964, Barrio Centro West was renamed to T. Abad honoring one of the founders of Cabatuan, Senor Teodoro Abad while Barrio Centro East was simply called Barrio Centro. Also the same year, Barrio Caggong was re-christened to Rang-ay while Barrio Tandul Viejo was simply called Tandul. Barrio Nueva Era 1 was renamed to Culing West while the remaining fraction of old Culing was called Culing East. Barrio Nueva Era 2 was plainly called Nueva Era.
In 1969, Barrios Culing East and West were chopped to accommodate a new barrio and was named Culing Centro.
The continuous re-organization of the barangay administrative and political set-up divided Barrio Macalaoat and in 1972, the Barrios of Magsaysay and Paraiso were created. The territory of Barrio Magsaysay was derived from the western portion while Barrio Paraiso got its land area at the eastern side of Macalaoat. Also in the same year, Barrio T. Abad was again renamed to San Andres to honor Cabatuan's patron, Saint Andrew the Apostle.
Today the Municipality of Cabatuan has 22 barangays:
BarangayPopulation Population Economic Class
Centro 1,2801,311Urban
Del Pilar1,7802,003Urban
Magdalena2,1292,159Urban
Sampaloc2,8102,974Urban
San Andres1,6182,018Urban
Saranay3,3093,704Urban
Calaocan1,2851,410Rural
Canan1,7091,921Rural
Culing Centro530527Rural
Culing East394437Rural
Culing West952977Rural
Del Corpuz656717Rural
Diamantina2,5732,817Rural
La Paz5,1064,299Rural
Luzon1,6721,950Rural
Macalaoat1,0281,148Rural
Magsaysay681703Rural
Namnama1,6561,797Rural
Nueva Era1,5351,685Rural
Paraiso1,0081,126Rural
Rang-ay1,7861,878Rural
Tandul1,8021,852Rural

Climate

History

The early inhabitants of the vast forest land were the Kalingas who are indigenous to the mountain provinces. These settlers lived on tree houses which they built along the banks of the bountiful and mighty Magat River. These sturdy, dark complexioned, G-stringed, soldier-like people depended on hunting, fishing and a little agriculture and poultry.
In 1912, the pioneering Ilocanos started arriving with their families, relatives and friends. The Ilocanos settled away from the river but the Kalingas considered it an intrusion which later led to the encounters where the Ilocanos used piles of stones to drive away the ferocious Kalingas. The act of throwing stones was called “ambatuan” which later evolved to “cabatuan”. The warring groups eventually became friends through a peace pact led by their respective leaders and the place became known as Cabatuan.
In 1914, Cabatuan was incorporated with the Municipality of Cauayan. Many leaders emerged from the Cabatuan settlers and seeing that they are a political threat to the Cauayan leadership, the Municipal Council of Cauayan in 1948 agreed and endorsed the segregation of Cabatuan from the mother town. Through the initiative of the delegation formed by leaders who hailed from Barrio Cabatuan, Executive Order 293 creating the Municipality of Cabatuan was finally signed by President Elpidio R. Quirino in Malacañang on November 5, 1949. On November 30, 1949, the set of municipal officials appointed by President Quirino took their oath of office signaling the independence of Cabatuan from its mother town.

Early Cabatuanenses

The land where Cabatuan now nestles was once teeming with vegetation, wildlife and fish, nurtured by the mighty and winding Magat River. Its history started when one of the indigenous people of the mountain provinces settled down in the vast valley of Cagayan where the Apayaos, Dumagats, Gaddangs, Ibanags, Ifugaos, Igorots, Itawes, Palananons and the Yogads were living. This tribe is known as the Kalingas, the name believed to have come from the Ibanag and Gaddang word, which means "headhunters". The Kalinga villages were strategically located along the banks of the Magat River in south-western Isabela near the boundary of Ifugao province, surrounding the locality now known as Sili, Bolinao, Dalig Kalinga and Subasta. The early Cabatuanenses were generally known to be medium in height, with dark complexion and lissome with high nose bridges. Physically, they were very sturdy and well-built so that their war-like bearing feature made them more like soldiers. They lived on tree-houses and depended on hunting, fishing and a little of poultry and agriculture. The Kalingas were believed to be the descendants of the second wave of Malay who came to the Islands from Borneo. These pagans were headed by several able leaders like: Ronsan and Ngolan, Balindan, Melad and Gombi, Tullayao Bayudoc and the grand old chieftain Materig.
The Kalingas preferred to stay in the Cabatuan area of jurisdiction rather than in Aurora because the town proper of Aurora then was located in Dalig, now a barangay of Burgos town.
When the Christians arrived, the Kalingas attached the word "Infiel" before their native name to fulfill their yearning for a second name like those of Christians. The name "Infiel" was derived from "ynfieles", a Spanish friar's term for non-believers of the Christian faith.

Pioneering Ilocanos

After the Ilocano migrants, several waves of settlers particularly locals from Pangasinan and Central Luzon region came to Isabela as merchants. Some of the Pangasinan pioneers were: Nicolas T. Almirol, Benito Monte, Hermogenes B. Soriben and Zacarias P. Munoz.
Some of the Tagalog migrants were: Carlino O. Munsayac, Atanasio H. Dayrit, Atty. Rafael M. Tomacruz, Anselmo S. Esmino, Mr. Pamintuan, Andres Alivia and Antonio V. Altoveros.
The Chinese also migrated to Cabatuan and opted to permanently reside in the locality and inter-married with young Ilocano maidens. The bulk of the Chinese migrants came from Amoy, China in the 1930s. The Chinese migrants were: Clemente Paggabao, Eusebio Uy, Juan Uy, Mariano Uy, Kaya Uy, Inocencio Uy, Francisco Uy, Guillermo Uy, Lorenzo Uy, Venancio Tio, Vicente Pua, Joaquin Pua, Pedro Pua, Kiana Uy, Pascual Pua, Densoy Ty, Tomas Uy, Miguel Dy, Mariano Tio, Julian Pua, Eusebio Tan, Jose Uy, Ben Chong, Alfonso Uy, Sytong Uy, Uwa Uy, Ben Co, Pedro Ong, Pedro Yan, Tio Nga Luy, Alfredo Uy

As a barrio of Cauayan

In 1914, during the American Regime, Cabatuan was incorporated with the Municipality of Cauayan, Isabela with Senor Agapito A. Pilar as the first Barrio Teniente. Others who assumed the post were: Florencio Abad, Leocadio Acio, Pedro Acob, Felipe Aczon, Tomas Camungao, T. Damunglo, Jose Castillo, Cirilo Guerrero, Platon Guillermo, Ignacio Juan, Antonio S. Medina, Felipe Pascual, Feliciano A. Ramos, Roman Rivera, Inigo Sales, Francisco Salvador, Tirso Santos, B. Sumawang, Juan Ventura. Don Bernardo C. Dacuycuy, the acknowledged founder of Cabatuan, was appointed by Governor-General Leonard Wood as President of the Confederate Districts of Antatet, Dalig, Bolinao and Sili. Later on, Cabatuan was sub-divided into four districts. District 1, comprises what is now the barangays of Sampaloc and Saranay. District 2, the barrio proper, comprises what is now the barangays of Centro and San Andres. District 3, comprises what is now the barangays of Del Pilar, Magdalena and portions of Paraiso. And District 4, comprises all populated areas upstream the Magat River like Macalaoat, Culing and Diamantina.

Early politics

The desire to have a representation for the Magat region prompted the Cabatuanenses to support the candidacy of several of their barrio folks. Thus, the administrations of Cauayan Municipal Mayors Guillermo Blas and Zoilo Cuntapay, three of their Municipal Councilors hailed from Cabatuan. They were: Paz Sales-Cruz, Francisco Razon and Atanasio H. Dayrit. And realizing that men and women of Barrio Cabatuan has the potential and capacity to lead the whole town of Cauayan, the Cabatuanenses rallied behind the candidacy of Federico P. Acio as mayor. Acio won and assumed office in 1941 but his term was cut short when the Japanese Imperial Army occupied the valley. Acio was replaced by the appointment of Jose Canciller.

Second World War

When the Second World War erupted, several sons and daughters of Cabatuan were involved in various encounters in the countryside. The brave and freedom loving Cabatuanenses who fought for democracy in Bataan were: Norberto V. Abad, Dominador Acob, Victorino R. Agustin, Leopoldo Cadeliria, Alejandro A. Cadiente, Ventura D. Frogoso, Elpidio A. Galiza, Domingo J. Marcelo, Juan B. Molina, Ranulfo Navarro, Andres N. Palado, Cenon B. Ramos, Jose M. Rivera, Florencio B. Sacaben, Simeon B. Santos, Victorino O. Santos, Lorenzo T. Sunga, Manuel T. Talimada, Damian S. Tomacruz and Hermogenes S. Tomas. Though the island of Corregidor and the peninsula of Bataan became the concentration of the war, many provinces in Luzon Island also participated in the fighting. The Cabatuanenses who fought outside Bataan were: Benedicto A. Acosta, Teodoro P. Asuncion, Sebastian M. Ballesteros, Rizalino M. Camungao, Florencia M. Dacuycuy and Enrique Padron.
As the Japanese Imperial Army occupied the valley after the Fall of Bataan, strong resistance continued. Many gallant Cabatuanenses joined the underground "guerilla" movement, locally known as the Bolo Unit as they continue their quest for freedom. The Guerillas from Cabatuan were: Federico P. Acio, Damaso A. Acosta, Mariano P. Alejo, Antonio V. Altoveros, Nestor R. Altoveros, Alvaro C. Antolin, Rufino D. Apostol, Benito G. Bauzon, Osmundo S. Bungay, Pacifico S. Cabantac, Felix G. Cadelina, Norberto Cadiz, Demetrio dela Cruz, Leonides R. Dacuycuy, Gavino K. Enerlan, Fernando A. Ferrer, Apolonio R. Galicano, Patrocinio Gamiao, Venancio Galingana, Santos D. Gonatise, Iluminado Grande, Lino P. Gumaru, Jose G. Hermogela, Nicolas Labayog, Juan R. Labuguen, Celestino G. Lomboy, Cenon S. Manibog, Venancio G. Manibog, Juan G. Manuel, Isaac I. Martinez, Cipriano D. Mercado, Nicolas Meria, Miguel O. Monte, Sixta C Juan, Dionisio B Juan,Andres E. Nomina, Domingo Pedro, Nemesio N. Ramil, Antonio B. Rodriguez, Cayetano K. Rosario, Teodulfo D. Rumbaoa, Maura A. Sales, Domingo D. Salgado, Severino Tarapia, Juanito S. Topinio, Juan P. Valeroso, Avelino A. Villanueva, Vicente Villar and Juan G. Visaya.
Mayor Acio was one of the remaining mayors of northern Luzon who have not surrendered to the Japanese. The foreign invaders tried to make Acio surrender by torturing his wife, Josefa Ventura-Acio, through "water treatment". In reality, the poor Mrs. Acio never knew the whereabouts of her husband and her suffering continued until before Liberation.
The tabacalera, now owned by Senor Bernardo Bulosan Garcia Sr married to Efrenia Tejada Ancheta, in District became the chief garrison of the invading foreigners. Other prominent Japanese garrisons were the residences of Federico Acio, Francisco Acob and Daniel Crisologo. The ever-fighting guerillas continued their underground activities and were fully supported by the barrio people. The Niponggo troops made plans to liquidate this stubborn resistance. The Japanese soldiers hired Filipinos to serve as "magic eyes" to pinpoint those who were supporters and members of the movement. The civilians who were unfortunate to be tagged and assassinated were: Catalino Pascual, Ireneo Acedo, Severino Tarampi and a certain Mr. Gomez. There was also an incident where the Japanese kidnapped a lady by the name of Genoveva A. Agsalda while reaping tobacco in her field and never to be found again.
When the "liberating" American warplanes arrived, a house in District Dos where at least two families were residing was mistakenly identified as a Japanese camp. The house was heavily bombarded killing all the inhabitants of the compound. The fatalities were: Agustin Duldulao and wife Josefa Mercado with sister Teodorica M. Visaya. The Duldulao children were: Aprecion, Emeteria, Severo, Angel, Teofilo and the eldest, Demetrio and wife Demetria Aczon with their three-months old baby girl, Angeles.

Demographics

In the, the population of Cabatuan, Isabela, was people, with a density of.

Economy

According to the Bureau of Local Government Finance, the annual regular revenue of Cabatuan for the fiscal year of 2016 was ₱106,631,260.21.

Telecommunication

This town has excellent telecommunications facilities. Cellular companies provide sufficient coverage. Smart Communications has a cellsite in the middle of the town providing voice, texting and data services over the GSM network. Smart is likewise providing 3G and HSPA services, putting this town at par with European cities with its advance technology. This HSPA network can provide broadband internet connection with speeds up to 7.2 Mbit/s. Residents of Cabatuan can move around the town with their laptop connected to the internet. SmartBRO is also available for fixed internet service

Municipal elections

2019 elections

The result of the recently conducted local election last May 13, 2019 are as follows;
PositionCandidatePartyTotal Final VotesRemarks
MayorCharlton UyPDPLBN14,977Won
Vice MayorMario AcostaPDPLBN14,724Won
Sangguniang BayanBenben DyPDPLBN13,367Won
Rolando VelascoPDPLBN12,375Won
Randy BritanicoPDPLBN12,135Won
Jasmin MianoPDPLBN11,924Won
Andy AliviaPDPLBN11,019Won
Jomar JarviniaPDPLBN10,294Won
Marval CrisologoPDPLBN10,070Won
Patchy LabuguenPDPLBN7,650Won
Julian DayritNPC7,332
Verna Lee AndayaNPC7,101
Chanda Gonzales UajeNPC5,783
Hermogenes AsuncionNPC4,798
Almasita MarambaNPC3,778
Roman Francis ManibogLAKAS3,760
Bernardo Garcia Jr.LAKAS2,647
Domingo UritaLAKAS1,712
Alfredo GarciaIND1,499

2016 elections

The result of the recently conducted local election last May 9, 2016 are as follows;
PositionCandidatePartyTotal Final VotesRemarks
MayorCharlton UyNPC11,750Won
Atanasio Dayrit Jr.NP5,849
Vice MayorMario AcostaNPC10,313Won
Chanda Gonzales-UajePMP6,272
Sangguniang BayanHermogenes AsuncionNPC9,398Won
Rolando VelascoAKSYON8,657Won
Bernardo"Panyong" Ancheta Garcia JrNPC8,050Won
Jasmin MianoNPC7,989Won
Roman Manibog JrNPC7,279Won
Leonardo AliviaAKSYON6,998Won
Julian Owen DayritAKSYON6,895Won
Randy BritanicoNPC6,754Won
Marval CrisologoNPC6,421
Jomar JarviniaNPC5,749
Verna Lee AndayaIND5,679
Eugene AcostaIND5,595
Grace ArreolaIND5,064
Rafael Sandan JrNPC4,650
Florante SantosNP3,963
Fernando Victor MananganNP3,823
Nimfa GacadNP3,310
Susan MonteNP3,242
Doc. Boyet DomingoNP3,001

2013 elections

The result of May 13, 2013 are as follows;
PositionCandidatePartyTotal Final VotesRemarks
MayorCharlton UyPMP6,440Won
Cid DayritNPC3,679
Vice MayorMario AcostaPMP6,719Won
Gin AcostaLAKAS2,962
Sangguniang BayanHermogenes AsuncionPMP5,531Won
Troy MianoLAKAS5,103Won
Lando AliviaLAKAS4,817Won
Jimmy CadeliñaLAKAS4,490Won
Renato MontePMP4,366Won
Chanda GonzalesPMP4,241Won
Bernardo Ancheta Garcia Jr.LP3,998Won
Marval CrisologoPMP3,890Won
Nimfa GacadIND3,802
Manayon ManibogNPC3,620
Oscar UyPMP3,445
Sany GanalNPC2,841
Ed SantosNPC2,806
Rodrigo Padron ┼PMP2,738
Eliseo OrodioPMP2,466
Jess SuguitanNPC2,209
Mary Grace de AsisLAKAS1,884
Eliz Ramos┼IND304

Education

High schools:
Elementary: