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The Official Seal of the Province of Apayao featured herein is a composite of significant details taken from the entries in a seal-drawing contest conducted by the provincial government in September 1995.
Ordinance No. 96-03 under Provincial Resolution No. 96-44 dated April 16, 1996 interprets the details of the seal thus:
The seven rays of the sun stand for the seven municipalities of Apayao, namely: Calanasan, Conner, Flora, Kabugao, Luna, Pudtol and Sta. Marcela;
The dove at the center symbolizes a strong resolve to pursue peace to the province;
The mountains, rivers and rice fields speak of the great agriculture potentials of the Province, promising its self-sufficiency in meeting the demands of its fast-growing population;
The trees at the lower right side of the design speak of the reality of its abundant forest reserves;
The wheels represent the earnest vision of the Province towards development and industrialization in line with the national thrust of Philippines 2000;
The shield speaks of the courage of the people in the face of outside aggression and internal threats;
The inscriptions inside the shield represent the letter E, K and B in the pre-colonial Filipino alphabet three letters which the Apayao people should never forget;
The flying birds reflect the joy and enthusiasm of the Province in being granted freedom from the political tutelage of Kalinga;
The red and blue colors of the background stress the advocacy of the Province of all programs of the national government, the colors being the dominant field in the Philippine flag;
The beads encircling the seal symbolize the prominent, ancient culture of the various tribes of the Province coupled with their great aspiration to preserve and develop such heritage;
The cord bordering the seal is the symbol of cooperation, unity and participation of the people of Apayao in the speedy development of the Province.
Based on presently available historical records, the Spanish missionaries first stepped into the Apayao area in 1608 where they established their footholes at Pudtol. They found the Mandayas (Isnags later to be known as Isnegs) already in their organized communities. It was on this year also that Father Jeronimo Molina started his missionary work in the Apayao area.
Towards the end of the 18th century, the Spaniards could only lay claim to have conquered the Lower Apayao area where they established their politico commandancias.
When the American took control over the Philippines, the Cordillera mountainland was organized into one political territory as the Lepanto-Bontoc Province under Act No. 1876 of the Philippine Commission on August 13, 1908. Twelve years later on February 4, 1920, Republic Act 2772 was promulgated reorganizing the Lepanto-Bontoc Province into Mountain Province constituted by the five sub-provinces of Benguet, Bontoc, Ifugao, Kalinga and Apayao.
On June 18, 1966, Republic Act 4695 was enacted creating from the Mountain Province four independent provinces which are: Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province (Bontoc) and Kalinga-Apayao.
On July 15, 1987, Executive Order No. 220 was issued and signed by Her Excellency President Corazon C. Aquino, creating Cordillera Administrative Region, hereinafter referred to as the CAR, and that the province of Kalinga-Apayao and Ifugao of Region 02 are included in the territorial coverage of the said Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
In 1994, Congressman Elias K. Bulut filed the bill in Congress for the possible separation of Kalinga and Apayao. On February 14, 1995, Republic Act No. 7878 was enacted. This Act provides for the conversion of the subprovinces of Kalinga and Apayao into regular provinces to be known as the province of Kalinga and the province of Apayao, amending for the purpose Republic Act No. 4695.
The corporate existence of Apayao was in place with the appointment and oath taking of its first set of local officials on August 1,1995. Hon. Batara P. Laoat, who was then reelected Mayor of Pudtol was appointed as the first Provincial Governor of the newly created province. As a new province, the Apayao Provincial Government has no building to house its different offices, hence, these offices are temporarily housed in the privately owned houses at Poblacion, Kabugao, being the capital town of the province.
The first set of local officials are the following: Vice Governor – Hon. Hoyt S. Lacuesta, Sangguniang Panlalawigan Members – Hon. Donato B. Balag, Hon. Manuel L. Betat, Hon. Nicolo Gañac, Hon. Orlando Batugal, Hon. Bernardo S. Garde, Hon. James D. Gullayan, Hon. Rodolfo B. Juan and Hon. Scott L. Sucbot.
The ethnic inhabitants of the province in the North are the Isnag. They occupy the agricultural valleys and the seats of their culture are the municipalities of Calanasan, Conner and Kabugao. The Isneg spoken by the ethnic inhabitants of the province is also grouped into three: the Calanasan, Kabugao, Pudtol, Flora and Luna generally speak Balon and Nabwangan spoken in the municipality of Conner and the Isnag.
