About Apayao

Political and Cultural History

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).

Creation of the Province

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.

Ethnic Origin of the People

The ethnic inhabitants of the province in the North are the Isnags. 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.