165. WANGAG GONZAGA
The Municipality of Gonzaga, Cagayan was my first Local Government Unit (LGU)
visit when I assumed directorship in the Department of Tourism, Regional Office
2. I was informed by the Accreditation Team of my office that they would ocular
the area and asked if I had time to pay courtesy to the lady local chief
executive, Hon. Marilyn Ines Sumer-Pentecostes.
Every time I visit a place, I would normally research the net on the historical
background and profile of the locality to make sure I can comprehend during my
conversations with the local officials.
One of the interesting historical accounts of northern Cagayan is the old
settlement of Wangag or Vangag in the Dominican manuscripts. Browsing the book
by Rev. Fr. Pedro V. Salgado entitled, Cagayan Valley and Eastern Cordillera
(1581-1898), the following Dominican reports can be read pertaining to what is
now the Municipality of Gonzaga. “On February 13, 1769, Vangag was made a
mission with the Our Lady of the Pillar as patroness, to serve primarily the
inhabitants of Babuyanes Islands who had been relocated there. Fray Julian
Malumbres stated: “Here [i.e. in Vangag] were transferred the slanders [of
Babuyanes] of whom we spoke about in treating of the mission of Tagga and,
together with others who were recently transferred from the Babuyanes, a
mission was erected for them in February 23, 1769.”
“Besides those resettled from the Babuyanes, Vangag was also one of the places
where the inhabitants of Palauig were transferred due to the oppressions from
the soldiers stationed in Palauig watching for and guarding the galleons coming
from Mexico.”
“Vangag, according to Malumbres, was a “creek between the creeks of Buguey and
Palauig”. In other words, Vangag was located between Buguey and the present
town of Santa Ana. Making this more specific, Don Vicente Nepomuceno y Siriban
stated that Vangag is the present town of Gonzaga which in conformity with what
Malumbres stated above, is a town actually situated “between Buguey and
Palauig”. Thus, said Don Vicente Nepomuceno y Siriban regarding Vangag.”
Records from the Local Government Unit reveals: “Gampao”, an Aeta term meaning
“mountainous”, was the original name of Gonzaga. It is in these mountains and
virgin forests where the Aetas survived through wild fruits and crops, hunting
and fishing. Gampao was later renamed to “Wangag”, another Aeta word meaning
“river” referring to the river bearing the same name. In the 18th century,
adventurous Ilocanos from Cabugao, Ilocos Sur either travelled by boat or
trekked the Northern Luzon shoreline and ridges, settled in the riverbanks of
Wangag facing the Babuyan Channel and displaced the Aetas who resettled in the
mountain area. The settlement was a part of the old town of Buguey. In 1917,
the locality was renamed to “Rumang-ay”, an Ilocano term meaning “to be
progressive”.
On November 7, 1917, Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison issued Executive
Order No. 81 creating a new municipality from the mothertown of Buguey. Barrio
Rumang-ay and the adjacent barrios up to the seashores towards Cape Engaño was
created into a regular town and named “Gonzaga” to honor the first Filipino
Governor of Cagayan, Don Gracio P. Gonzaga. On January 1, 1918, during the
tenure of Cagayan Governor Honorio Lasam, the first set of municipal officials
assumed office: Municipal President Francisco Torres, Municipal Vice President
Leandro Zuriega, Councilor Julio Naval, Councilor Hilarion Baclig, Councilor
Alias Baclig, Councilor Domingo Sabiano, Councilor Isidro Saliganan, Councilor
Hipolito Tolentino, Councilor Doroteo Tamayo, Councilor Simeon Ascueta, and
Councilor Martin Foronda. The population of the new town was 3,339.
Atty. Gracio P. Gonzaga, who hails from Tuguegarao, served in the cabinet of
President Emilio Aguinaldo as Secretary of Welfare from January 2 -May 7, 1899
under Apolinario Mabini, the President of the Cabinet. In the Mabini cabinet,
the Secretary of Welfare had responsibility for Public Instruction,
Communications & Public Works, and Agriculture, Industry & Commerce.
Also during the Aguinaldo administration, Gonzaga was appointed President of
the Supreme Court with Apolinario Mabini as Chief Justice. Their services were
cut short because of the Philippine-American War. He served as Provincial
Governor, the first Filipino, from 1900-1901. He was also one of the organizers
of Masonry in Northern Luzon and Masonic Lodge No. 66 was named after him on
January 25,1921.
Nineteen local chief executives served the town of Gonzaga since 1918. The
following served as municipal president: Don Francisco Torres (1918-1921 &
1928-1931), Don Leandro Zuniega (1922-1924), Don Teodoro Castro (1925-1927),
and Don Cesario P. Peralta (1932-1937). The following served as municipal
mayor: Hon. Cesario Peralta (1938-1940 & 1945-1946), Hon. Federico G.
Navarro (1941 & 1946-1947), Hon. Cayetano Dela Cruz (1942-1945, 1948-1951,
& 1960-1967), Hon. Delfin Baltazar (1952-1956), Hon. Claro P. Nuñez
(1956-1959), Hon. Romarico Salvanera (1967-1968), Hon. Francisco T. Baclig
(1968-1986), Hon. Hermogenes T. Baclig (1986-1987), Hon. Juan B. Naval (1987),
Hon. Ricardo M. Paddayuman (1988-1990), Hon. Arsenio P. Gonzales (1990-1998),
Hon. Epifanio G. Gaspar (1998-2007), Hon. Rosendo P. Abad (2007-2010), Hon.
Carlito F. Pentecostes, Jr. (2010-2014), Hon. Rene P. Salvanera (2014-2016),
and Hon. Marilyn S. Pentecostes (since 2016).
On October 21, 1949, the eastern portion of Gonzaga was organized into an
independent municipality under the name Santa Ana by virtue of Executive Order
No. 289 signed by President Elpidio Quirino, thus, reducing its territory.
Popular natives of Gonzaga are: former Senate President and Defense Minister,
Juan Ponce Enrile and actress Lilia Cuntapay, dubbed the "Queen of
Philippine Horror Movies”.
Mayor Pentecostes received us warmly and brought us to the LGU operated Gonzaga
Riverview Hotel & Resort at Barangay Pateng were the Wangag River, dubbed
as the cleanest in Cagayan Valley, flows clearly. We later proceeded to the
Cagayan State University (CSU) Gonzaga Campus and traversed the bamboo
sanctuary, a soon to be DOT accredited farm tourism site. Aside from the long
stretch of beaches, Gonzaga is also the home of the Cabanbanan Cave (Cabanbanan
Norte), Arindar Cave (Pateng), the hot spring in Baua, the beautiful crater of
Mount Cagua (Magrafil) and the Matara Reef (San Jose) plus the cool, shady,
running brooks at Mission and Pateng.
The Municipality of Gonzaga, with a population of 41,680 in the year 2020, is
blessed with the beauty of nature with the sea - Babuyan Channel in the north
and the mountains - Mount Cagua in the south. The Department of Tourism,
Regional Office 2 committed to provide the necessary technical assistance to
the LGU and the CSU especially with the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence
(FBSE) training. Mabuhay Gonzaga! Mabuhay ang TWOrismoSaLambak!
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