HOSTILITIES WITH AMERICA, AGUI'S FLIGHT TO ISABELA

Meanwhile the American fleet was ready to deliver its final blow to the remaining Spanish armada at Manila bay on August 1898. Considering that it is more honorable to yield to the Americans than their former Filipino subjects; Royal Spain decided to conclude its colonial era by engaging a mocked battle against the Americans in Manila bay in less than two hours then surrendered.
Spain relinquished (stately term for “sold”) the Philippine islands together with Guam and Puerto Rico for $20 million under the treaty of Paris in December 10, 1898.
The historical event did not only ended the Spanish-American war but moreover- the Spanish colonial era in the Philippines. It however ushered the Filipino-American war and eventually, the US occupation the following year.

THE FILIPINO-AMERICAN HOSTILITIES

The Philippines was in total disarray in 1898 having three regimes existing in the archipelago- the Aguinaldo dictatorship in Malolos, the government of the United States in Intramuros and the deposed Spanish rule in Iloilo.
Without Filipino participation, the United States inked the treaty of Paris with the Spain on December 1898 leaving the Malolos Republic a de facto government in the eyes of the International Community.

Filipinos refused to accept President Mckinley's offer of “Benevolent Assimilation” as both American and Filipino troops traded accusation of hostilities. On January 4, 1899; General Ellwell Otis proclaimed himself Governor-General and induced the Filipino-American war.
On February 4, American sentry Pvt. William Grayson shot a Filipino Soldier in San Juan and had two of his fellow US soldiers kill two more Filipinos. As Filipino and American soldiers vow to fight it of to the end, Aguinaldo retreated to northern Luzon and shifted to guerrilla tactics.
While holding his base camp in the remote and isolated coastal town of Palanan, Isabela; Aguinaldo stayed in contact with guerrilla leaders.
The Americans were uncomfortable with the presence of threat from Filipino fighters unless Aguinaldo is either captured or killed; first, they have to pinpoint his hideout.
On December 11, 1899 General Daniel Tirona surrendered to Capt. Bowman McCalla of US Navy cruiser Newark in Aparri, Cagayan. Tirona gained notoriety in humiliating Bonifacio in the infamous Tejeros convention and subsquently appointed Military Governor to Cagayan Valley (Cagayan, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya) by Aguinaldo.
Tirona's surrender was done with military honors. Captain McCalla reviewed Filipino troops while Tirona reviewed the Americans but with furious shouting from Cagayano spectators branding him a coward, thief, shameless, a man with no honor and “maitim ang balahibo.”

On Dec. 21, 1899, Maj. Gen. Ellwell Otis directed the 16th US Infantry Regiment under Col. Charles C. Hood to proceed to Aparri. On the same day, Colonel Hood was appointed military governor of the Cagayan Valley.
A company of troops was garrisoned in each of the following towns: Cagayan Province- Aparri, Lallo, Tuguegarao; Isabela Province- Cabangan Nuevo, Cordon, Echague, Ilagan; Nueva Vizcaya Province- Solano

The First Republic

On May 19, Dewey facilitated Aguinaldo's return to the Philippines. Upon his arrival, Aguinaldo knowing that his Tejeros government was earlier defunct by the Pact of Biak-na-Bato and heeding the American advise; declared himself as Dictator in resuming the interrupted revolution. He retracted his pre-exile pronouncement of declaring as bandits those who did not join him in the cessation of hostilities.
Aguinaldo did not only hastily proclaimed Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898 but likewise proclaimed himself President.

Thus, conferring himself to assume the Presidency for the second time without the exercise of free elections. Seeing this error and upon the legal advice of Lawyer Apolinario Mabini, Aguinaldo reverted his Republic back to its revolutionary status then unilaterally “revoked” the terms expressed in the infamous pact of Biak-na-bato.
History repeated itself during the outset of the February 1986 EDSA revolution that catapulted into Presidency Corazon Aquino when she declared her government “Revolutionary” and rendered void whatever the outcome could have been of the previous “Snap” presidential elections contested with dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

The following month, July 14, Aguinaldo promulgated the Philippine Constitution and on September 15 held the inaugural session of the Philippine Congress in Malolos, Bulacan- the chosen seat of the Aguinaldo Government. From thereon the Aguinaldo regime hunted the erstwhile Spanish colonizers.

The Capture of Cagayan Valley

General Manuel Tinio occupied Ilocos sending former Spanish government officials, their families and friars fleeing towards east to Cagayan. They sought refuge in Aparri where they hoped to get salvation from an allied ship to take them either to Manila or Hong Kong. Prominent among the Spanish fugitives was Vigan Bishop Jose Hevia Campomanes who was soon captured by Tirona's men in Amulung.
Having known of the Spanish exodus, Aguinaldo dispatched Tirona as Military Governor for Isabela, Cagayan and Batanes.
Tirona with the expeditionary forces of 2,000 men sailed through Flagship Filipinas on August 12, 1898 and reached Aparri on August 25.
The Spaniards thought at first that Tirona's ship was their Saviour having raised the Spanish flag while approaching the coast. The Spaniards happily went out to meet the vessel but as soon as the flagship Filipinas approached the deck; the revolutionaries hoisted the Philippine flag. To their disappointment and to avoid bloodshed, the Spaniards raised their white flag and voluntarily surrendered.
Having occupied Cagayan; Col. Simeon Villa later in his personal diary entries on year 1900 wrote what he described as “shameless and despicable” activities of Tirona to include establishing monopolies in the province. Villa was Aguinaldo's aide during his capture in Palanan, Isabela in 1901.
On February 1900, Villa wrote about a burglary that transpired in the residence of a wealthy Cagayan scion of several jewelries. Two months later, the missing jewelries were seen worn by Tirona.
Being his vice commander, Tirona placed Colonel Villa in charge of seizing Isabela but the Spaniards however surrendered the province without resistance. Isabela military Governor Pedro Martinez escaped south and joined Governor Antonio Sastre of Nueva Vizcaya but were captured by the revolutionary forces led by Colonel Jose Leyba.
Villa established his base in Carig which is now Santiago City. He soon became Aguinaldo's aide and chronicler in his escape from American pursuit to northern Luzon and his eventual capture in Palanan, Isabela in 1901. Tirona on the other hand, discharged his function as Military Governor and immediately conducted elections in Isabela and Cagayan by viva voce in the same month the Malolos congress convened.

It was relatively peaceful during those days as the Aguinaldo government made use of the one peso cedula secured by residents 18 to 60 years of age to keep the Malolos Government moving.
On September 18, 1898 Tirona arrived on the island of Ivana on the first leg of his mission to Liberate the island-province of Batanes.
News of Tirona's landing in Ivana has reached the capital of Basco causing Spanish Governor Julian Fortea to panic.
Thinking he would be betrayed; Fortea executed his native servants; his bodyguard- Juan Baycan and his cook- Cecilio Estorel then locked himself and his wife inside the Casa Real (Governor's residence).
The townsfolk and the Guardia Civil were enraged of what Fortea did to his servants. The Spaniards wanted to appease the furious natives as the Spanish Education Supervisor of the province- Rafael Romero sneaked into Casa Real and killed Fortea and spared the latter's wife.
Upon Tirona's arrival in Basco on September 25; he was surprised to see that the Spaniards were already lined up to surrender. They were presented to Tirona by Spanish Commander Salvador Perea.
The Spanish captives to include Fortea's wife and children were ferried to the mainland and joined other Spaniards rounded in Aparri and were imprisoned in Tuguegarao for a year.
The plight of the Spanish captives in Tuguegarao was in contrast with the Spaniards held in Nueva Vizcaya who were treated well and fairly by their captor, Colonel Leyba.
Spanish prisoners of war in Nueva Vizcaya conduct their lives freely within the confines set by their captors. On weekends, their warden at its expense provide their prisoners entertainment of Juego de Toro.
Tirona and his men stayed for weeks in Batanes enjoying the good life of drinking and feasting at the expense of the residents. Tirona's men would confiscate whatever they fancied from the friars and natives to the extent of looting the church of its precious gold and silver ornaments.
Before leaving Batanes, Tirona installed Don Teofilo Castillejos as Governor.

The Departure of Spanish Regime

THE REVOLUTION: THE LAST YEARS OF SPANISH REGIME
On May 1897, the Spaniards retook Aguinaldo's bailiwick of Cavite as the Magdalos suffered several setbacks. Aguinaldo was convinced of the Spanish Government's amnesty offer to end hostilities presented by Governor General Primo de Rivera.
Aguinaldo agreed to dissolve the revolutionary government based on his decision to go into voluntary exile to Hong Kong in exchange for an installment compensation of 800,000 Mexican pesos to him and his associates in the revolution as war idemnity. The negotiation was stipulated in the pact of Biak-na-Bato signed in December 15, 1897.

Back in Tanza, Cavite; Tirona and Lawyer Jose del Rosario fell on their knees before Spanish authorities seeking amnesty. Del Rosario was the lawyer whom Tirona endorsed to replace Bonifacio as Secretary to the Interior during the controversial Tejeros convention.
After receiving half of the 800,000 pesos indemnity, Aguinaldo sailed to Hong Kong where he tried to ally with the United States in its conflict with Spain in April 1898. Aguinaldo moved to Singapore and hid under the alias: Senyor Bouting to evade his associates who demanded that he secure the balance of the war indemnity agreed upon in the Pact of Biak na Bato. Aguinaldo's associates represented by Isabelo Artatcho earlier received half of the remaining 400,000.
In Singapore, the Americans informed Aguinaldo they were not interested to occupy the Philippines as the US is more interested to possess Cuba which is much nearer to their territory. The Cuba revolution against its Spanish colonizers sparked the Spanish-American war. The Americans blamed Spain for the sinking of USS Mainne in Cuba when it tried to evacuate US citizens.
The Americans instead sold 2,000 rifles and thousands of ammunitions to Aguinaldo for 50,000 pesos negotiated by Consul General Rousenville Wildman who also advised him to pursue the revolution back in the Philippines as Dictator.
Aguinaldo paid Wildman 67,000 pesos more in advance for an additional delivery of firearms but the goods never came.
Meanwhile, the British government which holds Hong Kong as its territory sought the American fleet to leave their jurisdiction to preserve its neutral stand in the American-Spanish conflict. This left US President Mckinley no choice but to relocate the American fleet to the Philippines and ordered Commodore George Dewey to invade the Spanish armada in Manila bay. On May 1, 1898; the US fleet inflicted heavy blows against Spain as it sank 12 of the thirteen Spanish warships killing nearly 200 of its soldier-crew.
American troops occupied the capital in Intramuros but did not allowed their Filipino allies to enter the walled city. On the other hand, the Spanish government moved to Iloilo.

First Philippine Republic in Palanan, Isabela: Aguinaldo's Flight

THE FALL OF BONIFACIO'S KATIPUNAN
At the height of the Philippine revolution in March 22,1897; Magdalo followers of Emilio Aguinaldo overthrew the supreme leadership of Andres Bonifacio in the Katipunan through a well orchestrated convention in Barrio, Tejeros, San Francisco de Malabon (now General Mariano Trias) Cavite.
Bonifacio was invited in his capacity as Supremo supposedly to unify the Magdalo and Magdiwang factions of the Katipunan. However, an instant election among Representatives of the supposedly two opposing groups ensued in a snap. The aim was to elect through the electoral representatives, the President of the Katipunan which was then already considered a shadow government ready to devour at anytime the Spanish regime.

Among the leading Magdiwang men on Bonifacio's side were Mariano Alvarez, Pascual Alvarez, Santiago Alvarez, Luciano San Miguel, Mariano Trias, Santos Nocom and Severino de las Alas.
Among the Magdalos were Baldomero Aguinaldo, Daniel Tirona, Cayetano Topacio, and Antonio Montenegro.
The electorate of the two Katipunan factions chose Aguinaldo in absentia.
Bonifacio on the other hand successively lost the next positions.
The delegates elected the Magdiwang members to the cabinet namely: Mariano Trias, Vice President; Artemio Ricarte, Captain-General and Emiliano Riego de Dios, Director of War.
Finally, Andres Bonifacio held the last position being elected as Director for the Interior.
At first, Bonifacio was tight-lipped after the “election” though all the elected cabinet members belong to his Magdiwang faction.
It was however fishy that the elected Magdiwang members did not vote their leader and instead supported Aguinaldo who was not present during the convention.
The elected Magdiwangs in the cabinet were however, all Cavitenos except for Ricarte who is an Ilocano but married to a native of Cavite. Furthermore, both Magdalo and Magdiwang politicians figured in the so-called electoral college were Freemason allies of Aguinaldo.
Bonifacio was reluctant to preside the convention in the first place on suspicion that the proceedings were already “cooked”. The concluded exercise could have been settled when an Aguinaldo henchman- Colonel Daniel Tirona questioned and contested Bonifacio's election as Director for the Interior.
Tirona was soon to take his place in Isabela history being the Military Governor of the province under Aguinaldo's short-lived regime.
The ploy was Tirona's last ditch effort to embarrass and remove Bonifacio from the face of the revolutionary government.
It was not the first time Tirona and Bonifacio crossed paths.
Upon Bonifacio's arrival in Cavite, Tirona led the welcoming party shouting to his heart with his sword raised: “Mabuhay ang Supremo.” Tirona on his horse accompanied the carriage bearing Bonifacio in a parade held in honor of his arrival. Because of this fervent welcome, Tirona was said to have been reprimanded by his Magdalo superiors and on the next day made clandestine moves to somehow degrade Bonifacio's stature.
Bonifacio nearly pulled the trigger when he tried to shoot Tirona had not for cooler heads who prevailed and prevented him from doing. This was after confronting Tirona for circulating leaflets stating among others that only God and not Bonifacio deserves to be called Supremo, that Bonifacio was unschooled and that his sister was a spy and concubine of a friar leaking secrets of the Katipunan to Spanish authorities.
In the Tejeros convention, Tirona was different from his personality that earlier welcomed Bonifacio to his turf in Cavite. He argued that Bonifacio had no education and that the position of Director for the Interior should possess a diploma in Law. He further endorsed Cavite lawyer Jose del Rosario in Bonifacio's place.
A furious Bonifacio stood up and demanded apology. He reminded Tirona of the agreement to abide by the majority vote and “accept its choice no matter what the station in life of the person elected.” Aiming his revolver, Bonifacio said: “I demand from you, Mr. Daniel Tirona, an apology. You must restore to the voters and the one they elected the honor you have only now besmirched.”
Instead of replying, Tirona quickly squeezed his way out of the crowd. Ricarte pacified Bonifacio and the latter furiously declared the concluded proceedings null and void.
Eminent historian Ambeth Ocampo viewed that the Supremo's heated tirade with Tirona was not enough reason to make him walk out from the convention. Bonifacio's misgivings was the electoral fraud.
On April 15, 1897 Aguinaldo ordered the arrest of Bonifacio for rebellion, captured with a brother- Ciriaco killed, tried before the Magdalo court martial for one day, executed the next day with another brother- Procopio and the rest is history.(Picture:Blogtext.Org,Daan Patungo sa Kalayaan)

Isabella: The Surpressed Maverick

If the previous monarch of Spain could be characterized by a very formal and firm person holding his kingdom with iron fist, make the setting different in the reign of Queen Isabella II where you could probably find her a suppressed maverick during her hay days.
Queen Isabella de Bourbon (1830-1903) succeeded her father, King Fernando VII. Her assumption to the throne at the age of three for a fact is a paradigm of a matinée movie. Her regent mother, Queen Cristina, reared her to become a steadfast and dignified aristocrat but in most cases the young Isabella was a lazy and spoiled brat.

Being a Queen was a difficult childhood for Isabella who at her tender age would rather prefer to be a Princess.
Her succession to the throne being the King's immediate heir was a result of the latter's lobby before the Spanish parliament to restore the traditional law of succession. Had the Salic Law been followed; Isabella's uncle- Don Carlos could have been King instead.
Ironically, the Salic law was introduced by her forefathers-the Bourbons in the early 18th century while her king father Fernando moved to re-establish the older succession law of Spain before his death.
Her Uncle Carlos made Isabella's life of a Queen miserable. In some accounts, the old man would secretly wring her arm whenever he wants Isabella to opt some important matters decided on his favor.
Isabella's reign was never politically stable as her uncle led his clan to revolt against her rule in what was known as the Carlist war.
Despite her fragile state, her mother and the General of the Army- Baldomero Espartero stood path her side to maintain her throne until she reached her teens. It was during her reign when she dissolved the influential religious orders and re-established the Constitutional Parliament that worked to rehabilitate Spain from financial losses.
Isabella never enjoyed the carefree teenage life specially when it comes to what she suppose to experience in her tender years of having a puppy love. This is though several handsome prince from as far as Austria, Britain and France were lined up for her personal choice to be her consort. Isabella's regents moved to arrange her marriage to Royal scions to secure her monarch. First, the guy should have to be a Catholic Prince, never mind his looks and wits.
It was an opportunity for her uncle Don Carlos, who surrendered his claim to the throne in favor of his namesake son; to propose the latter to Isabella and end the Carlista war as his leverage. Unfortunately, the young Carlos Luis was not her type as she rather have the war continued.
At age 16, Queen Isabela II was finally forced into a marriage with her cousin Francisco de Asis (1822–1902), the son of another uncle, Don Francisco de Paula of France. The union was favorable to the French who also insisted that Queen Isabel’s sister- Princess Luisa marry Antione, the son of the French King Louis Philippe. The double wedding was performed in 1846.
Isabella's marriage to Francisco did not ended to a fairy tale close of living “happily ever after.”
Though granted the title “King,” Francisco was a semblance of the Filipino “under de saya” image that in many instances demanded to be given a voice in the Government but was turned down by his wife. He got the ire of the Queen when in several instance- sided with the Carlistas in one negotiation.
The fight between husband and wife frequented the early headlines that eventually led to their parting ways though they remained simply friends to the rest of their lives.
Francisco was said to be homosexual while some authors labeled Isabella a frivolous nymphomaniac having indulged in strings of extramarital affairs which explains the disputable paternity of all her 12 children.
The Carlistas exposed that her son Alfonso XII who succeeded her to the throne as King was actually fathered by her bodyguard Miguel Puig.
Her unpopular political decisions overthrew her reign and exiled to France on September 1868. She was induced to abdicate in Paris on June 25, 1870 in favor of her son Alfonso XII upon restoration of the Monarch. She occasionally visited Spain though she lived the rest of her life in Paris. She died April 10, 1904.

History of Isabela Part IV: During the Reign of Queen Isabella II

It was during the reign of Queen Isabella II that the Islands begin to progress by the turn of the 19th Century. The Vice Royalty of Mexico ceased administration of the archipelago upon receiving the grant of independence from Spain in 1821. From thereon, Philippines was under the direct rule of the Queen.
Spain has invested heavily on the infrastructure development in the archipelago among them was the Claveria (now Quezon) bridge which is the first suspension bridge in southeast Asia and the establishment of the Tramway conveyance system.
On August 1, 1851; the Banco Espanol-Filipino De Isabel II was established in keeping up with the economic boom in the period as Philippines was ahead of its Asian neighbors.
The institution of Education was the most prominent and important legacy in the reign of Queen Isabella II to the country; she has initiated a system of free, compulsory primary education through a decree she issued in December 20, 1863. Spanish was the medium of instruction.
With the opening of the Suez Canal in Panama on 1869, days of travel by ship to Europe was cut short. This saw the influx of natives gaining access to education abroad. This period in history gave rise to the class of the illustrados; prominent among them is our national hero- Dr. Jose Rizal.
By 1898 during the height of the Philippine Revolution, enrollment in schools at all levels exceeded 200,000 students. It was also in this period that saw the execution of Rizal that ushered the eventual departure
of Spanish colonization of over three centuries
The enforcement of the tobacco monopoly was the main reason why the capital of the alcadia (Cagayan valley) was transfered to Tuguegarao from the city of Nueva Segovia (Lallo) by the mid 1800s. Queen Isabella II sought an effective setup for the management of the industry because two of the vast tobacco plantations are in Tuguegarao and the other in San Fernando de Ilagan.

A Royal Decree was enacted in May 1,1856 forming one separate province out of the territories of Cagayan and Nueva Vizcaya to effectively address the tobacco industry.
The new territory in the the middle of the valley derived its territorial jurisdiction half from the south of Cagayan comprising Abuatan (Tumauini-Cabagan) Bolo (Ilagan) and Batanag (western Gamu). These territories were later known as “Irraya” or “upriver” following its separation.
Lower Isabela is derived from Diffun (lower Gamu), Paniqui (Cauayan), Camarag (Echague) and Carig or the modern day Santiago city north of Nueva Vizcaya.
The new territory was named in honor of Queen Isabella II.

It was not really regular province with a Governor or Alcadia-Mayor; Isabela- like its neighboring Nueva Vizcaya earlier in 1841, was established as a Politico-Militar province.
Nueva Vizcaya was integrated into the militarized zones in the neighboring highlands of the Cordillera to brace the mountain territories against attacks from the Igorots and other mountain dwellers who refused to be converted to Christianity.
Isabela on the other hand, was placed under the protectorate of the military (commandancia) to enforce the tobacco monopoly in the still unpacified province also known as corrigimento.
Then known as San Fernando de Ilagan, where the vast tobacco plantation in the territory lies; became the Provincial Capital.

History of Isabela Part III: Conquest thru Evangelical Missions

The social unrest beleaguering neighboring Alcadias were not as atrocious in Cagayan Valley except for the natives' initial resistance to religious conversion.
Christianity was established in Cagayan Valley in 1582.
It was under the administration of Governor General Ronquillo when Dominican Cristobal Salvatierra and the Augustinian Francisco Rodriguez accompanied by the Spanish troops under the command of Captain Juan Pablo Carreon, who incidentally- was appointed first Governor of Cagayan a year earlier; initiated the first religious mission.
Carreon was responsible for Driving away Japanese pirates in the upstream Cagayan and has established settlement in Lallo.
The religious made Lallo their base which they later renamed to Nueva Segovia and became the seat of the Diocese by that name. The Diocese of Nueva Segovia has jurisdiction over the entire Northern Luzon and its first Bishop is Miguel de Buenavides who later became Archbishop of Manila and founder of the country's oldest educational institution- the University of Sto. Tomas..
Nueva Segovia was not only known as the seat of Christianity in Cagayan Valley that time but also the very first territory to be considered a City with 27,000 Christianized population. The Pacified territory of Nueva Segovia in the late 1580s has 50 private and royal encomiendas, with at least 10 of which are paying regular tribute to the government in 1588.
It has an Alcalde Mayor, a fort manned by 40 soldiers, and an Augustinian monastery.
The Spanish pacification efforts was a difficult task for the religious mission in the territory where they observe that the natives are not too friendly, lazy, drunkards and have no regards to morals since divorce was a usual practice.
The problem did not deter the missionaries to continue with their work.
With the help of Spanish Encomendero Juan Fernandez Najara and an influential native chieftain, Yringan; together they assisted the mission in its task of conversion using the native tongue starting from the territory of Abulug which is south of Nueva Segovia. They helped the missionaries translate Christian doctrines to dialect.
By 1610, a church dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary was erected in Fotol along the Abulug river bank. In the succeeding years the churches of San Lorenzo de Capinatan, and one in honor of Sta. Cecilia were also erected in different areas in the same town.
In the territories north of Nueva Segovia; a church in honor of San Jacinto was erected in Camalaniugan in 1596. The conversion of an influential chieftain, Bacani, further bolstered the evangelical campaign to Aparri in 1604 and Gattaran in 1623.
In 1612, the Dominicans conducted missions in the territories of Pilitan, Tuguegarao and Malaguey. Fray Jacinto Pardo has learned the dialect of Ybanag and effectively carried out its mission in the area.
The mission has reached Zimbuey, which is proximate to the modern-day town of Tumauini in 1598; upon the initiative of Captain Alfonso Carvajal who invited Fray Antonio de Soria to undertake religious mission in the area.
In 1608, the mission has reached the southern territories of Abuatan (Tumauini-Cabagan) , Bolo (Ilagan) and Batanag (Lullutan, western Gamu) populated by Gaddang natives with some 1,000 households.
With the cultural shock brought by the surge of social and economic changes introduced by the Spanish authorities; resistance was noted in these territories until 1622, when the Spanish government pardoned and exempted the natives from paying tribute within three years.
In its continuing drive of pacification in the entire territory thru evangelical missions, the Dioceses saw the need to reach further south of Cagayan Valley. The aim is to likewise make the region politically controlled for sourcing out tributes and other revenues.
In 1839, Governor General Luis Lardizabal issued an order separating the southern half of the Alcadia which is known today as Nueva Vizcaya into a politico-militar province upon the advice of the alcalde mayor of Cagayan. The order was approved by a Royal Decree on April 10, 1841 integrating Nueva Vizcaya into the militarized zones of its neighboring highland territories of the Cordillera against attacks by the Igorots and other mountain natives.
In April 1846 Governor General Narciso Claveria named his aide de camp Mariano Oscariz Governor of Nueva Vizcaya.
To enable Spanish authorities further facilitate the civil administration; a Royal Decree was enacted in May 1,1856 forming three separate provinces.
Cagayan Province lies on the northernmost part covering the entire northern coast. Cagayan territories include the Babuyanes group consisting of five islands: Camiguin, Calayan, Babuyan, Fuga and Dalupiri. Tuguegarao became the capital 482 kilometers north of Manila.
Nueva Viscaya is at the southernmost part whose territories are bounded by three mountain ranges: Sierra Madre on the east, Caraballos on the south and Cordilleras at west.
Isabela in the middle of the valley derived its territorial jurisdiction half from the south of Cagayan comprising Abuatan (Tumauini-Cabagan) Bolo (Ilagan) and Batanag (western Gamu). These territories were later known as “Irraya” or “upriver” following its separation.
Lower Isabela is derived from Diffun (lower Gamu), Paniqui (Cauayan), Camarag (Echague) and Carig or the modern day Santiago city north of Nueva Vizcaya.
Isabela got its name in honor of Queen Isabella II. Ilagan became the Provincial Capital.

Tabacalera: First economic player in Cagayan Valley

TOBACCO INDUSTRY: FIRST ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN CAGAYAN VALLEY

The Tobacco monopoly was established in Cagayan Valley in 1785 were the industry flourished as the main commerce in the territory.
Spanish Galleon “San Clemente” brought into the archipelago 200 ounces of Cuban Tobacco seeds which found its way to the valley by friars who saw the rich soil and favorable climate to grow the plant.
Although the revenues from the industry dropped in 1788 due to rampant smuggling of Tobacco leaves by Igorot natives from the neighboring Cordillera, Spanish authorities did not took the problem serious.
In 1881, the Compania General de Tabacos de Filipinas S.A. - Compania de Filipinas popularly known as Tabacalera was founded in November 26 by Antonio Lopez, the first Marquis of Comillas.
Lopez was a financial genius in his times as his influence extend to the Spanish King whom he counted among his personal friends. His tobacco enterprise took over the existing tobacco monopolies of the colonial government. He successfully it took management of five tobacco plants.
Among its plants is located in the City of Nueva Segovia (now Lallo, Cagayan) where the industry played a vital role in the economic development of the Alcadia.
In 1895, Tabacalera expanded and opened its factory – the “La Flor de Isabela” in Ilagan. It acquired properties in what is known as the Haciendas San Antonio, Sta. Isabel (Ilagan) and Hacienda San Luis (Cauayan) in Cagayan Valley.
The Lopez business empire expanded and has also established the Tabacalera Insurance Company and its own shipping business- the Compania Transatantica.
The company enjoyed the privileges from the Spanish Monarch until the outset of the Philippine revolution in 1898. Tabacalera lost its special status with the entry of the American colonial government where the company has to adjust and compete with other world market players in the industry.

Isabela History Part II: Rise of the Cagayan Alcadia and Encomienda

For the systematic administration under the laws of the Indies, the “Pacified” territories are divided into political subdivisions; the Alcadia being the highest.
The Luzon Alcadia is comprised of four wealthy provinces namely: Manila, Camarines, Ilocos and Cagayan Valley where the Rio Grande (now Cagayan river) - the longest in the country; traverse the territory longitudinally.
These Alcadias are administered by the Alcadia Mayores.
Upon the arrival of the new Governor General Gonzalo Ronquillo Penalosa in 1580, an Ordinance was enacted instituting the resettlement of villages in the Alcadias into units of compact communities called “Pueblos” patterned after European towns in that era. In these communities where they concentrate the church, the market and the public plaza.
The community is held so close together within the hearing distance to the church bell required to every pueblos. Other than church functions, the bell is used for other purposes such as alarm during emergencies and call for public assembly.
The pueblos are headed by the Gobernardorcillo who designates the Cabeza de barangays (modern day barangay chairmen) to assist them in tax collection and perform administrative functions in the locality.
The zoning conducted during that time was strongly opposed by most natives specially those who have to live in far distance from their farm lands. Those who fought the Spaniards were arrested and tortured while those loyal were given trusteeships to vast track of lands by the Spanish government giving rise to the “encomiendas”in 1595.
With the economy in the archipelago dependent mainly to the Galleon trade, the Spanish government formulated the encomienda system to exploit the vast rich soils and other natural wealth of the island.
Ecomenderos are alloted the stewardship- not ownership, of vast tracks of lands to exploit under name of the Spanish Monarch.
These encomenderos assisted the civil government hasten its administration and tax collection in their respective territories.
The setting allows the Spanish rule to dictate which crops to plant and other economic activities to perform in specific areas. The marketing of the Indios' production is likewise controlled by the Spanish monopoly to inhibit the participation of other foreign players in the economy to include the Chinese, Dutch and the British investors.
The situation give fuel to pocket revolts in Pangasinan, Ilocos and the rest of the islands in the 16th and 17th centuries.
The Philippines was never profitable as a colony during the period. Spain's war against the Dutch together with the intermittent conflict with the Muslims in the South nearly bankrupted the colonial treasury.The Royal Fiscal of Manila even wrote a letter to King Charles III of Spain in which he advises to abandon the colony.

The Tobacco monopoly was established in Cagayan Valley in 1785 were the industry flourished as the main commerce in the territory. Although the revenues from the industry dropped in 1788 due to rampant smuggling of Tobacco leaves by Igorot natives from the neighboring Cordillera, Spanish authorities did not took the problem serious.
The social unrest beleaguering neighboring Alcadias were not as atrocious in Cagayan Valley except for the natives' initial resistance to religious conversion.

Isabela History: Sto. Nino, commence of conquest thru Catholicsm

Senyor Sto. Nino: Once a pagan idol, commence of the conquest thru Catholicsm

The Sto. Nino relic has baffling origins as to whether it is the same statuette given to couple's Humabon and his wife by Magellan in the first weeks of his arrival to the image found beneath the ashes of a burned village 44 years later in Cebu.
Senor Sto. Nino, the image of the child Jesus, has been revered by countless devotees and has upheld strong Catholic faith of Filipinos for centuries.
Together with the wooden cross used in the first mass celebrated in the archipelago, Sto. Nino is the oldest known religious relic recorded in Philippine History since Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his Spanish fleet first set foot in Homonhon, southern Leyte, in March 17, 1521.
After a few days, Magellan met friendly natives in Limasawa where he became good friends with Rajah Kolambo who in turn, introduce him to a brother- Rajah Humabon of Cebu.
Humabon and his wife were baptized after befriending Magellan and received as a gift the Sto. Nino image. The event chronicled by expedition clerk Antonio Pigaffeta said Humabon's wife was given three choices, among them; the cross, the images of the blessed virgin and that of the child Jesus.
The wife, who was given Christian name “Juana” (but in other historical account, she was named “Lisbetia” ) chose the statuette of the child Jesus.
Pigaffeta handed the image telling Humabon's wife to venerate the image in place of her pagan idol as it is “a remembrance from the son of God.” The wife promised to hold the Sto. Nino image very dearly.
Humabon became the King's representative in Cebu though during that time he has a conflict with Lapu-lapu, a rival chieftain.
The newfound alliance has convinced Magellan to assault Lapu-lapu's turf in Mactan on April 27, barely 41 days passed since his recorded arrival. Magellan was killed in the battle.
The defeated Spaniards sailed back to Europe but the story of Sto Nino did not stopped there.
Accounts bared that following the departure of the Spaniards, the natives venerated the Sto. Nino like “Bathala” in their pagan ritual of dancing before his image. From thereon the practice has survived time and is now being practiced during festivities in honor of Sto. Nino in various parts of the country.
At this juncture, history lost track of Humabon and his wife.
It was said that the natives have already learned to accept Sto. Nino as their own, stating its origin that the image suddenly sprouted out from the earth. The natives have attributed to their newfound God the miracles taking place in their tribe.
There were no record of the lost 44 years of Sto. Nino until the arrival in Cebu of another Spanish fleet whose mission is to colonize the archipelago in February 13, 1565. The Spanish armada was under the command of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi.
Legaspi made brief social contacts with the natives and was said to have brought down some articles from the ship. But in the next following days, Legaspi suddenly found himself being resisted by the natives thinking that the Spaniards have returned to exact vengeance to Magellan's death.
Legaspi left Cebu and sought alliance with friendly natives in nearby islands of Leyte and Bohol. After consolidating his forces in April 27 of the same year, Legaspi sailed back to Cebu and attacked the villages hostile to his coming.
At the aftermath of the attack, one soldier; Juan Camus claimed to have retrieved among the fire-razed houses a wooden pine box containing an unscathed image of Sto. Nino believed to have originated in Belgium.
Believing that the discovery was a miracle, the image was used to persuade the natives embrace Christianity which has given the Spaniards leeway to “pacify” the occupied territories.
From thereon, it is believed that the newfound image in Cebu and the relic given by Magellan to Humabon's wife 44 years earlier were one and the same.
Camus was said to have presented the image to Augustinian fathers who in turn established the confraternity of Sto. Nino de Cebu with Father Andres de Urdeneta as its head.
A church was built for Sto. Nino in the vicinity where the image was found. This church later became Basilica Minore de Sto. Nino.
Legaspi initiated a festivity to commemorate the finding of the Holy Image. So as not to conflict with the 40-day celebration of Easter, Pope Innocent XIII moved the celebration from April 27 to every third Sunday of January.

Isabela History Part I: First European Visit

Although Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his Spanish armada became the first Europeans to discover the archipelago in March 17, 1521; historical facts will not deny that civil governance was already existing in the islands to include trade relations with its Asian neighbors. Autonomous units called Barangays* were already functioning during the pre-conquest era.

"The people were divided or grouped into families, known as barangays (the name of a small ship or vessel), thus preserving the remembrance of the conveyance by which their forefathers reached the islands. As the the families settled in the land, their head known as cabeza partitioned the land to each families. The Head was later known as Datu or Maguinoo.

Furthermore, the Europeans were awed to learn the existence of enacted civil codes and the system of commerce and literacy from among the natives. Proving this is the 900 A.D Laguna Copperplate Inscription, the oldest recorded Philippine document, issued to Namrawan by a Tondo trader clearing him of his debts.
Magellan's stint in the archipelago was no more than two months. He figured himself to an assault to the island of Mactan to demonstrate the Spanish armed forces superiority that he hoped winning to his side more local chieftains at odds with his nemesis, Lapu-lapu- who refused to bow to Spanish authority.
Magellan was killed in the assault and his fleet sailed back to Europe.
It was until 44 years later that the actual conquest of the islands took place when the Spaniards under Miguel Lopez de Legazpi established their first settlements in Cebu in 1562.
From his outpost in Cebu; the ailing and aging Legazpi dispatched Martin de Goiti and Grandson Juan de Salcedo on a conquest mission north.
Under Legazpi's command, the Spanish expedition has successfully occupied Manila. On June 24, 1571, Legazpi ordered the construction of the walled city of Intramuros and became the island's capital and seat of the Spanish civil government in the Pacific. Legazpi became the first Governor of the island and ushered the conversion of the natives to the Catholic faith.
Meanwhile Juan de Salcedo moved further north for the prospect of looking for gold from the Cordilleras to Ilocos. From thereon he moved east and has undertaken the expedition of Cagayan Valley in 1572.
In the succeeding years, De Lagazpi's conquest saw the subjugation of several kingdoms and dynasties in the archipelago. The Spanish government consolidated these territories under the control and administration of the Vice Royalty of Spain based in Mexico.

Isabela literature: A glimpse of Fernando Maramag

ILAGAN, Isabela- January 21 marks the 118th birth of an eminent and prolific writer and poet born here whose lonely marker erected by the National Historical Institute four decades ago in the Municipal park remains obscured by indifference of Ilaguenos.
The marker placed by the NHI in 1982 in one corner of what was formerly a children's playground is now dwarfed by a newly constructed amphitheater, worst, Ilagueno's rarely knew for whom that simple monument stood for.
The marker was a tribute to Fernando Maramag (1893-1936) an eminent and prolific writer and poet in his times born in Ilagan and became editor of the TRIBUNE during the period of the American colonization and commonwealth era.
Maramag also became President Manuel Quezon's speech writer and editor of the prominent Philippine Collegian, a student publication of the University of the Philippines where he finished college.
But since it was first installed by the NHI in December 1, 1982; no other occasion was feted for the monument as Maramag's memory quietly passed the years unnoticed. Not even Officials of the Isabela Cultural Council and the Provincial Museum knew it existed.
Pete Maramag Aggraviador, a descendant of Fernando Maramag recalls how the Maramag clan was invited for the Dec. 1 1982 tribute which coincided the inauguration of the Philippine National Bank (PNB) building in barangay Calamagui.
“Politicians in Ilagan wanted to please Fernando Maramag Jr. who is incidentally is Executive Vice President of the PNB that time so they expedited the erection of his father's marker,” Aggraviador told the STAR.
Maramag Jr. led the inauguration of the PNB building and his father's marker that same day.
It was during the Marcos regime that the Maramags where known to have close ties with the Marcoses. Aggraviador said a daughter of the writer, Ileana, was Imelda Marcos biographer and wrote many books about the Marcos New Society in the 1970s. He said Ileana was instrumental of her brother's appointment in the PNB.
Besides the Marker, a street in the poblacion was named after Fernando Maramag Aggraviador added.
The clan of Maramag is also a prominent in Isabela politics, a brother Rafael was the first Mayor of Ilagan and became the first Governor of Isabela under the American Government reorganization on August 24, 1901. Rafael's younger sibling Gabriel succeeded him as Ilagan mayor.
Aggraviador, who works at the Diocese of Ilagan, laments that the clan holds no other records regarding their clan though he was referred by the family to have more knowledge about their prominent ancestors. He said he knew of several unpublished manuscripts of Fernando Maramag left to a great grand aunt in Tuguegarao city before his death. Sadly, he lost track of the manuscripts.
According to Aggraviador, the Maramag sibling Fernando Jr. and Ileana were already deceased.
Fernando Maramag also worked as teacher at the Instituto de Manila (now University of Manila).
Besides the Tribune, Maramag also wrote and become editor to several magazines, including Rising Philippines, Citizen, Philippine National Weekly and Philippines Herald.
He also served in the Publication Division of the Department of Justice, and then transferred to the office of the President of the Senate under Manuel L. Quezon.
A poet and essayist, Maramág translated Ibanag folk songs into English, such as the “Cagayanon Labor Song,” “A Translation of an Orphan’s Song,” and “Cagayano Peasant Song”. His poems include “To a Youth,” “The Aetheist,” and “Moonlight on Manila Bay”.
Maramag's literary works focuses on the Filipinos “unassuming “ attitude on American colonization as reflected in his “Moonlight on Manila Bay” , a poem he composed at age 19. Despite the splendor of Manila Bay Sunset admired by foreigners, Maramag chose to focus on moonlight as it suggests the cover of darkness by which he attributes how the foreigners have been wresting Filipinos of their native land. The sonnet’s line :“The deep’s bare bosom that the breeze molests” was Maramag's vision of how the country is exploited using sexual assault figuratively as his metaphor for colonization.
His essays were anthologized in Leopoldo Yabes’ Filipino Essays in English 1910-1954 (1954). He passed away on October 23, 1936.