Abra (province)

Abra
—  Province  —
Flag Seal
Map of the Philippines with Abra highlighted
Coordinates: 17°35′N 120°45′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)
Founded	March 9, 1917
Capital	Bangued
Government
• Type	Province of the Philippines
• Governor	Eustaquio Bersamin (Lakas-Kampi-CMD)
• Vice Governor	Rolando Semera (Lakas-Kampi-CMD)
Area
• Total	4,198.2 km2 (1,620.9 sq mi)
Area rank	32nd out of 80
Population (2007)
• Total	230,953
• Rank	67th out of 80
• Density	55/km2 (142.5/sq mi)
• Density rank	77th out of 80
Divisions
• Independent cities	0
• Component cities	0
• Municipalities	27
• Barangays	304
• Districts	Lone District of Abra
Time zone	PHT (UTC+8)
ZIP Code
Spoken languages	Ilocano, Tinguian, Isneg, Tagalog, English

Abra is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is Bangued, and it borders Ilocos Norte and Apayao on the north, Ilocos Sur and Mountain Province on the south, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur on the west, and Kalinga, and Apayao on the east.

Demographics

Abra's inhabitants are mostly descendants of Ilocano settlers and members of the Tingguian tribe. As of 2007, the population of the province is 230,953.

The predominant languages are Ilocano and Itneg. Based on the 2000 census survey, the majority of the province population is Ilocano 71.9%. Other ethnic groups living in the province are the Tinguian 18.7%, Ibanag 4.5%, Isneg 3.2% and Tagalog 0.4%.

History

The first inhabitants of Abra were the ancestors of the Bontocs and the Ifugaos. These inhabitants eventually left to settle in the old Mountain Province. Other early inhabitants were the Tingguians, or Itnegs, as they are also known. The Ilocos came to trade with the tinguians but eventually they saw the province to be very good so they invaded and the tinguians were forced to go to the mountains.

In 1598 a Spanish garrison was established in Bangued to protect the Ilocanos who converted to Christianity from Tingguian raids. During the British Occupation of the Philippines, Gabriela Silang and her army fled to Abra from Ilocos and continued the revolt begun by her slain husband, Diego Silang. She was captured and hung by the Spanish in 1763.

In 1818 the Ilocos region, including Abra, was divided into Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. In 1846 Abra was created as a political-military province with Lepanto as a sub-province. It remained so until the arrival of the Americans in 1899.

In 1908 the Philippine Commission once again in annexed Abra to Ilocos Sur in an attempt to resolve Abra's financial difficulties. But on March 9, 1917, the Philippine Assembly re-established Abra as a province.

In 1942, the Japanese forces occupied the Philippines and entered Abra.

The built of the local military general headquarters of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was active on 1942 to 1946, the Philippine Constabulary was found active from 1944 to 1946 and the United States Armed Forces in the Philippines - Northern Luzon or USAFIP-NL was active again from 1942 to 1946 and military stationed in the province of Abra during the Japanese Occupation and the Allied Liberation.

In 1945, the liberation in Abra in Northern Luzon by the Philippine Commonwealth forces and the local Cordilleran guerrillas against the Japanese during the Battle of Abra at the end the Second World War.

The revolutionary Marxist priest, Conrado Balweg, who fought for the rights of the Cordillera tribes, began his crusade in Abra. After successfully negotiating a peace accord with Balweg's group in 1987, the Philippine government created the Cordillera Administrative Region, which includes Abra.

Physical

Abra is hemmed in by the towering mountain ranges of the Ilocos in the west and the Cordillera Central in the east. It has an extremely rugged terrain, with mountains and hills rising along its perimeter and interior. The plains are drained by the Abra River, which flows northward from Mt. Data in the Mountain Province.

Geography

Political

Abra is subdivided into 27 municipalities.

Municipality	No. of Barangays	Area Coordinator	Population (2007)	Pop. density (per km²)
Bangued	31	105.70	46,179
Boliney	8	176.40	3,349
Bucay	21	97.60	16,266
Bucloc	4	48	2,227
Daguioman	4	61	1,916	28.7
Danglas	7	159.9	5,411
Dolores	15	48.53	10,787
La Paz	12	44	14,658
Lacub	6	235.3	3,050
Lagangilang	17	86.7	13,490
Lagayan	6	130.5	4,134
Langiden	6	106.3	3,242
Licuan-Baay	11	266.9	3,990
Luba	8	128.3	6,363
Malibcong	12	216.10	3,354
Manabo	11	91	10,538
Peñarrubia	9	37.50	6,443
Pidigan	15	49.2	11,280
Pilar	19	86.1	9,792
Sallapadan	9	99	6,370
San Isidro	9	38.10	4,647
San Juan	19	64.1	9,714
San Quintin	6	56.6	5,341
Tayum	11	42.7	13,360
Tineg	10	793.7	4,317	6.3
Tubo	10	423.9	5,588	11.9
Villaviciosa	8	87	5,147

Economy

As of 1990, there were 743 cottage industries in Abra, of which 208 are registered with the Department of Trade and Industry. 59% are engaged in bamboo and rattan craft making, both leading industries in the area.

In 1992, the natural dye industry, together with loom weaving and embroidery, was revived by former Governor Ma. Zita Claustro-Valera, the first woman governor of Abra.

Abra's economy is agriculture-based. Its major crops are rice, corn, and root crops; and commercial produce are coffee, tobacco, and coconut. Extensive grassland and pasture areas are used for livestock production.

External links

• The Website of the Province of Abra
• 2007 Philippine Census Information
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Featuring Tingguian Cultures, Traditions and Beliefs
• History articles and links on Bucay and Abra
• WOW Philippines - Abra