Santa Ana, Cagayan

Municipality of Santa Ana Bayan ng Santa Ana
—  Municipality  —
[[File: |250px|none|alt=|]]
Nickname(s): The Game Fishing Mecca of the Philippines
Map of Cagayan showing the location of Santa Ana.
Municipality of Santa Ana Location in the Philippines
Coordinates: 18°28′N 122°9′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Cagayan Valley (Region II)
Province	Cagayan
District	1st District
Founded	October 21, 1949
Barangays	16
Government
• Mayor-elect	Darwin A. Tobias (LP)
Area
• Total	441.30 km2 (170.4 sq mi)
Population (2007)
• Total	25,833
• Density	58.5/km2 (151.6/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	3514
Income class	2nd class (http://www.nscb.gov.ph/)

Population Census of Santa Ana
Census	Pop.		Rate
1995	18,640		—
2000	21,612		3.23%
2007	25,833		2.49%

Santa Ana is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 25,833 people in 4,101 households.

Santa Ana is the home of the Cagayan Special Economic Zone.

Barangays

Santa Ana is politically subdivided into 16 barangays.

• Barangays (Number: 16)

Name (Urban/Rural Population Place of Interest/Landmark)

• Casagan Rural = 581
• Casambalangan Rural = 3547 Port Irene
• Centro (Pob.) Urban = 4056 Municipal Hall, Sta. Ana National High School, St Anthony of Padua Parish Church
• Diora-Zinungan Rural = 867
• Dungeg Rural = 608
• Kapanikian Rural = 600
• Marede Rural = 1270
• Palawig Rural = 2223
• Parada-Batu Rural = 662
• Patunungan Rural = 1060
• Rapuli Rural = 2476
• San Vicente Rural = 4206 Naval Base Camilo Osias (Naval Operating Base San Vicente), San Vicente Port, Palaui Island
• Santa Clara Rural = 668
• Santa Cruz Rural = 537 St. Anthony’s College and Hospital
• Visitacion Rural = 753
• Tangatan Rural = 1719

History

The first inhabitants were the Negritos and "hatcheros" (woodcutters) under Don Julian Astigarraga of Aparri. Then, some fishermen from Minanga, a barrio of Gonzaga came and resided in Palawig. In 1891, Felipe Aragpao with some settlers organized a "gimong" (society) called "Inanama." The purpose of the organization was to acquire and occupy lands around the place. That same year, Briccio Campañano of Lapog, Ilocos Sur together with some others from Ilocos came to Palawig to apply for homesteads in the sitio of Marede. These settlers organized another "gimong" called "Dagupan."

In 1900, the woodcutters from Aparri led by Don Julian Astigarraga arrived by the first boat. Thus, began the clearing of settlements.

From 1919 to 1935 several group of settlers from the Ilocos region came to claim lands aboard virays (light seagoing boats). The once forested areas were accessible only through rivers and the sea. Before reaching the settlements in the northern and eastern portions, they had to navigate through Palawig River.

The name Palawig was coined from the local term pasawig, meaning mouth of the river.

In 1935, the gimongs "Inanama and Dagupan" fused into one called "Da Inanama," headed by Navarro, they began to work for the separation of Palawig as a municipality independent from Gonzaga. Their application was held in abeyance because their population did not meet the needed number required by law. The move was suspended in 1941 and unluckily, the war broke out and the move was not carried out.

Barrio Palawig and its close barrios were separated from Gonzaga and the town was created by an Executive Order No. 289 of then President Elpidio Quirino, dated October 21, 1949 . The town was not named after any saint but the word "ANA" came from the first letter of the family names of then three provincial officials, namely: then Governor Nicasio Arranz, Federico Navarro, and Roberto Avena, then members of the provincial board.

Economy

Santa Ana is a mix of agricultural, commercial and agricultural economy. Most of the commercial and industrial activities were at Port Irene as the Cagayan Special Economic Zone.

Some of its agricultural and aquatic products are rice, corn, peanut, fish, lumber, shells, etc. Among its natural resources are limestone deposits at Bawac Mountain, coal at Carbon Mountain, Santa Clara and guano deposit at Kapannikian Cave.

Tourism

Aside from the Cagayan Special Economic Zone which host casinos and other gaming facilities, scenic spots and historical landmarks are present in this town. These include:

• Cape Engaño Lighthouse at Punta Verde point
• White beaches like Anguib Beach, Mapurao Beach
• Gotan mangrove forest and waterfalls.

Santa Ana is the Game Fishing hub of the Philippines. It has hosted international decathlons, where athletes run through the rugged terrain of Punta Verde to Cape Engaño, then dipped in the crystal clear water of the Philippine Sea.

Festivities

Every May 26 to May 30 of the year, the town plays host to the Viray Festival, organized by the local government with the support of the regional tourism office and the private sector. Launched in June 2005, the Viray Festival was conceptualized to dramatize the significance of the viray, which played a key role in the lives and history of the town.

An annual fluvial parade of colorful boats were held during the first day.

A viray is a large wooden flat boat which, before the use of gasoline-fed engines in the early 1950s, was propelled by sails. Comerciantes (traders) used large virays measuring 18 meters long, 5 meters wide and 3.5 meters high.

Fishermen, on the other hand, used smaller ones, usually 11 meters long, 5 meters wide and 2.5 meters high. Equipped with oars to reach nearby fishing grounds, these types sailed for longer distances.

Due to its capacity to carry great quantities of cargo, viray was the only means of transport used by the first settlers of Santa Ana.

Leaders and well-off families derived income from the services of the viray ranging from fishing operation, commerce and trade to means of transport during the years when Santa Ana was at its prime. Used for daklis (trawl net), sapiao (net) and sirut (ring net) fishing, viray could carry the fishing gears, provisions, supplies, and manpower. It is assisted by small bancas during the fishing operation.

The second day of the festival features a grand carabao parade where each of the 16 barangays composing the municipality had their turn to show off their artistic talents.

On the third day, local folks and visitors alike lined up along the main street to watch colorful bodies participating in the street dancing competition.

External links

• Municipality of Santa Ana
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 1995 Philippine Census Information
• 2000 Philippine Census Information
• 2007 Philippine Census Information
• Manidad Island in Sta. Ana Cagayan Valley
• Travel Guide: Palaui Island, Sta. Ana, Cagayan
• Cape Engaño, Sta. Ana, Cagayan
• My Santa Ana, Cagayan Facebook Fanpage
• MySantaAna on Twitter