Peñablanca

This article is about the municipality. For other uses, see Peña Blanca (disambiguation).

Peñablanca, officially the Municipality of Peñablanca (Ibanag: Ili nat Peñablanca; Ilocano: Ili ti Peñablanca; Tagalog: Bayan ng Peñablanca), is a municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 50,300 people.^[3]

Peñablanca
Municipality
Municipality of Peñablanca
Pinacanauan River
Flag
Map of Cagayan with Peñablanca highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Peñablanca Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 17°37′33″N 121°47′07″E
Country	Philippines
Region	Cagayan Valley
Province	Cagayan
District	3rd district
Barangays	24 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Washington M. Taguinod
• Vice Mayor	Marilyn J. Taguinod
• Representative	Joseph L. Lara
• Electorate	29,523 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	1,193.20 km2 (460.70 sq mi)
Elevation	58 m (190 ft)
Highest elevation	301 m (988 ft)
Lowest elevation	14 m (46 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	50,300
• Density	42/km2 (110/sq mi)
• Households	11,595
Economy
• Income class	1st municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	10.18 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 357.3 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 539.5 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 299.9 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 16 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Cagayan 1 Electric Cooperative (CAGELCO 1)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	3502
PSGC	021519000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)78
Native languages	Ibanag Ilocano Itawis Atta Tagalog
Website	www.penablanca-cagayan.gov.ph

Peñablanca is home to the charcoal-drawn Peñablanca petrographs. Both the Peñablanca petrographs and the Callao Limestone Formation are included as tentative sites of the Philippines for future inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.^[5] The Callao Limestone Formation has at least 93 archaeological sites that yielded stone tools of Paleolithic industry and bones and shells of animals still living in the vicinity.

History

Named after its prominent white rock formations, Peñablanca was formerly a barrio of Tuguegarao named Bubug. However, it also went by other names such as Alimannao, which was said to have been derived from a German rancher named Otto Weber, who, when one of his servants was asked who owned the cows in the area, responded in Itawis: cua na Aliman yao (they belong to the German). Another name for the place was camasi, from the native word for tomato, which abounded in the area.^[6] Both Alimannao and Camasi are now names of barrios in the municipality.

Peñablanca was made a separate municipality by the Spaniards on November 20, 1886. Its first inhabitants were Kalingas (unbaptized Irrayas) and Negritos.^[7]

Geography

Situated 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) east of the provincial capital Tuguegarao and 475 kilometres (295 mi) north of Manila, the municipality is home to the Peñablanca Protected Landscape and Seascape which contains the Callao Cave (part of the Callao Limestone Formation Paleolithic Archaeological Site), one of the province's well-known landmarks and tourist spots.

Barangays

Peñablanca is divided into 24 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

• Aggugaddan
• Alimanao
• Baliuag
• Bical
• Bugatay
• Buyun
• Cabasan
• Cabbo
• Callao
• Camasi
• Centro (Poblacion)
• Dodan
• Lapi
• Malibabag
• Mangga
• Minanga
• Nabbabalayan
• Nanguilattan
• Nannarian
• Parabba
• Patagueleg
• Quibal
• San Roque (Litto)
• Sisim

Climate

Climate data for Peñablanca, Cagayan
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	25 (77)	26 (79)	28 (82)	31 (88)	31 (88)	31 (88)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	28 (82)	27 (81)	25 (77)	29 (83)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	21 (70)	21 (70)	22 (72)	23 (73)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	23 (73)	22 (72)	23 (73)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	155 (6.1)	113 (4.4)	89 (3.5)	58 (2.3)	127 (5.0)	131 (5.2)	154 (6.1)	184 (7.2)	151 (5.9)	247 (9.7)	221 (8.7)	292 (11.5)	1,922 (75.6)
Average rainy days	19.6	14.8	13.4	12.0	19.4	19.8	23.0	25.0	23.0	19.4	19.1	21.6	230.1
Source: Meteoblue[8]

Demographics

Population census of Peñablanca

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	4,969	—
1918	6,478	+1.78%
1939	8,864	+1.50%
1948	8,799	−0.08%
1960	13,119	+3.38%
1970	18,218	+3.33%
1975	21,638	+3.51%
1980	24,888	+2.84%
1990	30,527	+2.06%
1995	33,190	+1.58%
2000	37,872	+2.87%
2007	40,336	+0.87%
2010	42,736	+2.13%
2015	48,584	+2.47%
2020	50,300	+0.68%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[9][10][11][12]

In the 2020 census, the population of Peñablanca, Cagayan, was 50,300 people,^[3] with a density of 42 inhabitants per square kilometre or 110 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy

The fifth chamber of the Callao Cave, part of the Callao Limestone Formation Paleolithic Archaeological Site

Poverty incidence of Peñablanca

10 20 30 40 50 60 2000 51.80 2003 35.22 2006 24.50 2009 18.17 2012 20.06 2015 12.62 2018 27.72 2021 10.18 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

Peñablanca, belonging to the third legislative district of the province of Cagayan, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.

Elected officials

Members of the Municipal Council
(2019–2022)^[21]

Position	Name
Congressman	Joseph L. Lara
Mayor	Washington M. Taguinod
Vice-Mayor	Marilyn J. Taguinod
Councilors	Ma. Katrina T. Carag
	Rodney D. Mora
	Janice L. Tungcul-Beleno
	Pauline Tatiana C. Dela Cruz
	Elisa C. Arugay
	Pedro Q. Alan
	Juan H. Lingan Jr.
	Eutiguio A. Calagui

Education

The Schools Division of Cagayan governs the town's public education system.^[22] The division office is a field office of the DepEd in Cagayan Valley region.^[23] The office governs the public and private elementary and public and private high schools throughout the municipality.

Media

• 94.9 MHz FMR Cagayan (Philippine Collective Media Corporation)

References

1.  Municipality of Peñablanca | (DILG)
2. "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
3. Census of Population (2020). "Region II (Cagayan Valley)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
4. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
5. "Petroglyphs and Petrographs of the Philippines". whc.unesco.org. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
6. de Rivera Castillet, Ed. Cagayan Province and her People. Community Publishers.
7. Salgado, Pedro. "Other Missions in Cagayan Province". Cagayan Valley and Easter Cordillera: 1581-1898, Volume I. Rex Publishing. pp. 360–361.
8. "Peñablanca, Cagayan: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
9. Census of Population (2015). "Region II (Cagayan Valley)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
10. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region II (Cagayan Valley)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
11. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region II (Cagayan Valley)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
12. "Province of Cagayan". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
13. "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
14. "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. November 29, 2005.
15. "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. March 23, 2009.
16. "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. August 3, 2012.
17. "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. May 31, 2016.
18. "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. July 10, 2019.
19. "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. December 15, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
20. "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
21. "2019 National and Local Elections" (PDF). Commission on Elections. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
22. "History of DepED SDO Cagayan". DepED SDO Cagayan | Official Website of DepED SDO Cagayan. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
23. "DEPED REGIONAL OFFICE NO. 02". DepED RO2 | The official website of DepED Regional Office No. 02.

External links

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information