North & Central Luzon

North Luzon

Ilocos Region

Physical Environment

❖ Ilocos Region comprises coastal provinces such as Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur,

La Union, Pangasinan.

Ilocos Norte

Ilocos Norte is located on the northernmost edge of western Luzon. Its boundaries are formed by the Babuyan Channel on the north and its sister province, Ilocos Norte, on the

south. To the west are the turbulent waters of the South China Sea, while the eastern borders are formed by part of the Cagayan Valley, Abra and the Mountain Province. A

well-paved coastal highway connects the province with the rest of the country.

Ilocos Sur

The province of Ilocos Sur is where the Ilocos Region’s myriad of cultures and histories converge to become a living museum of a spirited past. A national shrine, a national landmark, a national museum, heritage museums, ancestral houses, period houses,

cobble-stoned streets – they all share space in the timeless land of Ilocos Sur.

The Northern and western parts of both Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur are both mountainous.

La UnionSituated on the northwestern coast of Luzon, La Union is the gateway to the Ilocos

Region. With its strategic location, the province has become the business, education, and government center of the Ilocos. Not only is La Union the region’s center for trade but

also of religious devotees who flock to one of the country’s popular pilgrimage destinations, especially during Lent.

Pangasinan

Pangasinan means “lands of salt” or “place of salt-making”; it is derived from asin, the word for “salt” in Pangasinan language.

The Pangasinan people are also called taga- Pangasinan, which means “from Pangasinan” in the Pangasinan language.

The Pangasinan people are also called taga- Pangasinan, which means “from Pangasinan” in the Pangasinan language.

Three Important Rivers

Laoag River

Laoag River crosses Ilocos Norte and empties its load to China Sea.

Abra River

Abra River it flaws north but it turns abruptly westward the province of Abra, outlying into the China Sea.

Agno River

Agno River flaws south to the Central plain but empties into tge Lingayen Gulf.

Economic Resources

❖ Ilocos Region source of income and food is from agriculture.

❖Rice is the principal crop of the Region.

❖Tobacco is the leading commercial crop.

❖Fishing and salt making is the two important economic activities and this two economies are favored in dry season.

❖Mining of magnetic iron is also being undertaken along the sandy coast of region.

Cultural Aspects

❖ There are no big land holdings and every family owns a piece of land.

❖ The limited cultivable land and the influence of the sea have made the Ilocanos adventurous and the most migratory of the Filipinos.

Cordillera Administrative Region(CAR)

Physical Features

Under CAR there are five provinces; Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga-Apayao,

and Mt. Province.

It is a complex of mountains which has a general north to south pattern.

Abra

Abra is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Regionin 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.

Benguet

Benguet is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the southern tip of the

Cordillera Administrative Region in the island of Luzon. Its capital is La Trinidad.

The highland province is known as the Salad Bowl of the Philippines because of its huge

production of upland vegetables.

Ifugao

Ifugao was formerly a part of the old Mountain Province. It was created as an independent province on June 18, 1966 by virtue of Republic Act No. 4695. The name is derived from the word “IPUGO”. Pugo means “hill” while the prefix “I” means “from”.

The Spaniards changed""Ipugo"" to ""Ipugaw"" and it was finally changed by the Americans to Ifugao.

Kalinga - Apayao

Apayao is basically on a mountainous area traversed by many rivers. Region I, II and other provinces assemble its boundaries. Plains and valleys are used for farming. Apayao

is basically composed of farmlands.

Mt. Province

Mt. Province is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its

capital is Bontoc.

Mountain Province was formerly referred to as Mountain in some foreign references. The name is usually

shortened by locals to Mt. Province. The province was named so for being in the Cordillera Central mountain range

found in the upper realms of Luzon island.

Best known Landforms

Trinidad Valley Baguio Plateau

Highest Peak of the Region

Mt. Pulag is the highest peak of the region.

Three Large Streams

Agno River Chico River Magat River

CAR Region

The region has cool and invigorating temperature. An adequate amount of rainfall and the dry seasons last only about three months.

Economic Resources

Banaue Rice Terraces

The most extensive and considered the eight wonders of the world.

❖The principal agricultural crops are: rice, camote, vegetables, strawberries and coffee.

❖Fertile Trinidad Valley of Ifugao is known as vegetable garden of the Philippines.

❖ Important economic resources: timber, minerals and water.

❖Valuable resources: gold, copper and silver.

❖Baguio district- is the leading gold producer of the country while Lepanto copper ore ate being exploited commercially.

Ambuklao-Binga Multi-Purpose Dam

Ambuklao-Binga Multi Purpose dam- provides a good source of water that can light the whole of Northern and Central Luzon as well as National Capital Region. The total

Ambuklao-Binga Project when completely developed will generate more than 400,000 kilowatts.

CULTURAL ASPECTS

❖20% are still Pagans, the rest are professing the Christian faith.

❖The natives of the region are collectively known as Igorots, but the name encompasses several groups including Ibalois, Ifugaos, Bontocs, Kalingas and Isneg of the provinces of Kalinga and Apayao.

❖Abra populated mostly by Ilocanos and Tingguians.

❖Baguio- summer capital of the Philippines. There are also tourist attractions of the regions these are waterfalls and spring in Abra, Trinidad Valley which is 300 ft below Baguio City, the caves in Sagada and Rice Terraces in Banaue.

Cagayan Valley

It consists of five provinces occupying the northern-most portion of Luzon, Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino.

CAGAYAN RIVER

Cagayan River-is the longest and the largest river in the Philippines.

Economic Resources

Batanes is made up of two major island groups: Babuyan and Bataan Islands.

Y'ami the northernmost island of the country is barely 50 miles away from Taiwan which is separated from it by the Bashi Channel.

Principal Crops

Rice, corn, and tobacco.

CULTURAL ASPECTS

Tuguegarao the capital of Cagayan Province, is the largest town of the region.

Cagayan River is now trading center of southern Cagayan and northern Isabela.

Nueva Vizcaya is the twin towns of Bayombong and Solano which are only a

few miles apart.

The inhabitants of the region are mostly Ibanags, Gaddangs, and Ilocanos.

Cagayan Valley has a bigger population than the Cordillera Administrative

Region.

CENTRAL LUZON

Physical Environment

Central Luzon is generally located in the island of Luzon and is bounded on the

north by the province of Pangasinan, on the east by the Sierra Madre, on

Eastern Cordillera; on the south by Manila Bay and the province of Rizal; and

on the west by the China Sea.

It is subdivided into two geographic units: Western Cordillera and the Central

Plain.

Western Cordillera

Western Cordillera - which comprises the provinces of Zambales and Bataan, is a

hilly and rugged region.

Central Plain

Central Plain - which is situated east of the Zambales mountain range, is the

largest level low land is the entire country, it is made up of quaternary alluvium.

ECONOMIC RESOURCES

Agriculture, fishing, mining and lumbering

Main agriculture crops: rice, sugar, coconut and mangoes.

Zambales has two good harbors situated on the boarders of Subic Bay , those

at Subic and Olongapo.

Mining and mineral industries are important to the economy of Zambales. Its

chromited deposit is the largest not only in the Philippimes but also in thr

Orient.

Central Plain of Luzon is the rice granary of the Philippines, producing about

one-third of the rice harvest of the country. Rice, sugar, tobacco, corn, peanuts,

sweet potatoes and vegetables are the principal agricultural crops of the Central

Plain.

Iron and limestone deposits are found in Bulacan.

Tarlac has copper deposits and asbestos.

Pampanga has sizeable deposit of its clay.

CULTURAL SETTING

The provinces of and Zambales are sometimes referred to as the "home of the

aborigines".

Aborigines means a person, animal, or plant that has been in a country or

region from earliest times.

Two important cities of Central Luzon

Angeles City Olongapo City