Natonin, officially the Municipality of Natonin, is a 4th class

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

of Mountain Province,

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 10,339 people.

Geography

It is a landlocked municipality bordered by Kalinga Province to the North, Paracelis to the East, Barlig to the West and Ifugao to the South. The barangays are mostly carved at the foot of the mountains along which the now National Highway was carved with the exception Barangay Maducayan and some far-flung sitios of Barangay Banawel. It has a total land area of around 20 000 hectares.

Barangays

Natonin is politically subdivided into 11

barangay A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolita ...

s. These barangays are headed by elected officials: Barangay Captain, Barangay Council, whose members are called Barangay Councilors. All are elected every three years. * Alunogan * Balangao * Banao * Banawel * Butac * Maducayan * Poblacion * Saliok * Santa Isabel * Tonglayan * Pudo

Climate

Demographics

The natives of Natonin are generally called Balangaos, or Iferangao, and speak the Finerangao language. There are two sub-tribes: the Hakki, who inhabit the western part of the town, and the iMajukayongs (people of the subtribe Majukayong), who inhabit the barangays of Saliok and Maducayan. The iMajukayongs initially came from southern

Kalinga Province ; tl, Lalawigan ng Kalinga) , native_name = , other_name = , settlement_type = , image_skyline = , image_caption = (from top: left to right) Bum-bag Rice Terraces, Pasil Valley, ...

. Populations of the town are of Igorot lineage.

Headhunting Headhunting is the practice of hunting a human and collecting the severed head after killing the victim, although sometimes more portable body parts (such as ear, nose or scalp) are taken instead as trophies. Headhunting was practiced in h ...

was practiced throughout Natonin as late as the mid-1930s, but was set aside in favor of Christianity and education after World War II.

Languages

Natonin is home to two indigenous dialects which have existed there since before the arrival of the Spanish: the Balangaw dialect and the Majukayong dialect. Immigrants from the

Ilocos Region Ilocos Region ( ilo, Rehion/Deppaar ti Ilocos; pag, Sagor na Baybay na Luzon/Rehiyon Uno; tl, Rehiyon ng Ilocos) is an administrative region of the Philippines, designated as Region I, occupying the northwestern section of Luzon and part of ...

came in the 1970s and imported the Ilokano dialect during the era of martial law.

Economy

The primary crop is rice, although limited arable space, mechanization and innovative agriculture renders the harvest to a subsistence level only. Backyard piggery mostly produce the pork supply. Vegetable gardening, fruit tree growing and tilapia raising are also starting to see commercial viability. Whatever is of shortage or lacking are imported outside the municipality. Few local handicrafts are promoted and are only made to order.

Government

Natonin, belonging to the lone congressional district of the province of Mountain Province, 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

Transportation

Since the widening of the national highways started in 2010, the Paracelis-Natonin Road is paved now. Although, some parts are either eroded or slipped away, and during rainy seasons landslides can render the roads impassable. Public utility or for-hire vans are the easiest transportation either to and from the municipality (e.g. Baguio and Manila).

Tourism

Though it's not yet that improved, Natonin has the following sites: * The Legendary Silent Mountain of Finaratan, located in Barangay Maducayan. * The Apatan Rice Terraces * The Balococ Waterfall * The Naropaan Waterfall * Tonglayan Rice Terraces * Lagan River in Balangao * Penadna Waterfalls * Lettalet Waterfalls * Fuyon Spring in Siffu River located at Brgy. Saliok

References

External links

* Philippine Standard Geographic Codebr>Philippine Census Information
{{Authority control Municipalities of Mountain Province