Tumauini

Tumauini, officially the Municipality of Tumauini ( ibg, Ili nat Tumauini; ilo, Ili ti Tumauini; tl, Bayan ng Tumauini), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Isabela, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 70,743 people.

The Tumauini Church is currently in the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Sites under the ''Baroque Churches of the Philippines (Extension)''. A proposal has been suggested by scholars to make a separate UNESCO inclusion for the ''Old Centre of Tumauini which includes the Tumauini Church''. The same would be made for other churches listed in UNESCO's tentative sites, where each town plaza and surrounding heritage buildings would be added. No government agency has yet to take action on the proposal.

Etymology

The name of Tumauini originated from the name of the big trees found in the poblacion called "''Mauini''". It is said that when some Spaniard wanted to know the name of the trees, they asked a native saying, "''Como se llama el grande lenia? Sabes tu?''" The native not knowing what the Spaniards said, picked the last word he heard and answered "Tumauini".

History

In 1952, the barrios of Barucbuc, Siempre Viva, Bimmonton, Pasurgong, Manga, and Settlement No. 1 were transferred to the newly created town of Mallig.

In 1957, the barrios of San Antonio, San Juan, Ragan Sur, Ragan Norte, Ragan Almacen, San Jose (Bulo), San Patricio, Quibal, San Andres (Lattu), Calinawan Sur, Bayabo, Santor, Santo Rosario, Andarayan, Aneg, San Isidro, Mawi, San Roque, Carmencita, Aga, Villa Pareda, Villaluz, San Pedro, Concepcion, Sammabario and San Nicolas and the sitios of Turod, Paco, Calamagui and Kim-malabasa, were separated from the municipality of Tumauini to form the town of Magsaysay. Camp Samal used to be the camp of guerillas in 1945 World War II, and Camp Samal had been also used by the Filipino American troops against the Japanese invasion, and SAMAL derives from SA means Sadornas, and MAL from Malana.

Geography

Tumauini is located at the northern portion of the province of Isabela. Its land area is or 5.62% of the total land area of Isabela. It is bounded on the north by the municipality of Cabagan and south from Tuguegarao (the Regional Center); on the east by the municipality of Divilacan, on the south by the City of Ilagan, the capital of Isabela ( away) and north from Manila; on the west by the Cagayan River and the municipality of Delfin Albano.

Barangays

Tumauini is politically subdivided into 46 barangays. These barangays are headed by elected officials: Barangay Captain, Barangay Council, whose members are called Barangay Councilors. All are elected every three years.

Four of the barangays compose the center of the town whereas the other 42 are in the outlying areas. Some of them are even several kilometers away from the center of the municipality. The most populous are San Pedro, Antagan I and Lanna.

Climate

Demographics

In the 2020 census, the population of Tumauini was 70,743 people, with a density of .

Economy

Over the past years, the town's economy had dramatically shifted from stagnant to a fast-moving basis. Aside from agriculture is the main backbone of the town's economy, commerce and trade also became the second economic-based income of the town and its residents with the opening of numerous business establishments, hotels, and financial institutions that generated many opportunities and more employment for its residents.

Retail industry

In 2015, SM Prime opened its first branch of Savemore Market in the town along National Highway while Puregold, a large retail chain opened its first Puregold Price Club Store in the same year. A multinational fast-food chain like Jollibee opened its first branch in the area in 2017. Other fast-food chains like McDonald's and Mang Inasal will soon put up their branches which will be located in Xentro Mall, the town's first mall. In 2019, another fast-food chain like 7-Eleven is already open.

Banking and finance services

Banking institutions like BDO Unibank, Development Bank of the Philippines, Producers Bank, FICO Bank and other smaller financial institutions put up their branches in the town which is a good indication that the town is gearing towards rapid commercialization.

Government

Local government

The municipality 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

Congress representation

Tumauini, belonging to the first legislative district of the province of Isabela, currently represented by Antonio T. Albano.

Education

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

Tourism

This quiet town boasts of a famous historical landmark, the Tumauini Church. Built in the 1780s by the Dominicans, the church has a unique cylindrical bell tower made of bricks. Also one of the popular tourist attraction of the town is the Camp Samal Resort and Leisure Park where known as a semi-Tagaytay because of being high on its location where can view the entire town in the west, south and north and the Cordillera Sierra Madre in the east.

San Matias Parish Church

The Parish Church of San Matias was built in the 1780s by the Dominicans. This is the best-preserved church ensemble in Isabela although its Convento is in ruins. The church can be considered to be the best and most artistic brick structure in the Philippines. The delicate brickwork is evident in the church itself and also in the cylindrical, confectionery-like bell tower (a later addition). In the Convento vaulted ceiling may still be seen impressions of the mats that were used as forms to mold wet plaster during construction. A low, undulating brick wall circumscribes the front garden. DI, Dec 16, 2001

First, build of light materials by Francisco Nunez O. P., and dedicated to the Patron Saint, 1707. Separated from Cabagan and became a regular parish in 1751. The Roman Catholic Church was erected by the Dominican in 1753. They were made of bricks and coral stones with a unique cylindrical bell tower, the only of its kind in the Philippines was constructed by Fr. Domingo Forto in 1793 and completed in 1805, became the capital of Isabela for sometimes in the 1880s. The Church was partly damaged during World War II and repaired into its original form by the faithful of Tumauini.

Furthermore, the church architectural design bears traces of Chinese artistry which confirms the belief that long before the Spaniards came to the Philippines, the Chinese had settled in the coastal towns of Northern Luzon.

By virtue of Presidential Decree # 260, 11 August 1973, as amended by Executive Order No. 357, 14 January 1974 and No. 1505, 11 June 1978, the Church of Tumauini was declared a National Historic Landmark on February 24, 1989.

Camp Samal

The historic Camp Samal was the site of the National Jamboree in 1977 and is the home of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines. It is located at the eastern outskirts of the Spanish – built town of Tumauini, on a of the elevated mass of rolling hills 500 feet above sea level. It is endowed with natural spring, evergreen grasses, trees, and shrubs. It overlooks the Cagayan River, the Pinacanauan River, the town of Tumauini itself, the municipality of Delfin Albano, and the Sierra Mountain ranges.

Its name was derived from the first syllable of the surnames of the spouses, Ricardo C. Sadornas and Purificacion Malana who donated the camp to the Boy Scout of the Philippines in 1954. After the holding of the 1977 National Jamboree, the camp slept for 26 years until the assumption of Arnold S. Bautista in July 2001 as Municipal Mayor, who drew out the support of the government and private sectors for its restoration and development. It is still the favorite destination of the Boy Scout and Girl Scouts of the Philippines for their annual district and provincial encampments. It hosted another big event which is the 5th Northeastern Luzon Regional and Ilocos Region Invitational Jamboree of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines held last November 25 – 30, 2004 with a total of 5,281 participants.

Mangi Festival

Patronal town fiesta in honor of St. Mathias and the promotion of Tumauini as a source of corn and its by-products. Tumauini is also the home of St. Mathias Church, a Spanish brick colonial church (1753) with the only cylindrical belfry in the country and is considered a national cultural treasure.

One of the most enduring legacies of the Spanish colonial era lives on, quite literally in Tumauini, corn Maize. It was one of the plants that came aboard the galleons and became one of the primary crops of the Philippines. Corn seems to have transcended being a mere crop in Tumauini. The late National Artist for Dance, Ramon Obusan traced the origins of a traditional dance inspired by the crop to Tumauini. Thus, a corn inspired festival seemed especially appropriate for Tumauini.

Magoli River

Antagan 1st is a calm river that locks a natural beauty, the beauty that carries thousands of souls, the beauty that makes up ample life. Threading highways and paths. The Magoli River is one of Tumauini's many feelings of pride and is known to be the most popular tourist attraction in the municipality due to its ideal location that shows the refreshing view of the mountains and hills. Water from its fresh running river provides many irrigation, fields, and households with a limitless source of water. The invigorating vision of the Blue Lagoon, a spot where you can find inner calm, lies in its middle. Blue Lagoon is going to show you how majestic our creator's job is. In this scene, deep blue water and natural artistic water-shine, curved over time, can be seen. There are two life-size rocks in the center of the long-running river named ''Kambal na Bato'' (twin stones) by the locals, which also acted as a tourist attraction because of its oddity and uniqueness that no place will ever have.

References

External links

*

Municipal Profile at the National Competitiveness Council of the Philippines

Tumauini at the Isabela Government Website

Local Governance Performance Management System
* Philippine Standard Geographic Code
Philippine Census Information

Municipality of Tumauini

{{Authority control

Municipalities of Isabela (province)
Populated places on the Rio Grande de Cagayan