Mountain Province (Filipino: Lalawigang Bulubundukin[3]) is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative RegioninLuzon. 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.
Mountain Province was also the name of the historical province that included most of the current Cordillera provinces. This old province was established by the Philippine Commission in 1908,[4][5][6] and was later split in 1966 into Mountain Province, Benguet, Kalinga-Apayao and Ifugao.[7][8][9]
The province is also known for its mummy caves, which contain naturally mummified bodies, and for its hanging coffins.[7]
The area of the Cordillera mountains proved difficult to control by the Spaniards. During the long Spanish rule, not much was done to bring the province under control. From 1566 to 1665, they sent expeditions to conquer the land but the rugged terrain and hostile indigenous population at the time were major obstacles to complete subjugation.[10] The first serious effort to subjugate them was made in 1785 when soldiers were sent from Cagayan to put down a revolt of the Kalingas. A famous Spanish explorer, Guillermo Galvez, conducted more than 40 forays to the mountainous region.[11]
Formerly called La Montañosa by the Spanish colonizers due to its mountainous terrain,[7][12] the area was subdivided into 6 comandancias politico-militar.[13]
The 6 former Comandancias Politico-MilitarofLa Montañosa[13]
Bontoc sub-province in 1918, which roughly covers the territory of modern day Mountain province
On August 19, 1908, during the American rule, the Philippine Commission enacted Act No. 1876, which organized the entire area of the Cordilleras into one large province, named Mountain Province.[4][6][7][14]
The first governor was Samuel Kane, and the town of Bontoc was made the capital. It was originally composed of the sub-provinces of Amburayan, Apayao, Benguet, Lepanto-Bontoc, Ifugao and Kalinga.[6][12]
Amburayan was later abolished in 1920 and its corresponding territories were transferred to the provinces of Ilocos Sur and La Union. Lepanto was also reduced in size and its towns were integrated into the sub-provinces of Bontoc and Benguet, and to the province of Ilocos Sur.[10][15][16]
Historical sub-provinces of Mountain Province under Act No. 1876[4][6][13][16]
Effective on April 7, 1967, Republic Act No. 4695 abolished the old Mountain Province, converting its sub-provinces into 4 independent provinces: Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga-Apayao and Mountain Province (corresponding to the former Bontoc sub-province).[7][9][12]
Situated within the Cordillera Central, Mountain Province is 83% mountainous while 17% make up hills and levels. The province has many rivers, waterfalls, mountains, and caves. The central and western areas of the province are characterized by rugged mountains and steep cliffs, while the eastern portion has generally sloping terrain.[7][12]
Mountain Province has 144 barangays comprising its 10 municipalities.[23]
As of 2010, the most populous barangay in the province is Poblacion in the municipality of Paracelis, with a total of 5,687 inhabitants. Balintaugan in the municipality of Bauko has the least population with only 144.[23]
The population of Mountain Province in the 2020 census was 158,200 people,[2] with a density of 73 inhabitants per square kilometre or 190 inhabitants per square mile.
Based on the 2000 census survey, Kankana-ey comprised 51.8% (72,694) of the total provincial population of 140,339. Balangao/Baliwon came in second at 13.46% (18,886), and Bontocat12.28% (17,234). Other ethnicities were the Ilocanoat4.97% (6,968), Applaiat2.1% (2,947), Binontokat1.79% (2,510), and Kalingaat1.76% (2,468).[25]
Other groups include Members Church of God International (MCGI), Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Iglesia Filipina Indepiendente, Iglesia ni Cristo and Free Believers in Christ Fellowship. Mountain Province is the only predominantly Protestant province in the Philippines.
The province has several rice terraces in seven of its different towns:[12]
Ambasing Rice Terraces — Sagada
Bangaan Rice Terraces — Sagada
Bangen Rice Terraces — Bauko
Barlig Rice Terraces — Barlig
Bayyo Rice Terraces — Bontoc
Besao Rice Terraces — Besao
Bontoc Poblacion Rice Terraces — Bontoc
Bucas Rice Terraces — Besao
Bulongan Rice Terraces — Sagada
Dalican Rice Terraces — Bontoc
Fidelisan Rice Terraces — Sagada
Focong Rice Terraces — Sadanga
Kapayawan Rice Terraces — Bauko
Kiltepan Rice Terraces — Sagada
Maligcong Rice Terraces — Bontoc
Natonin Rice Terraces — Natonin
Sadanga Rice Terraces — Sadanga
Suyo Rice Terraces — Sagada
Tanulong Rice Terraces — Sagada
The mountainous province also offers excellent mountain climbing experiences with two of its mountains among the top 10 highest points in the Philippines:
^ abcdefLancion, Conrado M. Jr.; de Guzman, Rey (cartography) (1995). "The Provinces". Fast Facts about Philippine Provinces (The 2000 Millenium ed.). Makati, Metro Manila: Tahanan Books. pp. 108–109. ISBN971-630-037-9. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
^ abc"Benguet History". Province of Benguet (official website). Archived from the original on October 19, 2014. Retrieved October 22, 2014. Benguet was once part of Mountain Province.
^"Act No. 1876". PhilippineLaw.info. August 18, 1908. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
^Doyo, Ma. Ceres P. (2015). Macli-ing Dulag: Kalinga Chief, Defender of the Cordillera. Diliman, Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press. ISBN978971542772-2.
Media related to Mountain Province at Wikimedia Commons
Geographic data related to Mountain ProvinceatOpenStreetMap
