Santiago, Isabela

Santiago

Carig
Santiago Carig
	Santiago at night
	Flag Official seal of Santiago Seal
	Nickname: Queen City of the North
	Anthem: Santiago, Bayan ng Pag-Ibig; (English: Santiago, the Town of Love)
	OpenStreetMap
Country	Philippines
Province	; (geographically only)
Founded	May 4, 1743
Cityhood	May 5, 1994
Named for	St. James the Great
Barangays	(see Barangays)
Government
• Mayor	Alyssa Sheena P. Tan
• Vice Mayor	Alvin N. Abaya
• Representative	Joseph S. Tan
• City Council	Members
• Electorate	voters (?)
Highest elevation	919 m (3,015 ft)
Lowest elevation	56 m (184 ft)
Demonym	Santiagueño
Economy
• Poverty incidence	% (?)
Service provider
• Electricity	—
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
PSGC	PSGC unknown

Santiago, officially known as the City of Santiago (Ilocano: Siudad ti Santiago; Ibanag: Siudad nat Santiago; Gaddang: Siudad na Santiago; Tagalog: Lungsod ng Santiago), is a 1st class independent component city in the Cagayan Valley region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 148,580 people. ^[4]

It is formerly known as Pueblo de Carig during the time of the Spanish, it is located between southwestern part of Isabela and northwestern boundary of Quirino in Northeastern Luzon island of the Philippines.^[5] It is the gateway to the vast plains of Cagayan Valley.

Santiago is situated 331 kilometres (206 mi) north of Metro Manila. The city sits on a vast area of predominantly flat and fertile land in the Cagayan Valley, surrounded by the Caraballo Mountains to the south, the Great Sierra Madre to the east and the Cordillera Mountain Range to the west alongside the Magat River.

Though statistically grouped by the Philippine Statistics Authority and geographically located within the boundaries of the province of Isabela, as well as part of the province's 4th District, Santiago City is administratively and legally independent from the province as stated in Section 25 of the Local Government Code.^[6]

Etymology

The origin of Santiago City can be drawn from the first native settlement discovered by the early Spanish missionaries at the bank of the old Carig River (now Diadi River) from which its original name, Carig, was derived. The early inhabitants were the Gaddangs and the Ibanags. When the Spanish settled in, the city was named Pueblo of Santiago Apostol de Carig, with Santiago as the Spanish name of Saint James the Apostle. In the early 1950s, the Municipal President Vicente Carreon changed the name to simply Santiago. Santiago remained a municipality for 84 years.

History

Santiago was originally a part of the province Cagayan (comprising the whole Cagayan Valley region), which was reorganized as a political subdivision in 1583 with Nueva Segovia as its capital. On May 1, 1856, when the province of Isabela was carved out by a Royal Decree, Santiago was among the towns relinquished to the newly created province. The first five barrios after the Cadastral survey in 1927 were Patul, Batal, Nabbuan, Buenavista and Dubinan.

It was said that there were only about three Filipino-owned sari-sari stores in Santiago in 1917. The settlers acquired most of their merchandise and other provisions from Chinese traders in Echague, the landing zone for products intended for Santiago and other towns, owing to its proximity to the Cagayan River.

It was when the Villa-Verde Trail was opened when things were set in motion. It facilitated the entry of immigrants from various provinces in Luzon to the Cagayan Valley and Santiago absorbed a sizable share of these travelers. The new route served as an impetus for growth and introduced new technologies and business opportunities, and made Santiago a melting pot of different cultures.

In 1942, during World War II, the Japanese forces entered and occupied the town of Santiago. In 1945, the town was liberated by the Filipino soldiers of the 1st, 2nd, 12th, 13th and 15th Infantry Division and the USAFIP-NL 11th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, the 1st Constabulary Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary and the recognized guerrilla fighter units.

Santiago survived through world wars, although badly damaged, and from then on developed to become the leading trading and commercial city in Cagayan Valley.

Cityhood

On December 17, 1993, the bill converting Santiago into an independent component city was approved by the Lower House spearheaded by the then Mayor Jose "Pempe" Miranda. In the following year, the Senate Committee on Local Government approved another public hearing dated February 23, 1994.

On May 5, 1994, President Fidel V. Ramos signed Republic Act 7720, making Santiago as the first city in Cagayan Valley and 5th independent component city, after Cotabato City, Dagupan, Naga, and Ormoc. The plebiscite was held on July 6, 1994, showed that voters approved this conversion.^[7]

On February 14, 1998, Republic Act 8528 repealed this statute transforming it to a component city.^[8] It was not until December 29, 1999, when the Supreme Court contested the validity of the latter decision and favored Santiago to be once again an independent component city.

Geography

The total land area the city is 80% flat or nearly level land in the portions of northwestern, eastern and western parts of the city. While adjacent areas have gently undulating and moderately rolling areas, and the remaining areas constitute steeply undulating and rolling lands. The Dariuk Hills is the highest point in the city.

The geographic coordinate of the city lies between 16º35’00” to 16º47’30” north latitude and 121º25’00” to 121º37’00” east longitude.

Barangays

Santiago City is politically subdivided into 37 barangays.PSGC unknown These barangays are headed by elected officials: Barangay Captain, Barangay Council, whose members are called Barangay Councilors. All are elected every three years.

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