Kalinga (province)

The province's name is derived from the Ibanag and Gaddang noun "kalinga", which means "enemy", "fighter", or "headtaker".[7]

The mountains of Kalinga in Lubuagan

Kalinga covers a total area of 3,231.25 square kilometres (1,247.59 sq mi)[8] occupying the central section of the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. The province is bordered by Mountain Province to the south, Abra to the west, Isabela to the east, Cagayan to the northeast, and Apayao to the north..

The topography of Kalinga province is rugged and sloping, with mountain peaks ranging from 1,500 to 2,500 metres (4,900 to 8,200 ft) in elevation. The province's western side is characterised by sharp, crested, interlinking peaks of steep slopes, isolated flatlands, plateaus and valleys. The eastern lands are mainly of rolling and gradually sloping foothills.

Large swaths of the province's lowlands are open grassland suitable for pasture, while the highlands have extensive areas of tropical rainforest. In higher elevations to the west, particularly in the mountains of Balbalan, lie some of the most intact pine forests of Luzon island. Rizal and Tabuk with their flatlands are the biggest rice producers. Next in rice production are the mountainous area, and of note are the rice terraces of Balbalan, Lubuagan, Pasil, Pinukpuk, Tinglayan, and Tanudan.

Hydrology

The Chico River passing through Tinglayan

The province is drained mainly by the Chico River, with its headwaters in the Mountain Province and emptying into the Cagayan River. The Chico River has several tributaries: Bunog River in Tinglayan in the south; the Tanudan and Biga Rivers in the east; Pasil River in the central area; and Poswoy, Dao-angan, Mabaca and Saltan Rivers in the west.

Several small lakes can also be found in Kalinga.

Administrative divisions

Butchered remains of a Rhinoceros philippinensis found in Rizal, Kalinga. An evidence of early hominins in the Philippines about 709,000 years ago.

Kalinga comprises one component city and seven municipalities, all encompassed by a single legislative district.

Tabuk was proclaimed a component city in 2007, but in November 2008 the Supreme Court of the Philippines ruled that its cityhood was unconstitutional. However, Tabuk had its city status reinstated by the Supreme Court on December 22, 2009.[9]

Political divisions

City or municipality [lower-roman 1] Population ±% p.a. Area[8] Density Barangay (2015) [3] (2010) [10] km2 sq mi /km2 /sq mi Balbalan 5.7% 12,195 12,082 +0.18% 542.69 209.53 22 57 14 Lubuagan 4.1% 8,733 9,369 −1.33% 234.20 90.43 37 96 9 Pasil 4.5% 9,644 9,626 +0.04% 189.00 72.97 51 130 14 Pinukpuk 15.1% 32,026 29,596 +1.51% 743.56 287.09 43 110 23 Rizal 8.0% 17,038 15,942 +1.27% 231.00 89.19 74 190 14 Tabuk † 52.0% 110,642 103,912 +1.20% 700.25 270.37 160 410 42 Tanudan 4.5% 9,534 8,529 +2.14% 307.55 118.75 31 80 16 Tinglayan 6.1% 12,868 12,557 +0.47% 283.00 109.27 45 120 20 Total 212,680 201,613 +1.02% 3,231.25 1,247.59 66 170 152  †  Provincial capital and component city   Municipality The globe  icon marks the city/town center.

The Seven (7) municipalities and one (1) component city of the province comprise a total of 152 barangays, with Bulanao in Tabuk City as the most populous in 2010, and Anggacan Sur in Tanudan as the least. If the City of Tabuk is excluded, Pinukpuk Junction in Pinukpuk municipality has the highest population.[8]

The population of Kalinga in the 2015 census was 212,680 people, [3] with a density of 66 inhabitants per square kilometre or 170 inhabitants per square mile.

On the 2000 census survey, Kalinga people comprised 64.37% (111,774) of the total provincial population of 173,638. Ilocanos came in second at 23.98% (41,633), while other ethnic groups in the province were the Kankanaey at 2.55% (4,421), Bontoc at 1.61% (2,804), Tagalog at 1.28% (2,227) and Applai at 1% (1,730).[12]

The primary language spoken is Kalinga, including its dialects of Balangao, Butbut, Limos, Lower Tanudan, Lubuagan, Mabaka, Madukayang, Southern Kalingan, and Upper Tanudan. Gaddang, as well as Ilocano, Tagalog, and English are also spoken in as lingua francas with varying degrees of proficiency.

107-year old Apo Whang Od, the embodiment of Kalinga tattoo artistry.

A student from Tinglayan, vested in traditional garb and holding a handcrafted weapon.

There are many sub-tribes in the province. The strong sense of tribal membership and filial loyalty results in frequent tribal unrest and occasional outright war. Due to the mountainous terrain and warrior-culture of the people, the Kalinga were able to preserve their culture despite centuries of occupation in the lowlands by the Spaniards, Americans, and the Japanese.

The Kalinga people are highlanders and the most extensive rice farmers of the Cordillera peoples, having been blessed with some of the most suitable land for both wet and dry rice farming. Like the Ifugao, the Kalinga are prolific terrace builders. The Kalinga are also skilled craftsmen, well-versed in basketry, loom weaving, metalsmithing, and pottery, the last centred in the lower Chico River Valley.

On February 22, 2019, the Department of Tourism announced the bid of Digdiga Ni Tupayya, a Kalinga courtship dance, to be included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.[20][21]

• Macli-ing Dulag - a Kalinga warrior and leader (pangat) who opposed the Chico River Dam Project. Murdered by military personnel under the command of dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Dulag's death is remembered as one of the two occasions for the declaration of Cordillera Day in the entire Cordillera Administrative Region. His name has been inscribed in the heroes' marker in Quezon City.
• Conrado Balweg - a former Filipino Catholic priest and rebel who was the founder of the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army, a militant group which advocated autonomy for the Cordillera region in the Philippines. He was also known by the nom-de-guerre Ka Ambo.
• Whang-od - a Kalinga master tattooist (mambabatok) and recipient of the prestigious Dangal ng Haraya Award.
• Alonzo Saclag - Awarded as a National Living Treasure for his efforts to preserve the culture of Kalinga through performing arts.

• Media related to Kalinga (province) at Wikimedia Commons
• Geographic data related to Kalinga (province) at OpenStreetMap