Abra Province, Philippines

By James Barcelona

Tourist Attractions

Casa Real

Casa Real 

A facade of the first provincial capitol of Abra, located at Bucay, Abra. 

Gabriela Silang Monument 

Gabriela Silang Monument

Gabriela Silang popularly known as the "Joan of Arc" of the Ilocos, led the Ilocanos' resistance against the Spaniards in 1763, after her husband Diego Silang was treacherously shot on May 28, of the same year. Today, her monument stands at the town plaza of Pidigan to remind every one of the gallant stand and the ideals she and her husband fought and died for. 

Don Teodoro Brillantes Family
Museum

Cultural
Don Teodoro Brillantes Family Museum 

A private museum which houses the collections and mementos of the Brillantes family with a strong reflection of the Spanish culture. 

Old Roman Catholic Church 

Old Roman Catholic Church 

The churches are among the traces of the cultural heritage left by the Spanish colonizers. These are found in the municipalities of Bangued, Tayum, and Lagangilang. In Lagangilang, the church is not located in the town plaza unlike the churches in Bangued and Tayum where the churches are located near the town plazas and the municipal halls. 

Old Roman Catholic Church

Abra River

Natural

Abra River 

This is the biggest, longest and most popular river among the numerous rivers criss-crossing the valleys of the province. It is where all rivers and streams converge together. This is an ideal place for swimming and fishing. 

Boliney Hot Spring

Boliney Hot Spring 

Boliney Hot Spring

Located at Bani, Boliney, Abra. It can be reached by jeepneys after travelling 32 kilometers of dirt road. The place is ideal for swimmers who love taking a bath in hot and cold water. Aside from its hot spring, the locality offers a vivid experience in mountain travel with a winding road cruise alongside and between mountain ranges. 

Tugot ni Angalo

Tugot ni Angalo 

Translated as "Footprints of Angalo" - the Adam in Abra mythology) - It is found in Kabaruyan, San Quintin. The "footprint" is a perpetual monument of Angalo. People claim this is a real giant footprint in San Quintin, around fifteen meters long, five meters wide and ten feet deep. On a clear day, it can be seen visibly even from a distance. 

Kimkimay Lake 

Kimkimay Lake

This is one of the several lakes of the province located at Taquib, Villaviciosa. It covers an approximate area of one hectare amidst hills bordering barangays Taquib and Callao, both in Villaviciosa. KimkimayLake, according to legend carried by word of mouth was formerly a dwelling where several families lived. These families were however engaged in many vices so they were punished by the gods by sinking their community, submerging it in cool water. Today, the lake is a favorite place for town picnickers using the lake as a swimming pool and place for fishing. This place can be reached from Bangued travelling along a 32 kilometer winding Penarrubia-Villaviciosa- Pilar Road which as similar to the famous.

Sibud-sibud Cave. Courtesy
of Lagawan.info

Sibud-sibud Cave 

This is located along the newly -constructed road of Tineg. It can be reached after traveling a distance of around 33 kilometers with a traveling time of 1 - 1/2 hours. It is an ideal place for nature lovers. 

Limbo Lake 

Limbo Lake

This is the second lake located at Villaviciosa. Though not as popular as the KimkimayLake, it offers an ideal place for campers and hikers for it cannot be reached by jeepneys and buses. The distance to travel is however negligible. 

Abra is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is Bangued, is bordered by Ilocos Norte and Apayao on the north, Ilocos Sur and Mountain Province on the south, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur on the west, and Kalinga and Apayao on the east.

History

The first inhabitants of Abra were the ancestors of the Bontocs and the Ifugaos. These inhabitants eventually left to settle in the old Mountain Province. Other early inhabitants were the Tingguians, or Itnegs, as they are also known. In 1598, a Spanish garrison was established in Bangued to protect Christian Ilocanos from Tingguian raids. Originally the area was called El Abra de Vigan ("The Opening of Vigan"). During the British Occupation of the Philippines, Gabriela Silang and her army fled to Abra from Ilocos and continued the revolt begun by her slain husband, Diego Silang. She was captured and hanged by the Spanish in 1763.

In 1818, the Ilocos region, including Abra, was divided into Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. In 1846, Abra was created[3] as a political-military province with Lepanto as a sub-province. It remained so until the arrival of the Americans in 1899.

In 1908 the Philippine Commission once again in annexed Abra to Ilocos Sur in an attempt to resolve Abra's financial difficulties. On March 9, 1917, the Philippine Assembly re-established Abra as a province.

In 1942, the Japanese forces occupied the Philippines and entered Abra.

Abra was liberated by the Philippine Commonwealth forces and local Cordilleran guerrillas during the Battle of Abra in 1945, at the end of the Second World War.

The revolutionary Marxist priest, Conrado Balweg, who fought for the rights of the Cordillera tribes, began his crusade in Abra. After successfully negotiating a peace accord with Balweg's group in 1987, the Philippine government created the Cordillera Administrative Region, which includes Abra.