Quirino Province, Philippines

By James Barcelona

Tourist Attractions 

Dumbato Falls

Dumabato Falls is actually a stream, with water flowing down the rocks controlled by a water system that locals shut down once in a while to “clean” the area.

Governor's Rapids

Governor’s Rapids, located in Maddela, is famous for its gigantic perpendicular walls of limestone jutting out from one side of the Cagayan River. Framing the Sierra Madre Mountain, its swift, turbulent, and deep blue waters is perfect venue for kayaking, white river rafting, swimming and fishing. The riverside offers a suitable picnic ground with a magnificent view of the river.

Aglipay Caves

Aglipay Caves is a “special venue for communing with nature.” A series of 38 caves, eight of which have been opened for tourists, the Aglipay caves is located in the midst of rolling hills and verdant forests. The cave system boasts of peculiar characteristics of their own such as an underground spring, and well-preserved stalagmites and stalactites. The caves interlink with each other and run to a depth of about 20 meters.

Quirino is a province of the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon. The province was named after Elpidio Quirino, the sixth President of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 6 municipalities and 132 barangays with Cabarroguis as the provincial capital. Quirino borders the province of Aurora to the southeast, Nueva Vizcaya to the west, and Isabela to the north.

Quirino lies in the southeastern portion of Cagayan Valley. It is situated within the upper portion of Cagayan River basin. The province is generally mountainous, with about 80 percent of the total land area covered by mountains and highlands. The natural barriers of the province are the Sierra Madre mountain range in the eastern part and the Mamparang Range in the western part.

Long before its formal creation as an independent province, Quirino was the forest region of the province of Nueva Vizcaya. It was inhabited by tribal groups known as Negritos. They roamed the hinterlands and built their huts at the heart of the jungle. In 1971, Quirino was separated from its mother province, Nueva Vizcaya, thereby constituting an independent province.

The major language in the province is Ilocano, which is widely spoken in the lowlands by about 71.46 percent of the total population. Ifugao, on the other hand is predominant in the uplands. Other languages are Bungkalot, Pangasinense and Kankanai.

The main industry in Quirino is agriculture, with rice and corn as the major crops. These supply the demand of neighboring provinces and metropolis. Bananas, as well as banana chips, are major products sold in Metro Manila and Pampanga. Small scale industries like furniture making, basketry, rattan craft and dried flower production are prevalent in the province.

Quirino is almost invisible in major tourist maps but this quiet province is actually packed with souvenir-worthy products. If you are looking for native delicacies, visit the municipality of Saguday and have a taste of their Kamias prunes, tamarind candy, peanut products and ginger tea. For bigger-item buys, try one of Quirino’s bigger industries – wooden furniture for office and home use.

If you want to commune with nature, you may visit the town of Madella and see its seven emerald waterfalls. When you reach the 5th waterfall, you’ll find a stunning view of the Sierra Madre mountains. The Aglipay Caves and Provincial Forest Park contains a series of 38 caves, seven of which have been developed as tourist spots. The caves interlink with each other and run to a depth of about 20 meters. The place is recommended for camping activities and outdoor functions especially for big groups.