Caba, officially the Municipality of Caba (; ; ), is a coastal municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people.
It was the birthplace of Diego Silang, a prominent Filipino revolutionary leader who led an uprising against Spanish colonial rule in the Ilocos Region in 1762. The municipality is also known for its thriving bamboo industry and its scenic beaches. As of 2022, Caba had 17,787 registered voters.
Etymology The town has historically been referred to by three names: Caba, Cava, and Caua. According to local historian Pedro Manongdo, two main theories explain the origin of the town's name.
One theory suggests that the name originated from an incident when a Spaniard asked an inhabitant for the name of the place. The youth, misunderstanding the question as referring to the animal he was herding, responded with “Cava.” The name was subsequently repeated and evolved into Cava, and later Caba.
Another theory posits that the name Caba was adopted by a group of immigrants from Barrio Caba in San Carlos, Pangasinan, who settled in the area during the later years of the 16th century. In recognition of their place of origin, they named their new settlement Caba.
History
Early history The town of Caba was historically part of the ancient region of Pangasinan, known as Alingay or Alinguey (modern-day Aringay). The area was initially settled by Pangasinenses along the coastal regions, accompanied by smaller communities of Samtoys (Ilocanos). These early inhabitants practiced animism, a belief system attributing spiritual significance to natural objects and phenomena, which played a significant role in shaping their cultural and religious traditions.
The coastal settlement was an active trading hub, engaging with neighboring coastal and highland communities, including the Pangasinenses along Lingayen Gulf, Ilocanos (Samtoys) to the north and the Ibalois, Kankanaey, and Ifugao from the Cordillera mountains following the Aringay trail. The settlement also traded with foreign merchants from China, Japan, and other Maritime Southeast Asian countries. Frequently traded goods included gold, jars, silk, woven fabrics, ceramics, and glass beads and others, reflecting the region's economic vitality.
Spanish Colonization In 1572, Spanish conquistador Juan de Salcedo and his soldiers arrived in the area after pacifying the nearby settlement of Aroo or Agoho (modern-day Agoo), which had a significant Japanese trading presence. As part of his mission to subjugate northern regions following the Spanish conquest of Manila, Salcedo named the area "El Puerto de Japon" ("Japanese Port") due to the active trade conducted by Japanese and Chinese merchants. Although Salcedo attempted to persuade the locals to pay tribute to Spain, he continued his journey northward, eventually founding Vigan as "Villa Fernandina de Vigan" in honor of Prince Ferdinand, the late son of King Philip II.
By 1598, Augustinian friars formally established the settlement, with Don Agustin de la Cruz appointed as its first leader. The area became a barrio in 1692, led by Don Luis Manongdo as the cabeza de barangay. The settlement operated under the encomienda system, where local inhabitants were entrusted to Spanish encomenderos, friars, and native nobles in exchange for tribute and governance. The name "Cava" or "Caba" has two conflicting origins: one theory attributes it to immigrants from Barrio Caba in San Carlos, Pangasinan, while another suggests it derived from a Spaniard’s interaction with a local boy who responded "cava" when asked the name of the place.
During the 1700s, Ilocano immigrants from the Ilocos provinces and nearby towns began settling in the coastal areas. Seeking to escape oppressive conditions imposed by Spanish colonizers, they cultivated the land through agriculture and fishing, further contributing to the settlement's development.
In 1745, Caba, initially a barrio of Aringay, was established as a municipality under the jurisdiction of the Province of Pangasinan and the Bishopric of Nueva Segovia. Don Pablo Vergara was the first gobernadorcillo, as noted by Father Jose Braganza, SVD. However, historian Julian Martin claims that Caba was founded in 1844. By 1783, under Don Domingo Aragon’s leadership as gobernadorcillo, Caba had developed into a town.
Silang Revolt
Diego Silang, a native of Caba, emerged as a prominent leader during the Ilocos Revolt of 1762-1763. Historians recognize him as the “guiding genius of the Iloco war of independence” and an able military leader. Silang established an independent rebel government in Northern Luzon and advocated for reforms within the colonial government. However, on May 28, 1763, he was assassinated by one of his followers in a treacherous act orchestrated by Spanish authorities. His wife, Gabriela Silang, took up the cause and continued the rebellion until her capture and public execution in Vigan on September 20, 1763. Despite their tragic deaths, their resistance left a lasting legacy.
Creation of La Union On October 29, 1849, Governor-General Narciso Zaldua Clavería issued a decree merging eight towns from Pangasinan, three from Ilocos Sur, and territories in the Cordillera to form the province of La Union. On March 2, 1850, Governor-General Antonio María Blanco signed the Superior Decreto, officially establishing La Union as a province and Captain Toribio Ruiz de la Escalera as the first Gobernador Military y Politico. Among its founding towns were Caba, San Fernando (the cabecera), Santo Tomas, Rosario, Tubao, Agoo, Aringay, Naguilian, Bauang, San Juan, Balaoan, Luna, Bangar, and Bacnotan. On April 18, 1854, Queen Isabella II of Spain issued the royal decree (real orden) from Madrid confirming Blanco's Superior Decreto.
Philippine Revolution
During the Philippine Revolution, Caba’s residents actively participated in the struggle for independence from Spain. Under the leadership of General Manuel Tinio y Bondoc, allied with Emilio Aguinaldo, they engaged in battles against Spanish forces in Northern Luzon. The town served as a strategic passageway and refuge for Aguinaldo and his troops during their movements northward.
American Colonization
During the Philippine-American War, American forces set foot on La Union soil on November 20, 1899. Filipino guerrillas were prepared for action, with the town becoming a center of resistance led by Guerrilla Unit No. 1 under the leadership of Captain Rivera. The unit operated in Caba and nearby areas, including Naguilian and Galiano (now part of Burgos). These guerrilla efforts played a crucial role in resisting American forces and defending the town's autonomy during the conflict.
In 1903, the Philippine Commission reorganized the administrative and territorial structure of municipalities across the country. Due to a sparse population and financial challenges, smaller municipalities were merged. As a result, Caba was integrated with Aringay, while Santo Tomas was merged with Agoo.
In 1907, Executive Order No. 41 was issued, mandating the separation of Caba from Aringay. This order took effect on January 1, 1908, officially restoring Caba as a regular municipality, with Francisco Sobredillo serving as its Chief Executive.
Japanese Occupation
Caba, along with the nearby towns of Agoo and Bauang were the first places the Japanese invasion force sought to control during the main effort to capture Luzon at the beginning of World War 2 - now known as the Japanese Invasion of Lingayen Gulf. Capturing the three towns which were connected by a high quality road, but protected on one side by the ocean and the other by the sea, meant that the Japanese forces were easily able to establish a secure beachhead. Once they had done so, they launched attacks against defense forces at San Fernando, La Union and Rosario, La Union, and from there they deployed southwards across the plains of Pangasinan and Tarlac to take Fort Stotsenburg in Pampanga, then Bulacan, and finally Manila.
During the Marcos dictatorship
The beginning of the 1970s marked a period of turmoil and change in the Philippines because Ferdinand Marcos had used foreign debt to fund too many public works projects as he headed his 1969 reelection campaign, which led to the 1969 Philippine economic crisis and the First Quarter Storm protests. La Union residents mostly did not speak up about the economic stresses they were experiencing, but when Marcos declared martial law in 1972, Caba was included with the rest of the country.
Marcos' efforts to consolidate political power did not get much resistance in the La Union, including Caba, and La Union residents mostly did not speak up about the economic stresses they were experiencing.Cortes, Rosario Mendoza. (1990) Pangasinan, 1901-1986: A Political, Socioeconomic, and Cultural History. New Day Publishers. This was because Marcos took advantage of strong political ties to La Union, and allowed the powerful family factions (which had dominated La Union politics since before the American colonial era) to stay in place.Turner, Mark M. (1989) Elites and Power in a Philippine Town. Under Martial Law, 1972-76. Philippine Studies 37: 283-300.
Later 20th Century
After Marcos fled into exile after the civilian-led 1986 People Power revolution, Edgar T. Bacungan was appointed OIC mayor under the new Provisional Revolutionary Government. He was then properly elected into office when the Fifth Philippine Republic was established, serving until 1992.
Caba was heavily affected by the 1990 Luzon earthquake.
Geography
The Municipality of Caba is a coastal town characterized by predominantly hilly terrain, with grasslands, wetlands, and scrublands. That runs through several rivers and creeks. It has a total land area of 46.31 square kilometers (17.88 square miles), which constitutes 3.09% of La Union's total area. According to the 2020 Philippine Statistic Authority Census, Caba had a population of 23,119, representing 2.81% of the total population of La Union province and 0.44% of the overall population of the Ilocos Region. The population density is calculated at 499 inhabitants per square kilometer (1,293 inhabitants per square mile).
The town covers a total land area of 4,631 hectares (11,440 acres). Bordered by Bauang to the north, Naguilian to the northeast, Aringay to the south, and the South China Sea (or Lingayen Gulf) to the west.
Caba is situated from the provincial capital San Fernando, and from the country's capital city of Manila.
Barangays Caba is politically subdivided into barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Bautista Gana Juan Cartas Las-ud Liquicia Poblacion Norte Poblacion Sur San Carlos San Cornelio San Fermin San Gregorio San Jose Santiago Norte Santiago Sur Sobredillo Urayong Wenceslao
Climate The town experiences a Type I climate as defined by the Köppen Climate Classification, which features a clear division between wet and dry seasons. The wet season typically starts around mid-May and continues until late October, while the dry season lasts from December through early May. Heavy rainfall is brought by the Southwest Monsoon (SWM) during the wet season, whereas the Northeast Monsoon (NEM) leads to drier conditions as it moves over the Cordillera Mountains.
Demographics
As of the 2020 Census of Population and Housing (2020 CPH), the municipality of Caba, La Union had a total population of 23,119 persons. This represented an increase of 1,080 persons compared to the 2015 Census of Population, which recorded 22,039 persons. The population growth from 2015 to 2020 yielded an average annual population growth rate (PGR) of 1.01%, meaning that for every 1,000 persons in the population, about 10 people were added per year. In comparison, the PGR during the period from 2010 to 2015 was 0.70%, and from 2000 to 2010 it was 0.83%.