Kalinga, alandlocked province, is located at the central western part of the Cordillera Region. It is bounded by Apayao on the north, Cagayan and Isabela on the east, Mountain Province of the south, and Abra on the west. A glance on the map reveals a likeness of the physiographic of Kalingas to the bust of a man akin to former President Ferdinand Marcos.
“Kalinga” is derived from the Ibanag and Gaddang word that means “fighter” or “headhunter”, a product of the time when headhunting was a prevalent practice to prove bravery and prowess. With no ethics basis, the name is considered as a misnomer, yet, the term became the official ethnic name accepted even by the Kalinga natives themselves.
During the short – lived Philippine Republic, President Emilio Aguinaldo pushed to the north in his vain attempt to elude his American pursuers. He established his quarters at Lubuagan (Kalinga) on March 18, 1900 and stayed there for 35 days until he was forced out upon learning that his pursuers were sighted at Mabongtot.
With the creation of (old) Mountain Province in 1908, Kalinga became one of its sub-provinces. The signing into Republic Act no. 4695 – the division law of Mt. Province – on June 18, 1966 divided the old Mt. Province into four provinces. The sub-provinces of Kalinga and Apayao were merged to form a single province, Kalinga – Apayao. On February 14, 1995, Republic Act No. 7878 converted Kalinga- Apayao into two regular provinces namely: Kalinga and Apayao.
Kalinga is fast emerging as the “Land of living water.” Kalinga’s Chico River was recently declared as the White Water Rafting Capital of the North Philippines.
