14/08/2026
it was like Kalinga-Apayao din pala
BEFORE IFUGAO BECAME A PROVINCE: AN OLD 1914 REVEALS ITS MOUNTAIN PROVINCE PAST
A century-old government letter is offering a fascinating glimpse into the history of Cordillera and a reminder that the boundaries and names we know today were not always the same.
The document, shared online publicly by content creator Pastor JP, is dated March 5, 1914, and bears the heading:
“The Government of the Mountain Province
Subprovince of Ifugao
Quiangan, P.I.”
At the time, Ifugao was not yet an independent province. It was a sub-province of the old Mountain Province, a much larger administrative territory that covered much of what is now the Cordillera Administrative Region.
The Philippine Statistics Authority notes that Ifugao became a sub-province of the old Mountain Province in 1905. It eventually gained full provincial status in 1966.
What does the 1914 letter say?
The letter is an official appointment addressed to Mr. Pugeng of Montabiong, Ifugao.
It states that, under the provisions of Section 1 of the Revised Civil Service Act, he was being appointed “Presidente of Montabiong, Ifugao, Mountain Province, P.I.”
His compensation was listed at six pesos (₱6.00) per month, with the appointment taking effect January 1, 1914.
This small detail tells us something significant: more than 110 years ago, an official government document already described Ifugao as being within Mountain Province.
It also shows that the term “Presidente” was being used for a local municipal official during that period, an early administrative title that predates the modern terminology of mayor.
The letter was issued from Quiangan, the old spelling of what is now Kiangan, Ifugao, and was signed by the Lieutenant-Governor of the Subprovince of Ifugao.
Mountain Province once meant something much bigger
The historical Mountain Province should not be confused with the present-day province of Mountain Province.
The larger Mountain Province was created in 1908 under Act No. 1876. It consolidated several territories, including Benguet, the Commandancia of Quiangan, Kalinga and Apayao, Lepanto-Bontoc and Amburayan. Benguet's official historical account likewise confirms that Benguet became a sub-province of this larger Mountain Province.
So when an old document from the early 1900s says:
“Ifugao, Mountain Province”
it does not mean that Ifugao was geographically part of today's Mountain Province. Rather, it was part of the much larger historical province called Mountain Province.
The Cordillera map changed in 1966
For decades, the large Mountain Province was divided into several sub-provinces, including Benguet, Bontoc, Ifugao and Kalinga-Apayao.
Then came a major change.
On June 18, 1966, Republic Act No. 4695 divided the old Mountain Province into four separate provinces:
Benguet
Mountain Province
Ifugao
Kalinga-Apayao
Ifugao consequently became a regular province, with Lagawe as its capital.
Kalinga-Apayao was later divided into the separate provinces of Kalinga and Apayao in 1995.
Photo Courtesy || Pastor JP
