Mountain Province

Mountain Province
Name	Mountain Province
Official name	Province of Mountain Province
Established	1966
Capital	Bontoc
Region	Cordillera Administrative Region
Area km2	2276
Population	162246
Population as of	2020
Density km2	auto
Governor	Bonifacio C. Lacwasan Jr.
Representative	Solomon Chungalao

Mountain Province is a landlocked province in the Cordillera Administrative Region of the Philippines. Centered on the municipal seat of Bontoc, the province occupies a highland plateau and steep valleys in the central Luzon highlands. Renowned for its rice terraces, indigenous societies, and colonial-era interactions with the United States and the Philippine Commonwealth, the area is a focal point for studies of highland agronomy, ethnography, and regional autonomy.

History

The highlands were historically inhabited by Igorot groups such as the Bontoc people, Kankanaey, Ibaloi, and Ifugao people before sustained contact with lowland polities like the Kingdom of Tondo and later Spanish colonial expeditions including the Spanish conquest of the Philippines. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, American administrators implemented the old Mountain Province as part of colonial reorganization under the Philippine Autonomy Act and subsequent acts of the United States Congress. The area saw missionary activity from organizations such as the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and the Roman Catholic Church, while indigenous leaders negotiated autonomy and land relations with both church and state. In 1966, the old Mountain Province was partitioned by Republic Act No. 4695, producing the present provincial boundaries alongside the creation of provinces like Ifugao and Kalinga-Apayao. Postwar development and the emergence of the Cordillera People's Liberation Army and the broader Cordillera autonomy movement influenced local politics, leading to the establishment of the Cordillera Administrative Region in 1987 under the Republic of the Philippines.

Geography and Environment

Located on the Cordillera Central, the province features rugged terrain with elevations ranging from valley bottoms to peaks such as nearby ranges connected to Mount Data and the Cordillera Central. Its climate varies from temperate highland to tropical monsoon, influencing cloud forest remnants and montane grasslands linked to watersheds feeding the Cagayan River and tributaries to the Abra River. Notable environmental sites include traditional terraced landscapes similar in function to Banaue Rice Terraces and protected areas contiguous with Mt. Pulag National Park corridors. Geological features reflect active tectonics of the Philippine Mobile Belt and are subject to landslides, erosion, and biodiversity concerns involving endemic flora and fauna cataloged by institutions such as the National Museum of the Philippines.

Demographics and Ethnic Groups

The population comprises multiple indigenous ethnolinguistic groups including the Bontoc people, Kankanaey, and smaller communities of Ibaloi and Ilocano migrants. Languages include variants of Bontoc language and Kankanaey language, with Filipino and English used in formal contexts. Religious adherence blends Roman Catholic Church practices with indigenous animist customs and syncretic observances promoted by local leaders and NGOs such as the Cordillera People's Alliance. Demographic shifts reflect outmigration to urban centers like Baguio and Manila and return migration linked to seasonal labor and education at institutions like the University of the Philippines Baguio.

Economy and Livelihoods

Traditional livelihoods center on wet‑rice agriculture in terraced fields and shifting cultivation integrated with root crop production such as Camote and Kudzu rotations, alongside pig and poultry husbandry. Artisanal practices include weaving of textiles associated with Kalinga weaving influences, woodcarving used in trade with markets in Baguio and provincial centers. Tourism tied to cultural heritage sites, trekking, and festivals provides income, drawing visitors from the Department of Tourism circuits and international heritage tourism. Remittances from overseas Filipino workers and employment in the public sector and education provide additional household income.

Culture and Traditions

Cultural life features ritual cycles like rice cultivation rites conducted by community elders and spiritual leaders akin to the Babaylan tradition; musical instruments such as the gangsa gongs figure in communal celebrations. Traditional tattooing and body art practices, historically recorded by travelers and anthropologists affiliated with institutions like the Smithsonian Institution, persist among elders and revivalist artists. Annual festivals showcase dances and music similar to practices in Kalinga and Ifugao communities, while oral epics and chants are preserved by cultural heritage workers in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

Government and Administrative Divisions

Administratively, the province is governed from Bontoc and divided into municipalities such as Bontoc, Sagada, Bauko, and Besao. Political structures interface with national agencies including the Commission on Elections (Philippines) and provincial offices under the Philippine Statistics Authority. Local governance has been shaped by regional autonomy debates involving actors like the Cordillera Administrative Region and civil society organizations including the Kalikasan People's Network.

Infrastructure and Transportation

Road networks connect municipal centers via mountain highways leading to regional hubs such as Baguio and lowland arteries toward Luzon routes. Public transportation includes jeepney, bus services operated by regional carriers, and rural foot trails maintained by municipal engineering offices and NGOs like the Philippine Red Cross during disaster response. Infrastructure challenges include road maintenance in landslide-prone slopes and limited broadband and healthcare access addressed by programs from the Department of Health (Philippines) and the National Telecommunications Commission.

Category:Provinces of the Philippines Category:Cordillera Administrative Region