Notes on Region II (Cagayan Valley) and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) — Regional Cuisines and Distinct Dishes

Region II: Cagayan Valley

Cagayan Valley is located in the northeastern part of Luzon. The region comprises five provinces: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino. Geographically, most of the region lies in a valley between the Cordillera and Sierra Madre mountain ranges. Batanes is an island province and home to the Ivatan people. The Ivatan diet focuses on vegetables, pork, and fish, with sun-dried fish such as flying fish and mahi-mahi used to preserve supplies for lean months. In Cagayan, agricultural production includes rice, corn, peanuts, beans, and fruits; coastal areas around the Balintang Channel and the Pacific Ocean provide fish resources. Isabela is an exporter of rice and corn and supports cattle farming; agriculture is central to the province, highlighted by harvest celebrations such as the Gakit Festival. Nueva Vizcaya has a strong agricultural economy; it exports fruits and vegetables including mangoes, citrus fruits, mushrooms, onions, cabbages, and rambutan, and locals celebrate bountiful harvest through the Ammungan Festival. Like Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino exports rice, corn, bananas, mangoes, and other fruits and vegetables and shares native cuisine with neighboring provinces.

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)

The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) is composed of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Mountain Province. CAR is famed for its rice terraces. The cooler mountain climate allows the production of strawberries, other cold-weather plants, and a variety of rice grains.

  • Abra – Popular dishes are influenced by the Ilocos Region and include bagnet, pinakbet, dinengdeng, and rice-based delicacies such as bibingka.
  • Apayao – Livelihood centers on livestock and poultry breeding (swine, carabao, cattle, goat, sheep). Local cuisines are shared with Ilocos and other Cordillera provinces.
  • Benguet – Known as the "Salad Bowl of the Philippines" due to its vegetables; also called the "Strawberry Country" for its strawberry varieties. Other temperate fruits, such as oranges and pears, are grown here.
  • Ifugao – Noted for its native rice.
  • Kalinga – Home to indigenous tribes; a major source of Arabica coffee in the country.
  • Mountain Province – Known for Arabica coffee and heirloom rice; shares similar local cuisines with neighboring provinces like Benguet.

Distinct Food Products

Batanes

  • Venes – sautéed dried taro stalks, pork blood, and dried fish.
  • Luñis – pork confit dish (pork cooked and preserved in its own fat).
  • Amay – mashed sweet potatoes and taro.
  • Tipujo – breadfruit mixed with dried fish, cooked in coconut milk.

Cagayan

  • Pancit Batil Patong – Miki and vermicelli noodles sautéed with vegetables; scrambled eggs are placed on top ("batil" = beat the egg; "patong" = put on top).
  • Mondongo – a stew made with ox tripe, similar to Spanish callos.
  • Tuguegarao Longganisa – lean meat and garlic longganisa flavored with vinegar.
  • Zinagan – blood stew of pork innards and lean meat, similar to dinuguan from Southern Tagalog.
  • Molio – similar to zinagan but uses pork belly instead of innards.

Isabela

  • Pansit Cabagan – stir-fried with soy sauce, topped with lechon carajay (deep-fried pork), vegetables, and quail eggs.
  • Binalay – a type of rice cake akin to suman. Glutinous rice flour is mixed with water to form dough, wrapped in banana leaves, steamed; served with laro or sweet latik sauce.
  • Lechon Carnero – roasted lamb; traditionally roasted whole on a bamboo pole and served during fiestas.

Benguet

  • Etag – smoked and cured pork.
  • Pinikpikan – chicken beaten with a stick before killing to create blood clots under the skin, then boiled with etag.
  • Kini-ing or Kinuday – native smoked meat.
  • Pinuneg – native sausage made with pork blood, minced pork, innards, and cooked rice.

Ifugao

  • Binakle – a type of rice cake offered to the rice god Bulol as thanksgiving during harvest season.

Kalinga

  • Binungor – a vegetable dish containing string beans, squash, bitter melon, jackfruit, kidney beans, bamboo shoots, and black fungus; stewed in coconut milk.
  • Inandila – a rice dough made from rice flour and water, poached in simmering water; large, thick, and tongue-shaped, topped with latik (curdled coconut cream) and crushed nuts.

References

  • Alejandro, R., Fernandez, D. G., Alvina, C. S., & Reyes, M. (2012). Authentic recipes from the Philippines. Singapore: Periplus Editions.
  • Department of Interior and Local Government – Cordillera Administrative Region (n.d.). Local Governance Regional Information Resource Center. Retrieved from http://dilgcar.com/index.php
  • Fenix, M. (2014). Country cooking: Philippine regional cuisines. Pasig City, PH: Anvil Publishing, Inc.
  • Philippine Country. (n.d.). Map of the Philippines. Retrieved from http://www.philippinecountry.com/philippinemap.html
  • Philippine Information Agency. (n.d.). Provinces. Retrieved from https://pia.gov.ph/provinces
  • Sta Maria, F. P. (2016). What kids should know about Filipino food. Diliman, QC: Adarna House.