History of Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya

The first town proper of Bagabag was established in Nagcumventuan near Bangar and Bascaran, Solano and the old town of Angadanan.  It was later formed in 1746 and the old town was composed of balangays of Dagay, Dapat, Pattot , Bantay, Natanao, Palangay and Diadi.

This place was discovered on October 7, 1741 by Fr. Antonio del Campo. The first priest was Fr. Luis Sierra, a Spanish missionary who came in 1743. The town was first organized in 1754 by Fr. Alejandro Vidal who was at the same time the Vicar Provincial. Fr. Vidal and the people seeing that Nagcumventuan was not big enough for its increasing populationthey transferred to Maualat (now rice fields of Murong). Still not satisfied with the new site, they again transferred the town proper of Bagabag to its present site.

The term Bagabag came from the name of specie of a tree called “Bag-bag” in Gaddang term. These trees grew luxuriantly that time in this locality. The word “Bag-bag” which accent was rather peculiar to the tongue and ears of the missionaries, changed its pronunciation to Bagabag which is both pleasant to hear and easier to pronounce.

The missionaries met a man named “Unajun “and his wife “Cutag”. They had two daughters named “Nassa” and “Dalla” and a son named “Dal-lao”. Then came a gaddang family headed by Capitan Whigan with his wife “Diadi” and his sons who were married later to Unajun’s children. In memory of Unajun and his family as the first inhabitants, the people named a river unajun (now Unaon creek). They also named the locality Cutag in his wife’s honor, where the cuartel in Bagabag was established. The family name Whigan is still prominent in the municipality today; and the name of his wife Diadi is kept alive by the name of the town of Diadi (which was once a barrio of Bagabag).

The first inhabitants found in Nagcumventuan were Ifugaos; but when the Gaddangs migrating from Cagayan came to establish themselves in this place in 1718, they drove the Ifugaos away towards the distant mountains which is now the province of Ifugao.

The early Gaddangs wore their long, flowing hair, entirely different from the male Ifugaos who bobbed their hair. The Ifugaos were brave and fierce fighters. They did not want to submit to the power of any government much less to the missionaries (SLGR 2014).