Aritao

Etymology

The name Aritao came from the Isinai phrase Ari Tau "which stands for "Our King" (ari means king and tau means our) which refers to the legendary Isinai Chieftain Mengal, a fierce and brave king who resisted the Spanish conquest of the Isinai territories around Ajanas and Ynordenan (the areas comprising what is now most of Aritao).

History

The town of Aritao was previously called Ajanas or Afanas. It was formerly the site of an Igorot fortress that was overrun by the Spanish in 1745 which was then further fortified by the colonists. Prior to that, the Spaniards had already established their first permanent settlement in Nueva Vizcaya in 1714 in the town of Buhay, now Barangay Santa Clara. Afanas was later renamedto Aritao, after an Isinay word "Ari-Tau". In January 1767, the intrepid Spanish Missionary Manuel Corripio succeeded in persuading an Igorot King called Ari Mengal and his tribe to live in the town. These people were later converted into Christianity by Fr. Tomas Gutierrez. In 1776, there was a merger of Aritao with the settlements of Buhay, Mabatu and Pahipahi into one pueblo under the name of Aritao, which was approved by the colonial authorities, with the town center being confirmed to be in the old Aritao.

During the American Era on 30 June 1917, through the initiative of Councilor Jose Aleman, the application for township of Aritao to higher authorities was finally approved by the Secretary of the Interior.

During World War II, Japanese troops entered Aritao in 1942 and were pushed out by Allied forces in 1945 after heavy fighting in the village of Kirang, which lays on the foot of the Cordillera mountain trails leading to Baguio.

Geography

Aritao is situated 30.04 km from the provincial capital Bayombong, and 263.30 km from the country's capital city of Manila.

Barangays

Aritao is politically subdivided into 22 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

• Banganan
• Beti
• Bone North
• Bone South
• Calitlitan
• Comon
• Cutar
• Darapidap
• Kirang
• Nagcuartelan
• Poblacion
• Sta. Clara
• Tabueng
• Tucanon
• Anayo
• Baan
• Balite
• Canabuan
• Canarem
• Latar-Nocnoc-San Francisco
• Ocao-Capiniaan
• Yaway

Climate

Demographics

Language

Ilocano is the dominant dialect of Aritao.

Economy

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

Aritao is part of the lone congressional district of the province of Nueva Vizcaya. It is governed by a mayor, designated as its local chief executive, and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the municipal councilors are elected directly in polls held every three years.

Elected officials

Education

The Schools Division of Nueva Vizcaya governs the town's public education system. The division office is a field office of the DepEd in Cagayan Valley region. There are two schools district offices that govern all the public and private elementary and high schools throughout the municipality. These are Aritao East District, and Aritao West District.

Primary and elementary schools

• Anayo Primary School
• Aritao Central School
• Aritao Methodist Christian School
• Baan Elementary School
• Banganan Elementary School
• Baptist Christian Academy Comon Annex
• Baptist Christian Academy of Aritao
• Beti Elementary School
• Bone North Elementary School
• Bone South Elementary School
• Felix Saludo Elementary School
• Calitlitan Elementary School
• Canabuan Elementary School
• Canarem Primary School
• Comon Central School
• Cutar Elementary School
• Darapidap Elementary School
• Cesario M. Tubiera Elementary School
• Immaculate Conception Academy of Bone South (Elementary)
• Balite Elementary School
• Kirang Elementary School
• Kirang Elementary School Annex
• Latar Elementary School
• Nagcuartelan Elementary School
• Sta. Clara Elementary School
• Tabueng Elementary School
• Tucanon Elementary School
• Ukaw Elementary School
• Yaway Elementary School

Secondary schools

• Aritao National High School
• Immaculate Conception Academy of Bone South
• Nueva Vizcaya Institute
• Sta. Clara High School
• Southern Cagayan Valley School of Technology
• St. Teresita's Academy of Aritao

Gallery

File:AritaoHalljf3403 07.JPG|Aritao Townhall and Town Plaza File:NuevaVizcayajf3149 12.JPG|Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary Parish Church File:St. Anthony de Padua Chapel, Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya, Mar 2024.jpg|St. Anthony de Padua Chapel File:Aritaojf3458 17.JPG|Nueva Vizcaya Institute File:Aritaojf3331 02.JPG|Twin (Skull and Salakot) mountains (visible from Aritao Townhall)

References

References

1. {{DILG detail
2. Salgado, Pedro. "Cagayan Valley and Easter Cordillera: 1581–1898, Volume II". Rex Publishing.
3. "LGU-Officials {{!}} Official Website of LGU Aritao".
4. "DEPED REGIONAL OFFICE NO. 02".
5. (January 15, 2021). "Masterlist of Schools".