Divilacan

Etymology

Divilacan was derived from the native Casiguran Dumagat Agta compound word vilacan, meaning "fish and shell." The word di implies origin. Therefore, Divilacan literally means “where fish and shells abound.”

History

Divilacan was a former barrio of Tumauini. It became a separate municipality on June 21, 1969, by virtue of Republic Act No. 5776.

On April 12, 2024, the town is declared an insurgency-free municipality from the influence of CPP, NPA, and NDF, along with Maconacon.

On October 24, 2024, Severe Tropical Storm Trami (Kristine) made landfall to this town causing big destruction along with other cities/municipalities.

Geography

The town is one of the four coastal municipalities of the province of Isabela facing the Philippine Sea to the east. The town is bounded to the north by Maconacon, Tumauini to the west, Ilagan to the southwest, Palanan to the south and the Philippine Sea to the east.

Divilacan is situated 101.30 km from the provincial capital Ilagan, and 526.89 km from the country's capital city of Manila, via Ilagan–Divilacan Road.

Barangays

Divilacan is politically subdivided into 12 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

• Dicambangan
• Dicaruyan
• Dicatian
• Bicobian
• Dilakit
• Dimapnat
• Dimapula (Poblacion)
• Dimasalansan
• Dipudo
• Dibulos
• Ditarum
• Sapinit

Climate

Demographics

In the 2024 census, the population of Divilacan was 5,871 people, with a density of {{sigfig|5,871/889.49|2}} PD/km2.

Economy

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

As a municipality in the Province of Isabela, government officials at the provincial and municipal levels are voted by the town. The provincial government has political jurisdiction over most local transactions of the municipal government.

The Municipality of Divilacan 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 by the people through an election held every three years.

Barangays are also headed by elected officials: Barangay Captain, Barangay Council, whose members are called Barangay Councilors. The barangays have SK federation which represents the barangay, headed by SK chairperson and whose members are called SK councilors. All officials are also elected every three years.

Elected officials

Congress representation

Divilacan, belonging to the first legislative district of the province of Isabela, is currently represented by Antonio T. Albano.

Education

The Schools Division of Isabela governs the town's public education system. The division office is a field office of the DepEd in Cagayan Valley. The Palanan Schools District Office governs the public and private elementary and public and private high schools throughout the municipality.

Primary and elementary schools

• Bicobian Elementary School
• Dikaruyan Primary School
• Dimasalansan Elementary School
• Divilacan Central School
• Sapinit Primary School

Secondary school

• Divilacan National High School

Infrastructure

Divilacan is accessible via sea and air. The town is served by the Maconacon Airport in the neighboring town of Maconacon which connects this isolated town to Cauayan Airport, in Cauayan.

The construction of an 82-kilometer Ilagan–Divilacan Road through the protected Sierra Madre mountains is on-going to open access to the coastal towns of Divilacan, Palanan, and Maconacon. The approved budget contract of the project amounting to P1.5B, will pass through the foothills of the 359,486-hectare Northern Sierra Madre mountain ranges. The project will improve an old logging road used by a defunct logging company until the 1990s. It will start in Barangay Sindon Bayabo in Ilagan City and will end in Barangay Dicatian in this town. The project is started in March 2016 and is expected to be completed in 2024.

References

References

1. "Divilacan Executive Summary 2021".
2. {{DILG detail
3. "Republic Act No. 5776, June 21, 1969: An Act Creating Certain Municipal Districts in the Province of Isabela". Supreme Court of the Philippines.
4. Felina, Jayson. (April 15, 2024). "Mga residente ng Coastal Towns ng Isabela ikinatuwa ang pagiging insurgency free na ng kanilang bayan". Bombo Radyo.
5. "Divilacan, Isabela Election Results 2022". ph.rappler.com.
6. "House of Representatives: 19th Congress". congress.gov.ph.
7. "HISTORY OF DEPED-ISABELA".
8. "DEPED REGIONAL OFFICE NO. 02".
9. (January 15, 2021). "Masterlist of Schools".
10. (January 4, 2018). "P2.3-B Isabela road link completed soon". The Manila Times.