Alcala, Cagayan

Alcala, officially the Municipality of Alcala, is a municipality in the province of Cagayan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 41,295 people.^[5]

Alcala
Municipality
Municipality of Alcala
Seal
Map of Cagayan with Alcala highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Alcala Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 17°54′11″N 121°39′20″E
Country	Philippines
Region	Cagayan Valley
Province	Cagayan
District	1st district
Barangays	25 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Cristina I. Antonio
• Vice Mayor	Joy C. Duruin
• Representative	Ramon C. Nolasco Jr.
• Electorate	24,362 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	187.20 km2 (72.28 sq mi)
Elevation	36 m (118 ft)
Highest elevation	219 m (719 ft)
Lowest elevation	5 m (16 ft)
Population  (2024 census)[3]
• Total	41,468
• Density	220/km2 (570/sq mi)
• Households	9,993
Economy
• Income class	3rd municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	12.61 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 246.3 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 524.9 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 185.2 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 43.01 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Cagayan 1 Electric Cooperative (CAGELCO 1)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	3507
PSGC	0201502000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)78
Native languages	Ibanag Ilocano Tagalog

Alcala is the birthplace of Senator Melecio Arranz of 1st Senatorial District of the Philippines. It is also the home of the Saint Philomene Church, regarded as the widest church in the Cagayan Valley.

Alcala is 35 kilometres (22 mi) from Tuguegarao and 516 kilometres (321 mi) from Manila.

History

The indigenous tribes of the Ibanag people were the first settlers of modern-day Alcala. They called the area Fulay, literally meaning red, in its reference to the distinct red color of its soil. After two centuries of Spanish rule, Fulay was formally proclaimed as a township on 20 July 1789. However, it was not until 1843 when it was renamed Alcala, in honor of Governor General Francisco Paula de Alcala.^[6]

Geography

Alcala is situated 39.01 kilometres (24.24 mi) from the provincial capital Tuguegarao, and 524.16 kilometres (325.70 mi) from the country's capital city of Manila.

Barangays

Alcala is politically subdivided into 25 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

• Abbeg
• Afusing Bato
• Afusing Daga
• Agani
• Baculod
• Baybayog
• Cabuluan
• Calantac
• Carallangan
• Centro Norte (Poblacion)
• Centro Sur (Poblacion)
• Dalaoig
• Damurog
• Jurisdiction
• Malalatan
• Maraburab
• Masin
• Pagbangkeruan
• Pared
• Piggatan
• Pinopoc
• Pussian
• San Esteban
• Tamban
• Tupang

Climate

Climate data for Alcala, Cagayan
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	24 (75)	25 (77)	28 (82)	30 (86)	31 (88)	31 (88)	30 (86)	30 (86)	29 (84)	28 (82)	26 (79)	24 (75)	28 (82)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	20 (68)	20 (68)	21 (70)	22 (72)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	23 (73)	21 (70)	23 (72)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	150 (5.9)	106 (4.2)	84 (3.3)	48 (1.9)	103 (4.1)	115 (4.5)	134 (5.3)	156 (6.1)	136 (5.4)	240 (9.4)	246 (9.7)	300 (11.8)	1,818 (71.6)
Average rainy days	19	14.3	12.8	10.8	17.7	18.9	21.5	23.3	22.1	20.4	20.3	22.2	223.3
Source: Meteoblue[7]

Demographics

Population census of Alcala

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1903 7,308 —     1918 9,808 +1.98% 1939 12,480 +1.15% 1948 13,214 +0.64% 1960 17,723 +2.48% 1970 21,328 +1.87% 1975 22,568 +1.14% 1980 24,505 +1.66%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1990 29,161 +1.76% 1995 32,035 +1.78% 2000 33,997 +1.28% 2007 35,694 +0.67% 2010 37,773 +2.08% 2015 38,883 +0.55% 2020 41,295 +1.27% 2024 41,468 +0.10%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[8][9][10][11][12]

In the 2020 census, the population of Alcala, Cagayan, was 41,295 people,^[13] with a density of 220 inhabitants per square kilometre or 570 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Alcala

10 20 30 40 50 2000 45.27 2003 28.97 2006 22.30 2009 21.81 2012 18.88 2015 13.58 2018 14.66 2021 12.61 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]

Alcala Milk Candy is a famous product of this municipality.

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

Alcala is part of the first legislative district of the province of Cagayan. 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 councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.

Elected officials

Members of the Municipal Council
(2025–2028)^[22]

Position	Name
Congressman	Ramon C. Nolasco Jr.
Mayor	Cristina I. Antonio
Vice-Mayor	Denden Sumabat
Councilors	Ener Castillo
	Basio Vergara
	Jojo Castillo
	Seb Manuel
	Bingbong Mendoza
	Ilarde Ventula
	Joy Duruin
	Elvie Zamora

Education

The Schools Division of Cagayan governs the town's public education system.^[23] The division office is a field office of the DepEd in Cagayan Valley region.^[24] The Alcala Schools East District Office that govern the public and private elementary and high schools throughout the municipality.^[25]

Primary and elementary schools

• Agani Elementary School
• Alcala East Central School
• Alcala Rural School
• Angkiray Elementary School
• Arana-ar Elementary School
• Baculod Elementary School
• Baybayog Elementary School
• Calantac Elementary School
• Dalaoig Elementary School
• Dalaoig Elementary School - Catarauan Annex
• Damurog Elementary School
• Jurisdiccion Elementary School
• Maraburab Elementary School
• Masin Elementary School
• Piggatan Elementary School
• Pinopoc Elementary School
• Pussian Elementary School
• San Esteban Elementary School
• Tupang Elementary School

Secondary schools

• Baybayog National High School
• Lyceum of Alcala
• St. Philomene of Alcala
• Afusing National Highschool
• Alcala Rural School

Notable personalities

• Alvaro Antonio, a former politician