Before Cabagan became a regular municipality, it was then part of the territory La Irraya of the Cagayan Valley. Irraya was the term for the native’s name and their dialect which means “upriver”.

In 1607, the Provincial Chapter of the Holy Rosary ordered Frays Luis Flores and Francisco Minaio to the Irraya speaking communities, to teach the natives to speak Ibanag (Ybanag). During those days, natives were discouraged to speak Irraya because Spaniards believed that was the language of the “pagans” or the “Kalingas”.  When Ibanag was introduced by the Spaniards to the natives, it became the official language of the valley. Today, some residents of Barangay Tallag and San Bernardo can still remember some Irraya phrases.

At present, Ibanag speaking community can be found in the northeastern provinces of Cagayan and Isabela, particularly in Tuguegarao City, Solana, Abulug, Camalaniugan, Cabagan and City of Ilagan.

In 1621, historic Irraya Revolt led to the creation of a town called Maquila (quilat/quili-Ibanag word for sparkling or clear). On November 30, 1646, due to its proximity to Tuguegarao, the residents of Maquila were transferred to a new site upstream southward at the mouth of the Cagayan and Pinacanauan Rivers of Cabagan and is now the poblasyon (town center) of San Pablo. The new site was called “Cabagan”.

Cabagan became a charter town in November 30, 1646 and ecclesiastically in May 15, 1647 with Saint Paul the Apostle as the patron saint. The origin of the name Cabagan was derived from a native word “bag” or “bajaque” which means stores selling g-strings. Another version stated that Cabagan came from the word “cabbagang” which means “pilgrim” or stranger.

From 1646 to 1877, the present-day Municipalities of Cabagan and San Pablo were just one town called “Cabagan”. In between these periods, in 1761, a settlement across the Pinacanauan river started to grow and because of its remarkable progress, on January 25, 1877, by virtue of Royal Decree of Spanish Crown, the old town of Cabagan was transferred by Dominican Fray Pedro Ricart to a new site.

In 1888 however, the Spaniards restored the abandoned old site of Cabagan and developed it into another town. This resulted to the emergence of two towns wherein the restored old site of Cabagan was called Cabagan Viejo(Viejo-Spanish word for old) with Fray Segundo Rodriguez as the cura parocco and the new site of Cabagan as Cabagan Nuevo(Nuevo-Spanish word for new). When the Americans came to rule the Philippines after the Spaniards, they renamed Cabagan Nuevo as simply “CABAGAN”, and the Cabagan Viejo became the town known today as San Pablo.

Cabagan was categorized as a 1^st Class Municipality in 2004 under the administration of Atty. Christopher A. Mamauag.

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT

• (142 Years as of 2019)

A/DATE	HISTORICAL ACCOUNT	PLACE
Before 15th Century	CABAGAN (San Pablo and Cabagan) was then part of the territory La Irraya (Yrraya in other manuscripts) of the Cagayan Valley Irraya was also the term for the native’s name and their dialect which means “upriver”	From Tuguegarao up to the present town of Gamu, Isabela
1607	Provincial Chapter of the Holy Rosary Province (or Dominicans) ordered Fray Luis Flores and Francisco Minaio to the Irraya speaking community in helping the natives to learn to speak Ibanag (Ybanag). Natives were discouraged to speak Irraya because Spaniards believe that was the language of the “pagans” or the Kalingasat that time. Ibanag was made the official language in the valley. From Lal-lo, Spaniards introduced Ibanag at Tuguegarao and the nearby towns (Solana, Abulug, Cabagan up to Ilagan). Some residents of Barangay Tallag & San Bernardo can still remember some Irraya phrases
1621	Historic Irraya Revolt led to the creation of a town called Maquila (quila/quili-Ibanag word for sparkling or clear)	Junction of the Cagayan and Pinacanauan rivers
November 30, 1646	Residents of Maquila was transferred to the new site Cabagan (the town center of San Pablo). Cabagan came from a native word “bag” or “bajaque” which means stores selling g-strings. Another version stated that Cabagan came from the word “cabbagang” which means “pilgrim” or stranger.
May 15, 1647	Church of Cabagan was constructed named San Pablo Apostol de Cabagan with a lofty bell tower which was the tallest in Cagayan Valley	San Pablo Church in San Pablo, Cabagan (372 years)
1709	Cabagan Church and its big convent was destroyed by a fire	San Pablo Church in San Pablo, Cabagan
1718	Rebellion in Cabagan led the natives to flee to the mountains for safety
1738	Military Fort of Cabagan was destroyed by earthquakes	San Pablo, Cabagan
March 20, 1758	Dominican Missionary of Cabagan, Fray Jose Marin, reported a cholera epidemic which killed an approximately 500 people in Cabagan and 800 in Tuguegarao	Cabagan and San Pablo, Isabela
1841	Fray Antonio Garcia built the casa real in Cabagan. Casa real is the government center during the Spanish rule in the alcaldia (town) 0x30 sqm two-storey building made of stone with inscription to one of its walls “ESTA CASA TRIBUNAL SE CON CLUIO EN ANO DE 1846, SIENDO GOVERNAD D’JUAN DE GUZMAN	San Pablo
1857	Casa real was burned but eventually repaired
1861	A Royal Decree of Spanish Crown was issued separating the new village of Cabagan (now Cabagan)
January 25, 1877	The old town of Cabagan (now San Pablo) was transferred by Dominican Fray Pedro Ricart to a new site-the present territory of Cabagan because of the unhealthiness of the old site and that progress is remarkable at the new town (now Cabagan Nuevo) Spaniards resurrected the abandoned site of Cabagan (now San Pablo) into a new town and called “Cabagan Viejo” with Fray Segundo Rodriguez as the cura parocco. The other Cabagan was named “Cabagan Nuevo to avoid confusion on the two “Cabagans” Viejo means old and Nuevo means New in Spanish Fray Segundo Rodriguez renovated partly the church.
1898 up	When the Americans arrived they re-christened Cabagan Nuevo as simply “CABAGAN” and Cabagan Viejo as “SAN PABLO”
2004	Categorized as a 1st Class Municipality

Physical Structure

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

School Level	No. of Schools
Private
Pre-School to Elementary	4
Secondary to Tertiary	1
Public
Pre-School	40
Primary	1
Elementary	25
Secondary	6
Tertiary	1
Vocational/Technical	Seasonal thru LGU

HEALTH SERVICES

District Hospital (Operated by PGI)	1
Main Health Center	1
Barangay Health Center	27
TB DOTS Facility	1
Private Medical Clinics	13
Private Dental Clinics	6
Medical Personnel and Support Staff	24

PROTECTIVE SERVICES

Police

Main Police Station	1
Police Outposts	1
No. of Uniformed Personnel	62
No. of Non-Uniformed Personnel	4
No. of Civilian Employees	59

Fire

Main  Station	1
Total No. of Officers	1
No. of Non-Officer Personnel	12

Jail and Penology

BJMP	1
Total No. of Officers	1
No. of Non-Officer Personnel	23

COMMUNICATION

Telephone Providers	1
Cellular Sites	3
Cable Television Station	2
Postal Service	1
Private Internet Cafes	7
Internet Provider	7

ACCESSIBILITY

Mode of Transportation	Area
Public Utility Vehicles	National Highways
Tricycle	Urban and Rural Barangays
Kalesa	Within Urban Barangays
Motorized Boat	Riverside Barangays

ROAD NETWORKS AND BRIDGES

National Roads	16 kilometers
Provincial Roads	10 kilometers
Municipal Roads	9 kilometers
Barangay Roads	72 kilometers
Bridges	16

BANKING AND FINANCE INSTITUTIONS

Banking Institutions	4
Remittance Centers	13

WATER SUPPLY

Source	Covered Barangays
Deep Well	All Barangays
Spring Water	Masipi East
Water District	9 Urban Barangays and 1 Rural  (Barangay San Antonio)

WASTE DISPOSAL

Sanitary Landfill	1
Material Recovery Facilities	27 (including MRF in SLF)

PARKS & RECREATION

Gymnasium	1
Oval Ground	1
Basketball Courts	26
Protected Park	1
Playground	1
Freedom Park	1
Private Physical Gymnasium	1
Computer Gaming Stations	29