Allacapan

The name Allacapan is believed to have originated from the Ilocano word "alla-appan," meaning "trap."

According to local accounts, Francisco Umengan, a former municipal president of Aparri, once visited the area and was disturbed by the sound of dried leaves rustling nearby. When he asked about the source of the noise, his Negrito guide replied that it was caused by a trap ("alla-appan") set in the area. Umengan later adopted the term as the name of the settlement, which eventually evolved into Allacapan.

Allacapan has its beginning as a small village in the jungle, inhabited by Negritoes, also known as Aetas. Ilocanos mainly from Ilocos Sur, among them future mayor Santos Martinez, discovered it in their quest for better land and eventually dominated the area.^[5]

In 1926, Allacapan was founded as a municipal district of Tauit, sub-province of Apayao, Mountain Province. On June 30, 1927, acting Governor General Eugene A. Gilmore issued Executive Order No. 68, separating Allacapan from Tauit and organizing it into an independent municipal district under the same name, effective the following day.^[6] It was ceded to Cagayan in 1928 and became a regular municipality in 1945 by virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 590 authored by Rep. Miguel Pio.^[7]

During the Japanese occupation, the Japanese forces established a garrison in the town which was the site of abuses against prisoners of war and civilians. Later on, the Japanese burned the municipal hall, including the school building in the old site of Daan-Ili. The incident aggravated the fear of the residents, many of whom fled to the mountains. After liberation, disgruntled former guerrillas who were not satisfied with their backpay and aggrieved by land reform issues took to the hills with their rifles and joined the underground movement. Allacapan then became a hotbed of the Huks (HMB or Hukbong Mapagpalaya sa Bayan). This resulted in the kidnapping of then Mayor Agustin Gorospe in September 1951, the burning of the newly constructed town hall, and the looting of the local treasury.^[5]

The construction of the highway from Magapit, Lallo to Bangag, Aparri traversing Allacapan and the opening of the Magapit Bridge to traffic, facilitated mobility of trade and commerce. Allacapan suddenly became a local point. It is now accessible from all points and is fast becoming an urban community.

On 23 September 2006, Mayor Nathaniel Onia was assassinated outside his residence in Barangay Centro East by two unidentified gunmen.^[8]

Allacapan is situated in the north-western periphery of Cagayan, bordering Apayao.

It is located 95.32 kilometres (59.23 mi) from the provincial capital Tuguegarao, and 580.47 kilometres (360.69 mi) from the country's capitacity,of Manila.

According to the 2024 census, Allacapan has a population of 35,946 people, with a population density of approximately 120 inhabitants per square kilometer (310 per square mile). The primary languages spoken in the municipality are Ilocano, Ibanag, and Tagalog.

Poverty incidence of Allacapan

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority^{[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]}

Allacapan also serves as headquarters of GV Florida Transport, a major bus transportation company in Northern Luzon.

Electricity in the municipality is supplied by Cagayan II Electric Cooperative (CAGELCO 2).

Public education in Allacapan is administered by the Schools Division Office of Cagayan, a regional office of the Department of Education (DepEd). The Allacapan Schools District Office oversees both public and private elementary and secondary schools within the municipality.