Mountain Province

Mountain Province (Filipino: Lalawigang Bulubundukin), is a landlocked province of the

Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is Bontoc.

Mountain Province was formerly referred to as Mountain in some foreign references. The name
is usually shortened by locals to Mt. Province. The province was named so for being in the
Cordillera Central mountain range found in the upper realms of Luzon island.

Mountain Province was also the name of the historical province that included most of the current
Cordillera provinces. This old province was established by the Philippine Commission in 1908,[3]
[4][5]
and was later split in 1966 into Mountain Province, Benguet, Kalinga-Apayao and Ifugao.[6][7]
[8]

The province is also known for its mummy caves, which contain naturally mummified bodies,
and for its hanging coffins.[6]

History
Spanish period
The area of the Cordillera mountains proved difficult to control by the Spaniards. From 1566 to
1665, they sent expeditions to conquer the land but the rugged terrain and hostile indigenous
population at the time were major obstacles to complete subjugation.[9]

Formerly called La Montaosa by the Spanish colonizers due to its mountainous terrain,[6][10] the
area was subdivided into 6 comandancias politico-militar.[11]

[11]
The 6 former Comandancias Politico-Militar of La Montaosa

[show]Comandancia Year established Comandancia Year established

American period
In August 19, 1908, during the American rule, the Philippine Commission enacted Act No. 1876,
which organized the entire area of the Cordilleras into one large province, named Mountain
Province.[3][5][6][12]

The first governor was Samuel Cane, and the town of Bontoc was made the capital. It was
originally composed of the sub-provinces of Amburayan, Apayao, Benguet, Lepanto-Bontoc,
Ifugao and Kalinga.[5][10]
Amburayan was later abolished in 1920 and its corresponding territories were transferred to the
provinces of Ilocos Sur and La Union. Lepanto was also reduced in size and its towns were
integrated into the sub-provinces of Bontoc and Benguet, and to the province of Ilocos Sur.[9][13]
[14]

Historical sub-provinces of Mountain Province under Act No. 1876[3][5][11][14]

[hide]Sub-province Abolished? Notes

[5][14]
Amburayan Yes, in 1920 Territories annexed to Ilocos Sur and La Union

Apayao No

[14]
Benguet No Eastern towns annexed to Ilocos Sur and La Union in 1920

Ifugao No

Kalinga No

[5][14]
Lepanto-Bontoc Yes, in 1920 Territories annexed to Ilocos Sur, Bontoc and Benguet

Bontoc sub-province in 1918

The province in
1918

Post-war era
Effective on April 7, 1967, Republic Act No. 4695 abolished the old Mountain Province,
converting its sub-provinces into 4 independent provinces: Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga-Apayao and
Mountain Province (corresponding to the former Bontoc sub-province).[6][8][10] On June 15, 1987,
the Cordillera Administrative Region was established upon the issuance of Executive Order 220
by then-President Corazon Aquino, and Mountain Province was made one of its provinces.[9][15][16]