History of Benguet

1. History of Benguet
Long before the Spanish colonizers came to the Philippines,
the people of Benguet walked and lived on the land, mountains, and
valleys of the southern Cordillera mountain range down to the sea
coasts of Iocos Sur, Pangasinan, and La Union even reaching as far
as the ancient trading centers of Ituy in the northern plain of
Luzon.
The earliest known settlement as recounted in genealogical
histories were the twin settlements Chuyo and Tonglo in Baguio-
Tuba, Imbose and Amlimay in Kabayan-Buguias, Darew and Palaypay in
Kapangan-Tublay, and Namiligan and Palatang in Mankayan-Bakun.
Acupan, Apaiao, Locjo, Penas, and Pancutcutan, all over
Benguet, served as the copper and gold settlement working sites.
Benguet products such as beeswax, copper, honey, iron, and gold
were traded in exchange for lowland products such as blankets,
cotton, livestock, salt, and things from foreign shores such as
beads, jars, and plates. Slaves from the lowlands and highlands
were also included in the trading system. Centers of barter and
trade between the lowlanders and highlanders of the Northern Luzon
were at Tagudin and Vigan in Ilocos, Ituy now known as Aritao in
Nueva Viscaya, and Lingayen in Pangasinan.
In one expedition of a Spanish conquistador, he saw that in
La Trinidad, a settlement around a lake alive with wildlife dotted
with patches of camote, gabi, rice, and taro, people wore cloth
coverings wrapped around their head several times. When he asked
about it, the native explained that it was for protection against
the searing cold and it was called “benget”. Due to the western
accent of the colonizers, “benget” was mispronounced as “benguet”.
In 1572, Spanish explorers, under the leadership of the
Spanish conquistador General Juan de Salcedo, first ventured to
Benguet in search of copper and gold that are then being traded
and are said to be from the interior highland regions. From then
on, for half a century, different expeditions were dispatched in
an attempt to get a hold of the gold, lands, and people of Benguet.
Also, Spanish missionaries came into the mountains either joining
the expeditions or by themselves. The fierce and relentless
resistance of the people of Benguet made the Spanish rulers decide
to withdraw attempts at subjugation as well as the pursuit of
Benguet gold.
A lucrative production and trade of tobacco was then
undertaken by the Igorrotes, the term used by Spanish colonizers

2. to call the people of Benguet, outside Spanish government control,
which was not subject to tax. From 1829 to 1833, savage expeditions
to the Benguet lands were organized and led by Commandante
Guillermo Galvey, which resulted in the burning and destruction of
settlements and villages.
Shortly after Galvey reported about his expedition, the
Spanish government organized the mountainous region into six
commandancias politico-militar. These six were Benguet in 1846,
Lepanto in 1852, Bonico in 1859, Amburayan in 1889, and Kayapa and
Kabugao in 1891. In 1854, Benguet became a regular commandancia.
The commandancias that were established were divided into
rancherias. In Benguet, there were 18 rancherias which were Adaoay,
Ambuclao, Ampusongan, Atoc, Baguio, Balacbac, Bocot, Cabayan,
Capangan, Daclan, Galiano, La Trinidad, Loo, Palina, Quibungan,
Sablan, Tublay, and Ytogon, with La Trinidad, which was named after
Galvey’s wife, as its capital.
During the Philippine revolution of 1898 against Spain, the
Benguet people rallied forth under the leadership of Mateo
Carantes, Juan Oraa Cariño, Magastino Laruan, and Piraso.
In the year 1899, Benguet was established as a province under
the First Philippine Republic. The appointed Governor of Benguet
and President of the Board was Juan Oraa Cariño of Tublay. Other
board members were Emigido Octabona, Andres Valbuena, and Mariano
Lagasca. Miguel Picarte was appointed as President, Agustin Caoili
as Vice President, and Juan P. Llego as the Secretary in La
Trinidad but their terms were short-lived due to the American
colonization.
During the American rule, the first Civil Government of
Benguet was established under Act No. 49 on November 23, 1900.
H.P. Whitmarsh, a journalist, was appointed as Civil Governor. The
term rancherias was changed into townships. Baguio was named the
capital of Benguet.
Act No. 1396 or the Special Government Act, dated September
14, 1905, repealed Act No. 49 reorganizing the Province of Benguet.
Baguio became a chartered city on September 1, 1909. Tuba was added
as a township of Benguet. Baguio remained the capital of Benguet
until 1916. After 1916, La Trinidad became the capital of Benguet.
The townships of Adaoay, Ambuclao, Balacbac, Daclan, Galiano,
Loo, and Palina were abolished under executive orders issued by
the Governor General of the Philippines. Benguet province became

3. a sub-province of Mountain Province with the passage of Act No.
1876 on August 13, 1908. The other sub-provinces of Mountain
Province were Amburayan, Quiangan, Kalinga-Apayao and Lepanto-
Bontoc.
By virtue of Act No. 2877 on February 4, 1920, the boundary
of Benguet sub-province was amended resulting in the abolition of
the sub-provinces Amburayan and Lepanto. The territories of
Lepanto and Amburayan were divided and placed under the provinces
of Ilocos Sur and La Union and the sub-provinces of Benguet and
Bontoc. The 19 original townships of Benguet were consolidated
into 13, namely Atok, Bakun, Bokod, Buguias, Itogon, La Trinidad,
Kabayan, Kibungan, Kapangan, Mankayan, Sablan, Tuba, and Tublay.
Republic Act No. 4695, dated June 18, 1966, divided the old
Mt. Province into the provinces of Benguet, Mountain Province,
Ifugao, and Kalinga-Apayao.
On July 22, 1968, the Provincial Board of Benguet, under
Resolution No. 894, approved the provincial seal or coat of arms.
On January 7, 1969, the Provincial Board of Benguet, under
Resolution No. 16, adopted everlasting as the provincial flower.
The Provincial Board of Benguet adopted the “ayosip” (Ibaloi) or
“alumani” or “gotpo” (Kankana-ey), native blueberry indigenous to
the province, as the provincial fruit, under Resolution No. 368 on
May 15, 1987.
Benguet, Mountain Province, and Abra, which used to be under
Region I, together with Ifugao and Kalinga-Apayao, which used to
be under Region II, later comprised the Cordillera Administrative
Region by virtue of the Executive Order 220 on July 15, 1987.

4. References:
Brando. (2020). A Brief History of the Benguet Province. Retrieved
from https://www.igorotage.com/blog/p/69O0w/brief-history-
benguet-province
Cariño, L.G. (2013). Cariño: Republic (part II). Retrieved from
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/321488
Department of the Interior and Local Government Cordillera
Administrative Region. (n.d.). Benguet Quick Facts. Retrieved
from https://www.dilgcar.com/index.php/2015-07-10-07-24-
09/province-of-benguet
Office of the President of the Philippines. (1987). Executive
Order No. 220, s. 1987. Retrieved from
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1987/07/15/executive-
order-no-220-s-1987/
Province of Benguet. (n.d.). History of Benguet. Retrieved from
http://benguet.gov.ph/v3/wp-
content/uploads/2018/11/HISTORY.pdf