Insurgent Rule and the Wilcox-Sargent Report
The Good Book says, "By their fruits ye shall know them, whether
they be good or evil," and it seems proper to apply this test to the
Insurgents and their government.
The extraordinary claim has been advanced that the United States
destroyed a republic in the Philippines and erected an oligarchy on
its ruins. Various writers and speakers who have not gone so far as
this have yet maintained that Aguinaldo and his associates established
a real, effective government throughout the archipelago during the
interim between his return and the outbreak of hostilities with the
United States.
In summarizing conditions on September 15, 1898, Judge Blount says:
[236]--
"Absolute master of all Luzon outside Manila at this time,
with complete machinery of government in each province
for all matters of justice, taxes, and police, an army of
some 30,000 men at his beck, and his whole people a unit
at his back, Aguinaldo formally inaugurated his permanent
government--permanent as opposed to the previous provisional
government--with a Constitution, Congress, and Cabinet,
patterned after our own, [237] just as the South American
republics had done before him when they were freed from Spain,
at Malolos, the new capital."
He refers to our utter failure to understand "what a wonderfully
complete 'going concern' Aguinaldo's government had become
throughout the Philippine Archipelago before the Treaty of Paris was
signed." [238]
He bases his claim as to the excellent state of public order in the
Insurgent territory at this time on a report of Paymaster W. E. Wilcox
and Naval Cadet L. R. Sargent of the United States Navy, who between
October 8 and November 20, 1898, made a long, rapid trip through
northern Luzon, traversing the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga,
Tarlac, Pangasinán, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela, Cagayan,
South Ilocos and Union, in the order named, thence proceeding to
Dagupan and down the railroad through Pangasinán, Tarlac, Pampanga
and Bulacan to Manila.
He says that these gentlemen found the authority of Aguinaldo's
government universally acknowledged, the country in a state of perfect
tranquillity and public order, [239] with profound peace and freedom
from brigandage and the like. [240]
Now if it be true that Aguinaldo established complete machinery of
government throughout all of Luzon outside of Manila for all matters
of justice, taxes and police, so that life and property were safe
and peace, tranquillity and justice assured, we may well dispense
with quibbling as to whether the proper name was applied to such
government. But did he?
Let us examine with some care the history of the Wilcox-Sargent trip,
and see if we can gain further light from other sources relative to
the condition of public order in the territory which they traversed.
I propose, for the most part, to let the captured Insurgent records
speak for themselves, as it is fair to assume that Insurgent officers
were at no pains to represent conditions as worse than they really
were. In view of the fragmentary character of these records, we may
also assume that the complete story would be still more interesting
and instructive than the one which I have been able to reconstruct.
Messrs. Sargent and Wilcox were almost everywhere hospitably received,
and were entertained with dinners and dances after the inimitable
fashion of the hospitable Filipino everywhere. They gained a very
favourable impression of the state of public order in the provinces
through which they passed for the reason that from the very start
their trip was strictly personally conducted. They saw exactly what
it was intended that they should see and very little more. Their
progress was several times interrupted for longer or shorter periods
without adequate explanation. We now know that on these occasions the
scenery so carefully prepared in advance for them had become a little
disarranged and needed to be straightened up. Facts which I will cite
show that most shocking and horrible events, of which they learned
nothing, were occurring in the territory through which they passed.
For a considerable time before their departure American visitors
had been carefully excluded from the Insurgent territory, but the
Filipino leaders decided to let these two men go through it to the
end that they might make as favourable a report as possible. How
carefully the way was prepared for American visitors is shown by the
following telegram:--
"_San Pedro, Macati_,
"July 30, 1898.
"To the Local Presidente of Pasig:
"You are hereby informed that the Americans are going to
your town and they will ask your opinion [of what the people
desire.--Tr.] You should answer them that we want a republican
government. The same answer must be given throughout your
jurisdiction.
(Signed) "Pío Del Pilar,
"General of the Second Zone." [241]
Now General Pilar had an uncomfortable way of killing people who did
not obey his orders, and under the rules of the Insurgent government
he was abundantly justified in so doing. His suggestions as to what
visiting Americans should be told or shown would be likely to be
acceded to. Certainly this seems to have been the case in the present
instance, for on the same day General Noriel reported as follows: [242]
"President R. G., Bacoor, from Gen. Noriel, Pineda, July 30,
12.10 P.M.: I inform your excellency that some commissioners of
the American admiral are making investigations in the region
around Pasay as to the wishes and opinion of the people as to
the government. To-day I received a statement from some, giving
the answer: 'Free government under American protectorate [copy
mutilated, two or three words missing here] the President.'"
Blount quotes with approval Admiral Dewey's statement made shortly
after the return of Wilcox and Sargent that in his opinion their report
"contains the most complete and reliable information obtainable
in regard to the present state of the northern part of Luzon
Island." [243] This was true.
The admiral might have gone further and said that it contained
practically the only information then obtainable in regard to
conditions in the territory in question, but as I shall conclusively
show it was neither complete nor reliable.
Judge Blount in describing the experiences of Messrs. Wilcox and
Sargent naïvely makes the statement that:
"The tourists were provided at Rosales by order of Aguinaldo
with a military escort, 'which was continued by relays all
the way to Aparri.'" [244]
It certainly was!
Very little Spanish was then spoken in Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela or
Cagayan. What opportunity had these two men, ignorant as they were
of the native dialects, to learn the sinister facts as to what had
been and was occurring in the territory which they visited?
No one can fail to be delighted with Filipino hospitality, which
was lavishly bestowed upon them everywhere, and it is only natural
that they should have reported favourably upon what they saw. It
was about this time that an order was issued [245] that fronts of
buildings should be whitewashed, streets cleaned and fences repaired
with a view to showing every one, and especially travellers through
the territory of the Insurgents, that they were "not opposed to a
good such as a refined and civilized people should have." Doubtless
the report of the two men from Dewey's fleet was made in the best
of faith. I will now endeavour to show what were some of the actual
conditions in the territory through which they passed.
_Bulacan_
They first visited Bulacan. They do not mention hearing of the
activities of a Chinaman named Ignacio Paua, who had been given
the rank of colonel by Aguinaldo and assigned the task of extorting
contributions for the revolution from his countrymen. In a letter to
Aguinaldo written on July 6, 1898, Paua states that he has collected
more than $1,000 from the Chinese of these small towns, but asks
for an order "prohibiting the outrages that are being committed
against such merchants as are not our enemies." He further says,
"When the contributions from the Chinamen of all the pueblos shall
have been completed I wish to publish a proclamation forbidding any
injury to the Chinamen and any interference with their small business
enterprises," and adds that "the natives hereabouts themselves are
the people who are committing said abuses." [246]
Apparently Paua had no objection to the committing of outrages against
merchants that were the enemies of the cause, nor does he seem to have
objected to injury to Chinamen before contributions were completed. His
own methods were none too mild. On August 27, 1898, General Pío del
Pilar telegraphed Aguinaldo that five Insurgent soldiers, under a
leader supposed to be Paua, had entered the store of a Chinaman,
and tried to kidnap his wife, but had left on the payment of $10 and
a promise to pay $50 later, saying that they would return and hang
their fellow countryman if the latter amount was not forthcoming. [247]
Paua was later made a general in consideration of his valuable
services!
_Pampanga_
Our travellers next visited Pampanga. Here they apparently overlooked
the fact that Aguinaldo did not have "his whole people a unit at
his back." The citizens of Macabebe seem not to have approved of the
Aguinaldo regime, for the Insurgent records show that:--
"Representatives of the towns of Pampanga assembled in San
Fernando on June 26, 1898, and under the presidency of General
Maximino Hizon agreed to yield him complete 'obedience as
military governor of the province and representative of
the illustrious dictator of these Philippine Islands.' The
town of Macabebe refused to send any delegates to this
gathering." [248]
It may be incidentally mentioned that Blount has passed somewhat
lightly over the fact that he himself during his army days commanded
an aggregation of sturdy citizens from this town, known as Macabebe
scouts, who diligently shot the Insurgents full of holes whenever they
got a chance. He incorrectly refers to them as a "tribe or clan." [249]
It is absurd to call them a tribe. They are merely the inhabitants
of a town which has long been at odds with the neighbouring towns of
the province.
Things had come to a bad pass in Pampanga when its head wrote that
the punishment of beating people in the plaza and tying them up so
that they would be exposed to the full rays of the sun should be
stopped. He argued that such methods would not lead the people of
other nations to believe that the reign of liberty, equality and
fraternity had begun in the Philippines. [250]
When it is remembered that persons tied up and exposed to the full rays
of the sun in the Philippine lowlands soon die, in a most uncomfortable
manner, we shall agree with the head of this province that this custom
has its objectionable features!
_Tarlac_
While the failure of Messrs. Wilcox and Sargent to learn of the
relations between the Tagalogs of Macabebe and their neighbours,
or of the fact that people were being publicly tortured in Pampanga,
is perhaps not to be wondered at under the circumstances, it is hard
to see how they could have failed to hear something of the seriously
disturbed conditions in Tarlac if they so much as got off the train
there.
On August 24 the commissioner in charge of elections in that province
asked for troops to protect him, in holding them in the town of
Urdaneta, against a party of two thousand men of the place, who were
going to prevent them.
On September 22 the secretary of the interior ordered that the
requirements of the decree of June 18, establishing municipal
governments, should be strictly complied with, as in many of the towns
"the inhabitants continue to follow the ancient methods by which the
friars exploited us at their pleasure and which showed their great
contempt for the law." [251]
The following letter to Aguinaldo, from Juan Nepomuceno, Representative
from Tarlac, speaks for itself as to conditions in that province
on December 27, 1898, shortly after the American travellers passed
through it on their return:--
"I regret exceedingly being compelled to report to you that
since Sunday the 25th instant scandalous acts have been
going on in the Province of Tarlac, which I represent. On the
night of the Sunday mentioned the entire family of the Local
Chief of Bamban was murdered, and his house and warehouse
were burned. Also the Tax Commissioner and the Secretary,
Fabian Ignacio, have been murdered. Last night Señor Jacinto
Vega was kidnapped at the town of Gerona; and seven travellers
were murdered at O'Donnel, which town was pillaged, as well as
the barrio of Matayumtayum of the town of La Paz. On that day
various suspicious parties were seen in the town of Pañique
and in the same barrio, according to reliable reports which
I have just received.
"All this general demoralization of the province, according
to the information which I have obtained, is due to the fact
that the province is dissatisfied with the Provincial Chief,
Señor Alfonso Ramos, and with Major Manuel de León; for this
is substantiated by the fact that all the events described
occurred since last Sunday, when Señor Alfonso Ramos returned,
to take charge of the Office of Provincial President, after
having been detained for several days in this town. Wherefore,
I believe that in order to restore tranquillity in the
province, consideration be given to various documents that
have been presented to the Government and to the standing
Committee of Justice; and that there be removed from office
Señor Alfonso Ramos, as well as said Señor Manuel de León,
who has no prestige whatever in this province. Moreover on
the day when fifty-four soldiers of the command deserted,
he himself left for San Fernando, Pampanga." [252]
On November 30, 1898, General Macabulos sent Aguinaldo a telegram [253]
from which it evidently appears that there was an armed uprising in
Tarlac which he was endeavouring to quell and that he hoped for early
success. Apparently, however, his efforts to secure tranquillity were
not entirely successful, for on December 18 he telegraphed Aguinaldo
as follows:--
"In a telegram dated to-day Lieut. Paraso, commanding
a detachment at Camilin, informs me that last night his
detachment was attacked by Tulisanes (robbers). The fire
lasted four hours without any casualties among our men. This
afternoon received another from the captain commanding said
detachment, informing me of the same, and that nothing new
has occurred. The people of the town await with anxiety the
result of the charges they have made, especially against the
local president and the justice of the peace, the original
of which I sent to your high authority." [254]
Obviously the police machinery was not working quite smoothly when
a detachment of Insurgent troops could be kept under fire for four
hours by a robber band, and perhaps the attacking party were not all
"robbers." Soldiers do not ordinarily carry much to steal.
We obtain some further information from the following telegram of
December 27, 1898, sent by the secretary of the interior to the
President of the Revolutionary Government:--
"Most urgent. According to reports no excitement except in
Bangbang, Tarlac, which at 12 A.M., 25th, was attacked by
Tulisanes [bandits or robbers,--D.C.W.]. The local presidente
with his patrols arrested six of them. On continuing the
pursuit he met in Talacon a party too large to attack. At 7
A.M. of the 26th the town was again attacked by criminals,
who killed the tax collector, and others who burnt some
houses, among them that of the local presidente, and his
stables, in which he lost two horses. I report this for your
information." [255]
Evidently tax collectors were not popular in Tarlac.
Still further light is shed on the situation by a telegram from the
secretary of the interior to Aguinaldo, dated December 28, 1898:--
"According to my information the excitement in Tarlac
increases. I do not think that the people of the province
would have committed such barbarities by themselves. For
this reason the silence of General Macabulos is suspicious;
to speak frankly, it encourages the rebels. Some seven hundred
of them, with one hundred and fifty rifles, entered Pañique,
seized the arms of the police, the town funds, and attacked the
houses of the people. I report this for your information. All
necessary measures will be taken." [256]
Note also the following from the secretary of the interior, under
date of December 27, 1898, to Aguinaldo:--
"I have just learned that not only in Bangbang, but also
in Gerona, Onell, and other places in Tarlac, men have been
assaulted by numerous Tulisanes, armed with rifles and bolos,
who are killing and capturing the inhabitants and attacking
travellers, robbing them of everything they have. The President
should declare at once that that province is in state of
siege, applying martial law to the criminals. That--(remainder
missing)." [257]
The secretary of agriculture took a more cheerful view of the
situation. Under date of December 28 he telegraphed Aguinaldo as
follows:--
"The events in Bangbang, Tarlac Province, according to a
witness here worthy of credit, have arisen from an attempt
to procure vengeance on the local presidente, and robbery of
Chinese shops. Hence they are without political importance. The
tax collector killed, and a countryman servant of the local
presidente wounded. They burnt two houses of the local
presidente, a stable, and a warehouse for sugar-cane." [258]
Obviously the robbery of Chinese shops and the killing of a few
individuals was at first considered by the secretary of agriculture
to be without political importance. Evidently he changed his mind,
however, for on the same day, December 28, 1898, he telegraphed
Aguinaldo as follows:--
"I think it necessary to send Aglipay [259] to quiet
Tarlac. Send for him. If you desire, I will go to Tarlac to
investigate the causes of the disorders, in order to find a
remedy for them." [260]
At this stage of events Aguinaldo was summoned to Malolos by a telegram
from Mabini under date of December 29, which reads as follows:--
"Most urgent. You must come here immediately. Trías is sick. We
can come to no decision in regard to the Tarlac matter. Cannot
constitute a government without you." [261]
The measures which were actually taken are set forth in another
telegram of the same date from the secretaries of war and interior
to Aguinaldo, which reads as follows:--
"We have sent civil and military commissioners to Tarlac;
among them the Director of War and persons of much moral
influence, in order to stifle the disturbances. The necessary
instructions have been given them and full powers for the
purpose, and as far as possible to satisfy the people. Have
also sent there six companies of soldiers with explicit
instructions to their commander to guard only the towns, and
make the people return to a peaceful life, using a policy of
attraction for the purpose." [262]
Let us hope that the commander was able to attract the people with
his six companies of soldiers, and make them return to a peaceful life.
Still further light is thrown on the situation in Tarlac by the
following extract from "Episodios de la Revolucion Filipina" by Padre
Joaquin D. Duran, an Augustinian priest, Manila, 1901, page 71:--
"At that period the Filipinos, loving order, having been
deceived of the emancipation promise, changed by the Katipúnan
into crimes and attacks on the municipality of the pueblos,
discontent broke out in all parts, and, although latent in some
provinces, in that of Tarlac was materialized in an ex-sergeant
of the late Spanish civil guard. A valorous and determined
man, he lifted up his flag against that of Aguinaldo. One
hundred rifles were sufficient to terrorize the inhabitants
of said province, crushing the enthusiastic members of the
revolutionary party.... Having taken possession of four towns,
Pecheche would have been everywhere successful if ambition
and pride had not directed his footsteps. In January, 1899,
the Aguinaldista commander of Tarlac province, afraid that
his whole province would espouse the cause of the sergeant,
attempted by every means in his power to interrupt his
career, not hesitating to avail himself of crime to destroy
the influence of Pecheche with the many people who had been
incensed by the Katipúnan and had in turn become firm partisans
of the Guards of Honour.
"The Ilocano Tranquilino Pagarigan, local presidente at
that time of Camiling, served as an admirable instrument for
this purpose.... Pecheche was invited to a solemn festivity
organized by Tranquilino, who pretended to recognize him as
his chief, and rendering himself a vassal by taking an oath
to his flag. He accepted the invitation, and after the mass
which was celebrated went to a meal at the convent, where,
after the meal was over, the members of the K.K.K. surrounded
Pecheche and 10 of his officers and killed them with bolos
or tied them and threw them out of the windows and down the
staircase. Some priests were held captive in the building
where this took place and were informed of what had taken
place immediately afterwards."
This extract shows how easy it then was for any man of determination
to acquire a following, especially if he could dispose of a few
rifles. It also gives an excellent idea of the methods employed by
the Insurgents in dealing with those who opposed their rule.
General Fred D. Grant once told me, with much amusement, of an
interesting experience during a fight on Mt. Arayat in Pampanga. His
men took a trench and captured some of its occupants. Several of these
were impressed as guides and required to show the attacking forces
the locations of other trenches. At first they served unwillingly,
but presently became enthusiastic and rushed the works of their
quondam fellow-soldiers in the van of the American attack. Finally
they begged for guns. Grant added that he could start from Bacolor
for San Fernando any morning with a supply of rifles and pick up
volunteers enough to capture the place, and that on the return trip
he could get enough more to attack Bacolor!
_Pangasinán_
And now we come to Pangasinán, the most populous province of Luzon,
and the third in the Philippines in number of inhabitants.
"In July, 1898, the officer in Dagupan wrote to the commanding
general of Tarlac Province that he would like to know whom
he was required to obey, as there were so many officials of
all ranks who gave him orders that it was impossible for him
to know where he stood." [263]
In a letter dated August 17, 1898, to Aguinaldo, Benito Legarda
complained that a bad impression had been produced by the news from
Dagupan that when the Insurgents entered there, after many outrages
committed upon the inmates of a girls' school, every officer had
carried off those who suited him. [264]
What should we say if United States troops entered the town of
Wellesley and raped numerous students at the college, the officers
subsequently taking away with them the young ladies who happened
to suit them? Yet things of this sort hardly caused a ripple in the
country then under the Insurgent flag, and I learned of this particular
incident by accident, although I have known Legarda for years.
I quote the following general description of conditions in Pangasinán
from a letter addressed by Cecilio Apóstol to General Aguinaldo on
July 6, 1898:--
"You probably know that in the Province of Pangasinán, of
one of the towns in which your humble servant is a resident,
the Spanish flag through our good fortune has not flown here
for the past few months, since the few Spaniards who lived
here have concentrated in Dagupan, a place not difficult of
attack, as is said.
"But this is what is going on in this Province" There exist
here two Departmental Governments, one calling itself that
of Northern Luzón and of which Don Vicente del Prado is
the President, and the other which calls itself that of
Northern and Central Luzón, presided over by Don Juliano
Paraiso. Besides these two gentlemen, there are two governors
in the province(!) one Civil Political Military, living in
Lingayen, named Don Felipe J. Bartolomé, and another living in
Real Guerrero, a town of Tayug, named Don Vicente Estrella. And
in addition there are a large number of Administrators,
Inspectors, Military Judges, Generals, ... they cannot be
counted. It is a pandemonium of which even Christ, who
permits it, cannot make anything. Indeed, the situation is
insupportable. It reminds me of the schism in the middle
ages when there were two Popes, both legitimate, neither
true. Things are as clear as thick chocolate, as the
Spaniards say. In my poor opinion, good administration is
the mother-in-law of disorder, since disorder is chaos and
chaos produces nothing but confusion, that is to say, death.
"I have had an opportunity, through the kindness of a friend,
to read the decree of that Government, dated June 18th, of
the present year, and the accompanying 'Instructions for
the government of towns and provinces.' Article 9 of the
said decree says that the Superior Government will name
a commissioner for each province with the special duty
of establishing there the organization set forth in the
decree. Very well so far: which of the so-called Presidents of
Northern or of Northern and Central Luzón is the commissioner
appointed by that government to establish the new organization
in that province? Are military commanders named by you for
Pangasinán? I would be very much surprised if either of them
could show his credentials. Aside from these, the fact remains
that in those instructions no mention is made of Presidents
of Departments, there is a manifest contradiction in their
jurisdictions, since while one calls himself president of a
Departmental Government, of Northern Luzón, the other governs
the Northern and Central portion of the Island, according to
the seals which they use.
"And, nevertheless, a person calling himself the General
Administrator of the Treasury and the said Governor of the
Province, both of whom live in Tayug, came to this town when
the Spaniards voluntarily abandoned it and gathered all the
people of means, and drew up an act of election, a copy of
which is attached. From it you will see how this organization
violates the provisions of the decree of the 18th of June.
"Another item: They got up a contract with the people of means
of this town, and did the same thing in the other towns,
in which contract they exact from us $1250 which they call
contributions of war (see document No. 2 attached). Among
the doubtful powers of these gentlemen is the one to exact
these sums included?
"Have they express orders from that Government?
"Perhaps these blessed gentlemen--they are high flyers there is
no doubt about that,--have struck the clever idea of calling
themselves generals, governors, etc., in order to enjoy a
certain prestige and to give a certain color of legality to
their acts--this, although they don't know an iota of what
they are doing. But what I am sure of, and many other men
also, is that there is no order, that here there is not a
single person in authority whom to obey. This superfluity of
rulers will finally lead to strained relations between them
and the towns of this province will end by paying the piper.
"But we poor ignorant creatures in so far as the republican
form of government is concerned, in order to avoid worse
evils took them at their word, obeyed them like automatons,
hypnotized by the title of 'Insurgents' which they applied to
themselves. But when I had an opportunity to read the said
decree, doubts were forced upon me, I began to suspect--may
God and they pardon me--that they were trying to impose upon
us nicely, that, shielded by the motto, 'have faith in and
submit to the will of the country' they came to these towns
'for business.'
"In order to dissipate this doubt, in order to do away with
abuses, if there are abuses, I made up my mind to send you this
account of the condition of things here. I flatter myself that
when you learn of the lamentable situation of this province,
you will soon deign to take steps to establish order, because
thereon depends the tranquillity of Pangasinan and in the
end a strict compliance with your superior orders.
"There will be no limit to the thanks of the people of this
province if their petitions secure favourable consideration and
an immediate response from the high patriotism and honourable
standpoint of the Supreme Dictator of the Philippines." [265]
It will be noted that the picture thus drawn by Señor Apóstol differs
in certain important particulars from that painted in such engaging
colours by Judge Blount.
In September, 1898, the civil governor of Pangasinán had to have an
escort of troops in passing through his province. [266]
On November 20, 1898, the head of the town of San Manuel wrote the
provincial governor that his people could no longer support the troops
quartered on them, as the adherents of the Katipúnan had burned or
stolen all of their property. [267]
The sum total of Blount's description of affairs in this, the
most populous province of Luzón, is derived from the narrative of
Messrs. Wilcox and Sargent and reads as follows:--
"In Pangasinán 'the people were all very respectful and polite
and offered the hospitality of their homes.'" [268]
Doubtless true, but as a summary of conditions perhaps a trifle
sketchy.
_Nueva Ecija_
Nueva Ecija was the next province visited by Wilcox and Sargent. They
have failed to inform us that:--
"In December, 1899, certain men charged with being members
of this society [Guards of Honour] were interrogated in Nueva
Ecija as to their purposes. One of those questioned said:--
"'That their purpose was one day, the date being unknown to
the deponent, when the Ilocanos of Batac came, to rise up
in arms and kill the Tagálos, both private individuals and
public employees, excepting those who agreed to the former,
for the reason that honours were granted only to the Tagálos,
and but few to the Ilocanos.'" [269]
Blount has assured us that the Filipinos were a unit at Aguinaldo's
back and were and are an united people, and here are the Ilocanos of
Nueva Ecija spoiling his theory by remembering that they are Ilocanos
and proposing to kill whom? Not certain individual Filipinos, who
might have offended them, but the Tagálogs!
That there were other troubles in Nueva Ecija is shown by the following
statement:--
"On January 7, 1899, the commissioner of Aguinaldo's treasury
sent to collect contributions of war in Nueva Ecija Province
reported that the company stationed in San Isidro had become
guerillas under command of its officers and opposed his
collections, stating that they were acting in compliance with
orders from higher authority." [270]
And now, in following the route taken by our tourist friends, we
reach Nueva Vizcaya and the Cagayan valley.