Fuga Island

Fuga Island
Fuga Island tide gauge in 1927
Fuga Island is located in Philippines
Fuga Island
Fuga Island
Location within the Philippines
Geography
Coordinates18°52′21″N 121°22′44″E / 18.87250°N 121.37889°E / 18.87250; 121.37889
ArchipelagoBabuyan Islands
Adjacent toBabuyan Channel
Area97.1 km2 (37.5 sq mi)[1]
Highest elevation191 m (627 ft)[2]
Highest pointMount Nanguringan
Administration
RegionCagayan Valley
ProvinceCagayan
MunicipalityAparri
Demographics
Population1,939 (2020)[3]
Pop. density20/km2 (50/sq mi)
Additional information
Map

Fuga Island is an island and barangay located north of Luzon and is part of the Babuyan Islands, which is the second-northernmost island group of the Philippines. Barangay Fuga Island is one of the 42 barangays under the jurisdiction of the municipality of Aparri in the province of Cagayan.

Geography

Fuga has an area of 97.1 square kilometres (37.5 sq mi)[1] and a population of 2,015 people.[4] The principal settlement is Naguilian (Musa) village on the southern coast. The highest peak is Mount Nanguringan in the northeast, with an elevation of 191 metres (627 ft).[2]

Along with the neighbouring islets of Barit (7 square kilometres (2.7 sq mi)) and Mabaag,[5] it constitutes one of 42 barangays of the municipality of Aparri, Cagayan. It is the only one of the Babuyan Islands under the jurisdiction of a mainland municipality, whereas all other islands form the municipality of Calayan.

History

Presently, Fuga Island is owned by Fuga Island Holdings. It was formerly owned by the Dominican Order under the encomienda system during the Spanish Period eventually returned to the Filipinos after the signing of 1898 Treaty of Paris. The first land title was issued in 1908 under Original Certificate Title number two, and the Insular Government of the Philippine Islands designated the island and surrounding ports an economic zone as part of the Cagayan Special Economic Zone (CEZA) and Freeport under Republic Act No. 7922.[6]

Archaeology

From January 31, 1978 to February 22, 1978, Bryan E. Snow and Richard Shutler, Jr. conducted an archaeological excavation on Fuga Moro Island. Earthenware, pottery, porcelains, and stoneware were found during the excavation.[7]

Military presence

On August 7, 2020, the Northern Luzon Command established a Marine detachment on the island. It also plans to build a defense facilities on the island, which will include a sheltered pier, a naval station, and a littoral monitoring on 20-hectare detachment.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Genevieve Broad; Carl Oliveros. "Biodiversity and conservation priority setting in the Babuyan Islands, Philippines" (PDF). The Technical Journal of Philippine Ecosystems and Natural Resources. 15 (1–2): 1–30. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  2. ^ a b "NE 51-5 Laoag". Series S501, U.S. Army Map Service, 1954-. The University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  3. ^ Census of Population (2020). "Region II (Cagayan Valley)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  4. ^ Census of Population (2015). "Region II (Cagayan Valley)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  5. ^ "Fuga Island" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  6. ^ "Republic Act No. 7922: An act establishing a special economic zone and free port in the municipality of Santa Ana and the neighboring islands in the municipality of Aparri, province of Cagayan, providing funds therefor, and for other purposes" (PDF). ceza.gov.ph. Congress of the Philippines. February 24, 1995. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  7. ^ Bryan E. Snow; Richard Shutler Jr (1985). The Archaeology of Fuga Moro Island:New Approaches for the Isolation and Explanation of Diagnostic Ceramic Assemblages in Northern Luzon. University of San Carlos. ISBN 9789711000479.
  8. ^ "Navy safeguards northern islands". Philippine News Agency. 26 August 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2021.