Tanglagan, Calanasan dubbed as Apayao’s “Little Baguio,” boasts a cool climate. Nestled an hour and thirty minutes from Claveria, Cagayan, the barangay is characterized by winding roads verged by breathtaking views of a hypnotic river and verdant mountains. Its diverse community of Isnags, Ilocanos, Aetas, and Igorots thrives in harmony, making it a melting pot of cultures in the province.
Through the Provincial Technical Working Group of Apayao, barangay Tanglagan in the municipality of Calanasan has been targeted for the 2024 implementation of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Risk Resiliency Program on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction through Cash-for-Training and Work (RRP-CCAM-DRR THRU CFTW). With the Program’s objective to ensure water sufficiency and food security, the barangay officials lobbied for the construction of small-scale flood control to mitigate the eroding of their farms.
With the support of the Apayao Provincial Government which provided the construction materials, the 225 partner-beneficiaries completed the 190-meter-long flood control which is expected to protect approximately ten (10) hectares of agricultural land of which they usually plant rice, root crops, vegetables and corns.
Flood Control System Withstands Nature’s Fury
In late 2024, the municipality of Apayao, endured six (6) typhoons, three (3) of which were classified as super typhoons. The newly constructed 190-meter-long flood control system, implemented through the DSWD’s RRP-CCAM-DRR, successfully mitigated severe farm damage, protecting approximately 10 hectares of land. Despite strong torrents breaching a small section of the structure, the overall system held firm, safeguarding farms that produce rice, root crops, vegetables, and corn.
Despite the devastation caused by typhoons—massive landslides, crop failures, and damaged homes—the community’s spirit remains unbroken. The residents’ commitment to collective action shines through their efforts to rehabilitate damaged infrastructure and their continued maintenance of a communal garden. The garden not only provides fresh produce for feeding programs benefiting young children but also generates income for purchasing seeds and tools.
Looking forward, Tanglagan aims to expand its communal gardens, with a vision of becoming a leading supplier of fresh and organic produce to neighboring barangays and towns. This expansion aligns with their goal of solidifying their identity as Apayao’s “little Baguio,” a beacon of sustainable agriculture and environmental preservation.
The barangay officials continue to value the projects and programs implemented to their place, “Ay-aywanan mi latta dagitoy naited kanyami nga projects ta ammo mi nga haan nga basta-basta nga kwarta ti nausar. Kwarta tayo met lang and mismo nga im-ima ken bannog dagiti kabarangayan tayo ti nangiaramid ken sikami met laeng ti agsagrap ti benepisyo na” (we’ll continue to value these projects that were given to us as we know that the funds used were also our money as taxpayers. Also, it is our own hands and sweats that build these projects and it is also us who will reap the benefits) as Punong Barangay Isidro M.Andres said.
Rehabilitation efforts are set to begin in early 2025, timed with the dry season, to restore the damaged section of the flood control system and address the aftermath of the typhoons. Tanglagan’s story stands as a testament to resilience, unity, and sustainable development, a model for other communities striving to adapt to the challenges of climate change. # DSWD FIELD OFFICE CAR, SOCIAL MARKETING UNIT, HAZEL ANN BUY-O with JHOANNE JIMENEZ.
