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Tuao is a town of Cagayan province in the Philippines.
Understand
[edit | edit source]Tuao was established by the Spanish as a fortified settlement in the early 17th century along the Chico River guarding the approaches to the Cordillera mountains leading to present-day Kalinga and Apayao provinces. During World War II, it became the capital of Free Cagayan, the section of the province that was left unoccupied by the Japanese until they launched an offensive in 1943. Much of the town was devastated by an earthquake in 1949, but there are many colonial-era houses that remain, albeit in varying conditions from decrepit to well-maintained and partially used as commercial space.
Tuao is primarily an agricultural town. It is part of the Itawis-speaking region of southwestern Cagayan.
It is home to about 66,000 people (census, 1 July 2024) 
Get in
[edit | edit source]
Tuao sits at a four-way junction leading to the provincial capital Tuguegarao to the east, the municipality of Rizal to the north, the municipality of Conner in Apayao to the west, and the municipality of Pinukpuk in Kalinga to the south.
Along the Cagayan-Apayao Highway from Tuguegarao, there are passenger vans and jeepneys going there from the latter city, although this entails waiting for an indefinite period for the vehicle to fill up. During the rainy season, access through this road may be hindered by the overflowing of the Chico River and the submerging of the Itawes Bridge that connects Tuao with the preceding municipality of Piat, forcing a lengthy detour through the Cagayan-Kalinga Road from Tabuk.
Victory Liner operates a once-a-day bus service to Tuao from Metro Manila. Most travelers instead switch vehicles in Tuguegarao, where there are more frequent services by van.
- 1 Tuao Bus Station, Cagayan-Apayao Road, Alabug (beside Itawes National High School).
Get around
[edit | edit source]Tricycles are the main form of transportation within town. Tuao also has some of the few existing kalesas (horse-drawn carriages) operating in the Philippines.
See
[edit | edit source]- 1 Holy Guardian Angels Parish Church (Tuao Church), Cagayan-Apayao Road, Centro II, ☏ +63 905 099 2415, santoangheldelaguardia@gmail.com. Tuao's main Roman Catholic church, rebuilt following the 1949 earthquake. Beside the main building is a squat two-story building that remains of the Spanish-era belltower.
- 2 Mamba Ancestral House, Cagayan-Apayao Road, Alabug (beside the bus station). The colonial-era residence of the Mamba family, one of the leading political dynasties in Cagayan. The house was also used as the headquarters of the government of Free Cagayan during World War II, and afterwards became the administrative building of the Itawes National High School in the later years of the 20th century.
- 3 Tuao Viewdeck, San Luis. An observation post on the hilly boundary with Kalinga province that offers views of the surrounding Chico River valley.
Do
[edit | edit source]Buy
[edit | edit source]- 1 Tuao West Public Market, Ballesteros Street, Alabug.
- 2 Puregold Tuao, Cagayan-Apayao Road, Centro II (at the junction with Tuao-Rizal Road).
- 3 Tuao East Public Market, Rizal National Road, Palca.
Eat
[edit | edit source]Local delicacies in town include sinabalu, a rice cake roasted inside a rather bulky bamboo tube, and sukalati, a hot chocolate drink made from local cacao beans.
Drink
[edit | edit source]Sleep
[edit | edit source]- 1 Cassily Lake Resort, Narauangan, ☏ +63 930 419 1283. A hotel and resort complex set along the shores of a lake.
- 2 M&M Resort, Narauangan (across the street from Cassily Lake Resort), ☏ +63 905 157 6487, +63 997 108 9085. Similar features as Cassily.
- 3 Tamayo Hotel, Mungo, ☏ +63 966 360 093, +63 928 831 4075.
Connect
[edit | edit source]The town's postal code is 3528.