Quirino Province lies in the southeastern portion of Cagayan Valley Region within the upper Cagayan River Basin. Isabela bounds it on the north, Aurora on the east and southeast and Nueva Vizcaya on the west and southwest. The Sierra Madre Mountain Range provides a natural barrier on the eastern and southern border and the Mamparang Range on the western part of the province. It has a total land area of 3,057 square kilometers, which is approximately 8.4 percent of the regional area, and 1.02 percent of the total land area of the country.

Quirino Province acquired its juridical personality as a result of the division of the province of the Nueva Vizcaya and Isabela on June 18, 1966 under R.A. 4734. It was named in honor of the then President Elpidio A. Quirino.

The province of Quirino was formally established on February 10, 1971 upon assumption to office of the first elected provincial and municipal officials headed by Dionisio A. Sarandi as Provincial Governor.

Part of the province’s comparative advantage is its accessibility to Aurora Province (Region 3), which makes it a viable entry/exit through the coastal area of Aurora.

Land transportation is the only available mode of transport to the province. The main artery of transportation that traverses the province is the national road from Cordon, Isabela to Dipaculao, Aurora and Santiago City to Maddela via Jones and San Agustin, Isabela. Transportation facilities in the province include PU jeepney, buses, outrigger banca and tricycles. Maddela-Metro Manila route and vice-versa is served daily by air-conditioned bus lines particularly Nelbusco. Other buses going to Tuguegarao City pass by Cordon and Santiago City where vans are available for the short trip to Quirino.

In this youngest province of the Cagayan Valley Region is a network of amazing caves that can provide exciting experience for amateur and connoisseur tourists and visitors. These are found in most of the towns of the province.

More and more caves are being rediscovered and developed to add to the province’s list of natural attractions for tourists to enjoy.

For the tourism sports enthusiasts, Quirino offers its Governor’s Rapids where kayaking, water tubing, cliff diving, boating and swimming are their best.

At the Quirino Sports Tourism Complex located near the Provincial Capitol Compound, one can enjoy wake boarding, swimming, kayaking, camping, including fish-feeding. The facility likewise features a huge function hall for big events. Restaurant and accommodation facilities are right within the area for tourists and visitors to stay. Today, the sports complex has rubberized tracks and it has become a favorite venue for various sports enthusiasts’ events including Zumba fitness groups and joggers. Recently, the provincial government put up its first-ever Quirino Orchidarium to suit the discriminating taste of plant-lovers. It is located at the Provincial Capitol to complement the beautiful and state-of-the-art buildings and facilities therein.

Tourism destinations are as follows:

01. NAGBUKEL CAVE at Diffun, Quirino is perfect for retreats. Local tourists usually visit during the holy week for picnic, hiking, and communing with nature. The place is being maintained and developed by the Lamplighter, a religious sect, the cave is four kilometers away from the capital town.

02. AGLIPAY CAVES AND CAMPSITE promises a special venue for communing with nature. A series of 38 caves, seven of which have been developed as tourist spots. Located in the midst of rolling hills and verdant forest, the caves boast of peculiar characteristics of their own such as an underground spring and well-preserved stalagmites and stalactites. The caves interlink with each other and run to a depth of about 20 meters. The place is recommended for camping activities and outdoor functions especially for big groups.

03. GOVERNOR RAPIDS is famous for its gigantic perpendicular walls of limestone jutting out from one side of the Cagayan River framing the Sierra Madre Mountain and its swift turbulent deep blue waters is perfect venue for kayaking, white river rafting, swimming and fishing. The riverside offers a suitable picnic ground with a magnificent view of the river. This part of the region is also home to Agtas or Negritos.

04. AGLIPAY TOWN is a historic town having patterned its name from Fr. Gregorio Aglipay, a Philippine Independent Church priest who rebelled against the Spanish Colonizers in his time and settled at the banks of Addalam River in Aglipay.

05. NAGTIPUNAN TOWN is the home of lush virgin forests and is being developed as a gateway to Quezon Province through Barangay Sangbay. About 54 kilometers from Cabarroguis, the town is a recommended venue for camping and eco-tourism activities. It is also home to the famous rock formation called Bimmapor, a rock formation similar to a ship’s stern which is about to sink. The area is recommended for rock climbing trekking, swimming, rafting, excursion and fishing, among others. It is a few minutes drive from the Municipal Hall where overnight accommodation is available.

07. MACTOL FALLS/SAN PUGO FALLS. This towering falls about 50 meters high spills into a shimmering basin about twenty-two meters deep. All who can appreciate nature in its untouched and raw form should make the trip to Mactol Falls. It is located at San Pugo, Nagtipunan.

08.VICTORIA FALLS and ADDALAM RIVER & NATURE’S PARK in Aglipay offers a sanctuary for nature lovers who wish to enjoy unspoiled environment and adventure. Trek to the Victoria Waterfalls takes about an hour over farms and forestland.

09. MADDELA WATERFALLS AND FORESTS RESORT is a seven-staged waterfall. Short trek to reach the falls and have an excellent nature retreat and relaxation, its crystal pools are favorite swimming and picnic area for tourists.

References: 

http://www.region2fun.ph/in-quirino-have-your-basket-of-happiness/

http://www.region2fun.ph/quirino-province/

Why do people feel anxious about the stability of the company they belong to?

Some people fear that they may lose their jobs. When job security is threatened, some people have the tendency to feel anxious since losing job and business opportunities tend to make one feel worthless and lose hope.

Why do people feel worthless and lose hope when they lose a job? 

The pandemic has brought lots of uncertainties. Since we fear the unknown, we tend to lose hope and feel worthless whenever we cannot think of a concrete plan a bright future for our families and loved ones. Jumping from one job to another can be difficult for some since they have only mastered one skill and have not acquired new set of skills that could help them land a job and provide a source of income during the pandemic.

Why do we need to acquire new set of skills during the pandemic? 

The recent outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected the way we live, learn and work. Some skills were not needed during the pandemic therefore, they do not bring in income. Hence, it is necessary to acquire new sets of skills in order to get by and provide for ourselves during the pandemic. It has been highly recommended to obtain skills that could help provide income without going out of their homes since it is not safe to go outside.

Why do we still see people out of their homes when we all know it is not safe to go outside? 

Some people have no choice but to go out even though everyone knows it is not safe outside. They need to go to work and find a source of income to get by during the pandemic while some needs to buy daily necessities and seek medical help. There are also those people who simply lack self-discipline. Some of these activities caused the widespread of the virus that claimed the lives of many Filipinos.

• Why did many people die during the pandemic?  

Prior to the development of COVID-19 vaccine, many have already died due to the lack of discipline, slow conduct of contact tracing and slow release of RT-PCR results that resulted to the widespread of the virus in the country. But when the vaccines were introduced to the public, people were still skeptical due to misinformation and fake news that instilled fear to the public.  

Root cause: Lack of discipline and misinformation.