Culture is one of the most flavorful aspect of one’s life, because culture  are compose of the beliefs, practices, customs & traditions of different groups and community in it enables them to show case how their life works base on the standards set by their ancestors or elders.

For most, experiencing the culture of the society you grew up in becomes a little like the adage of a fish experiencing the feeling of water. The way of life that seems completely normal to you may seem quirky or unusual to those from different cultural backgrounds.

My town is no exemption to this phenomena.  The municipality of Echague, Province of Isabela “The home of the Yogad, it was founded in 1752 and ecclesiastically placed under the patronage of St. Joseph on May 12, 1753. This date tells that the town was already colonized before Isabela Province was created which makes Echague, “the Queen Town of Isabela”.

According to the book "Cagayan Valley and Eastern Cordillera (1581-1898) - volume 1” written by a Dominican writer named Father Pedro Salgado, the town of Echague in Isabela was used to be called Camarag, a name of a big tree which was then common in the place. The people of Echague was called “Yogad” because majority of the residents are speaking the language.  

Some 72 years later, these Yogad people returned to Camarag, but then named Echague after Rafael de Echagüe y Bermingham (pictured), Spanish governor-general who rule the area at that time.