Ramon, Isabela

History

In the middle of nowhere (1925-2016) when the San Jose–Santa Fe national road opened, Ilocano migrants from the Central Plain of Luzon like Tarlac, Pangasinan, and Nueva Ecija, arrived in bull carts to settle on this vast area covered with weeds called “samon” as homesteaders. As required by statutes, these people stayed right on their 24 hectares (59 acres) farms to clear the lot in order call it their own. The place was a part of Buenavista, the oldest barrio of Santiago, Isabela. For more than ten long years amidst hardships and sufferings due to malaria disease and unfavorable weather conditions, the pioneers labored to convert their homestead into a productive farm with palay as their main crop.

At the latter part of the thirties (1937), the Santiago–Santa Maria road via Mallig Plains was opened and more immigrants came to farm in the place. This area which is 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) away from the town proper of Santiago later emerged to become barrio Bugallon, eventually becoming the biggest barrio of Santiago.

The completion of the Maris Dam at Oscariz in 1957 attracted more migrants to farm at the irrigated areas of Bugallon. Along with the Ilocano arrivals were few Tagalogs, Pangasinenses, and many others.

The municipality of Ramon was created on June 18, 1961, by virtue of Republic Act No. 3320 sponsored by the then Congressman Delfin Albano of the then lone district of Isabela. On November 12, 1963, the first set of local officials were elected with Hon. Angelino F. Vizcarra as Municipal Mayor.

The original seat of government was first conceived to be established 500 meters north of Barangay Burgos. However, the local officials decided to temporarily locate the site at Bugallon which eventually became the permanent site by virtue of Republic Act No. 11354, upon which a two storey Municipal Hall was built on December 8, 1968.

The municipality was named in honor of the then Palawan Representative Ramon Mitra, Jr. and was originally classified as a seventh class municipality at the time of its inauguration on January 1, 1964. Ramon had 12 original barangays carved out from the municipalities of San Mateo and Santiago. In 1966, another barangay was annexed from the municipality of Echague. Later, by virtue of the revised Barangay Charter or Republic Act. No. 3590, six additional barangays were created.

The rural Electrification Program of ISELCO I was completed in the later part of the seventies (1976–77).

And, with the completion of the Magat High Dam in 1983, more areas were converted into irrigated rice lands which attracted more and more people from all places to migrate to the municipality, including Igorots and Ifugaos from the hinterlands.

Barangay

Economy

Endowed with prime agricultural lands, the majority of its inhabitants derive their income from agriculture. Ramon ranks among the top rice-producing towns of Isabela alongside the towns of Alicia and San Mateo.

The northern border of Ramon is the Magat River that provides power to national grid though the Magat Dam. The dam is a major employer in Barangay General Aguinaldo and has the works buildings and staff compounds situated there also. An undeveloped airport is in the area next to the river.

Ramon functions as a satellite town of Santiago City, a major growth center in southern Isabela. The Magat River Multi-purpose project, likewise, provides the municipality economic and social gains brought about by the influx of technological advancements like irrigation and electric power.

La Salette Heritage

Since 1948, Ramon was a mission of Santiago. It was 1978 that Ramon had a resident priest and it was only March 28, 1981 that the Bishop Miguel Purugganan, canonically erected this town into the status of a parish with Fr. Conrad Blanchet, MS as its first official parish priest.

Just recently, Bishop Sergio Utleg, DD, the Ordinary of the Diocese of Ilagan(now the Archbishop of Tuguegarao), offered the Parish of San Roque to remain under the "in perpetuum" care of the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette. The Provincial Superior, in deliberation with his Council, accepted the offer in its 94/04 decision in their meeting June 29, 2004. With this event, the Town of Ramon is now the only remaining parish entrusted to the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette.