Cordillera Central (Luzon) — also known as the Cordillera Range or Central Cordillera — is a massive mountain range situated in the north-central part of the island of Luzon, in the Philippines. It is the largest and highest mountain system in the Philippines.
Geography and Dimensions
The Cordillera Central extends approximately 320 kilometers (200 miles) north-south and 118 kilometers (73 miles) east-west, covering a total area of about 22,500 square kilometers (8,700 square miles), roughly one-sixth of the entire island of Luzon. The range runs generally north to south through the interior of northern Luzon, terminating at the northern shores of Luzon along the Babuyan Channel in Ilocos Norte and Cagayan provinces. At its southeastern part, the Cordillera Central is linked to the Sierra Madre mountain range through the Caraballo Mountains in Nueva Vizcaya province.
Administrative Divisions
The mountain range encompasses all six provinces of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR): Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Mountain Province. It also extends into portions of eastern Ilocos Norte, eastern Ilocos Sur, eastern La Union, northeastern Pangasinan, western Nueva Vizcaya, and western Cagayan.
Highest Peaks
The highest mountain in the range is Mount Pulag, which rises to 2,928 meters (9,606 feet) above sea level, making it the highest peak on Luzon and the third highest in the Philippines, after Mount Dulang-dulang and Mount Apo (both on Mindanao). Other notable high peaks include:
- Mount Tabayoc — approximately 2,842 m (9,324 ft)
- Mount Timbak (also called Mount Singakalsa) — approximately 2,717 m (8,914 ft)
- Mount Kalawitan — approximately 2,714 m (8,904 ft)
- Mount Amuyao — approximately 2,702 m (8,865 ft)
- Mount Napulauan — approximately 2,642 m (8,668 ft)
- Mount Data — approximately 2,310 m (7,579 ft)
Sub-Ranges
The Cordillera Central consists of three main sub-ranges: the Malayan Range in the northern and western portion, the Central Range, and the Polis Range in the eastern portion.
Geology
The Cordillera Central is part of a tectonically active island-arc system created by the interaction of plates surrounding the Philippines. The western side of Luzon lies above the Manila Trench, where oceanic crust of the South China Sea region is being subducted beneath the Philippine Mobile Belt. Geological research describes the range as a magmatic arc that began developing during the late Oligocene, with episodes of magma emplacement extending from approximately 32 million to 6 million years ago. The mountains were later raised and exposed through faulting, crustal movement, and erosion, with rapid uplift continuing during the Quaternary Period.
Hydrology and Watersheds
The Cordillera Central serves as a major watershed for northern Luzon. Major river systems originating in the range include:
- Agno River — flows from Benguet toward Pangasinan and Lingayen Gulf; its upper watershed hosts the Ambuklao and Binga dams.
- Abra River — drains the western and northwestern Cordillera, flowing through Mountain Province and Abra to the South China Sea.
- Chico River — flows through Mountain Province and Kalinga, eventually joining the Cagayan River system.
- Magat River — fed by the Asin River from Mount Data.
- Suyoc River — flows into the Abra River.
Climate and Ecological Role
The mountain range acts as a significant climatic barrier on Luzon, blocking and influencing the Northeast and Southwest monsoons as well as cyclones crossing the island. It separates the Ilocos plains to the west from the Cagayan Valley to the east. The range contains diverse ecosystems including tropical forest, Benguet pine forest, montane forest, mossy forest, and high-elevation grasslands.
Protected Areas
Notable protected areas within the Cordillera Central include Mount Pulag National Park, Mount Data National Park, Balbalasang–Balbalan National Park, and the Upper Agno River Basin Resource Reserve. The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, located in Ifugao, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
History
During the Spanish colonial period, the entire range was called Nueva Provincia (New Province). The Cordillera Central has long been the ancestral homeland of numerous Indigenous communities, collectively known as the Igorot peoples, whose cultures have been shaped by the mountain environment for generations. The range has historically served as a bastion of resistance against colonial powers.
Mineral Resources
The Cordillera Central contains significant mineral deposits, particularly gold. Mining activity has been concentrated in Benguet for centuries, contributing to the region's economy while also raising concerns regarding water quality, erosion, habitat loss, and ancestral land rights.
