Cauayan City

Cauayan got its name from the word "bamboo" or "Cauayan" where early Spaniards who reached this place found abundant growths of bamboo trees that circled the town site of the Bulod, Sipat, Bungkol, and Marabulig creeks.

Cauayan was an original town in the province of Cagayan. Upon the creation of Isabela as a province by a royal decree on May 1, 1856, it became a town of the province. Founded in 1740, Cauayan antedates the establishment of Isabela as a province by 116 years. The town site was first located in a place called Calanusian along the Cagayan River. But after a series of disastrous floods, the town site was transferred to its present location

Early natives were the group led by Enrique Baligod and Sebastian Cancilier who became the "Gobernadorcillo" of the town and Salvador Macabellug.

In 1866, Father Paulino became the curator urate of the town and put up "Guita" or chapel. He preached God's words and baptized the people. Father Miguel Bonnet, a good missionary and leader replaced Fr. Paulino. It was during his leadership that a big adobe and stone church was constructed, later on, the town was developed and became well known for its tobacco industry.

Under the American government, Domingo Damatan was appointed as the first town president and during the commonwealth before independence, Guillermo Blas and Federico Acio were appointed as mayor. The first elected municipal mayor after the inauguration of the Republic of the Philippines was Mayor Jose Africano

It was during the administration of the then Mayor Faustino N. Dy, from 1964 to 1972, that the municipality started to bounce from a rather slow development. This development continued under Mayor (from 1983-1992) and later on Governor (from 1992-2001) Hon. Benjamin G. Dy, envisioned the municipality to become a city. This vision was realized during the stewardship of Mayor Faustino G. Dy when House Bill No. 3163 was introduced to Congress and by virtue of Republic Act No. 9017. Cauayan finally became a component City of the Province of Isabela after being ratified by a majority vote on March 30, 2001, with the incumbent Municipal Mayor Faustino Bojie G. Dy, as the first City Mayor. The first elected City Mayor was Hon. Caesar G. Dy.

Today, under the current leadership, the City of Cauayan is one of the prime Local Government Units of the Province and in the entire Region 2. It is now the trading center in Central Isabela and was selected as the regional Agro-industrial Growth Center by the Regional Development Council.

Reference: Executive Legislative Agenda 2017-2019 of the City of Cuayan