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| The Land |
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| In the language of the Ivatans, "Uyugan" means place of flowing water -- which is never far away except in the town proper itself. Today's brook bed that cuts the town in half dried up during the severe earth movements of 1918. Uyugan's climate ranges from humid oceanic to sub-tropic. The Philippine Sea/Pacific Ocean to the east moderate the climate -- cooling summers. It's coldest in January and warmest in May. January temperatures average 20 degrees Celsius. May average temperatures range from 30 degrees Celsius to 35 degrees |
| There are two other major settlements in the municipality that are situated along the Pacific seaboard, namely: Itbud and Imnajbu. Itbud is four kilometres from the town proper or Centro while Imnajbu is two kilometres farther northeast. The land is varied. It changes from rocky hills along the coasts to grassy and forest hills in the interior. Most of the land has been cleared for farming. |
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| Celsius. The average (mean) annual air temperature is less than 10 degrees Celsius in January, but it's much more changeable in northeastern Uyugan (Imnajbu). Precipitation is heaviest during the non-summer months brought in by the typhoons that frequent the area. Uyugan's annual rainful varies, but is highest in the north and lowest in the south. The heaviest rainfuls happen in a belt lying inland from Mount Chakarangan in northwestern Uyugan (Songet) to Mount Vatohayao in northeastern Uyugan (Imnajbu). The weather is foggy at the onset of the colder months, caused by the cold polar air from the north (Continental Asia/Siberia) meeting warm moist air from the south. - vbc |
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| Uyugan lies in the southeastern part of Batan Island in the province of Batanes. It covers an approximate land area of 1,500 hectares or 15 square kilometres. Over a thousand people live in the municipality, which is bounded by Mahatao on the north, the Balintang Channel on the south, the Philippine Sea/Pacific Ocean on the east and Ivana on the west. The Uyugan town proper (Centro or Idi to the Isantoninos) is 19 kilometres from Basco, the provincial capital. It's located along the banks of what was once a brook, a kilometre east of the Ivana-Uyugan border. |
| Photography by James Phillips of Arkansas |
| Photography by James Phillips of Arkansas |
| CHANA'TUAN FIELDS AND THE ROCKS |
| Mava'heng |
| May'sanga |
| Dekey a Na'vang |
| Racuh a Na'vang |
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