Luna, Apayao, Philippines

About Luna, Apayao

Location and Access

Luna is the capital municipality of the province of Apayao, located in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) on the island of Luzon. It lies in the northern part of the Cordillera mountain range, with its inhabited areas spreading across river valleys, rolling hills, and low mountains. As the provincial capital, Luna serves as one of the main administrative and service centers of Apayao.

The municipality is landlocked and is reached primarily by land transportation. Long-distance buses and vans from Metro Manila and other lowland provinces typically travel north via Cagayan and Ilocos Norte, with passengers transferring at junction points in Cagayan (such as the Junction Luna area in Abulug) to local transport bound for Luna. From within Apayao, Luna is connected by road to neighboring municipalities, including Pudtol, Flora, and Santa Marcela, as well as to Kabugao and the more interior towns of the province.

For air travel, the nearest regularly served commercial airports are in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, and Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. From these cities, travelers continue by bus or van toward Apayao and then to Luna. As an inland municipality, Luna has no seaport; cargo and passengers using sea transport typically disembark at ports along the northern and north-western coasts of Luzon and proceed inland by road.

Location of Municipality Hall

The municipal hall of Luna, along with most key local government offices and services, is located in the poblacion area, within the barangay of Poblacion. From this central barangay, roads extend toward the surrounding rural barangays such as Dagupan, Marag, San Isidro Sur, and others, making Poblacion the primary hub for administrative, commercial, and social activities.

Economy of Luna

The economy of Luna is predominantly agricultural. Most households depend on farming, with rice and corn as common crops cultivated in the valley bottoms and irrigated lowlands. Root crops, vegetables, and fruit trees are also grown in backyard plots and on the slopes, contributing to food security and supplemental income. Small livestock and poultry raising, often at household level, provide additional livelihood.

Basic trade and services are concentrated in Poblacion, where public markets, sari-sari stores, small eateries, and various service providers cater to residents from both the town center and the outlying barangays such as Bacsay, Calabigan, San Francisco, and Tumog. Public employment in local government, schools, and health facilities, as well as remittances from family members working elsewhere in the Philippines or abroad, also form an important part of household income.

Natural Resources and Rivers

Luna’s landscape is characterized by a mix of river valleys, hills, and forested slopes that provide fertile land for agriculture and support a variety of natural resources. The municipality is part of the wider Apayao river system, with rivers and streams that supply water for irrigation, household use, and small-scale fisheries. These waterways are vital for rice and corn production in the lowland and valley barangays.

Luna is also known for natural attractions such as the Lussok Crystal Cave and Underground River, a scenic cave and river system located in the rocky slopes of Barangay Dagupan. The cave’s underground river, clear pools, and rock formations have helped draw attention to the municipality’s eco-tourism potential. Surrounding forested and brush areas provide timber, fuelwood, and other forest products, although their use must be managed carefully to prevent degradation and soil erosion.

Power, Water, and Utilities

Electric power in Luna is supplied through the regional distribution network operated by the Kalinga-Apayao Electric Cooperative (KAELCO), which serves the provinces of Kalinga and Apayao. Most households and institutions in Poblacion and in larger barangays such as Dagupan, Marag, and San Gregorio are connected to the grid, while some more remote sitios may still experience limited or intermittent access and may rely on small generators or off-grid solutions.

Water supply systems in Luna are a combination of LGU-supported and community-managed facilities. Residents obtain domestic water from piped systems where these exist, as well as from deep wells, communal faucets, and springs, especially in upland barangays like Luyon, Turod, and Zumigui. In many areas, people still rely mainly on gravity-fed systems and local wells. Mobile phone coverage and basic telecommunications services are available in the poblacion and in many lowland barangays, with signal quality generally weaker in interior and more mountainous areas.

Banking, Commerce, and Health Services

Formal banking facilities within Luna are limited. Everyday financial transactions are often conducted through cooperatives, small lending firms, microfinance providers, and informal savings groups. For full-service commercial banking, ATM access, and a broader range of financial products, residents commonly travel to larger urban centers in neighboring provinces, such as Tuguegarao City or Laoag City, or to more developed town centers along the national highways.

Commerce in Luna is centered in Poblacion, where a public market, small groceries, sari-sari stores, and service shops supply basic food items, household goods, and farm inputs. Rolling stores and traders from neighboring municipalities also bring in products during market days, serving residents from barangays such as Cagandungan, Cangisitan, Quirino, and Salvacion.

Health services are anchored by the municipal health office and rural health units based in or near Poblacion, supported by barangay health stations distributed among the larger barangays. These facilities provide primary health care, maternal and child health services, and public health programs. For more specialized or hospital-level care, patients are usually referred to provincial hospitals elsewhere in Apayao or to larger hospitals in Cagayan Valley and Ilocos Norte.

Education in Luna

Public education in Luna is administered under the Department of Education’s local district for Apayao. Most barangays host at least one public elementary or primary school, ensuring that basic education is accessible to children living in rural communities. Schools are found in barangays including Bacsay, Calabigan, Dagupan, Marag, San Francisco, San Gregorio, and others, with central schools located in and around Poblacion.

At the secondary level, public high schools and integrated schools serve students from Luna and neighboring areas, typically located in more accessible barangays so that learners from interior sitios can commute. In terms of tertiary education, Luna hosts a campus of Apayao State College in Barangay San Isidro Sur, providing degree programs and technical courses to students from across the province. Other students pursue college and university education in cities such as Tuguegarao City and Laoag City, depending on their chosen fields of study.

Local Transportation

Local transport in Luna reflects its rural and agricultural setting. Within Poblacion and nearby barangays, motorized tricycles are the most common form of public transportation, ferrying passengers between homes, schools, government offices, and the public market. In more interior barangays such as Lappa, Luyon, Turod, and Zumigui, motorcycles (habal-habal) are widely used to navigate narrower or unpaved roads and to cross rivers or rough terrain, especially during the rainy season.

There are no regular taxicab services operating within Luna. Travel between Luna and other municipalities of Apayao—such as Flora, Pudtol, Santa Marcela, Calanasan, Conner, and Kabugao—relies mainly on jeepneys, mini-buses, and vans that run along provincial and national roads, with schedules adjusting to passenger demand. For longer-distance travel to Cagayan Valley or Ilocos Norte, residents typically ride provincial buses or vans that connect Luna to major junctions and cities.

January 7, 2026

1️⃣ Andas for Traslación 2026 now ready, with upgrades

The Andas carrying the Black Nazarene for January 9 Traslación features new steering wheel and reinforced underchassis to handle massive devotee crowds safely.

2️⃣ Over 3,500 affected by Mayon volcano unrest

NDRRMC reports 3,515 people from 964 families evacuated in Albay due to recent magmatic eruptions, ashfall, and pyroclastic flows; all in permanent danger zone.

3️⃣ Magnitude 6.4 quake hits off southern Philippines

USGS detects 6.4 quake off Davao Oriental coast—no tsunami threat reported, but locals feel shaking; no immediate damage confirmed.