▁Sab ala ▁arrived ▁in ▁C ag ay an ▁with ▁a ▁hundred ▁fully ▁equ ipped ▁soldiers ▁and ▁their ▁families ▁by ▁order ▁of ▁Gonz alo ▁Ron qu illo ▁de ▁Pe ñ alo za , ▁the ▁fourth ▁Spanish ▁Governor - General ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines . ▁The ▁expedition ary ▁force ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁explore ▁the ▁C ag ay an ▁Valley , ▁to ▁convert ▁the ▁n atives ▁to ▁Catholic ism , ▁and ▁to ▁establish ▁ecc les iast ical ▁miss ions ▁and ▁towns ▁throughout ▁the ▁valley . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 9 ▁June ▁ 1 5 8 3 , ▁Spanish ▁conquist ador ▁Juan ▁de ▁Sal ced o ▁trac ed ▁the ▁northern ▁coast line ▁of ▁Lu zon ▁and ▁set ▁foot ▁on ▁the ▁Mass i ▁( P am pl ona ), ▁T ular , ▁and ▁A par ri ▁areas . ▁ ▁La ▁Provin cia ▁de ▁C ag ay an ▁In ▁ 1 5 8 3 , ▁through ▁a ▁Spanish ▁Royal ▁Dec ree , ▁the ▁entire ▁n ort he astern ▁portion ▁of ▁Lu zon ▁( specific ally , ▁all ▁territ ories ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁Cord ill era ▁mountains ▁and ▁those ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁Car ab allo ▁mountains ) ▁including ▁the ▁islands ▁in ▁the ▁Bal int ang ▁Channel ▁were ▁organized ▁into ▁one ▁large ▁political ▁unit ▁called ▁the ▁La ▁Provin cia ▁de ▁C ag ay an . ▁The ▁provincia ''' s ▁territorial ▁del ine ation ▁en comp ass ed ▁the ▁present ▁provinces ▁of ▁Bat anes , ▁Isabel a , ▁Qu ir ino , ▁Nueva ▁V iz c aya , ▁including ▁port ions ▁of ▁Kal