About Nueva Vizcaya
Named by Spanish colonial authorities after the mountainous province of Vizcaya (Biscay) in Spain, the province of Nueva Vizcaya covers an area of approximately 1,500 square miles and maintains a population of approximately 500,000. Home to several indigenous tribes, the province is bordered by mountains on three sides — the Cordillera on the west, Caraballo on the south, and Sierra Madre on the east. The main source of income is agriculture, especially vegetables and fruits which are sold in the populous areas of central Luzon and Metro Manila. Mining for minerals such as gold and molybdenum has proliferated, causing environmental degradation. Immigration to Nueva Vizcaya from other parts of the Philippines continues to create economic dislocation and strain the province’s already-limited resources. A 2020 report by the Philippine Statistics Authority found that 11.4% of families in the province do not earn the $1.35 per person per day minimum income required to meet their basic survival needs.
Our Connection to Nueva Vizcaya
GIFT International Foundation was founded by the children and relatives of the late Samuel Addauan Tiam and his wife, Teofila Tumaliuan Tiam. It was in Nueva Vizcaya where Samuel and Teofila raised their family and established themselves as pillars of the community. They were both born in Bayombong, and their lives were spent in service of their community. Everyone around them was an extension of their family, and they sought to do everything in their power to uplift their community, especially when it came to education. The values of charity, service and education were embedded in their children, and they serve as the inspiration for our work today.