Ilocos Sur: The Heart of Ilocandia
If your idea of a great vacation involves digging into the past, you might want to take a tour in Ilocos Sur. You may not find a pyramid or castle ruins, but you will surely see a place that can only be described as a museum of a rich and colorful past.
The story of Ilocos Sur can be told in the same historical events and episodes which fill the pages of our country’s past. It is similar narrative of conquest, exploitation, persecution, revolution and emancipation as the Philippines. The great men and women of Ilocos Sur who sailed forth from her native bosom into the limelight of history wrote with their immortal deeds of bravery, courage, and heroism the records and chronicles of the times. Indeed, the Ilocos Sur story reads like excerpts of the Philippine history, chapters of the Filipino saga made unforgettable by the exploits and achievements of Ilocos Sur’s sons and daughters through the long march of our country and the progress of our people from the era of colonialism to the sunlight of liberty and freedom.
Kannawidan Ylocos Festival
Ilocos Sur, my very own province has rich and stunning cultures and traditions which every Ilocanos must be proud of. In order to showcase these, we have important festives just to exhibit and promote product of ours and precious cultures of Ilocanos to attract and invite tourist to come and visit Ilocos. One of this is the Kannawidan Ylocos Festival whic is a week long festive of happiness of local and foreign tourists as more entertaining events are included in the celebration.
Kannawidan is an Ilocano term which means a feast of rich heritage and culture. The feast is in commemoration of the separation of the two provinces of Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte by virtue of the royal decree on February 2,1818. The celebration is considered as the prime festival of the province and is a visual and is a feast for the indigenous costumes, dances, and songs, religious rituals, cookfest and trade fairs that showcases distinctly Ilocano products.
Ilocos Sur Dancing Fountain
The Dancing Lights of Vigan is located at Plaza Salcedo, where they hold it every night. There’s no entrance fee, so better go early as the place is jam packed before the show starts at around 7pm.
The living museum of the Philippines
Established in the 16th century, Vigan is the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. Its architecture reflects the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Philippines, from China and from Europe, resulting in a culture and townscape that have no parallel anywhere in East and South-East Asia.
Vigan, officially the City of Vigan (Ilocano: Ciudad ti Bigan; Filipino: Lungsod ng Vigan) is a fourth-class component city and capital of the province of Ilocos Sur in the Philippines. The city is located on the western coast of the large island of Luzon, facing the South China Sea. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 53,879 people.
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in that it is one of the few Hispanic towns left in the Philippines where its structures have remained intact, and is well known for its cobblestone streets and a unique architecture that fuses Philippine and Oriental building designs and construction, with colonial European architecture.
In May 2015, Vigan City was officially recognized as one of the New7Wonders Cities together with Beirut, Doha, Durban, Havana, Kuala Lumpur and La Paz. New7Wonders Foundation president and founding member Bernard Weber led a ceremony held at St. Paul Cathedral where he handed a bronze plaque to Vigan Mayor Eva Grace Singson-Medina, signifying the heritage city’s election as one of the world’s wonder cities.
Calle Crisologo
When you mention Vigan here in the Philippines, the first thing that comes to mind would be its famed street that is lined up of old architectural structures built in the Spanish era. That famous location is the Calle Crisologo. Named after a prominent son of Ilocos, Mena Pecson Crisologo, this street is famous for still being preserved to retain its Spanish colonial architecture legacy that makes it a tourist attraction in the Philippines.
What you can mostly see here in Calle Crisologo are souvenir shops, cafes, bars, and hotels which are previously ancestral homes of well-known figures in the past. It is also where you can find the best products to buy in Vigan, ranging from food, snacks, up to hand-woven items. Also, what completes the Calle Crisologo look would be the horse carriages or what the local calls as “calesa.” These carriages are used as transportation for tourists or even locals to get to one place or another. There are also calesa tours operating in the area where you can hire your own to see the other famous attractions around the town.
Longganisa Festival
The Vigan City Fiesta is held every January 25. It is celebrated during the feast day of the conversion of St. Paul the Apostle. St. Paul is Vigan City’s patron saint. Before his conversion, St. Paul was known as Saul, a zealous persecutor of Christians. After he was touched by a personal encounter with Jesus Christ on his way to Damascus, his name was changed to Paul and he endured a lot of hardships and danger to spread the word of God to far places.
The Longganisa Festival is not just a showcase of the tasty longganisa delicacy but it also serves as an avenue to show the local talent. The Longganisa street dancing competition is one of the staple events for this annual event where different provinces across Ilocos region participate. Interestingly, it revolves around dramatizing how to make the Vigan longganisa,
Viva Vigan Festival Of the Arts
Held every first week of May, festivities include Binatbatan street dancing, calesa parade, Karbo festival traditional games, religious rituals in honor of the Black Nazarene, santacruzan, abel iloko fashion shows, exhibits trade/food fairs and other exiting events.
Vigan Twilight Festival / Raniag Fesival
The city has its own way to enliven the culture of the Ilocanos during the All Souls Day season through the Raniag Vigan Twilight Festival. This festival depicts the culture of the Ilocanos during Halloween wherein families are reunited to commemorate the beautiful memories they shared with their departed loved ones.
An Exploration to the Different Municipalities of Ilocos Sur
First District Municipalities
Sinait
Sinait, officially the Municipality of Sinait, is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 25,640 people.
Because of its main commodity, garlic, Sinait is also known as the Garlic Center of the North.
Salcedo named the new community as “SIN-NAIT”, a word in the local tongue which means “CONTEST”. As a pueblo, SINAIT embraced and included in its territorial limit such as distant places as RANCHERA DE PAUR”, now the Municipality of Nueva Era in Ilocos Norte and Southern barrios of Badoc of the same Province. The vast territory, however, was reduced to present 78 square kilometers. In the year 1575, the natives fully realized the hardships of pronouncing the term “SIN-NAIT” and to go away with the trouble, Salcedo declared that one of the letter “N” be dropped. Since then, this Municipality has been called “SINAIT”.
Cabangtalan Beach
Features white sand beach. It is located on the way to Barangay Dadalaquiten.
Bawang Chips
Bawang is the Filipino word for garlic of which the town of Sinait known as the Garlic Center of the Philippines. There are a very small amount of vitamins and minerals in garlic, such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, and selenium and vitamins C, A and B. However, most of garlic’shealth benefits come from potent anti-cancer compounds, immune-strengthening molecules and heart disease-preventing antioxidants it contains.
Cabugao
Cabugao, officially the Municipality of Cabugao, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 37,501 people
In the beginning, the place was only a wilderness, a thick forest where peaceful nomadic tribesman roamed and hunted. For fish, which were also abundant, there was a river. On these occasional visits, the hunters noticed the fertile and flatlands that can be tilled and they decided to stay. They were the first settlers.
Cabugao Island
Salomague Island or popularly known as Cabugao Island. A small paradise located in the small barangay of Sabang in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur.
Town Fiesta
The annual town fiesta is held in honor of the town’s patron saint, St, Mark the Evangelist, whose feast day falls on April 25. It is usually a week-long festivity led by the municipal government and the church. Agro-industrial fairs, sports fests, indigenous cultural shows, coordinated and implemented with the assistance of farmers’ groups, sports’ associations, and cultural groups enliven the merrymaking.
Cabugao ChichaPop
San Juan
San Juan, formerly Lapog and officially the Municipality of San Juan, is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines.
The name of the municipality has gone through a series of changes. The early settlers and occupants called it “Lapo”, short for “Lapo-Lapo”, a tall grass which grew everywhere in the area. In the year 1772, Don Tomas Aquino, the first local leader, initiated the organization of the scattered communities into one, calling the place “Lapog”, a derivative of local vernacular “Lap-Lapog” which means unirrigated land. For 189 years, “Lapog” remained in the records as the official name of the town until June 18, 1961, Republic Act №3386 was enacted and it was renamed to San Juan. Since most of the inhabitants were of the belief that religious names bring peace, happiness, and prosperity, the town was renamed “San Juan”, after the name of its patron saint, Saint John the Baptist.
Tapao Mountain Resort
Tapao mountain resort is the place perfect for those who want a calm and relaxing environment. It’s called Tapao, meaning top, because the resort is situated on top of a mountain. Sometimes, mostly during weekdays, you can visit the place when there are no customers other than you. It will feel like you own the whole place. They have 7 feet deep pools which can be used by those who love to dive. They also have three kiddie pools so your children can also enjoy the place. Their facilities are well-maintained and the pools are really clean. For those who can’t swim, you can rent life savers for fifty pesos each. They also have billiard facilities. Tapao mountain resort is located in San Juan, Ilocos Sur. There’s no signboard going to Tapao but you can ask the locals there. They are honest and will give you good directions.
San Juan Buri Bag
Magsingal
Magsingal, officially the Municipality of Magsingal, is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 30,792 people. The name of the municipality came from the term “Mayisingal,” an Ilocano term which means “to be moved.” It was applied when the belltower was moved from a previous location to its current site.
Magsingal Museum
The Magsingal Museum in Ilocos Sur was formerly a convent of Spanish architecture built in 1676. Restored and transformed into a museum in October 1982, the Magsingal Museum showcases the material culture of Northern Luzon. A short distance from this museum is the P Burgos House, birthplace of Filipino priest patriot Fr. Jose Burgos. The P Burgos House was turned over to the National Museum in January 1989. It exhibits the collections depicting the cultural development of Vigan and the memorabilia of Fr. Burgos and his family. Some of the highlights of the collections are the priceless 14-piece Villanueva paintings depicting the famed Basi Revolt of 1807, some religious images, Vienna furniture and ‘ other period pieces and heirlooms, antique collections of ethnographic and archaeological objects revealing the colorful Ilocano past.
Tinubong
Tinubong means cooking a mixture of young coconut meat, sugar, margarine, cheese, and ground glutinous rice inside a young bamboo or tubong. This native rice delicacy is a favorite among the Ilocanos, which they usually serve during special occasions such as birthdays, Christmas, and New Year.
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, officially the Municipality of Santo Domingo, is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 27,975 people
The name of the municipality came from its old moniker, “Paggappuan ti Santol ti Domingo,” an Ilocano term meaning “The source of the Santol sold every Sunday.” Santol (Sandoricum koetjape) is the name of the tree bearing round, yellowish fruits growing in abundance in the municipality, notably in Barangay Pussuac.
Puerto Beach
Squash Noodles
Squash Noodles is a nutritious noodle prepared from a blend of wheat flour, squash puree, salt, egg, and noodles improver. It is golden yellow and contains 513 kilocalories, 13 grams protein, and 1.12 mg. beta-carotene per 100 grams. A 50-gram serving of the noodles will provide 16% energy, 20% protein, and 24% vitamin A of the Recommended Dietary Allowance of 4 to 6 year old children. It is the main product of Sto. Domingo, Ilocos Sur.
San Ildefonso
San Ildefonso, officially the Municipality of San Ildefonso, is a 5th class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 7,787 people.
He became the patron saint of the municipality, and his name was decided to become the name of the fledgling municipality.San Ildefonso was a former rancheria of Bantay before it became a municipality, but because of its size it was annexed to Santo Domingo as a barrio.
Basi
The ingredients in making “BASI” the local wine, is at the booth of San Ildefonso town which is known for the Gongogong Basi Revolt in 1807 during the Spanish regime. These are sugarcane juice, Kariskis and Samak.
Now bottled in recycled wine bottles, the basi has leveled up to changing tastes. Then town Mayor Christian Purisima, who got the moniker ‘Basi’ because of his initiative in putting the old ‘basi’ into the now crowd, has made varieties such as tannic, sweet and spicy.
San Vicente
San Vicente, officially the Municipality of San Vicente, is a 5th class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 12,758 people.
San Vicente evolved from a simple small sub part named Barrio Tuanong of Vigan City to an independent town that would be the local furniture town.
St. Vincent Ferrer Church
St. Vincent Ferrer Church (San Vicente, Ilocos Sur province) was built in 1795. The church’s facade has two layers of columns divided by ornate architraves. It is considered as one of the loveliest Baroque churches in the Ilocos region.
Miracles are attributed to the parish’s patron saint, St. Vincent Ferrer, attracting pilgrims from all over the Philippines. The convoluted cornices in the church’s top section add beauty to the structure. Octagonal columns topped with mini-domes rise from the base on both sides of the church façade. The ornate wooden pulpit is well preserved. The church is one of the main pilgrimage sites in Ilocos province and the feast day of St. Vincent Ferrer is annually celebrated on April 5.
Furniture
The municipality is known for its production of beautiful furniture made from narra and other tropical hardwoods, even from old wood previously used in wooden sugarcane crushers and old houses to make reproduction antiques.
Santa Catalina
Santa Catalina, officially the Municipality of Santa Catalina, is a 5th class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. When the Augustinians were busy with the Christianization of the Ilocos Region, a group of missionaries sailed westward through the river known as “El Mestizo” to the place now called Santa Catalina.
OveMar Resort and Hotel, Sta. Catalina Ilocos Sur
Set amidst lush green lawns just 150 m from the beach, OveMar Resort Hotel is situated within a 10-minute drive from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Vigan City and a free shuttle service is provided. It offers free Wi-Fi access and complimentary parking.OveMar Resort Hotel operates a 24-hour front desk and offers meeting/banqueting facilities on request. Guests can enjoy swimming at the outdoor pool, or arrange a chargeable shuttle service to visit the nearby attractions.The in-house Oceanic Restaurant serves a delectable spread of international cuisines while the Serenity Bar offers a menu of local snacks and drinks. Room service option is also available. OveMar Resort Hotel is just a 2-minute drive to Santa Catalina Beach.
Caoayan
During pre-Spanish times the port of Pandan was an important trading post for Chinese and inter-island vessels, and one of the commodities once traded there was bamboo. With the arrival of the Spaniards came the project to identify the names of places in the Philippines. Spaniards, patrolling the area for pirates known as tirong, came to a place near the island called Puro, and asked the name of the place. Thinking that the Spaniards wanted to know the name of the bamboo floating in rafts on the Baggoc River waiting to be traded, they answered “kawayan.” The Spaniard then listed the place’s name as Caoayan.
Caoayan Bridge
A seemingly ordinary bridge at daytime becomes extraordinary at night. That is how we describe Caoayan Bridge in the town of Caoayan, Ilocos Sur just south of Vigan City. Glamorous lights cover the whole span of the bridge making it different to other bridges in Ilocos Sur. Because it’s beauty is beyond doubt, Caoayan bridge is attracting local tourists here. People riding on motorcycles and other private vehicles stop over this bridge to take a photo and to as well savor the beauty of the bridge by night.
Heritage Resort of Caoayan
Bantay
The municipality’s name came from the fact that its patron, Our Lady of Charity, protects the town. The miraculous image was found on board a ship stranded somewhere along the Ilocos Coast during the Spanish Era. They enshrined and venerated the image in a chapel made from cogon grass and bamboo. Many other people from other towns came to claim the miraculous statue, but failed to even move it. Only people from the town can move the statue. As a result those who attempted to claim the miraculous statue went home, believing that the Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Charity would remain forever to guard the place.
Another origin is that the municipality is bordered by the Carballo mountains, which forms a natural boundary between the town and neighboring Abra. “Bantay” is an Ilocano term meaning “mountain,” and “guard.”
Bantay Bell Tower
Bantay Bell Tower was first built in 1591, it served as the town’s watchtower before being turned into a bell tower by the nearby church in 1857. Located roughly 10 minutes from the town of Vigan, it’s located in the town of Bantay, Ilocos Sur.
It has looked over the town of both Bantay and Vigan for centuries, and was known as Diego and Gabriela Silang’s favorite date spot during the 17th century. The bell tower is situated on a hill, making it the best vantage point for those who were assigned to watch over the towns of Vigan and Bantay.
Quirino Bridge
This scenic arch bridge traversing the Abra River is located between two beautiful mountains and is built to honor then-President Elpidio Quirino. It was once partly destroyed by Super Typhoon Feria, hence a different-looking third quarter portion. On December 2007, Chinese engineers and a local construction company started to build a new, 456 meter-long replacement, a stone’s throw from the original bridge. It was officially opened by then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on December 30, 2009. The old bridge, an iconic symbol of Ilocos Sur, is currently preserved as a tourist attraction.
Quirino Stadium
The sports facility used to be unadorned until the completion of the Quirino Stadium’s rehabilitation in April 2016 by the Ilocos Sur Government in February 2014. A inauguration ceremony was held in April 30, 2016 following the renovations. New installments on the facility were a blue rubberized athletics track, basketball and lawn tennis courts, as well as an artificial turf on the existing football field.
Credited Sources: http://www.ilocossur.gov.ph ; https://en.wikipedia.org ; https://triptheislands.com ; http://www.cabugao.gov.ph/ ; vigancity.gov.ph ; https://cities.new7wonders.com/wonders/vigan-philippines/ ; http://www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph/
