Sure, ILOCOS SUR

Ilocos Sur (Ilocano: Makin-abagatan nga Ilocos) is a province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Vigan City, located on the mouth of the Mestizo River is the provincial capital.The province of Ilocos Sur comprises 2 districts, 1st & 2nd district, 2 component cities, 32 municipalities, and 768 barangays. Vigan City is the capital (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilocos_Sur)

Trivia: Brief history of the Province of Ilocos Sur

Before the coming of the Spaniards, the coastal plains in northwestern Luzon, stretching from Bangui (Ilocos Norte) in the north to Namacpacan (Luna, La Union) in the south, were as a whole known as a progressive region called the Ylokos. This region lies in between the China Sea in the west and Northern Cordilleras on the east. The inhabitants built their villages near the small bays on coves called “looc” in the dialect. These coastal inhabitants were referred to as “Ylocos” which literally meant “from the lowlands”. The entire region was then called by the ancient name “Samtoy” from “sao ditoy” which in Ilokano mean “our dialect”. The region was later called by the Spaniards as “Ylocos” or “Ilocos” and its people “Ilocanos”. The Ilocos Region was already a thriving, fairly advanced cluster of towns and settlements familiar to Chinese, Japanese and Malay traders when the Spaniard explorer Don Juan de Salcedo and members of his expedition arrived in Vigan on July 1574. Forthwith, they made Cabigbigaan (Bigan), the heart of the Ylokos settlement their headquarters which Salcedo called “Villa Fernandina” and which eventually gained fame as the “Intramuros of Ilocandia”. Salcedo declared the whole Northern Luzon as an encomienda. Subsequently, he became the encomendero of Vigan and Lieutenant Governor of the Ylokos until his death in March 11, 1576. Augustinian missionaries joined the military forces in conquering the region through evangelization. They established parishes and built churches that still stand today. Three centuries later, Vigan became the seat of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia. A royal decree of February 2, 1818 separated Ilocos Norte from Ilocos Sur, the latter to include the northern part of La Union (as far as Namacpacan, now Luna) and all of what is now the province of Abra. The sub-provinces of Lepanto and Amburayan in Mt. Province were annexed to Ilocos Sur. The passage of Act 2683 by the Philippine Legislature in March 1917 defined the present geographical boundary of the province. The names of famous men and women of Ilocos Sur stand in bold relief in Philippine history. Pedro Bukaneg is the Father of Iluko Literature. Isabelo de los Reyes will always be remembered as the Father of the Filipino Labor Movement. His mother, Leona Florentino was the most outstanding Filipino woman writer of the Spanish era. Vicente Singson Encarnacion, an exemplary statesman, was also a noted authority on business and industry.

How to get there:

There is an extensive road network that leads to the province from various parts of Luzon. There are several bus lines that ply the Manila-Vigan route. Among these are: The Philippine Rabbit us Line, Partas Co., and Dominion. The 405 km distance from Manila to Ilocos Sur is a comfortable and scenic seven hour ride.

If you’re coming from abroad, the fastest way to get to Ilocos Sur is through Laoag International Airport. Laoag International Airport is in Laoag City, the capital of Ilocos Norte. Laoag International Airport caters to international flights from the USA, Taiwan, Macau, Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China. If you’re coming from Manila (via Manila International Airport), you can take Philippine Airlines which flies to Laoag City four times a week (except Wednesdays). Make sure you check with the airlines as schedules do vary. To get to Ilocos Sur (Vigan) from Laoag City, you can easily take public transportation. Travel time usually takes 1 hour and 30 minutes (80 kilometers).

Source: http://www.ilocossur.gov.ph/

Let’s explore the province of Ilocos Sur! Intayon!

Tagudin, officially the Municipality of Tagudin, is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 39,277 people. The name of the municipality was derived from a native cotton drying rack called “tagudan.” A Spaniard who came to the place asking its name wrote it as its name when told by a resident, who thought that he was asking the name of the traditional apparatus she’s using. The right picture is one of the scenic views in Tagudin, it is the Ambalayat Hanging Bridge, this 200-meter foot bridge was constructed on 1999 through funds from RA 7171 headed by Former Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson. It aims to provide convenience to the people of Ambalayat in crossing the Chico River especially during rainy season. Now, it is a wonderful tourist attraction for those people who want adventure. While in the left picture, it is the Amburayan River, this is the preferable site for the Ilocano tradition gulgol. (http://tagudin.gov.ph/?p=462)

Santa Lucia, officially the Municipality of Santa Lucia, is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. The middle picture was the municipal hall of Sta. Lucia. In the right picture, one of the product of the town, Peanut Butter, a food paste made primarily from ground dry roasted peanut and is popular in North America, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Australia and parts of Asia, particularly the Philippines and Indonesia. In the Philippines, Sta. Lucia in the Province of Ilocos Sur is the main producer of peanut butter. In the left picture, Sta. Lucia Church, the only one in the province with a transept and experts describe the dome overhead as Renaissance in style. Consoles projecting downward from the cornice make the church façade attractive. A four-storey tower with a mini-dome at the top stands to the right side of the church façade. (http://sanjosenyonggala.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-visit-to-town-called-santa-lucia.html)

Salcedo, officially the Municipality of Salcedo, is a 4th class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. In the right picture, the Rambutan,a medium-sized tropical tree in the family Sapindaceae. The fruit produced by the tree is also known as rambutan. In Salcedo, Ilocos Sur, rambutan trees grows infront of their backyards, hence, it makes them to be their product. In the left picture, the Bago resort, the word “Bago” was derived from the name of a local tribe living in this area. The water in the pool comes from the waterfalls of Mount Madarang. Yes, it is chlorine free and the water is very cold.

Candon, officially the City of Candon, is a 4th class component city in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. Dubbed as the “Tobacco Capital of the Philippines” the city is the country’s largest producer of Virginia-type tobacco. In the left picture, it is the Darapidap Beach Resort, located in Darapidap, Candon. While in the right picture, it is the Kalamay, also spelled Calamay which means “sugar”, is a sticky sweet delicacy that is popular in many regions of the Philippines. Kalamay from Candon City, Ilocos Sur is sold wrapped in banana leaves or in coconut shells, though modern packaging uses polystyrene containers wrapped in cellophane. Candon City also celebrates a Kalamay Festival. (https://www.ilocoshotels.com/index.php/local_travel_guide/view/4/ilocos-sur-one-town-one-product.html)

Santiago, officially the Municipality of Santiago, is a 4th class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. Santiago Cove is dubbed as the “Boracay of Ilocos Sur” because of its white sands. In the right picture, it is Handloomwooven products or the abel is the traditional woven product of Ilocos region. The abel cloth is known for being a strong, colorful material. The fabric is so strong and beautiful that some families have them as heirlooms that last as long as their antique furnishings. In Santiago, you will witness the mini Santorini Island, which copied Santorini in Greece, one of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea.

Santa Maria, officially the Municipality of Santa Maria, is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. The town is home to the Our Lady of the Assumption Church (Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The townspeople celebrate their patronal fiesta in honor of the Virgin Mary as Our Lady of the Assumption (more commonly known as Apo Baket) every August 15 and lasting for several days. In the right picture,it is Sugarcane vinegar made from sugar cane juice and one of the most popular in the Philippines, particularly in the Ilocos Region where it is called “Sukang Iloko”. It ranges from dark yellow to golden brown in color, and has a mellow flavor, similar in some respects, to rice vinegar, though with a somewhat “fresher” taste. Contrary to expectation, containing no residual sugar, it is not sweeter than other vinegars. In the Philippines, it often is labeled as sukang maasim, although this is simply a generic term meaning “sour vinegar”. In the left picture, it is the Santa Maria Church, one of the four churches (the others being Miag-ao Church in Iloilo, Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte, and San Agustin Church in Manila) clumped as the Baroque Churches of the Philippines inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site List.

Narvacan, officially the Municipality of Narvacan, is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. The town supposedly got its name due to an event that would later shape the town’s history itself. Narvacan was, according to local history, discovered by Captain Juan de Salcedo, leader of the Spanish expeditionary force sent from Vigan. Captain Salcedo’s group was shipwrecked along the town’s coast and while the natives are rescuing them, they asked what is the name of the place. The leader of the natives, not knowing any Spanish language only managed to ask back, in Ilokano, “Narbakan?”, meaning “are you shipwrecked?”. The Spaniards thought this was the name of the place and from then on, that place was called “Narvacan”. In the right picture, Bagnet, to put it simply, is crispy fried pork belly, a cross between Chicharon and Lechon Kawali, where the lean meat is crispy but not dry and the pork skin with all the pork fat is fried to a crisp.”Every household knows how to make bagnet. The best tasting bagnet is produced in Narvacan,” Zaragoza said (The Municipal Mayor of Narvacan, Ilocos Sur). In the left picture, Narvacan Outdoor Adventure Hub (NOAH), you will enjoy activities close to the elements: earth, wind, water, and fire. It offers the following activities: paragliding, climbing the via ferrata, ziplining, off-road driving, sailing, windsurfing, and kite surfing. A unique adventure camp, NOAH is located between a mountain and the sea, making it the perfect base for all activities.

Santa, officially the Municipality of Santa, is a 4th class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. he mountain in the east, the winding roping river in the north, and the immense sea in the west make Santa a poetic town.” In the right picture, Black Smith Produts are made up from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut. The municiplaty of Santa is producing black smith products like gates, grilles, railings, light fixtures, tools, agricultural implements, and buneng (bolo knife). In the left picture, the Banaoang Brifge, actually a newer bridge was already built to replace Banaoang Bridge when it was partially destroyed by a storm in 2001. Though the old Banaoang Bridge was reconstructed, it is now seldom used and serves more of a tourist attraction. The bridge is best viewed from a viewing deck in Barrio Banaoang, Santa.

Bantay, officially the Municipality of Bantay, is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. In the right picture, it is the Handloomwooven products or the abel is the traditional woven product of Ilocos region. The abel cloth is known for being a strong, colorful material. The fabric is so strong and beautiful that some families have them as heirlooms that last as long as their antique furnishings. In the right picture, the Bantay Church Bell Tower, 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.

Vigan (Ilocano: Siudad ti Vigan; Tagalog: Lungsod ng Vigan; Local pronunciation: [ˈbigän]), officially the City of Vigan, is a 4th class component city and capital of the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. In the right picture, it is the Vigan Longganisa, a small and plump native sausage, good for about two or three bites. It is garlicky and has a yellowish color. Although it is eaten anytime, even as a bread filling, it is traditional favored as breakfast fare together with fried eggs and steamed or fried rice. It is best dipped in Ilocos vinegar with plenty of chili, garlic and onions. In the left picture, the historic Calle Crisologo, take a stroll along Calle Crisologo while trying to resist (and ultimately fail) to get yourself a souvenir (and possibly more grub), know more about Ilocanos through the Ilocos Regional Museum Complex.

Cabugao, officially the Municipality of Cabugao, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. In the right picture, it is the Bamboo Craft, it is one of the most common materials used in house constructions in the provinces called “kubo” or “nipa hut” and now used in furniture making like sala set, outdoor tables and other materials. In the left picture, it is the Pug-os beach, the town’s historic Solamague Port fronting Solamague Island was a port of call for traders and seafarers from neighbouring Asian countries in the olden days. Today, it serves as the unloading point of commercial fishing vessels as well as the transshipment port of goods and products to Taiwan.

Sinait, officially the Municipality of Sinait, is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. In the right picture, Garlic, Garlic Festival is held in Sinait, Ilocos Sur known as the Garlic Center of the North. It is held during the 1st to 3rd of May. This festival aims to showcase the talent, ingenuity and hard work of the Ilocano farmers. Aside from that, it also aims to encourage the farmers to mass high quality garlic using modern technology. In the left picture, it is the Cabangtalan beach, where you can relax with your family and friends.