One Ilocos Norte: Unveiling the Treasures of Laoag City

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"Ilocandia is the perfect beginning to an awesome Philippine adventure."

- It's More Fun in the Philippines

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Video credit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwXZ1ARHNdU

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      Amazing culture, astonishing architectures, world-class natural sceneries, great people and good ambiance... name it, Ilocandia got it! It is indeed a great plan to have fun in the Philippines with Ilocos Norte as your first mark in your destination list.

 

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     When you start your Ilocos Norte adventure, you're most likely to start in Laoag. It's the capital of Ilocos Norte and the hub of every Ilocano. In other words, it's a 1st class city in the province of Ilocos Norte.

Where's Laoag?

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     The City of Laoag is found at the west central portion of the Province of Ilocos Norte surrounding the South China Sea. It is sorrounded on the east by the Municipality of Sarrat; in the Southeast by the Municipality of San Nicolas; in the Southwest by the Municipality of Paoay; in the Northeast by the Municipality of Vintar; in the Northwest by the Municipality of Bacarra; and in the West by the South China Sea. It is one of the cities in Region I.

    It is found between 120 degrees and 31 minutes to 120 degrees and 40 minutes longitude and between 18 degrees and 16 minutes north latitude.

    The City of Laoag is parallel with the Manila North Road and is 78 kilometers from Vigan, Ilocos Sur, 217 kilometers from the City of San Fernando, La Union, the Regional Capital; 274 kilometers from the Summer Capital, Baguio City; 363 kilometers from Tarlac; and 488 kilometers from the National Capital Region, Metro  Manila.

     Laoag City is strategically found at the northern tip of the Northwestern Luzon Growth Quadrangle.  It is within two hours of jet travel to any one of Asia's economic tigers by way of the Laoag International Airport if direct routes are opened and established.

     Specifically, Laoag is eight hours by land travel and one hour and forty-five minutes by air to Manila, forty-five minutes by air to Taiwan, one hour and forty-five minutes to Japan and two hours to Mainland China or Hong Kong.

Ermita Hill by www.facebook.com

Laoag at Olden Times
     At the entrance of the Spaniards in the Philippine Islands, they found out that the natives were divided into community groups, each living its own independent government. That there were centers of population as was observed by Captain Juan de Salcedo, Ilocos was extra ordinary in size. In Laoag alone, the population went as high as 6,000. This was the greatest number of inhabitants in a "barangay" or "puroc" in the whole country at the advent of the Spaniards. The houses of the natives, made of bamboo and cogon numbered to no less than a thousand. These were built and compactly arranged around a hill known

Padsan River by www.zamboanga.com

as "Ermita Hill", located at the Southeastern section of what Laoag is now at the very brim of the northern bank of the Padsan River. The natives must have chosen this spot for the location of their community not only of its proximity to the river which is indispensable to them as source of their protein, that is fish,, shellfish, and water for drinking and washing. Buzeta, commenting on the practice of the Ilocanos in constructing their houses very close to one another, that no space was left for their orchards contrary to the common practice of the natives in their places of island who constructed their houses isolated on the fields adjacent to their farms.

     The late Don Luis Montilla, who for several years, was Director of the National Library (now the Rizal Centennial Commission) unquestionable documents in the National Archives which mention 1580 as the real date of the organization of Laoag as a parish under the Patronage of St. William, the Hermit, whose feast is celebrated on the 10th of February of every year.

    

Juan de Salcedo by xiaochua.net

The occupants of Ilocos Norte at the arrival of Salcedo were a sturdy and industrial race predominantly Malay. The first wave of Malay Immigrants to the Philippines came back abut 200 to 300 B.C. These immigrants were the less civilized Malays - ancestors of the Igorots, Ifugaos, Bontocs and Tinguians of Northern Luzon.

     The second wave arrived after the Christian Era, beginning about the first century A.D. and continuing through the succeeding centuries until the 13th century. These migratory waves saw the advent of the alphabet using Malays - ancestors of the present Ilocanos, Tagalogs, Visayans, Bicols, Pampangos, and other Christian Filipinos. To these better civilized Malays belonged the Ilocanos that Salcedo found in the Ilocos in 1572.

     The Spaniards found the inhabitants of Ilocos with distinctive peculiarities in character and culture. They looked very similar to the Tagalogs with faded hair, big eyes, olive-like color, flat nose and with very thin beard or none at all. However, they spoke a different dialect that, although belonging to a common tongue as the Tagalogs, had required certain modifications and idiosyncracies making the Ilocano dialect quite different from the Tagalog.

     Though Laoag was transformed into a city in 1965 through a plebiscite, leaving its municipal  status, it remained the capital of Ilocos Norte. The first city mayor was Hon. Eulalio F. Siazon.

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Why "Laoag"? 

     The name of the city "LAOAG" is a origin of the Ilocano term "lawag", which means light/brightness. According to history, Laoag has a clear, blue skyline.  It was from this evidence, perhaps, that the place was given the name "Laoag."

      Historical records show that Laoag was organized as a town in 1585, becoming the first parish and first town in the northern portion of the old Ilocos - Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and La Union.
      Laoag became a city in January 1966 by virtue of Republic Act No. 4584.  It has remained the capital city of Ilocos Norte up to the now.

Treasure Hunt: Glittering Jewels of Laoag City

       Laoag City is known to have a matchless destination offering fascinating surprises, panoramic sand dunes, verdant vegetation, attractive beaches, highland lures, historical and heritage sites. And to prove the accolade, here are some picturesque that will surely amaze you with its hidden treasures.
 

Juan Luna is a famous artist and political activist in the 19^th century. He is the creator of the infamous Spoliarium. - See more at: http://www.e-philippines.com.ph/philippine-tourist-destinations/ilocos-travel-and-tour-packages/where-to-go-laoag-tourist-spots/#sthash.kRm6NiD0.dpuf

Juan Luna Shrine