Ilocos Norte

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Template:More citations needed Template:Use Philippine English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement

Ilocos Norte (Template:Langx), officially the Province of Ilocos Norte (Template:Langx; Template:Langx), is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region. It is located in the northwest corner of Luzon island, bordering Cagayan and Apayao to the east, and Abra to the southeast, and Ilocos Sur to the southwest. Ilocos Norte faces the South China Sea to the west and the Luzon Strait to the north. Its capital is Laoag, which is the most populous settlement in the province.

Ilocos Norte is noted for its distinctive geography and culture.<ref name="DoreenFernandezTIKIM">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This includes numerous examples of well-preserved Spanish colonial era architecture, particularly Saint William's Cathedral in Laoag with its sinking bell tower constructed in the Earthquake Baroque style,<ref name="AnriIchimuraESQ">Template:Cite magazine</ref> the St. Augustine Church in Paoay which is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites in the Philippines,<ref name="PaoayChurchPRIMERMag">Template:Cite magazine</ref> and the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse. Famous geographical features include the La Paz Sand Dunes, the beaches of Pagudpud, and the eroded calcarenite Kapurpurawan rock formation in Burgos.<ref name="CallejoGretchenEtAl2015">Callejo, Gretchen & Fernando, Allan Gil & Silva, Leopoldo. (2015). New Age Dates of the Kapurpurawan Rock Formation in Burgos, Ilocos Norte based on Foraminifera Assemblage.</ref>

It is the birthplace of several notable Philippine leaders, including former President Ferdinand E. Marcos,<ref name="Benedicto2021">Template:Cite journal</ref> Philippine Revolutionary War general Artemio Ricarte and Iglesia Filipina Independiente co-founder Gregorio Aglipay.<ref name="MuseoIlocosNorteBATAC">Template:Cite web</ref>

Three wind farms are located in Ilocos Norte. They are located in Burgos, Pagudpud, and Bangui; with the latter being the first wind power generation plant in the Philippines.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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History

Early history

Template:Unreferenced section Long before the arrival of the Spaniards, there existed an extensive region consisting of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra and La Union. Merchants from Japan and China often visited the area to trade gold for beads, ceramics, and silk. The Austronesian inhabitants of the region called their place samtoy, from sao mi toy, which literally meant "our language".Template:Citation needed

Spanish colonial era

Template:More citations needed section In 1571, the Spanish conquistadors had Manila under their control and they began looking for new sites to conquer. Miguel Lopez de Legazpi's grandson Juan de Salcedo volunteered to lead one of these expeditions. Together with 8 armed boats and 45 men, the 22-year-old voyager headed north. On June 13, 1572, Salcedo and his men landed in present-day Vigan then proceeded to Laoag, Currimao, and Badoc. As they sailed along the coast, they were surprised to see numerous sheltered coves (looc) where the locals lived in harmony. They named the region Ylocos and its people Ylocanos.

As the Christianization of the region grew, so did the landscape of the area. Vast tracts of land were utilized for churches and bell towers in line with the Spanish mission of bajo las campanas.Template:Citation needed It was not uncommon to see garrisons around the town plaza and under the church bells. Indigenous peoples living in the Ilocos Region, such as the Yapayao and Isneg, were slowly pushed into living in the sparsely populated but resource-rich mountains, which would expose them to conflicts with developers in later eras, such as during Martial Law under Ferdinand Marcos.<ref name="Pawilen2021SolidNorthMyth">Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Rp

Spanish colonization of the region was not completely successful. Owing to the abusive practices of many Augustinian friars, a number of Ilocanos revolted. Noteworthy of these were the Dingras Uprising (1589) and the Pedro Almasan Revolt (San Nicolas, 1660). In 1762, Diego Silang led a series of battles aimed at freeing the Ilocano. When he died from friendly fire, his widow Gabriela continued his cause. Later on, she, too, was captured and executed.

In 1807 the sugar cane (basi) brewers of Piddig rose up in arms to protest the government's monopoly of the wine industry. In 1898, the church excommunicated Gregorio Aglipay for refusing to cut ties with the revolutionary forces of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. Unperturbed, Aglipay nevertheless established the Iglesia Filipina Independiente.

In an effort to gain political control and because of the increasing population of the region, a Royal Decree splitting Ilocos into two provinces - Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur - was signed on February 2, 1818. Soon thereafter, La Union and Abra became independent provinces.

Japanese occupation

After the fall of Corregidor and the subsequent occupation of the Philippines by the Empire of Japan, a number of small guerrilla groups formed in the area of Ilocos Norte.<ref name="AgoncilloFateful"/> While some resorted to banditry, Governor Roque Ablan Sr. and Philippine Army Lt. Feliciano Madamba were able to put together a guerrilla unit to engage the Japanese forces and to rally the other guerrilla groups into a common force. The leaders were assigned specific sectors using a system for distributing news and orders.<ref name="AgoncilloFateful">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="MortonFall">Template:Cite book</ref>

Philippine independence

Template:See also The decade after the recognition of Philippine independence marked a return of the tobacco industry to Ilocos Norte. Ever since the end of the tobacco monopoly, tobacco production had declined in the Ilocos as Filipinos started shifting from locally made cigars to foreign made cigarettes.<ref name="StarTabacalera">Template:Cite news</ref> But after reading a feature article series by Maximo Soliven which explained why Virginia tobacco would grow well on Ilocos soil, businessman Harry Stonehill was convinced to invest extensively in rebuilding the industry, establishing the Philippine Tobacco Flue-Curing and Redrying Corporation (PTFCRC) in 1951 and recruiting farmers from throughout Region 1 to produce tobacco.<ref name="NTA"/><ref name="StonehillGhost">Template:Cite web</ref> The following year, La Union Congressman Manuel T. Cases filed a bill to "limit the importation of foreign leaf tobacco," which was eventually signed by President Elpidio Quirino as Republic Act 698.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> This allowed Stonehill's investments to make a handsome profit,<ref name="Kasaysayan9ch2"/> and the newly-rebuilt local industry to bloom.<ref name="NTA">Template:Cite web</ref> Stonehill was later deported a decade later, in the 1960s, for tax evasion and bribery of government officials, in what would later be called the Stonehill scandal,<ref name="Kasaysayan9ch2">Template:Cite book</ref> but the tobacco industry continued to grow.<ref name="StonehillGhost"/><ref name="Kasaysayan9ch2"/>

During the Marcos dictatorship

Template:Main Template:See also Ilocos Norte gained additional prominence in December 1965 when Ferdinand Marcos became president, and again when he won a second term in 1969, boosted by debt-driven infrastructure spending that created economic crises and massive social unrest at the beginning of the 1970s.<ref name="Balbosas1992">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Cororaton1997">Template:Cite journal</ref> Facing the end of his constitutionally allowed presidential terms, he declared martial law in 1972<ref name="politicalEconomyOfAuthoritarianism">Template:Cite book</ref> and became dictator under a system of constitutional authoritarianism for fourteen more years.<ref name="NaveraMetaphorizingMartialLaw">Template:Cite journal</ref> His family and cronies were accused of stealing an estimated US$5 billion to US$10 billion during the 1980s,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="economistHailToTheThief2">Template:Cite news</ref> when the Philippine economy sharply declined<ref name="EJGuido&CheDeLosReyes20170921">Template:Citation</ref> until Marcos was deposed by the civilian-led People Power Revolution of February 1986.<ref name="GazetteHistoryProtest">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name ="Kasaysayan9ch10">Template:Cite book</ref>

Various human rights violations were documented in the Ilocos Norte region during the Marcos martial law era, despite public perception that the region was supportive of Marcos' administration.<ref name="Pawilen2021SolidNorthMyth"/><ref name ="ilocosnorteHR">Template:Cite web</ref> Various farmers from the towns of Vintar, Dumalneg, Solsona, Marcos, and Piddig were documented to have been tortured,<ref name="Pawilen2021SolidNorthMyth"/>Template:Rp<ref name ="ilocosnorteHR"/> and eight farmers in Bangui and three indigenous community members in Vintar were "salvaged" in 1984.<ref name ="ilocosnorteHR"/>

There were also various protests against the Marcos administration at the time, with Aurora Park in the Laoag Plaza being one of the favored places to stage protests.<ref name="Jun Guiang">Template:Cite news</ref> One of the prominent victims of the Martial Law era who came from Laoag was Catholic layperson and social worker Purificacion Pedro, who volunteered in organizations protesting the Chico River Dam Project in the nearby Cordillera Central mountains.<ref name="BantayogProfilePEDRO">Template:Cite web</ref> Wounded while visiting activist friends in Bataan, she was later killed by Marcos administration soldiers while recuperating in the hospital.<ref name="Bulatlat">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Another prominent opponent of the martial law regime was human rights advocate and Bombo Radyo Laoag program host David Bueno, who worked with the Free Legal Assistance Group in Ilocos Norte during the later part of the Marcos administration and the early part of the succeeding Aquino administration. He would later be assassinated by motorcycle-riding men in fatigue uniforms on October 22, 1987 – part of a wave of assassinations that coincided with the 1986–87 coup d'état that tried to unseat the democratic government set up after the 1986 People Power Revolution.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Both Bueno and Pedro were later honored among the first 65 people to have their names inscribed on the Wall of Remembrance of the Philippines' Bantayog ng mga Bayani, which honors the martyrs and heroes who fought the dictatorship,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Pedro was listed among Filipino Catholics nominated to be named Servant of God.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Contemporary

The municipality of Batac became a component city by virtue of Republic Act No. 9407 which sought to convert the municipality into a city. The law was ratified on June 23, 2007. However, the cityhood status was lost twice in the years 2008 and 2010 after the LCP questioned the validity of the cityhood law. The cityhood status was reaffirmed after the court finalized its ruling on February 15, 2011 which declared the cityhood law constitutional.

Ilocos Norte was among the provinces affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, reporting its first three cases of COVID-19 on March 31, 2020, including a male patient each from Batac and Paoay, and former senator Bongbong Marcos, who had arrived from travel to Spain.<ref name="IloNor1stCases">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="DespiteDenials">Template:Cite news</ref> Ilocos Norte experienced surges in cases in 2021,<ref name="INSurgeAugust">Template:Cite news</ref> with the spike reported in August 2021 being attributed to the Delta variant of the virus.<ref name="AugustSurgeIsDELTAptv4">Template:Cite news</ref>

Geography

Ilocos Norte covers a total area of Template:ConvertTemplate:PSGC detail occupying the northern tip of the Ilocos Region in Luzon. The province is bordered by Cagayan to the extreme northeast, Apayao to the east, and Abra to the southeast, Ilocos Sur to the southwest, the South China Sea to the west, and the Luzon Strait to the north.

Administrative divisions

File:Ph fil ilocos norte.png
Administrative divisions of Ilocos Norte

Ilocos Norte comprises 21 municipalities and 2 component cities, further subdivided into 559 barangays. There are two legislative districts in the province. Updated classification of municipalities in Ilocos Norte. Updated Income Class of Ilocos Norte Municipalities Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break Template:Unbulleted list

City Template:Small municipality DistrictTemplate:PSGC detail Population Template:PSGC rubric AreaTemplate:PSGC detail Density Template:Abbr CoordinatesTemplate:Ref label
Template:SmallTemplate:PH census Template:SmallTemplate:PH census km2 Template:Nowrap /km2 Template:Nowrap
Adams 1st Template:Percent and number 1,792 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 1 Template:Coord
Bacarra 1st Template:Percent and number 32,215 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 43 Template:Coord
Badoc 2nd Template:Percent and number 31,616 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 31 Template:Coord
Bangui 1st Template:Percent and number 14,672 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 14 Template:Coord
Banna 2nd Template:Percent and number 19,438 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 20 Template:Coord
Batac 2nd Template:Percent and number 55,201 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 43 Template:Coord
Burgos 1st Template:Percent and number 9,777 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 11 Template:Coord
Carasi 1st Template:Percent and number 1,567 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 3 Template:Coord
Currimao 2nd Template:Percent and number 12,184 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 23 Template:Coord
Dingras 2nd Template:Percent and number 38,562 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 31 Template:Coord
Dumalneg 1st Template:Percent and number 2,947 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 4 Template:Coord
Laoag City 1st Template:Percent and number 111,125 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 80 Template:Coord
Marcos 2nd Template:Percent and number 17,777 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 13 Template:Coord
Nueva Era 2nd Template:Percent and number 9,506 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 11 Template:Coord
Pagudpud 1st Template:Percent and number 23,770 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 16 Template:Coord
Paoay 2nd Template:Percent and number 24,866 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 31 Template:Coord
Pasuquin 1st Template:Percent and number 28,980 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 33 Template:Coord
Piddig 1st Template:Percent and number 21,497 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 23 Template:Coord
Pinili 2nd Template:Percent and number 17,300 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 25 Template:Coord
San Nicolas 2nd Template:Percent and number 36,736 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 24 Template:Coord
Sarrat 1st Template:Percent and number 25,212 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 24 Template:Coord
Solsona 2nd Template:Percent and number 24,121 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 22 Template:Coord
Vintar 1st Template:Percent and number 32,220 Template:PAGR Template:Convert Template:Convert 33 Template:Coord
Total 609,588 593,081 Template:PAGR 3,467.89 Template:Convert Template:Sigfig Template:Convert 559 Template:Small

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Barangays

Ilocos Norte has 559 barangays comprising its 21 municipalities and 2 cities.Template:PH census

The most populous barangay in the province is Barangay No. 1, San Lorenzo (Poblacion) in the City of Laoag with a population of 4,391 in the 2010 census. If cities are excluded, Davila in the municipality of Pasuquin has the highest population, at 3,900. The least populous is Sapat in the municipality of Pasuquin, with only 32.Template:PH census

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Demographics

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The population of Ilocos Norte in the 2020 census was 609,588 people,Template:PH census with a density of Template:Convert.

Religion

File:Paoay Church In Ilocos Norte.JPG
Paoay Church

Roman Catholicism and the Aglipayan Church are the two major religions in the province.Template:Citation needed

Among the major Roman Catholic churches in Ilocos Norte include:

Ilocos Norte is the home of two Aglipay Shrines (Aglipayan Church) in which one of it is where the church's first supreme leader, Gregorio Aglipay, was buried (Gregorio Aglipay National Shrine). There are also increasing numbers of Jehovah's Witnesses. There are also minor but steadily increasing members of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC). It has 2 Ecclesiastical Districts (Batac and Laoag). Each district includes 60 plus locales with barangay chapels. INC has 5-6% adherents. Islam is also practiced by Mindanaoan traders and immigrants.

Languages

Template:Main Ilocano is the main language of the native majority in the province, with La Union recognized it as an official language since 2012.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It became widespread in neighboring regions of Cagayan Valley (Region II), Cordillera Administrative Region and major parts of Central Luzon (Region III)—where Ilocanos settled—as a lingua franca among respective Ilocano and non-Ilocano residents. Ilocano is also recognized as a minority language in Mindoro, Palawan and Mindanao (particularly in some areas in Soccsksargen), where Ilocanos had have been significant residents since the early 20th century. It is a third most widely spoken language in the Philippines, estimating 11 million speakers as of 2022. The language has many speakers overseas, including the American states of California and Hawaii.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Filipino/Tagalog and English are also spoken and understood in the region, utilized in business, education and media.

Aside from Ilocano, Filipino (the national language) and English, there are other two indigenous languages in Ilocos Norte. There are the Isnag language of the east and the Itneg in Nueva Era.

Economy

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File:Bornayjars.jpg
Bagoong fermenting in burnay jars

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Products and industries

The province specializes in the following products and industries:

  • Agriculture — rice, corn, garlic, legumes, root crops, tobacco, and other fruits and vegetables
  • Fisherytilapia and assorted fishes
  • Livestock — swine and cattle
  • Cottage industriesloom weaving, furniture, ceramics, iron works
  • Manufacturing and food processing — salt, empanada, bagoong, patis, basi (native Ilocano wine), vinegar, longganisa, chicharon, bagnet, chichacorn (cornick), jewelry, garments, cereal processing, packaging, mechanized processing equipment
  • Wind Power — Ilocos Norte's position on the northwest corner of Luzon makes it ideal for wind power generation. There is currently a 25 Megawatt wind farm in Ilocos Norte, and several more wind energy projects are being planned
  • Tourism
  • Pottery

Bangui Wind Farm

In 2005, NorthWind Power Development Corp. began commercial operation of the Bangui Wind Farm in the Municipality of Bangui, having initiated and developed the project in response to a 1996 study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) which identified Bangui as one of the viable sites for wind energy sites in the Philippines.<ref name="Windmills">Template:Cite news</ref> Connected to the Luzon Grid, the project was the first wind farm in Southeast Asia,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> supplying 40% of Ilocos Norte's electricity needs,<ref name="wind">Template:Cite news</ref> and becoming a major tourist site for Bangui.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> AC Energy, the listed energy platform of the Ayala Group, acquired the controlling shares of Northwind and of the Bangui Wind Farm in 2017.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Clear left

Culture and the arts

Prominent artists

File:Tampuhan by Juan Luna.jpg
Tampuhan by Juan Luna

Ilocos Norte has given birth to numerous artists that have received national acclaim - perhaps the most notable being Philippine Revolution era activist and leader Juan Luna, who was born in Badoc. The province is also home to at least one National Artists of the Philippines - National Artist for Theater Severino Montano who was conferred the honor in 2001.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Another influential artist was Ricarte Puruganan, one of the Philippines' influential "Thirteen Moderns," who broke away from the painting style of Conservatives, led by Fernando Amorsolo, during the first half of the 20th century.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the folk arts, the Philippines also recognizes Magdalena Gamayo of Pinili. Ilocos Norte as one of its National Living Treasures for textile weaving, preserving the inabel weaving tradition of the Ilocos region.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Damili

The town of San Nicolas is known for its terracotta pottery, called damili after the Ilocano language word for pottery.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> San Nicolas' pottery tradition has been declared part of the Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts' School of Living Traditions program.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Inabel

Template:Main Ilocos Norte is a center of the inabel weaving tradition, whose cloths are well known for being soft but sturdy, with a wide range of pattern designs drawn from Ilocano culture and experience<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Cuisine

Filipino culinary historian Doreen Fernandez notes that bitterness as a flavor principle is a uniquely prominent in Ilocano cuisine, quoting fellow food critic Edilberto Alegre saying the bitter "Ilocos Norte mystique" is best represented in papaitan, a meat variant of kilawin characterized by its bitter flavors.<ref name="DoreenFernandezTIKIM"/>Template:Rp

Government

Template:Further Term of Office: June 30, 2025 - June 30, 2028

File:Official handover turnover of Palarong Pambansa Flag (Rizal, Metro Manila; 2023-08-05) E911a 10.jpg
Cecilia Araneta-Marcos at Marikina Sports Center
File:Ilocos Norte Capitol front sunrise (JP Rizal, Laoag, Ilocos Norte; 11-16-2022).jpg
Ilocos Norte Capitol, the seat of the provincial government
Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos
Vice Governor Matthew Manotoc
Representatives Template:Colbegin

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Provincial Board Members Template:Colbegin

1st District:

  • Roger John C. Fariñas II
  • Johanson T. Chua
  • Rodolfo Christian G. Fariñas
  • Marlon Ferdinand T. Sales
  • Saul Paulo A. Lazo

2nd District:

  • Rafael Salvador C. Medina
  • Joefrey P. Saguid
  • Medeldorf M. Gaoat
  • Giancarlo Angelo S. Crisostomo
  • Aladine T. Santos

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PCL President (Interim) Jaybee G. Baquiran
ABC President Ryan John A. Pascua
SK Federated President Eldritze C. Viernes
IPMR Representative Cheryll Bromeo Tabangay

Tourism

File:Kapurpurawan Rock Formation.jpg
Kapurpurawan Rock Formation in Burgos

Ilocos Norte is a tourist destination, being the location of Fort Ilocandia, hotel, resort and casino. Built between 1981 and 1983 by the Philippine Tourism Authority, the Spanish-Moroccan Villa was designed by Architect Jeorge Ramos.Template:Undue weight inline The golf course on Paoay Lake was built by Marcos in 1977 and was designed by Gary Player.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>Template:Undue weight inline

Also of note are the La Paz Sand Dunes, Malacañang of the North, Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, Bangui Wind Farm, Saud Beach in Pagudpud and the Early Pliocene calcarenite Kapurpurawan Burgos Formation which was sculpted by wind and waves.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Notable people

References

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