History of Ilocos Sur.pdf

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extracted text: HISTORY OF !LOCOS SUR. Ilocos Sur was once a part of 1he old province of Ilocos, which included all of the Ilocos provinces (now) and part of the mountain country, but due to the rapid increase in population, it was deemed necessary to divide this region into two provinces; namely, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. The division was made in 1818 and the ca.pita! of the new provinee was Vigan. Vigan is named after a plant growing abundantly around the region of the .town. It is said that when the Spaniards asked the name of the Ilocarto settlement, the natives· answered "Biga,"the name of the plant grow grew in. the place. Captain Juan de Salcedo in his conquest of the Iloc'os Region founded the Spanish city of Fernandina in the heart of the ancient and · prosperous Ilocano settlement of Vigan. ·However, the name of Fernandina was later :discarded and the town finally became known as· "Vigan." · Ilocos' Sur embraces within its limits sorne of the oldest towns 'in ·.the Philippines. Besides ancient Vigan, several towns already existed in this region before the close of the sixteenth century namely Sanqt., Bantay, Narvaran, Candon and Sirtait. In the revolutionary history of the province, only two uprisings .stand out prominently. These uprisings were the Malong rebellion of 1660 and the Silang rebellion of 1763. Diego Silang who led the rebeUion in 1763 dominated the greater part of Ilocos Sul!'. He fought ,pitched ·battles with the Spanish forces at Vigan and Cabugao and practically succeeded in establishing a government of his· own in Ilocos Sur. llocos Sur, a typhoon-swept region, is the narrowest of all the Ilocano provinces. It is located between Ilocos Norte and La Union. It has a reefy coast so that there are only a few places t.hat offer safe shelter for vessels. •&ndan is the principal· port. Page 450 The harbor of Salomague to the north is a sheltered port but it is only sought for during typhoons. Another port is the little but sheltered port of San Esteban. It is a lumber port and before the outbreak of the war it was an unloading point for the sugar produce of the Candon Sugar Central. The mountains of Ilocos Su·i' are almost bare of timber so that the rainfall is scanty and the land is sandy. Rice is produced. The yearly harvest, however, is not enough to meet the needs of the province so that the much needed cereal has to be imported from Pangasinan and Cagayan. The land is adapted to the growth of maguey, a fiber which two decades ago was the principal source of wealth and export. Coconuts are grown in large individual: patches in Candon and in the towns around Candon. Because the soil· cannot· support the people, a great number of its inhabitants turn to other industries. Those along the coast extract salt from the sea water and expor.t it in great quantities to the inland provinces, notably Mt. Province. In San Esteban, there is a quarry of stone from which mortars and grindstones are made. San Vicente. San Ildefonso and Vigan specialize in woodworking; the first in carved wooden boxes and images and the other.s in household fu:rniture. Most of the wood used in these handicrafts are imported from Abra and Cagayan. Bantay is the home of silversmiths. In the other towns saddles, harness, slippers, mats, pottery ancl hats are made and exported 1o some extent. Santa makes bolos which are exported to Pangasinan. Candon on the coa.s.t exports great quanWies .Jf coconuts to Ilocos Norte. Simi and hemp fiber 'extraction ::ind v;eaving of cotton clo·th are common h'm•ehold industries throughout the pro\'ince. Most of the people are Ilocanos but there are also some Tinguianes, Igo1·ots, and Negritos living on the slopes ('Continued on page 490) THE LOCAL GOVER:'.'<)IEN"T REVIEW Republic of the Philippines COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS Manila MST OF MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS ELECT NOVEMBER 11, 1947 ELECTIONS PROVINCE OF CAMARINES NORTE BA SUD Mayor- - - Floro }t.. Quinones (L) Vice-Mayor - Pedro Avida (L) Councilors: 1. Marcelo Laviste (N) · 2. Eduardo Sacris (N) 3. Bernardmo Zabala (L) 4. Timoteo Carillo (L) 5. Loreto Nolo (L) 6. David S. Sarion (L) CAPALONGA Mayor- - - Lucio Jacob (L) Vice-Mayor - Juan Orit (L) Councilors: 1. Hermenigildo Alto (L) 2. Francisco Talento (L) 3. Juan Juego 2nd. (N) 4. Pio Vega (L) 5. Pedro Juego 3rd. (L) 6. Pablo Sa1·miento "(L) DAET Mayor- - Enrique Magana de Leon (N) Vice-Mayor- Moise Gaite (N) Councilors: 1. Sotero Macaro (N) 2. Ricardo Caiieba (N) 3. Epifanio Fel'l'er (N) 4. Irineo Sacriz (N) 6. Manuel B. Fuentebella (N) 7. Pedro M. Edora (L) 8. Nazario Laguman (N) J. PANGANIBAN . Mayor--- Jose Y. Arriola (N) Vice-Mayor -:-- Rudy Juguilon (L) Councilors: 1. Monica E. Agua (N) 2. Rogelio Manalo (L) 3. Pedro D. Escio (L) 4. Macario Opeda (N) 5. Amadeo Evia (N) 6. Roman Blanas (N) 7. Damian Natino (L) (Passed away, post vacant) 8. Crecenciano Martinez (L) LABO Mayor- - - Gil Carr.bronero (L) Vice-Mayor - Pablo Dizon (N) Councilors: ·page 490 1. Domingo Villafuerte (N) 2. Mariano Elep (N) 3. Julian Sena (L) 4. Godofredo V. Pandi (N) 5. Agapito Deriz (N) 6. Cayo Ubaiia (N) PARACALE Mayo1·- - - Pedro M. Tagala (N) Vice-Mayor - Domingo Undazan (L) Councilors: 1. Luis Dasco (N) 2. Sesinando Can (L) 3. Jose Venida (L) 4. Sergio Deauna (Independent) 5. Jesus Calayan (N) 6. Mateo Era (L) 7. Jose Abcede (L) 8. Fidel Calajate (L) (To be continued) -oOo--History of !locos Sur (Continued from page 450) of the Cordillera. At present there are still 9,537 members of non-Christian tribes. The population of the province except ·three towns which have not been heard from yet is 267,943. Ilocos Sur is the center of the Diocese of Nueva Segovia. Vigan is also the religious, educationa' .. J commercial center of the north. Ilocos Sur has produced many leaders in its history. The most notable figure is the President of the Philippines, the Hon. Elpidio Quirino, who was born in .'\Cigan; .Father Jose Burgos ; and Isabelo de los Reyes. IP.resent big figures are Senator Prospero Sanidad of Narvacan, Representative Floro Crisqlogo, Representative Fidel Villanueva, Governor Perfecto Faypon. IBQard Members Anselmo Maki! and Pablo Sanidad, Atty. Cecilio Balbin, Atty. Eloy IBello and many others. Despite the political squabbles· in the province, all are wholeheartedly behind the leadership of •President Quirino, Nacionalistas and Liberals alike.-The "Interscholastic,'' Jan., F'eb., 1949, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVIEW
Date: 1949
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