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Vigan - "The Old World City" Brief Description Vigan, with its centuries-old edifices, is a breathing reminder of what was once a royal city. One of the earliest Spanish settlements in the country, Vigan was founded in 1572 by Juan de Salcedo who patterned its design to that of Intramuros (Old Manila). It became the seat of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia and was called Ciudad Fernandina in honor of King Ferdinand. Today, Vigan retains much of the patina of 18th century Castillan architecture as seen in some 150 stone houses which stand in the town's Mestizo District, notably Mena Crisologo Street. Many of these ancestral homes are still in good condition and some have been turned into cozy inns, museums, and souvenir shops. Along with the homes are other vestiges of the town's colonial past: The majestic St. Paul's Cathedral was built by the Augustinian friars along the distinct "Earthquake Baroque" style of the Ilocos region and features Neo-Gothic and pseudo Romanesque motifs. Standing on an elevation west of the cathedral is Plaza Salcedo, the oldest monument in Northern Luzon. The Archbishop's Palace is a rich repository of religious artifacts from the Ilocos region. Plaza Burgos was built in honor of Fr. Jose Burgos, one of three Filipino priests who were garroted by the Spaniards for espousing church reforms. But it is not only edifices which are preserved in this town inscribed in the World Heritage List. Viganos also remain steadfast in their traditional crafts, notably pottery (burnay) and handloom weaving (inabel). The horse-drawn calesa (rig) is as much a presence in the streets as motor vehicles. The province of Ilocos Sur is where the Ilocos Region’s myriad of cultures and histories converge to become a living museum of a spirited past. A national shrine, a national landmark, a national museum, heritage museums, ancestral houses, period houses, cobble-stoned streets – they all share space in the timeless land of Ilocos Sur. Found in the province is the historic town of Vigan, which was inscribed in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in November 1999. 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 and from China with those from Europe to create a unique culture and townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia. Its Kamestizoan District is replete with ancestral houses with ancient tiled roofs, massive hardwood floorings, ballustrades and azoteas in varying Spanish-Mexican-Chinese architectural styles. Centuries-old Sta. Maria Church, declared a National Landmark, was used as a fortress during the Philippine Revolution of 1896. Tirad Pass, declared a National Shrine, had been the last stand of the Filipino Revolutionary Forces under General Emilio Aguinaldo during the same period. Bessang Pass served as the backdoor to General Yamashita’s last ditch defense during the last stage of World War II. Geography Ilocos Sur is located along the western coast of Northern Luzon. It is bounded by Ilocos Norte on the north, Abra on the northeast, Mt. Province on the east, Benguet on the southeast, La Union on the south, and the China Sea on the west. Its area of 2,579.58 square kilometers occupies about 20.11 % of the total land area of Region 1. The topography of Ilocos Sur is undulating to rolling with elevations ranging from 10 to 1,700 meters above sea level. Language/Dialect Filipino and English are the basic tools of instruction in schools while Ilocano is the principal dialect. Kankanaey and Itneg are spoken in cultural communities. Political Subdivision Ilocos Sur has 34 municipalities which are subdivided into 764 barangays. They are Alilem, Banayoyo, Bantay, Burgos, Cabugao, Candon, Caoayan, Cervantes, Galimuyod, Gregorio del Pilar, Lidlidda, Magsingal, Nagbukel, Narvacan, Quirino, Salcedo, San Emilio, San Esteban, San Ildefonso, San Juan, San Vicente, Santa, Santiago, Sta. Catalina, Sta. Cruz, Sta. Lucia, Sta. Maria, Sto. Domingo, Sigay, Sinait, Sugpon, Suyo, Tagudin, and Vigan. Climate The climate is generally dry as defined by the Hernandez type of climate. Classification is characterized by more dry months usually from October to May. However, the southernmost portion (part of Cervantes) is observed to be humid and rain is evenly distributed throughout the year while the eastern part of Sugpon is dry with rain not sufficiently distributed. August has the most rainfall while January and February have the least. The mean temperature in the province is 27 degrees C. January is the coldest. Population In the 2000 census, the population of Ilocos Sur was 594,206. Vigan City, the capital of Ilocos Sur, has a population of 45,143. The population in the province for year 2000 increased by 1.85% relative to the 1995 census. Major Industries The people are engaged in farming, producing food crops, mostly rice, corn, vegetable, rootcrops, and fruits. Non-food crops include tobacco, cotton, and tigergrass. Cottage industries include loomweaving, furniture making, jewelry making, ceramics, blacksmithing, and food processing. Brief History Before the advent of the Spanish Regime, settlements already existed along the coves or “looc” in the northern part of Luzon. These settlements called the “Ylocos” which extended from Bangui in the north to Namacpacan in the south were discovered during the expedition led by Juan de Salcedo in 1572. Juan de Salcedo decided to establish his headquarters in a settlement along the Mestizo River, then named “Kabigaan” because of the “gabi”-like plants abundantly growing by the bank of the river. Vigan also became the seat of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia and was called “Ciudad Fernandina” in honor of King Ferdinand. Vigan remains to be the capital town of Ilocos Sur. On February 2, 1818, the Ylocos was divided into two provinces: Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. At that time, Ilocos Sur encompassed what are now the northern towns of La Union up to Luna and Abra. Also annexed were Lepanto and Amburayan in Mt. Province. Act 2683 passed on March 1917 by the Philippine Legislature defined the present geographical boundaries of Ilocos Sur. Vigan and Ilocos Sur are Famous for... Tirad Pass Declared as a National Shrine, the pass located in the municipality of Gregorio del Pilar was the last stand of the Filipino Revolutionary Forces under General Emilio Aguinaldo. Bessang Pass A monument stands on this strategic gap west of Cervantes, which served as the backdoor to General Yamashita's last ditch defense during the last stage of World War II. Sta. Maria Church A National Landmark, this centuries-old church nestled atop a hill at the townproper of Sta. Maria was used as a fortress during the 1986 Revolution. Ancestral Houses Kamestizoan District in Vigan is replete with ancestral houses with ancient tile roofs, massive hardwood floorings, ballustrades and azoteas in varying Spanish-Mexican-Chinese architectural styles. Pagburnayan (Jar) The Ilocano jar called “burnay,” used for storing the local vinegar, local wine “basi,” and “bagoong” and as a decorative ware, is produced in factories using the pre-historic method in the southwestern end of Liberation Avenue in Vigan. Loom Weaving Among the Ilocanos’ main cottage industries, it produces quality towels, blankets, table runners, and clothing materials with ethnic Ilocano designs. Vigan Heritage Village The historic town of Vigan was inscribed in UNESCO's World Heritage List in November 1999 because of its outstanding development in architecture, urban planning, and landscape design. Established in the 16th Century, Vigan serves as a testimony to a cultural tradition that has disappeared. How to Get to Vigan An extensive road network links Region I to the other parts of Luzon. Please refer to the list of buses that travel to and from Ilocos Sur and Manila. Sea transport facilities are concentrated in the Port of San Fernando and Currimao. MV Ivatan Princess, the first passenger line in Northern Luzon, leave Currimao seaport every Wednesday & Sunday to Batanes. The Salomague Port in Cabugao has facilities as a containerized transhipment port. These are primarily for the movement of goods. Air transportation is provided by the Air Philippines, Chemtrad Aviation with available flights from Manila to Laoag. The Laoag International Airport cater to international flights from Taiwan, Hongkong and Guangzhou. The San Fernando Airport, now under the administration of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) has been expanded to be ready to take in bigger planes. Ilocos Sur Emergency Services Medical Facilities Gabriela Silang General Hospital Quirino Blvd., Tamag, Vigan Lahoz Clinic and Hospital Vigan (077) 722-2772 Central Ilocos Sur District Hospital Narvacan (077) 732-5756 St. Martin de Porres Clinic and Hospital Candon (077) 742-6464 Candon General Hospital Candon (077) 742-6112 Sta. Lucia District Hospital Sta. Lucia Southern Ilocos Sur District Hospital Tagudin (077) 748-7015 Salcedo Medicare and Community Hospital Salcedo Magsingal District Hospital Magsingal Pira Clinic and Hospital Cabugao (077) 728-5105 Sinait District Hospital Sinait (077) 728-5394 Reyes Clinic and Hospital Sta. Maria (077) 732-5511 Ancheta Clinic and Hospital Vigan Adora Clinic & Hospital Vigan (077) 722-2248 Bessang Pass Memorial Hospital Cervantes Police Philippine National Police Hotline 166 Police Stations and Outposts are located in all towns. source: Department of Tourism |
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