REGION 1

Also known as the Ilocos Region, is

located in the northwest of Luzon.
It borders to the east the regions of
the Cordillera Administrative Region ILOCOS
and Cagayan Valley, and to the
south of the Central Luzon. Located
REGION
on its west is the South China Sea.
The region is composed of four Join us on unforgettable vacation
provinces, namely : Ilocos Norte, Ilo- to Region 1 where you’ll experience
cos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan. the natural beauty,filled with unique
Its regional center is San Fernando islands,ancient culture and excep-
City, La Union. tional festivals

HISTORY
OF ILOCOS REGION
Bring passport
The region was first inhabited by
the aboriginal Negritos, before they
were pushed by successive waves Get lost? bring compass
ILOCOS of Austronesian immigrants that
penetrated the narrow coast. Shot the beautiful places in

REGION Tingguians in the interior, Ilocanos

in the north, and Pangasinans in
Ilocos

Don’t forget to bring

SEE THE BEST OF THE PHILIPPINES the south settled the region. Before
money
the administration of Ferdinand
Marcos, Pangasinan was not a part
of the region.
ENJOY YOUR DAY!
 PAGUD-
ILOCOS
ILOCOS NORTE PUD
NORTE
Ilocos Norte is a province of the Philippines lo- WHITE
cated in the Ilocos Region. Its capital is Laoag
City and is located at the northwest corner of SAND
Luzón Island, bordering Cagayan and Apa-
yao to the east, and Abra to the southeast, BEACH
and Ilocos Sur to the southwest. Ilocos Norte
faces the West Philippine Sea to the west and
the Luzon Strait to the north.
Pagudpud is a white sand beach that is
It was Southeast Asia’s largest wind farm bounded to the south by the town of Ban-
until its next-door neighbor, the Burgos gui. It’s crystal blue water makes it enticing
Wind Farm, took the title in 2014. Even to the tourist. Pagudpud was one of our
BANGUI WINDMILL with the title stripped, it still draws more destinations before we went to the wind-
tourists than the Burgos Wind Farm be- mils of Bangui. Since it”s just near Bangui,
Arguably one of the most iconic places it’s cold and quite windy in the place
cause of its accessibility.
in Ilocos Norte, the Bangui Wind Farm The place is also well-maintained which
has been synonymous with the region makes it one of the best beaches in the
since it was commissioned in 2005. Philippines. Pagudpud beach is really
Want a more scenic clean and won’t see any algae on the
way of taking in the shore. The water is also clear and blu-
sights at Bangui Bay? ish.
You can ride a horse for
only P100. The Bangui
Wind Farm is located
at Bangui Bay, Bangui,
Ilocos Norte. It’s best to
visit during the day as
these windmills do not
have ample lighting for
night shots.
 PRODUCTS ILOCOS
Agriculture, fishery, manufactur-
ing food process, and pottery. SUR
Ilocos Sur is a province in the Philippines lo-
cated in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Vigan
City, located on the mouth of the Mestizo
FESTIVALS River is the provincial capital. Ilocos Sur is
bordered by Ilocos Norte and Abra to the
FARMER’S FESTIVAL, BA- north, Mountain Province to the east, La
Union and Benguet to the south and the
CARRA South China Sea to the west.
This festival highlights a street dance pa-
rade participated by dressed up farmers
with their products.

MAGDADARAN: TALIP This is the wealth of Vigan. It is intangible.

FESTIVAL The city’s ancestral houses are testaments
BANTAY CHURCH
of the city’s glorious past that survived the
In tribute of the ancient peace pact that
tests of time and still continue to exist today. Commonly known as The Saint Augus-
has brought lasting peace between and
The ancestral houses transform wonder- tine Parish Church, is a Roman Catholic
among ethnic tribes in the province of Ilo-
fully like a caterpillar turning to a beautiful church in Bantay, Ilocos Sur in the Philip-
cos Norte.
butterfly. pines. The church was dedicated to St. Au-
gustine of Hippo. It is also known as the
Shrine of Our Lady of Charity (Shrine of
Nuestra Señora de la Caridad) housing the
miraculous image of Virgin Mary as Our
Lady of Charity, crowned as the patroness
of Ilocandia on January 12, 1956.
The old historic belfry of the church
served as a watchtower for pirates back in
the Spanish colonial era, gave the town its
name - bantay. The church is one of the
oldest in the Ilocos Region.
 F
E
S
T
I LA
V
A
UNION
L
S
SINAIT GARLIC FESTIVAL
Also known as Sinait Bawang Festival celebrated
from May 1-3 in recognition to the hardworking
CALLE CRISOLOGO garlic farmers and their remarkable talents.

Vigan is the third oldest city in the Phil- LONGGANISA FESTIVAL

ippines following Cebu and Manila. It is Held every 22nd day of January that features Vi-
famed for the Philippines’ most beautiful gan’s most sought after “spiced” contribution in
street Calle Crisologo, that brings back his- the field of gourmet. The City of San Fernando is situ-
tory which rivals Intramuros. The streets
KANNADIWAN FESTIVAL ated in the mountainous area
are cover with cobblestone lined with old
Spanish houses from either side. Kannawidan is an Ilocano term which means a at almost the mid-section of La
Calle Crisologo is the only World Heri- feast of rich heritage and culture. Union along the China Sea. It was
tage City in the Philippines inscribed by founded in 1786 and made the
UNESCO because it perfectly preserves the BINATBATAN FESTIVAL “cabecera” or provincial capital
livelihood of the Hispanic colonial era. Draped in their most colourful abel iloko the on the same day that La Union
The best way to tour around Vigan is street dancing depicts the old age Ilocano. became province in 1850.
by foot or tricycle because it is such a small
city, the sights are only a few minutes away
from each other.
 Agriculture remains to be the primary in-
dustry. Cottage industries are blankweav-
ing, basketry, bamboocraft, pottery, and
broommaking. Commercial activity con-
sists mostly of wholesale retail business.

MA-CHO BALUARTE FESTIVALS

BASI FESTIVAL
The Ma-Cho, Mazu or Ma Cho Temple is Built by the Spaniards during their hey- Every 1st week of May, the town of nagulian,
a Taoist temple to the Chinese sea-goddess days, the mighty Baluarte was used as watch La Union with fun the genuine Ilocano art of
Mazu located on Quezon Avenue in Baran- tower and observation post by the authori- wine making.
gay II, San Fernando, La Union in the Phil- ties. Today, Baluarte stands in disarray, ver- DINENGDENG FESTIVAL
ippines. It was built in 1977 by a group of tically cut in two because of eroded base and This is a festival related to the much-loved Ilo-
Filipino-Chinese devotees under the leader- foundation, its two halves stand through cano Culinary staple that is equally famous like
ship of Dy Keh Hio. concrete post supports on its sides. pinakbet and bagnet. Every Ilocano has its own
With an elevation of 70 above sea level, The 5.6-meter tall watchtower is among dinengdeng version.
the 7-story temple is a towering 11-tiered, the province’s tourist attractions. It is also TABAKO FESTIVAL
multi-hued attraction on a more than a hect- a haven for pebble or stone pickers, a major
This is a celebration to an industry that genu-
are of lot and accessible by separate routes. livelihood of the province.
inely exemplifies the resilience and sturdiness
of the Ilocano farmer.
 LINGAYEN BEACH

PANGASINAN
Lingayen Public Beach can be found in Lin-
gayen, the capital of Pangasinan province.
This beach is a very relaxing place for every-
WANDER,EXPLORE,DISCOVER one. Its long seashore, fine sand, clear water
and cool breeze from the ocean are extremely
fun and enjoyable.
Lingayen Beach is well known for resorts that
provide inexpensive but beautiful beach cot-
tages and huts. Beach hotels, resorts and res-
taurants serve freshly grilled seafood which is
perfect when you are on the beach.

BOLINAO FALLS
Bolinao Falls is a short waterfall which is a
result varying elevations of the Balingasay
River, thus the water falls down to a pool of
water located on a lower elevation.
Bolinao Falls is about 19 kilometers away
from Bolinao town proper in the middle of a
wide field; to which one need to survive 6 kilo-
meters of dirt and rocky road from the nation-
al highway of Bolinao. Its location is exactly in
the middle of dirt and grasslands of Bolinao.
 HUNDRED ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK
The Hundred Islands National Park is a na-
tional park in the Philippines. The protected
area is located in the city of Alaminos, in the
province of Pangasinan in northern Philip-
pines.
The islands, totaling 124 at low tide and 123
at high tide, are scattered in Lingayen Gulf
covering an area of 16.76 square kilometres
(6.47 sq mi). The Lucap wharf in Alaminos,
the entrance to the National Park, is about
240 kilometres (150 mi) north of Manila,
the capital of the Philippines.

The islands are believed to be about two million years old. There are actually ancient corals that
extend well inland, in an area previously comprising the seabed of an ancient sea. The lowering of
the sea level have exposed them to the surface. The peculiar “mushroom-like” shapes of some of
the islands were caused by the eroding action of the ocean waves.

P B
Patar Beach is a creamy white sand beach that
slopes gradually from shore making it good for
swimming. It is a public beach so it gets practi-

A E cally no maintenance. The tangle of seaweed

in some areas especially during the hot and

T A
dry months of April and May attests to this fact.
There are several more stretcthers of white
sandy beach with coral rock formatioins and

A C small coves as you head further down south

along the coast.

R H
PEOPLE, CULTURE & THE ARTS Magnolia Katrina Anies
Rose Ann M. Bonador

DANCES
About half the people of Pangasinan are Hereyn Melayo
Pangasinenses a distinct ethnoliguistic
group found along the central coastand
interior plains of the province. BINASUAN
(beeh-nah-SOOH-ahn) This colorful and lively
The Pangasinenses are also noted for dance from Bayambang in the Pangasinan
their industry and their enterprise. Buri province shows off the balancing skills of the
hat making, mat weaving, wooden shoe dancers.
manufacture, brick and pottery making
and metalcraft are among the tradition- BINOYUGAN
al industries that continue to thrive in (beeh-noh-YOOH-gahn) A dance originally from
Pangasinan. the Ilokano region of Pangasinan. Binoyugan
features women balancing on their heads a
banga or clay pot which they use to fetch water
from the river or well, or in which to cook rice.
OASIWAS

Pangasinan abounds in handicrafts and

is famous for bamboo and rattan arti-
(wah-SEE-wahs) After a good catch, fishermen
of Lingayen would celebrate by drinking wine
and by dancing, swinging and circling a lighted
m
lamp.
facts. There are also handicrafts made
of marsh grasses. A familiar sight down SAYAW ED TAPEW NA BANGKO CONTACT US
Central Luzon after harvest time are Sayaw ed Tapew na Bangko A dance native to
Meg’s Traveler
the bullock caravans originating from the province of Pangasinan (especially in Lin- 11 Makulay Street Brgy. NiMayor, Q.C
Pangasinan laden with bamboo, rat- gayen), and demands skill from its performers 565-540-6788
tan, and grass crafts, including chairs, who must dance on top of a bench roughly six wowphilippines.com
tables, hampers, baskets, lamps, mats, inches wide.

REFERENCES
and household bric-a-brac.

www.launion.gov.ph
www.tourism.gov.ph
www.ilocosnorte.gov.ph
www.ilocossur.gov.ph
pangasinan.gov.ph
https://tripadvisor.com