Human Geographical Features of La

Union

History of La Union

Brief History

La Union was created by virtue of a “Superior Decreto” issued on March 2, 1850 by Governor General Narciso Zaldua Claveria out of nine towns of Pangasinan, three of Ilocos Sur and settlements of the Eastern Pais del Igorotes in the Cordilleras. Its creation as a province was formally approved by a Royal Decree issued by Queen Isabela of Spain on April 18, 1854.

From its inception as a province up to the Second World War, La Union experienced transformations in the socio-cultural and politico-economic aspects. After the War, rehabilitation and reconstruction were done eventually propelling the province as the center of commerce and trade and the administrative center of Region I.

A year after Adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legazpi made Manila the capital of the Philippines on June 24, 1571, the Spaniards started the colonization of Ilokos. In June, 1572, the conquistadores led by Juan Salcedo (grandson of Legazpi) landed in Agoo, then a part of Pangasinan called “el puerto de Japon” because enterprising Japanese merchants have been trading with the natives through this port.

The Spaniards marched up north without any resistance. They had their first taste of the Ilokanos’ bravery and fighting heart during a historic battle in Purao (literally, “white” and maybe due to the white sands of the beach) now known as Balaoan. The Spaniards befriended the Ilokanos who reluctantly acceded to be under Spanish rule.

After Cebu became the first provincia in 1565, new provinces have been created by the Spaniards. Three main functions were considered so: political-civil administration, ecclesiastical governance and geographical considerations.

On October 29, 1849 Governor General Claveria signed the proposal (promovido) to unite the Pangasinan-Ilokos-Cordillera areas into a new province called La Union

On March 2, 1850, Governor General Antonio Maria Blanco signed the Superior Decreto that founded La Union – the 34th province since the founding of Cebu in 1565. It was classified as a political-military government (gobierno politico-militar).

• Blanco appointed on March 4, 1850 Captain Toribio Ruiz de la Escalera (Claveria’s former trusted aide de camp) as the first Gobernador Military y Politico.

• On April 18, 1854, Queen Isabella II of Spain issued the royal decree (real orden) from Madrid confirming Blanco’s Superior Decreto.

• By 1860, there was a dramatic progress in commerce and agriculture in the province primarily because of Tobacco. Spanish authorities banked on the prized leaf for further economic development. The industry was so lucrative that a Tobacco Monopoly was established. All Tobacco leaves were strictly monitored and bought exclusively by the government at a fixed price.

• By 1896, the people of La Union had enough of the Spanish atrocities. The torture of the native priests, the execution of Balaoan’s Siete Martires, the persecution of Masons, whose membership included the elite natives; and others have all the more agitated the people to unite and fight their masters for three centuries.

• On May 22, 1898, a shot from a revolver killed the much-hated Friar Mariano Garcia of Santo Tomas, it was a shot heard in the whole province which eventually ignited the revolution in what the Spaniards used to call, “Una Provincia Modelo.”

• Led by Manuel Bondoc Tinio, a boy general under the command of General Emilio Aguinaldo, the Spaniards were finally defeated in La Union, some of whom escaped and sought refuge in Vigan. With the help of the Americans, the Filipinos were finally freed from Spain only to find out later that they will be subjected to a new colonial rule.

• On January 4, 1945 from the ashes of war, La Union underwent massive reconstruction and rehabilitation. Patient and hardworking, the people of La Union marched on to progress and development led by a new breed of innovative, highly competent and down to earth governors.

People and Culture

93%of the population is Ilocano and is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic.

There are communities of Pangasinense in the south, Igorots in the Cordillera foothills, and Chinese in the city.

La Union is highly literate, with San Fernando City as the administrative, educational, and financial center of the region.

Demographics

Population 845,261 (as of 2011)

Growth Rate  1.27%

Population Density 529 persons/sq.km.

Households 160,249

Major Dialects/Languages IloKo, Filipino and English

ReligionPredominantly Roman Catholic

Literacy Rate 96%

Languages/Dialects Spoken

Ilocano is the common dialect in La Union

Pangasinense speak by the residents of the coastal barangay of Sto. Tomas and

Rosario

Ibaloi or Kankanaey speak by the cultural communities in the towns bordering the

Cordillera

English and Filipino remain as basic tools of instruction in schools.

La Union Education

The literacy rate of La Union in CY 2011 was pegged at 95.89 percent, with more males gaining high literacy than females.

The province had adequate classrooms at the elementary level as evinced by classroom to pupil ratio of 1:30 which is lower than the standard of 1:40. More classrooms were needed at

the secondary, as the ratio 1:42 was higher than the standard. As to manpower, the number of public elementary school

teachers totalled to 2,996 with a teacher-pupil ratio of 1:27 while the secondary level teachers accounted a total number of 1,187 or a ration of 1:37.

SOCIAL SERVICES

Number of Hospitals/clinics21 (Government and Private)

Number of Schools 333 Public Elementary56 Private Elementary79 Public Secondary51 Private Secondary20 Colleges5 State Universities

Politics

As of June 30, 2011, the province is composed of:

- 1 city - 19 municipalities- 576 barangays

Provincial Officials

Governor : MANUEL C. ORTEGA Vice-Governor : AUREO AUGUSTO Q. NISCE Congressmen First District : VICTOR FRANCISCO C. ORTEGA Second District : EUFRANIO C. ERIGUEL

First District(Northern Towns)

Sudipen Bangar Luna

Balaoan Santol

San Gabriel BacnotanSan Juan

San Fernando City

Second District(Southern Towns)

Bagulin Naguilian

Burgos Bauang,

Caba Aringay

AgooTubao

Sto. TomasRosario Pugo

Former Governors of La UnionAgaton Yaranon 1946-1947 Doroteo Aguila 1948-1951 Juan Carbonell 1952-1955 Bernardo Gapuz 1956-1959 Eulogio De Guzman 1960-1967 Juvenal Guerrero 1968-1977 Tomas Asprer 1977-1986 Robert V. Dulay 1986-1987 Joaquin Ortega 1988-1992 Justo O. Orros 1992-2001Victor F. Ortega 2001-2007 Manuel C. Ortega 2007-present

Economy

The economy is diversified with service, manufacturing, and agricultural industries spread throughout the province.

The Port of San Fernando operates as an increasingly active shipping point, and the former American airbase Wallace Air Station, having been converted into a business and industrial area, helps to facilitate such commercial activity.

Tourists often flock to the beaches of Bauang, or to the more secluded ones further north for snorkeling, surfing or other water sports; the more northerly beaches near San Juan specifically cater to both local surfers as well as portions of the world surfing circuit.

BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS and INSFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITIES

Manufacturing 58%

Trading 37%

Services 5%

Road Network 1,802.77 Kilometers

Bridges 9,608.58 Lineal Meters

Airport             1 (Domestic)

Seaport 1 (International)

Power all barangays electrified

Water 95% households with potable water; 5 water districts

EMPLOYMENT AND DEVELOPMENT FINANCE

Employment Rate  92%

Unemployment Rate  8%

Employment Distribution Agriculture -         53%Industry     -         10%Services     -         37%

Poverty Incidence 23.30% (among Families) 30.6% (among Population)

Magnitude of Poor Families 35, 618

Magnitude of Poor Population 225, 977

Classification 1st Class Province

Provincial Gov’t Revenue P 119.920 Million(as of 2011) p

Number of Banks 69 (Rural Banks, Government,Universal,Thrifts, Savings and Mortgage Banks-including branches)

Number of Cooperatives 180

Famous Festival

Agoo Semana Santa (Holy Week)the life-size statues depicting the Stations of

the Cross are pulled by devotees along the processional roads during the Good Friday procession.

During the Holy Week, the town people of Agoo come up with religious activities to make the occasion more meaningful and sacred.

Feast of Our Lady of CaysasayAn annual activity in La Union held every

December. Sports activities, beauty contest, and painting contest are among the featured events visitors enjoy.

It is also a time to give importance to Filipino balikbayans through free tours and a balikbayan night.

“Kilawen” festival

Celebrated during Dec. 28 (San Fernando City) A feast is intended to let everyone feel the spirit

of communal unity and togetherness as one town with a taste of good food such as the kilawen of the region and the country.

• Kilawen is an Iluko word which means a delicacy made up of raw meat or fish.

Kilawen Festival

Kilawen Festival

Buyboy Festival

• The province produced primarily buyboy, walis tambo or brooms. So they came up with the idea of celebrating Buyboy Festival in celebration of the 162nd founding anniversary of the said province.

• All women were the participans in the dance parade. Young and senior citizens paraded in their colorful costumes accentuated by buyboy and their graceful dance steps

Dinengdeng Festival

is the official festivity event of the municipality of Agoo, La Union, Phillipines.

It is held annually in summer in celebration of a dish by which its name is derived from.

One of the main purpose of "Dinengdeng Festival" is to promote the local tourism of the town, which is one of the established Spanish settlements in the region.

. "Dinengdeng", is the ilocano term for any vegetable- simmered dish.

Usually cooked in a "banga", a local term for a cooking clay pot being used by the descendants of the local settlers in the ancient times.

Dinengdeng Recipes

Dinengdeng Festivals

Dinengdeng Festival

Famous Person in La Union

Diego Baltazar Silang (1730-1763)

Diego was born on December 16, 1730 in Aringay, La Union to parents Miguel Silang and Nicolasa de los Santos.

Ms. Gloria Diaz• The ever beautiful and

lovely Gloria Diaz is an Ilocana from Aringay, La Union.

• She was Miss Universe 1969 and is still active in the film and TV industry as an actress.

Nova Villa, a veteran comedienne is from the province of La Union. Ruby Rodriguez is her niece.

Camilo Osías (March 23, 1889

Balaoan, La Union - May 20, 1976 Manila) was a Filipino politician, twice for a short time President of the Senate of the Philippines.

Thank You!