Did you know that?

Ilocos Norte

► The province is noted for being the birthplace of former Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos, who led an authoritarian rule over the country during the later half of his incumbency.

► Long before the coming of the Spaniards, there already existed an extensive region (consisting of the present provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra and La Union) renowned for its gold mines. Merchants from Japan and China would often visit the area to trade gold with beads, ceramics and silk.  

► On June 13, 1592, Salcedo and his men landed in Vigan and then proceeded towards 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. As a result, they named the region "Ylocos" and its people "Ylocanos".

► Vast tracks of land were utilized for churches and bell towers in line with the Spanish mission of “bajo las campanas”.  In the town plaza, it was not uncommon to see garrisons under the church bells.   


► Gregorio Aglipay established the “Iglesia Filipina Independiente”.  Aglipay’s movement and the national sentiment it espoused helped restore the self-respect of many Filipinos.

► On February 2, 1818, a Spanish Royal Decree was promulgated dividing the Province of Ilocos Norte from Ilocos Sur. Laoag City, which was then the biggest center of population, was made the capital of Ilocos Norte.”

► For more than two and one-half centuries, the original Ilokos province remained intact until 1818 when it split into Ilokos Norte and Ilokos Sur.
 

Ilocos Sur

►In 1763, during the British occupation of the Philippines, Ilocos Sur was ruled by the British appointed governor, Ilocano freedom fighter Diego Silang, until he was shot in the back by Miguel Vicos in Vigan.
► On December 2, 1899, the Battle of Tirad Pass happened

► Ilocos Sur was founded by the Spanish conquistador, Juan de Salcedo in 1572.

► Ilocos Sur was formed when the north (now Ilocos Norte) split from the south (Ilocos Sur)

► In 1942, the Japanese Imperial forces occupied the province.

►In 1945, the province was liberated from the Japanese with the joint efforts of Filipino & American soldiers including Ilocano guerrillas.

► The 1970s were dark periods for the province as armed men known as the "saka-saka" (Ilocano, literally "bare-footed") terrorized the province; and this reign of terror resulted in the famous burning of the barangays of Ora East and Ora Centro in the municipality of Bantay. This era ended with the rise of Luis "Chavit" Singson to the governor's seat.

La Union

► 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.  

► 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.

► October 29, 1849, Governor General Claveria signed the proposal (promovido) to unite the Pangasinan-Ilokos-Cordillera areas into a new province called La Union (the official name designated by Claveria himself).

► On March 2, 1850, Governor General Antonio Maria Blanco signed the Superior Decreto that founded La Union 

► La Union was the 34th province since the founding of Cebu in 1565.

► 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 of La Union

► Led by Manuel Bondoc Tinio, a boy general under the command of General Emilio Aguinaldo, the Spaniards were finally defeated in La Union

► Tinio acted as “de facto governor” of La Union but was later on replaced by Dr. Lucino Almeida as Presidente Provincial. 

► La Union’s first Civil Governor was facilitated in 1901.

► On January 4, 1945, the tides of war changed in La Union as Filipino-American soldiers captured Baroro Bridge in Bacnotan, a strategic bridge that connects the rest of Northern Luzon to San Fernando. The victory ensured the liberation of La Union.

Pangasinan

► They are proficient in salt-making so they call their new home Pangasinan which means “the place where salt is made.”  

► Pangasinan was among the earliest political and administrative units in the Philippines.

► It was officially conquered and colonized by D. Martin de Goiti in 1571.

► Spanish priest-historian, Fray Juan Ferrando, calls Salcedo the “first discoverer” of Pangasinan.

► Pangasinan celebrates April 5, 1580 as the official founding day of the Province of Pangasinan

► On April 5, 1572, Pangasinan was made an encomienda by the Spanish royal crown to receive instruction on the Catholic Faith, which means that Pangasinan was organized under one leadership and has identity before the Spanish royal court.  

► Eight years later, in 1580, Pangasinan was organized into a political unit under an alkalde mayor who at that time has authority as head of the province or provincial government with judicial function indicating that Pangasinan has become a province. 

► The Sual Power Plant in Sual started operating with Pangasinan as the host province, this is the largest and most effective coal-fired power plant in the Philippines servicing the Luzon grid.


Source:
Ilocos Norte. http://inorte.org/?page_id=2948
Ilocos Sur. http://www.ilocossur.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79&Itemid=191
La Union. http://www.launion.gov.ph/page.php?7 
Pangasinan. http://www.pangasinan.gov.ph/the-province/history/