Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Ilocos
Long and narrow,
Ilocos Sur
province is sandwiched by the sea on one side and the
Cordillera Mountains on the other. For most tourists the highlight is undoubtedly the
once important trading town of
Vigan
, one of the most atmospheric and enjoyable
cities in the country.
Ilocos Norte
, meanwhile, is still strongly associated in Filipino
minds with former President Ferdinand Marcos, and his family continues to wield
considerable political power in the province. Sites related to the Marcos family
include Ferdinand's
birthplace
in Sarrat, his
mausoleum
in Batac and the mansion
known as the
Malacañang of the North
beside Paoay Lake. On the northern coast,
the town of
Pagudpud
draws visitors from across Luzon with some of the best beaches
on the island.
Vigan
An unmissable part of any North Luzon itinerary,
VIGAN
is one of the oldest towns in
the Philippines. Lying on the western bank of the Mestizo River, it was in Spanish
times an important political, military, cultural and religious centre. The
old town
is
characterized by its cobbled streets and some of the finest
colonial architecture
in the
country, mixing Mexican, Chinese and Filipino features. Many of the old buildings are
still lived in, others are used as curio shops, and a few have been converted into
museums or hotels. The attractions are within walking distance of one another, with
Plaza Burgos
the most obvious reference point, and, adding to the old-world
atmosphere, some streets are open only to pedestrians - unusual in the Philippines
- and romantic horse-drawn
kalesas
(from P50 for a short trip).
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Brief history
In pre-colonial times, long before Spanish galleons arrived,
Chinese
junks came to
Vigan and helped it to become a major trading port. They arrived with silk and
porcelain, and left with gold, beeswax and mountain products brought down by
inhabitants of the Cordillera. Stories of Vigan's riches spread and before long
immigrants from China arrived to settle and trade here, intermarrying with locals
and beginning the multicultural bloodline that Biguenos - the people of Vigan -
are known for.
Spanish domination
he
Spanish
arrived in 1572. Captain Juan de Salcedo conquered the town and named
it Villa Fernandina de Vigan in honour of King Philip's son, Prince Ferdinand, who
died at the age of 4. Salcedo then rounded the tip of Luzon and proceeded to pacify
Camarines, Albay and Catanduanes. In January 1574 he returned to Vigan, bringing
with him
Augustinian missionaries
, and setting about the task of creating a township
his king would be proud of, with grand plazas, municipal buildings and mansions.
One of the potentially incendiary results of this Spanish political domination was the
rise of a
mestizo
(mixed ethnicity) masterclass, whose wealth and stature began to cause
resentment among landless natives. In 1763 things came to a head when revolutionary
Diego Silang
and his men assaulted and captured Vigan, proclaiming it capital of the
free province of Ilocos. When Silang was assassinated by two traitors in the pay of the
Spanish, his wife, Maria Josefa Gabriela Silang, assumed leadership of the uprising. She
was captured and publicly hanged in the town square.
The modern day
Unlike in Manila, many of Vigan's fine
old buildings
managed to survive World War II,
though the humidity and their wooden construction makes preservation di
cult.
Many wealthy inhabitants left town in favour of a new life in Manila, allowing their
