Region 1

Ilocos Region

Ilocos is a region in the Philippines, bordering the northwest coast of the island of Luzon. It is renowned for its
historic sites, beaches and well-preserved Spanish colonial town of Vigan.

GEOGRAPHY
Region 1 is located in the northwest of Luzon. In its eastern borders are regions of Cordillera Administrative
Region and Cagayan Valley and in the south is Central Luzon. To the west north is the Philippines Sea.

MAJOR INDUSTRIES
-Crops- Palay, Corn, Banana, Mango, Tomato, Tobacco, Coconut.
-Food Processing
-Mass Transportation operation
-Aqua Culture
-Mining

CULTURE
*FAMILY
- The structure of the Ilocano family conforms to the general Filipino pattern. Most families compose of an
average size (6-7 persons).

* BAIN
- is the Ilocano trait for hiya or amor propio (sense of shame).
* Ilocanos fear of gossip and would strongly avoid being envied by others.

* PANAGDAYAW
- respect for the sensitivities of others
- Ilocanos tend to speak about themselves in the humblest of terms.

* WEDDING TRADITION
-The groom makes a panagpudno (formal announcement) to the soon-to-be bride’s parents about his
intention of marrying their daughter.
-His parents will then visit the bride’s parents to set
the wedding date. Parents consult a planetario, which is like an almanac that identifies “lucky” days.
-"ninongs” and “ninangs” to give their obligatory “monetary gift”.

*DEATH TRADITION
-To announce a death of a family member, a piece of atong wood is lit in front of the deceased’s house. It is
kept burning until after the burial. The fire is extinguished with white wine.
FACTS
*Ilocos means “people in the river”
*The Ilocano people are “ KURIPOT”
*Pangasinan means “the placed where the salt is made”
*Malacanang of the North- where the place of official residence of the Marcos Family.
*Ilocos history is filled with Tobacco smoke.

THE REGION IS COMPOSED OF FOUR PROVINCES

*Ilocos Norte- The Best of Culture and Nature
*Ilocos Sur- Heritage of the Philippines
*La Union- Pilgrimage Center of North Luzon
*Pangasinan- Hundred islands and hundred flavors

PROVINCES AND ITS CAPITAL

*Ilocos Norte- Capital: Laoag City
*Ilocos Sur- Capital: Vigan City
*La Union- Capital: San Fernando City
*Pangasinan- Capital: Lingayen

ILOCOS NORTE
(First Province)
The Best of Culture and Nature

Ilocos Norte, Philippines is a beautiful province found in the Ilocos Region. It is attracting many tourists both local and
abroad. The place offers various tourist destinations highlighting nature and historical sites

GEOGRAPHY
Ilocos Norte is found in the north-western part of Luzon, covering an area of 366,200 hectares. It is bounded to the
north by the Babyan Channel; to the south by Ilocos Sur; to the south by Abra; to the east by Cagayan; and to the west
by the South China Sea.

 Capital: Laoag City

 Ilocos Norte has a total land area of 3, 400 square kilometers
 Ilocos has 557 barangays comprising its 21 municipalities
and 2 cities.
ATTRACTIONS

Marvel at the  Bangui Windmills Paoay Sand Dunes

Majestic
Paoay Church
*Marvel at the Majestic Paoay Church- The Paoay Church is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines, having
completed its constructions in 1710
*Bangui Windmills- The first power generating windmill in Southeast Asia, 15 wind turbines, each capable of producing
electricity up to a maximum capacity of 1.65 MW.
*Paoay Sand Dunes- Paoay Sand Dunes is an 88-hectares spread of sand and wild landscape, is a favorite not just of
tourist, but of budding sand boarders and surfers.

DELICACIES

Bagnet Pinakbet Pizza Dinuguan

*Bagnet- Bagnet, locally also known as “chicharon” in Ilocano, is a Filipino dish consisting of pork belly (liempo) boiled
and deep fried until its crispy.
*Pinakbet Pizza- The home of the original pinakbet pizza that started back in 2005 just across Paoay Church has found a
new home in Laoag, Ilocos Norte.
*Dinuguan- Dinuguan is a Filipino savory stew usually of pork

FESTIVALS

Bac-Bacarra Empanada Panag- Abuos

Festival Festival Festival

*Bac-Bacarra Festival- Bac- Bacarra Festival is a celebration of the town’s culture and history as means of thanksgiving
to St. Andrew the Apostle
*Empanada Festival- The Empanada Festival is celebrated along with the City Charter Day of. Batac which every 23rd of
June. The festival features the process of making Empanada which is the most popular product of the city.
*Panag- Abuos Festival- The Panag- Abuos Festival of Banana Celebrates the season of abuos (red ants), served as a
special dish in Ilocos Norte. The people of Banana is also consider the abuos as symbols of their own culture of
timpuyog-living and growing together as one community.
 ILOCOS SUR
(Second Province)
Heritage Village of the Philippines

Ilocos Sur has a colourful cultural heritage with exciting tourist spots, centuries-old structures and unique dishes.

GEOGRAPHY
Ilocos Sur is bordered by Ilocos Norte and Abra to the north, Mountain Province to the east, La Union and Benguet to
the south, and the South China Sea to the west. Ilocos Sur has an area of 2,579.60 square kilometers occupying about
20.10 percent of the total land area of the Ilocos Region.
 Capital: Vigan City
 The land area of the province is 149,770 hectares
 Ilocos Sur has 768 barangays comprising its 32 municipalities and 2 cities.

ATTRACTIONS

Vitalis Villas Bantay Bell Tower Vigan Heritage

Village
*Vita Villas- Vitalis Villas is the Philippines’ version of the famed Santorini in Greece, featuring cubiform villas painted in
a wash of white and blue. 
*Bantay Bell Tower- Bantay Bell Tower is the historic belfry of the St Augustine church in Bantay. It is on a hilltop
overlooking the province. The belfry was once used as a lookout for invading enemy forces.
*Vigan Heritage Village- Vigan is among the oldest cities in the Philippines. This historic centre dates back to the 16th
century and it’s the best-preserved example of Spanish architecture in Asia.

DELICACIES

Pancit Musico Vigan Ukoy Vigan Empanada

*Pancit Musico- A dish traditionally served to the musicians or band after the town fiesta procession.
*Vigan Ukoy- Vigan ukoy is crispy shrimp fritter made up of small shrimps and glutinous rice batter and served in Ilocos
cane vinegar with garlic, onion and hot chili.
*Vigan Empanada- Vigan Empanada is a Filipino street food from Vigan, Ilocos Sur prepared with an orange rice flour
dough filled with green papaya, Vigan longaniza and egg deep fried to make the outer layer crisp with a slightly chewy
inside.

FESTIVALS

Tobacco Festival Viva Vigan Festival Longganisa Festival

*Tobacco Festival- Celebrated during the cityhood anniversary, this festival is held to promote tobacco as the major
industry of the city.
*Viva Vigan Festival- Viva Vigan Festival is the fruit of the reunion of residents staying in Metro Manila who formed a
group called KaiVigan in 1993, said Antonio Florentino
*Longganisa Festival- It's an extraordinary bring home blessing in the wake of sharing in a Vigan City Fiesta.
The Festival, which will be held until Jan. 27, corresponds with the commemoration festivity of Vigan's cityhood and its
yearly celebration out of appreciation for St. Paul.
 LA UNION
(Third Province)
Pilgrimage Center of North Luzon

La Union is one of the best surfing spots in the country. Every summer, thousands of local and foreign visitors troop to
its beaches to ride its magnificent waves and enjoy the scenery. But La Union is way more than that.

GEOGRAPHY
La Union is situated 273 kms. north of Manila and 57 kms. northwest of Baguio City. Ilocos Sur is bordered by Ilocos Sur
to the north, Benguet to the east, Pangasinan to the south, and South China Sea to the west.
 Capital: San Fernando City
 The land area of the province is 149, 770 hectares
 La Union has a total of 576 barangays comprising its 19 municipalities and 1 city.

ATTRACTIONS

ds

Surf in San Juan Tangadan Falls La Union Sunset

*Surf in San Juan- There are a lot of surfing spots in the Philippines and one of them is in San Juan La Union. San Juan La
Union is considered as the Surfing Capital of the Northern Philippines.
*Tangadan Falls- Tangadan Falls is one of at least ten waterfalls in the town. It is a two-tier cascade along Baroro River
with cold water emanating from the hinterland of the province adjacent to the Cordillera Mountain Range.
*La Union Sunset- La Union’s coastline is blessed with glorious sunset views including Urbiztondo Beach. Go to the
rocky area on the south side of the beach for dramatic views.

DELICACIES

Halo-Halo de Iloko Kilawin na Tiyan Naguilian Basi

sa Bangus
*Halo-Halo de Iloko- The Halo-Halo in La Union is different from other Halo-Halo it has polvoron inside the mix, and the
Halo-Halo is topped with some grated cheese.
*Kilawin sa Tiyan sa Bangus- One the ingredient is Tiyan ng Bangus.
*Naguilian Basi- Basi is a sugar cane wine made. The final product is a light brown color and has a sweet and a sour
flavor.

FESTIVALS

Buybuy Festival Sillag Festival Dinengdeng Festival

*BuyBuy Festival- Buyboy Festival is a celebration of the municipalities' town fiesta showcasing their major produce
“buyboy” or tiger grass during the month of February.  
*Sillag Festival- The term “Sillag” is named after the Ilocano word “sellag” which means moonbeam or illumination
from the moon. The festival is a tribute to the role of the old Poro Point lighthouse in guiding the fishermen home.
*Dinengdeng Festival- 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.

PANGASINAN
 (Fourth Province)
Hundred Islands and Hundred Flavors

GEOGRAPHY
Pangasinan territory covers a land area of 545, 101 hectares which constitutes almost one-half (41.89%) of the total land
area of the region and 1.6% of the total Philippine area. It is bounded in the north by Lingayen Gulf, La Union and
Benguet, in the north-east, by Nueva Vizcaya, in the east, by Nueva Ecija and Tarlac in the south and Zambales and China
Sea in the west.
 Capital: Lingayen
 The province has a land area of 5,451.01 square kilometers
 Pangasinan has 1,364 barangays comprising its 44 municipalities and 4 cities

ATTRACTIONS

*H u n
dre d

Hundred Islands Sky Plaza Patar Beach

Islands- The Hundred Islands National

Park is the first national park and a protected area located in Alaminos, Pangasinan in the northern Philippines.
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.
*Sky Plaza- Sky Plaza is the "Heaven of the Land" of Natividad where the earth meets the sky. Climbing on the top of it
is like travelling on your chosen.
*Patar Beach- Patar Beach is a creamy white sand beach that slopes gradually from shore making it good for
swimming. 

DELICACIES

Pigar-Pigar Lechon Bagoong Puto Calasio

*Pigar-Pigar- Pigar pigar, is a very popular street food in Dagupan, Philippines made out really thin slices of beef and
liver quickly deep-fried and served with fresh slices of onions.
*Lechon Bagoong- It’s a Lechon Baboy with coated of Bagoong
*Puto Calasion- Puto Calasiao are tiny rice cake made from fermented concoction. They are chewy, smooth, sweet,
creamy and bursting with flavor.

FESTIVALS

Talong Festival Sigay Festival Corn Festival

*Talong Festival- Talong Festival or Eggplant Festival is an annual fiesta in Villasis, Pangasinan in the Philippines.
Agribusiness How It Works.
*Sigay Festival- The Sigay Festival is a one week celebration from January 15 to February 2 which will give tribute to the
aquaculture industry of the town, which is the number one source livelihood of the community of Binmaley. Sigay is a
Pangasinan dialect word which means to harvest.
*Corn Festival- Santo Tomas, Pangasinan again celebrated its town fiesta together with the anticipated Corn Festival
2014. It is an annual event to show respect to the townspeople, especially the farmers, behind the main product of the
municipality, which is corn.