Capital of Ilocos Sur, Philippines
Not to be confused with Vegan, short for
Veganism
.
Component city in Ilocos Region, Philippines
Vigan
|
---|
|
City of Vigan
|
![Calle Crisólogo](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Calle_Crisologo%2C_Vigan%2C_Philippines_-_One_of_The_New_7_Wonder_Cities_of_The_World.jpg/250px-Calle_Crisologo%2C_Vigan%2C_Philippines_-_One_of_The_New_7_Wonder_Cities_of_The_World.jpg) Calle Crisologo
|
![Flag of Vigan](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Viganflag.png/110px-Viganflag.png) Flag
![Official seal of Vigan](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/36/Seal_of_Vigan.gif/80px-Seal_of_Vigan.gif) Seal
|
Nickname:
Heritage City
|
Motto:
Viva Vigan!
|
Anthem: Vigan City Hymn
|
![Map of Ilocos Sur with Vigan highlighted](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/Ph_locator_ilocos_sur_vigan.png/250px-Ph_locator_ilocos_sur_vigan.png) Map of Ilocos Sur with Vigan highlighted
|
|
|
Coordinates:
17°34′29″N
120°23′13″E
/
17.57472°N 120.38694°E
/
17.57472; 120.38694
|
Country
| Philippines
|
---|
Region
| Ilocos Region
|
---|
Province
| Ilocos Sur
|
---|
District
|
1st district
|
---|
Founded
| 1572
|
---|
Cityhood
| January 22, 2001
|
---|
Barangays
| 39
(see
Barangays
)
|
---|
|
? Type
| Sangguniang Panlungsod
|
---|
?
Mayor
| Jose C. Singson
|
---|
?
Vice Mayor
| Randolf V. Singson
|
---|
?
Representative
| Ronald V. Singson
|
---|
?
City Council
|
- Janina Carine S. Medina-Farinas
- Evaristo Singson III
- Larry Raboy
- Joy Benette A. Orio
- Nestor Pajaro
- Atty. Glendale Benzon
- Ada Joana Fe E. Artajos
- Alistin Arce
- Liborio F. Arca
- Karen R. Baquiran
- Jay Andia
- Edmund A. Supnet
- Mary Ann M. Ataup
[1]
|
---|
?
Electorate
| 34,083 voters (
2022
)
|
---|
|
? Total
| 25.12 km
2
(9.70 sq mi)
|
---|
Elevation
| 69 m (226 ft)
|
---|
Highest elevation
| 1,104 m (3,622 ft)
|
---|
Lowest elevation
| 0 m (0 ft)
|
---|
|
? Total
| 53,935
|
---|
? Density
| 2,100/km
2
(5,600/sq mi)
|
---|
?
Households
| 12,702
|
---|
|
?
Income class
| 4th city income class
|
---|
?
Poverty incidence
| % (2021)
[5]
|
---|
?
Revenue
| ? 604.3 million (2020)
|
---|
?
Assets
| ? 1,831 million (2020)
|
---|
?
Expenditure
| ? 520.1 million (2020)
|
---|
?
Liabilities
| ? 320.8 million (2020)
|
---|
|
?
Electricity
| Ilocos Sur Electric Cooperative (ISECO)
|
---|
Time zone
| UTC+8
(
PST
)
|
---|
ZIP code
| 2700
|
---|
PSGC
| |
---|
IDD
:
area code
| +63 (0)77
|
---|
Native languages
| Ilocano
Tagalog
|
---|
Website
| www
.vigancity
.gov
.ph
|
---|
|
|
Official name
| Historic City of Vigan
|
---|
Criteria
| Cultural: (ii), (iv)
|
---|
Reference
| 502rev
|
---|
Inscription
| 1999 (23rd
Session
)
|
---|
|
Vigan
, officially the
City of Vigan
(
Ilocano
:
Siudad ti Vigan
;
Filipino
:
Lungsod ng Vigan
), is a 4th class
component city
and capital of the
province
of
Ilocos Sur
, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 53,935 people.
[4]
Located on the western coast of the large island of
Luzon
, facing the
West Philippine Sea
, it is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
[6]
and it is one of the few Spanish colonial towns left in the Philippines whose old structures have mostly remained intact. It is well known for its
sett
pavements and a unique architecture of the
Spanish Philippines
colonial era which fuses native Philippine and Oriental building designs and construction, with colonial Spanish architecture that is still abundant in the area, mainly the
bahay na bato
houses and an
Earthquake Baroque
church. Former Philippine president
Elpidio Quirino
, the sixth
president of the Philippines
, was born in Vigan, at the former location of the Provincial Jail (his father was a warden).
[7]
He also resided in the Syquia Mansion, which is a wedding gift of his in-laws to his wife.
[7]
The entire city of Vigan was later inscribed as a UNESCO
World Heritage City
after being declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a member of the
Organization of World Heritage Cities
(OWHC).
In May 2015, Vigan was officially recognized as one of the
New7Wonders Cities
together with
Beirut
,
Doha
,
Durban
,
Havana
,
Kuala Lumpur
, and
La Paz
.
[8]
New7Wonders Foundation president and founding member Bernard Weber led a ceremony held at
St. Paul Cathedral
where he handed a bronze plaque to former Vigan Mayor Eva Grace Singson-Medina, signifying the heritage city's election as one of the world's wonder cities.
[9]
Etymology
[
edit
]
The area of Vigan was originally a settlement of traders coming from the
Fujian
Province,
China
. At the time of Spanish colonisation, the Chinese settlers, whose language was
Southern Min
(
Min Nan
, often referred to as "
Hokkien
" by most Filipinos), referred to the area as
Bee Gan
(
Chinese
:
美岸
;
pinyin
:
m?i'an
;
Pe?h-?e-j?
:
bi-g?n
), which means "Beautiful Shore." Since the
Spanish
settlers interchanged V and the B to refer to the /b/ sound, they spelled the Hokkien Chinese name "Bee Gan" as
Vigan
, which is the name used to this day.
Vigan's Chinese heritage is still evident from the numerous elite Chinese creole families who come from the area, many of whom adopted Hispanic family names. Others, such as the Syquia family, have retained Chinese-derived surnames. However all of the Chinese creole families are Christian and adopted the Hispanic culture themselves.
The most commonly known source of the city's name is from the Biga'a plant, which once grew abundantly along the banks of the Mestizo River, from which captain
Juan de Salcedo
derived the city's name
[10]
(after a misunderstanding with the locals, thinking he was asking the name of the plants).
Other names
[
edit
]
The city's full name at the time of its Spanish foundation was
Villa Fernandina
, or "Town of Ferdinand", in honor of Prince
Ferdinand
, the firstborn son of King
Philip II of Spain
.
[11]
As the city grew, and the seat of the
Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia
transferred to Vigan, it was later renamed
Ciudad Fernandina de Vigan
("Ferdinand's City of Vigan/Fernandine City of Vigan").
History
[
edit
]
Aerial view of Vigan, circa 1940s
Pre-Colonial Era
[
edit
]
Due to
silting
of the Mestizo River, Vigan is no longer separated from the mainland, therefore no longer an island. The city is unique in the Philippines because it is one of many extensive surviving Philippine historic cities, dating back to the 16th century.
Vigan was a coastal trading post long before the Spaniards arrived; Chinese traders sailing from the South China Sea came to
Isla de Vigan
(Island of Vigan) via the Mestizo River that surrounded it. On board their ships were seafaring merchants who came to trade goods from other Asian kingdoms in exchange for gold, beeswax, and other mountain products brought by the indigenous peoples from the
Cordillera region
.
Spanish Colonial Era
[
edit
]
In the book
The Philippine Island
(Vol. III, p. 276, Blair and Robertson) two letters from
Governor-General
Guido de Lavezaris
to King
Philip II of Spain
mention: "It seemed best to send Captain Juan de Salcedo with 70 or 80 soldiers to explore the coast of Los Ilocanos on the shores of the river called Bigan." The Spaniards led by Salcedo marched north from Manila on May 20, 1572. They arrived in Vigan on June 13, 1572.
[12]
Villa Fernandina de Vigan
[
edit
]
Thus, after the successful expedition and the exploration of the North, Juan de Salcedo founded "Villa Fernandina de Vigan" in honor of King Philip II's son, Prince Ferdinand, who died at the age of four. From Vigan, Salcedo rounded the tip of Luzon and proceeded to pacify
Camarines
,
Albay
, and
Catanduanes
. As a reward for his services to the
King of Spain
, Salcedo was awarded the
old province of Ilocos
, which consisted of the modern provinces of
Ilocos Norte
, Ilocos Sur,
Abra
,
La Union
and part of
Mountain Province
as his
hacienda
(estate), and was accorded the title of
Justicia Mayor de esta Provincia de Ylocos
(Province Mayor of Ilocos).
[13]
[14]
In 1574, Salcedo returned to the capital of his
encomienda
(trusteeship), Vigan, bringing with him his soldiers and some
Augustinian
missionaries to pioneer the evangelization of the Ilocos region. He established a Spanish city for the purpose of controlling the neighboring country.
Governor General
Gomez Perez Dasmarinas
, in his account of
encomienda
dated in Manila on May 31, 1591, states: "The town of Vigan called
Villa Fernandina
consisted of Spanish settlers; a priest; a Justice Alcalde Mayor (Governor); and a Deputy. The King collects 800 tributes (equivalent to 3,200 subjects)." During this period, Vigan was composed of 19
barrio
s (districts).
Between 1645 and 1660, Vigan was divided into 21
Cabezas de Barrio
(Town Mayors) as mentioned in the
Libro de Casamiento
(Book of Marriage); from the records of the parish house of Vigan found in its archives. Separated from the indigenous population, the Chinese migrants were residents in a neighbourhood called El Pariancillo, los Sangleyes del parian (The Sangleyes of the Parian); and the Spanish settlers were residents in a town called
Los Espanoles de la Villa
(The Town Spaniards). The Spaniards consisted of about 60 Spanish Households.
[15]
The region of
Ilocos
where Vigan is located is also recorded to have had 631 mixed
Spanish-Filipino
families.
[16]
: 31
It also had 44,852 native families.
[16]
: 31
Ciudad Fernandina de Vigan
[
edit
]
In 1755, Bp. Juan de la Fuente Yepes made a request to the King Fernando VI to move the Diocese of Nueva Segovie to Villa Fernandina due to the deteriorating status of Lal-lo. In 1758, with the Royal Decree signed by Fernando VI, Villa Fernadina became Ciudad Fernandina de Vigan and the See of Nueva Segovia was transferred from Lal-lo, Cagayan. The bell ensconced within the belfry of Vigan, has the imprinted words of the decree. Wherever the clang of the bell reaches, it marks the territory of Ciudad Fernandina de Vigan. In 1849,
Leona Florentino
, the mother of Philippine women's literature, was born in Vigan.
Philippine Revolution and American Occupation
[
edit
]
During the
Philippine Revolution
, revolutionary forces under
Manuel Tinio
, supported by the Ilocano rebels, attacked and defeated the Spanish colonial forces and captured the city in the Siege of Vigan.
[17]
During the
Philippine?American War
, American forces led by Commander McCracken and Lt. Col.
James Parker
occupied the town in Nov. 1899.
[18]
World War II
[
edit
]
At the start of
World War II
, Vigan was one of the first places in the Philippines
invaded by Japan
on December 10, 1941. In 1945, combined U.S. and
Philippine Commonwealth
ground troops, aided by Ilocano resistance fighters, defeated the
Japanese Imperial forces
and liberated Vigan.
UNESCO World Heritage City
[
edit
]
In 1999, Vigan was listed by
UNESCO
as the best preserved example of Spanish colonial towns in Asia.
[19]
Its architecture is the conglomeration of cultural elements from the Philippines, China, and Spain, making it unique in the world.
Recent history
[
edit
]
Cityhood
[
edit
]
On December 27, 2000, then
President
Joseph Estrada
signed Republic Act No. 8988, that "revalidated and recognized" Vigan's city status granted by virtue of the Royal Decree of September 7, 1757, issued by
Ferdinand VI
, King of Spain.
[20]
This legislation serves as Vigan's present city charter. The charter did not provide a clause for a plebiscite and the law took effect in January 2001.
New7Wonders
[
edit
]
On December 7, 2014, Vigan was named as one of the
New7Wonders Cities
.
[8]
2022 Luzon earthquake
[
edit
]
On July 27, 2022, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck parts of
Luzon
,
[21]
damaging the city's
UNESCO World Heritage
sites including the
Vigan Cathedral
and old-century houses, as well as few power lines toppled along Calle Crisologo.
[22]
Geography
[
edit
]
Vigan coast
Vigan is situated in the northern part of Luzon, the Philippines’ largest island. It serves as the capital of Ilocos Sur and has been a major political and trading center since before the Spanish colonizers arrived in the Philippines.
It is 407 kilometres (253 mi) away from
Manila
, 82 kilometres (51 mi) away from
Laoag City
, and 138 kilometres (86 mi) away from
San Fernando, La Union
, the regional capital of Ilocos Region.
Topography
[
edit
]
Its 2,511 hectares (6,200 acres) of land consists mostly of plains with gentle hills. Its boundaries on the north, east, south, and west are the municipalities of
Bantay
,
Santa
,
Caoayan
, and
Santa Catalina
, respectively. The
South China Sea
is on its southwest portion.
Majority of its land, 60 percent of it, is used for agriculture. Around 32 percent is made up of residential area, nearly three percent are for commercial and industrial use, and around one percent is for institutional purposes. There are also forest reserves and fishponds included in Vigan's land area.
Vigan is made up of 39 barangays. Thirty of them are classified as rural, but they occupy only 2,366 hectares. The remaining nine are classified as
poblacion
barangays and are together 144.75 hectares big.
The barangays of Pagburnayan, Paoa, and Tamag are on the area of rolling plains. On the other hand, portions of Barangays Tamag and the barangays of Bulala and Salindeg are found on the city's hilly parts.
Its most dominant hill feature is the Vigan Gap Hill in the eastern part, just 10 kilometers away from the city. Vigan used to be separated from the rest of the mainland by the rivers of
Abra
, Mestizo and Govantes, making it an island during that time. The Govantes River cuts the current Vigan plain from North to South.
The large Abra and Mestizo rivers, together with the rivers of Bantay, Bantaoay, Nauman and Santo Tomas serve as part of a network that drain the Vigan plains. These rivers are not only important in safekeeping the city from floods, they also served as important ways of transport for trade-related activities from the 15th century to the 19th century, that helped make Vigan a thriving center. The most vital of these rivers is said to be the Mestizo River which was used by the small vessels to transport goods and people.
There is a faulting trend in the Vigan plain that ends in Santa Catalina.
Soil type
[
edit
]
The land area of Vigan is generally flat. Slopes of 20 are found at Barangay V, Tamag, and Paoa. There are no forest reserves in the city in terms of potential and raw materials. Bamboo is the only forest product in Vigan.
There are five soil types in the city. First, the
Bantay Loam
, located at the southern portion of Raois, has a land area of 36.67 hectares, and is good as pastureland. The second,
Umingan sandy
, with a land area of 1191.57 hectares, is good for upland rice and vegetables. The third,
San Manuel clay loam
, which is best for bananas, cotton and vegetables, has an area of 1244.57 hectares. The fourth,
Bantog clay
?considered as the most significant type for soil, and the best clay material for making pots, jars and all earthenware, has a land area of 31.65 hectares. The fifth,
beach sand
, with a land area of 7.28 hectares, is generally found on the shores of all the beaches of Vigan, and is best for coconut plantation.
Barangays
[
edit
]
Barangay map of the City of Vigan
Vigan is politically subdivided into 39
barangays
.
[23]
Each barangay consists of
puroks
and some have
sitios
.
- Ayusan Norte
- Ayusan Sur
- Barangay I (
Poblacion
)
- Barangay II (
Poblacion
)
- Barangay III (
Poblacion
)
- Barangay IV (
Poblacion
)
- Barangay V (
Poblacion
)
- Barangay VI (
Poblacion
)
- Barangay VII (
Poblacion
)
- Barangay VIII (
Poblacion
)
- Barangay IX (
Poblacion
)
- Barraca
- Beddeng Daya
- Beddeng Laud
- Bongtolan
- Bulala
- Cabalangegan
- Cabaroan Daya
- Cabaroan Laud
- Camangaan
- Capangpangan
- Mindoro
- Nagsangalan
- Pantay Daya
- Pantay Fatima
- Pantay Laud
- Paoa
- Paratong
- Pong-ol
- Purok-a-bassit
- Purok-a-dackel
- Raois
- Rugsuanan
- Salindeg
- San Jose
- San Julian Norte
- San Julian Sur
- San Pedro
- Tamag
Geologic base and mineral resources
[
edit
]
The
sedimentary
and
metamorphic
rocks that are present in the city are
alluvium
,
fluviatile
,
lacustrine
,
paludal
and beach deposits such as coral, stools, and beach rock. These are predominantly found along the coastal areas of Vigan. An important non-metallic mineral resource found in Vigan is the kind of clay that is used in making earthen jars locally called
burnay.
Earthenware of different uses and sizes are made of this kind of clay. Known as
Bantog clay
, the mineral is the basic material in making
bricks
. These bricks are the original materials in building the Hispanic houses of Vigan.
Physiography
[
edit
]
Vigan is situated in a Quaternary Age sedimentary plain called the Vigan-Bantay Plain which is part of the Ilocos coastal plain. The Vigan-Bantay Plain is bounded on the east by a moderately rugged Miocene sediments consisting of interbedded
sandstones
and
shale
to very rugged Meta-volcanics and Meta sediment topography; on the south is
the Municipality of Santa
where the north?south trending fault terminates; to the west is the South China Sea; while the northern boundary opens to the northern extension of the Ilocos coastal plain.
The central part of the plain is characterized by a dissected ridge of
Plio-Pleistocene
age that trends in a northeast?southwest direction. The ridge divides the Vigan-Bantay Plain into northern and southern plains.
The northern part of the plain is drained by minor rivers namely: Bantaoay, Santo Tomas, and Nauman rivers, while the
Abra River
is the main drainage network of the southern portion of the plain. The Abra River meanders into the hinterland but exhibits a braided pattern across the plain.
The drainage network of the eastern margin of Vigan-Bantay plain consist of deeply cut valleys whose pattern is strongly controlled by main faulting trends, particularly those in the northerly and easterly directions.
Vigan is being drained by the Vigan River and Bantay River, respectively, on the north and on the south by Mestizo River whose water discharge comes from the Bantaoay head waters.
The relief of the Vigan-Bantay plain is actively level to undulating with a slope ranging from 0% to 8%. Vigan in particular is generally in level with several hills in Barangays Tamag, Bulala, and Salindeg, sometimes reaching about 50 meters in elevation and has a slope ranging from 3% to 8%.
The eastern margin of the plain characterized by a steep to very steep slope, about 40% to 60%, the relief often reaches an elevation of more than 600 meters especially the northerly and easterly portion.
The dominant topographic feature in the eastern margin of the town is the Vigan Gap Hill where the continuously shifting Vigan River cuts its way. The Gap Hill is located approximately 10 kilometers east of Vigan.
Weather and climate
[
edit
]
Climate data for Vigan (1981?2010, extremes 1903?2012)
|
Month
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year
|
Record high °C (°F)
|
35.6
(96.1)
|
35.3
(95.5)
|
36.9
(98.4)
|
38.8
(101.8)
|
38.2
(100.8)
|
38.2
(100.8)
|
35.4
(95.7)
|
36.9
(98.4)
|
35.1
(95.2)
|
39.3
(102.7)
|
36.7
(98.1)
|
35.5
(95.9)
|
39.3
(102.7)
|
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
|
30.4
(86.7)
|
30.9
(87.6)
|
32.0
(89.6)
|
33.3
(91.9)
|
33.2
(91.8)
|
32.0
(89.6)
|
31.3
(88.3)
|
30.6
(87.1)
|
31.0
(87.8)
|
31.5
(88.7)
|
31.5
(88.7)
|
30.8
(87.4)
|
31.6
(88.9)
|
Daily mean °C (°F)
|
25.8
(78.4)
|
26.2
(79.2)
|
27.6
(81.7)
|
28.9
(84.0)
|
29.0
(84.2)
|
28.2
(82.8)
|
27.6
(81.7)
|
27.2
(81.0)
|
27.4
(81.3)
|
27.5
(81.5)
|
27.3
(81.1)
|
26.3
(79.3)
|
27.4
(81.3)
|
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
|
21.1
(70.0)
|
21.6
(70.9)
|
23.1
(73.6)
|
24.5
(76.1)
|
24.8
(76.6)
|
24.3
(75.7)
|
23.9
(75.0)
|
23.7
(74.7)
|
23.7
(74.7)
|
23.4
(74.1)
|
23.0
(73.4)
|
21.8
(71.2)
|
23.3
(73.9)
|
Record low °C (°F)
|
13.5
(56.3)
|
14.0
(57.2)
|
16.0
(60.8)
|
19.5
(67.1)
|
19.6
(67.3)
|
16.8
(62.2)
|
17.8
(64.0)
|
17.0
(62.6)
|
19.0
(66.2)
|
17.2
(63.0)
|
15.4
(59.7)
|
14.5
(58.1)
|
13.5
(56.3)
|
Average rainfall mm (inches)
|
3.5
(0.14)
|
3.9
(0.15)
|
5.4
(0.21)
|
16.1
(0.63)
|
194.5
(7.66)
|
321.8
(12.67)
|
536.3
(21.11)
|
630.3
(24.81)
|
382.6
(15.06)
|
143.8
(5.66)
|
36.3
(1.43)
|
2.9
(0.11)
|
2,277.4
(89.66)
|
Average rainy days
(≥ 0.1 mm)
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
10
|
16
|
20
|
21
|
16
|
8
|
3
|
1
|
100
|
Average
relative humidity
(%)
|
72
|
73
|
73
|
74
|
77
|
81
|
84
|
84
|
83
|
80
|
77
|
72
|
78
|
Source:
PAGASA
[24]
[25]
|
The city of Vigan falls under (
tropical savanna
), which is characterized by two pronounced seasons ? the dry season which starts from the month of November and ends in April; and the wet season which spans the months of May to October. The average annual rainfall is 2,506 millimetres (98.66 in) and the heaviest registered rainfall is 6,933 millimetres (272.95 in).
The average temperature is 26 °C. The average warmest temperature is 30.9 °C and the average coldest temperature is 21.1 °C. An average of 7-10 typhoons visit Vigan annually. The average relative humidity is 81%.
Demographics
[
edit
]
Plaza
Jose Burgos
Population census of Vigan
Year
| Pop.
| ±% p.a.
|
---|
1903
| 14,945
| ?
|
---|
1918
| 17,765
| +1.16%
|
---|
1939
| 20,939
| +0.79%
|
---|
1948
| 21,067
| +0.07%
|
---|
1960
| 25,990
| +1.77%
|
---|
| Year
| Pop.
| ±% p.a.
|
---|
1970
| 30,252
| +1.53%
|
---|
1975
| 31,971
| +1.11%
|
---|
1980
| 33,483
| +0.93%
|
---|
1990
| 38,574
| +1.43%
|
---|
1995
| 42,067
| +1.64%
|
---|
| Year
| Pop.
| ±% p.a.
|
---|
2000
| 45,143
| +1.52%
|
---|
2007
| 47,246
| +0.63%
|
---|
2010
| 49,747
| +1.89%
|
---|
2015
| 53,879
| +1.53%
|
---|
2020
| 53,935
| +0.02%
|
---|
|
Source:
Philippine Statistics Authority
[26]
[27]
[28]
[29]
|
In the 2020 census, Vigan had a population of 53,935.
[4]
The population density was 2,100 inhabitants per square kilometre (5,400/sq mi).
Economy
[
edit
]
Poverty incidence of Vigan
Government
[
edit
]
Local government
[
edit
]
Ilocos Sur Capitol
Vigan, belonging to the
first congressional district
of the province of
Ilocos Sur
, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a city council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.
Elected officials
[
edit
]
Position
|
Name
|
District Representative
(1st Legislative District the Province of Ilocos Sur)
|
Ronald Singson
|
Chief Executive
of the City of Vigan
|
Mayor Jose Bonito Singson Jr
|
Presiding Officer
of the City Council of Vigan
|
Randy Singson
|
Councilors
of the City of Vigan
|
Janina Carine S. Medina-Farinas
|
Alistin Arce
|
Evaristo "Bobit" Singson III
|
Larry Raboy
|
Ada Joana Fe Artajos
|
Glendale Benzon
|
Karen Baquiran
|
Nestor Pajaro
|
Jay F. Andia
|
Libong Arca
|
Architecture
[
edit
]
Plaza Salcedo and
Vigan Cathedral
Saint Paul's Metropolitan Cathedral
When
Juan de Salcedo
founded Vigan in 1572, he decided to pattern its urban plan with that of
Intramuros
, the walled city in
Manila
.
The urban planners of the Spanish government also followed a basic pattern that can be observed in most old towns in the country, whose establishment dates back to the Spanish colonial period. This pattern is detailed in the
Ley de las Indias,
the
Law of the Indies
, and was put into force in the 18th century. Under the Law of the Indies streets were to follow a grid pattern, the center of which being a
plaza
or central park.
In Vigan, the central park is the
Plaza Salcedo
. Next to it are the administrative buildings?the Casa Real or provincial administrative office, and the
municipio
(
municipal hall
). A stone's throw away are the religious buildings?the seminary of the archdiocese, the Arzobispado (Archbishop's Palace), and the
St. Paul's Cathedral
. Beside these religious structures is the church-run school, the Saint Paul College, known in its early days as the
Colegio de Ninas.
After the full transfer of the said school to the neighboring towns of
Bantay
and
San Vicente
, the building was handed over to the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia and is currently being occupied by a retail store chain, with only a commemorative plaque at the building's entrance and the old "ROSARY COLLEGE" concrete sign at its rear reminding visitors of its past (the school's old logo, once found at the building's facade, has been removed sometime later).
A unique thing is the existence of another plaza, the
Plaza Burgos
, which is immediately beside the St. Paul's Cathedral. After the first tier emanating from Plaza Salcedo are the houses of prominent residents that now make up the preserved heritage houses of Vigan. This urban plan remained relatively intact despite wars and natural calamities that have been endured by Vigan since its foundation.
The major changes to the original urban landscape were caused by fires. The Casa Real was replaced with a provincial capitol building during the
American period
when the original structure burned down. The archdiocese seminary was also destroyed by fire in 1968, and it lay in ruins until the late 1990s, when part of a shopping mall was built on the site.
The residential areas were not spared. Some of the houses on Crisologo Street were casualties of fire during the
Japanese period
; several houses on Quezon Avenue were destroyed by fire as well in 1952; while in 1971, some houses near Plaza Burgos burned down as well. The houses along Crisologo Street that were burned were later reconstructed faithfully following the architecture of the former structures.
Presently, there are other major areas of activities other than the two plazas, though these are still where most recreation and shopping are done. One may also go to the southern part of the city to reach the commercial area and public market. The current Public Market is a new one, as the old one (formerly the
Imelda
Socio-Commercial Complex), on the same site, was (also) destroyed by fire. A new mall (opened in December 2017) has risen from the site of the city's first Public Market, found in the center of the business district, after being the site of some business establishments and a tricycle-for-hire terminal.
Tourism
[
edit
]
Calle Crisologo at night
Popular sites include Calle Crisologo located in the Mestizo district- the old quarters of the city.
[38]
Syquia Mansion Museum,
[39]
Plaza Salcedo's Dancing Fountain,
[40]
Padre Burgos House
,
[41]
and the National Museum of the Philippines.
[42]
Nearby is the
Bantay Church
Bell Tower. Of special note is the Hotel Luna, which houses an extensive collection of art, including La Mandolinera by
Jose Luna
.
[43]
Centuries-old
Sta. Maria Church
, designated also as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
[1]
Longganiza festival
[
edit
]
Mayor Jose 'Bonito' Singson, Jr. led the 2024 Grand Parade of Vigan City Fiesta and
Vigan longganisa
Festival. The 2024 Fiesta featured Banaoang Marathon, a 12-kilometer track from Banaoang Bridge from
Santa, Ilocos Sur
and
Bantay, Ilocos Sur
boundary to the Plaza Burgos, Vigan, LGBTQIA+ Day, Vigan Conservation Complex symposium, Community Alay Gupit, Got Talent and fashion show, Vigan Food Festival, Search for Miss Vigan, Dog and Cat Fun Day, Longganisa Street Dance Showdown, Pinaka-Livestock contest, Education Day, and Social Services Night. On January 22, 2024, Vigan launched '101 Ways to Cook Longganisa'
cookbook
for the January 18-27, 2024 Longganisa Festival.
[44]
[45]
Transportation
[
edit
]
Calesa
, one of the modes of transportation in Vigan
Metro transport
[
edit
]
Modes of transport within the city are purely land-based. Vehicles for public use include
jeepneys
,
tricycles
, vans-for-hire (or PUVs/public utility vehicles) and
calesa
s (horse-drawn vehicles). Buses, mini-buses and jeepneys provide transportation to and from Vigan. The metro Vigan transport system is mostly served by tricycles, which are color- and number-coded to identify their municipality of origin.
Land transportation
[
edit
]
Vigan City is well-served by a network of roads and a major highway that connects to
Manila North Road
, the highway leading to
Manila
and the rest of the country. Major bus companies such as
Dominion Bus Lines
,
Viron Transit
,
Partas
, and
Aniceto/St. Joseph
operate terminals in Vigan.
GMW Florida Transport
operates a terminal in
Bantay
, just outside Vigan. Bus companies such as Maria de Leon and
Farinas
pass by Vigan on their way to
Laoag
. They operate direct and/or indirect bus services from Vigan City to points in Luzon, mostly to Manila,
Baguio
, and Laoag and vice versa. There are also independent bus operators, who recently banded together to form different transport cooperatives,
[46]
plying the Laoag-Vigan-Carmen and Vigan-Abra routes, and have a joint terminal found at the New Vigan Public Market Annex. A taxi service started operating in 2019, just before the COViD-19 pandemic struck.
Air transportation
[
edit
]
A secondary airport called
Vigan Airport
(also known as Mindoro Airport) is located at Barangay Mindoro. It has one asphalted runway, 900 meters long and 30 meters wide. The airport was once a dormant asset of the city for it does not generate revenue, with only chartered and private planes using it; it is currently being upgraded and is on its way toward commercialization.
Education
[
edit
]
- University of Northern Philippines
Main Campus ? in Barangay Tamag. It is the oldest state university in Northern Luzon, founded by virtue of Republic Act 4449, authored by Congressman Floro Crisologo.
- Divine Word College of Vigan
(formerly known as the
Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion
) ? the oldest privately funded school in
Ilocos Sur
, founded by priests belonging to the
Society of the Divine Word (SVD)
in 1822.
- Macro Colleges Inc. ? the first computer college in the province, having evolved from being the first shop in Ilocos Sur to offer computer-based services. The school is now K-to-12 College, located at Quezon Avenue. Currently operated by the Nueva Segovia Consortium of Cooperatives.
- Ilocos Sur National High School (ISNHS) ? the major national high school in the province.
- Lyceum de Ylocos ? is a new school offering Technical-Vocational courses and is a registered Senior High School offering various Tracks that include ABM, GAS, HUMSS and TLE-Technical-Vocational Courses. Situated at the heart of the Heritage City, 3F Vigan Landmark Building, Barangay VIII. The school adopted a classical name to emphasize the grandeur of its location, the Heritage City of Vigan, the only awardee of the title New World Wonder City in the Philippines. It fosters the promotion of tourism and hospitality; promotes preservation of the cultural heritage and innovates towards service delivery and business processing. Lyceum de Ylocos is committed to be of service to students through the provisions of an environment where there would be opportunities to relate theories and knowledge to practical training.
- Data Center Colleges Philippines Vigan Branch - Data Center Philippines (DCPI) first came to Ilocos Sur through a partnership with the University of Northern Philippines for its computerization efforts in the late 80s. It later evolved independently as a college offering computer- and non-computer-related courses. Formerly operating where Lyceum de Ylocos is operating today, they are currently located in a building just outside UNP's Vigan Campus.
Media
[
edit
]
TV Stations
[
edit
]
- PTV Vigan Channel 4
- GNN Vigan
Channel 30
- TV5 Vigan Channel 32
- UNTV Vigan Channel 36
- Sonshine TV Vigan Channel 38
- GTV Vigan Channel 40
- One Sports Vigan Channel 46
- GMA Vigan
Channel 48
Cable & Satellite
[
edit
]
Radio
[
edit
]
AM Stations:
FM Stations:
Sister cities
[
edit
]
Notable person
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"City Officials ? Vigan City"
.
- ^
City of Vigan
|
(DILG)
- ^
"2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 ? Population, Land Area, and Population Density"
(PDF)
.
Philippine Statistics Authority
. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016.
ISSN
0117-1453
.
Archived
(PDF)
from the original on May 25, 2021
. Retrieved
July 16,
2021
.
- ^
a
b
c
Census of Population (2020).
"Region I (Ilocos Region)"
.
Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay
.
Philippine Statistics Authority
. Retrieved
8 July
2021
.
- ^
"PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates"
. Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024
. Retrieved
28 April
2024
.
- ^
Domingo, Leander C. (2022-12-20).
"Time to visit Vigan Second of two parts"
.
The Manila Times
. Retrieved
2023-02-13
.
- ^
a
b
"Quirino House, aka Syquia Mansion?the original Malacanang of the North"
.
Lifestyle.INQ
. 2015-11-15
. Retrieved
2023-02-13
.
- ^
a
b
Tejada, Ariel Paolo (May 9, 2015).
"Vigan declared 'Wonder City'
"
.
The Philippine Star
. Manila. Archived from
the original
on January 28, 2016
. Retrieved
September 19,
2015
.
- ^
"Vigan named as one of the New7Wonders"
. Archived from
the original
on 2019-11-15
. Retrieved
2015-05-10
.
- ^
The Regional State of Brown Environment Report
. Environmental Management Bureau. 2007.
- ^
Cimatu, Frank (2015-05-13).
"Vigan: Sleepy city with big dreams"
.
INQUIRER.net
. Retrieved
2023-02-13
.
- ^
De la Torre, Visitacion (2006).
The Ilocos Heritage
. Makati: Tower Book House. p. 2.
ISBN
978-971-91030-9-7
.
- ^
LEAGUE Magazine, September-October 2017 Issue: The Local Government Unit Magazine
. The League Publishing Company, Inc. 2017-09-01.
- ^
Centennial Commemorative Lectures, 1998
. The Committee. 1998.
- ^
"Jesuits In The Philippines (1581-1768)" Page 59
"These settlements were much smaller than Manila. In 1582 Manila had
an adult male population of 300 Spaniards; Vigan, 60; Nueva Caceres,
30; Cebu, 70; Arevalo, 20. In 1586 Manila had 329 Spanish men and
youths capable of bearing arms ; the most recently established settlement, Nueva Segovia in Cagayan, had 97; Nueva Caceres, 69; Arevalo, 65; Cavite, 64; Cebu, 63; Villa Fernandina, 19.
- ^
a
b
ESTADISMO DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS TOMO SEGUNDO By Joaquin Martinez de Zuniga (Original Spanish)
- ^
Atlantis
. Institute for the Study of Women, Mount Saint Vincent University. 2004.
- ^
The American Neptune
. Peabody Museum of Salem. 1975.
- ^
"Vigan City stays walkable despite influx of tourists"
.
RAPPLER
. 2016-03-27
. Retrieved
2023-02-13
.
- ^
Philippines (2001).
Official Gazette
. National Print. Office.
- ^
"Magnitude-7 Earthquake Hits Philippines' Main Island"
.
Bloomberg.com
. 2022-07-27
. Retrieved
2022-07-27
.
- ^
"Look: State of Vigan City roads, buildings after magnitude 7.3 earthquake"
. Top Gear Philippines. 27 July 2022.
Archived
from the original on July 27, 2022
. Retrieved
July 27,
2022
.
- ^
"Province: Ilocos Sur"
.
PSGC Interactive
. Quezon City, Philippines:
Philippine Statistics Authority
. Retrieved
12 November
2016
.
- ^
"Vigan City, Ilocos Sur Climatological Normal Values"
. Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. Archived from
the original
on October 18, 2018
. Retrieved
October 18,
2018
.
- ^
"Vigan City, Ilocos Sur Climatological Extremes"
. Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. Archived from
the original
on October 18, 2018
. Retrieved
October 18,
2018
.
- ^
Census of Population (2015).
"Region I (Ilocos Region)"
.
Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay
.
Philippine Statistics Authority
. Retrieved
20 June
2016
.
- ^
Census of Population and Housing (2010).
"Region I (Ilocos Region)"
(PDF)
.
Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay
.
National Statistics Office
. Retrieved
29 June
2016
.
- ^
Censuses of Population (1903?2007).
"Region I (Ilocos Region)"
.
Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007
.
National Statistics Office
.
{{
cite encyclopedia
}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
link
)
- ^
"Province of Ilocos Sur"
.
Municipality Population Data
.
Local Water Utilities Administration
Research Division
. Retrieved
17 December
2016
.
- ^
"Poverty incidence (PI):"
. Philippine Statistics Authority
. Retrieved
December 28,
2020
.
- ^
"Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines"
(PDF)
. Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
- ^
"2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates"
(PDF)
. Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
- ^
"City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009"
(PDF)
. Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
- ^
"2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates"
(PDF)
. Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
- ^
"Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015"
. Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
- ^
"PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates"
. Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021
. Retrieved
22 January
2022
.
- ^
"PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates"
. Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024
. Retrieved
28 April
2024
.
- ^
"Calle Crisologo- Mena Crisologo Street"
.
Vigan.ph
. 12 June 2015
. Retrieved
March 7,
2020
.
- ^
"Syquia Mansion of President Elpidio Quirino"
.
Vigan.ph
. 12 June 2015
. Retrieved
March 7,
2020
.
- ^
"Vigan Travel: Historical Plaza Salcedo Turns into a Spectacle of Lights at Night"
.
Philippine Primer
. Retrieved
March 8,
2020
.
- ^
"Padre Burgos House"
.
National Museum of the Philippines
. Archived from
the original
on January 26, 2021
. Retrieved
March 8,
2020
.
- ^
Cimatu, Frank.
"Old Ilocos Sur jail nowan art center"
.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
. Retrieved
March 8,
2020
.
- ^
"Why revitalizing hotels with art is a good strategy"
. F&B Report. 26 June 2018
. Retrieved
March 8,
2020
.
- ^
Hernando, Ivy (January 25, 2024).
"Streets filled in Vigan City Fiesta and Longganisa Festival Parade"
.
ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs
. Retrieved
April 28,
2024
.
- ^
Villanueva, Aila (January 25, 2024).
"Vigan City to launch Longganisa cookbook in 10-day fest"
.
Presidential Communications Group
. Retrieved
April 28,
2024
.
- ^
https://otc.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Accredited-Transport-Cooperatives-Jan-2021-Web.pdf
- ^
"A RESOLUTION EXTENDING AN INVITATION TO THE CITY OF TAGUIG TO BECOME A SISTER CITY OF VIGAN, ILOCOS SUR"
(PDF)
.
City of Vigan
. February 18, 2008. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on April 19, 2021.
- ^
Lester V. Ledesma.
"Sister Cities (Vigan and Melaka living parallel lives)"
.
Cebu Smile
.
Archived
from the original on September 25, 2015
. Retrieved
September 25,
2015
.
External links
[
edit
]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Vigan City
.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for
Vigan
.
|
---|
|
|
|
1
de facto
seat of provincial government
|
|
---|
Notable historic centers
| |
---|
Spanish missions
| |
---|
Lists of buildings
| |
---|
Cathedrals
| |
---|
Churches and monasteries
| |
---|
Fortifications
| |
---|
Bridges and roads
| |
---|
Other building types
| |
---|
Architecture types
| |
---|
Modern Revival styles
| |
---|
|
---|
|
Territories
|
---|
South America
|
---|
- New Granada
(
Colombia
,
Ecuador
,
Panama
,
Venezuela, part of Guyana
, a northernmost portion of Brazilian Amazon)
- Peru
(Peru,
Acre
,
Chile
)
- Rio de la Plata
(
Argentina
,
Paraguay
,
Charcas
(Bolivia),
Banda Oriental
(Uruguay),
Misiones Orientales
,
Malvinas
)
|
|
|
|
Administrative subdivisions
|
---|
|
|
|
|
|
|