Ilocos Sur – Heritage Village of the Philippines

Famed for its museums and ancestral houses, Ilocos Sur can seemingly turn the hands of time bring back tourist to the Spanish occupation era. A visit to the province can give visitors a view of the life of the Filipinos under the rule of the Spaniards. Aside from this, there are several landmarks in found in Ilocos Sur which recants the stories of World War II.

Demographics

1. Population - 632, 255 (as of 2007 Census)
2. Land Area - 2,579.6 sq. km.
3. Capital - Vigan City
4. Language/Dialect -Ilocano/Iloko, Tagalog, English
5. Divisions

Cities (2)

• Vigan City
• Candon City

Municipalities (32)

• Alilem
• Banayoyo
• Bantay
• Burgos
• Cabugao
• Caoayan
• Cervantes
• Cervantes
• Gregorio del Pilar
• Lidlidda
• Lidlidda
• Nagbukel
• Narvacan
• Quirino
• Salcedo
• San Emilio
• San Esteban
• San Ildefonso
• San Juan
• San Vicente
• Santa
• Santa Catalina
• Santa Cruz
• Santa Lucia
• Santa Maria
• Santiago
• Santo Domingo
• Sigay
• Sinait
• Sugpon
• Suyo
• Tagudin

Vigan Heritage Village
The historic town of Vigan depicts the typical Spanish-era residence which gained the UNESCO's World Heritage List in November 1999.

Kamestizoan District in Vigan
The district is replete with ancestral houses with ancient tile roofs, massive hardwood floorings, ballustrades and azoteas in varying Spanish-Mexican-Chinese architectural styles.

Besang Pass Monument
The monument serves as marker where General Yamashita set up his last defense against the American soldiers and Filipinos guerillas during World War II.

Tirad Pass National Shrine
The shrine commemorates the bravery shown by General Gregorio del Pilar and his comrades to protect the escape of General Emilio Aguinaldo from the Americans.

Burnay
This locally made jar is used to store local vinegar, local wine called basi, and bagoong (fermented fish sauce) and as a decorative ware. Locals make burnay using pre-historic method.

Cultural

Padre Burgos House
Location: Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
Tour Days: Monday – Friday
Tour Time: 8:30 - 11:30a.m. / 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Entrance Fee: Php. 10.00 (adult)
Php. 5.00 (12 years old and below)
The residence of the Burgoses contains the memorabilia of GomBurZa priest Padre Jose Burgos as well as Ilocano artifacts and ethnic arts of the Tinggians.

Archbishop Palace
Location: Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
Completed in 1793, the palace has a collection of priceless ecclesiastical artifacts and relics from all over the province.

Vigan Heritage Village
Location: Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
The historic town of Vigan depicts the typical Spanish-era residence which gained the UNESCO's World Heritage List in November 1999.

Historical

Tirad Pass National Shrine
Location: Gregorio del Pilar, Ilocos Sur
This National Shrine was the last stand of the Filipino Revolutionary forces led by President Emilio Aguinaldo. The young general Gregorio del Pilar gave his life in order to let the president escape the American forces.

Nuestra Señora De La Asuncion Church
Location: Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur
This World Heritage site and National Landmark was used as a fortress during the 1986 Philippine Revolution.

Northern Luzon Heroes Hill National Park
Location: Santa, Ilocos Sur
A marker honors the place where Gabriela Silang built her stronghold against the Spanish forces.

Lapog Bay
Location: Brgy. Saoang–Sabangan–Camindoroan, San Juan, Ilocos Sur
The bay served as port for Japanese warships during World War II. On October 18, 1944, Liberation forces bombers attacked the bay and destroyed the warships setting the bay on fire and killing hundreds of Japanese soldiers.

St. John the Baptist Church
Location: San Juan, Ilocos Sur
During the World War II, Japanese forces held hostage many locals during the war and threatened to bomb the church if no one revealed the burial site of fallen comrades.

Besang Pass Monument
Location: Cervantes, Ilocos Sur
The Battle of Besang Pass was won by the USAFIP, NL on June 14, 1945. Besang Pass served as the backdoor to General Yamashita’s last defense during the end of World War II.

Man-made

Tagudin Sundials
Location: Tagudin Municipal Hall, Ilocos Sur
Built by the Spaniards in 1841 and 194, these sundials are still used by the locals to this day.

Moro Watchtower
Location: San Esteban, Ilocos Sur
The watchtower, according to old folks and registry from the National Historical Institute, served as a vanguard against approaching pirates during the Spanish era.

Plaza Salcedo
Location: Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
Located in between St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral and the Provincial Capitol, the elliptical plaza was named after the founder of Viga, Don Juan de Salcedo.

Natural

Pinsan Falls
Location: Brgy. Babalasiwan, Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur
Found a few kilometer ayaw from the highway, the falls features the ‘footprint’ of Ilocano legendary giant, Angalo.

Santiago Cove
Location: Santiago, Ilocos Sur
It is gifted with a golden sand beach with amenities for picnic, swimming and diving

Baluarte Falls
Location: Salcedo, Ilocos Sur
The falls is embraced by lush greens of the rainforest of Salcedo. Visitors can scale the top of the falls through a steep pathway. Tourist are assisted and guarded by the Baluarte Barangay tanods.

Sulvec Beach
Location: Brgy. Sulvec, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur
Aside from its cool water and rocky shore, the Paraiso ni Juan is located at the shoreline where a grotto sits atop a huge rock.

Religious

Sta. Lucia Church
Location: Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur
The image of its patron, Sta. Lucia, dates back as far as the 19th century. The parish was established since 1586.

Nuestra Señora De La Asuncion Church
Location: Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur
Also called the Church of the Assumption, the church was designated as a National Historical Landmark on Sept. 26, 1982 and included in the World Heritage List on December 11 1993. Visitors will have to walk an 82-step stairway to reach the church built atop a hill.

St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral
Location: Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
Erected through the orders of Juan de Salcedo, the conquistador and Founder of Villa Fernandina (Vigan City) in 1574, the church became a cathedral when the the seat of the Diocese of Nueva Segovia was transferred from Lal-lo, Cagayan, to Vigan in 1758.

Shrine Of Santo Cristo Milagroso
Location: Sinait, Ilocos Sur
The miraculous image of the crucified Christ, locally called as “Apo Lacay” was said to have drifted ashore in Logo, a sitio in Brgy. Dadalaquiten along the boundary of Sinait, Ilocos Sur and Badoc, Ilocos Norte, along with the La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc. The two towns decided to separate the two; La Virgen for the people of Sinait and Apo Lacay for the people of Badoc. Unfortunately, the men of the towns carried their own image but to no avail. When the respective parish priest decided to exchange instead, the men who tried to carry the images surprised that they were able to carry the santos without any problem.

Viva Vigan Festival of Arts
Place: Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
Date: first week of May
Since its first celebration in 1993, the festival features a calesa parade, Binatbatan street dancing, ramada games, religious rituals, santacruzan, bankathon, exhibits, trade/food fairs, abel-iloco fashion show and other exciting events.

Sinait Garlic Festival
Place: Sinait, Ilocos Sur
Date: May 1 – 3
Patterned with the Garlic Festival in Gilroy, California, USA, the event recognizes the garlic industry, the farmers, and aims to educate visitors and local residents on the importance of the garlic industry to Philippine economy. Highlights of the Sinait Bawang (Garlic) Festival include garlic cooking and presentation, Search for the Most Beautiful Cow and Carabao, Search for the Biggest Garlic Bulb and Garlic Bundling, and the Search for Sinait Garlic Festival Queen