THC002: PHILIPPINE CULTURE AND TOURISM GEOGRAPHY

Chapter 2

Region – Ilocos Region

By the end of the chapter, students should be able to:

1. Identify the different major attractions, activities, accommodations, and cultural
highlights in the provinces within the Ilocos Region;
2. Create different tour packages that carry different types of tourism activities
within the region; and
3. Assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the region in
terms of the 4 As of tourism.

This chapter presents the major tourist destination areas in Ilocos Region. Major
discussions will be on access, health and safety issues, geographical characteristics,
major attractions, gastronomy, and distinctive cultural attributes of the region related to
the development and promotion of tourism in the Philippines.
Ilocos Region offers a wide variety of tourism products—from a historical walk on
Calle Crisologo, taking a dip in the popular beaches of Pagudpud, and to take a selfie
at the picture-perfect Bangui windmills. It successfully developed an array of tourism
attractions and activities, hence, having one of the most vibrant tourism industries.
The Ilocos Region includes the provinces of:
 Ilocos Norte
 Ilocos Sur
 La Union and
 Pangasinan

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No. of Towns
Land Area (in No. of
Capital Major Industries and
hectares) Cities
Municipalities
Agriculture, Handicraft,
La Union San Fernando City 149,770 1 19
Cottage
Agriculture, Manufacturing,
Ilocos Norte Laoag City 346,789 2 21
Furniture, Tourism

Agriculture, Cottage, Furniture,

Ilocos Sur Vigan City 259,600 2 32
Food Processing
Pangasinan Lingayen 545,101 Agriculture, Handicraft 4 44

A. Ports of Access
The region's gateway is through the Laoag International airport which has
daily flights from Manila and some international destinations. It is accessible by
land, though located at the northernmost part of the country.

Laoag International Airport

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Via MacArthur Highway

By Air: Currently, only Philippine Airlines services offers Manila-Laoag
domestic flights with a frequency of one to two flights per day. Laoag is just 45
minutes away from Manila.

By Land: Several bus companies offer regular trips from Manila to

Laoag, passing through the other provinces in the region. The average travel
time is 10-12 hours; hence, night trips are recommended.

Getting Around: Private van and car rentals are available to move
around the region as well as public modes of transportation. One can take a
bus to move from one province to the other, or a jeepney and tricycle to get
around towns.

B. Attractions and Activities

Historical, Cultural and Heritage
Natural Attractions Built Attractions
Attractions
• Laoag Sinking Bell Tower • Pagudpud Beach • Bangui Windmills
• Paoay Church • La Paz Sand Dunes • Malacanang of the North
Ilocos Norte
• Marcos Museum and Mausoleum • Capurpuraoan Rock Formation • Patapat Viaduct
• Cape Bojeador Lighthouse
• Calle Crisologo • Dancing Fountain
Ilocos Sur • Bantay Bell Tower • Baluarte
• Syquia Mansion
• Baluarte Watch Tower • Tangadari Falls • Ma-Cho Temple
La Union • Basilica of Our Lady of Charity • Tuddingan Falls • Eagle of the North
• Bahay na Bato
• Cape Bolinao Lighthouse • Hundred Islands
• Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the
• Patar Beach Calle Crisologo,
Pangasinan Rosary Manaoag
• Redeemer's Cross • Enchanted Cave Ilocos Sur

Cape Bolina Light House, Pangasinan

Baluarte Watch Tower, La Union Pagudpud,

Ilocos Norte

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C. Range of Accommodation
Budget (less than P1,500 per Mid-Range (P1,500 to P3,000 High-End (at least P3,000
night) per night) per night)
Fort Ilocandia Resort and
Grand Octagon Resort Hotel Tffany
Casino
Farm Side Hotel Aurelio's Mansion Pamulinawen Hotel
La Elliana Hotel Balay da Bias Pensionne Plaza Del Norte Hotel
Bueno's Penthouse House Java Hotel
Ilocos Norte
Gertes Resort Hotel Northview Hotel Viven Hotel
Laoag Renzo Hotel Rio Grande de Laoag
Isabel Suites Hotel Resort
Starlight Lodging House Parklane Hotel
The Palacio de Laoag
Hotel ni Among Gordion Hotel Hotel Luna
Ancieto Mansion Vigan Plaza Hotel One Vittoria Hotel
El Juliana Hotel Hotel Venetio De Vigan Ciudad Ferdinand Hotel
Hem Apartelle Villa Angela Heritage Hotel Felicidad
Casa Teofila Lodge House Hotel Salcedo De Vigan
Green R Hotel Grandpa's Inn Fiesta Garden Hotel
Ilocos Sur Mojica Residencia Hotel Cordillera Inn Resort and Spa
Manuela's Inn Metro Vigan Inn Vitalis Resort
Coffee Swings Casa Rica Hotel
Vigan Carlainton Condotel Asuncion
Ilocos Norte Transient Haus Ilocos Sur My Vigan Home La Union Pangasinan
Vigan Riverside Hotel Vigan Heritage Mansion
Bagnet Bagnet Vigan Halo-halo de Iloko
Ergo Hotel Casa Soledad Puto Calasiao
Empanada Empanada Thunderbird Resorts Poro
Hotel Almira AlcoraChuletas
French Resto Mansion Creamy Deremen
Point
Pakbet Pakbet
La Union Blue Marlin Resort
Dinakdakan
S.R. Paradise Resort
Nilantikang Bibingka
Aureo La Union
Longganisa Lumpianada Jumping Salad Villa d' El-Lita Hotel, Resort &
La Union Villa Alfredos' Resort The Circle Hostel La Union
Pinapaitan Vigan Miki Ilokano Express Restaurant
Sea Park Beach Resort Del Carmen Bed and Breakfast Oasis Country Resort
Costa Villa Beach Resort Awesome San Juan
Isla Bonita Beach Resort Sea of Dreams Resort - Spa
Ilog Malino Beach Resort Villa Soledad Beach Resort Puerto Del Sol Beech Resort
Villa Carolina Y Juan Beach Resort El Pescador Resort and Hotel Veue Beach Cabins
Treasures of Bolinao Beach
SCL Garden Paradise Resort Rock View Beach Resort
Resort
Pangasinan
Paz Patar Beach House Resort Rullan Apartelle Punta Riviera Resort
Solomon's Paradise Bar Grill Casa Almarenzo Bed and
Birdland Beach Club
Beach Resort Breakfast Resort
G Beach Resort
D. Food and
Delicacies

E. Festivals and Special Events

Ilocos Norte
 Pamulinawen Festival (February 10)
in honor of St. William, the celebration
features floral and street dance parade.
 Guling-guling (a day before Ash
Wednesday) the residents of Paoay dress
in their Ilocano traditional costume adorned

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with antique jewelleries, dance and sing around the town while being given the
sign of the cross using pounded rice instead of gray ash.
 Talip Festival — (May 19-20) commemorates the ancient peace pact that has
brought peace among ethnic tribes in the province of Ilocos Norte.
 Ani Festival — (March 23-30) a thanksgiving celebration for the bountiful
harvest of rice in the town of Dingras.

Ilocos Sur
 Longganisa Festival (January 22)
showcases the longganisa delicacy of
Vigan; highlight of the celebration is the
street dancing competition.
 Tobacco Festival — (March 28-31)
showcases the major industry of Candon
City— tobacco—in line with the founding
anniversary of its cityhood.
 Viva Vigan Festival of the Arts —
(1st week of May) showcases the rich
history, heritage, and cultural treasure of
the city of Vigan; it has become the biggest cultural event in the region.

La Union
 International Long Board Cup
(January 25-27) an international surfing
event for both amateurs and professionals
organized by the La Union Surfing
Association.
 Buybuy Festival — (February 9-11)
showcases the major produce of Burgos,
La Union, the buybuy or tiger grass.

Pangasinan
 Dagupan Bangus Festival - (April
16-Mav A) showcases the major
product of Dagupan, the milkfish or
Bangus; features street dancing, trade
fairs, fluvial parade, and others.
 Binongey Festival (April 17)
showcases the traditional taste of rice

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cake cooked in bamboo using direct firing.

 Mango-bamboo — (April 20-27) aimed to promote San Carlos City as a major
trading center of bamboo-based products and producer of carabao mangoes.

F. Major Cultural Groups

This Region has three (3) distinct groups: Ilocanos, Pangasinenses, and
Igorots. Ilocanos occupy the coastal provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La
Union, and certain parts of Pangasinan. The natives of Pangasinan are the
Pangasinenses. There are also Tingguians who live in the secluded mountains of
Ilocos Sur.

The Ilocanos are from the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union,
Abra, and Cagayan. The people are essentially rice producers but also plant cash
crops like tobacco and garlic. Due to the limited agricultural potentials in Ilocos,
Ilocanos are known to be thrifty, self-sufficient, and enduring. Most have also
resorted to outmigration, wherein the Ilocanos can be found all over the Philippines
as far as Mindanao and overseas. For families who chose to stay in the region,
most of these families have a family member working in Manila or abroad (Peralta
2000).

The Pangasinan live in the Peninsula just north of Zambales. There is a lush
area for vegetation and agriculture. Fishing abounds by the waters of the Lingayen
Gulf’ They also produce the some of the best buri mats and the production of bolos
(Peralta 2000).

G. Major Industries

Major industries are agriculture-based like crop production, mining'

manufacturing, and cottage industries. Its provinces are famous for agro-industrial
businesses such as milkfish (bangus) cultivation and processing, livestock raising'
fish paste (bagoong) processing, among others. Income in the Ilocos provinces
also come from cultivating rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, and fruits; and from
raising livestock such as pigs, chicken, goats, and carabaos (Department of Trade
and Industry n.d.)

H. Languages/Dialects Spoken

Ilokano, Filipino, and English are predominantly spoken and understood

within the region. Pangasinense, Pangalatok, Bolinao, and Tagalog are also widely
spoken in Pangasinan.

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Ilocos Norte's location on the northwest corner of Luzon makes it ideal and suitable for
wind power generation. The 150MW Burgos wind farm in Ilocos Norte is the biggest
wind farm in the Philippines and the first wind project nominated for the Philippine
Government's feed-in-tariff (FIT) incentive scheme. The wind farm is expected to
generate approximately 370 GWh of electricity a year, which will be used to power
more than two million households, while offsetting approximately 200,000t of C02
emissions annually (Power Technology 2018).

Badilla, M.G. & Oreta, M.L. (2017). Touriom Promotion Serviced. Manila: Rex Book
Store, Inc.

Peralta, J. T. (2000). Glimpses: Peoples of the Philippines. National Commission for

Culture and the Arts.

1. www.tripadvisor.com
2. www.tourism.gov.ph
3. www.lakadpilipinas.com
4. www.tourismilocosnorte.com
5. www.visitmyphilippines.com
6. www.pagudpud-ilocos.com
7. www.launion.gov.ph
8. www.pinoyadventurista.com
9. www.vigan.ph

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