BRIEF PROFILE OF THE MUNICIPALITY of LUNA

The town of Luna was originally named “Namacpacan”, an iloco word meaning “one
who has given food” Appropriately so because, history has it that travelers especially from
Vigan to Manila used to stop and refresh themselves at the place and as gesture of hospitality,
the residents would offer food and shelter. Perhaps passing by the same route, travelers always
go back to their “Namacpacan” eventually becoming a byword. By the course history, however,
“Namacpacan” was eventually changed to “Luna” in honor of the hero brothers, Antonio and
Juan.
This factual information was carried up to this present generation as evidenced by the
existence of the historical structures and markers that can be seen in the locality.
Namacpacan was founded as a town and parish on November 25, 1690 with Darigayos
being the original central settlement site. In 1741, the parish was eventually transferred from
Darigayos to its current location perhaps to veer away from “Ilocano-Spaniards uprising.
Namacpacan was one among the towns from the Southern part of Ilocos Sur which were
merged with some towns in the Northern part of Pangasinan and the Western part of Mountain
Provincewhen the Province of La Union was created in 1854. On October 18, 1906, by virtue of
Philippine Commission Act No. 1543, the name “Namacpacan” was changed to “Luna” in honor
of the Luna brothers, General Antonio and the painter, Juan Luna, in due respect to their
mother, Dona Laureana Novicio Luna, a daughter of the town. Under the current setup of
government, Luna is one of the 20 municipalities of the Province of La Union.