Spanish Era: Vigan, Ilocos Sur

The City of Vigan is a 5th class city in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. It is the
capital of the Province of Ilocos Sur. The city is located on the western coast of the
large island of Luzon, facing the South China Sea.

It is a World Heritage Site in that it is one of

numerous Hispanic towns in the Philippines, and
is well-known for its cobblestone streets, and a
unique architecture that fuses Philippine building
design, and construction with colonial European
architecture.

According to the latest Philippines census, it has

a population of 47,246 people in 9,193
households.

Map of Ilocos Sur showing the location of Vigan

Other names

The city's full name at the time of its Spanish foundation was
"Villa Fernandina", or "Town of Ferdinand", in honour of
Prince Ferdinand, the firstborn son of King Philip II of Spain.
As the city grew, and the seat of the Archdiocese of Nueva
Segovia transferred to Vigan, it was later re-named "Ciudad
Fernandina de Vigan" ("Ferdinand's City of Vigan").
Geography and Topography of Vigan

Vigan can be found 120 23’ 15’’ east longitude and 17 34’ 30’’ north latitude. It is in the
northern part of Luzon, one of the Philippines’ main islands. 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.

Its favorable geographical features and location continues to make it a very accessible
center. It is only 408 kilometers away from Manila, 80 kilometers away from Laoag and
139 kilometers awayfrom La Union’s San Fernando. Its 2, 511 hectares 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 Sta. Catalina, respectively. The 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 23.66 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 rolling plains area. On the other hand, found on the hilly parts are
portions of Barangay Tamag and the barangays of Bulala and Salindeg.

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 Ilocos Sur 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 Sto. 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 served as
important transport ways for trade-related activities from the 1400s to the 1800s, 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 Sta. Catalina.

Demography
Vigan City recorded a total population of 45,143 in 2000 with a population density of
around 1,797 persons per sq. km. Ilocano was the predominant ethnicity comprising
about 96.5 percent of its household population in 2000. Likewise, Ilocano is the most
spoken dialect in the city. About 95.2 percent of the people in Vigan City were Roman
Catholics based from the 2000 Census of Population. As of 2002, all of the barangays
in the city had power/electric supply. About 57.7 percent of the total households in the
urban areas had access to potable water thru the Metro Vigan Water District.

Socio-economic Activities

Agriculture is the major industry in Vigan City with about 36.0 percent of its total land
area used for farming. Its major crops are rice, corn, onion, eggplant and tomato.
Majority (95.4 percent) of the agricultural lands are irrigated.
 The pottery-making industry is also
prominent in the city. Its products include
banga (cooking pots), karamba (water
vessels), dalikan/pagugingan (firewood and
charcoal fed cooking stoves), bakka paso
(water and animal feeding basins) and
masetera (plant pots). Burnay (jar)-making is
also well-known in the city. Burnay is used as a garden ornament in ancestral and
modern houses.

“Abel” loom-weaving also contributes to the economy of

the city. Majority of the loom- weavers are women. Abel
Iloko products include blankets and bed covers, pillow
cases, bath towels and robes, place mats and table
napkins, runners and others. Traditional colors and
designs which have similarities with the Cordillera
design are used in the products.

The place is also known for its food-making/meat

processing industries such as the manufacturing
of empanada (similar to the Mexican taco), Vigan
longganisa (native sausage), and Royal bibingka
(rice cake).

The City is the center of trade and commerce in the

province of Ilocos Sur. Merchants from other towns
come to the city to sell their wares. As of 2002, 869
establishments were registered in the Office of the Mayor. Majority of these
establishments were stall holders of the newly established city mall.

Government and People in Vigan

Since Vigan is the capital of Ilocos Sur, it is the center of the province’s politics,
commerce, education and religion. It is where most office branches of the national
government are and where people go to receive secondary and tertiary hospital care.

Being a commercial center since the Spanish period, traders from municipalities all over
Ilocos still go to Vigan to buy and sell goods. Its religious also started an excellent
educational heritage in Vigan that has flourished throughout the years, making it now
the site of many high-quality institutions of learning in Ilocos Sur.

This city has a 5th class classification and has received many regional awards for its
city government-implemented projects. Its government aims to continue to keep Vigan
the leading municipality of Ilocos Sur.

It is the municipal government’s mission to improve each Bigueno’s life in keeping with
the rich heritage of their past. They aim to accomplish this by instilling in their locals
pride in Vigan’s culture, conserving and protecting Vigan’s heritage and environment,
delivering high-standard social services as well as programs for poverty alleviation.
They plan to do all these with the participation of the community, empowering the
Biguenos in the process.

The people of Vigan are known to be extremely industrious, thrifty and hospitable.
Visitors will not encounter any problems communicating with the locals as they know
how to converse in English and Filipino. Their local language is called Ilocano, which is
also how the people of the Ilocos region are called. As per the census conducted in
2000, population in Vigan reached 45,143 people. The household total at that time
numbered 9,193.

People who come from Vigan usually have surnames starting with the letters A and F.
This was because in 1847, Governor General Narciso Claveria instructed all the citizens
of the country to take on surnames or make changes to the one they already have. This
ruling’s goal was to ensure that tax collection was maximized by documenting every
inhabitant and putting a system that would help the Spanish government track more
efficiently the taxes being paid by the population.

As part of the system, the natives of Vigan were instructed to have surnames beginning
in A, while the mestizos had to choose surnames that began with F. Established
families like the De Leon, Dela Cruz, Donato, Rosario and Prudencio attached another
surname that start with F to the one they already carried. They began using Faz de
Leon, Filar dela Cruz (later shortened to Filart), Ferre Donato, Fino del Rosario and Foz
Prudencio. There were also prominent families that completely changed their name, like
the Mariano family who opted to take the new surname Formoso.
History

In pre-colonial times, Vigan was an important trading post for Chinese junks, trading
gold beeswax and other products from the central Cordilleras for exotic Asian goods.
Many Chinese traders settled in the mestizo district, marrying locals and starting new
bloodlines.

Vigan was captured and settled by

the Spanish in 1572, and grew to
become a centre of Spanish
political and religious power in the
north of Luzon. In 1758 Vigan
became the Seat of the Diocese of
Nueva Segovia.

Interestingly the town was also a

Cobblestone street in Vigan
hotbed of anti-Spanish politics.
Diego Silang was perhaps the most notable resistance leader, but was assassinated by
his friends (on commission from the Spanish) in May 1763. Undeterred, Silang's wife,
Maria Josefa Gabriela Silang, assumed leadership of the uprising but was later
captured by the Spanish and publicly hanged in on September 20, 1763.

Local legend has it that Vigan got its name from a simple communication breakdown. A
Spaniard walking along the Metizo River apparently met a local and asked which the
city's name. Not understanding what he was being asked, but seeing that the Spaniard
seemed to be pointing to a tree, replied "Bigaa Apo" (a giant Taro plant that was
common in the area). It is from the word "Bigaa" that Vigan is said to have derived its
name.
First inhabitants

Throughout history, most first settlers locate themselves near waterways, where they
can fish for food, and have access to water for drinking and watering their crops once
planting is learned. Settlers also use the waterways as natural buffer against enemies
and a faster means than land to move about their territory.

This holds true as well with the first inhabitants of Vigan. Ages before the coming of the
Spaniards to the Philippine islands, the first inhabitants of Vigan founded settlements in
this northwestern part of the big island of Luzon, initially finding shelter in coves or looc.
The settlements stretched north to south from Ilocos Norte’s Bangui down to La Union’s
Namacpacan.

The waters that surrounded this regional settlement was a boon to the life of the first
inhabitants as it enabled it to be known as a thriving trading center. Here traders from
as far as ancient Japan, China and Malaya traveled to exhange goods making use of
the China Sea and the many rivers that surround and course through Vigan to transport
their wares and people.

The region was known during those ancient times as Samtoy. This name was derived
from the words sao mi ditoy, which means our language. Traders and visitors to
Samtoy not only knew it as a place for trading with locals and foreigners, it was also
widely known for its rich gold mines.

When the Spanish expedition headed by Juan de Salcedo arrived in the settlement of
Samtoy on the 13th of June in 1557, they made the natural choice of founding a city in
the settlement dedicating it to King Ferdinand of Spain. They named the region Ylocos,
while the town itself was called Ciudad Fernandina, now known as Vigan.
Though the earliest foreign visitors from Japan, China and Malaya did not come to
conquer but to trade, some of them stayed and settled in ancient Vigan. Despite the fact
that they were not fairly treated by the Spanish when they took power, the Chinese
endeavored to remain, working and propagating their craft and intermarrying with the
locals.

They were initially relegated to living in the outskirts called Pariancillo. There they
produced and traded in goods such as the local wine basi, jars or burnay, lime, indigo,
tobacco and the local woven textile called abel. These products reached as far as
Europe. Their tenacity and hard work produced an elite class of Filipino Chinese
families that became powerful and wealthy enough to further propel the economic
growth of Vigan and affect changes not only in the politics and history of the town and
the region during the latter part of the Spanish colonization, but the whole country as
well.
Vigan Houses

Vigan’s inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List is due to the preservation of
around 187 residential, institutional, commercial and religious structures that transport
visitors to the past. What’s amazing about these structures is that they continue to be
used by current locals as they were used by former owners who lived in the 18th
century. Their structural endurance and relevance to every-day use until this modern
day is testament to the genius and high-level of craftsmanship in the creation of these
architectural treasures.

Vigan houses before the colonization of Spain were made from light-weight materials
such as bamboo, nipa and cogon. These were called bahay-kubo and are airy and easy
to clean, but were of no match to the typhoons that visit the land during the wet season,
or even the occasional fires.

When the Spaniards came together with their Mexican subjects, the locals learned from
them how to quarry, prepare the stones and make bricks. They also learned how to
make these into fire-resistant building materials by applying lime mortar. Though the
structures they constructed using these materials fared better in withstanding typhoons
and fires, the structures were still easy casualties of earthquakes.

Vigan Houses
Even though there were some houses whose first and second floors are built in pure
masonry that survived the elements, Biguenos still endeavored to find better ways of
building. What they did was to mix their indigenous construction methods with that of
the Europeans’. They retained the bahay-kubo’s interlocking wooden post and beam
system. The mortared bricks and stones were used for the walls of the first floor, while
the second floors were made largely of timber. This kind of construction proved to
weather earthquakes and storms better and can be seen in the preserved houses of
Vigan.

VIgan Houses

Vigan houses are also noteworthy because they are a bit bigger than the usual Asian
houses. This is because they not only serve as residences but as shops and storage as
well, like those in other trading centers. These storage and shop areas are in the
ground floor together with the carriage area. A big staircase leads to the living areas in
the upper floors consisting of living room, dining area and kitchen, bedrooms and a toilet.

Light and air flow freely. There is usually an open terrace connected to the dining area
or kitchen. Large windows made of wood and capiz shells surround the house with
balustered sliding panels in the lower part that allows one to view the streets while
sitting on the floor. Roofs and eaves are extended to ward off harsh sunlight and rain.
The Biguenos also made use of terracotta and decorative friezes and partitions to show
their artistry and add beauty to each function of the house’s architectural detail. This
mixing of technology of the east and west, function and beauty, has given Vigan houses
its unique style of architecture.
First European Encounter

Juan de Salcedo arrived with around 80

soldiers in June 1572. He came to Vigan upon
instructions from Spain’s King Philip II and then
Governor General Guido de Lavezares to
establish Spanish presence in the area.

It seems though that this is not the first incursion

of the Spaniards to this region because they
have already identified one of the rivers that flow
beside the targeted settlement as Bigan; and
there is a tale about how this name came about
which involved a conversation between a
Spaniard and a local.

It is said that the word Vigan came from the Ilocano word bigaa. The word was a reply
by a Filipino native who was asked by a Spaniard walking by the Mestizo River what the
name was of the place he was traveling in. Thinking that he was being asked about the
name of the plant to which the finger of the Spaniard was unintentionally pointing to, the
Filipino replied, “Bigaa.” The bigaa is like a taro plant that can be found in abundance
along the banks of the river during those olden times.

It took Juan de Salcedo around 23 days to reach Vigan from Manila. He explored the
north and founded a town under Spanish leadership in the settlement of Vigan. From
there, he went on to subdue the settlements in the southern part of the main island of
Luzon --- Albay, Camarines and Catanduanes. For all his efforts, the king made Juan de
Salcedo the justicia mayor of the whole province of Ilocos and gave him his own land or
encomienda. Aside from what is now known as the Ilocos provinces, his territory
included the whole of present-day provinces of Abra and La Union, plus portions of the
Mountain Province.

Juan de Salcedo brought with him missionaries of the Augustinian order in 1574 to help
in his administration. The missionaries proceeded to evangelize, oversee education in
the community and record their observation of the encomienda, together with its history.
The town also later became the religious center for the Nueva Segovia’s archdiocese in
1758.

By 1591, Vigan already consisted of 19 barrios that contribute 800 tributes to the King’s
coffers. The number of its barangays grew to 21 around 1645. It was governed by an
alcalde mayor and his deputy. Aside from a priest, there was also a justice. The
Spanish residents lived in their own villa or estate, separate from the locals and Chinese
residents.

The harsh handling of Spanish leaders from both the political administration and the
religious resulted to many a revolt by the natives, from the 1600s up to the end of the
1800s.

Vigan Spanish Period

Through a papal bull by Pope Clement VIII, a diocese called Nueva Segovia in
Cagayan’s city of Lallo was recognized as the religious center of the North of Luzon.

However, the conditions in Lallo subjected the bishops to being flooded during the wet
season and in danger of catching malaria. Cagayan’s Rio Grande was also slowly
encroaching upon the land where the diocese was. So, the bishops began to set their
sights on transferring the diocese to Vigan which was the favored domicile of the church
leaders anyway, beginning in 1595.
It is not hard to understand why the bishops of Nueva Segovia have chosen to stay in
Vigan.

It had been all through the years the North’s center of economy and, because of its
wealth, a political center as well. Its growth had not waned over the years, it only got
stronger. Bringing the religious center there will not only bring them at the center of
influence in the North, it will also bring them much closer to Manila, the country’s
ultimate center of influence.

Bishop Juan de la Fuentes de Yepes made the request for the transfer to the king in
1755. In presenting his request, he gathered the support of alcalde mayores and the
members of the Dominican and Augustinian orders. The alcalde mayores of Cagayan,
Pangasinan and Vigan gave testimonies of support, while endorsements were given by
Fray Bernardo Ustaris and Fray Manuel Carillo.

Pope Benedict XIV and King Fernando VI approved the transfer of the archdiocese of
Nueva Segovia to Vigan in September 1758. Through the approving royal decree, Vigan
was also elevated to city status with the name Ciudad Fernandina de Vigan.

The local inhabitants of Vigan continued with their agricultural livelihood, while the
mestizos or citizens of mixed Filipino-Chinese descent prospered in their trade and
industries. This business class’ wealth enabled them to influence the history of Vigan
from the latter part of the Spanish period onwards.

The backing of the native populace and the resources of the mestizos helped the
revolutionaries who sought to release the whole country from Spanish rule. They
supported the Malong Revolt in 1661, the Silang Revolt in 1762, the Tobacco Revolt in
1788 and the Basi Revolt in 1807. Their support allowed the revolutionaries under the
leadership of General Emilio Aguinaldo to defeat the Spaniards in Vigan in 1896. The
general set up his revolutionary headquarters for the region at the archbishop’s palace,
where the Philippine flag was raised for the first time, after nearly 400 years of Spanish
subjugation.

Diego Silang and

Maria Josefa Gabriela Silang

The first major revolution waged against the Spaniards was waged by the Silangs
during the time of the British forces’ military incursion in the Philippines which began in
September 1762.

It was the period of the Seven Year’s War between the British and the French, who
were aided by Spain. In October 1762, the British expeditionary forces from India
occupied Manila in retaliation to Spain’s alliance with France, and sought to take control
of the other provinces of the Philippines.

Diego Silang saw this as the opportune time to lead an Ilocano revolt against the
weakened Spanish forces. Ilocanos have suffered long the unreasonable taxes, free
labor for the construction of religious and administrative structures and the suppressive
monopolies that the Spaniards imposed upon the populace. That is why they were quick
to respond to the call for revolution.

Diego Silang’s aim was the creation of an Ilocano nation. This vision began when he
personally witnessed the many abuses of the Spanish government and the Roman
Catholic Church not only in Ilocos but wherever he traveled as courier for Vigan’s parish
priest, delivering letters and documents to Manila and back.

Having failed in negotiations with the Spanish authorities to establish a government in

Ilocos with locano functionaries, Diego Silang worked with the British forces to defeat
the Spanish in the North.

He already had control of Vigan in December of 1762. He was promised military

assistance by the British to strengthen his hold and complete his plan, which
unfortunately never came.

Diego Silang was later killed by Miguel Vicos, a friend who was a mestizo (mix blood of
Spanish and Ilocano). Vicos carried out his assassination of Diego during his visit to the
latter’s house, accompanied by another of Diego’s friend Pedro Becbec. The traitorous
act was of course instigated by the Spanish church and government authorities.

Diego’s cause did not die with him, however. His wife, Maria Josefa Gabriela Silang,
continued his leadership. Her valiant efforts were overpowered by massive forces set
upon her, forcing her retreat to Abra. She tried to lead her army back to Vigan but was
again repelled. She was captured and put to death publicly by hanging in September
1763. Almost a hundred of her followers were also publicly hanged to serve as a
warning to the Ilocanos.

She is now remembered in Philippine history as the country’s Joan of Arc and first
female leader for Filipino liberation. Her furious ride towards Vigan is immortalized in
many statues all over the country erected in memory of her courage and sacrifice. She
rejoined her husband only four months after his death.
American Period, World War II and After

After the signing of the Treaty of Paris in December 1898, transferring the fate of the
Philippine islands from Spanish colonial masters to American ones, the North became
the site of many of the battles against the Americans fought by the Filipino resistance
movement who in the beginning thought that the Americans were there to help them in
the Philippine fight for independence.

Having this atmosphere all over the regions where the Filipinos fought so hard for
liberation, it’s interesting to note that when the Americans arrived in Vigan in November
of 1899 the Biguenos were actually quite welcoming of the American troops. The
speculation is that the people of Vigan were not too happy with the conduct of the
Filipino soldiers led by Brg. Gen. Manuel Tinio who subdued the Spanish forces but
later had to flee when the Americans came.

Like the rest of the country, Vigan continued on through America’s period of “benevolent
assimilation” after the revolutionaries surrendered in 1901 and until World War II
reached its shores when the Japanese occupied the country in 1942.

When the Japanese forces began their retreat in 1945, they tried to inflict as much
destruction on the towns they had occupied. However, Vigan was spared from burning
by the Japanese and the American liberation forces’ bombings which leveled the cities
of Baguio, Cebu and Manila, making Manila WWII’s second most destroyed city next to
Warsaw.

In 1948, then President Manuel Roxas suffered a heart attack while delivering a speech
in Clark Field, Pampanga. The first president of the Republic of the Philippines after its
independence from the Americans died, leaving then Vice President Elpidio Quirino as
the next president.
Vigan is proud of the fact that the sixth president of the country is a Bigueno, and
shares as much knowledge about their city’s beloved son such as his being born in the
structure that houses Vigan’s provincial jail. This interesting information about his birth
is due to the fact that his father served as Vigan’s prison warden at that time.

Vigan became a hotspot of political feuding in the seventies. It was the time of political
warlords with private armies. The whole nation’s attention was held in 1970 by the
violent death of Congresman Floro Crisologo, patriarch of the powerful political family of
the Crisologos. The site of his untimely death is the St. Paul Cathedral where he was
attending mass.

Upon the ashes of his death, a new political family rose into power, that of the Singsons.
The brothers Luis and Evaristo became Ilocos Sur’s governor and Vigan’s mayor,
respectively.

Urban Planning in Vigan

When Juan de Salcedo founded Vigan in 1572, he decided that the best urban plan that
should be followed is that of the Intramuros or walled city in Manila. There were not
many to copy from as Vigan or Ciudad Fernandina, as it was earlier named, was
amongst the earliest settlements built by the Spaniards in the country.

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 or Law of the
Indies put into force in the 18th century. Under the Law of the Indies streets were to
follow a grid pattern, the center of which is 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 munisipio or
municipal hall. A stone’s throw away are the religious buildings: the seminary of the
archdiocese, the Arzobispado or archbishop’s palace, and the St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Beside these religious structures is the church-run school, the Saint Paul’s College,
which in the olden times was called the Colegio de Ninas.

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 in tact despite wars and 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.

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. However, it is heartening to know that 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.
 Vigan City is subdivided into 39 barrios or barangays.

 Ayusan Norte  Cabalangegan  Purok-a-bassit

 Ayusan Sur  Cabaroan Daya  Purok-a-dakkel
 Barrio I (Población)  Cabaroan Laud  Raois
 Barrio II (Población)  Camangaan  Rugsuanan
 Barrio III (Población)  Capangpangan  Salindeg
 Barrio IV (Población)  Mindoro  San José
 Barrio V (Población)  Nagsangalan  San Julian Norte
 Barrio VI (Población)  Pantay Daya  San Julian Sur
 Barraca  Pantay Fatima  San Pedro
 Beddeng Laud  Pantay Laud  Tamag
 Beddeng Daya  Paoa  Barrio VII (Pagburnayan)
 Bongtolan  Paratong  Barrio VIII
 Bulala  Pong-ol  Barrio IX (Cuta)

World Heritage Cities Solidarity Day

Another great time to visit Vigan is during their World Heritage Cities Solidarity Day
celebration every September 8. Vigan celebrates this with other cities all over the
world that have world heritage sites.

In Vigan this special day is actually commemorated with week-long festivities aimed
at strengthening pride in the history and culture of Vigan. This aim is in keeping with
the long-term goal of preserving the 630 heritage structures that date back from the
18th and 19th century.
Vigan’s well-preserved Spanish trading town environ has survived the test of time,
including bombings during World War II which leveled the major Philippine cities of
Baguio, Cebu and Manila.

Visitors can start their Vigan heritage solidarity festivities with the Repazzo de Vigan.
This is a parade that is participated in by all 39 barangays, specially the students
and members of non-governmental organizations. The participants dramatize the
Biguenos’ way of life from Spanish time up to the period after World War II while
they walk through the designated parade route, accompanied by music.

This unique parade experience is followed by the Historia Oral. The Historia Oral is
a wonderful opportunity for listeners to learn about Vigan’s history, culture and day-
to-day life straight from the mouths of the old, ordinary Vigan folks. Members of the
senior citizens’ federation are tapped to share their experience, knowledge and love
of their city through story-telling. Grade-school student listeners from Vigan join the
historical-literary contest that is held in connection with the Historia Oral.

Another way to soak in the history of Vigan is to join the scheduled Visita Museo ken
Balbalay, when narrators read accounts of the life of the owners of the mansions
and museums that are toured. Participants are also guided through the cobbled
stone-past of Vigan streets and back to the concrete present.

Putajes de Ayer or Comidas de Ayer gives a gustatory experience for visitors, who
are enjoined to taste Vigan cuisine that has been enjoyed through the centuries.
Food establishments offer the famous Vigan bagnet (deep-fried, sun-dried pork
chunks), chicha-corn (crunchy corn), empanada (closed taco with filling), longanisa
(native sausage), ukoy (fried shrimp patty) and other food associated with Vigan.

Notable among Vigan’s rice-based delicacies are the old-fashioned bibingka from
Marsha’s and the salapusop, which only one family from a coastal barangay in
 Mindoro now knows how to make.

For a more artistic experience, visitors can watch out for the Fotografias de
Recuerdos, when photographs and paintings are exhibited at Vigan’s Culture and
Trade Center. They can also watch the inter-barangay singing contest held at the
Plaza Burgos at the end of the week.

VIGAN HERITAGE
Old Vigan Colonial Houses
The ancestral houses were built mostly by rich Chinese
traders. These great big houses are made of thick brick walls
and plastering with red clay. Tile roofs are made to survive
earthquakes. The Mestizo district where more than a
hundred houses line side by side along Calle Crisologo.

St. Paul’s Cathedral

Built in 1790-1800 by the Augustinians, this impressive Baroque cathedral has most of
its interior walls well preserved. The 12 altars and 3 naives only enhances the church
beauty and grandeur. The bell tower is octagonal and is located 10 meters south of the
cathedral. It is a place not to be missed when visiting Vigan.

Palacio de Arzobispado
Built in 1783, it is the official residence of the Archbishop of Nueva Segovia. The palace
was the headquarters of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. Included in the palace is the Museo
Nueva Segovia with a collection of paintings, manuscripts and religious articles
accumulated through the centuries.

Burgos National Museum.

The museum building is the ancestral house of Padre Jose Burgos.
One of the museum’s best feature are the paintings of Esteban
Villanueva depicting the 1807 Basi Revolt. The dioramas of local
historical events is worth the visit. Included in the collections are
antiques, manuscripts and other priceless items. There is a Tourist
Information Center in Vigan to help visitors. And if you want to take
a break, there are beaches to go to just a few minutes away from
the town.

Plaza Salcedo

West of the cathedral features a 17th Century monument to Juan de Salcedo, and was
also the site of resistance leader Gabriela Silang's public hanging in 1763.

Plaza Burgos

Is a favourite hang out for locals. It is also used for staging major public events. It has
also food stalls selling native snacks, notably the empanada.
Ayala Museum

It used to be the home of Father Jose Burgos but now houses Ilocano artifacts,
weapons, kitchen utensils, basketry, costumes, jewellery and Burgos Memorabilia.
There are also some dioramas showing important events in the history of Ilocos Sur,
and a mini library. Beside the museum is the Ilocos Sur Provincial Jail, where the
Philippines first Ilocano president, the late Pres. Elpidio Quirino, was born.

The Crisologo Museum used to be the home of the late Congressman Floro Crisologo
and wife Carmeling, former governor of Ilocos Sur. It contains memorabilia of the late
Congressman.

A good time to visit Vigan is during the town fiesta. Celebrated for one whole week -
concluding on January 25 to commemorate the conversion of the apostle, St. Paul. The
fiesta is marked by street parades, beauty contest and variety shows on the town plaza.

During the Holy Week, local and foreign tourist come to Vigan to see the religious
processions of the antique and life sized statues mounted on elaborately designed
carrozas that are paraded on the streets of Vigan.
 Spanish Era :
Vigan, Ilocos Sur