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A Glimpse of Ilocos in Four Days
Source: Manila Bulletin
Author: VIC ALBORNOZ LACTAOEN
Date: 2010-04-28
 
Just north of Manila, the picturesque provinces of Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur provide a glimpse into the archipelago’s distant and recent past. How do you traverse these two huge provinces in just four days? We recently tried to cover as much as we could. Ilocandia, as these two provinces are known for, is also famous for its people who eke out a living on the narrow strip of land between the mountains of the Cordilleras and the South China Sea.


The provincial terrain is unforgiving-rocky, unirrigated and sandy. Summers are hot and cold seasons can sometimes be severe. These conditions result in limited crops. But perhaps, it is because of this that Ilocanos became one of the early migrants, becoming pioneers in Mindanao and in practically every other province. They have moved, as well, including abroad, beginning with the migration to Hawaii in 1906 as the first group of sugarcane workers.


A quick 45 minute flight from Manila to Laoag City or an eight hour travel by land allows one to enjoy the beautiful coastal view from the province of La Union, up through Ilocos Sur to Ilocos Norte. The phrase birds–eye view suddenly acquires its full meaning. A city tour of Laoag and its vicinity prove to be educational and inspiring. First stop: Gameng Ilocos’ Museum- this is Irene Marcos Araneta’s pet project. Gameng is an Ilocano word meaning treasure. Indeed the museum is a treasure trove of everything that makes the region of Ilocos the home of the brave and the land of the free. Housed in a tabacalera (tobacco) warehouse, the museum was primarily designed to instill a sense of patriotism for the young Ilocanos and other citizens of the province.


But there is a lot more to see and explore in Ilocos Norte, especially if your goal is to discover the unique cultural and culinary traditions that the province has. One can visit the Paoay Church also known as the San Agustin Church, a UNESCO World Heritage site which has an outstanding feature of the phalanx of buttresses that jut out perpendicularly from the sides to strengthen the walls against earthquake damage. It has the most massive butressing in any church in the Philippines. S-shaped buttresses rise in rhythmic cadence from the ground reaching almost to the roof line. Pyramidal finishes triumphantly tap each buttress. The visual impact of this church in Paoay is unforgettable.


One can also visit the Malacanang ti Amianan, otherwise known as the Presidential Palace of the North. The official residence of the Marcos family in Ilocos Norte, it was one of the 29 presidential rest houses that the late president had built. The huge two storey cement and wooden house in Paoay overlooks the Paoay Lake. The spacious main hall leads out to a porch by a sprawling garden overlooking the lake. A partly spiral grand staircase leads to the second floor where the master’s bedroom, once occupied by the Philippine president can be found. In the living room stands a huge painting of Paoay Church, where tourists love to have their souvenir pictures taken.


From Paoay, one can hie off to the Luna house which is the birthplace of patriot and foremost Filipino painter Juan Luna y Novicio in Badoc town. Juan Luna was able to put the Philippines on the map by winning gold for his awe-inspiring painting, Spolarium, which was exhibited in the Madrid Art Exposition in 1884. Luna was only 27 at that time. This old house is now known as the Luna House, where his memorabilia, a replica of his spolarium and some of his lesser known artworks are proudly displayed for visitors to behold. Then head on to Batac, hometown of the late Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos and Aglipayan Church founder Gregorio Aglipay. A peak at the Marcos Museum can serve as one’s introduction to Batac.


The Marcos mansion as it is now popularly known is where the late Philippine president grew up and where his remains are still encased. We took a peak in an all glass coffin, inside a dimly lit mausoleum while other parts of the mansion house his memorabilia including notes from his exile, car plates that trace back to his Congress and Senate days including some clothes that he wore during his political heydays.


Then one can go to the town of Pagudpud, where big waves pound the famous beaches. A different kind of sandy experience awaits visitors at the dunes that extend from Paoay to Laoag, where a vast, open space of shifting hills can be seen, straight out of Mad Max, just like the movie except that there are no demented riders to get you. The entire Ilocos province is doted with churches, convent ruins and watch towers dating back to the Spanish colonial era. Sentries once looked out from the 9th century lighthouse on Cape Bojeador in Burgos town or go to the quiet town of Bacarra which has an ancient bell tower and church ruins housing 17 string wooden harps. Or drive to Santa Monica Church in Sarat where the famous wedding of Greggy Araneta to former President Marcos’s second daughter Irene was held. Or for something modern, one can admire the Wind Mills of Bangui. This place is getting popular among tourists because the coastal town was used as a backdrop in a well known cellphone and political commercial.


A sojourn to Ilocandia is incomplete without walking down the cobblestone streets of Calle Crisologo and the rows of ancestral houses in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, aptly called the “heritage village.” Built in varying Spanish, Mexican, and Chinese architectural styles, thick brick walls, tile roofs, and red clay, the mansions stand side by side each other as if frozen in time. Check out the Syquia (President Elpidio Quirino’s residence), Crisologo mansions, and the martyred priest Jose Burgos’ mansions and take respite at Villa Angela nearby where Hollywood actor Tom Cruise spent days while shooting the movie “Fourth of July” as a World War II veteran. One can also proceed to Magasingal Church, also called The Church of Saint William the Hermit, known for its well preserved wooden altar which is still being used for church service up to this very day.


We were treated to a delectable feast of Ilocano cuisine at Sitio Remedios, a resort village in Currimao, Ilocos Norte, consisting of seven authentic Ilocano houses preserved and reconstructed along the South China Sea. For those seeking true Ilocano cuisine, Sitio Remedios serves the quintessential Ilocano dishes like bagnet, longanisa, pinakbet, poki-poki (eggplant salad), Igado (cooked pork with entrails) and rich selection of local sweets. Interestingly, this place features authentic Ilocano houses as well, preserved and reconstructed using wood and coral stones. At the center of the village plaza is the Capilla San Miguel, a chapel dedicated to the Archangel Michael. One must also try out the new Casa San Nicolas, located right beside the Municipal Hall of San Nicolas, which also serves their own Ilocano fare and specialties prepared by couple Boy and Eya Cabanos. The couple’s restaurant can also prepare picnic meals which they gracefully did when we had our beachside luncheon feast in nearby Pagudpud. The couple served Inabraw, a popular vegetable soup dish teeming with sigarilyas, string beans, eggplant and squash blossoms, flavored with bagoong.


The province of Ilocos Norte has everything to offer to become a major travel destination. So get there before it is discovered by the hordes. There’s something for everyone, from the adventure traveler to the time traveler.


[ Ilocos Norte Wiki | Laoag City Wiki ]

 

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