Before the influx of the Spaniards, the coastal plains in northwestern Luzon, stretching from Bangui (Ilocos Norte) in the north to Namacpacan (Luna, La Union) in the south, were, as a whole, known as a progressive region called the Ylokos. This region lies in between the China Sea in the west and Northern Cordilleras on the east. The inhabitants built their villages near the small bays on coves called “looc” in the dialect. These coastal inhabitants were referred to as “Ylocos” which literally meant “from the lowlands”. The entire region was then called by the ancient name “Samtoy” from “sao mi ditoy” which in Ilokano mean “our dialect”. The region was later called by the Spaniards as “Ylocos” or “Ilocos” and its people “Ilocanos”.
The Ilocos Region was already a thriving, fairly advanced cluster of towns and settlements familiar to Chinese, Japanese and Malay traders when the Spaniard explorer Don Juan de Salcedo, grandson of a Spanish Conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, and members of his expedition arrived in Vigan on June 13, 1572. Forthwith, they made Cabigbigaan (Bigan), the heart of the Ylokos settlement their headquarters which Salcedo called “Villa Fernandina” and which eventually gained fame as the “Intramuros of Ilocandia”. Salcedo declared the whole Northern Luzon as an encomienda. Subsequently, he became the encomendero of Vigan and Lieutenant Governor of the Ylokos until his death in July 1574.
The Ilocos Region was already a thriving, fairly advanced cluster of towns and settlements familiar to Chinese, Japanese and Malay traders when the Spaniard explorer Don Juan de Salcedo, grandson of a Spanish Conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, and members of his expedition arrived in Vigan on June 13, 1572. Forthwith, they made Cabigbigaan (Bigan), the heart of the Ylokos settlement their headquarters which Salcedo called “Villa Fernandina” and which eventually gained fame as the “Intramuros of Ilocandia”. Salcedo declared the whole Northern Luzon as an encomienda. Subsequently, he became the encomendero of Vigan and Lieutenant Governor of the Ylokos until his death in July 1574.
Salcedo organized the Ilocos Region into a province in June 1574. This new province included a coast that stretched from Bangui (Ilocos Norte) to the Gulf of Lingayen, (Pangasinan). The region was divided further into alcaldias with Vigan as its center
As the Christianization of the region grew, so did the landscape of the area. Vast tracks of land were utilized for churches and bell towers in line with the Spanish mission of "bajo las campanas". In the town plaza, it was not uncommon to see garrisons under the church bells. The colonization process was slowly being carried out.
The Spanish colonization of the region, however, was never completely successful. Owing to the abusive practices of many Augustinian friars, a number of Ilocanos revolted against their colonizers. Noteworthy of these were the Dingras uprising (1589) and Pedro Almasan revolt (San Nicolas, 1660). In 1762, Diego Silang led a series of battles aimed at freeing the Ilocanos from the Spanish yoke. When he died from an assassin's bullet, his widow Gabriela continued the cause. Unfortunately, she too was captured and hanged. In 1807, the sugar cane ("basi") brewers of Piddig, Ilocos Norte rose up in arms to protest the government's monopoly of the wine industry. The Basi Revolt actually started in Piddig and spread to other towns of Ilocos Sur. The fierce and bloody battle ended near the banks of Bantaoay river, now known as barangay Gongogong, in San Ildefonso (Ilocos Sur)
In an effort to gain more political control and because of the increasing population of the region, Governor Manuel Bernaldez recommended a Royal Decree called “Cedula Real” which was signed on February 2, 1818 splitting Ilocos into two provinces: Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur with Sarrat and Vigan as the respective provincial capitals. During that period, Ilocos Sur still includes the northern part of La Union (as far as Namacpacan, now Luna) and all of what now the province of Abra. The subprovince of Lepanto and Amburayan in Mt. Province were annexed to Ilocos Sur. Soon thereafter, the provinces of La Union and Abra likewise became independent.
In 1988, the area of Ilocos Region was further diminished when Abra was declared as part of the Cordillera Administrative Region.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilocano_people
http://diossel.tripod.com/id10.html
http://www.visitregion1.com/perprov.php?menu=1&mid=2
http://www.ilocossur.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=59&Itemid=148
http://www.geocities.com/vigansite/contents/history.htm
http://www.travelsmart.net/article/10000406
Ilocos Norte; A travel Guidebook; Gameng Foundation, Inc. Museo Ilocos Norte, Laoag City, 2004
