Ilocos Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Its capital is Laoag City and is located at the northwest corner of Luzon island, bordering Cagayan and Apayao to the east, and Abra and Ilocos Sur to the south. Ilocos Norte faces the South China Sea to the west and the Luzon Strait to the north.
ADAMS
The aroma of wild animals was in abundant like delicious deer and wild pigs. The villagers feast on their catch of birds, squirrels and wild fruits of all sorts. These made the people believed that the place was blessed and they called it “Karayan ni Adan” (River of Adam) in honor of the first man on earth whom they learned from the Spaniards. The name was corrupted into Adams as it is being called today.
BACARRA
The name Bacarra has two legendary origins.
One legend tells of a native fisherman who was out fishing in what is now known as the Bacarra River. Two Spanish soldiers promenading the place had asked the fisherman about the name of the place. Not understanding what the soldier meant, jubilantly answered “Bacbacarra, Señor”. The Spanish went away with the thought that Bacarra was the name of the place.
Another related story was the coining of a by-word of a farmer and his wife who were making big basket called “Bakar” which was used as rice basket. From these two legends, the Spaniards associated it with the town into its present name which is “BACARRA”, the same place where most of the Bacarreños now live.
BADOC
Originally called “Canaan” which means “refuge of New Christians”. It’s because it was a settlement of Isneg then became a seat of Christianization. Isneg settled and established their huts along the bank of a brook which was known as “pagdanuman” (water source). Around the settlement was a thick growth of a native weed known to the settlers as bado-badoc. This weed was very valuable to the Itnegs, because its flowers, dipped in oil extracted by cooking process from the kernel of the bittaog (palomaria) fruit, was used to light their huts at night and the stem and elongated leaves were used in making the walls and fences of their homes. Because of the language barrier, the Spaniards signified their intention by the use of signs. The soldiers pointed to the area that they desired to weed out for their camp site, At the same time, they signalled their request for help in the clearing activities. Unable to understand what the Spaniards desired, and believing that they merely wanted to know the name of the weed, the leader of the settlement swung one of his arms while pointing to the thick growth and said: "Bado-badoc, bado-badoc." The leader of the team recorded these words; hence, the town was called Badoc.
BANGUI
The name Bangui was taken from the word “bangi”, an edible seaweed that grows abundantly in the place. A group of fighters who fought against Moro pirates who periodically attacked the coastal settlements used the name of the seaweed as their identification. The name Bangi was adopted by the Spanish as the official name of the place. Upon the arrival of the Americans in the area, they changed the spelling of the municipality’s name for a more euphonic sound.
BANNA/ ESPIRITU
Before the arrival of the Spaniards in the country, a village somewhere in the east was peopled by Tinggian hunters. The village was ruled by a brave and wise "chief named Bana and his wife, Ipana. The words of the ruler were the laws of the people. One time, Bana held a feast to celebrate his birthday, and all the settlers of the neighboring tribes were invited.While the merrymaking was going on, a group of intruders attacked the tribe. Because the natives of the place were unprepared and had inferior arms, they were defeated. The chief, Bana, 'with some of his warriors fled to Bantay Paor, but were captured by the intruders. It was only the brave Bana who escaped. Since then, the people called the place Banna to honor their brave and wise ruler.
In 1960, a bill sponsored by Hon. Simeon Valdez, then congressman of the second district of Ilocos Norte, was approved by the Congress. They changed the name of the town Banna to Espiritu in honor of Ex-Governor Santiago Espiritu, who was once a municipal president and governor of the province.
BATAC
The word "Batac" in a local dialect translates as "pull". More loosely, it refers to "the people's pulling their efforts together."
Batac has an interesting colloquial origin of its name. According to a legend, set in pre-settlement Batac, a man fell into a deep hole while he was digging for the root crop "camangeg". He struggled to get out but could not despite his best efforts. He cried for help but nobody was around. He waited for hours and had given up hope of being saved. Fortunately, two men from the neighboring town of Paoay happened to pass by. They heard the man shouting and traced it to where he was trapped. Upon seeing him, they heard the man say "Bataquennac! Bataquennac!" The two men did not understand until the man explained that he was saying, "Pull me up! Pull me up!" They did just that. When the two men reached their hometown, they told their story to their friends. Since then, the town has been called "Batac," which is derived from the word "bataquennac."
BURGOS
Burgos was formerly named Nagparitan (paritan means to prohibit). The natives prohibited people from neighboring places to migrate to the place.The Spaniards called it Nagpartian (parti means to butcher). Nagpartian means a place where an animal was butchered, because the natives of the place butchered a Spanish priest.
In 1913, the town was renamed Burgos in honor of Father Jose Burgos. This was by virtue of an act passed by the Philippine Legislature through the effort of Hon. Santiago Fonacier, who was then the representative of the first district of Ilocos Norte.
CARASI
The people are not certain regarding the origin of the name of their town.The first settlers were characterized with carayo (love) and caasi (charity). Those characteristics made the people very cooperative to the government. Thus, to perpetuate these traits, the people combined the two words (cara + si) to form Carasi as the name of the municipality.
CURRIMAO
During the Spanish regime, when the Galleon Trade was still flourishing, Moro pirates frequented the coast of the China Sea. To protect the natives from these pirates, the Spanish authorities built two watchtowers at two strategic points, one at the tip of what is now called Arboledan Point and the other at Tone.Whenever pirates appeared on the horizon to attack the villages, the people manning the watchtowers warned the people by shouting correr which means "to run." As soon as the natives heard the shouts, they would hide to save themselves. During those times, the pirates were known among the natives as Cumaws, a name which struck fear and terror among the people.It was from these two words that the name Currimao was derived.
DINGRAS
As in other communities, the town of Dingras has an interesting legend as to how its name evolved. The legend, as handed down from generation to generation, was classically romantic, a gallant heir - warrior fighting for a lady’s love.In the early times, there were two prosperous barangays in the present site of the town each one ruled by a powerful chief or datu. They were bitter and mortal enemies. Naslag was the powerful chief of the barangay north of the river while Allawigan was the chief of the south of the river. One day, Allawigan and his warriors went to hunt. Ras, his son, was the bravest among them. During the hunt, Ras followed the deer, which went north across the river. While he was watching the fleeing deer, he saw a beautiful damsel gathering wild flowers on the opposite side of the riverbank. She was Ding, the daughter of Naslag. To help the lady, Ras gathered the most beautiful flowers near him; put them at the head of his arrow and shoot near the lady’s feet. Ding looked at the other side of the river and waved her hands. Ras went home happily.Ras begged his father for permission to win Ding for his wife. But because the fathers of Ding and Ras were bitter enemies, the only way he could win her was in the open battle fiercely fought between the two tribes. Ras led his father’s warriors. They fought valiant and came out victorious in the end. Ras asked for Ding as a prize but Naslag refused. This angered him and hurled a challenge to the bravest warrior of Naslag in single combat with Ding as prize. The challenge was accepted. The combat was fought, and again, Ras was victorious. He brought Ding triumphantly to Allawigan, his father. Thereafter, the people named the two barangays Dingras, after Ras, their valiant warrior ruler, and Ding, his beautiful wife.
LAOAG CITY
The name of the city “Laoag”, is a derivation of the Ilocano term, which means light/brightness. Buzeta, an augustinian Missionary, in his Diccionarios Geografico Estatistico Historico de las Islas Filipinas, states that Laoag has a clear atmosphere which presents a beautiful, blue skyline and that there is no doubt that this is the reason why the place was given the name “Laoag”.
MARCOS
Before Marcos came into reality, it was formerly a part of Dingras. It only came into reality by virtue of Republic Act No. 3753, authored by the Ex-congressman of the Second District of the Province of Ilocos Norte, Ex-Congressman Simeon M. Valdez and was finally approved on January 28, 1963. Marcos was named after the late Assemblyman Don Mariano Marcos, the father of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos. It was formally separated from it’s mother Municipality on September 11, 1963 which coincided with the birth date of the President of the Republic of the Philippines.
NUEVA ERA
Unlike other municipalities with legends as to how the names of their communities evolved that of Nueva Era was simple. It was ordered by then Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison when the town was created. Pursuant to the provision of Sec. 2391 of the Administrative Code and with the favorable recommendations of the Honorable Secretary of the Interior and the Provincial Board of Ilocos Norte, the Governor-General issued Executive Order No. 66 on September 30, 1916 approving the formation of a new township effective July 1, 1916.
PAGUDPUD
Before the Second World War, a native of Batangas came to the place to sell blankets and mosquito nets. The place was still then named “TONGOTONG”, which was one of the barrios of the Municipality of Bangui, Ilocos Norte. He sold his wares from one house to another and he did not notice that it was already noon time. He was too tired and hungry, that he sought shelter in one of the houses nearby and probably to ask the hospitable owner of the house for a simple lunch. After the peddler had settled down, the owner of the house asked the peddler his purpose. The peddler did not at all understand the question, but just merely answered, “Ako’y pagud na pagod at ang sapatos ko’y pudpod,” in his usual Batangas accent. This reply became the byword of the residents of Barangay Tongotong even if they didn’t know the meaning of what the peddler had said.
Months later, a native of the Bicol Region came to seek employment in one of the logging companies which was operating in the locality. The place at that time had a lot of virgin forests and mountains, and logging business was still legal. The stranger did not know where the office of the company was located, so he just alighted in Tongotong even if it was not still the place where he was supposed to go. He asked one of the bystanders the name of the place and he immediately replied, “Ako’y pagud na pagod at ang sapatos ko’y pudpod,” because the bystander knew that he was Tagalog and that was the only Tagalog words that he knew. The amazed Bicolano just interpreted that the place might be Pagud-pudpod.There and then Tongotong was changed to Pagud-pudpod and later shortened to PAGUDPUD.
PAGUDPUD - - - that according to the elders is a deep Ilocano word which means soft sandy soil “kuppuoy” a kadaratan.
PAOAY
Historians say: “From the date of early settlement to 1701, little could be said about the activities of the early settlers of Paoay except that much had been done in the clearing of the forests nearby. They converted the forests into rice and sugar lands through the slash-and-burn method called ‘kaingin.’ The early settlers were of a peace-loving tribe, but their major problem was the frequent furious incursions of Sea Rovers and Moro pirates called Tirong who looted indiscriminately their agricultural produce and other valuables. To protect themselves from further incursions, the folks moved towards the nearby inland where the present town proper is now located. In the farther western inland, there were also settlers who formed the neighboring town of Batac. Sensing that the Bombay people had suffered too much from the Moro raids, the people of Batac offered the people of Bombay to live with them. But the brave and maverick folks rejected the offer and instead they uttered "Maka-paoay kami" – an Ilocano dialect jargon meaning they could live independently. The settlers from Batac were offended and it was from this incident that the name of the town came to arrive as PAOAY.”
PASUQUIN
There are two conflicting theories regarding the origin of the name of the town.
One indicates miscommunication between the Spaniards and the natives, It is said that when the Spaniards were in the province, they asked the Itnegs in the place to help them find a better place where they could settle; A peg was driven somewhere by one of the natives. Then the Spaniards asked, "Donde esta el sitio?" (where is the place? ). The natives answered "Pasuk Oni," which meant the place of the peg." The Spaniards misunderstood their answer. They thought they were telling the name of the place, Pasukin. From then on the town was called Pasuquin.
On the other hand, there are those who claim that before the coming of the Augustinian friars, 'there were already people living in the place. At that time also there was a war between the lowland natives and the Kalanasari Yapayao tribe, After the war, they traded with each other, During this time the Chinese pirates invaded many places and stole the properties' of the rich natives. The natives devised a sort of warning signal by kindling the fire called paasok (asok means smoke ;paasok means something that gives out smoke).One summer, the Chinese pirates attacked the place. Because of this, the people resolved to form a community. To protect the people, an Apo Lakay (an old man who was recognized as head of the place) appointed a wanawan (watchman) to stay on watch. Upon seeing the invaders, he would kindle a paasok to warn the people and to call all the males to fight the invaders. The place where smoke was produced was just below the hrn where the wanawan stayed.When the Spaniards arrived at the place, one of the friars asked: "Donde esta el sitio?" (where is the place?). The people answered, "Aqui Seflor, esta el Paasoken." (Here, sir. This is fire place where we make smoke). when the community was established, the place was called Pacisoken or Ibsoken and later Pasuquin.
PIDDIG
The earliest settlers of the place were the Itnegs. As early as 1770, they cleared the land, tilled the soil and enjoyed bountiful harvests. Years later, the villagers from nearby La Union and Ilocos Sur arrived at the settlement and drove the Itnegs away. Fearing for their lives, the Itnegs fled to the hills and mountains. They called their new sanctuary Pidipid, an Ilocano term for a hilly place. The town was called Pidipid for hundreds of years until the Americans arrived and changed its name to Piddig, which literally means a hilly place at the foot of the mountains.
PINILI
Pinili was established as a town on January 1, 1920 by virtue of Executive Order No.92 s.1919, which was signed by the governor general on December 20, 1919.
There were three factors that made Pinili (means selected) the name of the town:
1. General Gregorio Aglipay selected it as the place of refuge of his army.
2. The place was inhabited only by selected people.
3. The place was chosen as the site of the poblacion because of its historical value.
SAN NICOLAS
The present name of San Nicolas was given in the year 1733, after Saint Nicholas de Tolentino who was believed to have protected the people against floods, earthquakes, fires, typhoons and other calamities. It is significant that in Ilocos Norte, only San Nicolas was named after a Saint.
SARRAT
Sarrat was settled in 1721. Before this year, during the late part of the 16th Century, Minangel (Maingel) Bang’at, a civilized Malay, his wife Sarrah and more than a dozen families reached the place. Bang’at was the bravest and most influential man, so he was chosen chief. There were many clumps of bamboos in the settlement; hence, they called the place Cabayugan. The people built crude houses, cleared the land and planted rice and some root crops. Bang’at and Sarrah had two children named Banet and Garo. When Bang’at died, Garo succeeded his father. He changed the name Cabayugan to Sarrat in honor of his mother Sarrah and the last two letters “ah” were changed to “at” which was taken from the last two letters of the name of his father Bang’at.
During the early days of April 1721, the Spaniards reached Sarrat. Chief Garo ordered that he wanted to meet his men. No sooner had they gathered than the Spaniards arrived at their meeting place. They greeted each other by signs. One of the Spaniards asked the name of the place, and as he was asking he touched a carabao horn. Banet said, “Sarra’t Nuang”, meaning carabao’s horn, and so the Spaniards wrote the name Sarrat. Three years later, Augustinians erected their parish over the place and changed Sarrat’s name to San Miguel. Coincidentally, it gained its township’s status on September 29, 1724. In 1916, in accordance with a bill filed by Senators Santiago Fonacier and Isabelo delos Reyes, the name San Miguel was changed to what is now known as SARRAT.
SOLSONA
The town was first named Kaitnegan, because the first settlers were Itnegs. In the middle of the 19th century, the place was given another name, Sonsona (place of pushing), because the Itnegs were forcibly pushed back to the mountains.When a team of surveyors arrived in the place to look for a more suitable town site, they asked the name of the place and received the answer, "Solsona," because that was how the word sounded to them. They thought that the name was appropriate, because the place seemed to be where the sun rises. Thus, the term Sonsona was corrupted and hispanized into Solsona which sounded better and was more appropriate.
There is another theory regarding the naming of the town. Instead of adapting the name rancheria, the Spaniards named it Nueva Solsona after the name of a town somewhere in the northern part of Spain. Nueva is a Spanish term for new and usually the word “new" is prefixed to the name of the place founded to distinguish it from the old one.
VINTAR
In 1574, a Spanish encomendero by the surname of Leano reached the pueblo. It was in the course of his missionary work that the name of the town was coined. He observed that when the village chieftain assembled his men with the command “INTAR!” which means “order” in Iloco or local dialect, the tribesmen accordingly congregated in “V”-shaped formation with precise, clicking efficiency; symbolizing the villagers’ warm welcome, sense of values, mores and traditions. This greatly impressed the Spaniard. Thereupon, wanting the occasion to be truly memorable, the missionary affixed the “V” being also nearest to the shape of the heart to the word INTAR. Since then, the people called the community VINTAR, more popularly taken to mean and understood as a fitting tribute to the Vintarinians’ hospitality, kind-heartedness and unity of purpose.
As of the period I’m writing this post, I haven’t found any document regarding the history/ etymology of the following municipalities: Dumalneg & Nueva Era
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
http://www.pasyalan.net/ilocos_norte/index.php
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