Provincia ti Ilocos (Tobacco Fields Forever)

It was in my younger years when I learned of the folk music “Pamulinawen”, the veggie dish Pinakbet (Pakbet) and hearing people call other people they don’t know “Manong” or “Manang” in many different places around. As I grow old I realized that these all originated in a particular region in the northern part of the Philippines… Ilocos. This collectively refers to two provinces namely Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte, where the people are called Ilocanos and their dialect, the Iloko. And more than these, I didn’t know Ilocos has a lot more in store for people who would pay this wondrous place a visit. 

When I was invited by a Local Government Unit to cover their Ilocos trip, I non-hesitantly agreed to come because I really wanted to see the place and get out of a horrible experience of being left out in a roadtrip to Ilocos just because they ran out of seat for another passenger. Hmp! Well anyways, that was a forgotten issue of the past, that when this new Ilocandia opportunity came, I grabbed it and really prepared for the trip, readier than ready. 

Along with a bunch of teenage leaders from the different barrios in Sto.Tomas, Batangas, we traveled a hip-cramping 12 hours to the tobacco-filled Ilocos region with smiles in our faces and excitement in our hearts. We first reached Ilocos Sur, and in the City of Vigan we made our first stop. 

ILOCOS SUR 

Vigan is a city and capital in the province of Ilocos Sur located on the western part of the major Philippine island of Luzon nearly reaching and facing the West Philippine Sea, formerly known as the South China Sea. Vigan City is one of the few remaining places in the Philippines where cobblestone street roads and Hispanic-style houses still exist that is why Vigan was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Humidity is quite an issue here in Vigan but because the place still retains its shady portions because of its trees, both the new ones and those older than the city’s foundation, hiding from the sun’s heat is possible. Roam around Vigan in old-school riding the “kalesa”, this seems to be a time-traveling experience because as you hear the sound of the horses’ hooves while the “kutchero” communicates with you in his native tongue, the scenery would really bring you back to the nostalgia of the Philippines in the Spanish era. 

Then we headed for the Bantay Church. This is one of the many Augustinian churches in Ilocos to the fact that these churches were founded by Augustinian friars in the Spanish colonization era of the Philippines in the 1500’s. Just like the other churches in the whole of the Ilocandia, having the bell tower separated from the main church building is a distinctive feature even the people I asked about it and I don’t know the reason behind why Hispanic architects made it that way. The Bantay Bell Tower is also famous because in its topmost portion, important scenes from the early 80’s Filipino superhero movie “Panday” was shot which the late great Fernando Poe, Jr. played the main character. 

We also visited former Ilocos Sur Governor Chavit Singson’s private farm that was eventually opened for the public, the “Baluarte”. There you will find a zoo where you can greet and mingle with colorful Macau birds, stinky tigers, dead-tired midget horses pulling wagons, annoyed ostriches, off-white/yellowish albino pythons and most especially, giant brontosaurus and the scary allosaurus which are of course, made out of cement for they are statues only. 

Before heading for our hotel, we had gone dirty when we witnessed how Ilocos earthenware is made in the “Pagburnayan”. Many of my co-tourists bought souvenir items and sweet delicacies in that house of clay but me, I just stared and seriously paid attention on how a handful of clay is made to a decorative and artistically crafted house piece. 

We stayed in the Hotel Salcedo de Vigan where hot and garlicy Ilocano foods were served and comfortable bedrooms were prepared for us. This hotel was named after Vigan’s founding father, Juan de Salcedo, a Spanish conquistador who discovered the wondrous Ilocano city in 1571. 

ILOCOS NORTE 

The next day we left for Ilocos Norte, famous for being the home town of the well-known past Philippine president, Ferdinand Marcos. Juan Luna’s residence was first visited. I bet most of you knew Juan Luna, that if not from Philippine history books, he’s an artists who is also well-known for obra maestras like the “Spoliarium” (Spoils of War) and the ever controversial (both because of its hidden radical meanings in the Spanish era and the how it was reacquired by the GSIS that left the public school teachers underfunded), the “Parisian Life”. 

We then visited the Marcos Museum and Mausoleum in Batac where most of the political Marcos’ stuffs are kept and exhibited for the public to view, both the ones who think he’s a hero and those who don’t. But most tourists are more eager to witness the late president’s remains (which Ilocanos insist it is), fixed in a glass coffin and carefully waxed(which most naysayers contend), waiting for the Philippine government to give the former president his last right for the rite of being buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery). 

After experiencing the super hot weather of Batac, we rushed to Bangui Beach for the breeze of the twenty giant electric fans installed in its bayside. I’m just kidding, hehe. Bangui is the location where giant wind turbines were put to supply Ilocos’ electrical needs. As of this period, according to the locals and the tour guides who were with us all along, almost 70% of both the two Ilocos provinces combined are already enjoying the cheap electricity this former Ilocos Norte Governor Bong-bong Marcos’ (son of the older Marcos) $78 million windmill project is generating… a project and tourism feature which for me, is very very cool. 

The Java Hotel in Laoag City served as our shelter for our last night in Ilocos. Complete with amenities a traveler needs, this hotel would really chase a delinquent guest who would keep its towels, keychains and keys to bring home for souvenirs. 

Before we headed for home, we paid a visit to the Malacañang of the North (Malacañang ti Amianan). This was the headquarters of President Marcos where he continues his work when not in the Philippine capital of Manila. This features paintings and other Marcos regime stuffs like classic Filipino home fixtures like the capiz windows and strong wooden floors. This wonderful experience of being in the Marcos’ vacation house was completed by the wondrous view of the Paoay Lake viewed from the Palace’s veranda. I even grabbed a bite (bites… many many) of the Ilocano deep-fried empanada at the local food stand near Malacañang ti Amianan that even if they shared with me the ingredients of the delicacy (shredded unripe papaya, mongo beans, ground pork and raw egg wrapped in a self-prepared dough wrapper), the store owner was not able to answer my query why the empanada is orange?

This is a testament that I enjoyed our trip both in Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. Although it was really long and tiring, the panoramic views, historical features, and technological innovations which are new to me and to other people’s eyes really made the Ilocos visit worth cherishing. Now, if you are a person who is straight forward and values history, go up north of the Philippines. A 12-hour bus ride is not bad, as long as you know that giant electric fans, Johnny Moon the painter, tobacco fields forever, FM, the kalesas, cobblestone streets and houses of the past await you and would surely give satisfaction to your searchy and curious heart. 

Agyamanac unay!(Thank you very much!)

Galaxy Gala - Ilocs Sur (Nakisabit... Nakipakbit)