La Union was created as a province in 1850 by combining areas from Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, and the Cordilleras. It has experienced transformations in its socio-cultural and economic aspects over time. The population is predominantly Ilocano and Catholic. Important industries include agriculture, manufacturing, and services. The province celebrates several festivals celebrating local culture and cuisine, such as the Kilawen, Buyboy, and Dinengdeng festivals. Famous people from La Union include Diego Silang, Gloria Diaz, and Camilo Osias.

1. Human Geographical
Features of La Union

2. History of La Union

3. Brief History
La Union was created by virtue of a “Superior Decreto”
issued on March 2, 1850 by Governor General Narciso
Zaldua Claveria out of nine towns of Pangasinan, three of
Ilocos Sur and settlements of the Eastern Pais del Igorotes
in the Cordilleras. Its creation as a province was formally
approved by a Royal Decree issued by Queen Isabela of
Spain on April 18, 1854.
From its inception as a province up to the Second
World War, La Union experienced transformations in the
socio-cultural and politico-economic aspects. After the War,
rehabilitation and reconstruction were done eventually
propelling the province as the center of commerce and
trade and the administrative center of Region I.

4.  A year after Adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legazpi made
Manila the capital of the Philippines on June 24, 1571,
the Spaniards started the colonization of Ilokos. In
June, 1572, the conquistadores led by Juan Salcedo
(grandson of Legazpi) landed in Agoo, then a part of
Pangasinan called “el puerto de Japon” because
enterprising Japanese merchants have been trading
with the natives through this port.
 The Spaniards marched up north without any
resistance. They had their first taste of the Ilokanos’
bravery and fighting heart during a historic battle in
Purao (literally, “white” and maybe due to the white
sands of the beach) now known as Balaoan. The
Spaniards befriended the Ilokanos who reluctantly
acceded to be under Spanish rule.

5. After Cebu became the first provincia in 1565, new
provinces have been created by the Spaniards. Three
main functions were considered so: political-civil
administration, ecclesiastical governance and
geographical considerations.
On October 29, 1849 Governor General Claveria
signed the proposal (promovido) to unite the
Pangasinan-Ilokos-Cordillera areas into a new
province called La Union

6.  On March 2, 1850, Governor General Antonio Maria
Blanco signed the Superior Decreto that founded La
Union – the 34th province since the founding of
Cebu in 1565. It was classified as a political-military
government (gobierno politico-militar).
• Blanco appointed on March 4, 1850 Captain Toribio
Ruiz de la Escalera (Claveria’s former trusted aide de
camp) as the first Gobernador Military y Politico.
• On April 18, 1854, Queen Isabella II of Spain issued
the royal decree (real orden) from Madrid confirming
Blanco’s Superior Decreto.

7. • By 1860, there was a dramatic progress in commerce and
agriculture in the province primarily because of
Tobacco. Spanish authorities banked on the prized leaf for
further economic development. The industry was so lucrative
that a Tobacco Monopoly was established. All Tobacco leaves
were strictly monitored and bought exclusively by the
government at a fixed price.
• By 1896, the people of La Union had enough of the Spanish
atrocities. The torture of the native priests, the execution of
Balaoan’s Siete Martires, the persecution of Masons, whose
membership included the elite natives; and others have all
the more agitated the people to unite and fight their masters
for three centuries.

8. • On May 22, 1898, a shot from a revolver killed the much-
hated Friar Mariano Garcia of Santo Tomas, it was a shot
heard in the whole province which eventually ignited the
revolution in what the Spaniards used to call, “Una Provincia
Modelo.”
• Led by Manuel Bondoc Tinio, a boy general under the
command of General Emilio Aguinaldo, the Spaniards were
finally defeated in La Union, some of whom escaped and
sought refuge in Vigan. With the help of the Americans, the
Filipinos were finally freed from Spain only to find out later
that they will be subjected to a new colonial rule.
• On January 4, 1945 from the ashes of war, La Union
underwent massive reconstruction and rehabilitation. Patient
and hardworking, the people of La Union marched on to
progress and development led by a new breed of innovative,
highly competent and down to earth governors.

9. People and Culture

10. 93%of the population is Ilocano and is
overwhelmingly Roman Catholic.
 There are communities of Pangasinense in
the south, Igorots in the Cordillera foothills,
and Chinese in the city.
La Union is highly literate, with San Fernando
City as the administrative, educational, and
financial center of the region.

11. Demographics
Population 845,261 (as of 2011)
Growth Rate 1.27%
Population Density 529 persons/sq.km.
Households 160,249
Major Dialects/Languages IloKo, Filipino and English
Religion Predominantly Roman
Catholic
Literacy Rate 96%

12. Languages/Dialects Spoken
Ilocano
 is the common dialect in La Union
Pangasinense
 speak by the residents of the coastal barangay of Sto. Tomas
and Rosario
Ibaloi or Kankanaey
 speak by the cultural communities in the towns bordering the
Cordillera
English and Filipino
 remain as basic tools of instruction in schools.

13. La Union Education
 The literacy rate of La Union in CY 2011 was pegged at 95.89
percent, with more males gaining high literacy than females.
 The province had adequate classrooms at the elementary
level as evinced by classroom to pupil ratio of 1:30 which is
lower than the standard of 1:40. More classrooms were
needed at the secondary, as the ratio 1:42 was higher than
the standard.
 As to manpower, the number of public elementary school
teachers totalled to 2,996 with a teacher-pupil ratio of 1:27
while the secondary level teachers accounted a total number
of 1,187 or a ration of 1:37.

14. SOCIAL SERVICES
Number of Hospitals/clinics
21 (Government and Private)
Number of Schools
333 Public Elementary
56 Private Elementary
79 Public Secondary
51 Private Secondary
20 Colleges
5 State Universities

15. Politics
As of June 30, 2011, the province is composed
of:
- 1 city
- 19 municipalities
- 576 barangays

16. Provincial Officials
Governor : MANUEL C. ORTEGA
Vice-Governor : AUREO AUGUSTO Q. NISCE
Congressmen
First District : VICTOR FRANCISCO C. ORTEGA
Second District : EUFRANIO C. ERIGUEL

17. First District Second District
(Northern Towns) (Southern Towns)
Sudipen Bagulin
Bangar Naguilian
Luna Burgos
Balaoan Bauang,
Santol Caba
San Gabriel Aringay
Bacnotan Agoo
San Juan Tubao
San Fernando City Sto. Tomas
Rosario
Pugo

18. Former Governors of La Union
Agaton Yaranon 1946-1947
Doroteo Aguila 1948-1951
Juan Carbonell 1952-1955
Bernardo Gapuz 1956-1959
Eulogio De Guzman 1960-1967
Juvenal Guerrero 1968-1977
Tomas Asprer 1977-1986
Robert V. Dulay 1986-1987
Joaquin Ortega 1988-1992
Justo O. Orros 1992-2001
Victor F. Ortega 2001-2007
Manuel C. Ortega 2007-present

20. Economy
 The economy is diversified with service, manufacturing, and
agricultural industries spread throughout the province.
 The Port of San Fernando operates as an increasingly active
shipping point, and the former American airbase Wallace Air
Station, having been converted into a business and industrial
area, helps to facilitate such commercial activity.
 Tourists often flock to the beaches of Bauang, or to the more
secluded ones further north for snorkeling, surfing or other
water sports; the more northerly beaches near San Juan
specifically cater to both local surfers as well as portions of
the world surfing circuit.

21. BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS and INSFRASTRUCTURE
AND UTILITIES
Manufacturing 58%
Trading 37%
Services 5%
Road Network 1,802.77 Kilometers
Bridges 9,608.58 Lineal Meters
Airport 1 (Domestic)
Seaport 1 (International)
Power all barangays electrified
Water 95% households with potable water; 5
water districts

22. EMPLOYMENT AND DEVELOPMENT FINANCE
Employment Rate 92%
Unemployment Rate 8%
Employment Distribution Agriculture - 53%
Industry - 10%
Services - 37%
Poverty Incidence 23.30% (among Families)
30.6% (among Population)
Magnitude of Poor Families 35, 618
Magnitude of Poor Population 225, 977
Classification 1st Class Province
Provincial Gov’t Revenue P 119.920 Million(as of 2011) p
Number of Banks 69 (Rural Banks, Government,
Universal,Thrifts, Savings and
Mortgage Banks-including branches)
Number of Cooperatives 180

23. Famous Festival

24. Agoo Semana Santa (Holy Week)
the life-size statues depicting the Stations of
the Cross are pulled by devotees along the
processional roads during the Good Friday
procession.
During the Holy Week, the town people of
Agoo come up with religious activities to make
the occasion more meaningful and sacred.

26. Feast of Our Lady of Caysasay
An annual activity in La Union held every
December. Sports activities, beauty contest,
and painting contest are among the featured
events visitors enjoy.
It is also a time to give importance to Filipino
balikbayans through free tours and a
balikbayan night.

28. “Kilawen” festival
Celebrated during Dec. 28 (San Fernando City)
 A feast is intended to let everyone feel the spirit
of communal unity and togetherness as one town
with a taste of good food such as the kilawen of
the region and the country.
• Kilawen is an Iluko word which means a delicacy
made up of raw meat or fish.

29. Kilawen Festival

30. Kilawen Festival

31. Buyboy Festival
• The province produced primarily buyboy, walis
tambo or brooms. So they came up with the
idea of celebrating Buyboy Festival in
celebration of the 162nd founding anniversary
of the said province.
• All women were the participans in the dance
parade. Young and senior citizens paraded in
their colorful costumes accentuated by
buyboy and their graceful dance steps

34. Dinengdeng Festival
 is the official festivity event of the municipality of Agoo, La
Union, Phillipines.
 It is held annually in summer in celebration of a dish by which
its name is derived from.
 One of the main purpose of "Dinengdeng Festival" is to
promote the local tourism of the town, which is one of the
established Spanish settlements in the region.
 . "Dinengdeng", is the ilocano term for any vegetable-
simmered dish.
 Usually cooked in a "banga", a local term for a cooking clay
pot being used by the descendants of the local settlers in the
ancient times.

35. Dinengdeng Recipes

36. Dinengdeng Festivals

37. Dinengdeng Festival

38. Famous Person in La Union

39. Diego Baltazar Silang
(1730-1763)
Diego was born on
December 16, 1730
in Aringay, La Union
to parents Miguel
Silang and Nicolasa
de los Santos.

40. Ms. Gloria Diaz
• The ever beautiful and
lovely Gloria Diaz is an
Ilocana from Aringay,
La Union.
• She was Miss Universe
1969 and is still active
in the film and TV
industry as an actress.

41. Nova Villa, a
veteran
comedienne is
from the
province of La
Union. Ruby
Rodriguez is her
niece.

42. Camilo Osías
(March 23, 1889
Balaoan, La Union -
May 20, 1976
Manila) was a Filipino
politician, twice for a
short time President
of the Senate of the
Philippines.

43. Thank You!