NAIMBAG NGA ALDAW!

That's the way we greet each other in
Ilocos Norte.  We are pleased to welcome
you to our province, a place filled with a
variety of attractions from ancient churches
to modern comforts, from natural beaches
to warm hospitality.  We hope this site
will provide you with the necessary 
information to help your visit truly enjoyable.

Long before the coming of the spaniards, there already existed an extensive region (consisting of the present provinces of Ilocos 
Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra and La Union) which was renowned for its gold mines.  Merchants from Japan and China would often visit the 
area to trade gold with beads, ceramics and silk.  The inhabitants of the regions, believed to be of Malay origin, called their place
 "samtoy", from "sao mitoy", which literally meant "our language".

In 1571, when the spanish conquistador had established the Spanish city of Manila, they began looking for new centers of 
Administration to conquer.  Legaspi's grandson, Juan De Salcedo, volunteered to lead on of these expeditions.  Together with 8
armed boats and 45 men, the 22 year old voyager headed towards the north.

On June 13, 1572, Salcedo and his men landed in Vigan and then proceeded towards Laoag, Currimao and Badoc.  As they
sailed along the coast, they were surprised to see numerous sheltered covers ("looc") where the locals lived in harmony.  
Consequently, they named the reqion "Ylocos" and its people "Ylocanos".

As the Christianization of the region grew, so did the landscape of the area.  Vast tracks of land were utilized of 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, many 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 rose up in arms to protest the government's monopoly
of the wine industry.  In 1898, the church excommunicated Gregorio Aglipay for refusing to cut off ties with the revolutionary
forces of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo.  Unperturbed, he established the "Iglesia Filipina Independiente". Aglipay's movement and the
nationalist sentiment it espoused helped restore the self-respect of many Filipinos.

In an effort to gain more political control as a result of the increasing population of the region, a Royal Decreee ws signed on
February 2, 1818 splitting Ilocos in Two provinces: Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.   Soon thereafter, the provinces of La Union
and Abra likewise became independent.