Bauang, officially the Municipality of Bauang ( ilo, Ili ti Bauang; fil, Bayan ng Bauang), is a 1st class
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
in the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of
La Union
La Union (), officially the Province of La Union ( ilo, Probinsia ti La Union; Kankanaey'': Probinsyan di La Union;'' Ibaloi'': Probinsya ne La Union;'' pag, Luyag/Probinsia na La Union; Tagalog'': Lalawigan ng La Union),'' is a province in th ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 78,449 people. In Philippine Literature and History, it is known for being the homeplace of literary icon and World War II martyr
Manuel Arguilla
Manuel Estabilla Arguilla ( Nagrebcan, Bauang, June 17, 1911 – beheaded, Manila Chinese Cemetery, August 30, 1944) was an Ilokano writer in English, patriot, and martyr.
He is known for his widely anthologized short story "How My Brother Le ...
.
The
MacArthur Highway
The MacArthur Highway, officially the Manila North Road (MNR or MaNor), is a , two-to-six lane, national primary highway and tertiary highway in Luzon, Philippines, connecting Caloocan in Metro Manila to Aparri in Cagayan. It is the second longe ...
runs through the town which junctions with
Naguilian Road
President Elpidio Quirino Highway (often shortened as Quirino Highway), formerly known and still referred to as Naguilian Road and Baguio–Bauang Road, is a Philippine major highway in northern Luzon that runs from the city of Baguio in the provi ...
, one of the mountain roads leading to
Baguio
Baguio ( ,
), officially the City of Baguio ( ilo, Siudad ti Baguio; fil, Lungsod ng Baguio), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...
.
Etymology
Bauang originated from either two
Ilocano language
Ilocano (also Ilokano; ; Ilocano: ) is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines, primarily by Ilocano people and as a lingua franca by the Igorot people and also by the native settlers of Cagayan Valley. It is the third most-spoken ...
words: ''baoang'' (meaning "garlic") or ''buang'' also means "river split into two" flowing into the sea (in reference to the
delta
Delta commonly refers to:
* Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet
* River delta, at a river mouth
* D ( NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta")
* Delta Air Lines, US
* Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19
Delta may also ...
that divides an eponymous river into two).
History
Bauang was a pre-colonial settlement in the country that became one of the first missions organized by the Augustinians in Northern Luzon. It used to belong to the federation of towns and settlements jointly known as “Baratao, Buratao and Balitao”. In 1587, Bauang became the center of the “ministerio” of Baratao and was first placed under the patronage of Sts. Peter and Paul. Fr. Miguel Sano, an Augustinian missionary, was the first priest of the Parish of the Chair of St. Peter which was later on reverted to its historical titular Saints Peter and Paul.
Like other towns in the province, Bauang also had its share in the devastating invasions of Moro pirates ("''tirong''") made series of invasions in Bauang. These invasions gave rise to the construction of watchtowers or ''baluarte'', by then ''Gobernadorcillo'' Don Juan Mallare. In 1890, Bauang ''revolucionarios'' led by Remigio Patacsil and Mauro Ortiz ousted the Spanish colonizers (''cazadores'' or Spanish soldiers).
In 1913, however, Bauang barrios were given to
San Fernando
San Fernando may refer to:
People
*Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia
Places Argentina
*San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...
: Pagudpud, Pagdalagan, Sevilla, Bungro, Tanquigan, and Sibuan-Otong. During the
Pacific War
The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War, was the theater of World War II that was fought in Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and Oceania. It was geographically the largest theater of the war, including the vast ...
, heroes of Bauang fought in its beaches, in
Lingayen Gulf
The Lingayen Gulf is a large gulf on northwestern Luzon in the Philippines, stretching . It is framed by the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union and sits between the Zambales Mountains and the Cordillera Central. The Agno River and the Balili ...
,
Bataan
Bataan (), officially the Province of Bataan ( fil, Lalawigan ng Bataan ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Its capital is the city of Balanga while Mariveles is the largest town in the province. Occupying the entir ...
and
Corregidor
Corregidor ( tl, Pulo ng Corregidor, ) is an island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in the southwestern part of Luzon in the Philippines, and is considered part of the Province of Cavite. Due to this location, Corregidor has historically b ...
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
executed
Manuel Arguilla
Manuel Estabilla Arguilla ( Nagrebcan, Bauang, June 17, 1911 – beheaded, Manila Chinese Cemetery, August 30, 1944) was an Ilokano writer in English, patriot, and martyr.
He is known for his widely anthologized short story "How My Brother Le ...
, poet and journalist, Major Alberto O. Fenit (
USAFFE
United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) ( Filipino: ''Hukbong Katihan ng Estados Unidos sa Malayong Silangan/HKEUMS''; Spanish: ''Fuerzas del Ejército de los Estados Unidos en el Lejano Oriente'') was a military formation of the Uni ...
), and Bauang Mayor Ambrosio Rimando. A town plaza monument today honors these Bauang heroes.
On March 14, 1945, the Allied Forces, along with guerillas and local inhabitants successfully captured the Bauang Bridges from the Japanese forces. The bridge was heavily guarded by the Japanese Army as it is the feasible route to Baguio, where the Japanese themselves virtually inaccessible from any ground attack. The capture of the two bridges is one of the most brilliant small unit actions of World War II.
Bauang is known as the Beach Capital of the Philippines (1970, the shorelines of Baccuit Sur to Pagdalagan Sur). Bauang has a treasure: Research Reef (a dive spot for local and foreign scuba divers).
Geography
Bauang is located from
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...
, and from
San Fernando
San Fernando may refer to:
People
*Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia
Places Argentina
*San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...
, the provincial capital. Bauang is also lying west of
Baguio
Baguio ( ,
), officially the City of Baguio ( ilo, Siudad ti Baguio; fil, Lungsod ng Baguio), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...
via
Naguilian Road
President Elpidio Quirino Highway (often shortened as Quirino Highway), formerly known and still referred to as Naguilian Road and Baguio–Bauang Road, is a Philippine major highway in northern Luzon that runs from the city of Baguio in the provi ...
.
Climate
Barangays
Bauang is politically subdivided into 39 barangays. These barangays are headed by elected officials: Barangay Captain,
Barangay Council
The Sangguniang Barangay, also known as the Barangay Council, and formerly as the Rural Council and then the Barrio Council, is the legislative body of a barangay, the lowest form of government in the Philippines. The term is coined from the Tag ...
, whose members are called Barangay Councilors. All are elected every three years.
Demographics
In the 2020 census, the population of Bauang was 78,449 people, with a density of .
Economy
Tourism
Festivals and local events
The natives, who are predominantly Roman Catholic, speak
Iloko
Ilocano (also Ilokano; ; Ilocano: ) is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines, primarily by Ilocano people and as a lingua franca by the Igorot people and also by the native settlers of Cagayan Valley. It is the Languages of the Phi ...
,
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
, and
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
. The primary industries are farming, fishing, power plant, and quarrying.
Bauang's main products are rice, corn, guapples and native grapes (barangays Payocpoc, Santiago, Bagbag, and Urayong), mango, lowland vegetables, livestock, tobacco, marine products, saltwater fish politically.
Guapple by-products are also sold in Bauang: bread, buchi, chunky, cocktail, cookies, cupcake, dried, empanada,
espasol
''Espasol'' is a cylinder-shaped Filipino rice cake. Originating from the province of Laguna, it is traditionally sold during the Christmas season. It is made from rice flour cooked in coconut milk and sweetened coconut strips and, afterwards ...
, flan,
guinataan
''Ginataan'' (pronounced: ), alternatively spelled ''guinataan'', is a Filipino term which refers to food cooked with ''gatâ'' ( coconut milk). Literally translated, ''ginataan'' means "done with coconut milk". Due to the general nature of the ...
,
gulaman
''Gulaman'', in Filipino cuisine, is a bar, or powdered form, of dried agar or carrageenan used to make jelly-like desserts. In common usage, it also usually refers to the refreshment ''sago't gulaman'', sometimes referred to as ''samalamig' ...
,
inipit
''Inipit'' is a Filipino flat pastry made of flour, milk, lard, and sugar that have various filling sandwiched in between two sheets of the pastry. The name ''inipit'' means "pressed in between" or "sandwiched" in Tagalog.
Originally, the fi ...
Bauang is known for its fine-sand beaches, including Taberna, Baccuit Sur and Norte, Paringao, and Pagdalagan Sur beaches.
Bauang's beaches are accessible from several resorts: Bali Hai Beach Resort (Paringao), Long Beach Resort, Coconut Grove Beach Resort and San Luis del Mar (Baccuit Norte), inter alia.
Manuel Arguilla commemorations
Among the Philippines literary circles, Bauang has become a piligrimage site of sorts for celebrating the life of and works of writer and World War II martyr Manuel Arguilla, with writers visiting the author's hometown to experince the landscapes that inspired him, and which featured prominently in his stories.
The most prominent event celebrating Arguilla was the 2017 run of the Taboan Literary Festival, a celebration of Philippine literature which changes venues every year, organized by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts during every National Arts Month in February. Among the prominent artists who came to the festival to celebrate Arguilla were writer-academic
Butch Dalisay
Jose Y. Dalisay Jr. (born January 15, 1954) is a Filipino writer. He has won numerous awards and prizes for fiction, poetry, drama, non-fiction and screenwriting, including 16 Palanca Awards.
Early life and education
Dalisay was born in Romblon ...
and National Artist of the Philippines
Bienvenido Lumbera
Bienvenido or bienvenidos may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Bienvenidos'' (album), a 2006 album by Cabezones
* ''Bienvenidos'' (Chilean TV series), a Chilean morning show
* "Bienvenido" (song), Spanish version of the 2011 song "Benvenuto" by La ...
.
The ancestral house where Arguilla grew up is still standing at Barangay Nagrebcan in Bauang, bearing a historical marker put in place by the
National Historical Commission of the Philippines
The National Historical Commission of the Philippines ( fil, Pambansang Komisyong Pangkasaysayan ng Pilipinas, abbreviated NHCP) is a government agency of the Philippines. Its mission is "the promotion of Philippine history and cultural herita ...
.
Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church
The Sts. Peter & Paul Parish Church (canonically erected on 25 April 1587 by the Augustinian missionaries) celebrates its fiesta every June 29. It is under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Fernando de La Union (Dioecesis Ferdinandopolitana ab Unione, Suffragan of Lingayen – Dagupan, which was created on January 19, 1970, and erected on April 11, 1970, comprising the Civil Province of La Union, under the Titular, St. William the Hermit, February 10). It has been headed by the Most Rev. Rodolfo F. Beltran, D.D., bishop since 18 January 2013. The Church is under a
diocese
In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...
of the
Latin Rite
Latin liturgical rites, or Western liturgical rites, are Catholic rites of public worship employed by the Latin Church, the largest particular church ''sui iuris'' of the Catholic Church, that originated in Europe where the Latin language once ...
of the
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
from the
Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia
The Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. It covers the province of Ilocos Sur, on the island of Luzon. The see of the archdiocese is the city of Vigan.Thomas Barry, who was chasing
Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (: March 22, 1869February 6, 1964) was a Filipino revolutionary, statesman, and military leader who is the youngest president of the Philippines (1899–1901) and is recognized as the first president of the Philippine ...
during the
Philippine–American War
The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
, took the bell as a "token souvenir" and later gave the bell to his alma mater, the
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...
at
West Point, New York
West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the United States. Located on the Hudson River in New York, West Point was identified by General George Washington as the most important strategic position in America during the Ame ...
, where it was housed for over a century. The bell was ceremoniously returned to the Philippines in May 2016 to be reinstalled in the Peter and Paul Church.
The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes is at the foot of the Church.
400-year old San Pedro Bell
On May 23, 2016, the 400-year old "San Pedro" bell made from alloy of gold, silver, and copper has been returned to the Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church, after American soldiers during the
Philippine–American War
The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
in 1901 took it from the church to West Point Academy in New York.
Government
Just as the national government, the Bauang's municipal government is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judiciary. The judicial branch is administered solely by the
Supreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court ( fil, Kataas-taasang Hukuman; colloquially referred to as the ''Korte Suprema'' lso used in formal writing is the highest court in the Philippines. The Supreme Court was established by the Second Philippine Commission on Ju ...
. The LGUs have control of the executive and legislative branches.
The executive branch is composed of the mayor and the barangay captain for the barangays. The legislative branch is composed of the
Sangguniang Bayan
The Sangguniang Bayan () is the local legislative branch of the municipal governments in the Philippines. It is responsible for passing ordinances and resolutions for the administration of a municipality. Its powers are defined by the Local Gov ...
(town assembly),
Sangguniang Barangay
The Sangguniang Barangay, also known as the Barangay Council, and formerly as the Rural Council and then the Barrio Council, is the legislative body of a barangay, the lowest form of government in the Philippines. The term is coined from the T ...
(barangay council), and the
Sangguniang Kabataan
Sangguniang Kabataan (abbreviated as SK; ) is a council meant to represent the youth in each barangay in the Philippines. It was put "on hold", but not quite abolished, prior to the 2013 barangay elections. In January 2016, the Sangguniang ...
for the youth sector.
The seat of Government is vested upon the Mayor Menchie L. de Guzman who holds office since June 30, 2019 at the Bauang Town Hall. The Sangguniang Bayan is the center of legislation.
Elected officials
Infrastructure
1590 Energy Corporation
The Bauang Diesel Power Plant formerly owned by the Bauang Private Power Corporation (BPPC) is a diesel-fired power plant that commenced operations in July 1995 with a 215 MW-capacity. State-owned National Power Corporation and the First Private Power Corp. (FPPC) entered into a Build-Operate-Transfer Agreement for the BPCC for a period of 15 years.
On July 26, 2010, after the BOT expiration, it was turned over to the
NAPOCOR
The National Power Corporation ( fil, Pambansang Korporasyon sa Elektrisidad, also known as Napocor, NPC or National Power), is a Philippine government-owned and controlled corporation that is mandated to provide electricity to all rural areas of ...
and the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) and later to the Provincial Government of La Union. Both Viviant Energy Corporation and Gigawatt Power, Inc. under the 1590 Energy Corp. operates the Bauang power facility provide the additional supply to the Luzon grid.
Major facilities inside the plant include a substation, two 100,000 bbl steel fuel storage tanks, sludge treatment plant, and five auxiliary buildings consisting of an administration building (812 sq.m), maintenance building (981 sq.m), warehouse building (591 sq.m), guest house (583 sq.m), bunkhouse (660 sq.m), and a canteen (550 sq.m).
The world's largest medium-speed power station in Bauang maintains an IMS certification for ISO 9901:2000, ISO 14001:2004, and OHSAS 18001 from Certification International.
PLDT Asia-Pacific Cable Network (APCN) in Baccuit Sur
A Digital Optical Cable System for telecommunications services linking Hong Kong,
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan,
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
, Singapore, and the Philippines is strategically located at the coastline barangay of Baccuit Norte in Bauang, La Union.
The facility, owned by the Philippine Long Distance Telecommunications Company, aims to benefit the users of telecommunications services and consequently stimulate the rapid expansion of business and government intercourse between the Philippines and the foreign countries to be served.
Education
Elementary schools:
* Acao Elementary School - Barangay Acao
* Baccuit Elementary School - Barangay Baccuit Sur
* Bagbag Elementary School - Barangay Bagbag
* Ballay Elementary School - Barangay Ballay
* Baratao Elementary School - Sitio Baratao, Barangay Acao
* Bauang North Central School - Barangay Central East
* Bawanta Elementary School - Barangay Bawanta
* Bigbiga Elementary School - Sitio Bigbiga, Barangay Lower San Agustin
* Boy-Utan Elementary School - Barangay Boy-Utan
* Bucayab Elementary School - Barangay Bucayab
* Cabalayangan Elementary School - Barangay Cabalayangan
* Calumbaya Elementary School - Barangay Calumbaya
* Casilagan Integrated School - Barangay Casilagan
* Guerrero Elementary School - Barangay Guerrero
* Palugsi-Limmansangan Elementary School - Barangay Palugsi-Limmansangan
* Parian Este Elementary School - Barangay Parian Este
* Parian Oeste Elementary School - Barangay Parian Oeste
* Paringao Elementary School - Barangay Paringao
* Payocpoc Elementary School - Barangay Payocpoc Sur
* Pudoc Primary School - Barangay Pudoc
* Pugo Elementary School - Barangay Pugo
* Quinavite Elementary School - Barangay Quinavite
* Saint Anthony Montessori Educational Network, Inc. (Private) - Barangay Central East
* Saints Peter and Paul Learning Center (Private) - Barangay Central East, beside the Church
* San Agustin Elementary School- Barangay Upper San Agustin
* Santiago Elementary School - Barangay Santiago
* Santa Monica Elementary School - Barangay Santa Monica
Secondary schools:
* Baccuit National High School - Barangay Baccuit Sur
* Ballay National High School - Barangay Ballay
* Bawanta National High School - Barangay Bawanta
* Casilagan Integrated School - Barangay Casilagan
* Don Eulogio de Guzman Memorial National High School - Barangay Calumbaya
* Eulogio Clarence de Guzman Junior Memorial National Vocational HS (formerly ''Acao National High School'') - Barangay Acao
* Paringao National High School - Barangay Paringao
* Sacred Heart School (Private) - Barangay Central East
* Saint Anthony Montessori Educational Network, Inc. (Private) - Barangay Central East
Tertiary:
* La Union Colleges of Science and Technology (Private) - Barangay Central West
* Saint Louis College Development Center (Private)
Bauang in Literature
Bauang, specifically Barangay Nagrebcan on the shores of the Balili River, features prominently in the works of Philippine literary icons
Manuel Arguilla
Manuel Estabilla Arguilla ( Nagrebcan, Bauang, June 17, 1911 – beheaded, Manila Chinese Cemetery, August 30, 1944) was an Ilokano writer in English, patriot, and martyr.
He is known for his widely anthologized short story "How My Brother Le ...
Manuel Arguilla
Manuel Estabilla Arguilla ( Nagrebcan, Bauang, June 17, 1911 – beheaded, Manila Chinese Cemetery, August 30, 1944) was an Ilokano writer in English, patriot, and martyr.
He is known for his widely anthologized short story "How My Brother Le ...
, one of the Philippines' most influential English writers, grew up in Bauang's Barrio Nagrebcan
Gallery
File:Sts.PeterandPaulParishChurchjf758.JPG, Municipal hall
File:BauangLaUnionjf743.JPG, Police station and Legislative building
File:BauangLaUnionjf753.JPG, The landmark Bauang FarmersFisher's Monument
File:FvfLaUnion9987 32.JPG, Bauang Commercial Center
File:FvfBauangLaUnion9999 01.JPG, Town plaza overlooking Sts. Peter & Paul Parish Church