Pugo (), officially the Municipality of Pugo (;

Pangasinan Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan (, ; ; ), is a coastal Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its capital is Lingayen, Pangasinan, Lingayen while San Carlos, Pangasi ...

: ''Baley na Pugo''; ), is a landlocked

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

in the

province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

La Union La Union (), officially the Province of La Union (; ; ; ; ; ), is a coastal province in the Philippines situated in the Ilocos Region on the island of Luzon. The province's capital, the San Fernando, La Union, City of San Fernando, is the most ...

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 19,337 people.

Etymology

Two prominent theories on the origin of the name ''"Pugo"'' is reflect both the natural environment and the linguistic heritage of the area. Turnix suscitator 135216960

The first theory traces the name back to the Spanish colonial period when the area, then known as ''

Ranchería The Spanish word ranchería, or rancherío, refers to a small, rural settlement. In the Americas the term was applied to Indigenous peoples of the Americas, native villages or bunkhouses. Anglo-Americans adopted the term with both these meaning ...

Tulosa'', was a well-known hunting ground for the ''

quail Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally placed in the order Galliformes. The collective noun for a group of quail is a flock, covey, or bevy. Old World quail are placed in the family Phasianidae, and New ...

'' bird specifically the Luzon buttonquail (''Turnix worcesteri''), an endemic bird species locally called ''"pugo"'' in the Iloco language. These birds were abundant in the forested and grassy plains of the region, which attracted hunters. Over time, hunters began to refer to the area as ''Ranchería Pugo''. The second theory suggests that the name "Pugo" comes from the

word meaning ''"

islet An islet ( ) is generally a small island. Definitions vary, and are not precise, but some suggest that an islet is a very small, often unnamed, island with little or no vegetation to support human habitation. It may be made of rock, sand and/ ...

."'' While the town itself is not an island, the term is thought to describe the large rock beds and

boulders In geology, a boulder (or rarely bowlder) is a rock fragment with size greater than in diameter. Smaller pieces are called cobbles and pebbles. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive. In c ...

found in the Tapuacan River. These geological formations, resembling small islets, are a distinctive feature of the river that flows through the town, shaping its unique landscape.

History

Early History

The narrow plain along the Ifugao River, surrounded by the foothills of the Cordillera Central mountains, was home to an early settlement of indigenous peoples, primarily the

Ibaloi The Ibaloi (also spelled Ibaloy; Ibaloi: ''ivadoy'', ) are an indigenous ethnic group found in Benguet province of the northern Philippines. ''Ibaloi'' is derived from ''i-'', a prefix signifying "pertaining to" and ''badoy'' or house, togethe ...

. These people migrated from the inner parts of

Benguet Benguet (), officially the Province of Benguet ('';'' ; ; ; ), is a landlocked Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines located in the southern tip of the Cordillera Administrative Region in the island of Luzon. Its capital cit ...

and formed small communities alongside the ethnic

. The region thrived with a vibrant

animist Animism (from meaning 'breath, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Animism perceives all things—animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather systems, human handiwork, and in ...

pagan Paganism (, later 'civilian') is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. In the time of the ...

culture and religion. The rivers in the area played a crucial role as pathways along the gold trail known as the Aringay-Tonglo-Balatok gold trail. The Ifugao River, in particular, flowed into a delta that led to a key trading settlement, ''Alinguey'' (now Aringay). This settlement connected highland and lowland communities, with

gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...

serving as the primary commodity of trade. Trade in this region involved a diverse array of traders and merchants, including Cordillerans (

Igorots The indigenous peoples of the Cordillera in northern Luzon, Philippines, often referred to by the exonym Igorot people, or more recently, as the Cordilleran peoples, are an ethnic group composed of nine main ethnolinguistic groups whose domains ...

Ilocanos The Ilocano people (), also referred to as Ilokáno, Iloko, Iloco, Iluku, or Samtoy, are an Austronesian ethnolinguistic group native to the Philippines. Originally from the Ilocos Region, located on the northwestern coast of Luzon, they hav ...

, Pangasinans,

Tagalogs The Tagalog people are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the Philippines, particularly the Metro Manila and Calabarzon regions and Marinduque province of southern Luzon, and comprise the majority in the provinces of Bulacan, Bataan, N ...

, and even foreigners from

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

, and

Maritime Southeast Asia Maritime Southeast Asia comprises the Southeast Asian countries of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and East Timor. The terms Island Southeast Asia and Insular Southeast Asia are sometimes given the same meaning as ...

Spanish Colonization

In June 1572, when the colonial Spaniards arrived, they successfully pacified and subjugated the locals and foreign merchants in

Agoo Agoo (), officially the Municipality of Agoo (; ; ), is a coastal municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 66,028 people. Etymology The name "Agoo" is believed to have originate ...

to their authority and

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

in the name of the

Spanish monarch The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy () is the constitutional form of government of Spain. It consists of a Hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarch who reigns as the head of state, being the highest office of the country. The Spanish ...

. This effort was led by the conquistador

Juan de Salcedo Juan de Salcedo (; 1549 – 11 March 1576) was a Spanish conquistador. He was the grandson of Spanish general Miguel López de Legazpi. Salcedo was one of the soldiers who accompanied the Spanish conquest to the Philippines in 1565. He joined th ...

, who established a settlement. By 1578, a permanent settlement was established in Agoo when two

Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...

missionaries, Friar Juan Bautista Lucarelli of Italy and Friar Sebastian de Baeza of Spain, commissioned the construction of a

thatch Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, Phragmites, water reed, Cyperaceae, sedge (''Cladium mariscus''), Juncus, rushes, Calluna, heather, or palm branches, layering the vegetation so as to shed water away fr ...

and

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial plant, perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily (biology), subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family, in th ...

church in honor of

Saint Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone ( 1181 – 3 October 1226), known as Francis of Assisi, was an Italian mystic, poet and Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans. Inspired to lead a Christian life of poverty, he ...

. Agoo encompassed a vast land area, including Pugo as its territory. By the 1700s, the area became a

ranchería The Spanish word ranchería, or rancherío, refers to a small, rural settlement. In the Americas the term was applied to Indigenous peoples of the Americas, native villages or bunkhouses. Anglo-Americans adopted the term with both these meaning ...

called Tulosa and was designated as a ''visita'' (satellite mission station) under the jurisdiction of the larger church district in Agoo. The majority of the people of the ranchería were ethnic Pangasinan and Christianized Cordillerans. Due to population pressure and the oppressive conditions under Spanish rule, Ilocano migrants from the Ilocos provinces and nearby towns began settling in the coastal areas of La Union. Initially arriving in Agoo and Aringay (then part of

Pangasinan province Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan (, ; ; ), is a coastal province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its capital is Lingayen while San Carlos City is the most populous. Pangasinan is in the western ar ...

), they gradually moved inland to the fertile plains of Pugo. They settled, cultivated lands for agriculture, and improved the settlement. Intermarriage between the Ilocano settlers and the Pangasinan-speaking and other natives led to cultural assimilation, resulting in the population becoming predominantly Ilocanized in culture and language. On October 1849, Governor-General Narciso Clavería issued a decree creating

province by merging towns from Pangasinan,

Ilocos Sur Ilocos Sur (), officially the Province of Ilocos Sur (; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Located on the mouth of the Mestizo River is the capital of Vigan, while Candon is ...

, and the

Cordillera A cordillera is a chain or network of mountain ranges, such as those in the west coast of the Americas. The term is borrowed from Spanish, where the word comes from , a diminutive of ('rope'). The term is most commonly used in physical geogra ...

(''La Montañosa''). This was formalized on March 2, 1850, by Governor-General Antonio María Blanco, with ''Ranchería Tulosa'', a ranchería of ''San Isidro de Tubao'' and a barrio of Agoo and Aringay, as a founding town. The province’s creation was confirmed by

Queen Isabella II Isabella II (, María Isabel Luisa de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904) was Queen of Spain from 1833 until her deposition in 1868. She is the only queen regnant in the history of unified Spain. Isabella wa ...

on April 18, 1854. By the 1880s, the Ranchería Tulosa, then part of Barrio San Isidro de Tubao and still a ''visita'' of Agoo, was known as a hunting ground for quail birds, locally referred to as ''pugo.''Ereccion de pueblos, La Union: 13th bundle. This contains the "Expediente sobre la provincia de La Union, 1885," por El Señor Gobernador politico militar Federico Francia By 1883, quail hunters renamed the area Ranchería Pugo due to the abundance of the bird. On July 20, 1885, Tubao was officially established as a town through a ''Superior Decreto'' by Governor Federico Francia, recognizing Tubao as the "nuevo pueblo de Tubao." During this time, Ranchería Pugo became a barrio under the

jurisdiction Jurisdiction (from Latin 'law' and 'speech' or 'declaration') is the legal term for the legal authority granted to a legal entity to enact justice. In federations like the United States, the concept of jurisdiction applies at multiple level ...

of Tubao.Ereccion de pueblos, La Union: 13th bundle. This contains the "Expediente sobre la provincia de La Union, 1885," por El Señor Gobernador politico militar Federico Francia

Philippine Revolution

During the

Philippine Revolution The Philippine Revolution ( or ; or ) was a war of independence waged by the revolutionary organization Katipunan against the Spanish Empire from 1896 to 1898. It was the culmination of the 333-year History of the Philippines (1565–1898), ...

, the

barrio ''Barrio'' () is a Spanish language, Spanish word that means "Quarter (urban subdivision), quarter" or "neighborhood". In the modern Spanish language, it is generally defined as each area of a city delimited by functional (e.g. residential, comm ...

locals actively participated in the fight for independence against Spanish colonial rule. Under the leadership of General Manuel Tinio y Bondoc, a close ally of

Emilio Aguinaldo Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (: March 22, 1869February 6, 1964) was a Filipino revolutionary, statesman, and military leader who became the first List of presidents of the Philippines, president of the Philippines (1899–1901), and the first pre ...

, the locals engaged in significant resistance efforts in

Northern Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...

. They attacked Spanish garrisons in several towns of La Union, particularly the convents in Agoo and San Fernando. Spanish authorities and priests were forced to flee to

Vigan Vigan, officially the City of Vigan (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city and capital of the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...

and

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

American Colonization

The independence of the Philippines from Spain was short-lived, as the Philippine-American War soon followed. In 1899, Pugo and Tubao became a center of resistance against American forces. Guerrilla Unit No. 5, under the leadership of ''Captain Santiago Fontanilla'', operated in the area and its neighboring towns of Agoo, Aringay, Santo Tomas, and

Rosario Rosario () is the largest city in the central provinces of Argentina, Argentine province of Santa Fe Province, Santa Fe. The city, located northwest of Buenos Aires on the west bank of the Paraná River, is the third-most populous city in the ...

. On November 20, 1899, American forces led by General Samuel Baldwin Marks Young, the American commander in Northern Luzon, arrived in La Union.

Guerrilla warfare Guerrilla warfare is a form of unconventional warfare in which small groups of irregular military, such as rebels, partisans, paramilitary personnel or armed civilians, which may include recruited children, use ambushes, sabotage, terrori ...

ensued in pursuit of General Emilio Aguinaldo and his forces, leading to decisive battles in La Union, including in Pugo. By 1901, La Union was fully under American control. In 1909, Barrio Pugo, together with seven other barrios (''Ambangonan, Dagupan, Maoasoas, Enmistampa, San Luis, Cuenca,'' and ''Saytan''), was annexed to

Mountain Province Mountain Province (; ; ; ; ; ) is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is Bontoc while Bauko is the largest municipality. Mountain Province was formerly referred to as Mountain ...

as per ''Executive Order No. 11'', with Barrio Pugo serving as the seat of government. By January 1, 1912, Pugo was officially organized as a town under the sub-province of

, Mountain Province, in accordance with ''Executive Order No. 77'' dated December 11, 1911, approved by Governor-General S. Cameron Forbes. When

Baguio Baguio ( , , ), officially the City of Baguio (; ; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...

became a city in 1910, Barrio Pugo and the other barrios became part of the township of Twin Peaks, Benguet. Later, Twin Peaks was abolished, and Pugo and

Tuba The tuba (; ) is the largest and lowest-pitched musical instrument in the brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by lip vibrationa buzzinto a mouthpiece (brass), mouthpiece. It first appeared in th ...

became separate townships. On February 4, 1920, Pugo, which was then a municipal district of Benguet, was restored to La Union, along with other barrios and sitios previously annexed to Mountain Province. This was in accordance with Section 2 of Act No. 2877, series 1920, enacted by the

Philippine Senate The Senate of the Philippines () is the upper house of Congress, the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, with the House of Representatives as the lower house. The Senate is composed of 24 senators who are elected at-large (the country f ...

and

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...

Japanese Occupation

In December 1941, Japanese forces attacked the town, bombing residential areas and U.S. military installations. The town became a center for evacuees from neighboring municipalities. Its mountainous terrain provided an ideal site for guerrillas fighting the Japanese forces. On December 22, 1941, the Japanese occupation in the province began. By January 1945, American forces launched a successful campaign during the

Battle of Lingayen Gulf The Invasion of Lingayen Gulf (; ; ; ), 3–13 January 1945, was an Allies of World War II, Allied Amphibious warfare, amphibious operation in the Commonwealth of the Philippines, Philippines during World War II. In the early morning of 6 Janua ...

, marking the turning point in liberating Northern Luzon from Japanese control. Pugo was officially freed in March 1945 following the

Battle of Bacsil Ridge The Battle of Bacsil Ridge began on 19 March 1945. It was one of the continued main battles of the 1944–1945 Philippines Campaign of the Second World War between the Filipino soldiers under the 121st Infantry Regiment, Philippine Commonwealth ...

San Fernando, La Union San Fernando, officially the City of San Fernando (; ), is a component city and the capital of the province of La Union, Philippines. It serves as the regional and administrative center of the Ilocos Region. The city also functions as a hub ...

, which signified the full liberation of the province from Japanese occupation.

Post-war Era

By virtue of ''Executive Order No. 72'' signed by

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Manuel Roxas Manuel Acuña Roxas (; January 1, 1892 – April 15, 1948) was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the fifth president of the Philippines from 1946 until his death in 1948. He served briefly as the third and last President of the ...

on July 30, 1947, the municipal district of Pugo, along with

Sudipen Sudipen (Ilocano language, Southern Ilocano pronunciation: ), officially the Municipality of Sudipen (; ), is a landlocked municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the northernmost province of La Union, Philippines. It is separated from ...

and San Gabriel, was organized into a regular municipality. As a result, the fourteen municipalities of

, all established under the Revised Administrative Code, were increased to seventeen.

Geography

The Municipality of Pugo is an inland, landlocked town located at the foot of the Santo Tomas Mountain Range, along the southeastern side of La Union province. It is bordered by Tubao to the north and northwest,

to the south and southeast, and

to the east. Primarily an agricultural town, Pugo is rich in natural resources and scenic landscapes. Pugo is situated from the provincial capital

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 ...

, and from the country's capital city of

Topography

The town's

topography Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the landforms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps. Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sci ...

is predominantly hilly and mountainous, as it is nestled at the foothills of the

Mount Santo Tomas Mount Santo Tomas is a potentially active stratovolcano in the Philippines located in the municipality of Tuba in the province of Benguet. The mountain is part of the protected Santo Tomas Forest Reserve declared through Proclamation No. 581 s ...

(Cordillera Central) a

stratovolcano A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a typically conical volcano built up by many alternating layers (strata) of hardened lava and tephra. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile with ...

. Lush and peaceful forests cover much of the area, with the terrain rising gradually eastward. Rural areas in the town are characterized by

alluvial plains An alluvial plain is a plain (an essentially flat landform) created by the deposition of sediment over a long period by one or more rivers coming from highland regions, from which alluvial soil forms. A '' floodplain'' is part of the process, b ...

. Pugo is traversed by several creeks, natural springs, and rivers, including the Ifugao (Aringay) River,

Bued River The Bued River is a river in the island of Luzon in the Philippines with a total length of . It covers primarily the provinces of Benguet and Pangasinan, and a few parts of La Union. The river originates from the city of Baguio and joins with th ...

, Nagbukel River, and Tapuacan River. The Tapuacan River, located in Barangay Cares, is renowned as the cleanest inland river in northern Luzon and the

Ilocos Region The Ilocos Region (; ; ), designated as Region I, is an Region of the Philippines, administrative region of the Philippines. Located in the northwestern section of Luzon, it is bordered by the Cordillera Administrative Region to the east, the Ca ...

Barangays

Pugo is politically subdivided into 14

barangays The barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as ''barrio'', is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines. Named after the precolonial polities of the same name, modern barangays are political subdivisio ...

, which include both upland and lowland communities. Each barangay is further divided into smaller administrative units called " puroks," and some have "

sitios A ''sitio'' (Spanish language, Spanish for "site") in the Philippines is a territorial enclave that forms part of a barangay. Typically rural, a ''sitios location is usually far from the center of the barangay itself and could be its own bar ...

" as well. * Ambalite * Ambangonan * Cares * Cuenca * Duplas * Maoasoas Norte * Maoasoas Sur * Palina * Poblacion East * Poblacion West * San Luis * Saytan * Tavora East * Tavora Proper

Climate

Pugo experiences a Type I climate as defined by the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

, which features a clear division between wet and dry seasons. The wet season typically starts around mid-May and continues until late October, while the dry season lasts from December through early May. Heavy rainfall is brought by the

Southwest Monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...

(SWM) during the wet season, whereas the

Northeast Monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscill ...

(NEM) leads to drier conditions as it moves over the Cordillera Mountains.

Demographics

Based on the 2020

Census of Population and Housing The Census in Australia, officially the Census of Population and Housing, is the national census in Australia that occurs every five years. The census collects key demographic, social and economic data from all people in Australia on census nig ...

, Pugo recorded a total population of 19,337 persons as of May 2020. This figure reflects a decrease of 353 persons compared to the 19,690 persons recorded in the 2015 Census. The population decreased by an average of 4 persons per year for every 1,000 individuals, resulting in an annual

population growth rate Population growth is the increase in the number of people in a population or dispersed group. The global population has grown from 1 billion in 1800 to 8.2 billion in 2025. Actual global human population growth amounts to around 70 million annu ...

(PGR) of -0.38 % from 2015 to 2020. In 2020, the household population was 19,333 persons, which was 303 persons lower than the 19,636 household population recorded in 2015. Among the 14

of Pugo, ''Cares'' was the most populous, contributing 14.00 % to the municipality's total population. It was followed by ''Palina'' with 11.21 %, ''San Luis'' with 10.57 %, ''Cuenca'' with 9.31 %, and ''Saytan'' with 7.35 %. The least populated barangay was ''Duplas'', which accounted for 3.60 % of the population. Duplas also held the position of least populated barangay in 2015.

Sex Ratio and Age Distribution

* The

sex ratio A sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. As explained by Fisher's principle, for evolutionary reasons this is typically about 1:1 in species which reproduce sexually. However, many species deviate from an even sex ratio, ei ...

in 2020 was 104 males per 100 females, a slight decline from 105 males per 100 females in 2015. * The

median age A population pyramid (age structure diagram) or "age-sex pyramid" is a graphical illustration of the distribution of a population (typically that of a country or region of the world) by age groups and sex; it typically takes the shape of a pyramid ...

of the population increased to 27.92 years in 2020 from 26.50 years in 2015, indicating a gradually aging population. * The largest age group in 2020 consisted of children aged 10 to 14 years (9.56% of the population), followed by those aged 5 to 9 years (9.33%) and 15 to 19 years (9.20%). * Males outnumbered females in age groups 0 to 34 and 40 to 59, while females were more numerous in the 35 to 39 age group and in the 60 years and above age group.

Voting Population

As of 2022, Pugo registered 12,786 voters, representing 66.75 % of its household population in 2020. Among the voting-age population (18 years and over), 50.96 % were males, while 49.04 % were females.

Dependency Ratio

The overall

dependency ratio The dependency ratio is an age-population ratio of those typically not in the labor force (the ''dependent'' part ages 0 to 14 and 65+) and those typically in the labor force (the ''productive'' part ages 15 to 64). It is used to measure the press ...

in Pugo decreased to 52 dependents for every 100 working-age individuals (15 to 64 years old) in 2020, compared to 53 dependents per 100 working-age individuals in 2015. The 2020 dependency ratio included 42 young dependents (under 15 years old) and 10 elderly dependents (65 years and above).

Marital Status

Of the total household population aged 10 years and over, the following marital statuses were recorded in 2020: * Never married: 38.63 % (6,114 persons) *

Married Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

: 42.26 % (6,689 persons) *

Widowed A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has died and has usually not remarried. The male form, "widower", is first attested in the 14th century, by the 19th century supplanting "widow" with reference to men. The adjective for ...

: 5.12 % *

Annulled Annulment is a legal procedure within secular and religious legal systems for declaring a marriage null and void. Unlike divorce, it is usually retroactive, meaning that an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from the beginning almo ...

/Separated: 1.86 % * Common-law/Live-in: 12.11 % * Unknown: 0.02 % Among the never-married population, 54.30 % were males, while 45.70 % were females.

Birth Registration

In 2020, 19,215 persons in Pugo had their births registered at the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO), accounting for 99.39 % of the total household population. Of those with registered births, 50.98 % were males, and 49.02 % were females, resulting in a sex ratio of 104 males per 100 females whose births were registered.

Ethnicity and Language

The population of Pugo is predominantly Ilocano, with smaller Cordilleran (Igorot) indigenous groups such as the Bago and

. Other minority groups include

Tagalog Tagalog may refer to: Language * Tagalog language, a language spoken in the Philippines ** Old Tagalog, an archaic form of the language ** Batangas Tagalog, a dialect of the language * Tagalog script, the writing system historically used for Tagal ...

and

communities. The primary language spoken is Iloco, while Filipino and

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

are widely used for communication and instruction.

Religion

Pugo is predominantly

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

, with significant populations adhering to other

Christian denominations A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words '' Christ'' and ''C ...

, including

Iglesia ni Cristo The (INC; ; ) is an independent Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, church founded in 1913 and registered by Felix Manalo, Félix Manalo in 1914 as a corporation sole, sole religious corporation ...

Protestantism Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

Aglipayan The Philippine Independent Church (; ), officially referred to by its Philippine Spanish name (IFI) and colloquially called the Aglipayan Church, is an independent catholic Christian denomination, in the form of a nationalist church, in the ...

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a movement within the broader Evangelical wing of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes direct personal experience of God in Christianity, God through Baptism with the Holy Spirit#Cl ...

, and

Jehovah’s Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses is a Christian denomination that is an outgrowth of the Bible Student movement founded by Charles Taze Russell in the nineteenth century. The denomination is nontrinitarian, millenarian, and restorationist. Russell co- ...

. There are also smaller religious communities practicing

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

and

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

Education

The Pugo Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public elementary and high schools. Of the population aged 5 years and over in Pugo, 24.89 % attended or completed

elementary education Primary education is the first stage of formal education, coming after preschool/kindergarten and before secondary education. Primary education takes place in ''primary schools'', ''elementary schools'', or first schools and middle schools, de ...

, 43.96 % completed

high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...

, 10.52 % were college undergraduates, and 13.27 % were

academic degree An academic degree is a qualification awarded to a student upon successful completion of a course of study in higher education, usually at a college or university. These institutions often offer degrees at various levels, usually divided into und ...

holders. Among those with academic degrees, 58.03 % were females, and 41.97 % were males. Similarly, more females (70.00 %) than males (30.00 %) pursued post-baccalaureate courses. The municipality posted a

literacy rate Literacy is the ability to read and write, while illiteracy refers to an inability to read and write. Some researchers suggest that the study of "literacy" as a concept can be divided into two periods: the period before 1950, when literacy was ...

of 98.60 %, with males slightly more literate (50.95 %) than females (49.05 %). Pugo has 11 public elementary schools and 5 public secondary schools, which provide accessible education to its residents.

Primary and elementary schools

* Ambalite Elementary School * Ambangonan Elementary School * Cuenca Elementary School * Maoasoas Elementary School * Maoasoas Elementary School - Annex * Palina Elementary School * Palina Elementary School - Annex * Pugo Central School * San Luis Elementary School * Tavora Elementary School * UCCP Nursery Kindergarten

Secondary schools

* Cuenca National High School * La Union Special School for Culture and Arts * Maoasoas National High School * Pugo Central National High School * San Luis National High School * Saytan Integrated School

Economy

Pugo is a fifth-class income municipality in La Union, with a poverty incidence of 10.03%. In 2020, the municipality recorded a revenue of ₱110.2 million, assets of ₱449.1 million, expenditure of ₱74.32 million, and liabilities of ₱56.23 million. The town is steadily progressing by relying on

agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

cottage industries The putting-out system is a means of subcontracting work, like a tailor. Historically, it was also known as the workshop system and the domestic system. In putting-out, work is contracted by a central agent to subcontractors who complete the p ...

, and services, while also embracing its potential as a gateway to eco-tourism and trade.

Agriculture

Pugo is widely recognized for its

agricultural Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created f ...

products, particularly

rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

corn Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout Poaceae, grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples of Mexico, indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago ...

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

root crops Root vegetables are underground plant parts eaten by humans or animals as food. In agricultural and culinary terminology, the term applies to true roots, such as taproots and root tubers, as well as non-roots such as bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and ...

fruits In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

, and

vegetables Vegetables are edible parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. This original meaning is still commonly used, and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including flowers, fruits, ...

. Agriculture remains the backbone of the local economy, with limited tracts of fertile land dedicated to crop production. Farmers in the area also practice diverse farming techniques to maintain sustainability and ensure a steady supply of produce for both local consumption and regional markets.

Livestock and Poultry

Livestock Livestock are the Domestication, domesticated animals that are raised in an Agriculture, agricultural setting to provide labour and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, Egg as food, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The t ...

farming is a significant part of Pugo’s economy, where residents engage in raising various animals such as

poultry Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of harvesting animal products such as meat, Eggs as food, eggs or feathers. The practice of animal husbandry, raising poultry is known as poultry farming. These birds are most typ ...

, particularly

eggs and meat, along with

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...

swine Suina (also known as Suiformes) is a suborder of omnivorous, non-ruminant artiodactyl mammals that includes the domestic pig and peccaries. A member of this clade is known as a suine. Suina includes the family Suidae, termed suids, known in ...

carabao Carabaos () are a genetically distinct population of swamp-type water buffaloes ('' Bubalus bubalis kerabau'') from the Philippines.FAO 2013''Philippine Carabao/Philippines''In: Domestic Animal Diversity Information System. Food and Agriculture ...

, and

goats The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a species of goat-antelope that is mostly kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the famil ...

. The presence of small-scale livestock farms supports the local supply of meat, local

dairy products Dairy products or milk products are food products made from (or containing) milk. The most common dairy animals are cow, water buffalo, goat, nanny goat, and Sheep, ewe. Dairy products include common grocery store food around the world such as y ...

, and other animal-based goods. The town’s livestock sector also plays a critical role in providing employment opportunities and contributing to local trade and commerce.

Industries

The town is renowned for its

woodcarving Wood carving (or woodcarving) is a form of woodworking by means of a cutting tool (knife) in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ...

industry, which produces high-quality furnishing products such as chairs, tables, cabinets, and home decor. This craft reflects the town’s long-standing tradition of woodworking, which has been passed down through generations. Additionally,

basketry Basket weaving (also basketry or basket making) is the process of weaving or sewing pliable materials into three-dimensional artifacts, such as baskets, mats, mesh bags or even furniture. Craftspeople and artists specialized in making baskets ...

and the making of other woven products from

also thrive in Pugo, where skilled artisans craft various items like baskets, bags, and mats. These industries not only contribute to the local economy but also attract interest from visitors and buyers from outside the region.

Small-Scale Businesses

Pugo’s economy is further supported by a range of small-scale businesses in the town proper, including retail stores, trading establishments, and a growing number of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). These businesses offer essential products and services to both residents and tourists, enhancing the town’s economic vitality. Many of these small businesses are family-owned and help stimulate employment, providing a steady income stream for local households..

Tourism

Pugo is also embracing its tourism potential with a focus on agri-tourism and eco-tourism. The town is home to notable tourist spots such as Tapuacan River, Kukukob Falls, and Sangbay Falls, which attract visitors seeking to experience nature and local agricultural practices. These attractions offer opportunities for sustainable tourism that benefit the local economy while preserving the environment.

Government

Local government

Just as the national government, the municipal government of Pugo 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 (; colloquially referred to as the ' (also used in formal writing), is the highest court in the Philippines. It was established by the Taft Commission on June 11, 1901, through the enactment of Act No. 136, which abolished th ...

. The LGUs have control of the executive and legislative branches. The executive branch is composed of the mayor and the barangay captain for the barangay
Local Government Code of the Philippines, Book III

Department of the Interior and Local Government The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG; ) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for promoting peace and order, ensuring public safety and strengthening local government capability aimed towards ...

official website. 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 Go ...

(town assembly),

Sangguniang Barangay The Sangguniang Barangay, known in English as the Barangay Council is the local government of a barangay, the smallest administrative division in the Philippines. Each of the 42,004 barangays in the country has its respective Sangguniang Baran ...

(barangay council), and the

Sangguniang Kabataan A Sangguniang Kabataan (abbreviated as SK; ) is a community council that represents the youth in a barangay in the Philippines. Established to provide young people with a platform for civic engagement and participation in Local government in ...

for the youth sector. The seat of Government is vested upon the Mayor and other elected officers who hold office at the Pugo Town Hall. The Sangguniang Bayan is the center of legislation, stationed in Pugo Legislative Building.

Elected officials

Tourism

Nature and Man Made Adventure

With the opening of the PUGAD Pugo Adventure Park in Sitio Kagaling of Barangay Palina, the town now offers extreme adventure. It offers 3 Zip Lines with its famous 380 meters long 200 feet high Super Man Zip Line 1. It also has Swimming Pools, Cottages, Conference Halls, Hanging Bridge, Clean River, Rappeling Area, Wall Climbing, Ropping, ATV Rides, Paint Ball Area, Trekking, and view of the Water Falls. 10 minutes away from Pugad Pugo Adventure is the "Travellers Inn". It offers villas, rooms, and even water adventure parks. Scenic spots in Pugo include Tapuakan Resort, the Nagbukel, and the hot springs of Cares. Tapuakan Resort features rest areas where the people can enjoy the natural slides of the river. It was recently awarded as the clearest inland body of water for 2008 making it for 2 consecutive years. It also has a

hot spring A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a Spring (hydrology), spring produced by the emergence of Geothermal activity, geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow ...

where tourists and the Pugonians go often as they believe that the spring can heal certain skin and pulmonary diseases. Nagbukel is found at Barangay Ambangonan, and many people also go there despite its remote location.

PUGAD

PUGAD (bird's nest) is one of the recreation and adventure landmarks in Pugo. It is a picturesque site with 3 hectares of green forests, lush mountains, and a clean river. It is 300 meters away from Marcos Highway. *Zip Line Adventure - Pugo's Pugad has the longest zip line (380 meters) in

Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...

, the second in the Philippines.

Tapuacan River

Tapuacan River (also known as ''Pugo'' - Cleanest Inland River of the North, Region I) is located in Barangay Cares (the smallest/inlet town which is situated at the foot of the Santo Tomas mountains range and about an hour away from

passing through the Aspiras, formerly Marcos Highway leading to the Ilocandia Region). The natural scenery is also a 1-hour ride from San Fernando City and around 4–5 hours drive from Manila.

Kultura Splash Wave

Pugo's Kultura Splash Wave is a prime resort (Km. 21 Marcos Highway, Barangay Cares). It has attractions: Lap pool, Pool Kiddie, Dolphin pools, 4 Giant Slides with Dropzone, Water Factory, Aerial Zip Lines, Wall Climbing, Sky Walker.

Marcos Bust

A concrete

Bust of Ferdinand Marcos The bust of Ferdinand Marcos along the Aspiras–Palispis Highway in Tuba, Benguet, Philippines, was a concrete monument of former Philippine President, dictator and kleptocrat Ferdinand Marcos. The monument became a subject of controversy as i ...

built from 1978 to 1980 using government funds. The monument was controversial as the land used were grabbed from the indigenous Ibaloi people, who were against the Marcos

conjugal dictatorship ''The Conjugal Dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos'' is a 1976 memoir written in exile by former press censor and propagandist Primitivo Mijares. It details the inner workings of Philippine martial law under Ferdinand Marcos from the ...

. The monument was built upon the orders of then incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos in a park that he named after himself. The park's land was also land-grabbed from the Ibaloi people. The monument was destroyed in December 2002 by treasure hunters. The destroyed bust is considered "a monument to evil, warning people never to become what this man was" for the future.

Holy Family Parish Church

As of 2012, the 1909 Holy Family Parish Church of Pugo (canonically erected in 1909), celebrates its fiesta every Last Sunday of December. It is under the jurisdiction of the

Diocese of San Fernando de La Union The Diocese of San Fernando de La Union () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. The diocese was established in 1970 from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia, Archdiocese of N ...

(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). The heritage 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, prov ...

of the

Latin Catholic Church The Latin Church () is the largest autonomous () particular church within the Catholic Church, whose members constitute the vast majority of the 1.3 billion Catholics. The Latin Church is one of 24 Catholic particular churches and liturgical ...

in the

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. The archdiocese was erected in 1595 in ...

. Its Parish Priest is Fr. Crispin N. Reyes. The Pugo Church is under the Vicariate of St. Francis Xavier with Vicar Forane, Fr. Joel Angelo Licos.Catholic-Hierarchy
/ref> The Holy Family Parish was built in the year 1909-1911 by the Belgian Missionary for the people of Pugo, La Union.

Gallery

File:7110Pugo, La Union Town Proper 21.jpg, Municipal Hall File:7110Pugo, La Union Town Proper 29.jpg, Pugo Legislative Building File:PugoLaUnionjf981.JPG, Town center and welcome arch File:TapuakanRiverandResortjfPugojf982.JPG, Pugo rural landscape File:6673Pugo, La Union Town Proper 22.jpg, Town Proper File:7110Pugo, La Union Town Proper 51.jpg, Police Station File:PugoLaUnionjf1023 04.JPG, Town plaza File:6673Pugo, La Union Town Proper 10.jpg, Pugo Evacuation Center File:7037Pugo, La Union Town Proper 22.jpg, Public Market

References

External links

Philippine Standard Geographic Code The Philippine Standard Geographic Code (PSGC) is a systematic classification and coding for geographic areas in the Philippines. It classifies areas based on the country's four levels of administrative divisions: regions, provinces, municipalities ...

br>Philippine Census InformationLocal Governance Performance Management System
{{Authority control Municipalities of La Union