Sinait, officially the Municipality of Sinait (; ), is a
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 ...
of
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 ...
,
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 25,998 people.
History
Before Magellan and his expedition reached the Philippines in 1521, the locality was only a small village of little over a hundred natives who were called "Tirongs." By nature, these primitive inhabitants were sea-faring warriors. In their fast and picturesque sailboats, they traveled to adjoining and distant places, most particularly to settlements and villages along the Ilocos Coast in
Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur,
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 ...
,
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 ...
and even
Zambales
Zambales, officially the Province of Zambales (; ; ; ; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon Regions of the Philippines, region. Its capital is Iba, Zambales, Iba, which is located in t ...
.
In those adventures, the “Tirongs“ always challenged the people encountered to tribal wars and fought skirmishes against them. Often, those sturdy and brave natives came out victorious. Even in their daily chores, those people showed their ferocious characteristics. When the Spanish came,
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 ...
was sent to explore and colonize the Ilocos territory during the early years of the Spanish regime. He found the “Tirongs” of Sinait in apogee of the social state. Small battles were a daily occurrence so that in the year 1535, when the locality was organized and established as a “Pueblo.”
Salcedo named the new community as “SIN-NAIT”, a word in the local tongue which means “CONTEST”. As a pueblo, Sinait embraced and included in its territorial limit such distant places as "Rancheria de Paur," now the Municipality of
Nueva Era in Ilocos Norte, and southern barrios of
Badoc of the same province. The vast territory, however, was reduced to its present 78 square kilometers.
In 1575, the natives fully realized the hardships of pronouncing the term “Sin-nait” and to go away with the trouble, Salcedo declared that one of the letter “N” be dropped. Since then, this Municipality has been called “Sinait”. Nevertheless, it was only in 1913 when the same was officially adopted by the government upon the initiative of the late Don Calixto Cabacungan. The Municipality Council enacted a resolution to the effect that Sinait was adopted as the official name of the community. This resolution was duly approved by the Provincial Board of Ilocos Sur and by the now defunct Philippine Legislature.
The Santo Cristo Milagroso
Sinait houses the Sanctuary of the Miraculous Statue of the Black Nazarene (El Santo Cristo Milagroso), fondly called by its residents as "Apo Lakay," and a treasure of Ilocandia. History traces the life-sized statue to
Nagasaki, Japan. It was probably sent floating in the sea by missionaries operating in secret in Japan to escape the destruction of churches in Nagasaki in 1614 on orders of the
Tokugawa Bakufu. The box was found by local fishermen in the shores of Barangay Dadalaquiten Norte, on the boundary between Sinait and nearby Paguetpet (La Virgen Milagrosa),
Badoc, in the year 1620, and fishermen from both towns carried it ashore. They found two statues inside the box—a statue of the Black Nazarene, and a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to legend, The fishermen from Sinait mysteriously were unable to move the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but had no problems moving the Statue of the Black Nazarene. The fishermen from Badoc, however, were able to move the Statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary (later called the La Virgen Milagrosa) with ease, as they were unable to carry the image of the Black Nazarene. They took the statues to their respective towns and were venerated. In 1656, with a spreading devotion to the Santo Cristo Milagroso due to its miraculous powers, the Black Crucifix was taken to the capital town of
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 ...
, since an epidemic was raging there and through the devotion of the faithful, many got cured. Because of this, it is considered as an intercessor of all kinds of affliction and sickness. In 1660, because of the growing veneration to the image, the faithful begun the construction of a permanent edifice to house it. It took the people of Sinait eight years to construct the church with funds provides by the Spanish Audiencia. Today the landing site of Apo Lakay is marked by a chapel at Lugo Beach in Barangay Dadalaquiten Norte, and is a place of pilgrimage for devotees, as with the nearby chapel marking La Virgen Milagrosa's landing site.
Geography
The Municipality of Sinait is bordered by the province of
Ilocos Norte by
Badoc and
Nueva Era to the north, and
Cabugao to the south. It is the northernmost municipality of the province.
Sinait is situated from the provincial capital
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 from the country's capital city of
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 ...
.
Barangays
Sinait is politically subdivided into 44
barangay
The barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as ''barrio'', is the smallest Administrative divisions of the Philippines, administrative division in the Philippines. Named after the Precolonial barangay, precolonial po ...
s. Each barangay consists of
purok
A ''purok'' () is an informal division within a barangay in the Philippines. While not officially considered a local government unit (LGU), a ''purok'' often serves as a unit for delivering services and administration within a barangay. ''Pur ...
s 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 ...
.
* Aguing
* Baliw
* Ballaigui (
Poblacion
''Poblacion'' (from Spanish '' población'', meaning "population"), sometimes abbreviated as Pob., is a term used in the Philippines to refer to the administrative center, downtown, old town, or commercial area of a city or municipality. It ...
)
* Baracbac
* Barikir
* Battog
* Binacud
* Cabangtalan
* Cabarambanan
* Cabulalaan
* Cadanglaan
* Calanutian
* Calingayan
* Curtin
* Dadalaquiten Norte
* Dadalaquiten Sur
* Dean Leopoldo Yabes (Pug-os)
* Duyayyat
* Jordan
* Katipunan
* Macabiag (
Poblacion
''Poblacion'' (from Spanish '' población'', meaning "population"), sometimes abbreviated as Pob., is a term used in the Philippines to refer to the administrative center, downtown, old town, or commercial area of a city or municipality. It ...
)
* Magsaysay
* Marnay
* Masadag
* Nagbalioartian
* Nagcullooban
* Nagongburan
* Namnama (
Poblacion
''Poblacion'' (from Spanish '' población'', meaning "population"), sometimes abbreviated as Pob., is a term used in the Philippines to refer to the administrative center, downtown, old town, or commercial area of a city or municipality. It ...
)
* Pacis
* Paratong
* Purag
* Quibit-quibit
* Quimmallogong
* Rang-ay (
Poblacion
''Poblacion'' (from Spanish '' población'', meaning "population"), sometimes abbreviated as Pob., is a term used in the Philippines to refer to the administrative center, downtown, old town, or commercial area of a city or municipality. It ...
)
* Ricudo
* Sabañgan (Marcos)
* Sallacapo
* Santa Cruz
* Sapriana
* Tapao
* Teppeng
* Tubigay
* Ubbog
* Zapat
Climate
Demographics
In the 2020 census, Sinait had a population of 25,998. The population density was .
Language
Majority of people speak
Ilocano language.
Economy

As major producer of
Garlic
Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to central and south Asia, str ...
, Sinait is also known as the Garlic Center of the North.
Tourism

* Sinait Public Market - On certain days garlic from the municipality and even the neighboring municipalities of
Badoc and
Pinili in neighboring Ilocos Norte are traded here.
* Barangay Pug-os/Dean Leopoldo Yabes - Barangay Pug-os was renamed as Barangay Dean Leopoldo Yabes, in honor of the Ilocano writer and dean from the
University of the Philippines
The University of the Philippines (UP; ) is a Higher education in the Philippines#State universities and colleges, state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by List of Philippine laws, Re ...
who once lived in Sinait.
* Cabangtalan (Imelda's Cove) - Features white sand beaches. It is located on the way to Barangay Dadalaquiten Norte and Paguetpet (Badoc).
*
Basilica of Saint Nicholas de Tolentino and Shrine of El Santo Cristo Milagroso - A
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 ...
church, and a
minor basilica
Basilicas are Catholic church buildings that have a designation, conferring special privileges, given by the Pope. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectura ...
, that houses the Miraculous Statue of the Black Nazarene (El Santo Cristo Milagroso) or "Apo Lakay." On May 3, 2021,
Archbishop Marlo Peralta of the
Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia announced that
Pope Francis
Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...
elevated the church to the rank of
minor basilica
Basilicas are Catholic church buildings that have a designation, conferring special privileges, given by the Pope. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectura ...
during a Mass. On February 16, 2022, it was officially declared as a
minor basilica
Basilicas are Catholic church buildings that have a designation, conferring special privileges, given by the Pope. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectura ...
in a
Eucharistic Celebration presided by the
Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop
Charles John Brown and
concelebrated by
Archbishop of Nueva Segovia Marlo Mendoza Peralta and
Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan Socrates Villegas with
Archbishop of Manila
The Archdiocese of Manila (; ; ) is the archdiocese of the Latin Church, Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in the Philippines, Catholic Church in Metro Manila, Catholic Church in the Philippines, Philippines, encompassing the cities of Manila, ...
Cardinal
Jose Fuerte Advincula as the
homilist, and also attended by
Archbishop-emeritus of Cotabato Cardinal
Orlando Beltran Quevedo and six other
bishop
A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
s from
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 ...
.
* Barangay Dadalaquiten Norte - The landing place of the Miraculous Statue of the Black Nazarene in 1620, close to the landing place of the La Virgen Milagrosa in neighboring Paguetpet, Badoc, Ilocos Norte.
*
Libunao Protected Landscape - A protected watershed area in Barangay Nagcullooban.
* Sinait National High School - One of the largest secondary schools in Ilocos Sur.
* Calanutian - Homeplace of Inez Cannoyan the wife of Lam-Ang in the fictional Ilocano Story Biag ni Lam-Ang
* Lugo Beach - A summer destination located at Dadalaquiten Norte, where the Dadalaquiten Floating Cottages are found. The place where the Santo Cristo Milagroso was carried ashore when it was found (with the La Virgen Milagrosa).
* Cabulalaan Hills - A hiking destination.
Government
Local government
Sinait, belonging to the
first congressional district of the province of
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 ...
, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.
Elected officials
Education
The Sinait Schools District Office governs the operations of all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees all private and public elementary and high schools.
Primary and elementary schools
* Baracbac-Nagongburan Elementary School
* Barikir Primary School
* Cabarambanan Elementary School
* Cadanglaan Elementary School
* Curtin Primary School
* Dean Leopoldo Yabes Memorial Elementary School
* Katipunan Primary School
* Marnay Elementary School
* Masadag Elementary School
* Sabangan Elementary School
* Sapriana Elementary School
* Sinait East Central School
* Sinait West Central School
* Sinait United Church of Christ in the Philippines Pre-School
* Sta. Cruz Elementary School
* Teppeng Elementary School
* Tubigay Elementary School
Secondary schools
* Dadalaquiten Integrated School
* Sinait National High School
References
External links
Pasyalang Ilocos SurPhilippine Standard Geographic CodePhilippine Census InformationSinait National High School - Official WebsiteLocal Governance Performance Management System
{{Authority control
Municipalities of Ilocos Sur