Vigan

Vigan, officially called the City of Vigan, is a special city and the capital of the province of Ilocos Sur in the Philippines. As of the 2024 census, it is home to 54,498 people.

Located on the western coast of the island of Luzon, Vigan faces the South China Sea. It is very important because it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the few remaining Spanish colonial towns in the Philippines, Vigan has many old buildings that still look the same as they did long ago. The city is famous for its stone pavements and a special mix of native Philippine, Oriental, and Spanish styles in its architecture. You can see many beautiful bahay na bato houses and a grand Earthquake Baroque church.

Vigan is also known as the birthplace of Elpidio Quirino, the 6th President of the Philippines. He was born where the Provincial Jail used to be, and later lived in the Syquia Mansion, a special house given to his wife as a wedding gift.

In May 2015, Vigan was named one of the New7Wonders Cities, along with cities like Beirut, Doha, Durban, Havana, Kuala Lumpur, and La Paz. The city is also part of the Organization of World Heritage Cities.

Etymology

The name "Vigan" comes from a time before Spanish rule. In old Spanish records, it was sometimes spelled "Bigan". The name comes from an Ilocano word, bigàan, which means "the place where bíga grows". Bíga is the local name for a giant plant called the giant taro.

The name appears on the old symbol of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia, showing the giant taro plant.

Some stories say the name came from misunderstandings or from a Chinese phrase meaning "beautiful shore", but these stories are not proven by history.

Vigan was once near a town called Villa Fernandina, named after Prince Ferdinand of Spain. But this town had health problems, so it joined with Vigan. Later, Vigan became known as Ciudad Fernandina de Vigan.

History

Pre-Colonial Era

Because of the filling up of the Mestizo River, Vigan is no longer separated from the mainland, so it is no longer an island. The city is special in the Philippines because many of its old buildings from the 1500s are still standing.

During the time before any rulers came, Vigan was a place where people traded goods. Ships from many places, such as Arab countries, India, China, and Japan, would come to Vigan to buy and sell things.

Spanish Colonial Era

In a book called The Philippine Island, there are letters from a leader in Spain talking about a Spanish explorer named Juan de Salcedo. In 1572, Salcedo and his soldiers arrived in Vigan after traveling north from Manila.

Villa Fernandina de Vigan

Salcedo started a town called "Villa Fernandina de Vigan" to honor a prince in Spain. From Vigan, Salcedo went to other places to bring Spanish control.

In 1574, Salcedo came back to Vigan with soldiers and missionaries to help teach people new ways.

Ciudad Fernandina de Vigan

In 1755, a leader asked the king to move an important church to Vigan because the old place was getting worse. In 1758, the town became a city and was named Ciudad Fernandina de Vigan.

Philippine Revolution and American Occupation

During a big fight for freedom in the Philippines, local fighters defeated Spanish soldiers and took over Vigan. Later, American soldiers took control of the town.

World War II

When World War II began, Japanese soldiers were among the first to invade the Philippines, and they took Vigan in 1941. In 1945, American and Filipino troops, with help from local fighters, defeated the Japanese and freed Vigan.

UNESCO World Heritage City

In 1999, UNESCO chose Vigan as one of the best examples of old Spanish towns in Asia. The buildings there show a mix of styles from the Philippines, China, and Spain.

Recent history

Cityhood

Main article: Cities of the Philippines

In 2000, a leader of the Philippines signed a law that recognized Vigan as a city again, based on an old Spanish rule from 1757. This law became active in 2001.

New7Wonders

On December 7, 2014, Vigan was named one of the New7Wonders Cities.

2022 Luzon earthquake

Main article: 2022 Luzon earthquake

On July 27, 2022, a strong earthquake shook part of Luzon. It damaged some of Vigan's important old buildings and a few power lines.

Geography

The City of Vigan is located in the northern part of Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines. It is the capital of Ilocos Sur and has been an important place for politics and trade since before Spanish rule.

Vigan is 403.88 kilometres (250.96 mi) from Manila.

Topography

Vigan's land covers 2,511 hectares (6,200 acres) and is mostly flat with gentle hills. It borders Bantay, Santa, Caoayan, and Santa Catalina. The South China Sea lies to the southwest.

Most of Vigan's land, about 60%, is used for farming. Around 32% is for homes, nearly 3% for businesses and industry, and about 1% for public buildings. There are also forests and fishponds.

Vigan has 39 areas called barangays. Thirty are in rural areas, but they cover only 2,366 hectares. The other nine are in the city center and cover 144.75 hectares.

Some barangays, like Pagburnayan, Paoa, and Tamag, are on flat land. Others, like Bulala and Salindeg, are on hills. The most noticeable hill is Vigan Gap Hill, about 10 kilometers east of the city. Rivers once separated Vigan from the mainland, making it an island. These rivers were important for trade from the 15th to the 19th century.

Soil type

Vigan's land is mostly flat. Some slopes are found in Barangay V, Tamag, and Paoa. There are five types of soil in Vigan. Some are good for growing rice and vegetables, while others are best for making pots and jars.

Barangays

Vigan is divided into 39 barangays. Each barangay has smaller areas called puroks, and some have sitios.

Geologic base and mineral resources

Vigan has sedimentary and metamorphic rocks along its coast, such as coral and beach rock. An important mineral found here is clay used for making jars called burnay. This clay, known as Bantog clay, is also used to make bricks for building the city's old houses.

Physiography

Vigan lies in a flat area called the Vigan-Bantay Plain, part of the larger Ilocos coastal plain. This plain is bordered by rugged land to the east, the South China Sea to the west, and the municipality of Santa to the south. The central part has a ridge that divides the plain into northern and southern sections.

Rivers drain the plain, with the Abra River being the main one in the south. The Vigan and Bantay Rivers also help drain the area.

Weather and climate

Vigan has a tropical savanna climate with two main seasons: dry from November to April and wet from May to October. The average yearly rainfall is about 2,506 millimetres (98.66 in). The average temperature is 26 °C, with the lowest average temperature being 21.1 °C and the highest 30.9 °C. Vigan usually experiences 7 to 10 typhoons each year.

Demographics

In 2024, Vigan had a population of 54,498 people. The city had about 2,200 people living in each square kilometre.

Language

The main language spoken in Vigan is Ilocano.

Economy

The economy of Vigan shows how many people live in poverty over the years. The numbers change, but it helps us understand how the city is doing.

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Panglungsod

Vigan is part of the first congressional district of the province of Ilocos Sur. The city is led by a mayor, who is the main leader, and a city council that helps make rules. These leaders are chosen by the people in elections that happen every three years.

Elected officials

Architecture

When Juan de Salcedo created Vigan in 1572, he designed its layout similar to Intramuros, the old walled city in Manila.

The city planners followed a pattern set by Spanish law called the Ley de las Indias or the Law of the Indies. This law required streets to form a grid, with a central plaza or park. In Vigan, this central park is the Plaza Salcedo. Nearby are important buildings like the Casa Real (provincial office) and the municipio (municipal hall). Close by are religious buildings such as the seminary, the Archbishop's Palace, and the St. Paul's Cathedral.

Vigan also has another plaza called Plaza Burgos, right next to St. Paul's Cathedral. The city’s layout has stayed mostly the same even through wars and natural disasters. Some changes happened because of fires, like the Casa Real being replaced and parts of the seminary being destroyed. Today, people still enjoy the plazas for recreation and shopping, and there is a new public market in the southern part of the city.

Tourism

Vigan is a beautiful city with many places to visit. You can see old buildings on Calle Crisologo, visit the Syquia Mansion Museum, watch the Dancing Fountain at Plaza Salcedo, and explore the Padre Burgos House and Baluarte Zoo. Nearby, you can find the tall Bantay Church Bell Tower. The Hotel Luna has many pieces of art, including a famous painting called La Mandolinera by Juan Luna.

The city also holds fun festivals. In 2024, the Vigan Longganisa Festival included a marathon, a fashion show, talent contests, and a special cookbook called "101 Ways to Cook Longganisa." There were also events like a street dance, a livestock contest, and days for dogs and cats.

Transportation

Metro transport

You can travel around the city using land vehicles such as jeepneys, tricycles, vans-for-hire, and _calesa_s, which are horse-drawn carriages. Tricycles are often color- and number-coded to show where they come from. Buses and mini-buses also help people get to and from Vigan.

Land transportation

Vigan is connected by roads and a major highway that leads to Manila North Road, the road to Manila and other parts of the country. Many bus companies, like Dominion Bus Lines, Viron Transit, Partas, and Aniceto/St. Joseph, have terminals in Vigan. Other buses, such as those from GMW Florida Transport in Bantay and Maria de Leon and Fariñas, pass through Vigan on their way to places like Laoag, Baguio, and Manila. Some independent bus operators now work together in cooperatives, serving routes like Laoag-Vigan-Carmen and Vigan-Abra, with a terminal at the New Vigan Public Market Annex. A taxi service began in 2019 but stopped during the COViD-19 pandemic.

Air transportation

There is a secondary airport named Vigan Airport, also called Mindoro Airport, located in Barangay Mindoro. It has one runway made of asphalt, measuring 900 meters long and 30 meters wide. The airport used to be unused, only for private or chartered planes, but it is now being improved to allow commercial flights.

Education

The Vigan City Schools Division Office helps manage all schools in the city. It is run by the Department of Education (DepEd). There are two school district offices that look after both private and public elementary and high schools across the city. Technical and vocational schools are overseen by TESDA, while colleges and universities are managed by CHED.

Primary and elementary schools

• Adventist School La Ciudad Fernandina
• Ayusan-Paoa Elementary School
• Bulala-Paratong Elementary School
• Burgos Memorial School East
• Burgos Memorial School West
• Cabaroan-Cabalangegan Elementary School
• Calvary Baptist Academy (Elementary)
• Camangaan Elementary School
• Capangpangan Elementary School
• Dudley-S Lara Educational Center for Children
• Gov. Evaristo Singson II Memorial Elementary School
• Jose Singson Elementary School
• Mindoro Elementary School
• Mother Edeltraud Danner School
• Nagsangalan Elementary School
• Pantay Elementary School
• Raois Elementary School
• Rugsuanan-Puroc Elementary School
• Salindeg Elementary School (Salindeg-Pong-ol, Barraca Elementary School)
• San Julian Elementary School
• St. Thomas Aquinas Learning Center
• Tamag Elementary School
• UCCP Christian Learning and Development Center
• Vigan Central School
• Vigan Nan Chong School

Secondary schools

• Calvary Baptist Academy
• Ilocos Sur National High School (ISNHS) — the main national high school in the area.
• Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary
• Lyceum de Ylocos (Senior High School)
• Marian Institute of Vigan
• Vigan East National High School
• Vigan West National High School

Technical and vocational school

• Lyceum de Ylocos — offers Technical-Vocational courses and is a registered Senior High School with various Tracks including ABM, GAS, HUMSS and TLE-Technical-Vocational Courses. Located in Barangay VIII, it aims to promote tourism, preserve cultural heritage, and provide practical training.

Higher educational institutions

• Data Center Colleges Philippines Vigan Branch - Started through a partnership with the University of Northern Philippines, it now offers computer and other courses.
• Divine Word College of Vigan — the oldest private school in Ilocos Sur, founded by priests in 1822.
• Ilocos Sur Community College — a public college offering affordable programs in business, education, and technical skills.
• Macro Colleges — the first computer college in the province, now a K-to-12 college located on Quezon Avenue.
• STI College (Vigan Campus) — offers programs in information technology, computer science, business, and more, preparing students for modern careers.
• University of Northern Philippines Main Campus — the oldest state university in Northern Luzon, located in Barangay Tamag.

Media

TV stations

• PTV Vigan Channel 4
• ALLTV2 Vigan Channel 11
• GNN Vigan Channel 30
• TV5 Vigan Channel 32
• UNTV Vigan Channel 36
• Sonshine TV Vigan Channel 38
• GTV Vigan Channel 40
• One Sports Vigan Channel 46
• GMA Vigan Channel 48

Cable & satellite

• Eaglevision Cable
• Vigan Satellite Cable TV
• Cignal TV
• Sky Direct

Radio

AM stations:

• DZVV Bombo Radyo 603 (Bombo Radyo Philippines)
• DWAE Radyo Pilipinas 747 (Philippine Broadcasting Service)
• DWRS Commando Radio 927 (Solidnorth Broadcasting)
• DZNS 963 Radyo Totoo (Catholic Media Network)

FM stations:

• 88.5 AWR Ilocos Sur (Adventist Media)
• 91.7 Brigada News FM (Brigada Mass Media Corporation)
• 94.1 Magik FM (Century Broadcasting Network)
• 98.9 XFM Vigan (Southern Broadcasting Network/Y2H Broadcasting Network, Inc.)
• 99.7 Core FM (Iddes Broadcast Group)
• 100.5 Campus Radio (University of Northern Philippines)
• 105.3 iFM Vigan (Radio Mindanao Network)

Sister cities

Notable individuals

Vigan has been home to many important people throughout history. Leona Florentino was a famous poet and writer, known as the Mother of Philippine Women's Literature. Chavit Singson was a well-known businessman and former politician. Floro Crisologo and Vincent Crisologo were both lawyers and politicians, with Vincent also serving in government roles. Rogelio Singson was a former politician and cabinet member. Marcelino Crisólogo was a politician, poet, writer, and playwright, and a main street in Vigan, Calle Crisologo, is named after him. Isabelo de los Reyes was a patriot, politician, writer, journalist, and labor activist. Deogracias Victor B. Savellano served as a governor, vice governor, undersecretary, and mayor.