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 City of San Fernando, is the most populous city in La Union and serves as the regional center of the Ilocos Region.
Bordered by Ilocos Sur to its north, Benguet to its east, and Pangasinan to its south, with the South China Sea to the west, La Union is located north of Metro Manila and northwest of Baguio City. The province spans an area of . As of the 2020 census, La Union had a population of 822,352, resulting in a density of . The province had 538,730 registered voters as of 2022. The province official language is Iloco (Ilocano), as declared by the provincial government of La Union.
History
Early history
During its early history, the province was inhabited by various ethnolinguistic groups, including the Ilocanos, Pangasinenses, and Cordillerans (Igorots), who actively engaged in trading and bartering while practicing animistic and polytheistic indigenous religions and traditions.
In the northern section, early settlements were established along the coastal plains of Purao (now Balaoan), Darigayos, and the areas surrounding the Amburayan River. These settlements were primarily inhabited by the Samtoy (Ilocanos). Historian William Henry Scott documented that Balaoan was historically referred to as being "rich in gold" due to its proximity to the gold mines in the Cordillera region. The town served as an emporium for the exchange of Igorot gold through barter and trade among lowlanders, highlanders, and foreign merchants in Tagudin. Similarly, Baratao (now Bauang) has been identified by historians as a settlement of comparable importance to Purao as emporium of gold mines.
In the southern section, the areas of Agoo and Aringuey (now Aringay) were early settlements of the Pangasinenses. Agoo functioned as a trading port with Sual as its only rival. Agoo was frequented by Japanese and Chinese ships, whose merchants engaged in commerce or bartered gold with natives. Aringuey served as a coastal maritime trading hub and the terminus of the Aringay-Tonglo-Balatok gold trail, located along the delta of the Aringay (Ifugao) River. This route facilitated the transport of gold from the Ibaloi villages of Acupan and Balatok in the southern areas of present-day Benguet to the trading centers of Aringay, with further distribution to the port settlement of Agoo.
These trading activities were part of a larger maritime exchange network that extended across the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. Products exchanged within this network included porcelain, silk, cotton, beeswax, gems, beads, and precious minerals, with gold being a significant commodity. Artifacts like porcelain and pottery, uncovered during the renovation of the Catholic church in Agoo and now housed in the Museo de Iloko, testify to this trade activity.
Spanish Colonial Era
16th Century A year after Miguel Lopez de Legazpi made Manila the capital of the Philippines on 24 June 1571, the Spaniards launched expeditions to Northern Luzon "to pacify the people in it".
In June 1572, Spanish explorers led by conquistador Juan de Salcedo, the grandson of Miguel López de Legazpi, launched an expedition northward and founded several Spanish settlements, including those in the Ilocos region and the city of Vigan.
By 1575, Salcedo navigated the Angalacan River to the Lingayen Gulf in pursuit of Limahong, a Chinese pirate who had fled to Pangasinan after his fleet was driven away from Manila in 1574. There, they encountered and attacked three Japanese ships, mistakenly identifying them as part of Limahong’s fleet.
After the ships retreated, Salcedo pursued them and arrived at a Japanese port in Agoo. The Japanese mercenaries and local natives were subjugated and required to pay tribute to the Spanish Crown. Although some initially resisted, those who complied were allowed to remain. This encounter earned Agoo the title "El Puerto de Japón" (Japanese Port) from Miguel de Loarca in 1582, as it had long served as a hub for trade among Japanese and Chinese merchants and local natives. Salcedo continued his expedition northward and arrived at what is now San Fernando. When he demanded tribute from the natives, they sought permission to ascend the mountains to gather their offerings but failed to return. Salcedo then proceeded to Atuley (modern-day San Juan) and further north until they encountered a large Ilocano settlement called "Purao," referring to the gleaming white sands of its beaches along the South China Sea.When the natives of Purao refused to pay tribute, it led to the first recorded conflict in the Ilocos region, known as the Battle of Purao. This encounter resulted in the shedding of the first Ilocano blood in defiance of foreign rule. The river "Purao" was later renamed "Darigayos," derived from the Iloco words "dara" (blood) and "ayos" (flowed), meaning "where blood flowed." Continuing his journey, Salcedo arrived at Bigan (now Vigan), a settlement of Chinese traders, and formally established it as Villa Fernandina de Vigan in honor of Prince Ferdinand, the son of King Philip II of Spain.
17th century
By the 17th century, the Spanish had established settlements, or pueblos, organized into sitios and rancherias, in Igorot land in La Union. These were governed by a gobernadorcillo, alcalde-mayor and cabeza de barangay, with many of these settlements established by Augustinian friars during the 16th century's expansion phase.
Society during this period was divided into two classes: the babaknang and the cailianes. The baknang or babaknang means "the rich" and agtuturay or agturay refers to "the powers-that be" or "the authorities." Propertied, landed, and educated, they formed the local elite class or were the principalia or insulares who spoke Castilian, On the other hand, the unlearned cailianes had less or no property that spoke Iloco, Pangasinan, Kankanai and Ibaloi. Iloco served as the province's lingua franca.
The Spaniards' search for gold (oro) in Igorot territories fueled their expeditions. Religious orders were also motivated by opportunities for missionary work. By 1620, however, the gold trade had begun to decline in the province including the Aringay-Balatok-Tonglo, Bauang and Bangar gold trails. Captain Garcia de Aldana led expeditions into areas like Aringay, Bauang, and San Juan, while Sargento Mayor y Capitan Alonso Martin Quirante centralized the industry in 1624, deploying a force of 1,748 troops, including Spaniards, Chinese, Japanese, Mexicans, and 500 Ilocanos. Natives and mercenaries were often faced harassments forced to reveal gold sources. Many converted to Christianity to avoid persecution, while others fled to the Cordilleras.
In 1661, Andrés Malong of Pangasinan, who declared himself king, led a rebellion against Spanish colonial rule in an attempt to liberate several areas in the northern pueblos of Pangasinan and the Ilocos provinces. As part of his campaign, Malong sought to reclaim Agoo from Spanish control. However, his forces, consisting of Pangasinenses, Zambals, and Negritos, suffered a decisive defeat during the Battle of Agoo. The Spanish, with their superior weaponry and strategic fortifications, successfully repelled the rebellion.
18th century
In the early 1700s, Spanish missions in Agoo, Bauang, and Bacnotan aimed to convert resettled Igorots through the Spanish reducción policy, which subjected natives to harsh treatment. By 1739, friars discovered that Bangar engaged in barter trade with the Igorots in the east. Smuggling became rampant under the Tobacco Monopoly in the late 1700s, impacting Spanish revenues significantly by 1788. Despite Spanish efforts to control the highlands, the Igorots retained their autonomy well into the 19th century.
In 1754, Igorot chieftain Lacaaden of Bukiagan (now part of Tubao) negotiated with the Spaniards to avoid punitive expeditions by requesting missionaries for his people. This led to the baptism of Igorot chieftain in Tondo under Governor-General Pedro Manuel de Arandía Santisteban. However, resistance resumed in 1759, prompting Pangasinan Governor Arza to launch a military campaign. On 18 March, Lacaaden led a five-hour battle against Spanish forces armed with rifles and artillery. The Igorots held their ground, forcing the Spaniards to retreat along what is now Naguilian Highway, burning villages along the way.
The town of Caba became notable as the birthplace of Diego Silang, leader of the Ilocos Revolt (1762–1765) during the British occupation of Manila. Silang persuaded the gobernadorcillo of Balaoan to encourage Ilocanos and Igorots in the town to join his anti-British struggle, which extended to the revolt in Vigan.
19th century
On 2 February 1818, the Real Cédula divided Ilocos Province into Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur after the Basi Revolt in 1807. The towns of Balaoan, Bangar, and Namacpacan (Luna) were incorporated into the province of Ilocos Sur on 10 February 1819.
In 1820, Don Agustin de Valencia, a gobernadorcillo, Don Agustin Decdec, and an Igorot chieftain from Kayan, together with other Igorot leaders from Bacong and Cagubatan (present-day Mt. Province) formalized an Ilocano-Igorot bodong (peace pact) between the Ilocano lowlanders of Bangar and Tagudin. This agreement, facilitated by the Capitanes Pasados, reinstated highland-lowland trade, which had been disrupted three years earlier due to the killing of an Igorot and the subsequent retaliatory killing of an Ilocano from Bangar.
By 1826, the Spanish established the Commandancia del Pais de Ygorrotes y Partido del Norte de Pangasinan to combat tobacco smuggling. Lieutenant Colonel Guillermo Galvey led campaigns into the Cordilleras, using towns like Agoo, Bauang, Bacnotan, and San Juan as military bases.
From 18th to 19th century the coastal towns frequently faced raids by Moro marauders locally known as tirongs (raiders, attackers, pirates) and Chinese pirates, who looted barrios or villages and captured women and children. To counter these attacks, the Spaniards built circular adobe watchtowers, or baluartes, in 1836. These structures, ranging from in height, were constructed along the coastline in towns such as Namacpacan (Luna), Balaoan, San Fernando, and Bauang. These baluartes played a crucial role in protecting coastal settlements and securing trade routes throughout the 19th century.
Formation of La Union La Union was officially established on 2 March 1850, through the unification of territories from the provinces of Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, and the Cordillera, making it the 34th province of the Philippines. After Cebu became the first provincia in 1565, new provinces have been created by the Spaniards. Three main functions were considered so: Political-Civil Administration, Ecclesiastical governance and Geographical considerations. For more than two and one-half centuries, the original Ilocos province remained intact until 1818 when it split into llocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. In 1846, Abra was created by Governor General Narciso Zaldua Claveria.
Governor General Narciso Zaldua Claveria was a visionary administrator who recognized the need for innovative solutions to address the demands of political and civil administration. He proposed combining three contiguous areas that were far from their respective provincial capitals, seeing it as a viable approach to improve governance. Claveria also recognized the agricultural and commercial potential of the territory. Moreover, he saw this initiative as an opportunity to extend Hispanic civilization and Christianity to the area.