Naguilian, officially the Municipality of Naguilian (; ), is a municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people.
It is renowned as the Home of the Original Basi, a traditional fermented sugarcane wine. Naguilian is located at the geographical center of La Union and has a total land area of 10,086.85 hectares, making it the third-largest among the 19 towns and cities in the province. As of 2020, the town has 36,150 registered voters.
Etymology The name "Naguilian" is derived from the Iloco word nagilian, which is based on the root íli, meaning "town." The prefix nag- indicates the present or past tense, while the suffix -an expresses a perfective aspect, signifying a completed action or state. Together, nag-ili-an can be interpreted as "towned by people" or "a place that has been established or settled by people."
The name is also thought to originate from the Ilocano phrase Nagilian dagiti gangganaet, which translates to "a place where people from other places come to stay." This highlights the town's historical function as a settlement or gathering point for individuals from other regions. Over time, the name "Naguilian" became associated with the town, reflecting its significance as a center for migration and community formation.
History
Early history In its early history, Naguilian was originally a settlement of Cordilleran tribes, particularly the Kankanaey and Ibaloi people, who established themselves along the Balili River and the foothills of the Cordillera Central. These early inhabitants engaged in active trade along the Aringay Trail, an ancient gold trading route that connected the southwestern Cordilleras to the lowlands of northwestern Luzon. The settlements traded goods such as gold, silk, textiles, rice, porcelain, wax, and earthenware with neighboring lowland Ilocano (Samtoy) and Pangasinan communities, as well as foreign merchants from China, Japan, and Maritime Southeast Asia.
Spanish Colonization During the Spanish colonization in the 1700s, Ilocano immigrants began settling in La Union's coastal areas, including the establishment of the town of Bauang. Due to population growth, settlers followed the river inland and established a colony in a fertile valley they named "Naguilian." They cultivated the land, focusing on agriculture, particularly rice, corn, and sugarcane the primary ingredient in producing traditional wine called "basi" and vinegar. Initially, the settlement was under the jurisdiction of Bauang and governed through the encomienda system, where local inhabitants were entrusted to Spanish encomenderos, friars, and native nobles in exchange for tribute and governance.
By 1739, the Catholic Church in Naguilian was constructed, solidifying the Spanish presence in the area. In 1765, Naguilian, then a barrio of Bauang, became part of the province of Pangasinan and was officially recognized as a town. Don Francisco delos Reyes served as its first gobernadorcillo.
In February 18, 1839, Naguilian separated from Bauang, coinciding with the centennial celebration of its Catholic Church. Portions of Burgos and Bagulin were originally part of Naguilian, including “Disdis” (later called “Stancia” by the Spaniards) and areas along the southwestern bank of the Naguilian River, predominantly inhabited by Igorots.
Creation of La Union Province On October 29, 1849, Governor-General Narciso Zaldua Clavería issued a decree unifying eight towns from Pangasinan, three from Ilocos Sur, and territories in the Cordillera to create a new province called La Union. On March 2, 1850, Governor-General Antonio María Blanco signed the Superior Decreto, officially establishing La Union. Naguilian became one of its founding towns, alongside others like San Fernando (the cabicera), Santo Tomas, Rosario, Tubao Agoo, Aringay, Caba, Bauang, San Juan, Balaoan, Luna, Bangar and Bacnotan.
Philippine Revolution During the Philippine Revolution, Naguilian residents joined the nationwide struggle for independence from Spain. Under the leadership of General Manuel Tinio y Bondoc, allied with Emilio Aguinaldo, locals fought against Spanish forces in Northern Luzon. Revolutionary leaders from Bauang, such as Remigio Patacsil and Mauro Ortiz, played significant roles in the liberation efforts, which led to the eventual withdrawal of Spanish forces from La Union.
American Period During the Philippine-American War, the town became a center of resistance led by Guerrilla Unit No. 1, under the leadership of a certain Captain Rivera. The unit operated in Naguilian and its neighboring areas, including Cava (now Caba) and Galiano (which later became Bagulin and Burgos). These guerrilla efforts were instrumental in resisting American forces and defending the town's autonomy during the conflict.
By the early 1900s, during the American colonial period, the town of Naguilian underwent territorial adjustments. The municipality was divided into three parts: one that remained as Naguilian, another that became part of Burgos, and the third that was incorporated into Bagulin.
Japanese Occupation
During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines (1941–1945), Naguilian served as a key route for Japanese soldiers traveling between lowland camps and the Cordillera region, particularly Baguio. The town became a stronghold for guerrilla fighters who resisted Japanese control. Despite strict military rule, forced labor, food shortages, and violence, the people of Naguilian persevered until the liberation of La Union following the Battle of Lingayen Gulf in World War II, which marked the return of American forces.
Mangkaeng Massacre On the quiet morning of January 23, 1945, the small sitio of Mangkaeng, nestled in the forested hills of Guising Norte, became the site of an unimaginable tragedy. Over 400 residents, who had sought refuge from the advancing Japanese forces, fell victim to a brutal and unprovoked massacre. Japanese soldiers stationed in the town proper of Naguilian were part of the rear guard for General Tomoyuki Yamashita, retreating toward the Cordillera mountains as Allied forces pressed on.Municipal Government of Naguilian, La Union. (2018, January 23). Wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers in commemoration of World War II soldiers. [Facebook post]. Retrieved January 21, 2025, from https://www.facebook.com/NaguilianLU/posts/january-23-2018-the-honorable-abraham-p-rimando-vice-mayor-of-the-municipality-o/1573239252756900/
Determined to eliminate any potential resistance or witnesses, the soldiers moved into Mangkaeng, where families from nearby villages such as Imelda, Natividad, and Ortiz had gathered, believing they had found safety in the remote sitio. The attack came suddenly, without warning. Gunfire (bayonet) shattered the morning stillness as Japanese troops unleashed their assault on the unarmed villagers. Men, women, and children fell where they stood, unable to escape the onslaught. Some attempted to flee into nearby creeks, hoping the dense forest would offer cover, but the soldiers were relentless, pursuing and killing those who tried to escape. The massacre left Mangkaeng silent, its forest floor stained with the lives lost in one of the darkest days in the town's history.
Geography
The Municipality of Naguilian is characterized by its gently rolling hills and mountains, bordered by the Cordillera Mountains to the east. The town's landscape features rolling plains in narrow strips framed by mountain slopes and riverbanks, with streams and springs flowing from the mountains. The soil varies from clay loam to sandy loam, with traces of gold in some areas.
The approximate elevation of the municipality is 165 meters above sea level. It has the ninth highest approximate average elevation among the twenty (20) towns of the province. The portion with the highest elevation is 544 meters above sea level while the lowest is 10 meters. The slopes range from 2–7% in barangays like Mamat-ing Sur and Bancagan, 15–25% in areas like Tuddingan and Casilagan, and 0–2% in Lioac Norte and Lioac Sur.
Naguilian is situated from the provincial capital San Fernando, and from the country's capital city of Manila.
Boundaries The Municipality of Naguilian has a total land area of 10,086.85 hectares, making it the third largest among the nineteen towns and cities in the province of La Union. It is situated at the center of La Union and is located at 120°25’ longitude and 16°2’ latitude. Naguilian is bordered to the northwest by City of San Fernando, the capital of La Union; to the northeast by the town of Bagulin; to the east by the town of Burgos; to the southwest by the town of Caba; to the west by the town of Bauang; and, to the southeast by the town of Sablan in the province of Benguet.
Naguilian is from Baguio via the Naguilian Road, from the provincial capital, San Fernando, and from Manila.
Land Used
The built-up areas of Naguilian are generally spread along barangay roads. Of the total land area, 50 hectares (120 acres), or 0.50%, are classified as built-up areas. Urban built-up areas cover 18.90 hectares (46.7 acres), constituting 11.22% of the total urban land area.
Meanwhile, rural built-up areas total 31.10 hectares (76.8 acres), equivalent to 0.31% of the total rural area. A portion of Barangay Casilagan, with an area of 897.26 hectares (2,217.2 acres), has been designated as a watershed area under Proclamation No. 52 by the Bureau of Forestry. This area accounts for approximately 0.10% of the total land area of Naguilian.
The town has a total of 3,498.80 hectares of wooded land. Among this, 84.41 hectares are classified as open forest, while 363.91 hectares are considered unclassified public forest. The Naguilian Watershed Forest Reserve covers 89.96 hectares. Additionally, the town has 1,460.21 hectares of grasslands and pasture, and 368.15 hectares of barren land.
Rivers Naguilian is traversed by two major rivers. The Naguilian River, located in the western portion of the town, originates from the province of Benguet and flows westward through La Union, eventually emptying into the Lingayen Gulf and South China Sea. This river drains the valleys of Barangays Bimmotobot, Mamat-ing Sur, Mamat-ing Norte, Tuddingan, Gusing Sur, Gusing Norte, Baraoas Norte, Daramuangan, Dal-lipaoen, Cabaritan Sur, Ortiz, Natividad, Suguidan Norte, and Suguidan Sur. It stretches approximately 67 kilometers (42 miles) with a basin area of 658 square kilometers (254 square miles).
The upper reaches of the river are classified as Class A by the Environmental Management Bureau, indicating suitability as a water source for drinking, while the lower reaches have lower water quality and are categorized under Class C.
The second major waterway springs from the Municipality of Burgos and flows through the valleys of Barangays Aguioas, Sili, Al-alinao Norte, Nagsidorisan, Angin, Suguidan Norte, and Natividad. These two rivers converge at the poblacion, forming a delta that flows through the center of Naguilian before emptying at the river's mouth in Bauang.
Climate Naguilian is classified under the 1st Climatic Type of the Corona Climate Classification, which is characterized by two distinct seasons: a dry season from November to April and a wet season from May to October. The Southwest Monsoon (SWM) brings heavy rainfall during the wet season, while the Northeast Monsoon (NEM) causes relatively dry conditions as it passes over the Cordillera Mountains. Rainfall is not evenly distributed throughout the year, with the peak rainfall occurring from July to September.