Batac, officially the City of Batac (; ), is a component city in the province of Ilocos Norte, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people.
Etymology According to a legend set in pre-Hispanic Batac, a man fell into a deep hole while he was digging for the root crop "camangeg". He struggled to get out but could not despite his best efforts. He cried for help but nobody was around. He waited for hours and had given up hope of being saved. Two men from the neighboring town of Paoay happened to pass by. They heard the man shouting and traced it to where he was trapped. Upon seeing him, they heard the man said "Batakennak! Batakennak!" The two men did not understand until the man explained that he was saying, "Pull me up! Pull me up!" They did just that. When the two men reached their hometown, they told their story to their friends. Since then, the town has been called "Batac," which is derived from the word "batakennak."
The word batac also translates to "pull" in the Ilocano language. More loosely, it refers to "the people's pulling their efforts together."
History
Batac was founded by the Augustinians in 1587 under the patronage of the Immaculate Conception. It is the second oldest town established by the Augustinians in the province of Ilocos Norte. Hence, in 1987, Batac reached its fourth centennial.
Batac was officially organized into a ministry on January 5, 1586. The first priest assigned to cathecize the natives of the community was Esteban Marin, an Augustinian who probably arrived in Batac in 1585. Paoay and Dinglas (Dingras) were then the visitas of Batac.
Folk history states that there were two villages in Batac during the early part of the foundation of the town - one was an Itneg community that occupied sitio Nangalisan, and the other was a Christian community occupying San José.
The first site of the poblacion was in San José, which is now called Barangay Palpalicong. It is said that the ethnic minority groups of Bangui and Nueva Era are the descendants of the early inhabitants of Batac.
The Augustinians considered the people of Batac more civilized than the other tribes, because they were better than the other "Indios" in personal cleanliness.
Cityhood
Republic Act 9407, the law that converted the Municipality of Batac into a component city in the Province of Ilocos Norte, to be known as Batac City, was overwhelmingly ratified by the people in a plebiscite conducted on June 23, 2007.
The Supreme Court declared the cityhood law of Batac and 15 other cities unconstitutional after a petition filed by the League of Cities of the Philippines in its ruling on November 18, 2008. On December 22, 2009, the cityhood law of Batac and 15 other municipalities regain its status as cities again after the court reversed its ruling on November 18, 2008. On August 23, 2010, the court reinstated its ruling on November 18, 2008, causing Batac and 15 cities to become regular municipalities. Finally, on February 15, 2011, Batac becomes a city again including the 15 municipalities declaring that the conversion to cityhood met all legal requirements.
After six years of legal battle, in its board resolution, the League of Cities of the Philippines acknowledged and recognized the cityhood of Batac and 15 other cities.
Geography The City of Batac is located in the northwest of Luzon island, about from the eastern shores of the South China Sea. The municipalities of Banna, Currimao, Paoay, Pinili, Sarrat, Marcos, and San Nicolas form its boundaries.
Batac is situated from the provincial capital Laoag, and from the country's capital city of Manila.
Barangays Batac is politically subdivided into 43 barangays, 14 of which constitute the poblacion. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Ablan Pob. Acosta Pob. Aglipay Baay Baligat Baoa East Baoa West Barani Ben-agan Bil-loca Biningan Bungon Callaguip Camandingan Camguidan Cangrunaan Capacuan Caunayan Colo Dariwdiw Lacub Mabaleng Magnuang Maipalig Nagbacalan Naguirangan Palongpong Palpalicong Parangopong Payao Pimentel Quiling Norte Quiling Sur Quiom Rayuray Ricarte Pob. San Julian San Mateo San Pedro Suabit Sumader Tabug Valdez Pob.
Climate
Demographics
In the 2024 census, the population of Batac was 56,781 people, with a density of .
Language The primary language spoken in Batac is Ilocano. Tagalog is also spoken in the city.
Economy
The Batac City Public Market touted as one of the biggest in the region offers a wide array of goods – freshly picked local vegetables and fruits, handicrafts, tincrafts, pottery, native delicacies, chicharon, longganisa, wet market treats and many others. The Delicia Center, located adjacent to the City Public Market, contains RTW shops, banks, appliance stores, farm supplies, pharmacies, groceries, a lottery outlet and many more. The Delicia Center and the City Public Market form part of the commercial district of Batac City.
With the presence of the Central Bank of the Philippines Cash Unit in the Batac City Government Center, financial institutions continue to spawn – Philippine National Bank, RCBC, Metrobank, Land Bank, BPI, Bank of Commerce, BDO and other local banks. Proof that Batac is offering a good business climate to investors.
The Plaza Maestro Complex, one of the modern shopping centers in the province caters to the needs of residents, offering two of the country's top fast food chains (Jollibee and Chowking), several boutique shops, a drugstore and a photo shop, among others. A stone's throw away from the commercial complex are bakeshops and a local pizza house.
Tourism
The Marcos Museum and Mausoleum is situated in the city center. The Mausoleum is where the glass-entombed, preserved corpse of Former President Ferdinand E. Marcos was once found. His body was moved November 18, 2016 to Libingan ng mga Bayani (Cemetery of [the] Heroes) Fort Andres Bonifacio, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines. . The Museum holds the memorabilia of then President, from his stint in the Armed Forces down to his presidency. Other notable figures who hails from Batac include Gen. Artemio Ricarte, the Father of the Philippine Army and Msgr. Gregorio Aglipay, the co-founder of the Philippine Independent Church. Monuments and shrines of these personalities had been erected and named after them, such as the Gregorio Aglipay National Shrine.
The Batac Riverside Empanadaan is a retail and dining center catering to tourist selling food products including the city's primary commodity of Batac, the empanada, and other souvenirs and products.
The city has two festivals, The Farmers Festival and The Empanada Festival. The Farmers' Festival, conducted in the first week of May each year is a celebration of bountiful harvest and a tribute to the farmers of the city. It is participated by the rural barangays of the city. The Empanada Festival is a festivity held formerly on the month of June in celebration of the city's Charter Day. Then, the Empanada Festival date was changed to December starting in 2007 to become part of the month long founding anniversary of the city. The main feature of the festival is the street dancing which chronicles the process of preparing the empanada.
The Batac City Fiesta, a month-long festivity commencing on December 8, is the longest fiesta in the Province of Ilocos Norte. The fiesta is celebrated in honor of the city's patroness, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. The Electric and Lights Parade marks the beginning of the City Fiesta every December 8.
Government Local government
Batac, belonging to the second congressional district of the province of Ilocos Norte, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a city 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 + Members of the City Council(2025–2028) Position Name Congressman Eugenio Angelo M. Barba Mayor Mark Christian R. Chua Vice-Mayor Albert D. Chua Sangguniang Panlungsod Member Kichel Jomarie G. Pungtilan Eleuterio A. Salamangkit, Jr. Martha Louise Aurora M. Borleo Gwyneth S. Quidang John Gabrielle Dominique M. Daguio Lucky Rene G. Bunye Violeta Eugenia D. Nalupta MacArthur A. Aguinaldo Rizal P. Castillo Juan Paulo P. Flojo Gilbert O. Medina (ABC President) Reign Gwendia T. Mirasol (SK President)
List of Local Chief Executives
Punong Barangays (2023–2026)
Brgy. 1-N Ricarte: Cheskanadia Cali Brgy. 1-S Valdez: Gilbert O. Medina Brgy. 2 Ablan: John F. Daguio Brgy. 3 Cangrunaan: Ian Carlo G. Rivera Brgy. 4 Nalupta: Eliseo N. Fernandez, Jr. Brgy. 5 Cal-laguip: Ligaya C. Sabulao Brgy. 6 San Julian: Esteban D. Santos Brgy. 7 Caunayan: Emelie B. Salvador Brgy. 8 Acosta: Walter Fontanilla Brgy. 9 Aglipay: Jeff Laurence T. Franco Brgy. 10-N Lacub: Ronald Emmanuel A. Arzadon Brgy. 10-S Barani: Mell P. Clemente Brgy. 11 Ben-Agan: Salvador S. Paragas, Jr. Brgy. 12 Palpalicong: Ivy Joy P. Quintos Brgy. 13 Baay: Romeo T. Bagaoisan Brgy. 14 Bungon: Emmanuel P. Bayangos Brgy. 15 Baligat: Ronald L. Castro Brgy. 16-N Quiling Norte: Joenel S. Cuanang Brgy. 16-S Quiling Sur: Imelda S. Dela Cruz Brgy. 17 Tabug: Arnold G. Alibuyog Brgy. 18 Magnuang: Felix H. Valencia, Jr. Brgy. 19 Pimentel: Teodorico G. Casauran Brgy. 20-N Colo: Gerardo Jerry Mario N. Gaoat Brgy. 20-S Mabaleng: Jonathan E. Laud Brgy. 21 Quiom: Chester P. Daga Brgy. 22 Maipalig: Ruth Ann A. Umadac Brgy. 23 Biningan: Christopher A. Banay Brgy. 24 Sumader: Crispin A. Putulan Brgy. 25-N Camguidan: Romiefel C. Gabay Brgy. 25-S Payao: Angel F. Palapal Brgy. 26 Parangopong: Lorenzo D. Battulayan Brgy. 27-W Naguirangan: Joseph P. Ulit Brgy. 27-E Capacuan: Randy P. Agunat Brgy. 28 San Mateo: Richard B. Sagsagat Brgy. 29 San Pedro: Edward C. Sanguir Brgy. 30-W Baoa West: Salvador Y. Caroy Brgy. 30-E Baoa East: Maricel R. Corpuz Brgy. 31 Camandingan: Noli V. Lacambra Brgy. 32 Palongpong: Reynaldo S. Garcia Brgy. 33-N Nagbacalan: Hazel P. Cuanang Brgy. 33-S Rayuray: Norberto O. Puyot Brgy. 34 Dariwdiw: Federico A. Ventura Brgy. 35 Bil-loca: Brendalyn U. Baclig
Education The Batac City Schools Division Office governs all public and private education within the municipality. It has two schools district offices which manage the operations of public and private elementary and high schools. These are Batac I Schools District Office, and Batac II Schools District Office.
Primary and elementary schools
Baay Elementary School Baligat Elementary School Baoa East Elementary School Baoa Elementary School Batac Puericulture & Family Planning Center Preparatory School Benigno Macadaeg Memorial Elementary School Bil-loca Elementary School Biningan Elementary School Camandingan Elementary School Catalino Acosta Memorial Elementary School Special Education Center Colo-Mabaleng Elementary School Dariwdiw Elementary School Cumcumraas-Manggaddi-Pitpitac Elementary School Graceland Saviour's Institution (Elementary) Hilario Valdez Memorial Elementary School Living Rock Christian School of Excellence Mariano Marcos Memorial Elementary School Magnuang Elementary School Maipalig-Quiom Elementary School Nagbacalan Elementary School Naguirangan-Capacuan Elementary School P.Q. Pimentel Elementary School Parangopong Elementary School Payao Elementary School Rayuray Elementary School Quiling Elementary School San Mateo Elementary School Sumader Elementary School Tabug Elementary School
Secondary schools