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Before
the coming of the Spaniards, the coastal plains in
northwestern Luzon, stretching from Bangui (Ilocos Norte) in
the north to Namacpacan (Luna, La Union) in the south, were as
a whole known as a progressive region called the Ylokos. This
region lies in between the China Sea in the west and Northern
Cordilleras on the east. The inhabitants built their villages
near the small bays on coves called “looc” in the dialect.
These coastal inhabitants were referred to as “Ylocos” which
literally meant “from the lowlands”. The entire region was
then called by the ancient name “Samtoy” from “sao ditoy”
which in Ilokano mean “our dialect”. The region was later
called by the Spaniards as “Ylocos” or “Ilocos” and its people
“Ilocanos”.
The Ilocos
Region was already a thriving, fairly advanced cluster of
towns and settlements familiar to Chinese, Japanese and Malay
traders when the Spaniard explorer Don Juan de Salcedo and
members of his expedition arrived in Vigan on June 13, 1572.
Forthwith, they made Cabigbigaan (Bigan), the heart of the
Ylokos settlement their headquarters which Salcedo called
“Villa Fernandina” and which eventually gained fame as the
“Intramuros of Ilocandia”. Salcedo declared the whole Northern
Luzon as an encomienda. Subsequently, he became the
encomendero of Vigan and Lieutenant Governor of the Ylokos
until his death in July 1574.
Augustinian
missionaries joined the military forces in conquering the
region through evangelization. They established parishes and
built churches that still stand today. Three centuries later,
Vigan became the seat of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia.
A royal
decree of February 2, 1818 separated Ilocos Norte from Ilocos
Sur, the latter to include the northern part of La Union (as
far as Namacpacan, now Luna) and all of what is now the
province of Abra. The sub-province of Lepanto and Amburayan in
Mt. Province were annexed to Ilocos Sur.
The passage
of Act 2683 by the Philippine Legislature in March 1917
defined the present geographical boundary of the province.
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