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San Fernando, La Union

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San Fernando
Component City
City of San Fernando
Official seal of San Fernando
Seal
Nickname(s): 
The Prime Capital of Ilocandia, Botanical Garden City
Location in the province of La Union
Location in the province of La Union
Country Philippines
RegionIlocos (Region I)
ProvinceLa Union
District1st District
Founded1850
CityhoodMarch 20, 1998
Barangays59
Government
[1]
 • MayorHermenegildo A. Gualberto
Area
[2]
 • Total
102.72 km2 (39.66 sq mi)
Population
 (2015)[3]
 • Total
121,812
 • Density1,200/km2 (3,100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PHT)
ZIP code
2500
Dialing code72
Income class3rd class ; component city
Websitewww.sanfernandocity.gov.ph

San Fernando, officially the City of San Fernando (Template:Lang-ilo; Template:Lang-pag; Template:Lang-fil) and often referred to as San Fernando City, is a third-class component city and capital of the province of La Union in the Philippines. According to the 2015 Philippine census, it has a population of 121,812 people.[3]

The city is bounded by San Juan to the north, Bauang to the south, Bagulin and Naguilian to the east, and the South China Sea to the west. It has a land area of 10,272 hectares (25,380 acres).[2]

San Fernando is the financial, industrial and political center of the province, as well as the center of the official Ilocos Region, or Region I in the regions of the Philippines. (Informally Ilocos includes those areas that speak the Ilocano language outside of the official Ilocos Region.)

San Fernando became a city by virtue of Republic Act 8509 signed into law on February 13, 1998 and ratified on March 20, 1998 by a plebiscite.[4]

History

San Fernando was founded in 1786 and was named after Saint Ferdinand III of Castile. The city's original settlements, San Vicente de Balanac and San Guillermo de Dalangdang, were attacked by pirates and headhunters.

In 1759, Augustinian friar, Padre José Torres fused these 2 settlements to Pindangan (local word for dry fish), where a church dedicated to San Guillermo the Hermit was. This church is now the Cathedral of St. William the Hermit. The massive 1860's earthquake destroyed the church which was later rebuilt.

It became the cabecera or provincial capital of La Union province in 1850.

From 1896 until 1898, during the Philippine Revolution, the Spanish garrison of San Fernando was attacked by Filipino insurgents under Manuel Tinio y Bundoc and Mauro Ortiz. The Spaniards were finally ousted.

In the Second World War, the last battle of San Fernando was fought during the Japanese occupation at Barangay Bacsil. The Bacsil Ridge Monument was built on the site in the city, the north-eastern portion of the town plaza. The victory enabled the establishment of the United States Army Base, Base M at Poro Point (a buildup area for the Japan invasion).[5] The town was liberated in 1945.[6]

Demographics

Population census of San Fernando
YearPop.±% p.a.
1990 84,949—    
1995 91,943+1.49%
2000 102,082+2.27%
2007 114,813+1.63%
2010 114,963+0.05%
2015 121,812+1.11%
Source: National Statistics Office[3][7]

Economy

San Fernando is mainly agricultural (rice, legumes, leafy vegetables, root crops, fruit trees, corn and tobacco). But residents treat fishing in coastline and seashore areas as secondary means of livelihood. The natives also have inabel (hand-woven cloth), baskets, shell crafts, including foods, such as kilawen and papaitan, basi, sukang iloko and paslubong such as guapples, longganiza, honey and native rice cakes, puto, suman and bibingka.

Patopat is San Fernando's native delicacy, made from "agdapil" (sugarcane, a tall tropical Southeast Asian Grass (Saccharum officinarum).[8]

San Fernando has many class A hotels and resorts and night clubs.

Local government

The mayor and other elected officers hold office at the city hall of San Fernando. The Sangguniang Bayan is legislature, stationed in the Don Mariano Marcos Building, the Legislative Building in front of the city hall.

Barangays

San Fernando is divided into 59 barangays.[2]

  • Abut
  • Apaleng
  • Bacsil
  • Bangbangolan
  • Bangcusay
  • Barangay I (Poblacion)
  • Barangay II (Poblacion)
  • Barangay III (Poblacion)
  • Barangay IV (Poblacion)
  • Baraoas
  • Bato
  • Biday
  • Birunget
  • Bungro
  • Cabaroan (Negro)
  • Cabarsican
  • Cadaclan
  • Calabugao
  • Camansi
  • Canaoay
  • Carlatan
  • Catbangen
  • Dallangayan Este
  • Dallangayan Oeste
  • Dalumpinas Este
  • Dalumpinas Oeste
  • Ilocanos Norte
  • Ilocanos Sur
  • Langcuas
  • Lingsat
  • Madayegdeg
  • Mameltac
  • Masicong
  • Nagyubuyuban
  • Namtutan
  • Narra Este
  • Narra Oeste
  • Pacpaco
  • Pagdalagan
  • Pagdaraoan
  • Pagudpud
  • Pao Norte
  • Pao Sur
  • Parian
  • Pias
  • Poro
  • Puspus
  • Sacyud
  • Sagayad
  • San Agustin
  • San Francisco
  • San Vicente
  • Santiago Norte
  • Santiago Sur
  • Saoay
  • Sevilla
  • Siboan-Otong
  • Tanqui
  • Tanquigan

List of former chief executives

  • 1895-1898 — Blas Tadiar
  • 1899-1901 — Paulino Alviar
  • 1901-1903 — Gaspar Flores
  • 1904-1905 — Edilberto Aquino
  • 1906-1907 — Francisco Z. Flores
  • 1908-1909 — Urbano Martínez
  • 1910-1911 — José Hidalgo
  • 1912-1914 — Anastacio Casuga
  • 1915-1918 — Juan Salanga
  • 1919-1921 — Ulpiano Flores
  • 1922-1928 — Pedro R. Flores
  • 1928 — Francisco Galvez
  • 1928-1930 — Evaristo Galvez
  • 1931-1933 — Angel Salanga
  • 1934-1936 — Lauro Casuga
  • 1936-1939 — Paulino Flores
  • 1942-1944 — Juan Salanga
  • 1945-1946 — Modesto Aquino
  • 1946-1955 — Lorenzo L. Dacanay
  • 1956-1959 — Godofredo G. Rilloraza
  • 1960-1971 — Lorenzo L. Dacanay
  • 1972-1980 — Antonio Feraren
  • 1980 — Joaquin T. Ortega
  • 1980-1987 — Justo O. Orros Jr.
  • 1987 — Rufo T. Colisao
  • 1987-1988 — Angel Salanga
  • 1988-1998 — Manuel C. Ortega
  • 1998-2007 — Mary Jane C. Ortega
  • 2007–2016 — Pablo C. Ortega
  • 2016-present — Hermenegildo A. Gualberto

Elected officials

City hall

Elected officials (June 30, 2016 – 2019):[9]

  • Mayor: Hermenegildo A. Gualberto
  • Vice-Mayor: Alfred Pablo R. Ortega
  • Councillors:
    • Jessie Miranda
    • Ferdinand Verzosa
    • Maria Rosario Eufrosina Nisce
    • Antonio Jucar
    • Ramon Melecio Gurion
    • Ramon Laudencia
    • Ramon Ortega
    • Francisco Paolo Ortega
    • Mario Lacsamana
    • John Orros
    • Arnel Almazan
    • Ernesto Rafon

Annual community events

Thunderbird Resort Poro Point

The city has a yearly fiesta, celebrated from January 28 to February 15, where a trade fair is opened near the city hall.

The following events happen annually: Annual City Fiesta, February 10; Bacsil Ridge Celebration, March 19; Pindangan Festival, March 20; Ma-tzu Festival, September 16.[10][11]

Tourism

  • Poro Point
  • *Boardwalk
  • The La Union Botanical Garden (8 kilometers from the city) – is a 10 hectare garden (Barngay Cadaclan), the home of various species of rare plants and a sanctuary of wild animals.
  • Battle of Bacsil Ridge Marker
  • Pindangan Ruins (Barangay Parian)
  • Seven Hills
    • Capitol Hill (Barangay II) home of the Provincial Capitol
    • Pagoda Hill also known as Filipino-Chinese Friendship Park or Chinese Pagoda (Barangay II)
    • Heroes’ Hill & Freedom Park Stairway (153 steps) located at the eastern portion of Capitol Hill
    • Bethany Hill (Barangay II)
    • Mirador Hill (Barangay II)
    • Mariner's Hill (Barangay Catbangen)
    • Miracle Hill (Barangay Pagdaraoan)
  • Christ the Redeemer (25 foot statue, Reservoir Hill, Barangay I)
  • Moro Watch Tower (Barangay Carlatan)
  • La Union Science Centrum & Museum (LUSCM has 5 Galleries: Kadaklan Burial Site and Environmental Gallery, Museum, Dark Room, Main Science Gallery and Portable Planetarium (Barangay Cadaclan)
  • Ma-Cho Temple
  • Tomb of Unknown Soldier (Barangay Madayegdeg)
  • Cathedral of St. William the Hermit (Barangay II, Poblacion)[2]
  • Kasay Marine Sanctuary: 30 hectares MPA, featuring the 50 years old Giant clam or Tridacna gigas (Barangay Canaoay)
  • Children’s Park (Barangay II, City Plaza)
  • 10.6 hectares Engineered Sanitary Landfill (Barangay Mameltac)[12]
  • La Union Trade Center (beside the City Hall)

Sister city

References

  1. ^ "Cities". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  2. ^ a b c "Province: La Union". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  3. ^ a b c "Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay: as of May 1, 2010" (PDF). 2010 Census of Population and Housing. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  4. ^ "Republic Act No. 8509 - An Act Converting the Municipality of San Fernando, La Union, Into a Component City To Be Known As the City of San Fernando". Chan Robles Virtual Law Library. 13 February 1998. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  5. ^ "Battle of San Fernando Marker in San Fernando (La Union)". Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  6. ^ "History". The Official Website of San Fernando City, La Union. Archived from the original on 27 January 2015. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  7. ^ "Province of La Union". Municipality Population Data. LWUA Research Division. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  8. ^ Madrid, Myla B. (6 July 2010). ""PATOPAT", A Native Delicacy". The Official Website of San Fernando City, La Union. Archived from the original on 11 August 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  9. ^ Joint Oath-Taking and Inauguration of Newly-Elect Officials of the Province of La Union and City of San Fernando
  10. ^ http://www.sanfernandocity.gov.ph/news/news185.php
  11. ^ http://www.sanfernandocity.gov.ph/news/news187.php
  12. ^ http://www.sanfernandocity.gov.ph/services/tourist.php
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