REHIYON IAng Rehiyong Ilocos sa Pilipinas, tinatawag ding Rehiyon I, ay matatagpuan sa hilagang-kanlurang bahagi ng Luzon. AngRehiyong Administratibo ng Cordillera at Lambak ng Cagayan ang hangganan nito sa silangan, Gitnang Luzon sa timog, atDagat Timog Tsina sa kanluran.

HeograpiyaSinasakop ng rehiyon ang makitid na kapatagan sa pagitan ng bulubundukin ng Kabundukan ng

Cordillera at Dagat Kanlurang Pilipinas. Sakop rin nito ang hilagang bahagi ng kapatagan ng

Gitnang Luzon, sa hilagang silangan ng Bulubundukin ng Zambales.

Ang Golpo ng Lingayen ang pinakatanyag na anyong tubig sa rehiyon at naglalaman ng malilit na

mga pulo, kabilang na angHundred Islands National Park.

Bumubuong mga lalawiganBinubuo ang rehiyon Ilocos ng apat na mga lalawigan: ang Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union,

at Pangasinan. Ang sentrong administratibo ay Lungsod ng San Fernando, La Union.

Lalawigan/Lungsod Kabisera

Populasyo

n

(2007)[1]

Sukat

(km²)

Densidad

(bawat

km²)

Ilocos Norte Lungsod ng Laoag 547,284 3,399.3 161

Ilocos Sur Lungsod ng Vigan 632,255 2,579.6 257.1

La UnionLungsod ng San

Fernando720,972 1,493.1 482.9

Pangasinan Lingayen 2,645,395 5,368.2 459.3

Mga lungsod

Lungsod ng Batac , Ilocos Norte

Lungsod ng Laoag , Ilocos Norte

Lungsod ng Candon , Ilocos Sur

Lungsod ng Vigan , Ilocos Sur

Lungsod ng San Fernando , La Union

Lungsod ng Alaminos , Pangasinan

Lungsod ng Dagupan , Pangasinan

Lungsod ng San Carlos , Pangasinan

Lungsod ng Urdaneta , Pangasinan

Industriya

paggawa ng tabako

paghahabi

paggawa ng kasangkapan sa bahay, seramiko at kasangkapang gawa sa bakal.

pangingisda

paggawa ng asin, patis at bagoong

pagmimina

pag-aalaga ng hayop

KlimaAng klima rito ay magkapantay ang distribusyon ng ulan at araw.

Tanawin

Ilocos Norte -Simbahan ng Paoay

Ilocos Sur -Matatandang bahay sa Vigan

La Union -Nalinac Beach Resort

Pangasinan -Hundred Islands

HeograpikoAng Pangasinan, na mayroong malawak na kapatagan, ay 42% ng lawak ng Rehiyon 1. Subalit, ang mga lalawigan ng Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, at La Union ay sagana sa maraming bundok ngunit makitid ang mga kapatagan.

ILOCUS NORTE

Ang probinsya ng Ilocos Norte ay nasa rehiyon ng Ilocos. Lungsod Laoag ang kabesera nito na nasa

hilagang-kanluran ng isla ng Luzon. Nasa hanggahan ng Cagayan at Apayao pa-silangan, at ng Abra at Ilocos

Sur pa-timog, ang Ilocos Norte. Nakaharap ito sa Dagat Timog-Tsina pa-kanluran at kipot ng Luzon pa-hilaga.

Ito ay nalikha nang pagtibayin ang Batas Republika na nilagdaan noong 2 Pebrero 1818. Ang lalawigan ng

Ilocos ay hinati sa dalawa: Ilocos Norte at Ilocos Sur.

Bago dumating ang mga Kastila sa bansa ay mayroon nang rehiyon na kinabibilangan ng lalawigan ng Ilocos

Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra at La Union. Ang lalawigan ng Ilocos Norte ay kilala sa pagmimina ng ginto. Ang mga

negosyanteng Hapones at Tsino ay malimit bumisita dito upang mangalakal ng ginto, seramika, aboloryo at

seda. Ang mga residente ay pinaniniwalaang nagmula sa Malaysia o Timog Silangang Tsina. Ang lugar nila ay

tinatawag naSamtoy, na ang ibig sabihin ay “aming wika.”

Saklaw

Binubuo ang Ilocos Norte ng Lungsod ng Laoag at ng mga bayan ng Adams, Bacarra, Badoc, Bangui, Banna

(Espiritu), Batac, Burgos, Carasi, Currimao, Dingras, Dumalneg, Marcos, Nueva Era, Pagudpud, Paoay,

Pasuquin, Piddig, Pinili, San Nicolas, Sarrat, Solsona at Vintar.

Produkto

Ang dating pangunahing ikinabubuhay dito ay ang pagbebenta ng tabako ngunit nang lumaon ay ang

pagbebenta ng bawang, sibuyas, kamatis, munggo at bulak ang pinagtuunan ng mga magsasaka upang

punuan ang pangangailangan ng mga tao. Kilala din ang lalawigan sa pagbebenta ng mga muwebles at

eskultura dahil sa ganda ng mga kahoy na matatagpuan sa lalawigang ito.

llan sa mga produkto ng Rehiyon 1 ay buko, palay, mais, kamatis, mangga, saging, bulak, bawang, tabako, pagkaing-dagat at tubo.Likas sa mga taga Ilocos ang pagtatanim ng pagmimina at palay. Nag-aalaga rin sila ng ibat-ibang klase ng hayop.

Region 1 at ang kanilang pangunahing produkto:

Abra - tabacco, bigas, saging at mais. Benguet - prutas, gulay, cacao at kape. Ilocos Norte - tabacco at bigas. Ilocos Sur - bigas, tobacco at pangingisda. La Union - tobacco, bigas, prutas, tubo, rootcrops at cottons. Pangasinan - tobacco, bigas, prutas, bigas, rootcrops at coconut.

Ang Rehiyon 1 ay Ilocos Region at ang pangunahing produkto nila ay tabako.Ang Rehiyon 1 - Rehiyon ng Ilocos ay kilala sa kanilang mga minahan ng ginto. Karamihan sa mga gintong alahas sa bansa ay galing Ilocos.Ang ibang produkto ng Rehiyon 1 Ilocos ay palay o mga produktong agrikultural. 

Ilokano

Ang Ilokano ay isang pangkating etniko na matatagpuan sa Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La

Union, Abra, Cagayan, Pangasinan at iba pang bahagi ng Ilocos Rehiyon. Ang mga Ilokano ay ikatlo sa

pinakamalaking pangkat etniko sa buong Pilipinas, at ikalawa sa pinakamalaki sa buong Mindanao. Kilala ang

mga Ilokano sa pagiging masipag, mapagkumbaba, at sa kanilang payak na pamumuhay. Kilala din sila sa

kanilang mga produkto at pagkain tulad ng bagoong, pinakbet, dinengdeng, sukang Iloko, burnay at basi.

Ang salitang Ilokano ay tumutukoy din sa wika ng mga taong naninirahan sa mga nabanggit na lugar, na

nagsisilbi bilang Lingua Franca o ang pangunahing wika ng rehiyon.

ABOUT REGION I OR ILOKANOS

SAKADA

An inside joke among the Filipino community in Hawaii has been passed down from generation to

generation. It goes something like this: the “luna” (overseer) in one of the sugar plantations asked a

new worker whether he was a Filipino. The worker replies, “No, I’m Ilokano.” Obviously, this joke

unmasks the reality of the massive migration of the Ilocanos to Hawaii and to the United States.

The Ilocano people are the third largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines. This ethic group is

also the most migrant of all Filipino groups. You can find an Ilocano in every region of the country as

well as in the United States. In fact, puns are thrown at Hawaii for being the lost or extension of the

Ilocos province.

Migration of the Ilocanos

Due to the harsh environment and geographic location of the Ilocos Region, the Ilocanos have found

their way out of their hometown in search of greener pastures. The narrow plain situated in between

the Cordillera Mountain Ranges and South China Sea is not enough to feed the growing population of

the Ilocanos. In the mid-19th century, this ethnic group has moved from the Ilocandia to the Cagayan

Valley, Cordillera, Central Luzon, and Metro Manila and to Mindanao.

The Ilocanos started migrating to the United States particularly in Hawaii and California in the hopes of

better quality of living. They became the first overseas contract workers in a predominantly sugar and

pineapple plantation.

In 1906 to 1919, roughly around 29,800 Filipinos migrated to Hawaii. The second wave was from 1920 to

1929 wherein there were 73,996 Filipinos migrates. In spite the limitations set by the US government as

stated in the Tidings-McDuffee (Philippine Independence) Act, around 14,760 Filipinos. The fourth wave

was in 1946 right after World War II wherein 7,361 moved to the US. Majority of these migrates were of

Ilocano ancestry.

In Hawaii, the Ilocanos make up the 85% of the Filipino community. In fact, there were so many

Ilocanos and they were rather influential that they were able to make Benjamin Jerome “Ben” Cayetano

(a full blood Ilocano) the fifth Governor of Hawaii.

Sakada of 1946

Due to the casualties in the Second World War, many of the plantation workers of Hawaii were made to

do defense work. Thus, it caused a shortage of labor production in the Hawaiian plantations. To keep

the operation afloat, the US granted Hawaii’s request for an exemption to the immigration law (as

stated in the Tidings McDuffee Act). They have imported thousands of Filipino labor before the granting

of the Philippine Independence on July 4, 1946.

This batch of migrates were called Sakada ’46. It was the last organized Filipino migration to the US, in

which the majority is of Ilocano decent. Around 6000 men, 446 women, and 915 children were migrated

to Hawaii. It was a different group compared to the earlier groups of migrant Filipinos because they

were more educated since they were products of the American colonial education in the Philippines.

The Filipinos lived and worked under harsh conditions in Hawaii. They had to deal with prejudicial

attitudes from the Americans. Although the Filipinos were spared of beatings and physical abuse, they

suffered a psychological damage. It strengthened their sense of inferiority and weakened their self-

esteem. This was something Filipino overseas workers have struggled to deal with, change and

overcome.

In the 1920’s, the Hawaii Sugar Plantation Association (HSPA) ceased the recruitment of Filipinos as

plantation laborers. But in spite that, Filipinos, particularly Ilocanos, continued to arrive in Hawaii for

better living opportunities.

THE CULTURE OF ILOKANOS

The Ilocanos are known for being hardworking, appreciative, simple and determined. However, they are also known as stingy or “kuripot”. Of course, the Ilocanos being called stingy and cheap is just treated as a joke or pun among Filipinos and not as a negative regional stereotype. It is a regional characteristic that their Filipino brethren have grown to understand.

THE ILOCANOS BEING THRIFTY

The Ilocos Region is situated in between the barren lands of the Cordillera mountain ranges and the South China Sea. Although their rich land is blessed with agricultural benefits, making a living in Ilocos is very difficult.

With a growing population, the Ilocandia is absolutely not enough to provide for every resident. This harsh environment has made the Ilocano become a fighter and a survivor. His attitudes and behavior are focused towards living a better life.

Unlike the Manileños, it is harder for Ilocanos to make money since they are very far from the center of trade and industry. It would take long travel hours (by land) to send their products (mostly fruits and vegetables) in Manila. By the time it arrives, these fruits and vegetables are no longer fresh.

The Ilocanos value money so much that most people see them as stingy when in fact they are just pennywise. They want to spend their earnings wisely.

ILOCANO MARRIAGE

Like all Filipinos, the Ilocanos have a strong family tie. They follow the Filipino norm when it comes to family structure wherein the father is the head of the family. The mother, on the other hand, is the “light of the home” who disciplines the children and manages the house finances. The Ilocanos have high respects to their parents, which is very evident in their marriage traditions.

Before even planning for marriage, Ilocano children seek first the approval of both sets of parents. The parents are to decide if they would agree to let their child marry or not. The young man (groom) asks for his parents’ consent. His parents will pay the dowry and finance the wedding.

Then, the young man formally announces (panagpudno) his intentions of marrying the young woman to her parents. The groom’s parents visit the bride’s parents, in which they set the date of the wedding. In setting the date, both parents go to a planetario to learn what dates are the good-luck days.

Another meeting is set for the wedding (palalian or ringpas) wherein the groom and his relatives to the bride’s house to finalize the wedding arrangements. The families set the choice of sponsors, the dowry, sagut (wedding dress and accessories which will be provided by the groom), and the parawad (cash that given by the groom to the bride’s mother as a reward for raising his bride).

ILOCANOS’ VALUE FOR EDUCATION

The Ilocanos are not only industrious in the fields but also in schools. Most Ilocanos are literate (can read and can right). Parents are very passionate in giving their children proper education and will give it to them at all cost.

By having formal education, the Ilocanos believe that their children will have better opportunities aside from farming. The Ilocano parents want to ensure that their kids will have better future and live a better way of life.

Famous IlocanosThe term Ilocano people refers to the dominant ethnic group from the northern part of the Philippines and is considered the third largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group.

Six former Philippine presidents were Ilocanos. Elpidio Quirino, the country’s sixth president and the first from the Ilocos region, was a native of Caoayan, Ilocos Sur. Quirino was a lawyer by profession and a representative of his province before assuming the presidency. Ramon F. Magsaysay, the country’s seventh president, was a pure Ilocano from Castillejos, Zambales. Magsaysay, however, was not able to finish his term as he died in a plane crash four years into the presidency. His successor, Carlos P. Garcia, was born in Bohol but has parents who trace their roots to Bangued, Abra. Garcia was most known for being the proponent of the “Filipino First” policy which put a premium on everything Filipino over that of any foreign entity.

Even the famously infamous former President Ferdinand Marcos, also had Ilocano blood. Marcos was the country’s longest serving president— he was in power for twenty-one years. He was notorious for declaring the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis, more commonly known as Martial Law, in the country in September 1972. He lifted this temporary military rule nine years later in 1971. Marcos was ousted from office via a People Power Revolution, the world’s first, in 1986.

Ironically, one of the personalities who helped oust Marcos, Fidel V. Ramos, became the successor of Corazon Aquino, the housewife who toppled him out of the presidency. Ramos is also of Ilcoano descent. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the most recent ex-president of the country, also traces her Ilocano heritage to her grandfather who hailed from the province of Ilocos Norte. Arroyo served as vice-president for a term and after another successful People Power Revolution, assumed the presidency for nine years.

Other Ilocano politicians are incumbents Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Rodolfo Biazon and Party-list Representative Liza Maza. Other notable politicians are almost-presidents Gilbert Teodoro who ran for the presidency in 2010 and Jose de Venecia, Jr. who lost to Joseph E. Estrada in the 1998 presidential elections, but eventually became Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Ilocanos have not only made their mark in politics, but also in other fields like arts and culture as well. Juan Luna, painter of the famed Spoliarium, was born in the town of Badoc, Ilocos Norte. Leona Florentino, considered the Mother of Philippine Women’s Literature, also hails from the Ilocos region. Francisco Sionil Jose, more known as literary writer F. Sionil Jose, is one of the most widely read Filipino writers in English. He was born and raised in Rosales, Pangasinan.

Perhaps the most notable among all the celebrated personalities with Ilocano descent is the country’s own national hero, Jose Rizal. Rizal was a known polymath, patriot and the most famous advocate of genuine reform during the Spanish era. Rizal spoke twenty-two languages, including the native Ilocano dialect. He was a prolific poet, essayist, diarist, correspondent and novelist whose famous works Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo inspired the Filipino people to revolt against the Spaniards.

Ilocanos in HawaiiDuring the mid-19th century, the Ilocanos have migrated in mass numbers out of their historical hometown to search for greener pastures in other regions in the Philippines. Most of these Ilocanos moved to more fertile lands in the Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon (which includes provinces Tarlac, Pangasinan, and Nueva Ecija), and to Metro Manila.

Others settled in the Cordilleras, Aurora, Mindoro, and Palawan. Later, the Ilocanos have found their way to Mindanao and settled in the frontier lands of the south particularly in the provinces of North and South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.

The primary reason for this mass migration of the Ilocanos is their search for a better living condition and more fruitful financial opportunities. The Ilocos Region (a.k.a Ilocandia) is located at the northwestern tip of Luzon. This is a harsh environment to live in. The Ilocos region is a narrow plain squeezed in between the barren Cordillera mountain rangers and the South China Sea.

Ilocanos are the first Filipino ethnic group to immigrate the United States. Inspired by the promise of a much better life, the Ilocanos started moving out of the country and into United States in 1906. The first wave of Ilocano migration to Hawaii was in 1906 to 1919. According to records, this migration is comprised of more than 29,800 Ilocanos, in which 24,406 were males, 3,056 were females and 2,338 were children. Most of the Ilocano migrants worked in sugarcane plantations along with the recruits from Germany, Scotland, Scandinavian, Russia, Spain, Portugal, China, Japan and Korea.

The second wave occurred in 1920 to 1929. This was the largest Filipino migration in Hawaii of about 73,996 Ilocano people. In 1930 to 1934, an estimated count of Ilocano migrates is around 14,760. This decrease was inflicted by stringent US quota stated in the Tidings-Mcduffie (Philippines Independence Act). Nevertheless, after the Second World War, about 7,361 Filipinos have migrated to Hawaii.

Today, the Ilocanos comprise 85% of the Filipino community in Hawaii. There’s even a specific community dedicated to the Ilocanos in the said state.

Ilocanos and the Hawaiian government

The quality of life in Hawaii for the Filipinos has improved over the years. The children of laborers were better educated and have become active sharp members of the Hawaiian community.

The Ilocanos are generally industrious and hardworking due to the rough living condition in their hometown. Thus, it pushed them to value opportunities that come their way. Their “survivor” instinct and determination to live a better life inspires the Ilocano to strive hard for the goal.

Certainly, it is not surprising for the Ilocanos to excel even on foreign lands. This is evident with Benjamin Jerome “Ben” Cayetano who was seated as the fifth Governor of the State of Hawaii from 1994 to 2002. He is the first Filipino American to serve as a US state governor.

Ilocanos and Philippine PoliticsEven before the Spanish Colonial regime, the Ilocanos are known for their brave warriors and hardworking people. It wasn’t easy for the colonizers to conquer the Ilocano people. The native Ilocano warriors have put up tough battles with the Spaniards for land occupation. Unfortunately, the conquistadors outnumber them. Also, they have more advanced weaponry compared to the natives.

They are the first ethnic group in the Philippines to fight the Spanish officials and seek for democracy. Most of the noteworthy Philippine revolutions could be found in this region such as the Dingras Revolt and Cagayan Revolt (Revolts Against the Tribute 1589), Igorot revolt in 1601, Almazan Revolt in 1661, and Ambaristo Revolt (1807). The most famous is Diego Silang (1730-1763) who was a revolutionary leader who conspired with the British forces to overthrow the Spanish rule.

The Ilocanos have always been prominent in the nationalist movement. This ethnicity has produced quite handful of personalities, icons and politicians who made significant contributions to Philippine history.

They have taken a few seats in the high office of the central government including the senatorial and presidential seats. Two of the 15 Philippine presidents were full blood Ilocanos, naming Elpidio Quirino and, the famous and most controversial, Ferdinand Marcos. Latest former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is part Ilocano as well (her maternal grandfather, Juan Macaraeg, was from Bacarra, Ilocos Norte).

Ilocanos are also active participants in social organizations. Their women are very passionate members of feminist movements. Several notable women who fought for Women’s rights are of Ilocano decent. Example of this is Josefa Illanes Escoda, founder of the Girls Scouts of the Philippines, is from Dingras, Ilocos Norte.

The rough geographical location of the Ilocos region, which is situated in the northwestern tip of Luzon in between Cordillera Mountain Ranges and the South China Sea, has molded its people to be industrious, thrifty and painstaking. The harsh environment of the north has molded the Ilocanos to be “survivors”. This has inspired most Ilocanos to cherish every opportunity that comes in their way.

In the 19th century, the Ilocanos migrated en masse to different parts of the country in search for greener pastures particularly in Cagayan Valley, Central Plain of Luzon, and in Manila. In 1906, huge percentage of the Ilocano population has moved to United States particularly in Hawaii, California and Washington.

To date, the Ilocanos continue to make a mark in politics not only in the Philippines but also in other countries.