An Escape To The North

By MA. GLAIZA LEE

MANILA, Philippines — Region 1 will always have a special place in my heart.

Maybe, that's because this is where both my parents were born and raised: My father hails from Bangar, La Union, while my mother was raised in San Quintin, Pangasinan. For some time, I resided in my mother’s hometown where I finished my secondary education.

But that time, I wasn’t pleased with living in a place away from the modern luxuries I was accustomed to. For me then, living in Pangasinan meant leaving the urban lifestyle behind and trying to fit in and understand the rural culture.

I didn’t appreciate the farms, the streams and the rivers that I passed by everyday while walking to and from the school, or even the mountain ranges that loom on the horizon. And while metro people thought riding a kuliglig was a unique experience, for me, it was just a means of transportation that would take me to the market on Saturdays.

Bagoong and alamang were just normal condiments at home. Tupig, patupat, inkiwar and other native delicacies were the typical merienda. Main course would be either pakbet, igado, inabraw, dinengdeng or ar-arsusep with chopped tomatoes and onions. We were eating them so often that they seemed so ordinary, and I would take them for granted.

When I started working and living in the metro, I veered away from the things I usually did and ate while I was in the province. Later on, I started missing the provincial life. With growing up came the maturity as well as the ability to understand and appreciate things no matter how ordinary they were. I began to appreciate the putrid and salty bagoong as I dipped a slice of unripe mango in it, the sweet sticky goodness of patupat, and the earthy smell of freshly cut grass. 

Traveling up north every now and then has helped me understand my roots, little by little, one town at a time. And being a participant in the Lakbay Norte, an eight-day tour organized by the North Philippines Visitors Bureau (NPVB), in cooperation with the Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) and the various Conventions and Visitors Bureaus (CVB), made me realize that there was more to Region 1 than I could ever imagine.

What's up north?

Located on the northwestern coast of Luzon, Region 1 is composed of four provinces: Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. Popularly known as the Ilocos Region, it is a rich repository of the country’s colonial past as evident in the numerous collections of historic and cultural edifices, some of which are declared as national cultural treasures.

Aside from its rich culture and tradition, Region 1 is nowadays hyped as an outdoor travel destination where tourists can do surfing, diving, sailing, kayaking, sand surfing, paddle boating and other sports and adventure activities.

The place with over 100 reasons to explore

The journey to Region 1 begins at Pangasinan. Considered as the third largest province in the Philippines, its crescent-shaped terrain occupies 536,818 hectares of land area, which constitutes almost one-half (41.8%) of the total land area of Region 1 and 1.8% of the total area of the Philippines.

Its name was derived from the word asin (salt). In the olden days, until today, the province has the best and finest salt beds in its coastal towns. Salt-making was one of the primary sources of livelihood in the province; hence it was known as Panag-asinan, or the place where the salt is made. It later evolved to Pangasinan.

Because of its strategic geographical location, bounded by the verdant Cordillera Mountains to the east, Zambales ranges to the west, the rich rice plains of Tarlac to the south and the Lingayen Gulf and the China Sea to the north, the province is called the Gateway to the North.

The province is home to beautiful white, sandy beaches, verdant hills, scenic terrains, caves, waterfalls, ancient Hispanic churches, miraculous destinations for devotees and a vast coastline for fishing and other water sports, or just leisurely walking along the shore to get a glimpse of the world-famous Philippine sunset.

Predominantly mountainous, Pangasinan is rooted to the earth. Agriculture remains as the major source of livelihood in the province. More than half of the local labor force is mobilized to farm the rich lands. But there are some areas where aqua-culture has become popular.

In Dagupan, for instance, farmlands have been transformed into artificial ponds for fishes like bangus and malaga. Later, fish pens were introduced. Today, the bangus industry in Dagupan produces more than half of the entire province’s production. Annually, Dagupan produces an estimated R600 million worth of bangus, out of the R1.8 billion production of the entire province of Pangasinan. Indeed, it is the “Bangus Capital of the Philippines.”

But through the years, the local government discovered that the river system was slowly dying because it contained fecal coli forms that are beyond the acceptable amounts. To prevent the river's further deterioration, the government had to adopt drastic measures. They tore down all the fish pens and cleaned the seven rivers – Patogcawen, Magueragday, Paldakit, Bayaoas, Pantal, Calmay and Tanap – that surrounded Dagupan.

Their efforts must have paid off because the locals and tourists are now enjoying the beauty of the river through the Dawel River Cruise. The one-hour cruise begins at the foot of the Dawel Bridge in Catacdang, Bonuan Gueset, runs along one of the river tributaries, and ends at the ruins of the old railroad tracks going to Damortis. As a side trip, tourists can watch how the bangus are harvested.

Where the mountain meets the sea

Approximately two hours away from Pangasinan is the province of La Union. While most tourists often flock to La Union for surfing, the province has more to offer than its surging waves. Its name indicates the union of the towns from the different provinces surrounding La Union. The province was carved from nine towns of Pangasinan, three of Ilocos Sur and several villages from the Cordilleras.

While La Union is classified as a progressive class-A province, it is still relatively young compared to Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. But the province, particularly San Fernando City, still remains to be the regional center.

It boasts of natural wonders like waterfalls and caves, as well as religious and cultural tourist destinations such as Our Lady of Namacpacan Church and Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Charity, among others.

Tourists are often lured here by its sandy beaches and surfing breaks, especially during weekends. So it is not surprising to see that more and more resorts have mushroomed along its shorelines, usually between Bauang and San Fernando. Take for instance Kahuna Beach Resort and Spa, a Balinese-inspired boutique resort situated at the heart of San Juan, one of the most frequently-visited surfing destinations in the Philippines.

La Union is home to the biggest cement factory in the country, managed by  Holcim Philippines. As one of the leading cement manufacturers in the Philippines, Holcim knows its responsibility to maintain sustainable development in the areas where they are operating. They aim to manage resources prudently to ensure that future generations can meet their own needs.

Environmental safety is their daily business. That’s why they invested in an environmental protection and enhancement program that includes biodiversity enhancement and progressive quarry rehabilitation. The result of this initiative is the Holcim Eco-trail, a green place amidst the quarry itself, perhaps like the oasis in the desert.

After an adventurous day of traversing and exploring the wonders of La Union, it was nice to come home to a serene yet luxurious place. Greatly influenced by the Santorini Islands of Greece, the Thunderbird Resorts is situated in a 65-hectare land area located at Poro Point, San Fernando City.

The Mediterranean-inspired resort is nestled on a scenic cliff overlooking the white sand beach and the vast South China Sea, with its stylish yet cozy suites perched up high, thus providing that panoramic view. Its distinct terrain, character and contours followed the original lay of the land and worked around the natural environment.

Northern beauty

Further up north is Ilocos Norte, right after the province of Ilocos Sur where the famous Heritage Village is located.

Dubbed as the “Gem of the Northern Plains,” Ilocos Norte is known for its scenic landscapes, unparalleled culture and traditions, and historic monuments such as the Malacañang ti Amianan (The Malacañang of the North).  Overlooking the panoramic Paoay Lake, it was built to serve as the official residence of the late president Ferdinand Marcos.

Legend has it that a village of affluent families lies beneath the still waters of Paoay Lake. Accounts say that a beggar came to the village asking for help, but no one in the village came to his rescue. As a punishment, when the beggar left, torrential rain poured and the water rose until the village was submerged. When the rain stopped, all that could be seen was a still lake, the Paoay Lake. Stories have it that the fishermen would sometimes catch fish wearing gold rings, perhaps offering a testament to the lifestyle of the people who once lived in the village.

Geological studies, however, indicate that the lake was formed by a massive earthquake that caused the ground to sink and be filled with water from underground springs.

Today, activities at the Paoay Lake National Park continue to evolve as the provincial government exerts more efforts to realize its grand tourism master plan. The government realizes its potential for water sports such as boating, kayaking and paddle boarding, where a person can traverse the freshwater lake aboard a long surfboard propelled by a paddle. The 380-hectare park is home to migratory birds such as egrets, kingfishers and Philippine ducks, among others.

For more adventure, Pagudpud is the place to be. Going there, one would pass by the Patapat Viaduct, a winding bridge built at the foot of the North Cordillera Mountain Ranges which connects Barangay Balaoi and Barangay Pancian.

Once at Pagudpud, head for Maira-ira Cove. Known as the Blue Lagoon, the cove is considered to be the pride of all the beaches in the north. The spectacular white-sand beach has nothing but simple sheds and trees for shade. Untouched and wild, the beach gives the feeling of being shipwrecked in paradise. It is a good spot for beginners in surfing because of its soft surging waves.

After tiring but fun activities, Region 1 serves sumptuous native food products. Although each province in the country has its own versions, the Vigan, Laoag and Alaminos longganisas stand out because of their distinct taste and style of preparation. Of course, there’s the bagnet and empanada. The best ones are found in Batac and Vigan. In Pangasinan, don’t leave without taking a bite of the puto Calasiao and tupig.

Good food, scenic destinations and extreme adventures – Region I is definitely in my heart
.