Balaoan

Balaoan
Municipality
Balaoan town center
Seal
Nickname(s): The Sea Urchin Capital off the North
Map of La Union showing the location of Balaoan
Balaoan Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 16°49′N 120°24′E / 16.817°N 120.400°E / 16.817; 120.400Coordinates: 16°49′N 120°24′E / 16.817°N 120.400°E / 16.817; 120.400
Country	Philippines
Region	Ilocos (Region I)
Province	La Union
District	1st District
Barangays	36
Government[1]
• Mayor	Concepcion O. Al-Fred
Area[2]
• Total	68.70 km2 (26.53 sq mi)
Population (2010)[3]
• Total	37,910
• Density	550/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	2517
Dialing code	72
Income class	1st class

Balaoan is a first class municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 37,910 people.^[3]

The dominant language spoken in Balaoan is Ilocano.

Geography

Balaoan is situated north of Bacnotan, south of Bangar, west of Luna and Santol on the east. Located 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of San Fernando City, the provincial capital of La Union and the regional capital of Region I. Balaoan is 299 kilometres (186 mi) north of Metro Manila. Barangay Paraoir is Balaoan's pristine coastal community on the South China Sea.

Balaoan can be reached from Manila using the MacArthur Highway, or by airplane via Canaoay Airport in San Fernando City.

Its land area of 6,870 hectares (17,000 acres) consists mostly of agricultural lands. It occupies 4.3% of the total area of the province.

Barangays

Balaoan is politically subdivided into 36 barangays.^[2]

History

Balaoan, formerly "Puraw" (meaning "white') was originally part of Ilocos Sur. The town's present name originated during the Spanish colonial era. A group of Spanish soldiers were on patrol and went on to rest on a sitio. The villagers were curious about the soldiers because of their unusual descent and fair skin color. They flocked the soldiers touching their guns, too afraid that the guns might explode accidentally, one villager asked the soldier in a local vernacular.. "Aoan bala?" (meaning "No bullets?"). The soldier did not understand what the villager meant, he uttered the last word first, and remembering the last, he said "Bala-aoan".

During the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, a secret society of insurrectos was organized in the municipality. Its purpose was to fight and revolt against the Spanish Government in the area. On the eve of the revolution, a traitor told the Spanish of their plan. The Spanish soldiers, without any investigation arrested seven members of the secret society, and executed them the same night. Only one, Fernando Ostrea, escaped with leg wounds. He informed the people about what has happened. In memory of the seven Martyrs, a masonic lodge, Siete Martires Lodge No. 177, was organized.

Balaoan is one of the oldest municipalities in La Union, having been founded in 1704. Its first Capitan is Ignacio Duldulao.

Demographics

Festivities

The church of Balaoan is under the advocacy of the town's patron saint, St. Nicholas of Tolentino, whose feast day is celebrated on September. Balaoan's town fiesta is celebrated every December 21 to 23 of the year.

Education

• Bungol National High School (Bungol)
• Butubut National High School (Butubut Norte)
• Castor Z. Concepcion Memorial National High School (Nalasin and Antonino)
• Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University National High School (Paraoir)
• Osias Educational Foundation (Dr. Camilo Osias)
• San Nicolas Academy

Notable people from Balaoan

• Camilo Osías, former Senator
• Magnolia Antonino, former Senator
• Mutya Orquia, Filipina child actress — known as "Abby" Lim in the daytime television drama "Be Careful With My Heart")
• Marcy Arellano, Philippine Basketball League player

Gallery

• 

  Welcome arch

• 

  Municipal hall

• 

  Public market

• 

  Street view

• 

  Tricycle terminal

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Balaoan.

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System

		Luna / Bangar	Sudipen
	South China Sea		Santol
		Balaoan
		Bacnotan	San Gabriel