Santa, Ilocos Sur
Encyclopedia
Santa is a 4th class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines
. According to the latest census, it has a population of 14,059 people in 2,811 households.
s.
1. A popular lore tells us that when the scribe of the Spanish explorers was naming the places where they already established settlements, the scribe had a difficult time of thinking of a Catholic Saint's name of saints to name the place (Santa Catalina, Santa Lucia, and Santa Maria were already taken), so the town was simply named "Santa." (Some versions of the story say that the scribe fell asleep or was drunk when he was writing a name for the town and just wrote "Santa".)
2. The young and old women of the place portrayed saintly looks, as shown by their long hair and long dresses, as well as their modest looks and refined ways of carrying themselves in public.
3. The Municipality of Santa was formerly called Santa Catalina de Alexandria, Virgen y Martir, after the town's patron saint Saint Catherine of Alexandria. But according to folk stories, after the devastation of the town by the first flood in 1852 (Layos Bungsot), the name was shortened to Santa Catalina de Alexandria. The present name of Santa came to be, after the second flood of 1905 (Layos Nawnaw). It was believed that by changing the name after the disasters would save the town from further devastation.
” and tried to extend his kingdom by sending his Count Pedro Gumapos in Ilocos.
Gumapos pursued the retreating Spaniards who sought refuge in Agoo (in present-day La Union
). The Spaniards and the loyalists made their last stand in Pideg, Santa, Ilocos Sur. Pedro de la Peña, who was defending Pideg Pass, sheltered the great number of the rebels who camped in Narvacan and offered them free passage across Pideg Pass.
On December 14, 1762, Diego Silang led the “caillianes” (common man or townsfolk) in the most obstinate insurrection against the Spaniards in the 18th century. He crystallized the discontent of the “caillianes” caused by the imposition of tribute and forced labor. He proclaimed a “Free Ilocos” and made Vigan its capital.
When the Spaniards failed to stop Diego Silang in combat, Miguel Vicos, aided by Pedro Becbec, betrayed Diego Silang by murdering him. Gabriela, the wife of Diego Silang, with the help of her uncle, Nicolas Cariño, continued her husband's fight, and defeated the Spaniards and their loyalist soldiers in the battle of Banaoang, Santa on August 24, 1763.
Disasters and calamities occurred in Santa. A destructive flood called “Layos Bungsot” (literal: "Flood of Rotting") of 1852 eroded the first poblacion founded in 1576 and caused the town center to be transferred to a new site, which is about four (4) kilometers south of the first site. Fr. Pedro Torrices started the new church in 1849-1855 and Fr. Luis Lagar finished it in 1875.
In 1905, another destructive flood, “Layos Nawnaw” (literal: "Dissolving Flood") motivated the people to transfer the poblacion to Pasungol in the southern part of the town in 1907.
Don Domingo Bueno y Ramirez, the Presidente Municipal, transferred the new government and the new poblacion was laid out. Circumferential roads were constructed. A hermita, made of bamboo and cogon, was put up and a one-storey primary school building was laid out.
The guerilla activities of Gen. Manuel Tinio
dominated the Philippine-American War in Ilocos. The civil government of Ilocos Sur began to function in 1889 with Don Mena Crisologo; former Ilocos Sur delegate to the Malolos Congress as the first Civil Governor.
On the resumption of the Commonwealth Government, Pres. Osmeña appointed Hon. Sixto Brillantes after being elected assemblyman of the second district of Ilocos Sur.
On December 19, 1941, the Japanese soldiers landed in Santa. The people fled to the mountains where they suffered from privations, hunger and diseases. The Japanese soldiers held a garrison at the south of Quirino Bridge and massacred seventy (70) civilians in Barrio Rizal on January 26, 1954.
On 1945, local Filipino forces under the Philippine Commonwealth Army 1st and 12th Infantry Division, Philippine Constabulary 1st Infantry Regiment and the USAFIP-NL 121st Infantry Regiment liberate the town of Santa and they defeats and fought against the Japanese Imperial forces and ended World War II.
These turn of events, no matter how depressing and destructive they were, brought back the residents together to restore the present site of the local government.
Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
in his visit in 1925 say, “The mountain in the east the winding, roping river in the north and the immense sea in the west make Santa a poetic town.”
Santa is 386 kilometers north of Manila and 21 kilometers south of Vigan, the capital town of the province. It can be reached by bus, jeepney and other motorized means of transport by way of the National Highway.
Physically, Santa is triangular shape. Its north border, forming the baseline of the triangular land and running in the east-west direction, follow the ever changing course of the Abra River from Banaoang Gap in the northeast corner of the town to the sea about 18 kilometers.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. According to the latest census, it has a population of 14,059 people in 2,811 households.
Barangays
Santa is politically subdivided into 26 barangayBarangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
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Origin of the Municipality's Name
These are the probable origins of the municipality's name.1. A popular lore tells us that when the scribe of the Spanish explorers was naming the places where they already established settlements, the scribe had a difficult time of thinking of a Catholic Saint's name of saints to name the place (Santa Catalina, Santa Lucia, and Santa Maria were already taken), so the town was simply named "Santa." (Some versions of the story say that the scribe fell asleep or was drunk when he was writing a name for the town and just wrote "Santa".)
2. The young and old women of the place portrayed saintly looks, as shown by their long hair and long dresses, as well as their modest looks and refined ways of carrying themselves in public.
3. The Municipality of Santa was formerly called Santa Catalina de Alexandria, Virgen y Martir, after the town's patron saint Saint Catherine of Alexandria. But according to folk stories, after the devastation of the town by the first flood in 1852 (Layos Bungsot), the name was shortened to Santa Catalina de Alexandria. The present name of Santa came to be, after the second flood of 1905 (Layos Nawnaw). It was believed that by changing the name after the disasters would save the town from further devastation.
Foundation of the Pueblo
According to Augustinian maps of 1831 and 1834, Santa was founded in 1576. The Augustinian established missionary centers in the towns of Vigan in 1575 and Santa in 1576. On the founding of Bantay in 1591 as a pueblo, Santa was made its “visita” until 1713 when it became an independent vicariate. The prestige of the town was boosted in 1802 when the provisional diocese was established and was housed in the rectory of Santa until 1834.Other Events
The “Malong Revolt” disturbed the quiet life of the town in 1660-1661 when Andres Malong of Binalatongan rose in arms to protest the abuses in the collection of tribute and in the conscription of men for “palo y servicios”. Malong proclaimed himself “King of PangasinanPangasinan
Pangasinan is a province of the Republic of the Philippines. The provincial capital is Lingayen. Pangasinan is located on the west central and peripheral area of the island of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf, with the total land area being 5,368.82 square kilometers . According to the latest census,...
” and tried to extend his kingdom by sending his Count Pedro Gumapos in Ilocos.
Gumapos pursued the retreating Spaniards who sought refuge in Agoo (in present-day La Union
La Unión
La Union or La Unión may refer to:-Colombia:*La Unión, Antioquia*La Unión, Nariño*La Unión, Sucre*La Unión, Valle del Cauca-Peru:*La Unión Province, Peru...
). The Spaniards and the loyalists made their last stand in Pideg, Santa, Ilocos Sur. Pedro de la Peña, who was defending Pideg Pass, sheltered the great number of the rebels who camped in Narvacan and offered them free passage across Pideg Pass.
On December 14, 1762, Diego Silang led the “caillianes” (common man or townsfolk) in the most obstinate insurrection against the Spaniards in the 18th century. He crystallized the discontent of the “caillianes” caused by the imposition of tribute and forced labor. He proclaimed a “Free Ilocos” and made Vigan its capital.
When the Spaniards failed to stop Diego Silang in combat, Miguel Vicos, aided by Pedro Becbec, betrayed Diego Silang by murdering him. Gabriela, the wife of Diego Silang, with the help of her uncle, Nicolas Cariño, continued her husband's fight, and defeated the Spaniards and their loyalist soldiers in the battle of Banaoang, Santa on August 24, 1763.
Disasters and calamities occurred in Santa. A destructive flood called “Layos Bungsot” (literal: "Flood of Rotting") of 1852 eroded the first poblacion founded in 1576 and caused the town center to be transferred to a new site, which is about four (4) kilometers south of the first site. Fr. Pedro Torrices started the new church in 1849-1855 and Fr. Luis Lagar finished it in 1875.
In 1905, another destructive flood, “Layos Nawnaw” (literal: "Dissolving Flood") motivated the people to transfer the poblacion to Pasungol in the southern part of the town in 1907.
Don Domingo Bueno y Ramirez, the Presidente Municipal, transferred the new government and the new poblacion was laid out. Circumferential roads were constructed. A hermita, made of bamboo and cogon, was put up and a one-storey primary school building was laid out.
The guerilla activities of Gen. Manuel Tinio
Manuel Tinio
Manuel Tinio y Bundoc was the youngest General of the Philippine Revolutionary Army and in 1907, elected Governor of the Province of Nueva Ecija, Republic of the Philippines.-Antecedents:...
dominated the Philippine-American War in Ilocos. The civil government of Ilocos Sur began to function in 1889 with Don Mena Crisologo; former Ilocos Sur delegate to the Malolos Congress as the first Civil Governor.
On the resumption of the Commonwealth Government, Pres. Osmeña appointed Hon. Sixto Brillantes after being elected assemblyman of the second district of Ilocos Sur.
On December 19, 1941, the Japanese soldiers landed in Santa. The people fled to the mountains where they suffered from privations, hunger and diseases. The Japanese soldiers held a garrison at the south of Quirino Bridge and massacred seventy (70) civilians in Barrio Rizal on January 26, 1954.
On 1945, local Filipino forces under the Philippine Commonwealth Army 1st and 12th Infantry Division, Philippine Constabulary 1st Infantry Regiment and the USAFIP-NL 121st Infantry Regiment liberate the town of Santa and they defeats and fought against the Japanese Imperial forces and ended World War II.
These turn of events, no matter how depressing and destructive they were, brought back the residents together to restore the present site of the local government.
Location
Santa is nestled in the central part of the Ilocos strip. Bounded by natural borders, this municipality presents a gorgeous poetic setting; the denuded Ilocos Range in the east, the winding Abra River in the north and immense China Sea down west. The river, the mountain and the sea contribute to its beauty which made then Governor GeneralGovernor-General of the Philippines
The Governor-General of the Philippines was the title of the government executive during the colonial period of the Philippines, governed mainly by Spain and the United States, and briefly by Great Britain, from 1565 to 1935....
Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
Theodore D. Roosevelt, Jr. , was an American political and business leader, a Medal of Honor recipient who fought in both of the 20th century's world wars. He was the eldest son of President Theodore Roosevelt from his second wife Edith Roosevelt...
in his visit in 1925 say, “The mountain in the east the winding, roping river in the north and the immense sea in the west make Santa a poetic town.”
Santa is 386 kilometers north of Manila and 21 kilometers south of Vigan, the capital town of the province. It can be reached by bus, jeepney and other motorized means of transport by way of the National Highway.
Physically, Santa is triangular shape. Its north border, forming the baseline of the triangular land and running in the east-west direction, follow the ever changing course of the Abra River from Banaoang Gap in the northeast corner of the town to the sea about 18 kilometers.