Union, Surigao del Norte
Encyclopedia
Union, pronounced "onion," is a village on the south coast of Siargao Island
, in the Philippines
. Union has pretty much the same boundaries as does Barangay Union, of the Municipality of Dapa, in the province of Surigao del Norte
. See Dapa, Surigao del Norte
. Union is bordered on the east by the Pacific Ocean
and on the other three sides by jungle and tropical forest. It is located 2.5 km (1.6 mi) east of the village of Giwan (see Giwan, Surigao del Norte
).
, most speak English
and many speak other languages native to the Philippines, such as Visayan. A few foreigners from Canada and Europe have built large homes in Union and reside there. Most of the houses are primitive wood houses with either wood or concrete floors or are built of cement block. Virtually all houses have electricity, but very few have any air conditioning. There is no television service to Union.
Small parts of the village of Union are just outside the barangay, but 90% of its is inside the barangay boundaries. The village measures roughly six blocks long from southwest to northeast and four blocks wide from northwest to southeast. The highway runs the length of the village and is paved and well maintained in town. Most of the highway between Giwan and Union, while paved, looks as though it has not been maintained for many years. As the highway leaves the north side of Union, the maintenance of it stops.
It then curves a short distance due east and stops at the ocean edge. There is a ford two blocks long that crosses a shallow area where a river meets the ocean. It can only be forded by foot at low tide. On the other side of the river the road becomes not much better than a footpath and cannot be traveled by any vehicles. It gets somewhat better after passing two surfer resorts.
Many streets inside Union are paved and even the dirt streets are reasonably well maintained.
Ocean fishing plays a part in Union's economy, as bangka
fishing boats are based along the village beach area. A bangka is a fairly large outrigger canoe, which is usually motorized. Union has at least one regular retail shop and at least one bakery. It is dotted with many sari sari stores. A shelterhouse in the center of town is used for barangay meetings and other community functions. Union has a fairly large public health clinic.
). Giwan and Dapa township are reached by motorized tricycle.
Siargao Island
is a tear-drop shaped island in the Philippine Sea situated 800 kilometers southeast of Manila in the province of Surigao del Norte. It has a land area of approximately 437 square kilometers. The east coast is relatively straight with one deep inlet, Port Pilar. The coastline is marked by a...
, in the Philippines
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...
. Union has pretty much the same boundaries as does Barangay Union, of the Municipality of Dapa, in the province of Surigao del Norte
Surigao del Norte
Surigao del Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Caraga region in Mindanao. Its capital is Surigao City. The province consists of two major islands—Siargao Island and Bucas Grande Island—in the Philippine Sea, and a small region at the northernmost tip of the island of...
. See Dapa, Surigao del Norte
Dapa, Surigao del Norte
Dapa is a 5th class municipality in the province of Surigao del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 22,184 people...
. Union is bordered on the east by the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
and on the other three sides by jungle and tropical forest. It is located 2.5 km (1.6 mi) east of the village of Giwan (see Giwan, Surigao del Norte
Giwan, Surigao del Norte
Giwan is a village in the municipality of Dapa , in Surigao del Norte province in the Philippines. This village is located at the south shore of Siargao Island. Giwan is synonymous with the Don Paulino Barangay, which the Philippine National Statistical Coordination Board says had a population of...
).
Demographics
Barangay Union, according to the Philippine National Statistical Board, had a population of 2,645 people on August 1, 2007. Virtually the entire population of Union is Filipino. Virtually the entire population speaks TagalogTagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
, most speak English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and many speak other languages native to the Philippines, such as Visayan. A few foreigners from Canada and Europe have built large homes in Union and reside there. Most of the houses are primitive wood houses with either wood or concrete floors or are built of cement block. Virtually all houses have electricity, but very few have any air conditioning. There is no television service to Union.
Small parts of the village of Union are just outside the barangay, but 90% of its is inside the barangay boundaries. The village measures roughly six blocks long from southwest to northeast and four blocks wide from northwest to southeast. The highway runs the length of the village and is paved and well maintained in town. Most of the highway between Giwan and Union, while paved, looks as though it has not been maintained for many years. As the highway leaves the north side of Union, the maintenance of it stops.
It then curves a short distance due east and stops at the ocean edge. There is a ford two blocks long that crosses a shallow area where a river meets the ocean. It can only be forded by foot at low tide. On the other side of the river the road becomes not much better than a footpath and cannot be traveled by any vehicles. It gets somewhat better after passing two surfer resorts.
Many streets inside Union are paved and even the dirt streets are reasonably well maintained.
Religious Institutions
Union is predominantly Roman Catholic. However, it has three churches, the Catholic Church, a Baptist Church and a Seventh-Day Adventist Church. The Adventist Church is actually a bit south of the village.Economy
While just to the east the surfer resorts of General Luna begin, Union has no tourism. Tourists sometimes swim in the river east of the village at high tide. Union has a large beach area on the east side of town. There are swimming areas and shelter houses for swimmers and picnickers on the beach. At the end of a pier near the south end of the beach are three large shelter houses for persons to dive, sight see and eat.Ocean fishing plays a part in Union's economy, as bangka
Bangka
Bangka can refer to:* Bangka Island, an island of Indonesia* Bangka Regency, Indonesia* Bangka Strait, a strait of Indonesia* Bangka language, spoken in Indonesia* Tagalog: bangka, an outrigger canoe* Wanhua District, Taipei City...
fishing boats are based along the village beach area. A bangka is a fairly large outrigger canoe, which is usually motorized. Union has at least one regular retail shop and at least one bakery. It is dotted with many sari sari stores. A shelterhouse in the center of town is used for barangay meetings and other community functions. Union has a fairly large public health clinic.
Transport
Since Union is small, people usually get around town by walking. An area in the center of the village is used as a motorized tricycle stop (see motorized tricycle (Philippines)Motorized tricycle (Philippines)
Motorized tricycles are a common means of passenger transport everywhere in the Philippines, except on busy major highways and very busy city streets...
). Giwan and Dapa township are reached by motorized tricycle.