Laoag facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Laoag
Component city
From top, left to right: Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol, Exterior of Laoag International Airport, La Paz Sand Dunes, Laoag Cathedral, Sinking bell tower of Laoag
Flag Seal
Etymology: Ilocano: lawag ("light")
Nickname(s):  The Sunshine City
Anthem: Marcha de Laoag (Laoag March)
Map of Ilocos Norte with Laoag highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Laoag Location in Philippines
Country	Philippines
Region	Ilocos Region
Province	Ilocos Norte
District	[[{{#property:P7938}} | — Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1804: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).]]
Founded	1580
Cityhood	June 19, 1965
Barangays	80 (see Barangays)
Government
• Type	Sangguniang Panlungsod
Area
• Total	116.08 km2 (44.82 sq mi)
Elevation	57 m (187 ft)
Highest elevation	759 m (2,490 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census)
• Total	111,651
• Density	961.85/km2 (2,491.17/sq mi)
• Households	27,875
Economy
• Income class	3rd city income class
• Poverty incidence	3.38 % (2021)
• Revenue	₱ 873.5 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 2,314 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 716.5 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 684.7 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	2900
PSGC	[https://psa.gov.ph/classification/psgc/?q=psgc/barangays/{{#pro000&regcode={{&provcode= p {{#property:P988}} ]
IDD : area code	+63 (0)77
Native languages	Ilocano Tagalog
Website	www.laoagcity.gov.ph

Laoag is a city in the Philippines. It is the capital of the province of Ilocos Norte. The city is also called the "Sunshine City."

Laoag is a busy place for politics, business, and industry in the province. It has the busiest airport in the Ilocos Region. Laoag is the northernmost city in the Philippines.

The city is surrounded by other towns like San Nicolas and Paoay. To the east are the Cordillera Central mountains. To the west is the South China Sea.

Laoag has two main seasons: a dry season from November to April and a wet season from May to October. Strong typhoons sometimes visit the area.

History of Laoag

Aerial view of Laoag in 1923

Long ago, before the Spanish arrived, the area of Laoag was known for its gold mines. Traders from Japan and China came to trade gold for items like beads and silk. The local people called their land samtoy, meaning "this is our language."

In 1571, Spanish explorers began to look for new lands. Juan de Salcedo, a young leader, sailed north with his men. In 1572, they landed in Vigan and explored towards Laoag. They saw many sheltered coves, which they called looc. This led to the name "Ylocos" for the region and "Ylocanos" for its people.

The Spanish built churches and bell towers in the area. This was part of their plan to bring Christianity. They wanted people to live "under the bells" of the church.

However, the Spanish rule was not always peaceful. Many locals revolted against unfair practices by the Spanish friars. Some famous revolts include the Dingras uprising in 1589 and the Pedro Almasan revolt in 1660.

In 1762, Diego Silang led a fight for freedom from the Spanish. After he was killed, his wife Gabriela continued the fight. She was also captured and executed. In 1807, people protested against the government's control over the wine industry.

In 1898, Gregorio Aglipay was removed from the church for supporting Filipino revolutionaries. He then started his own church, the Iglesia Filipina Independiente. This movement helped Filipinos regain their pride.

A street in Laoag, 1900–1913

The population grew a lot between 1715 and 1818. This made it hard to manage the province. Many uprisings happened because of unfair taxes and forced labor. Because of these problems, the Ilocos province was split into two. On February 2, 1818, Ilocos Norte was created, and Laoag became its capital.

The Japanese Army took control of Laoag on December 12, 1941, during World War II. They used its airport for their operations.

Becoming a City

On June 19, 1965, Laoag officially became a city. This happened after a vote and a law passed by Senate President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos. Laoag remained the capital of Ilocos Norte. Mayor Eulalio F. Siazon and Engineer Trinidad Lucas Aurelio helped lead the effort for Laoag to become a city. Simeon M. Valdez and Antonio V. Raquiza also helped pass the bill. Eulalio Fonacier Siazon became the first city mayor.

Geography of Laoag

Laoag is located in the western-central part of Ilocos Norte. It borders the South China Sea. To the east is Sarrat, and to the southeast is San Nicolas. Paoay is to the southwest, and Vintar is to the northeast. Bacarra is to the northwest. Laoag is one of the biggest cities in the Ilocos Region.

Barangays: City Neighborhoods

Laoag is divided into 80 smaller areas called barangays. Each barangay has even smaller parts called puroks and sometimes sitios.

Laoag's Climate and Weather

Laoag has a tropical savanna climate. This means it has warm to hot temperatures all year. Temperatures drop slightly in December, January, and February. The city has a dry season from November to April and a wet season from May to October.

The city is protected from some winds by the Cordillera and Sierra Madre mountains. However, it is open to southwest winds and tropical cyclones. The rainy season is from May to September, with most rain in June, July, and August. Laoag gets about four to five tropical cyclones each year.

People of Laoag

In 2020, Laoag had 111,651 people. This means there were about 962 people for every square kilometer. In 2000, the population was 94,466.

The city had 19,751 households, with about five people per household. The number of males and females was almost equal.

Most people in Laoag are Ilocano. The main religions are Roman Catholic and the Aglipayan Church. Other religions like Iglesia ni Cristo and various Protestant groups are also present.

Economy and Jobs in Laoag

Laoag is located in a good spot for trade in Northern Luzon. It is only a two-hour flight from major Asian cities like Hong Kong and Japan. The Laoag International Airport and Currimao Port help bring goods and services to the city.

Laoag has a large area of land, offering many chances for business to grow. The city is known for its beautiful tourist spots and hotels. The Department of Tourism calls Laoag an "ecotourism center."

The city aims to grow its countryside through farming and industry. It also wants to increase farm and fishing production. Laoag encourages businesses to compete in local and foreign markets. There are plans to build an eco-tourism village. This village will show the rich culture of the Ilocano people and local industries.

Laoag has a strong workforce. Most businesses are small, like food processing, rice mills, and jewelry making. Big stores like SM Prime Holdings and Puregold are in the city center. New malls like CityMall and SM City Laoag are also being built.

Laoag is also a leader in green technology. Danish investors built the first wind-powered plant in Southeast Asia here. This is the Bangui Wind Farm, which produces 25 megawatts of power. It cost $47.6 million US dollars. An expansion is underway to make it even bigger.

Tourism and Fun in Laoag

Museo Ilocos Norte

Aurora Park

Tourism is a big part of Laoag's economy. It brings new businesses and helps build new structures. Fort Ilocandia Resort is the only 5-star hotel in the north. It attracts many visitors from other countries and within the Philippines.

You can visit old Spanish buildings and baroque churches. The La Paz Sand Dunes are also a popular spot. Many enjoy the white-sand beaches of Pagudpud and old mansions from the Marcos era.

The Laoag Cathedral was built in 1612. It replaced an older wooden church. The church has an Italian Renaissance style. It features a unique two-story front with columns. Inside a special spot, you can see an image of the city's patron saint, William of Maleval.

More tourists, especially from China, have been visiting Laoag. This led to a Chinese consulate being opened to help Chinese visitors. A new policy makes it easier for Chinese tourists to get visas at the airport. Laoag City is a top tourist spot in the Region I and the country.

Getting Around Laoag

Gilbert Bridge over the Padsan River

The Laoag International Airport has flights to and from Manila, Cebu, and other islands. Foreign airlines also offer direct flights for tourists. You can find travel agencies and airline offices at the airport.

Several large bus companies connect Laoag City to other places in the Philippines. These include GV Florida Transport and Partas. Laoag is about 487 kilometers from Manila.

Within the city, you can travel by taxi, jeepney, tricycle, or kalesa (horse-drawn carriage). Mini buses also travel daily to nearby towns like Pagudpud and Vigan.

A new road, the Laoag bypass, helps big trucks avoid the city center. Another bypass road is being built to ease traffic.

Education and Schools in Laoag

Laoag Central Elementary School

As the capital, Laoag is a hub for social and economic activities. Education is very important here. Both the local government and private groups have invested a lot in schools.

Most elementary schools are public and divided into three districts. There are also ten private elementary schools, including a Chinese school. The city has eight private and six public high schools.

For higher education, there are public colleges like the College of Teacher Education and the College of Industrial Technology. These are part of the Mariano Marcos State University.

Other colleges in Laoag include Northwestern University and Divine Word College of Laoag. There are also vocational schools for special skills.

The Rodolfo CG Fariñas Jr. National Science High School opened in 2024–2025. It is a special science high school located in Barangay Vira.

Sister Cities

Laoag has special connections with other cities, called "sister cities":

• Vigan, Ilocos Sur
• Ozamiz, Misamis Occidental
• Caloocan, NCR
• Dagupan, Pangasinan
• Xiamen, China
• Changsha, China
• Laibin, China
• Huangshan, China
• Honolulu, Hawaii
• Kauai, Hawaii

Famous People from Laoag

• Ysabel Ortega - an actress
• Bongbong Marcos - the 17th president of the Philippines
• Roque Ablan, Sr. - a former governor of Ilocos Norte

See also

In Spanish: Laoag para niños