Balaoan, La Union

Infobox Philippine municipality
infoboxtitle = Balaoan, La Union
sealfile = Ph seal la union balaoan.jpg
locatormapfile = Ph_locator_la union_balaoan.png caption = Map of La Union showing the location of Balaoan
region = Ilocos Region (Region I)
province = La Union
founded =
pop2000 = 33,786
popden2000 =
areakm2 = 68.70
coordinates =
barangays = 36
districts = 1st District of La Union
class = 2nd class
mayor = Al-Fred O. Concepcion
website = [http://www.launion.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=81&Itemid=103 www.balaoan.com]

Balaoan is a 2nd class municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 33,786 people in 6,557 households. Balaoan is one of the oldest municipalities in La Union, having been founded in 1704. Its first Capitan is Ignacio Duldulao.

The dominant language spoken in Balaoan is Ilocano. The patron saint of the town is St. Nicholas of Tolentino, whose feast day is celebrated on September. Additionally, a town fiesta is celebrated on December 21-23. The municipal zip code is 2517.

As of July 2007, the incumbent mayor is Atty. Al-Fred O. Concepcion. He is the oldest son of the late Judge Castor Concepcion, after whom the Balaoan National High School was posthumously named.

Geography

Balaoan is situated north of Bacnotan, south of Bangar, Sudipen and Santol on the east. Located 30 kilometers north of San Fernando City, the provincial capital of La Union and the regional capital of Region I. Balaoan is approximately 300 kilometers north of Metro Manila. Balaoan has one of the pristine coastal towns of La Union facing the Luzon Sea.

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

Balaoan is composed of 36 barangays. Four barangays compose the poblacion or town proper. The vast land area of 6,450 hectares consists mostly of agricultural lands. The municipality occupies 4.3% of the total area of the province. Among the barangays in the municipality, Nagsabaran Sur is the largest with 842 hectares or 13.05% of the municipality's land area and the smallest is Nalasin with only 33 hectares (0.51%).

The following is a list of barangays in Balaoan with their respective barangay captains:

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 occupation in the Philippines, a secret society of "insurectos" 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.

One escaped with only leg wounds, he was Fernando Ostrea. He informed the people about what has happened. In memory of the seven Martyrs, a masonic lodge, Siete Martires Lodge No. 177, was organized.

Schools

* Almeida Elementary School
* Apatut Elementary School
* Ar-arampang Elementary School
* Balaoan Central Elementary School
* Balaoan Christian School
* Bulbulala Elementary School
* Bungol Elementary School
* Bungol National High School
* Butubut Elementary School
* Butubut National High School
* Butubut Norte Elementary School
* Calliat Elementary School
* Castor Z. Concepcion Memorial National High School (Balaoan National High School)
* Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University National High School (Paraoir)
* Guinaburan Elementary School
* Masupe Elementary School
* Nagsabaran Sur Elementary School
* Osias Educational Foundation
* Pantar Norte Elementary School
* Pantar Sur Elementary School
* Paraoir Elementary School
* Patpata Elementary School
* San Nicolas Academy
* Sinapangan National High School
* Sinapangan Norte Elementary School
* Sinapangan Sur Elementary School

Notable Baloanians

*Camilo Osias, Senator
*Magnolia Antonino, Senator

External links

* [http://www.pasyalan.net/la_union/ Pasyalan La Union]
* [http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/municipality.asp?muncode=013305000&regcode=01&provcode=33 Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
* [http://www.t-macs.com/kiso/local/ 2000 Philippine Census Information]