LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte (PIA) – Ilocos Norte is marking its 207th foundation anniversary this February with a month-long celebration highlighting environmental consciousness and the rich artistic heritage of its people.
Organized by the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) through its Tourism Office, the festivities promise a vibrant blend of tradition and innovation.
The celebration will begin with a ceremonial flag raising, followed by the “Narimat nga Aglawlaw” (bright environment) simultaneous provincewide clean-up drive and tree planting activity, which will be launched at Saud Beach in Pagudpud on Feb. 2, in honor of the province’s founding anniversary.
The foundation anniversary celebration will be highlighted by the much-awaited “Tan-Ok ni Ilokano” (Greatness of Ilokano) Festival of Festivals on Feb. 15 at the Ferdinand E. Marcos (FEM) Memorial Stadium in Laoag City.
This year, 22 local government units (LGUs) will be showcasing their town fiestas and history through dances in hopes of getting the championship title.
Ilocos Norte Tourism Officer Aian Raquel expressed his excitement on the staging of this year’s “Tan-Ok” dance competition as they are giving more freedom to the LGUs on how they will represent their town fiestas in the competition.
“We are very excited to stage the ‘Tan-ok’ this year. We are staging our different festivals to really show the best to our audience and Governor [Matthew Marcos Manotoc], and our team has been really looking into our guidelines to see how we can adjust them so that we can give more freedom to the LGUs to interpret the guidelines. But the bottom line is, it is the choice of the LGU how they would want to represent their town,” he said.
He added that they are also looking into including a new major prize, the “Innovation Award,” which will recognize the group that interprets the guidelines and “Tan-Ok” in general in an innovative way, recognizing their impact on the festival and its future by introducing new ways to present the culture and heritage of their town.
Moreover, the filmmaking talents of Ilokanos will also be showcased at the “Tan-ok ni Ilokano” Film Festival, where eight locally produced films and documentaries will be premiered.
From Feb. 1-2 and Feb. 8-9, the local films and documentaries will be premiered at the Robinsons Ilocos Movie World in San Nicolas town.
Admission will be free, but interested watchers need to pre-register through the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeEJMHUr9Q7YUCX4lk_ZVI7ILiySmdVA_BTM-VSOlgiYtQuHw/viewform?usp=send_form.
To bring the film entries closer to the youth, there will also be screenings in various schools around the province on Feb. 17 to 21.
Residents will also be able to watch the films and documentaries on the LGU screenings from Feb. 24 to 27.
The Ayala Foundation will also open an arts exhibit titled “Pioneers of Philippine Art” at the Arte Luna Museum in Paoay on Feb. 19.
The “Tan-ok ni Ilokano” Film Festival will culminate with an awarding ceremony on Feb. 28.
The history of Ilocos Norte
In 1572, Juan de Salcedo led an expedition to the northern region, and upon landing in Vigan City, they explored towns like Laoag City and Badoc and named the region “Ylocos” and its people “Ylocanos.”
As the Spanish sought to Christianize the area, they built churches and bell towers; however, the colonization faced resistance due to abusive practices by the Spanish friars.
Several uprisings occurred, such as the Dingras uprising in 1589, Pedro Almasan’s revolt in 1660, and Diego Silang’s rebellion in 1762.
After Silang’s death, his wife Gabriela continued the struggle.
In 1807, sugar cane brewers protested the Spanish monopoly of the wine industry, and in 1898, Gregorio Aglipay founded the “Iglesia Filipina Independiente” in defiance of the church’s excommunication.
The rapid population growth from 1715 to 1818 made administration difficult.
Various uprisings, including those by Ambaristo and Pedro Mateo, led to the recommendation of dividing Ilocos into two provinces.
On February 2, 1818, a Spanish royal decree was promulgated dividing the Province of Ilocos Norte from Ilocos Sur.
The celebration of the foundation anniversary highlights the province’s history, culture, and community spirit with activities focused on the environment, arts, and local traditions.
This event is a meaningful tribute to the Ilokano people and their bright future. (AMB/EJFG, PIA Ilocos Norte)
