Laoag

Laoag is a city and the provincial capital of Ilocos Norte. It is the province's political, commercial, and industrial hub. The historic scenic tourist spots makes Laoag an ecotourism center.

History
Laoag's history stretches back to pre-colonial times. It has been a trading post between the local Austronesian population and the Chinese and Japanese. Laoag was then called Samtoy, from the Ilocano for "this is our language".

The Spaniards came in the 16th century, when Miguel López de Legazpi's son, Juan de Salcedo, ordered the invasion of the northwestern coastline of Luzon, from Vigan toward the present location of Laoag. Colonization began when Spanish friars seized lands for churches, where their belfries also doubled as garrisons through a Spanish royal edict. Due to the law, as well as the abusive treatment of the Ilocanos by the Augustinian friars, locals started numerous rebellions, most notably the Silang rebellions of 1762—63. The first of those rebellions was led by Diego Silang, who led victories against the Spanish colonial authorities in 1762, then in war with the British during the Seven Years' War. Silang was assassinated by his close friend who was hired by the Spanish, where his wife, Gabriela Silang, continued the rebellion until she was captured and hanged.

In 1965, Laoag gained cityhood through a plebiscite, and has remained the capital of Ilocos Norte since then.

Climate
Laoag has a tropical dry and wet climate, being dry from November to April and wet from May to October. Daytime highs average at and nighttime lows at. There is barely any rainfall during the drier months, but it rains almost every day in the rainy season.

Nights are mildly cool during the dry season, where the nightime low temperatures range from, and it almost never rains. Despite its northerly location in mainland Luzon, Laoag is shielded from the cool northeastern monsoon (amihan) by the Central Cordillera and does not suffer extreme nighttime temperatures, unlike Tuguegarao to the east.

The rainy season begins in May and lasts through September. May is a transition from dry and hot conditions to wet and rainy days, so, rainy periods, typically from thunderstorms, are unpredictable through the middle of the month as the southwest monsoon (abagat) advances through the Philippines towards East Asia. Rainfall slowly increases, peaking in August, and suddenly decreases by September. An average of five typhoons pass through Laoag, especially during the last months of the monsoon season.

By bus
Despite having a central government-owned terminal to the west of downtown, buses to Laoag continue to use their dedicated terminals anywhere within the city.



Get around

 * Calesa - Horse-drawn carriage
 * Jeepney
 * Tricycle
 * Rent-a-car

Eat




Go next

 * Vigan
 * Pagudpud
 * Tuguegarao