Caoayan

Etymology

Prior to the arrival of Spanish expeditions to the area, the Port of Pandan was an important trading post for Chinese and inter-island vessels, and one of the commodities once traded there was bamboo. Later on, Spanish authorities who patrolled the area for pirates known as tirong, came to a place near the island called Puro, and asked the name of the place. Thinking that they wanted to know the name of the bamboo floating in rafts on the Baggoc River waiting to be traded, the natives answered "kawayan." The Spanish then listed the place's name as Caoayan.

From that time on, the place's registered name was Caoayan, and has been registered as a barrio of the capital town Bigaan. It became a parish in 1825. The first missionaries who founded Saint Paul College of Ilocos Sur landed in Pandan. A commemorative marker stands at the Port of Pandan to commemorate the event.

History

Caoayan, which was once a barrio of Ciudad Fernandina (now Vigan) became a municipality in 1911. Don Dimas Querubin was the town's founder and got elected as the first municipal mayor. He was succeeded by his son, Don Asterio Q. Querubin I, who served for four terms and became president of the Mayors' League of Ilocos Sur.

Then in 1998, the first son of Mayor Asterio Q. Querubin, former Naval Officer Manuel Reyes Querubin became the Mayor of Caoayan, completing three generations of Querubins from its founder Don Dimas, Don Asterio, and Manuel 'Nonong.'

Geography

Caoayan is situated 3.78 km from the provincial capital Vigan, and 406.62 km from the country's capital city of Manila.

Barangays

Caoayan is bordered by Vigan to the north and Santa to the west. Caoayan is politically subdivided into 17 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

• Anonang Mayor
• Anonang Menor
• Baggoc
• Callaguip
• Caparacadan
• Don Alejandro Quirolgico (Poblacion)
• Don Dimas Querubin (Poblacion)
• Don Lorenzo Querubin (Poblacion)
• Fuerte
• Manangat
• Naguilian
• Nansuagao
• Pandan
• Pantay Tamurong
• Pantay-Quitiquit
• Puro
• Villamar

Climate

Demographics

In the 2024 census, Caoayan had a population of 19,715 people. The population density was {{sigfig|19,715/17.42|2}} PD/km2.

Economy

Due to its geographical location, fishing has been the main source of livelihood of the inhabitants. Next is agriculture where farmers planted onions, tomatoes, rice and corn bound. The town is also known for its loom-weaving industry which dates back before Spanish regime. Palafox and Associates have declared Caoayan as the fish-bowl and onion basket of Ilocos Sur.

Boat-sailing was one of the major industries of Caoayan but was eased out as means of transportation with the onset of modern highways especially those connecting the Ilocos provinces to Manila and the Cagayan Valley. The provincial government has recognized the Caoayano skill by awarding locals who are engaged in boat-making and calesa-manufacturing as living legends of Ilocos Sur.

Currently, LGU-Caoayan has launched the country's first ever One-Barangay, One-Product (OBOP) program. Although its official One-Town, One-Product (OTOP) as per DTI's initiatives is Abel Iloko, only 5 out of the 17 barangays are into loom-weaving. Under Mayor Goulart, the OBOP was designed to give all barangays equal economic development opportunity. Under this program, non- Abel Iloko barangays are empowered to adopt their respective OBOPs depending on the raw materials that are indigenous and abundant in their communities.

The OBOP has now produced a wide array of local products: processed Rosangis (clam shells), Bagoong Ipon, native Cakes and Delicacies, processed peanuts, Pickled Singkamas (turnips), Smoked Tilapia, Corn Husk souvenir items, Water Lily handicrafts, Smoked/De-boned Bangus (milkfish), with others that are following soon. Abel Iloko weavers have also undergone training programs that will enable them to come up with high-end Abel outputs.

Caoayan is also presently riding on the coattails of Vigan, which has been declared as one of the new 7 wonder cities of the world. To be able to get a fair share of the city's tourist influx, Caoayan opened the Pinakbet Farm in Barangay Nansuagao, offering the quintessential Ilokano dish - Pinakbet - as its centerpiece. These tourism-based projects have been launched to achieve the town's vision of improving all Caoayanos' standard of living through additional revenue and employment generation.

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

Caoayan, belonging to the first congressional district of the province of Ilocos Sur, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.

Elected officials

Education

The Caoayan Schools District Office governs all private and public education within the municipality.

Primary and elementary schools

• Anonang-Naguilian Comm. Sch.
• Baggoc-P. Quitiquit Elementary School
• Cal-laguip Elementary School
• Caoayan Central School
• Caoayan Central School Annex
• Caparacadan Primary School
• Fuerte Elementary School
• Pantay Tamurong Elementary School
• Pandan Elementary School
• Pantay Quitiquit Primary School
• Puro Elementary School
• Villamar Elementary School

Secondary schools

• Caoayan National High School
• Pantay Tamurong National High School
• Puro National High School

Notable personalities

• Elpidio Quirino - 6th President of the Philippines and the first Ilocano President of the Philippines hailed from Caoayan town. He served as representative in the district.

References

References

1. {{DILG detail
2. "2025 National and Local Elections".
3. (January 15, 2021). "Masterlist of Schools".
4. [https://web.archive.org/web/20220626165256/https://halalanresults.abs-cbn.com/local/ilocos-sur/caoayan abs-cbn.com]