Region 1 or the Ilocos Region is composed of four provinces and a city—Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La

Union, Pangasinan, and Dagupan City.  Majority of the population speaks Ilocano, the third largest
spoken language in the Philippines, although a significant number also speak Pangasinense.

The region has a coast and hilly ranges that are prone to typhoon in the wet months, but devastatingly
hot during the dry season. This is the backdrop of Ilocano food. It’s salty due to the proximity to the sea.
There is even an entire province named after asin (salt) in Pangasinan. Fish is preserved by drying, and of
course, reduced into a paste or sauce by fermentation.

Vegetables are hardy and can weather the rains or extreme heat. Thus, you have dishes
like pinakbet or dinengdeng—locally sourced vegetable, flavored with fish paste.

Locals have a penchant for crunchy things too—like the corn snack, chichacorn; the
delectable longganisa-stuffed empanada; and the deliciously deadly bagnet—cured and fried pieces of
pork belly!There are a lot of natural highlights here too.

Take the Hundred Islands National Park, for instance.  There are 123 islands, each with its own little eco-
system. Some say these islands are 2 million years old. Imagine hiking through a limestone formation
that has seen the dawn of man.Love basking on the sand? The coast provides a colorful array of it from
the greyest of grey to the white beaches of Pagudpud. There’s even one beach that is just pure
pebble.Many of these beaches cater to tourists, like the surfing areas of San Juan in La Union. But take a
while to get lost, and you’ll still find hidden gems in small towns.Architectural masterpieces? There are
three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ilocos Sur alone.

In Vigan, there are 187 documented examples of period architecture. It’s like traveling 500 years back.
And in every town, you’ll find ancient churches—even older than the Missions of California.

For the artist in you, take your time to learn the tedious process of weaving abel. During the colonial
area, abel  was so famous, it almost destroyed Spain’s textile industry. According to specialists, it was
used as sail cloths for the galleons and was comparable to Belgian linen. Abel  was originally used from
the time one was born ‘til one’s death, from baby blanket to death robe. And for all other occasions in
between.

Take some time to plot out your itinerary, because it can be overwhelming. You can tailor your own food
trip, architectural escapade, adventure tour or just relax along the West Philippine Sea. But make sure to
leave some time for the most important part of your journey—getting lost and hanging with the locals.
Ilocos Region (Ilocano: Rehion/Deppaar ti Ilocos; Pangasinan: Sagor na Baybay na Luzon/Rehiyon
Uno; Tagalog: Rehiyon ng Ilocos) is an administrative region of the Philippines, designated as Region I,
occupying the northwestern section of Luzon and part of Central Luzon plain, primarily by Pangasinan. It
is bordered by the Cordillera Administrative Region to the east, the Cagayan Valley to the northeast and
southeast, and the Central Luzon to the south. To the west lies the South China Sea.[4]

The population of Region I – Ilocos as of 01 May 2020 is 5,301,139 based on the 2020 Census of
Population and Housing (2020 CPH). This accounts for about 4.86 percent of the Philippine population in
2020.

The region comprises four provinces ( Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan) and one

independent city (Dagupan City). Its regional center is San Fernando, La Union whereas the largest
settlement is San Carlos City, Pangasinan. The 2000 Census reported that the major languages spoken in
the region are Ilocano at 64% of the total population at that time, Pangasinan with 32.5%,
and Tagalog and other languages with 3.21%.

The Provinces

Pangasinan is located in the west central area of Luzon in the Philippines. It is bordered by La Union to
the north, Benguet and Nueva Vizcaya to the northeast, Nueva Ecija to the southeast,
and Zambales and Tarlac to the south. To the west of Pangasinan is the South China Sea. The province
also encloses the Lingayen Gulf.

The province’s economy is mainly agricultural due to its vast fertile plains. More than 44 percent of its
agricultural area is devoted to crop production. Aside from being one of the Philippine’s rice
granaries, Pangasinan is also a major producer of coconut, mango and eggplant. Pangasinan is the
richest province in the Ilocos Region.

Pangasinan is a major fish supplier in Luzon and a major producer of salt in the Philippines. It has
extensive fishponds mostly for raising bangus or “milkfish” along the coasts of the Lingayen Gulf and
the South China Sea. Pangasinan’s aquaculture includes oyster and sea urchin farms.

Salt is also a major industry. In salt evaporation ponds seawater is mixed with sodium bicarbonate until
the water evaporates and the salt remains. This is their ancient tradition inspired from Egypt.

Popular tourist attractions in Pangasinan include the Hundred Islands National Park in Alaminos the

white-sand beaches of Bolinao and Dasol. Dagupan City is known for its Bangus Festival (“Milkfish
Festival”). Pangasinan is also known for its delicious mangoes and ceramic oven-
baked Calasiao puto (“native rice cake”). Pangasinan occupies a strategic geo-political position in the
central plain of Luzon. Pangasinan has been described as the gateway to northern Luzon.

La Union covers a total area of 1,497.70 square kilometres (578.27 sq mi)[50] occupying the

central-southern section of the Ilocos Region in Luzon. The province is bordered by Ilocos Sur to the
north, Benguet to the east, Pangasinan to the south, and to the west by the South China Sea.

La Union’s economy is diversified with service, manufacturing, and agricultural industries spread
throughout the province. The Port of San Fernando operates as an increasingly active shipping point, and
the former American airbase Wallace Air Station, having been converted into a business and industrial
area, helps to facilitate such commercial activity.
La Union is known for its indigenous textile[69][70] dried fish,[71] woodcarving,[72] and soft
broom[73] industries, as well as its booming tourism sector.

The major products of the province include hand-woven blankets (Inabel), soft brooms, baskets, pottery,
rice wine (tapuey), sugarcane wine (basi), sugarcane vinegar (sukang Iloco), wood craft, bamboo craft,
native rice cakes, antique-finish furniture, dried fish, coconuts, sea urchins, malunggay and pebble
stones.

Known as the “Surfing Capital of the North, the beaches of Barangay Urbiztondo in San Juan is one of La
Union’s major tourist attractions, but there’s more to La Union than just surfing in the Philippines. It also
has centuries-old churches, heritage sites, natural attractions such as the Tangadan Falls, and a thriving
local arts scene along with agri-tourism farms that are open to the public.

Ilocos Sur occupies the central section of the Ilocos Region in northern Luzon. It is bordered by Ilocos
Norte to the north, Abra to the northeast, Mountain Province to the east, Benguet to the southeast, La
Union to the south, and the South China Sea to the west. Its area of 2,596.00 square kilometres
(1,002.32 sq mi)[7] occupies about 20% of the total land area of Region 1. The topography of Ilocos Sur
ranges from 10 to 1,700 metres (33 to 5,577 ft) above sea level.

The people are engaged in farming, producing food crops, mostly rice, corn, vegetable, root crops, and
fruits. Non-food crops include tobacco, cotton, and tigergrass. Cottage industries include loom weaving,
furniture making, jewelry making, ceramics, blacksmithing, and food processing.

The province is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, namely, the Heritage City of Vigan and
the Baroque Church of Santa Maria.

The province is known for its rich culture and history, the heritage sites, adventure parks, and of course,
the food.

Ilocos Norte covers a total area of 3,467.89 square kilometres (1,338.96 sq mi)[41] occupying the northern
tip of the Ilocos Region in Luzon. The province is bordered by Cagayan to the extreme
northeast, Apayao to the east, and Abra to the southeast, Ilocos Sur to the southwest, the South China
Sea to the west, and the Luzon Strait to the north.

The province specializes in the following products and industries:

 Agriculture — rice, corn, garlic, legumes, root crops, tobacco, and other fruits and vegetables

 Fishery — tilapia and assorted fishes

 Livestock — swine and cattle

 Cottage industries — loom weaving, furniture, ceramics, iron works

 Manufacturing and food processing — salt, empanada, bagoong, patis, basi (native Ilocano

wine), vinegar, longganisa, chicharon, bagnet, chichacorn (cornick), jewelry, garments, cereal
processing, packaging, mechanized processing equipment

 Wind Power — Ilocos Norte’s position on the northwest corner of Luzon makes it ideal for wind
power generation. There is currently a 25 Megawatt wind farm in Ilocos Norte, and several more
wind energy projects are being planned
  Tourism

 Pottery

Ilocos Norte is a province in the northern Philippines. Its capital is Laoag City. At the province’s northern
tip, the town of Pagudpud is known for its beaches, like Blue Lagoon, plus bell-shaped Timmangtang
Rock and towering Kabigan Falls. The Ilocos Region is an administrative region of the Philippines,
designated as Region I, The region is also rich in crafts, with renowned blanket-weaving and pottery. The
Ilocanos’ burnay pottery is well known for its dark colored clay.