Narvacan Myhometown

Source: wikipedia.org

Rank and Population:

Narvacan is a second class town and one among the 1,420 municipalities in the Philippines, and one of the 32 towns of Ilocos Sur. Among the 32 municipalities of Ilocos Sur, Candon City had the largest population comprising 8.51% of the total population of the province. Vigan City, the provincial capital, had a share of 7.60%, followed by Narvacan with 6.47%. The total population of the town was 38,435, of which 19,292 males and 19,143 females in 7,803 households.

(Based from the 2000 Census of Population and Housing, NSO).

Discovery:

Narvacan was discovered by a Spanish expeditionary force sent from Vigan, by a military officer and navigator, Captain Juan de Salcedo. The expeditionary force was shipwrecked along the town’s coast. When they were being rescued by the natives, the Spaniards asked the natives what was the name of their place. The resident’s leader replied in an Ilocano dialect by asking the Spaniards “Nalbakan”? (Are you shipwrecked?). The Spaniards thought to be the answer to their question, and from then on, the place was referred to as Narvacan. By the way, there is a Mountain along the coast of Narvacan, visible from the National highway between Limmansangan and Quinarayan called “Bantay Abot” (one of the Barrios of the town). According to legend this was the ship that was being mentioned here.

Geography and Source of Income:

Narvacan is situated near the western coastline of the Island of Luzon and nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains. The south eastern part is a vast farmlands and the western side is the Philippine Sea. A fertile region with a cool tropical climate, the principal crops are corn, cotton, rice, tobacco, sugarcane, corn and at the present time, different varieties of vegetables and fruits. Other than farming, livelihood is also from fishing, weaving and tourism.

Religions:

Narvacan residents are largely Roman Catholic and Methodist Christians, some are other denominations, like Iglesia ni Christo (The Church of Christ), Saksi ni Jehovah (The Jehovah’s Witness) and a few more. Captain Juan de Salcedo, the military officer and navigator, befriended the small tribe of indigenous valley people that resided in the area while Spanish families established a township in 1576. As part of the modern township, Roman Catholic parish was established by the Augustinian religious order on April 25, 1587. The Narvacan Parish church would become one of the first Roman Catholic parishes in present-day Ilocos Sur.

Municipal Component and Government:

During those early years, Narvacan was organized under the traditions of the royal government of Spain. The Habsburg royal family serves as the head of states, which in turn appointed Santiago de Vera as President of the Royal Audiencia - governor over the region in which Narvacan was situated. In 1589, Governor Vera appointed Nicholas de Figueroa as the first Encomendero de Narvacan - principal administrator of the town and its neighbours in the encomienda system. His role eventually evolved into the office of alcalde - royal mayor of Narvacan. At the present time, the mayor is still the head of the town. The Municipality is composed of the vice mayor, the municipal Council, the police force, the treasurer and other municipal administrators that reports to the mayor.

Narvacan is politically subdivided into 34 barangays (barrios):

Abour, Ambulogan, Aquib, Banglayan, Bantay Abot, Bulanos, Cadacad, Cagayungan, Camarao, Casilagan, Codoog, Dasay, Dinalawan, Estancia, Lanipao, Lungog, Margaay, Marozo, Nanguneg, Orence, Pantoc, Paratong, Parparia, Quinarayan, Rivadavia, San Antonio, San Jose, San Pablo, San Pedro, Santa Lucia, Sarmingan, Sucoc, Sulvec, Turod