CHAPTER II: SITE PROFILE aquaculture, shipping using the port of San Fernando,

and other industrial sectors.

San Fernando belongs to the District 1 in La Union

SITE PROFILE: MICROSITE (SAN province.
FERNANDO)

The City of San SITE PROFILE: MACROSITE (LA UNION)

Fernando (in La Union is a
La Union was carved from the
1st class component city in
nine towns of Pangasinan,
the Philippines. It is the
three of Ilocos Sur and villages
capital city of La Union and
of the Eastern Pais del
the regional center of
Igorotes in the Cordilleras. It
the Ilocos Region (Region
was formally created by a
I). According to the latest
Royal Decree issued by Queen Isabela of Spain on
Philippine census, it has a
April 18, 1854. The name La Union indicates the union
population of about 114,813 people in
of towns from different provinces.
[1]
24,139 households.
Spanish colonizers saw a thriving community when
San Fernando is the financial, industrial and political
they arrived in La Union in 1572. The area was then a
center of the province, engaged in agriculture,
dynamic trading center especially for gold for
Japanese and Chinese merchants.
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The Augustinians were the first missionaries to build
towns along the coast and converted the residents to
Christians. The region became a base for the Spanish
colonizers to exploit the gold mines in the uplands. In
1661, Andres Malong of Pangasinan tried to snatch La
Union from the Spaniards but was later defeated at
Agoo.
In the late 1700s, Ilocano immigrants moved to the
region to look for greener pastures thus becoming the
majority.
Modern La Union
Presently, La Union is still "young" when compared to
older provinces such as Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos
Norte, Pampanga, Cebu and Cavite. It is a class - A,
progressive and developing province. Its 155 years of
existence since 1850 testifies to reality of the original
vision -- a province geared towards peace, prosperity,
growth and development. The original "dozen" towns
have grown to 19 municipalities and a city. The
additional eight are: Santol, San Gabriel, Bagulin,
Burgos, Pugo, Tubao, Rosario and Sudipen. Although
the rate of economic progress has been noticeable
faster in the coastal towns, the interior towns have
coped with the pace. The network of modern
infrastructure has contributed to the present
progressive condition in agriculture, commerce and
industry. In the late 1990's, the national leadership
declared La Union as one of the archipelago's 12
regional industrial centers.
PHYSICAL PROFILE:
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LOCATION
Agriculture remains the peoples main source of livelihood, with m
The transit point as well as origin-destination of buses plying the Manila-Laoag City route
leafy vegetables, root crops, fruit trees, corn and tobacco. Other
Only 270 kilometers north of Metro Manila (5 to 6 hours fishing especially
of travel those living along the coastline/seashore. The p
by land)
Only 60 kilometers, about an hour, away by car from Baguio
localityCity,
and the Summer
nearly towns Capital of the Philippines and
and provinces.
transit point to the mountain vistas and rich cultural tourist destinations in the highlands of the Cordilleras
136 kilometers, two (2) hours away by car from the Spanish-influenced
Many manufacturing, attractions of Vigan
construction (Ilocos
utility Sur) gas and water
(electric,
Three (3) hours to the old churches of Paoay
service firms have put up shop in the city. Most of the local busin
221 kilometers, Six (6) hours to the white sand beaches of Pagudpud (Ilocos Norte)
78 kilometers away from Urdaneta City trade.
73 kilometers away from Dagupan City
Tourism also invigorates economic activity. The city has several cla
SOCIO-CULTURAL PROFILE:
the needs of businessmen and tourists.
LOCAL ECONOMY

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