The women make sufficient cloths for their own use and for sale. They spin, dye, and weave the cotton raised there.
LA UNION PROVINCE occupies a narrow strip of land immediately north of the Province of Pangasinan and west of the Mountain Province. Tobacco, rice, sisal, hemp, sugar, coconuts, corn, and cotton form the most important products. At the foot of Mount Bayabas is a hot salt spring. The Manila Railroad operates lines as far as Bauang. San Fernando, the capital, may be reached either by boat or by automobile from Bauang.
Industries ILOCOS SUR PROVINCE.—Immediately north of La Union is the Province of Ilocos Sur, a region specially adapted to the cultivation of maguey the fiber of which constitutes the principal export. But because the soil will not support the population a great many persons have turned to manufacture and trade. This has given rise to industrial specialization in different towns. Those along the coast extract salt from the sea water and export it in great quantities to inland provinces. In San Esteban, there is a quarry of stone from which mortars and grindstones are made. San Vicente, Vigan, and San Ildefonso specialize in woodworking, the first in carved wooden boxes and images and the others in household furniture. Most of the wood used in these handicrafts is imported from Abra and Cagayan. Bantay is the home of skilled silversmiths. In the other towns saddles, harness, slippers, mats, pottery, and hats are made and exported to some extent. Sisal and hemp fiber extraction and weaving of cotton cloth are common household industries throughout the province.
The province embraces within its confines some of the oldest towns in the Philippines. Besides Vigan several other towns already existed in this region before the close of the sixteenth century; namely, Santa, Narvacan, Bantay, Candon, and Sinait.
Just above Narvacan, on the highway which runs along the beach is an ancient watch-tower and a stretch of road bordered by a curious brick retaining wall of Spanish construction. Numerous ancient shrines are also to be seen along the Ilocos roads where the pious prayed that Heavenly favor might be shown them in their journeys.
The towns of Paoay and Batac are noted for their magnificent churches which are worth traveling a long distance to see.
Historical Two important uprisings are recorded in the history of Ilocos Sur—the Malong rebellion in 1660 and the Silang rebellion in 1763. Malong, who was trying to carve out a kingdom for himself in Pangasinan and the neighboring territory, sent his two able generals, “Count” Gumapos and Jacinto Macasiag to the north to effect the conquest of this region. Gumapos and Macasiag, however, proceeded only as far as Vigan, from which place they were recalled by Malong. Diego Silang, who led the great rebellion of 1762, dominated the greater part of Ilocos Sur. He fought pitched battles with the Spanish forces at Vigan and Cabugao and practically succeeded in establishing a government of his own in Ilocos Sur.
ILOCOS NORTE PROVINCE occupies the whole of the coastal plain in the northwestern corner of Luzon. This province is noted for the many revolts that occurred there, from the beginning of Spanish rule to the first decades of the nineteenth century. The two most important were those caused by the general discontent over the tobacco monopoly and over the wine monopoly, which occurred in 1788 and 1807 respectively.
The mountains surrounding the province are covered with fine timber trees. Resin, honey, and wax are also found on their slopes. A few grottos or caves are found in the interior. There are a number of stone quarries. Limestone is found in at least three places, while the beach supplies a great amount of coral for road building. There are also deposits of manganese and asbestos which are being exploited.
The weaving of textiles—towels, blankets, wearing apparel, and handkerchiefs—is the principal industry among women. Mat-making and the pottery industry are also well developed.