Meet More Chances

Sarrat is an agricultural town, located 485 km north of Manila. The
main source of livelihood of farmers are rice, tobacco and garlic. The
town houses a tomato paste industry owned by the Northern Food
Corporation.

Sarrat is known as the birth place of the former President, Ferdinand
Marcos. And their ancestral home located at the town proper is one of
the tourist attractions of the town.

The Santa Monica Parish Church or otherwise called Sarrat church was
declared as an Important Cultural Property of the Philippines in 2009.
It is the largest church in Ilocos Norte and one of the most visited
tourist attraction in the province.

The Santa Monica Parish Museum was established in 1993. And it serves
as a repository of artifacts and memorabilia that dates back in 1779,
during the construction of the church edifice.

Other attraction in town are the nipa hut cottages along the banks of
the Padsan river. They are available during summer for picnics and
swimming.


The most awaited festivity of the town is the Rit-ritemon Cayong
Festival, which stands for liberty, unity, courage, leadership and
brotherhood. It is celebrated from April 29th to May 7th. There are a
lot of activities which includes floral parade, beauty pageant and
concerts. But the main event happens on May 5th wherein the whole town
celebrates by preparing a sumptuous lunch for friends, relatives and
visitors.


Visit Sarrat and join the town in celebrating their festival.

For your travel assistance in going to Ilocos Norte, you may want to
read our article, Ilocos Norte :  Travel Up North.

The coastal town of Currimao celebrates Dinaklisan Festival on the
last week of April til the first of May. Dinaklisan is an Iloko word
means caught with a fish net. The festival showcases the traditional
livelihood of the locals which is fishing.

This annual event is a thanksgiving celebration of the residents and
fishermen with the bountiful harvest and safe voyage.

The highlight of the celebration is the Fluvial Parade held on May
1st. This is a tribute and thanksgiving to the town's patron saint,
Nuestra Senora de la Paz or Our Lady of Peace and Safe Voyage.

Other activities are held which includes grilling of fresh seafood.


Visit the beach of Currimao and join the next Dinaklisan Festival, try
to experience their Fluvial Parade.


For your travel assistance in going to Ilocos Norte, you may want to
read our article, Ilocos Norte :  Travel Up North.

Gameng is an Iloco word which means treasure. And the treasure of
Ilocanos are showcased during the Gameng Festival which is held in
Solsona, Ilocos Norte on the last week of January. The celebration
lasts for four to five days.

A series of activities which includes Elementary Day and Secondary Day
includes playground demonstration featuring folk dances.

Another important events are the Community Day and the Balikbayan Day.
And the highlight for these events is the coronation of the Ms.
Balikbayan.

There is as well an event for the youth which is the SK Night. During
this event a beauty pageant is held for young girls aged 14-16.

And the most important event is the street pageantry. A folk or ethnic
dance is presented by the different Barangays. And floats are paraded
around the town carrying the treasures of Ilocos. The floats or
carriages are decorated with indigenous materials. The treasures
carried are the fresh farm harvest of the town.

The simple town of Solsona celebrates this festival by cooking fresh
harvests from the rivers and the mountains.

Celebrate with the town on their next festival and have a taste of
their fresh harvest.

For your travel assistance in going to Ilocos Norte, you may want to
read our article, Ilocos Norte :  Travel Up North.

Ani Festival is the most anticipated event in the town of Dingras. It
is a thanksgiving celebration of the local farmers for the bountiful
harvest within the year.

Dingras is the rice granary of Ilocos Norte. Farmers cultivate other
agricultural products such as garlic, corn, coffee, banana and
vegetables. According to the Augustinian friars during the Spanish
Era, Dingras has the most fertile and most productive soil in the
province.

Ani Festival is celebrated on the last week of March and is a week
long celebration. The festivities start with a thanksgiving mass which
they call Dingras Night or Bless Dingras Night. The highlight of the
event is the dance parade that features ethnic dances and colorful
costumes.

Other programs include agro-industrial fair, beauty pageant,
coronation of Ms. Ani, concerts, choir competition, dance competition,
and food fest.

Join Dingras with their festive  celebration of their abundant harvest.

For your travel assistance in going to Ilocos Norte, you may want to
read our article, Ilocos Norte :  Travel Up North.

The Empanada Festival is celebrated along with the City Charter Day of
Batac which is every 23rd of June. The festival features the process
of making Empanada which is the most popular product of the City.

Batac Empanada characterizes the locals ingenuity, industry,
resourcefulness and creativity. The Empanada Festival promotes the
agricultural products of the City which is the main source of income
by the people.

The colorful empanada is reflected on how the festivities are
celebrated. Activities on this event are mainly the parade of floats
and the Street Dance Drama Showdown. The Dance Showdown is held in a
kilometer stretch on the City proper. The Ilocano culture and
tradition are expressed on the costumes and dance routines.

Empanada Festival is one big event not just in the City of Batac but
in the province of Ilocos Norte. Join the City in their next
celebration, and taste the goodness of the Empanada and witness the
colourful event.

For your travel assistance in going to Ilocos Norte, you may want to
read our article, Ilocos Norte :  Travel Up North.

In Paoay, Guling-guling Festival started during the Spanish Regime
where friars introduce this celebration since the 16th Century. The
event is held on Tuesdays, the day before the Ash Wednesday. The
locals believe that it's the last day of merrymaking before the
observance of the Lenten Season.


Guling is an Iloko word which means to mark or to smear. The highlight
of this festival is the marking of the locals forehead with a sign of
the cross, using a mix of water and rice flour, and this is done by
the mayor of the town. The people believe that through this practice,
their sins are forgiven.


The event is further celebrated with Street Pageantry, where the women
use the traditional woven cloth or inabel for their costume. And not
only that, the locals prepare Dudol, which is a native delicacy made
of rice flour and molasses, given free to people who join the
celebration.


Celebrate Guling-guling Festival and witness this centuries old
tradition and a taste of their culture. For your travel assistance in
going to Ilocos Norte, you may want to read our article, Ilocos Norte
:  Travel Up North.

In San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte December is a month of thanksgiving for
all the blessing received for the whole year celebrated through
festivities. The Damili Festival is an annual event and a month long
celebration of dances, parades, concerts, beauty pageant, popularity
contest, agri-industrial trade fair and exhibits, and sports
competition. The highlights of the celebration is held on the last
week of the month.

The main event of the festival is the Dance Pageantry, wherein a
street dance showdown about the traditional occupation of the town,
damili or terra-cotta pottery is portrayed. It's a way of the locals
to pay tribute to this ancient occupation. The need to revive and
preserve damili, inspired this pageantry and encouraged the local
government to further promote the industry.

Banga or clay pot is one of the main product of pottery in town. It is
an icon of Ilocano heritage. Damili has sustained generations of
families.

The Dance Pageantry portrays the different stages of pottery, which
others call as a scientific presentation. From collecting clay soil to
the last step of pottery which is burning the pot. The jingle used is
an Ilocano song entitled, Agdamdamili reflects the locals character of
humility, industry and love for life despite calamity.

All the barangays participate in  the Street Dance. It is a
competition of colorful costumes, inspired by dresses during the old
times. They use props which are part of everyday life, including clay
pot, farming tools, and farming animals.


Join the people in the next Damili Festival and witness a cultural
heritage of the Ilocanos. For your travel assistance in going to
Ilocos Norte, you may want to read our article, Ilocos Norte :  Travel
Up North.

In Laoag City, February is indeed the most colorful month as it
celebrates the Feast of St. William the Hermit, which is the patron
saint of the city.

The festivity is carried out on the streets through Civic Military
Parade, Street Pageantry or Street Dance, and float competition which
includes Kalesa Festival.

Beauty pageants and popularity contests are regularly held as well.
And other competitions include Sports Festival and Cook Fests. There
are free concerts and shows like Zarsuela.

The highlights of the festival happens from the fourth to the tenth of
February.

So come join the Laoagenos celebration of fun and colors. For your
travel assistance in going to Ilocos Norte, you may want to read our
article, Ilocos Norte :  Travel Up North.

Ingredients for the base:

250g graham crackers, crumbled
100g butter, melted

Ingredients for the filling:

340g cream cheese
1 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 cup mango pulp
1 cup mango, chopped in bite size
10g gelatin
1/2 cup hot water
3 tbsp icing sugar
1/2 cup sugar

Ingredients for glaze topping:

1 cup mango pulp
1 tbsp gelatin
1/2 cup hot water


Procedure for the Base:

Combine the crumbled biscuits and melted butter. Press the mixture to
the dish you are using. Refrigerate it while you make the rest of the
cheesecake.

Procedure for the filling:

Dissolve gelatine in hot water. Whip the whipping cream with 2-3 tbsp
icing sugar, till soft-medium peaks form. Combine the cream cheese and
sugar, till it becomes smooth. Combine the mango puree and warm
gelatine mixture. Add this to the cream cheese mixture. Mix well. Add
the whipping cream to this in two batches and combine well. Add the
mango pieces (if using) and mix well. Pour this mixture over the
biscuit base and return it to the fridge. Make sure that this layer is
refrigerated for a minimum of 2 hours, before adding the glaze
topping.

Procedure for the glaze topping:

Dissolve the gelatin in hot water. Let it warm, add the mango puree
and mix well. Pour this over the cream layer. Let it set then
refrigerate for another 2 hours or till you serve. Garnish with
strawberry.

Keep at room temperature 10 mins before serving, so that the biscuit
layer softens a bit.

It can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Dingras is known as the rice bowl of Ilocos Norte. It's an expansive
plain surrounded by mountains.The Dingras Valley which is drained by
the Padsan River and its tributaries, starts about 20km southeast of
Laoag City. And it includes the towns of Banna, Nueva Era and Piddig.

Dingras is an agricultural town wherein the basic occupation of people
is farming. Being the rice granary of Ilocos Norte, rice is the major
crop of the town. Tobacco comes next. They are growing vegetables,
banana, coffee, garlic and hybrid corn. Aside from farming, the locals
raise piggery and poultry as well.


Vast History of Dingras

Dingras is blessed with natural beauty and rich historical places.


Dingras Church Ruins

The church ruins is now roofless and its remains are covered by moss.
But it is famous of its red-bricked walls and a beautifully  designed
facade. The ruins tell the tale of how it stood still despite the
tragedies.

In 1620, the church was erected  but was destroyed by an earthquake
later on that same year.

In 1680, the Augustinian friars built the church.

In 1707, it was again destroyed by an earthquake. They erected a bigger church.

In 1838, it was ruined by fire.

In 1879, it was again rebuilt.

In 1895, it was renovated and restored.

In 1914, the church was again destroyed by fire and earthquake.

And unfortunately, it was shook by an earthquake again. From that time
on it was never rebuilt.


Colonial Houses

Dingras town proper is dotted with old houses, similar to those in
Vigan. The houses were built since the 19th Century to the early 20th
Century. They are made of bricks, woods and sliding windows made of
capiz shells. These houses pose a haunting beauty that everyone must
see.

The Puruganan Residence is the oldest but it is still remarkable.
There are other houses which includes the Francisca Puruganan-Madamba
which is said to have been built in 1901.


Escoda Museum

The founder of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines was Josefa Llanes
Escoda, who was from Dingras. The museum includes information about
her and the Scouts including photos and other memorabilia.


The local government is working on promoting other tourist destination
of the town. The Madongan Dam which is in San Marcelino. And the
natural falls in Francisco.


Dingras is located 502km north of Manila. For your travel assistance
in going to Ilocos Norte, you may want to read our article, Ilocos
Norte :  Travel Up North.

Badoc is one of the coastal towns of Ilocos Norte. It is located 446km
north of Manila and 38km south of Laoag City.

Aside from fishing and farming, the locals earn a living from cottage
industries like weaving, sugarcane wine (basi-making) and salt-making.
The principal crops of the town are garlic, onion and tobacco.

Being the town bordering the province of Ilocos Sur, it's easy to drop
by its town proper which is just about 2 km away from the highway.
Though it's just a quiet town its nonetheless interesting when it
comes to history and culture.


Juan Luna Shrine

Badoc is the birthplace of the great painter, sculptor and a patriot,
Juan Luna. He was the creator of illustrious paintings acclaimed
internationally. His masterpieces includes The Spoliarium.

The shrine located at the town proper, was Luna's ancestral home. It
is a two storey building made up of clay bricks and woods.

The house displays the family's treasures showing the kind of
lifestyle they had before. It contains antique household items. There
are some of his personal memorabilia and the reproduction of his
paintings.

Some of his brother, General Antonio Luna's belongings are displayed,
which includes his army uniform and sword.


Sanctuary of the Miraculous Statue of the Virgin Mary

The town proves to be a catholic-believer. The parish church that
houses the life-sized statue of the town's patron saint, the Blessed
Virgin.

The statue is said to have been found floating, along with the
Miraculous Statue of The Black Nazarene, on the boundary shores of
Badoc and Sinait. Miraculously, the fishermen from Badoc were not able
to carry the statue of the Black Nazarene to move ashore. But they
were able to get the statue of The Virgin. And the fishermen from
Sinait were able to carry the Statue of The Black  Nazarene. So it was
believed that the Blessed Virgin's statue is meant for Badoc and the
Black Nazarene's to the other town.

It was learned that the statues was sent floating in the sea by secret
catholic missionaries working in Nagasaki, Japan.


For your travel assistance in going to Ilocos Norte, you may want to
read our article, Ilocos Norte :  Travel Up North.