# Sudipen

Sudipen (Southern Ilocano pronunciation:), officially the Municipality of Sudipen (Ilocano: Ili ti Sudipen; Filipino: Bayan ng Sudipen), is a landlocked municipality in the northernmost province of La Union, Philippines. It is separated from the Amburayan River and is known for its bamboo basket weaving industry. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 17,187 people.

## Etymology

The name "Sudipen" originated from the Spanish colonial period. According to local history, a group of Spanish soldiers reached a barrio known today as Old Central, where they encountered villagers repairing the roof of a barrio hall. When the soldiers asked for the name of the place, the villagers, misunderstanding the question, responded in Iloco language: “suksukdipan mi toy abong apo,” meaning, “we are patching the roof, sir.” The soldiers recorded the word "Sukdipan," which was later modified to "Sudipen" under the American regime.

## History

Sudipen was originally a settlement for cultural minorities from the Mountain Province. Early settlers primarily consisted of the Kankanaey and Bago tribes, who lived along the Amburayan River and the foothills of the Cordillera Central.
During the Spanish colonization, Sudipen was a barrio of Bangar, La Union. In 1906, Bartolome Laoagan Apusen, a notable leader from Pias, Salcedo, Ilocos Sur, organized the area into a township under the province of Lepanto-Bontoc with the sub-province of Amburayan. He was instrumental in rallying the support of the locals to gain recognition as a formal township, paving the way for its eventual growth.
The town endured challenges during the Philippine Revolution against Spain and the subsequent Philippine-American War, during which local leaders and tribespeople resisted external control. The Amburayan River served as both a natural defense and a supply route for the locals during these turbulent times. The area witnessed gradual development under American rule, including the establishment of schools and basic infrastructure.
By 1917, the area of Amburayan was greatly reduced with the enactment of Act No. 2711, or the Revised Administrative Code of the Philippine Islands. The law placed Sudipen under the jurisdiction of La Union together with municipal districts of San Gabriel and Santol.
By virtue of Executive Order No. 72 signed by President Manuel Roxas on July 30, 1947, Sudipen, along with San Gabriel and Pugo, was officially organized into a regular municipality. On August 17, 1947, it was reclassified as a sixth-class municipality of La Union, increasing the number of the province’s municipalities to 17.

## Geography

Sudipen has a total land area of 10,048.714978 hectares, making it the fifth-largest municipality in La Union. The municipality is located 312 kilometers (194 miles) north-northwest of Manila and 43 kilometers (27 miles) from the provincial capital the City of San Fernando, La Union. It is bordered by Bangar to the northwest, Balaoan to the southwest, Tagudin to the north, Alilem to the northeast, and Sugpon to the southeast in the province of Ilocos Sur, with the Amburayan River serving as the boundary, and lastly Santol to the south.
Sudipen's geography is shaped by two major rivers: the Amburayan River, which marks its northern and eastern boundaries, and the Lalonga or Chico River, which flows through the barangays of Bigbiga, Bulalaan, and Maliclico. These rivers are vital for agricultural and domestic needs and also supply water to neighboring towns like Bangar, Luna, and Balaoan.

### Barangays

Sudipen is politically subdivided into 17 barangays. Five are upland barangays, while 12 are in the lowlands. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios. Barangay Bulalaan is the largest barangay, covering 8,988 hectares (22,210 acres), while Barangay Poblacion is the smallest, with an area of only 82 hectares (200 acres).
* Bigbiga
* Bulalaan
* Castro
* Duplas
* Ilocano
* Ipet
* Maliclico
* Namaltugan
* Old Central ('Nagpanaoan)
* Poblacion
* Porporiket
* San Francisco Norte
* San Francisco Sur
* San Jose
* Sengngat
* Turod
* Up-uplas

### Climate

Climate data for Sudipen, La Union :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30 (86) | 31 (88) | 33 (91) | 33 (91) | 32 (90) | 31 (88) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 31 (88) | 31 (88) | 31 (88) | 31 (88) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 20 (68) | 21 (70) | 23 (73) | 25 (77) | 26 (79) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 23 (73) | 22 (72) | 21 (70) | 23 (74) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 27 (1.1) | 31 (1.2) | 40 (1.6) | 71 (2.8) | 207 (8.1) | 237 (9.3) | 286 (11.3) | 261 (10.3) | 261 (10.3) | 254 (10.0) | 88 (3.5) | 46 (1.8) | 1,809 (71.3) |
| Average rainy days | 9.4 | 9.3 | 12.7 | 17.0 | 25.4 | 26.8 | 27.4 | 26.1 | 25.0 | 21.0 | 15.5 | 10.6 | 226.2 |
| Source: Meteoblue ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

In the 2020 census, the population of Sudipen was 17,187 people, with a density of 180 inhabitants per square kilometre or 470 inhabitants per square mile.

## Economy

Poverty incidence of Sudipen
* 10
* 20
* 30
* 40
* 50
* 2000 42.29
* 2003 35.18
* 2006 33.10
* 2009 25.82
* 2012 14.73
* 2015 9.66
* 2018 3.95
* 2021 11.29
* Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

## Government
### Local government

Sudipen, belonging to the first congressional district of the province of La Union, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. The mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.

### Elected officials

Members of the Municipal Council (2019–2022) :
| Position | Name |
| Congressman | Pablo C. Ortega |
| Mayor | Wendy Joy D. Buquing |
| Vice-Mayor | Melvin G. Macusi |
| Councilors | Tita D. Mostoles |
| Councilors | Edwin M. Belisoa Jr. |
| Councilors | Joebet L. Dee |
| Councilors | Demy L. Danguecan |
| Councilors | Thelma R. Peña |
| Councilors | Bery A. Yadao |
| Councilors | Marcelina P. Leonen |
| Councilors | Yna P. Castro |

## Gallery

* Municipal hall
* Town center
* Sudipen Farmers Public Market
* Sudipen Central School
* Sudipen terminal