Bangar, La Union

Bangar, officially the Municipality of Bangar (Ilocano: Ili ti Bangar; Filipino: Bayan ng Bangar), is a coastal municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. known for its loom-weaving or "abel", and blacksmithing or "panday" industries. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 38,041 people.
The name Bangar is derived from the bangar tree (Sterculia foetida), a species that once thrived in the area now occupied by the town. The bangar tree is characterized by its flowers, which emit a distinct foul odor. Despite this, the tree was historically significant for its various uses. Its wood was highly valued for crafting interior boards of houses, while its fruits, when soaked in oil, were used to produce a deep red dye for handwoven textiles. The tree also held cultural importance, as its large canopy provided a gathering space for the "indios infieles" a term used by Spanish colonizers to describe non-Christianized natives who performed traditional rituals beneath its shade.
1700 marked the official foundation of Bangar when it became a mission field under the patronage of Saint Christopher. However, Christianity was brought as early as the latter part of 1500, when Bangar, with a community of 2,800 inhabitants, was still a visita (chapelry) of Tagudin. The highly skilled, industrious, and peace-loving people were primarily engaged in rice and cotton planting. The beautiful and sturdy handwoven products made by the women of that time even found their way to Europe and it was said that some of these materials were used as boat sails by European seamen. Among the more famous handwoven products made by them were blankets bearing different designs, clothing materials, and mosquito nets. Since chemicals for coloring were very scarce those days, the bark of trees and fruit were used to dye those handwoven products.
The old town was made of three pueblitos (small towns) namely: Villa-Cruz, San Rafael, and San Anastacio. Near these pueblitos were small communities of Igorotes Infieles who paid tribute to the Governor.
Through the Superior Decreto (Executive Decree) signed by Governor-General Antonio Maria Blanco on March 2, 1850, the town of Bangar was made part of the newly created province of La Union. Prior to this, Bangar, Purao (Balaoan) and Namacpacan (Luna) were part of Ilocos Sur. As the years passed by, barrios were formed.
Education during Spanish times consisted of learning the Cartilla and the abecedario. Roman Catholic religion was taught hand-in-hand with good manners. However, formal education was given to students belonging to the upper class. Spanish social life had greatly affected the Indios and in no time, Castilian manners were very evident among them.
The social status of an individual was easily distinguished by the kind of attire one wore. Male peasants were distinguished by their simple camisa de chino and loose pants tied to the waist by braided strings. Female peasants wore simple loose blouses and ankle-length skirts, with a camison, made from cotton fabric, worn underneath. The peasantry were usually barefooted, and if there was anything worn on the feet, it was the kammadang (wooden shoes) or a pair of slippers.
Men of the upper class were distinguished by the barong and camisa de chino made of fine fabric, and trousers cut in the western style. He wore socks and leather shoes and on the head was a hat, which was usually plumed. A walking cane in various styles and colors and encased in gold, silver or bronze was indispensable. He never smoked without using a pipe.
The upper-class lady was very fastidious. She had her hair done in a brushed up coiffure. They curled their hair by using the stem of the papaya leaf and iron rod which was heated over burning charcoal. However, so much care was given using this method. Other women preferred to tie their hair in curls in the evening and untie it in the morning. Ladies wore the "Maria Clara" or the camisa with embroidered and stitched butterfly sleeves and matching panuelo. They used alfiler (pins) made of gold or silver. A comb called peineta, usually fan-shaped and encrusted with silver or gold, adorned their hair. The skirt, which was usually billowy, was made from very fine fabric from China. Underneath she wore a long camison and over it the nuagas. The outer skirt was still topped by beautiful imported lace. A perfumed fan and a big handkerchief trimmed with lace, hanging on the right side of the skirt tucked to her waistline, was part of the attire. On Sundays and holidays of obligation, a mantilla made of lace, which covered the head down to the waist and tucked to the hair by a gold pin was obligatory for the Holy Mass. On the feet, the lady wore a zapatilla, usually half-heeled and adorned with artificial rhinestones. A gold pendant hanging from a gold necklace around the neck was also part of the attire. The tamborine, a gold necklace with intricate designs was also worn on special days.
US-styled education was implemented with the coming of the Americans in 1898. Education had a very high standard then, such that one who finished the fourth grade could teach those who were in the lower years.
The impact of World War II was first felt in Bangar on December 8, 1941, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. A lantern competition, which was sponsored by Rev. Jose Brillantes, the parish priest, was hastily canceled and churchgoers had to hurry home after the Holy Mass as they immediately prepared for evacuation. On December 20, 1941, the Japanese Army entered Bangar. They put up sentries along the national road and also had one at the Municipal building and another at the plaza. The Japanese occupation required all citizens to display and pin small Japanese flags outside the pocket of the shirt or blouse with the name of the holder written in Japanese. According to them, this was to distinguish peaceful citizens from guerrillas.
Sometime in 1944, on the day Bangar was celebrating the birthday of Emperor Hirohito with a program at the town plaza, a truckload of Japanese soldiers arrived with a lone Filipino who was said to have been captured somewhere in Bacnotan. It was told that the Japanese took the Filipino behind the southern school building and ordered him to dig what was to be his own grave. Upon sensing that his hours on earth were counted, the Filipino suddenly grabbed and unsheathed the sword of an officer who was standing nearby and in one hit motion with the sword, the officer almost got beheaded. This stunned the Japanese soldiers and the Filipino was able to escape unhurt. The whole town was gripped in terror since this would mean Japanese reprisals—on December 28, 1944, the Japanese burned many houses in the town proper and raided the camp of the guerrillas in barrio San Cristobal.
The Underground Movement was very strong during the Japanese occupation of Bangar. Many residents joined the guerrillas, who had put up camps in San Cristobal. Further in the mountains at Lonoy, they also joined "Camp 121". Colonel Volkman and Major Agtarap led the guerrilla movement. The arms that were supplied to the guerrillas landed at Paraoir and men had to carry bolos at nighttime.
The first Americans to reach Bangar during its liberation were a certain Captain Roberts with his men.
During the Northern Luzon Campaign, Filipino soldiers and guerrillas of the 121st Infantry Regiment, Philippine Commonwealth Army, USAFIP-NL are started the liberation campaign in Bangar in 1945 and helped by the U.S. liberation forces against Japanese Imperial Army forces towards the end of the war.
Today, Bangar is known for its handwoven cloth called abel and blacksmithing (panday). Its agricultural products include rice, corn, sugar cane, peanuts, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and Virginia tobacco.
The northernmost town of La Union, alongside Sudipen, Bangar is also the smallest municipality in the province with an area of 3,736 hectares (9,230 acres). It is bounded by the South China Sea to the west, Sudipen to the east, and Balaoan and Luna to the south-west. The Amburayan River flows to the north of Bangar, separating it from Tagudin.
Bangar is 307 kilometres (191 mi) from Metro Manila, 38 kilometres (24 mi) from San Fernando, the provincial capital, and 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Luna.
Bangar is politically subdivided into 33 baranngays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
According to the 2020 census, the population of Bangar, La Union, was 38,041 people, with a density of 1,000 inhabitants per square kilometre or 2,600 inhabitants per square mile.
Poverty incidence of Bangar
Bangar is part of the first congressional district of the province of La Union. It 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.
The town has 16 public elementary schools, two national high schools, a private school (offering complete pre-elementary, elementary, and high school education), one specialized high school, one technical-vocational school, and one tertiary school.