Region 1:

Region 1 or the

Ilocos Region is composed of four provinces —Ilocos

Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan.

Majority of the population speaks Ilocano, the third largest

spoken language in the Philippines, although a significant number also

speak Pangasinense.

Dialects

Tagalog and English are the medium of instruction in schools. Ilocano is

widely used by the majority people while Pangasinense is spoken in the

central towns of Pangasinan.

Dialects

Industries

The Ilocos Region • Region 1:

Ilocos Norte

The province specializes in the following products and industries:

Agriculture - rice, corn, garlic, legumes, root crops, tobacco, and other fruits and vegetablesFishery - tilapia and assorted fishesLivestock - swine and cattleCottage industries - loom weaving, furniture, ceramics, iron worksManufacturing and food processing

The people are engaged in farming, producing food crops, mostly rice, corn,

vegetable, root crops, and fruits. Non-food crops include tobacco, cotton, and tiger

grass. Cottage industries include loom weaving, furniture making, jewelry making,

ceramics, blacksmithing, and food processing.

Ilocos Sur

La Union

The economy is diversified with service,

manufacturing, and agricultural industries spread throughout the province. The Port of San

Fernando operates as an increasingly active shipping point, and the former American airbase Wallace Air Station, having been converted into a

business and industrial area, helps to facilitate such commercial activity.

La Union

Tourism to the province is driven by airlines and passenger coach bus lines like regionally owned

Farinas Transit Company and Partas.

Pangasinan

Pangasinan specializes in these products and industries:Agriculture - The major crops in Pangasinan are rice, mangoes, corn, and sugar cane.Energy - The 1200 megawatt Sual Coal-Fired Power Plant, and 345 megawatt San Roque Multi-Purpose DamMarine - Pangasinan is a major fish supplier in Luzon, and a major producer of salt in the Philippines.Financial - Pangasinan has 593 banking and financing institutions.

Bacarra DomelessTower

Paoay ChurchLa Paz Sand Dunes

Sinking Bell Tower Pangasinan Province Capitol

Juan Luna Shrine

Vigan

KapurpurawanRock Formation

Sta. Maria Church

Bangui Windmill Pasal Falls

Bolinao

The Ilocanos are known for being hardworking,brave, cheerful and simple. They are independentand work hard.

They share the same basic values as otherFilipinos. Bain is the Ilocano trait for hiyaor amorpropio (sense of shame). Ilocanos fear of gossip andwould strongly avoid being envied by others.

It is essential to show panagdayaw (respect forthe sensitivities of others). Ilocanos tend to speakabout themselves in the humblest of terms.

The structure of the Ilocanofamily conforms to the generalFilipino pattern. Most familiescompose of an average size (6-7persons). The father is the headof the family. The mother isthe Ilaw ng tahanan (light of thehome) who disciplines thechildren and takes care of thehouse budget. The eldest child isresponsible in dividing the choresequally among siblings.

Family

Ilocanos are very meticulous when it comes to

clothing. Everyday wear consists of short pants for

boys, and dusters, loose skirts, shirts, and short pants for girls. Farmers wear long-

sleeved shirts, long pants, and wide-brimmed hats.

During rainy season, Ilocanos wear a headdress of

labig leaves, which extends well down the back.

Wedding traditionIt is important for children to ask the

approval of their parents before marrying their partners. The man should ask the consent of his parents first. The groom’s parents will pay the dowry and finance the wedding.

The groom makes a panagpudno (formal announcement) to the soon-to-be bride’s parents about his intention of marrying their daughter. His parents will then visit the bride’s parents to set the wedding date. Usually, parents consult a planetario, which is like an almanac that identifies “lucky” days.

A feast follows the church ceremony. The bride and groom usually go through an entertainment ritual. The groom offers the bride a plate of mung beans, which symbolizes fertility. The bride refuses the dish several times before finally accepting it. Then the bride offers the beans to the groom whom, in return, refuses the dish until an old man calls an end to the ritual.

Another highlight of the feast is the bitor wherein guests contribute cash to the newlyweds either by dropping money onto the plates or by pinning bills to the couple’s clothes.

To announce a death of a family member, a piece of atong wood is lit in front of the deceased’s house. It is kept burning until after the burial. The fire is extinguished with white wine.

Before the funeral, relatives pay respect by kissing the deceased’s hands or raising it to his/her forehead (mano).

The corpse is kept inside the house. It is dressed in its best clothing and a kerchief is tied around the jaw. A basin of water mixed with vinegar is placed under the bed to remove the odor.

Death Tradition

Money is placed in the coffin. This serves as a pay to the “ferry man” who takes the soul to the other world. Before the burial, relatives conduct a vigil around the body.

Those who attended the burial in the cemetery must

return to the deceased’s home by taking a different

route from the one they’ve taken to get there. Upon

arrival, they must wash their faces and hands. It is said

to remove the power of death.

Death Tradition

Festivals

Bangus Festival

Dagupan City,

Pangasinan

Dinengdeng

Festival

May 1

Agoo La Union

Rimat ti Amianan

December 2nd

week

San Fernando

City, La Union

Viva Vigan FestivalFirst week of MayVigan City

Longaniza FestivalJanuary 22Vigan City

Guling-Guling FestivalEve of Ash WednesdayPaoay, Ilocos Norte

Feast of Señora de ManaoaHoly WeekManaoag, Pangasingan

Pista’s Dayat ,LingayenMay 1Pangasinan

Region II or the

Cagayan Valley Region

Region 2:

Region 2Cagayan Valley

Region

Dialects

IlokoIvatan

IchbayatenIsamurongan

IbanagiItawisTagalogGadanag

The Region has a rich and immense natural and development potentials. It is also abundant in agricultural products such as: rice, corn, peanut, beans, and fruits and livestock products include cattle, hogs, curacaos, and poultry. It has also a vast source of mineral resources like hydro-power – the source of Magat Hydro-Power plant with a 360 megawatt plant supporting the power needs of the Luzon Grid.

Mt. Carmel Chapter

Lighthouse on Naidi Hills

Marlboro Hills

Diura Fishing Village

Mt. Iraya

The MahataoView Deck

Nueva Vizcaya

Calvary Hills, Iguig, Cagayan

Valley

The Calao Cave in Tuguegarao

Palaui Island Isabela

Mt. Pulog, Nueva Vizcaya

“Pattaradday”, a local word for unity was the

main theme of Santiago City’s Pattaradday

Festival, the highlight of which is a grand street

dance parade competition by different contingents from various

towns and provinces.

The people of Batanes

are called Ivatanand share prehistoric cultural and linguistic commonalities with

the Babuyan on Babuyan Island and the Tao people of

Orchid Island.

The majority of people

living in Cagayan are of Ilocano descent, mostly from migrants coming

from the Ilocos Region. Originally, the more

numerous group were the Ibanags, who were

first sighted by the Spanish explorers and

converted to Christianity by missionaries.

The Ibanags, Itawits and Malawegs are mainly lowland farmers whose agricultural practices are similar

to those of the Ilokanos. The Ibanags used to inhabit the area along the Cagayan coast but migrated further inland. They conducted trade with neighboring areas using distinctive seacrafts, and their commercial interests made their language the medium of commerce throughout the region before the influx of Ilokano migrants. They are also excellent blacksmiths and continue to make good bolos. The Ibanags are reputed to be the tallest of all the ethno-linguistic groups in the Philippines.

Region

IIIOr Central Luzon Region

Region 3:

Region 3 or the

Central Luzon Region is composed

of 7 provinces —Aurora, Bulacan,

Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac

and Zambales.

Dialects

1.Tagalog2.Iloko3.Kapampangan4.Zambaleno

Central Luzon is one of the leading growth regions in the Philippines that strategically located at the heart of Asia. No other place with sea and air travel and cargo facilities could equal Central Luzon in terms of almost equal travel in Asia

The Region also combines the advantages of an international airport,

a seaport, industrial and agricultural areas, tourism/leisure sites, and support services/industries. The

complementation of each of these elements enhances the potentials of

the region as an investment site.

Mapanuepe Lake

Angat DamMt. Pinatubo

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

Barasoain Church

Lake Pinatubo

Dinosaurs Island in San Fernando

Dicasalarin CoveMount SamatNational Shrine

Sacred Relic of the True Cross

Nagsasa Cove

Anawangin Cove

Culture here is number one and there are

incredible fiestas that reflect each town’s distinct

culture, from the Giant Lantern Parade in San

Fernando, Pampanga, to the Fertility Rites in

Obando, Bulacan. For stunning nature, the

province of Aurora has a stunning 328-kilometer

coastline where beach and surf rule.

Aguman Sanduk is a weird festival not only because of the freakish makeover of the participants, but also

because it parodies Kapampangan machismo and Kapampangan pulchritude—two biases firmly enshrined

on the altar of Kapampangan sociocultural values.

Banga Festival, Bataan Pamamupul Festival, Pampanga

• Sto. Nino FestivalJanuary 25Malolos City, Bulacan

• Aurora Surfing CupFebruary 8 - 11Baler, Aurora

• Aurora DayFebruary 13 - 19, 2006Baler, Aurora

• Philippine International Hot-Air Balloon Festival2nd Thursday - Sunday of FebruaryClark, Pampanga

• Paynauen Duyan FestivalApril 19 - 23Iba, Zambales

• Tanduyong FestivalApril 25

San Jose City, Nueva Ecija

•Dinamulag Mango FestivalApril 25 - 28Zambales

•Sibit-Sibit Summer FestivalAprilOlongapo City (Brgy. Barreto)

•Araquio of PenarandaMay 8Penaranda, Nueva Ecija

•Pulilan Carabao FestivalMay 14 - 15Pulilan, Bulacan

•Obando Fertility DanceMay 17 - 19Venue Obando, Bulacan