City of Vigan Ciudad ti Bigan Lungsod ng Vigan
—  City  —
Vigan City
Nickname(s): Ciudad Fernandina de Vigan
Map of Ilocos Sur showing the location of Vigan.
Country	Philippines
Region	Ilocos Region (Region I)
Districts	1st District of Ilocos Sur
Barrios or Barangays	39
Cityhood	January 22, 2001
Government
• Mayor	Eva Marie Singson-Medina
Area
• Total	11 km2 (4 sq mi)
Population (2007)
• Total	47,246
• Density	4,295/km2 (11,120/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
Area code(s)	77
Website	www.vigancity.gov.ph

The City of Vigan (Ilokano: Ciudad ti Bigan; Tagalog: Vīgân; Chinese: 美岸; pinyin: Měi'àn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Bîgá) is a 5th class city in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. It is the capital of the Province of Ilocos Sur. The city is located on the western coast of the large island of Luzon, facing the South China Sea.

It is a World Heritage Site in that it is one of the few Hispanic towns left in the Philippines, and is well known for its cobblestone streets, and a unique architecture that fuses Philippine and Oriental building designs and construction, with colonial European architecture.

According to the latest Philippines census, it has a population of 47,246 people in 9,193 households.

Former Philippine president Elpidio Quirino, the sixth president of the Philippines, was born in Vigan, at the current location of the Provincial Jail (his father was a warden); and resided in the Syquia Mansion.

Etymology[link]

The area of Vigan was originally a settlement of traders coming from the Fujian Province, China. At the time of Spanish colonisation, the Chinese settlers, whose language was Southern Fujianese (Min Nan, often referred to as "Hokkien" by most Filipinos), referred to the area as "Bee Gan" (Chinese: 美岸; pinyin: Měi'àn), which means "Beautiful Shore." Since the Castillian and Basque Spanish conquistadors interchanged V and the B to refer to the B sound, they spelled the Hokkien Chinese name "Bee Gan" as "Vigan", which is the name used to this day.

Vigan's Chinese heritage is still evident from the numerous elite Chinese creole families who come from the area, many of whom adopted Hispanic family names. Others, such as the Sy-Quia family, have retained Chinese-derived surnames, though most, if not all, of the Christian Chinese creole families fully Hispanicised themselves culturally.

The most commonly known source of the city's name is from the Biga'a plant, which once grew abundantly along the banks of the Meztiso River, from which captain Juan de Salcedo derived the city's name (after a misunderstanding with the locals, thinking he was asking the name of the plants).

Other names[link]

The city's full name at the time of its Spanish foundation was "Villa Fernandina", or "Town of Ferdinand", in honour of Prince Ferdinand, the firstborn son of King Philip II of Spain. As the city grew, and the seat of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia transferred to Vigan, it was later renamed "Ciudad Fernandina de Vigan" ("Ferdinand's City of Vigan").

History[link]

Historic Town of Vigan *
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Country	Philippines
Type	Cultural
Criteria	ii, iv
Reference	502
Region **	Asia-Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription	1999 (23rd Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List ** Region as classified by UNESCO

Vigan is an island which is separated from the mainland by three bodies of water:^{[citation needed]} the Abra River, the Mestizo River, and the Govantes River. The city is unique in the Philippines because it is one of many extensive surviving Philippine historic cities, dating back to the 16th century.

Vigan was a coastal trading post long before the Spaniards arrived; Chinese traders sailing from the South China Sea came to Isla de Vigan (Island of Vigan) via the Mestizo River that surrounded the island. On board their ships were sea-faring merchants that came to trade goods from other Asian kingdoms in exchange for gold, beeswax, and other mountain products brought by the indigenous peoples from the Cordilleras region.

In the book The Philippine Island (Vol. III, p. 276, Blair and Robertson) two letters from Governor General Guido de Lavezaris to King Philip II of Spain mention: "It seemed best to send Captain Juan de Salcedo with 70 or 80 soldiers to explore the coast of Los Ilocano on the shores of the river called Bigan." The Spaniards marched north from Manila on May 20, 1572 and arrived in Vigan on June 12, 1572.

Thus, after the successful expedition and the exploration of the North, Juan de Salcedo founded "Villa Fernandina de Vigan" in honor of King Philip II’s son, Prince Ferdinand, who died at the age of four. From Vigan, Salcedo rounded the tip of Luzon and proceeded to pacify Camarines, Albay, and Catanduanes.

As a reward for his services to the King of Spain, Salcedo was awarded the old province of Ilocos which consisted of the modern provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, La Union and part of Mountain Province as his hacienda (estate), and was accorded the title of "Justicia Mayor de esta Provincia de Ylocos" (Province Mayor of Ilocos).

In 1576, Salcedo returned to the capital of his encomienda (trusteeship), Vigan, bringing with him his soldiers, and some Augustinian missionaries to pioneer the evangelization of the Ilocos region. He established a Spanish city for the purpose of controlling the neighboring country.

Governor General Gómez Pérez Dasmariñas, in his Account of encomienda dated in Manila on May 31, 1591 states: "The town of Vigan called Villa Fernandina consisted of Spanish settlers; a priest; a Justice Alcalde Mayor (Governor); and a Deputy. The King collects 800 tributes (equivalent to 3,200 subjects)." During this period, Vigan was composed of 19 barrios (districts).

Between 1645 to 1660, Vigan was divided into 21 Cavezas de Barrios (Town Mayors) as mentioned in the Libro de Casamiento (Book of Marriage); from the records of the parish house of Vigan found in its Archives. Separated from the indigenous population; the Chinese migrants were residents in a neighbourhood called pariancillo, Los Sangleyes del parian (The Sangleyes of Parian); and the Spanish settlers were residents in a town called Los Españoles de la Villa (The Town of the Spaniards).

During the Philippine Revolution of 1896 to 1898, Philippine Revolutionary forces, supported by the Ilocano rebels, attacked and defeated the Spanish Colonial forces and captured the city in the Siege of Vigan. Starting from the Philippine-American War from 1899 to 1901, American Colonial troops occupied the city. Forces led by Col. James Parker occupied the Cathedral.

During World War II, Japanese Imperial Army planes bombed Vigan on December 1941 and Japanese troops occupied the town in 1942. In 1945, combined U.S. and Philippine Commonwealth ground troops, aided by Ilocano resistance fighters, defeated the Japanese Imperial forces and liberated Vigan.

The Movie by Bonda Fajardo "ILIW" , 2010 [[1]]: Colonel Takahashi & Fr. Joseph Klecamf protected "VIGAN" neither to be burned by Japanese Army nor attacked by US Army.

Geography[link]

Vigan can be found 120 23’ 15’’ east longitude and 17 34’ 30’’ north latitude. It is in the northern part of Luzon, the Philippines’ largest island. It serves as the capital of Ilocos Sur and has been a major political and trading center since before the Spanish colonizers arrived in the Philippines.

Its favorable geographical features and location continues to make it a very accessible center. It is only 408 kilometers away from Manila, 45 kilometers away from Laoag City, and 139 kilometers away from San Fernando, La Union, the regional capital.

Topography[link]

Its 2,511 hectares of land consists mostly of plains with gentle hills. Its boundaries on the north, east, south, and west are the municipalities of Bantay, Santa, Caoayan, and Sta. Catalina, respectively. The West Philippine Sea is on its southwest portion.

Majority of its land, 60 percent of it, is used for agriculture. Around 32 percent is made up of residential area, nearly three percent are for commercial and industrial use, and around one percent is for institutional purposes. There are also forest reserves and fishponds included in Vigan’s land area.

Vigan is made up of 39 barangays. Thirty of them are classified as rural, bu they occupy only 23.66 hectares. The remaining nine are classified as poblacion barangays and are together 144.75 hectares big.

The barangays of Pagburnayan, Paoa, and Tamag are on the area of rolling plains. On the other hand, portions of Barangays Tamag and the barangays of Bulala and Salindeg are found on the city's hilly parts.

Its most dominant hill feature is the Vigan Gap Hill in the eastern part, just 10 kilometers away from the city. Vigan used to be separated from the rest of the mainland by the rivers of Abra, Mestizo and Govantes, making it an island during that time. The Govantes River cuts the current Vigan plain from North to South.

The large Abra and Mestizo rivers, together with the rivers of Bantay, Bantaoay, Nauman and Sto. Tomas serve as part of a network that drain the Vigan plains. These rivers are not only important in safekeeping the city from floods, they also served as important ways of transport for trade-related activities from the 1400s to the 1800s, that helped make Vigan a thriving center. The most vital of these rivers is said to be the Mestizo River which was used by the small vessels to transport goods and people.

There is a faulting trend in the Vigan plain that ends in Sta. Catalina.

Soil type[link]

The land area of Vigan is generally flat. Slopes of 20 are found at Brgy. V, Tamag, and Paoa. There are no forest reserves in the city in terms of potential and raw materials. Bamboo is the only forest product in Vigan.

There are five soil types in the city. First, the Bantay Loam, located at the southern portion of Raois, has a land area of 36.67 hectares, and is good as pastureland. The second, Umingan sandy, with a land area of 1191.57 hectares, is good for upland rice and vegetables. The third, San Manuel clay loam, which is best for bananas, cotton and vegetables, has an area of 1244.57 hectares. The fourth, Bantog clay--considered as the most significant type for soil, and the best clay material for making pots, jars and all earthenware, has a land area of 31.65 hectares. The fifth, beach sand, with a land area of 7.28 hectares, is generally found on the shores of all the beaches of Vigan, and is best for coconut plantation.

Urban structures[link]

When Juan de Salcedo founded Vigan in 1572, he decided to pattern its urban plan with that of Intramuros, the walled city in Manila. There were not many to copy from as Vigan or Ciudad Fernandina, as it was earlier named, was amongst the earliest settlements built by the Spaniards in the country.

The urban planners of the Spanish government also followed a basic pattern that can be observed in most old towns in the country, whose establishment dates back to the Spanish colonial period. This pattern is detailed in the Ley de las Indias, the Law of the Indies, and was put into force in the 18th century. Under the Law of the Indies streets were to follow a grid pattern, the center of which being a plaza or central park.

In Vigan, the central park is the Plaza Salcedo. Next to it are the administrative buildings--the Casa Real or provincial administrative office, and the municipio (municipal hall). A stone's throw away are the religious buildings--the seminary of the archdiocese, the Arzobispado (Archbishop's Palace), and the St. Paul's Cathedral. Beside these religious structures is the church-run school, the Saint Paul College, known in its early days as the Colegio de Ninas. (It is currently being occupied by a retail store chain.)

A unique thing is the existence of another plaza, the Plaza Burgos, which is immediately beside the St. Paul's Cathedral. After the first tier emanating from Plaza Salcedo are the houses of prominent residents that now make up the preserved heritage houses of Vigan. This urban plan remained relatively intact despite wars and natural calamities that have been endured by Vigan since its foundation.

The major changes to the original urban landscape were caused by fires. The Casa Real was replaced with a provincial capitol building during the American period when the original structure burned down. The archdiocese seminary was also destroyed by fire in 1968, and it lay in ruins until the late 1990s, when part of a shopping mall was built on the site.

The residential areas were not spared. Some of the houses on Crisologo Street were casualties of fire during the Japanese period; several houses on Quezon Avenue were destroyed by fire as well in 1952; while in 1971, some houses near Plaza Burgos burned down as well. The houses along Crisologo Street that were burned were later reconstructed faithfully following the architecture of the former structures.

Presently, there are other major areas of activities other than the two plazas, though these are still where most recreation and shopping are done. One may also go to the southern part of the city to reach the commercial area and public market. The current Public Market is a new one, as the old one (formerly the Imelda Socio-Commercial Complex), on the same site, was (also) destroyed by fire. The very first Public Market, found in the center of the business district, is now the site of new commercial buildings and the site of a tricycle-for-hire terminal.

Geologic base and mineral resources[link]

The sedimentary and metamorphic rocks that are present in the city are Alluvium, fluviatille, lacuatine, pludal and beach deposits such as coral, stools, and beach rock. These are predominantly found along the coastal areas of Vigan. An important non-metallic mineral resource found in Vigan is the kind of clay that is used in making earthen jars locally called burnay. Earthenware of different uses and sizes are made of this kind of clay. Known as Bantog clay, the mineral is the basic material in making bricks. These bricks are the original materials in building the cool Hispanic houses of Vigan.

Unique environment[link]

Vigan is a unique environment in both its natural and man-made features. It is traversed by two river systems, namely the Govantes and Mestizo Rivers. Its tributaries flow into the Pangada River in Sta. Catalina, Caoayan River in Caoayan, Boquing River in Bantay, and Bantaoay River in San Vicente.

Unlike other municipalities with towering mountains, Vigan is mostly plains with gently rising hills on the southern portion. Most of its lands outside of the urban center or poblacion are devoted to agriculture. The coastal plains found along the western side of the city bounded by the West Philippine Sea are predominantly settled with Mindoro Beach as its location.

Physiography[link]

Vigan is situated in a Quarterly Age sedimentary plain called the Vigan-Bantay Plain which is part of the Ilocos coastal plain. The Vigan-Bantay Plain is bounded on the east by a moderately rugged Miocene sediments consisting of interbedded sandstones and shale to very rugged Meta-volcanics and Meta sediment topography; on the south is the Municipality of Santa where the north-south trending fault terminates; to the west is the West Philippine Sea; while the northern boundary opens to the northern extension of the Ilocos coastal plain.

The central part of the plain is characterized by a dissected ridge of Plio-Pleistocene age that trends in a northeast-southwest direction. The ridge divides the Vigan-Bantay Plain into northern and southern plains.

The northern part of the plain is drained by minor rivers namely: Bantaoay, Sto. Tomas, and Nauman rivers, while the Abra River is the main drainage network of the southern portion of the plain. The Abra River meanders into the hinterland but exhibits a braided pattern across the plain.

The drainage network of the eastern margin of Vigan-Bantay plain consist of deeply cut valleys whose pattern is strongly controlled by main faulting trends, particularly those in the northerly and easterly directions.

Vigan is being drained by the Vigan River and Bantay River, respectively, on the north and on the south by Mestizo River whose water discharge comes from the Bantaoay head waters.

The relief of the Vigan-Bantay plain is actively level to undulating with a slope ranging from 0% to 8%. Vigan in particular is generally in level with several hills in Barangays Tamag, Bulala, and Salindeg, sometimes reaching about 50 meters in elevation and has a slope ranging from 3% to 8%.

The eastern margin of the plain characterized by a steep to very steep slope, about 40% to 60%, the relief often reaches an elevation of more that 600 meters especially the northerly and easterly portion.

The dominant topographic feature in the eastern margin of the town is the Vigan Gap Hill where the continuously shifting Vigan River cuts its way. The Gap Hill is located approximately 10 kilometers east of Vigan.

Weather and climate[link]

The city of Vigan falls under the first climate type in the Philippines which is characterized by two pronounced seasons--the dry season which starts from the month of November and ends in April; and the wet season which spans the months of May to October. The average annual rainfall is 190.683 mm. and the heaviest registered rainfall is 693. 3 mm.

The average temperature is 26°C. The average warmest temperature is 30.9°C and the average coldest temperature is 21.1°C. An average of 7-10 typhoons visit Vigan annually. The average relative humidity is 81%.

Transportation[link]

Air transportation[link]

A secondary airport called Mindoro Airport (also known as Vigan Airport) is located at Brgy. Mindoro. It has one asphalted runway, 900 meters long and 30 meters wide. The airport was once a sleeping asset of the city for it does not, in any way, generate revenue, with only chartered and private planes using it; but it is currently being upgraded, and is on its way towards its commercialization, in order to attract tourists and to lighten the burden of traveling to Vigan from Manila and most parts of the Philippines.

Land transportation[link]

Vigan City is well-served by a network of roads and a major highway that connects to Maharlika Highway and Manila North Road, two highways leading to Manila and the rest of the country. Bus companies such as Dominion Bus Lines, Viron Transit, Partas, and Aniceto/St. Joseph operate terminals in Vigan. Bus companies such as Philippine Rabbit Bus Line, Florida, Maria de Leon, and Fariñas pass by Vigan on their way to Laoag. GMW Florida Transport operates a terminal at the entrance to Vigan. They operate direct and/or indirect bus services from Vigan City to various points in Luzon, mostly to Manila, Baguio, and Laoag; and vice versa.

Mode of transport[link]

Modes of transport within the city are purely land-based. Vehicles for public use include jeepneys, tricycles, vans-for-hire (or PUVs/public utility vehicles) and calesas (horse-drawn vehicles). Buses, Mini-buses and jeepneys provide transportation to and from Vigan. The Metro Vigan transport system is mostly served by tricycles, which are color- and number-coded for purposes of identifying their municipality of origin.

Tourist activities[link]

Festivals[link]

Semana Santa[link]

St. Paul’s Metropolitan Cathedral is the venue of religious rites during the Holy Week. The Good Friday procession features decorated carrozas bearing life-size statues of Spanish vintage. On Easter Sunday, the dawn celebration depicting the Resurrection of Christ, called "Sabet", is a scene to behold.

Viva Vigan Arts and Industry Festival[link]

Every first week of May, Vigan plays host to visitors for this festival featuring painting and product exhibits, a Calesa parade, and other cultural activities.

Districts[link]

Vigan City is subdivided into 39 barrios or barangays.

Points of interest[link]

• Vigan Cathedral/St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral - the seat of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia. Burial place of the great Ilocano poet Leona Florentino. It also houses the replica of the Miraculous Santo Cristo Milagroso (the original being in Sinait, Ilocos Sur).
• Archbishop's Residence - Located next to the Vigan Cathedral, The Archbishop's Palace of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia is the oldest continually-inhabited Archbishop's residence in the Philippines, with the building itself dating to the 16th century. It was completed in 1793 after a span of 7 years. It features sliding capiz windows and cut-out decorations with floral motifs. It has a back entrance that leads to the nearby Govantes Dike, which was once a docking port for water craft. The palace has a collection of priceless ecclesiastical artifacts and relics from other Ilocos churches.
• Father Jose Burgos' Residence - Located almost behind the Provincial Capitol. The birthplace of Father Jose Burgos, one of the three martyred Filipino priests at Bagumbayan (GOMBURZA). It also houses Ilocano artifacts and ethnic arts of the Tinggians.
• Plaza Burgos - dedicated to the memory of Father Jose Burgos. Located beside the Vigan Cathedral. Depending on the weather, the streets surrounding it (except for the street adjacent to the Empanadaan) is closed off to motorized traffic every Saturday and Sunday to allow people to walk the streets freely.
• Vigan Empanadaan - a reserved location where visitors can sample Vigan's famous empanada; as well as sinanglao (traditional hotpot made of beef innards). Located at the eastern part of Plaza Burgos.
• Baluarte - a mini-zoo located in Salindeg where visitors can see a variety of animals (including tigers and ostriches). It is also a popular venue for special events such as seminars and conferences.
• Pagburnayan - a barangay at the southwestern end of Liberation Boulevard in Vigan, where the famous Ilocano jar called burnay, used for storing locally-made vinegar, local wine (called basi), and fish sauce (bagoong); and as decorative ware, is produced. Tourists can see these factories making the burnay using pre-historic methods of production, using carabaos (water buffalos) to knead the clay, and foot-powered potter's wheels to turn the clay into burnay jars.
• Pagpartian - where the great conquistador Juan de Salcedo landed when he arrived in Vigan through the Mestizo River. Also the site of the city slaughterhouse, built during the Spanish Era.
• Hidden Garden - Located in Bulala (a barrio known for its making of bricks, pots, and other objects made of clay), it is a wonderland of greenery, with a mini-snack bar nestled somewhere in the middle.
• Quezon Avenue - the business center of Vigan.
• Vigan Public Market - where visitors can purchase delicacies like Vigan Longanisa (native pork sausages) and bagnet (deep-fried crispy pork).
• Plaza Salcedo - dedicated to the memory of the great conquistador Juan de Salcedo. It is also the site of Gabriela Silang's public hanging in 1763. Located in front of the Vigan Cathedral.
• Vigan Heritage Village - Also known as the Mestizo District, it is what Vigan City is known for—streets lined with Spanish Era ancestral houses (with ancient tile roofs, massive hardwood floorings, balustrades and azoteas in varying Spanish, Mexican, and Chinese architectural styles) and cobble-stoned streets, which led to Vigan's inscription in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Tourists can buy souvenirs or even ride a calesa (horse-drawn buggy). The Heritage Village mostly covers two streets: Plaridel Street and (mostly) Mena Crisologo Street.
• Syquia Mansion - the Vigan residence of Elpidio Quirino, 6th President of the Philippines.
• Crisologo Museum - the residence of the Crisologo family in Vigan converted into a museum. It houses the memorabilia of the Crisologos and original furnishings of a typical Vigan ancestral house.
• Quema House - the residence of the Quema family, considered by sociologist Fernando Zialcita as most representative of 18th-century Philippine architectural style.
• Mindoro Beach - the only seaside location in the city, just adjacent to the Vigan International Airport.
• Simbaan A Bassit - This cemetery chapel has a Bell-gable design, the only one of its kind in the Ilocos Region. The chapel's name is a Ilocano term meaning "small church."

Major schools based in Vigan[link]

• University of Northern Philippines - Located in Barangay Tamag, it is the oldest State University in Northern Luzon, which was founded by virtue of Republic Act 4449, authored by the late Congressman Floro Crisologo
• Saint Paul College of Ilocos Sur (formerly Rosary College) - the oldest privately-funded school in Ilocos Sur, founded as an all-girls' educational institution by the Sisters of Saint Paul of Chartres in Vigan. Its former campus near the Vigan Cathedral is now the site of a shopping mall, having recently fully transferred to nearby Bantay. It has recently joined the Saint Paul University System.
• Divine Word College of Vigan - the second oldest privately-funded school in Ilocos Sur, founded by priests belonging to the Society of the Divine Word (SVD). It is located just behind the Vigan Cathedral.
• Macro Colleges Inc. - One of the first in Ilocos Sur to offer computer-based services, it evolved into the first computer college in the province. It was established by five pioneering Ilocanos whose vision was to provide quality computer education to the youth of Ilocos Sur. Established in a shop along Salcedo Street, it has transferred to nearby Bantay as the school expanded.

Communications and mass media[link]

Vigan City is home to three AM radio stations and three FM stations. However, Bantay town, part of Metro Vigan, is the official address of the cable provider Eagle Vision which is the home of such cable channels: UPS-18, CORE TV, and Iluko Heritage Channel. ABS-CBN Vigan also holds their office address in Bantay. The city is also the home of some of the local print publications in the province, notably Timek ti Amianan, published by the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia.

TV stations[link]

• ABS-CBN Corporation: Channel 11
• NBN: Channel 4
• GMA Network Inc: Channel 48
• Studio 23: Channel 34 (Pending Request from NTC)

Cable providers and local cable stations[link]

• Vigan Satellite
• Eagle Vision CATV Systems
• UPS-18
• CORE TV
• Iluko Heritage Channel (IHC)
• Around Ilocandia Channel (AIC)
• TVi9an Channel 9

FM radio stations[link]

• 94.1 DWVN Magik FM, located in Vigan, owned by the Century Broadcasting Network
• 98.9 DWIS J FM (although is based in Bantay), owned by the Southern Broadcasting Network
• 105.5 DWNP UNP Campus Radio - billed as the only education-oriented radio station in Ilocos Sur, it is owned and operated by the University of Northern Philippines.

AM radio stations[link]

• DWRS - Commando Radio, founded as part of the Solidnorth Broadcasting System, still located in Tamag since its incorporation in the 80s. It is now a part of Radio Mindanao Network.
• DZVV - owned by Consolidated Broadcasting System, which is part of Bombo Radyo Philippines Network. "VV" means "Voice of Vigan," it was once located on the current site of a private school but has transferred to its current location along with its radio mast (formerly located at the banks of the Govantes River, near its boundary with Bantay)) in Tamag
• DZNS - owned by the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia, part of the Catholic Media Network, located in Pantay Daya. "NS" means "New Sound" and "Nueva Segovia."
• DZXE - "Radyo Tirador," owned by Fairwaves Broadcasting Network, now currently off-air; located just a few meters from the gate of Northern Tobacco Redrying Plant in Mira Hills. A former affiliate station of ABS-CBN's DZMM AM radio station.

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Vigan City

Vigan travel guide from Wikitravel

• Vigan.ph
• Heritage City of Vigan
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 1995 Philippine Census Information
• 2000 Philippine Census Information
• 2007 Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System
• Vigan | Lakwatsero Travel Blog

v t e World Heritage Sites in the Philippines World Heritage Sites Baroque Churches of the Philippines (San Agustin Church  · Paoay Church  · Santa Maria Church  · Miag-ao Church)  · Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park · Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras ( Batad Rice Terraces  · Bangaan Rice Terraces  · Hungduan Rice Terraces  · Mayoyao Central Rice Terraces  · Nagacadan Rice Terraces)  · Tubbataha Reef · Historic Town of Vigan Tentative List Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary  · Angono Triglyphs  · Apo Reef Natural Park  · Baroque Churches of the Philippines Extension (Boljoon Church  · Guiuan Church  · Loboc Church  · Lazi Church  · Tumauini Church) · Batanes Protected Landscapes and Seascapes  · Butuan Archeological Sites  · Chocolate Hills Natural Monument  · Coron Island Natural Biotic Area  · El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area  · Jesuit Churches of the Philippines (Guiuan Church  · Baclayon Church  · Loboc Church ) · Kabayan Mummy Burial Caves  · Liguasan Marsh  · Mount Apo Natural Park  · Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary  · Mount Iglit-Baco National Park  · Mount Malindang Range Natural Park  · Mount Matutum Protected Landscape  · Mount Pulag National Park  · Neolithic Shell Midden Sites in Lal-lo and Gattaran Municipalities  · Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park and outlying areas inclusive of the buffer zone  · Paleolithic Archaeological Sites in Cagayan Valley  · Panglao Island, Bohol  · Petroglyphs and Petrographs of the Philippines  · San Sebastian Church  · Spanish Colonial Fortifications of the Philippines (Fuerza de Capul  · Dauis Watchtower  · Punta Cruz Fortification  · Fuerza de San Andres  · Fuerza de Sta. Isabel)  · Taal Volcano Protected Landscape, Batangas  · The Maranao Settlement of Tugaya  · The Tabon Cave Complex and all of Lipuun  · Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary Previous Nomination Historic Centre of Manila Intramuros  · Town of Taal

v t e Cities of the Philippines Highly-urbanized Cities Angeles Bacolod Baguio Butuan Cagayan de Oro Caloocan Cebu Davao General Santos Iligan Iloilo Lapu-Lapu Las Piñas Lucena Makati Malabon Mandaluyong Mandaue Manila Marikina Muntinlupa Naga, Camarines Sur Navotas Olongapo Parañaque Pasay Pasig Puerto Princesa Quezon City San Juan Tacloban Taguig Valenzuela Zamboanga Independent Component Cities Cotabato Dagupan Ormoc Santiago Component Cities Alaminos Antipolo Bago Bais Balanga Batangas Batac Bayawan Baybay Bayugan Biñan Bislig Bogo Borongan Cabadbaran Cabanatuan Cadiz Calamba Calapan Calbayog Candon Canlaon Carcar Catbalogan Cauayan Cavite Danao Dapitan Dasmariñas Digos Dipolog Dumaguete El Salvador Escalante Gapan Gingoog Guihulngan Himamaylan Ilagan Iriga Isabela Kabankalan Kidapawan Koronadal La Carlota Lamitan Laoag Legazpi Lipa Maasin Malaybalay Malolos Marawi Masbate Mati Meycauayan Muñoz Naga, Cebu Oroquieta Ozamiz Pagadian Palayan Panabo Passi Roxas Sagay Samal San Carlos, Negros Occidental San Carlos, Pangasinan San Fernando, La Union San Fernando, Pampanga San Jose San Jose del Monte San Pablo Santa Rosa Silay Sipalay Sorsogon Surigao Tabuk Tacurong Tagaytay Tagbilaran Tagum Talisay, Cebu Talisay, Negros Occidental Tanauan Tandag Tangub Tanjay Tarlac Tayabas Toledo Trece Martires Tuguegarao Urdaneta Valencia Victorias Vigan

v t e Provincial capital cities and municipalities of the Philippines Luzon Antipolo (de facto), Rizal · Balanga, Bataan · Baler, Aurora · Bangued, Abra · Basco, Batanes · Batangas, Batangas · Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya · Boac, Marinduque · Bontoc, Mountain Province · Cabarroguis, Quirino · Calapan, Oriental Mindoro · Daet, Camarines Norte · Iba, Zambales · Ilagan, Isabela · Imus (de jure), Cavite · Kabugao (de jure), Apayao · Lagawe, Ifugao · Laoag, Ilocos Norte · La Trinidad, Benguet · Daraga, Albay · Lingayen, Pangasinan · Lucena, Quezon · Luna (de facto), Apayao · Malolos, Bulacan · Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro · Masbate, Masbate · Palayan, Nueva Ecija · Pasig (de jure), Rizal · Naga, Camarines Sur · Puerto Princesa, Palawan · Romblon, Romblon · San Fernando, La Union · San Fernando, Pampanga · Tabuk, Kalinga · Tarlac, Tarlac · Trece Martires (de facto), Cavite · Tuguegarao, Cagayan · Santa Cruz, Laguna · Sorsogon, Sorsogon · Vigan, Ilocos Sur · Virac, Catanduanes Visayas Bacolod, Negros Occidental · Borongan, Eastern Samar · Catarman, Northern Samar · Catbalogan, Samar · Cebu, Cebu · Dumaguete, Negros Oriental · Iloilo, Iloilo · Jordan, Guimaras · Kalibo, Aklan · Maasin, Southern Leyte · Naval, Biliran · Roxas, Capiz · San Jose de Buenavista, Antique · Siquijor, Siquijor · Tagbilaran, Bohol · Tacloban, Leyte Mindanao Alabel, Sarangani · Bongao (de facto), Tawi-Tawi · Butuan (de facto), Agusan del Norte · Cabadbaran (de jure), Agusan del Norte · Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental · Digos, Davao del Sur · Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte · Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay · Isabela, Basilan · Isulan, Sultan Kudarat · Jolo, Sulu · Kidapawan, Cotabato · Koronadal, South Cotabato · Malaybalay, Bukidnon · Mambajao, Camiguin · Marawi, Lanao del Sur · Mati, Davao Oriental · Nabunturan, Compostela Valley · Oroquieta, Misamis Occidental · Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur · Panglima Sugala (de jure), Tawi-Tawi · Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur · San Jose, Dinagat Islands · Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao · Surigao, Surigao del Norte · Tagum, Davao del Norte · Tandag, Surigao del Sur · Tubod, Lanao del Norte

v t e Region I - Ilocos Region Regional Center San Fernando, La Union Independent Component Cities Dagupan City Metropolitan Areas Metro Dagupan Provinces Ilocos Norte Ilocos Sur La Union Pangasinan Component Cities Alaminos Batac Candon Laoag San Carlos San Fernando Urdaneta Vigan

Coordinates: 17°34′30″N 120°23′17″E / 17.575°N 120.388°E / 17.575; 120.388

Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition 4 is the fourth teen edition and the tenth series overall of Pinoy Big Brother. The show premiered on Easter Sunday, April 8, 2012. Toni Gonzaga, Bianca Gonzales and Robi Domingo reprised their roles as hosts. They are joined by Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Edition 1 ex-housemate John Prats.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Auditions were held in major key cities in the Philippines and other parts of the world. A total of 22,305 teens auditioned for the season. Fifteen housemates entered this season, nine on opening night and six on Day 2.^[6]

Overview[link]

House theme[link]

The House for this season remains largely unchanged since Unlimited, except for total redecoration spanning a week since the previous edition's finale. This marked the franchise's fastest House makeover. Visibly so far, there are only five areas of the House: the House itself, the garden, the activity area, a secret hallway leading into Big Brother's Time Machine, and Big Brother's Conference Room. The House is decorated with a retro nostalgic theme, focusing on the 70's and 80's eras respectively.^[7]

Edition twists[link]

• 2-in-1 Housemates: Carried over from Celebrity Edition 2, two housemates who are related biologically or by other means, are joined as one competing housemate, assigned by Big Brother, however, no split connections are to be cast as of now, as opposed to the aforementioned season. The status of one would be the status of the other.

Housemates[link]

Nine housemates, an all-male line-up plus female twins, entered the house on Day 1. Twins Jai and Joj were the first two to enter via the garden, hours before opening night to perform a special task for Big Brother. The second batch of six housemates, consisting of an all-female line-up, entered on Day 2 during the late-afternoon Über show. The ages indicated were the housemates' ages upon their entrance to the House.

Name	Age	Work	Birthplace/residence	Ethnicity
First batch
Jai & Joj Agpangan	16 / 16	Student / Student	Bacolod, Negros Occidental	Filipino
Tom Johnson Doromal	15	Student	Davao City	Filipino–British
Roy Requejo	17	Construction Worker	Naga, Camarines Sur	Filipino
Ryan Boyce	15	Student	Pampanga	Filipino–British
Yves Romeo Flores	17	Student	Tarlac	Filipino
Vincent Manlapaz	15	Student	Cainta, Rizal	Filipino
Alec Brandon Dungo	17	Student	Sta. Cruz, Laguna	Filipino–Chinese
Kit Thompson	15	Student & Modeling	Angeles, Pampanga	Filipino–Kiwi
Second batch
Myrtle Abigail Sarrosa	17	Student & Cosplayer	Iloilo City	Filipino
Mariz Raneses	16	Student & Helper	Cebu City	Filipino
Nikka Javier	15	Student	Lian, Batangas	Filipino
Clodet Ann Loreto	13	Student	Davao City	Filipino
Karen Mae Reyes	15	Student	Calapan, Oriental Mindoro	Filipino
Claire Bercero	16	Student	Makati City	Filipino–French

Weekly tasks[link]

^T1 : The boys correctly matched all eight names.
^T2 : Team Blue Whale earned ₱16,830 & Team Sunny Side-Up got ₱18,630.
^T3 : The housemates committed eight so they lost the task.
^T4 : Tom was originally in Kit's Team, but when Big Brother asked if the housemates wanted to change teams Tom decided to go to Ryan's Team.
^T5 : This task spanned a length of 2 weeks. Tom and Karen won Outstanding Performance and Best Performance respectively

Nomination history[link]

The housemate first mentioned in each nomination gets two points, while the second gets one point. The percentage of votes shown is the percentage of votes to save unless otherwise stated.